In 1964, the Ute Tribe terminated the 490 mixed-blood members of the tribe. Some say they voted to be terminated. Others disagree. It is also told that the entire tribe was to be terminated. This came about so that Indians could do their own business without government influence or control
Mom was #418. Her mother, and siblings: Judi, Walt, Henry, Rang (Ruben Jr), Pearl, and Jack were all terminated. Her younger sisters, Joan and Marie were never enrolled with the Ute Tribe due to termination.
This is a great misfortune because it not only affect those that were terminated but many generations. Today, there is still contention about what being Indian means. Those of us that are the next generation have been denied opportunities to participate in Native American programs in school, scholarships, etc. Some have married back into the tribe but have not been able to enroll their children because the tribe will not recognize the mix blood quantum.
At the time of termination, the mixed bloods were given so much cattle, sheep and $1000 for their separation with the tribe. They lost their hunting and fishing rights. In the early 1980's the tribe was sued so the mixed bloods received their hunting and fishing rights.
My grandmother and a few other family members felt that $1000 was not enough for something they felt was a birthright. This small group held out and the tribe finally agreed to give them 18,000 acres land between Hanna and Rock Creek. The 26 mix bloods that held out for land formed the Red Rock Corporation to manage the land. The Murdocks also received land in Rock Creek but did not belong to the corporation.
Below is a picture of Mom's Grandpa Elmer Denver (Lena's dad). Most of these kids are his grandkids and some nieces and nephews. Most, if not all, were terminated from the Ute Tribe. My mom is in the white blouse, second from the right, sitting on the floor in the front row. Her sister, Pearl is in the black jumper, fourth from the right on the front row. Mom's oldest sister, Judi is standing behind Grandpa Elmer holding the baby which may be Mom's younger brother Jack. Henry, my mom's brother is second on the left of Judi. Walt (my mom's brother) is third from the left on the back row.
The Old Homestead
Mom was born in Ft. Duchesne in the old hospital on top of the hill south of town. Ft. Duchesne was established by the US Calvary in 1885. It was abandoned in 1912. This is the home of the Ute Reservation.
The Sixkillers lived on the north end of the circle. The circle was a place where the tribal superintendent and other government workers lived. The center of the circle was where the Utes would meet for celebrations such as the Pow Wow. Today, there is a band stand, a community gym and baseball fields. When mom was in about 6th grade, they moved to a home built a mile north of where Eagle View Elementary now sits. On the left is a picture of Mom between the house and garage of my grandparents current home. The other picture is my mom's brother Rang (Ruben Jr.) standing in front of the house. The front door would be on his right side.
The Not So Maiden Aunt.
In my family, we do not have any aunts that did not marry so this week, I am writing about grandpa's sister, Pearl Sixkiller Bried. Aunt Pearl was born October 11, 1913 in Bakersfield, California. She died Sept 2, 2001. Pearl and Ruben (my grandpa) are the only two children of Myrtle and Glover Walter Sixkiller.Glover died in 1923. Leaving Myrtle to raise two small children on her own. Ruben was 8 years old and Pearl was 10 years old. Both Ruben and Pearl attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in central Oklahoma. Ruben quit school in 7th grade and went to work to help put his sister through school and college.
Pearl married Theodore Bried (1915-1989) on February 9, 1941 in Cooke County Texas. Ted was in the military. Their family moved around as he was stationed around the world. They had three children: John, Michael Kerry, and Janie. Their family settled in Seattle, Washington.
Pearl passed away in Oklahoma. If I remember correctly, she was visiting her son John. He worked at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. Unlike Utah where we have a funeral about 3-4 days after passing, her family did not plan a service until about two weeks later.
On September 11, the Twin Towers in NYC were attacked and were demolished when two planes flew into the towers. Another plane crash landed into the Pentagon. A fourth plane crash landed in a field in Pennsylvania. After the fact, these horrific actions were planned out by the muslim terrorist group, Al-Queda. This is the second time in history that the US was attacked on their own soil.
Because of these attacks, there was a ban on all planes, trains, buses and other forms of transport for about a month. Unfortunately, Janie was unable to make it to her mother's funeral services. Janie did not have her own car and all other forms of public transport were grounded.
Pearl's son John worked at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. He was out for training when the Federal Building was bombed by Timothy McVeigh in 1995. McVeigh was later put to death for his actions.
Below is a picture of Aunt Pearly with Wilma Mankiller. Wilma was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation between 1985-1995.
Pearl's son John worked at the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City. He was out for training when the Federal Building was bombed by Timothy McVeigh in 1995. McVeigh was later put to death for his actions.
Below is a picture of Aunt Pearly with Wilma Mankiller. Wilma was the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation between 1985-1995.
Longevity
My mom was born on March 19, 1950 in Ft. Duchesne, Utah. The BIA hospital no longer exists but the building still stands. It sits on the hill west of the what is known as the circle. Her parents are Lena Denver and Ruben Sixkiller Sr. My mom is the one of 11 children. My grandpa joked that the reason why they had so many children was because "It was back before TV."
