Chief Ouray
Chief Ouray (circa 1833 - August 24, 1880) was a Native American leader of the Uncompahgre band of the Ute tribe of modern-day Utah and Colorado.
Chief Ouray
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2 Chief 3 The Meeker Massacre 4 Final words 5 External links and references |
He was born in modern-day New Mexico in (probably) 1833, learning Spanish, English, and later both the Apache and Ute languages, later helpful in negotiating treaties. He fought both of the Kiowas and the Sioux.
At 18 he came to modern-day Colorado to be a member of the Tabeguache Ute band, where his father was already a leader, and lived as his kinsmen did.
He was considered a great leader, and called The White Man's Friend, as he sought reconciliation between peoples, understanding that war meant the end of his. The United States president Rutherford B. Hayes met him in 1880, and had this to say:
The Meeker massacre occurred on September 29, 1879. The Federal Government of the United States had been trying for some time to get the Utes to change their nomadic lifestyle, sending troops. The natives attacked the Indian agency and the soldiers, killing fourteen. Of note, the Uncompahgre Utes were not even part of it, but the area settlers demanded their removal.
He attempted to keep the peace after this Indian massacre, but his people were sent to a reservation in Utah. He died very soon after, and his people were forcibly relocated to the Utah Territory on August 28, 1881.
He never cut off his long Ute-fashion hair, though he often dressed as a white man, dying near Los Pinos Indian Agency, and secretly buried near Ignacio, Colorado. Forty-five years later he was re-buried close to the agency in a marked grave.
The city of Ouray, Colorado is named for him.Early life
Chief
He also met president Ulysses S. Grant.The Meeker Massacre
Final words
