Life History

Notes

• 1910 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma, 17 May, Quanah Township, Apache, Kiowa & Comanche Reservation, District 29, page 20A, Hse/Fam #6
  Birdsong, Aubra C Head M Ind 25 [b abt 1885] Marriage 1 Married 5 yrs White/MO White/MO Government Farmer, Kiowa Agency English mother tongue Rents
  Birdsong, Laura P Wife F Ind 27 [b abt 1883] Marriage 1 Married 5 yrs 1 child/0 living Comanche/OK Comanche/OK Comanche/OK 3/4 blood Comanche mother tongue
  Birdsong, Anona Dau F Ind 4 [b abt 1906] Single Comanche/TX White/MO Comanche/OK 3/8 blood English mother tongue
  
  We have the story of their meeting and marriage in Dallas, Texas, courtesy of Lisa Stalnaker.  The story was reported in a Wisconsin newspaper, included by Staci Pollard in Ne-dah's memorial on Find a Grave.  The dateline in the story in Dallas, Texas, and is dated 12 December.  The date of publication is 13 December 1904, in Eau Claire, Wisconsin.  The story has some puzzling aspects.
  
  Perhaps Aubra had some connection with Eau Claire.  But the story from a Dallas dateline as well as the Eau Claire location of publication makes it puzzling that the town of Cache (in Comanche County, Oklahoma) is referred to with no further identification, as though it was very familiar to the readers.  I would think even Dallas residents in 1904 would have needed or liked some indication of where "Cache" was, let alone readers in Wisconsin.
  
  With the dateline in Dallas being "Dec 12," and the Wisconsin newspaper date of December 13, 1904, it seems the marriage took place on the evening of 11 December 1904 ("last night") in Dallas.
  
  A C maried Nedah Parker, the daughter of Quanah, Parker, in 1904.  But there is another marriage record for them in 1929 in Parker County, Tesas.  This reports both with the surname Birdsong.
  
  Texas, County Marriage Records, 1817-1965
  A C Birdsong, Male
  Nedah Birdsong
  Marriage 16 Feb 1929 Weatherford, Parker, Texas, USA
  
  ------------------
  Eau Claire Leader
  Tuesday, December 13, 1904, Eau Claire, Wisconsin
  
  Texan Marries an Indian Bride
  Rescues her from college fire and later choose her for his wife.
  
  Dallas, Tex., Dec. 12 - Miss Neda Parker, of Cache, and A.C. Birdsong, of Marshall, Tex., were married here last night. The bride is the daughter of Quanah Parker, Chief of the Comanche Indians.
  
  Miss Parker came to Dallas to attend school. One night an alarm of fire near the college dormitory caused an invasion of the place by the firemen.
  
  Mr. Birdsong rushed with the firemen to the rescue of the schoolgirls and carried Miss Parker to a place of safety.
  
  The chance meeting began a romance which, in spite of the opposition of the faculty, led to the marriage last night."
  
  Parents:
  Quanah Parker (1845 - 1911)
  Takewm Aerwuth (1853 - 1948)
  Spouse Aubra Birdsong (1884 - 1968)
  
  Note: Parent links provided courtesy of Cokeman2. Thank you! Neda's announcement of marriage and copy of her obituary provided by Lisa Stalnaker. Thank you!
  
  Burial Cache Cemetery, Cache, Comanche County, Oklahoma
  
  Created by Staci Pollard Jul 10, 2011
  --  Find A Grave Memorial #73126112, http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=73126112
  -----------------

Sources

• 1. 1910 Federal Census, Comanche County, Oklahoma
  • 17 May, Quanah Township, Apache, Kiowa & Comanche Reservation, District 29, page 20A, Hse/Fam #6
• 2. Marriages of Texas
• 3. Texas, County Marriage Records, 1817-1965
• 4. Abilene Reporter News
• 5. 1911 Indian Census Rolls, Kiowa Comanche and Apache Tribes, Oklahoma
  • 30 June, Kiowa Agency, Comanche Tribe, Page 20
• 6. U.S., Social Security Death Index, 1935-2014