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Yavapai Apache Indian History
Yavapai (said to be from enyaéva
'sun,' pai `people': 'people of the sun').
A Yuman tribe, popularly known as Apache Mohave and Mohave Apache, i. e.,
'hostile or warlike Mohave.' According to Corbusier, the tribe, before its
removal to the Rio Verde agency in May 1873, claimed as its range the valley of
the Rio Verde and the Black mesa from Salt river as far as Bill Williams
mountains, west
Arizona. They then numbered about 1,000. Earlier they ranged much farther west, appearing to have had rancherias on the Rio Colorado; but they were chiefly an
interior tribe, living south of Bill Williams fork as far as Castle Dome
mountains,
above the Gila. In the spring of 1875 they were placed under San Carlos Apache
agency, where, in the following year, they numbered 618. Dr Corbusier described
the Yavapai men as tall and erect, muscular, and well proportioned. The women
are stouter and have handsomer faces than the Yuma. Cuercomache was mentioned in
1776 as a Yavapai rancheria or division. In 1900 most of the tribe drifted from
the
San Carlos Reservation and settled in part of their old home on the Rio Verde,
including the abandoned
Camp
McDowell Military Reservation, which was assigned to their use Nov. 27, 1901, by the Secretary
of the Interior until Congress should take final action. By 1903 these were said
to number between 500 and 600 (but probably including Yuma and
Apache),
scattered in small bands from Camp McDowell to the head of the Rio Verde. By
Executive order of Sept. 15, 1903, the old reservation was set aside for their
use, the claims of the white settlers being purchased under act of Apr. 21,
1904. Here they are making some progress in civilized pursuits, but in 1905 the
ravages of tuberculosis were reported to be largely responsible for a great
mortality, the deaths exceeding the births 4 to 1. In 1906 there were officially
reported 465 "Mohave Apache" at Camp McDowell and Upper Verde valley, Ariz., and
55 at San Carlos, a total of 520. In 1910 there were 178 Mohave Apache and Yavapai under the Camp McDowell school, 282 under the Camp Verde school, and 89
under the San Carlos school.
The books presented are for their
historical value only and are not the
opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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