Quanah Parker

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Quanah Parker
Quanah Parker, c. 1890
Comanche Nation United States Chief of the Comanches
In office 1890–1911
Preceded by	Position established
Succeeded by	Position abolished
Personal details
Born	1845 or (probably, Pecos' birth) 1852 Elk Valley, Wichita Mountains, Comancheria (Oklahoma)
Died	February 23, 1911 Quanah Parker Star House Cache, Oklahoma, U.S.
Cause of death	Heart failure
Resting place	Fort Sill Post Cemetery Fort Sill, Oklahoma 34°40′10″N 98°23′43″W / 34.669529°N 98.395336°W / 34.669529; -98.395336
Spouse(s)	Weakeah, Chony, Mah-Chetta-Wookey, Ah-Uh-Wuth-Takum, Coby, Toe-Pay, Tonarcy
Relations	Po-bish-e-quasho "Iron Jacket", John Parker, James W. Parker, Daniel Parker, John Richard Parker
Parents	Peta Nocona Cynthia Ann Parker
Known for	Comanche leader to bring the Kwahadi people into Fort Sill Founder of the Native American Church The last Comanche chief

Quanah Parker (Comanche: Kwana, lit. 'smell, odor'; c. 1845 – February 23, 1911) was a war leader of the Kwahadi ("Antelope") band of the Comanche Nation. He was likely born into the Nokoni ("Wanderers") band of Tabby-nocca and grew up among the Kwahadis, the son of Kwahadi Comanche chief Peta Nocona and Cynthia Ann Parker, an Anglo-American who had been abducted as an eight-year-old child during the Fort Parker massacre in 1836 and assimilated into the Nokoni tribe. Following the apprehension of several Kiowa chiefs in 1871, Quanah Parker emerged as a dominant figure in the Red River War, clashing repeatedly with Colonel Ranald S. Mackenzie. With European-Americans hunting American bison, the Comanches' primary sustenance, into near extinction, Quanah Parker eventually surrendered and peaceably led the Kwahadi to the reservation at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.

Quanah Parker was never elected chief by his people but was appointed by the federal government as principal chief of the entire Comanche Nation. He became a primary emissary of southwest indigenous Americans to the United States legislature. In civilian life, he gained wealth as a rancher, settling near Cache, Oklahoma. Though he encouraged Christianization of Comanche people, he also advocated the syncretic Native American Church alternative, and fought for the legal use of peyote in the movement's religious practices. He was elected deputy sheriff of Lawton in 1902. After his death in 1911, the leadership title of Chief was replaced with chairman; Quanah Parker is thereby described as the "Last Chief of the Comanche", a term also applied to Horseback.

He is buried at Chief's Knoll on Fort Sill. Many cities and highway systems in southwest Oklahoma and north Texas, once southern Comancheria, bear reference to his name.