Indian trouble in old Northern Arizona

The exploration of settlement of northern Arizona was not free of frontier violence. Although the Indians were not being displaced during the early years of the exploration, they were a constant threat to the missionary/explorers. Dr. Jas. M. Whitmore and his herder, Robert McIntire were killed by a band of Paiede Paiutes and Navajos on January 8, 1866. The Indians also drove off horses, sheep and cattle. The incident reportedly occurred four miles north of Pipe Springs, just south of the Utah border with Arizona.

Quoting Gottfredson's History of Indian Depredations in Utah at page 179:

Early in the year 1866 the Navajo Indians who were on the Arizona side of the Colorado River, being more numerous and superior than the Shevete Indians who inhabited the Utah side of the river, would often cross over and compel the less powerful tribe to do their bidding. Frequently they also captured and made slave of some of them. On this certain occasion some of them crossed over and compelled the Shevet's who were camped in the neighborhood to assist in killing Dr. J. M. Whitmore and his hired man, Robert McIntyre, and drive away their sheep-herd and some cattle. This took place in the beginning of a big snow storm. When Dr. Whitmore and his hired man left the herd-house Whimore had on his overcoat and carried in pocket two twenty dollar gold pieces. The Shevete Indians secured the men's clothing but not knowing the value of money, the gold pieces were later recovered. The Navajoes took the sheep and cattle over the river and they were never recovered. About the 20th of January, 1866, a company of armed men from St. George went in search of the murdered men. They came across two young Indians and compelled them to assist in the hunt. They acknowledged having seen the killing, but claimed they had no hand in it. There was about eighteen inches of crusted snow on the ground and the bodies were covered up. The men rode forward and back, four abreast and finally Colonel Pierce's horse stepped over the body of Dr. Whitmore and uncovered one hand which was raised above the body. When the whites informed the Indians that one of the murdered men had been found, one asked if it was the man with whiskers. When answered in the affirmative, he said: the other is over this way, they followed the Indian and then found Mclntyre's body. There was a camp of Indians not far distant and Captain Pierce, with some of his men, went there and found the murdered men's clothing. The Indians refused to be taken prisoners and put up a fight, which resulted in seven of them being killed.

The McClintock version of the same incident is quite different in many details, at page 72:

There was pursuit from St. George by Col. D. D. McArthur and company. A tale of the pursuit comes from Anthony W. Ivins, a member of the company, then a mere boy who went out on a mule with a quilt for a saddle. The weather was bitterly cold. The bodies were found covered with snow, which was three feet deep. Each body had many arrow and bullet wounds. The men had been attacked while riding the range, only Mclntire being armed. A detachment, under Captain James Andrus, found the murderous Indians in camp and, in a short engagement, killed nine of them.

During the next few years there was continual conflict between the Navajo raiders and the Mormon colonists in southern Utah. The Shevete Indians are now more commonly called the Shivwits and there is no modern designation for the Indians referred to a Paiede Piautes.


Sources unless indicated
Gottfredson, Peter. History of Indian Depredations in Utah. Salt Lake City: Skelton Pub. Co, 1919.
McClintock, James H. Mormon Settlement in Arizona; a Record of Peaceful Conquest of the Desert. 1921.