Parker family unit members reunion isn’t any typical members of the family meeting

MEXIA – For the Monday, household regarding along side county as well as the nation gathered getting an excellent reunion at the Fort Parker State Playground only southern from Mexia. Some exchanged hugs that have familiar confronts, although some delivered by themselves for the first time.

But this was no typical members of the family reunion. Its ties celebrated Friday was basically forged as the result of good heartbreaking knowledge that many Texans found out about ever class or read about into the those retellings within the courses.

To your early morning of Can get 19, 1836, a ring of Comanche and you will Kiowa Indians raided Fort Parker, savagely raping and you can eliminating members of brand new pioneer Parker household members.

Four people were pulled attentive, together with 9-year old Cynthia Ann Parker, which invested most of her existence among the Comanche, following the language and lifestyle of your tribe, and you will marrying a leader, Peta Nocona.

Nine ages after, Cynthia Ann gave beginning to Quanah Parker, who does get to be the tribe’s last master, a friend of Theodore Roosevelt, and you may a pleasure keeper anywhere between certain groups out-of Indians and whites.

Whenever Quanah was just twelve, a company out of Tx Rangers murdered his father and you will captured his mommy, looking to reintroduce the woman so you’re able to area. Cynthia Ann spent most of the rest of the lady lives looking to to go back into the Comanche prior to the lady demise, since the legend happens, from a cracked heart.

All the more than 100 descendants only lads during the reunion shadow the origins returning to the new Senior John Parker, a significant War soldier away from Illinois, whom founded this new fort in the 1835 and was murdered in the massacre.

Trevor Wardlaw, who resides in Waco and you will delivered his girlfriend and you may three kids along, is a monetary agent by-day and you can a distant relative off Quanah Parker by the blood. He is the favorable-great-great-grandson of your Elderly Daniel Parker, brand new oldest child from John Parker’s four people. Elderly Daniel Parker, a home-instructed preacher, dependent the original Protestant church in the Colorado and you will was important inside performing the Texas Ranger gadgets.

“I guess selfishly i go after genealogy and family history to discover more regarding our personal history,” Wardlaw said. “Individuals respects the latest Tx Rangers, however, so few understand where they originated from – which can be my personal particular ancestry.”

And they still have a powerful line of members of the family records relationships to 1833

“It will be the facts alone one to retains anybody along with her,” said Jack Selden, the author away from Go back: The Parker Tale. Their late wife was a Parker. “The new persuasive tale regarding Cynthia Ann and her come back – this woman is the center, no matter what you will do.” Selden, who has along with composed a play regarding the Parkers, has went to brand new social gatherings the past 2 decades.

This new strong-sitting Texas pride is clear among the many “Parker cousins,” as they name on their own. It is not unusual to learn individuals claim he could be related to cousin Quanah, Auntie Cynthia Ann, or Papa John Parker.

Scott Nicholson has been probably this new social gatherings dating back they can think of. The newest Elder John Parker are their 5th higher-daddy into his mother’s top, and then he is basically descended out-of your twice (in the 1800s it was not unusual getting 2nd cousins in order to get married).

“All this are taught to me personally of the my personal father, who had been tily – and you can Tx – history continues today. “My personal 12-year-old guy will show you the entire tale,” Nicholson said. “When he is six otherwise 7, he desired to read about our house record having bedtime reports.”

Because the fort decrease 176 in years past, a great number regarding Parkers enjoys lived-in the brand new Palestine-Elkhart town. “We didn’t move about enough to dump them,” Nicholson told you.

Those yellowed black colored-and-white photos and dated relationship suggestions are steeped relics. But while some are content with just the tales that their grandparents advised them, others, for example Wardlaw and you may Nicholson, keeps welcomed the brand new pattern for the genealogy – which have their DNA tested to verify the loved ones.

As it is traditions, Saturday’s agenda began on “providers meeting.” Since the cicadas whirred loudly on trees over, the new descendants seated from inside the foldable seating outside. It told you an excellent prayer, approved Parkers that passed away, calculated who is the fresh youngest, the fresh oldest and you can which Parker traveled the fresh farthest to obtain there.

Champions discover “Parker Loved ones” cups. This present year the glasses decided to go to 88-year-old Jack Meredith, 9-month-old Emory Parker Cochran and you will Barry Parker, who along with his partner, Becky, drove in the regarding Charleston, Ill.

“We just would you like to get together and you can check out,” told you 83-year-dated Darwin Gilmore, vice-chairman towards Parker Family unit members reunion board and you can last year’s winner as the earliest attendee. “All of us are wanting members of the family.”

Of many years have come and you may gone

The Comanche section of the household members keeps several other yearly reunion, usually in the Cache, Okla., close to the seat of tribal government. A gold bowl, made by Nicholson’s maternal father, is actually usually traded between your light and you may Comanche edges of the members of the family each year. The motion is meant to signify when you’re both parties away from your family provides their unique traditions, they are all kin.

Adopting the a massive potluck food is a public auction, where individuals can be bid with the items like a license dish you to definitely checks out “QUANAH1.” The fresh auction helps boost currency to be sure the class normally remain to lease the state playground.

Early Sunday day, those who spent the night outdoor camping throughout the park’s “barracks” – five traditional (but heavens-conditioned) cabins – finish off and you can say its goodbyes before going aside up until 2nd seasons.