Edmund Guerrier facts for kids
Edmund Gasseau Choteau Le Guerrier (born January 16, 1840 – died January 1, 1921) was an important person in American history. He was part American and part Cheyenne and survived a terrible event called the Sand Creek massacre in 1864. Later, he worked as an interpreter for the U.S. government during the Indian Wars. These were conflicts between the Cheyenne people and the United States. He also became a successful rancher.
Early Life and Education
Edmund Guerrier was born on January 16, 1840. This happened in a Cheyenne camp near the Smoky Hill River in what is now Kansas. His father, William Guerrier, was an American of French background from St. Louis, Missouri. William worked for a fur trader named William Bent at Bent's Fort.
Edmund's mother was Tah-tah-tois-neh, also known as Walks In Sight. She was a Cheyenne woman from Little Rock's Wutapai band. In 1848, his father became a trader on his own. He set up a trading post near the Platte River.
Sadly, Edmund's mother and a baby sibling died in 1849 from a sickness called cholera. In 1851, Edmund went to a Catholic mission school in St. Marys, Kansas. He later studied at St. Louis University. After his father passed away in 1857, Edmund left college. He went back to live with his mother's people, who called him Red Tail Hawk. He was lucky to survive the Sand Creek massacre in 1864.
Working as an Interpreter
Around 1865, Guerrier married Julia, who was the sister of George Bent. He started working as an interpreter for the U.S. government. An interpreter helps people who speak different languages understand each other.
He was present at the talks for the Treaty of the Little Arkansas in 1865. This treaty was an agreement between the U.S. government and Native American tribes.
Later, he worked for the War Department. He helped the Seventh U.S. Cavalry during the 1867 Hancock expedition. This was led by Maj. Gen. Winfield Scott Hancock. In 1868, he learned about attacks on white settlements in Kansas. He later told the U.S. military who was responsible for these raids.
In 1867, he also helped interpret during the Medicine Lodge Treaty negotiations. In 1869, he worked with the Fifth U.S. Cavalry. He also worked as a trader at Camp Supply. He continued to interpret for Cheyenne groups visiting Washington, D.C. in 1871 and 1884.
Later Life and Legacy
Edmund Guerrier passed away in 1921. He died at his ranch near Geary, Oklahoma. The city of Geary was actually named after him! His last name, Guerrier, was hard for many people to say or spell. So, it became "Geary" instead.
