The Last Comanche Chief: The Life and Times of Quanah Parker

by Bill Neeley

 Born in 1850, Quanah Parker belonged to the last generation of Comanches to follow the traditional nomadic life of their ancestors. After the Civil War, the trickle of white settlers encroaching on tribal land in northern Texas suddenly turned inot a tidal wave. Within a few short years, the great buffalo herds, a source of food and clothing for the Indians from time immemorial, had been hunted to the verge of extinction in an orgy of greed and destruction. The Indians' cherished way of life was being stolen from them.

Quanah Parker was the fiercest and bravest of the Comanches who fought desperately to preserve their culture. He led his warriors on daring and bloody raids against the white settlers and hunters. He resisted to the last, heading a band of Comanches, the Quahadas, after the majority of the tribe had acquiesced to resettlement on a reservation. But even the Comanches—legendary horsemen of the Plains who had held off Spanish and Mexican expansion for two centuries—could not turn back the massive influex of people and eaponry from the East.

Faced with the bitter choice between extermination or compromise, Quanah stepped off the warpath and sat down at the bargaining table. With remarkable skill, the Comanche warrior adapted to the new challenges he faced, learning English and the art of diplomacy. Working to bridge two very different worlds, he fought endlessly to gain a better deal for his people. As the tribe's elder statesman, Quanah lobbied Congress in Washington, D.C., entertained President Teddy Roosevelt and other dignitaries at his home, invested in the railroad, and enjoyed the honor of having a Texas town named after him. 

The Last Comanche Chief is a moving portayal of this famed leader. His story is an inspiring and compelling chapter in the history of Native Americans and of the American West.

Genres: History, Biography, Nonfiction, Native American, Native Americans, Indigenous, Historical

304 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1995

Reviews

[Sue · Rating 4 out of 5]

I initially picked up this book to read after finding out that Quanah Parker is one of my ancestors and I wanted to know what he was like. Not only did I learn about Quanah but I learned a great deal about the time period that saw the end of the Comanche's freedom in the southwest and their settlement on the reservation. Quanah Parker started out as one of the Comanche war chiefs and then became the leader of his people on the reservation. He was obviously a brilliant leader who understood that the Comanches had to work with the white people in order to survive and he set about making as good a life as possible for his people. Now I want to know more about Quanah Parker and about this time period and I'm proud to call Quanah an ancestor!

[Becky · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Last Comanche Chief: The Life and Times of Quanah Parker by Bill Neeley is a detailed and interesting insight into not only the Comanche and Native American cultures, but the transition of the native Americans into a white culture during the late 1800s and early 1900s. The details of violence portrayed by both the whites and native Americans is unbelievable by today's standards. Revenge rules! Quanah is unique as a half white/half Indian person totally absorbed into the Comanche culture. His mother, a captured white woman, appears to also absorb the culture as she has trouble readjusting when she is recaptured by the whites. Quanah's leadership evolves because of his courage and brilliance in warfare, but this leadership adapts when the inevitable victory of white settling in Comanche territory rules. It is amazing how he turns from warrior to negotiator/enforcer in the new world of the whites.

[Fredrick Danysh · Rating 3 out of 5]

Son of a Comanche warrior and a caaptured white girl, Quanah Parker was the last great war leader of the Comanche nation.

[Tana · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you think times are tough, read this book.

[Catherine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read as an alternative to Empire of the Summer Moon: Quanah Parker and the Rise and Fall of the Comanches, the Most Powerful Indian Tribe in American History (which is a hot mess of racism, non-linear narrative, and factual issues).

This is a case of the older, shorter book being the better one. It actual focuses on Quanah Parker and gives a very balanced view of the conflict between Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "The People" (what the tribes known as Comanches actually call themselves), the U.S. government and American settlers.

Recommended if you're interested in this segment of U.S. history, along with The Captured: A True Story of Abduction by Indians on the Texas Frontier.

[Carolyn Lind · Rating 4 out of 5]

My interest in Quanah Parker and his mother, Cynthia Ann Parker, began when I discovered Quanah was the grandfather of my favorite grade school teacher, Mrs. Dorothy Sunrise Lorentino. I was also intrigued when I discovered there were Mennonite missionaries who served these displaced Comanche Native Americans after they were confined to the reservation in Oklahoma.