Lena is a terminated Ute. Her mother is Mary Harris and was also enrolled with the Ute Tribe. Lena's father is Elmer Denver Sr. Elmer was enrolled with the Shoshone Tribe in Ft. Hall, Idaho. They had 11 children!
Lena attended boarding school in Whiterocks, Utah. The school sits where the Episcopal Church sits today. She was then sent to Sherman Indian School in Riverside, California. Grandma loved her experience at boarding school despite how most native kids were treated. She made many life-long friends, played sports and learned how to cook, sew and clean. Her brothers learned job skills that allowed them to work in construction, mostly masonry work. During the summers, she would stay in California to work as a nanny or maid to movie stars and the "rich."
Ruben is an enrolled Cherokee from Miami, Oklahoma. His mother is Myrtle T Miller. His father is Glover Walter Sixkiller. He died in 1923 leaving behind Ruben, his sister Pearl and his mother. He spent a lot of time with his grandparents while his mother worked to support the young family. The Millers and Sixkillers had ancestors that walked the Trail of Tears. The Sixkillers were the first BIA Law Officers on the Cherokee Reservation in Oklahoma.
Ruben also attended boarding school in Schiloco, Oklahoma. His experience here is much like most native boys and girls. Grandpa said he was beaten for speaking Cherokee when he was at school, then beaten at home when he spoke English by his grandpa. He didn't attend school past 7th grade. Grandpa went to work to help support his family. He helped put his sister Pearl through college. His story reminds me of "The Legend Of Little Tree."
Ruben hitch-hiked to Utah during the Depression from Oklahoma. His personal story is very much like the classic story, "The Grapes of Wrath." Ruben's goal was to go to California looking for work. He and the other men hitch-hiking made it to Utah. They all married Ute women and raised their families here.
Obituary
“Deedle” Sixkiller Olsen, age 66, of Neola, passed away peacefully November 25, 2016, at the University of Utah Hospital with her family at her side after a valiant battle with kidney and liver disease.
She was born March 19, 1950, in Ft. Duchesne, to Ruben and Lena Denver Sixkiller. She was in the first 9th grade class at the new West Jr. High School where she served as their first student body president. When she attended Union High School, she became the first female in the state of Utah to be a member of the Future Farmers of America. She married A. Kent Olsen on February 23, 1968, in Neola. They were sealed in the Provo LDS Temple on February 23, 1974. When Kathleen was a baby, her older sister couldn’t say her name so she became Deedle, and it stuck. Deedle worked as a teacher’s aide for the Ute Tribe Headstart and then she and Kent owned and operated the Neola Store for a time. She served as president of the Red Rock Corporation and 9 years as the Minority Representative on the FSA board. She was an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, serving many years as a Primary Teacher. She loved the kids in her classes and always had a birthday party for each kid at McDonalds, and a new set of crayons for every new class. She enjoyed hunting, fishing, genealogy, doing yard work, and coaching city league girls’ softball. She had a passion for shopping, especially for shoes, and would often use her excellent price comparison skills to help the grandkids get the most school clothes for their money. She purchased all of the granddaughters’ prom dresses. Appearance was paramount and her hair and nails were always perfect. She loved taking her girl trips to Wendover, where she hit the 10,000.00 jackpot a couple of times. Deedle adored her family, especially her grandchildren – they were her life. She also helped raise many foster-kids and nieces and nephews. She touched many people’s lives and will be greatly missed.
She is survived by her husband, Kent; her children, Maurleen (Freddy) Plant, Vernal; Tommy Kent (Márcia) Olsen, Roosevelt; Kim (Merchie) Adams, Syracuse; grandchildren, Lance (Jennie) Olsen, Andrew Jake Plant, TJ (Brianna) Olsen, Allina (Morgan) Condie, Kamilla Olsen, EagleClaw Cuch, Christine (Scott) Chisholm, Kelsey Adams; great-grandchildren, Carter Chisholm, Jacklyn Olsen, and one on the way; brothers and sisters, Judy (Marcus) Mojado, Pala, CA; Henry Sixkiller, Ft. Duchesne; Pearl (Charles) Ewing, Bountiful; Jack (Delaine) Sixkiller; Joan (Robert) Yazzie, Marie (Vance) Gardner, Ft. Duchesne; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents, brothers; Walt Sixkiller, Ruben “Rang” Sixkiller Jr., Denver Sixkiller, and a sister Mary Sixkiller. Funeral services will be held on Wednesday, November 30, 2016, at 11:00 a.m. at the Neola LDS Chapel. There will be a viewing on Tuesday from 6-8 p.m. at the Hullinger Mortuary and from 9:30-10:45 a.m. Wednesday at the church. Burial will be in the Hayden Cemetery. The family would like to thank the doctors and staff at the Uintah Basin Medical Center, Utah Valley Regional Medical Center, McKay Dee Hospital, Intermountain Medical Center, and the University of Utah Hospital for the kind and caring service.