Mary Jo Estep facts for kids
Mary Josephine Estep (born around 1909 or 1910, died 1992) was a Shoshone girl. She survived an important event in 1911 called the Battle of Kelley Creek. This event is sometimes known as "the last massacre" involving Native Americans in the United States.
Early Life and Survival
Mary Josephine Estep was born in 1909 or 1910. Her mother was Wenega Daggett. Her grandfather was Mike Daggett, also known as "Shoshone Mike."
Mary was just over a year old when her mother died near Winnemucca, Nevada. In February 1911, Mike Daggett and his group had a conflict with some stockmen near Little High Rock Canyon. A group of lawmen responded to this event. They found Mike Daggett's group, which had twelve members, at Kelley Creek.
During the confrontation, four children, including Mary Estep, survived. They were taken to a jail in Reno for their safety. By 1913, Mary was the only one of these four children still alive. The other three had sadly passed away from illnesses.
Adoption and New Home
After the Kelley Creek event, doctors found that Mary Estep had tuberculosis. She was then adopted by Maj. Evan W. Estep and his wife, Orrell Marietta "Rita" Garrison Estep. Maj. Estep was the superintendent of the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho.
Mary lived with her adoptive parents in different places. They lived in Montana and New Mexico. In 1924, they moved to the Yakama Indian Reservation in Toppenish, Washington. Finally, in 1930, after Evan Estep retired, they settled in Yakima, Washington. Evan died in 1950, and Rita passed away in 1955.
Later Life and Career
Mary Jo Estep loved music and studied it at Central Washington University. She became an elementary school music teacher. She taught for about forty years, helping many young students learn about music. She retired from teaching in 1974.
In 1975, Mary Jo Estep learned more about her early life and family. This happened when a novelist named Dayton Hyde was researching the story of Mike Daggett. He found Mary Jo to learn more about her experiences. Mary Jo Estep passed away in 1992 in Yakima. She was about 82 years old.