In this book Dorothy Lorentino recalls, "They did everything for the Indians, from delivering babies to making coffins. They taught us how to cook, can, and sew. The Beckers stayed with families when they lost loved ones. They were like parents to the Indians.

A fierce war chief, Quanah Parker fought with all his power to preserve his Comanche heritage. But when at last defeated, he chose a path toward peace.

[Ulana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a well written documented story of Quanah Parker. I was impressed by all the direct quotes by him and other famous men in this book. I grew up on the original 6666 Ranch owned by S. Burk Burnett in Wichita County and heard that Quanah Parker had visited our land. I enjoyed reading about Quanah, Tom Burnett, and S. Burk Burnett. Bill Neeley, the author, visited the "6666 Ranch Land on Wild Horse Creek" Exhibit in Burkburnett which I helped put on with photographs and artifacts found on our property. It was an honor to have him visit so I immediated wanted to read this book he had written about Quanah Parker.

[Capri · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book in summation:

Quanah Parker was a Comanche who changed the game. How? Some guy said he heard his friends grandpa talk about Quanah saying he felt this way one time. No one actually knows if that’s how Quanah felt but here’s two pictures of him. Oh, did we mention he was one of the last Comanche Chiefs?

I feel like I learned little about Quanah, but more about the time period, which isn’t why i started reading. It’s an interesting history book, but they don’t know much about Quanah Parker.

[Patrick · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent history of a great man!

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fascinating book about Quanah Parker!

[Judy Briles · Rating 5 out of 5]

Texas History

This book was good and interesting reading for anyone to whom might be interested in a piece of Texas History and way of life during the Indian raids and ways of life.

[Chris Douglas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a well researched story on the life and times of Quanah Parker. It has very good narrative perspectives of both the Comanche people and the U.S. Cavalry.
Well annotated source materials.

[William O. · Rating 1 out of 5]

The story did not interest me. The writing was sub-par in my opinion.

[Brian VF · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible story with excellent insight into the war machine called Comanches

[Lisa Hawkins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent and very interesting!

[Faith Flaherty · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. I learned so much.

[Jerry · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very good book. It told the story of Quanah Parker the last Comanche chief. I learned a lot about Quanah and, at the same time, have a greater understanding of Indian life in the mid 1800s to the early 1900s. One of the few Native American war leaders that made the transition from warrior to productive U.S. citizen. Was it because he was half white? That is always a possibility. I do know that this book made me what to learn more of this great man. This book was a little too superficial in that regard. Why he never turned bitter against the government, or whites in general goes beyond me. There were so many times where promises were not kept, where the Native American's rights were not looked after and taken advantage. Quanah kept them on the straight and narrow. It takes a strong chief to accomplish this and that is what Quanah was. The Last Comanche Chief!

[Regan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I didn't know what I didn't know--about the indigenous people of that region, about the Spanish and French and then Americans in that region, about the brutality of the Comanches on other tribes and on everyone else, and about Cynthia Ann Parker. This book is packed with information and while it takes some concentration to keep it all straight, it's worth the effort. This is what they mean when they say "wild West."

[Ashton Reynolds · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about the last Comanche Chief to be in charge of the tribe as an autonomous nation before being conquered by the United States. It is an interesting look into the culture and thought patterns of the Comanche. It looks beyond the Comanche's reputation for being extremely violent and cruel and explores them from a more human point of view.

[Sheila Steele · Rating 4 out of 5]

I might be a little partial because Bill is my great-uncle. But I enjoy reading about other cultures. I got the chance to meet some of Quanah Parker's grandsons as we were going to do a movie with Larry Hagman. So I also got to meet him and shortly after meeting him he passed away. But the book is good and well written my uncle knows his stuff. LOL

[Karin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quannah Parker was a very shrewd American Indian. He was able to walk the thin line between the Indians and the Whites, while becoming an entrepreneur, looking out for his people and still keeping company with the likes of Teddy Roosevelt.

[Jim Parker · Rating 3 out of 5]

This chap was a relative of mine. This pleases me.

[Jim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accurate account of the Conmanche nation who own and protected their land in Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas with bravery and diligence for as long as they could. Outstanding book!

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I actually only read about two-thrids of this book, but I was completely engrossed in it. I want to find another copy and finish it!