Continual trouble was known with the Indians, though, after a few years,
was written, "many of the Indians are being taught to labor and are
learning better things than to rob and murder."
When the first agricultural settlers came, they were visited by
To-ish-obe, principal chief of the Muddy Indians, and a party of other
redskins, who transmitted information that had been sent them to the
effect that President Erastus Snow had planned to poison the Muddy
and kill off all the Indians. The chief was disabused of the idea.
The same chief appears to have been decent enough. In February, 1866,
there is record how he had declared outlaws two Indians who had stolen
horses and cattle. One of these Indians, Co-quap, was taken prisoner and
was killed at St. Thomas. About the same time, Indians on the Muddy,
above Simonsville (a grist mill site), stole wheat from about thirty
acres and left for the mountains, threatening the Muddy settlers. Within
a month, 32 head of horses, mules and cattle were driven off by Indians,
from St. Joseph and Simonsville. An expedition of 25 men started after
the marauders, but failed to recapture the stock.
Andrew S. Gibbons (who had come in 1864), sought To-ish-obe on the upper
Muddy, to interpret and make peace, if possible. In June at St. Joseph
was a conference between Erastus Snow and a group of the leading Indians,
representing the Santa Clara, Muddy, Colorado and other bands, in all
seven chiefs and 64 of their men. The conference was an agreeable one and
it was felt that some good had been done.
[Illustration: A STREET IN FREDONIA]
[Illustration: WALPI-ONE OF THE HOPI (MOQUI) VILLAGES]
[Illustration: WARREN M. JOHNSON'S HOUSE AT PARIA FERRY]
[Illustration: CROSSING THE COLORADO AT THE PARIA FERRY]
There was more trouble with the Indians in February, 1868, when the
tribesmen on the upper Muddy, where a new settlement had been formed,
came to the camp in anger, with blackened faces, armed with bows and
arrows, to demand pay for grain lands that had been occupied by the
whites. Gibbons acted as peacemaker, but told, "the fact that the
brethren were all well armed appeared to pacify the Indians more than any
arguments." The farmers formed in battle line, with Helaman Pratt as
captain, Gibbons in front, interpreting.
The Indians of the region, mainly Paiutes, were a never-ending source of
irritation and of potential danger to the settlers. They had grown fields
of a few acres along the Muddy and hence resented the coming of the
settlers who might include the aboriginal farms within their holdings.
In accordance with the traditional policy of the Church, however,
conciliation was used wherever possible, though the settlers sometimes,
when goaded to the last extremity, had to exhibit firearms and make a
show of force.
In 1868, Joseph W. Young wrote, "These Indians were considered about the
worst specimens of the race. They lived almost in a state of nudity and
were among the worst thieves on the continent. But through the kind,
though determined, course pursued towards them by our brethren who have
been among them, they are greatly changed for the better, and I believe I
may safely say that they are the best workers of all the tribes. They
are, nevertheless, Indians, and much wisdom is required to get along with
them pleasantly. Brother Andrew Gibbons is worthy of honorable mention,
because of the good influence that he maintains over these rude men."
In November, 1870, the Indians were reported "very hostile and saucy."
The Chemehuevis and Mohaves were at war. A band of the former, about 100
or more, came into the Muddy Valley. In December a band of Wallapai came
for a friendly visit.