Mike Daggett facts for kids
Mike Daggett, whose original Shoshoni name was Ondongarte, was a Shoshone man. He is mostly known for a conflict called the Battle of Kelley Creek. He died in this battle on February 25, 1911, along with several family members. People also knew him by other names like "Indian Mike" or "Rock Creek Mike." After his death, he was often called "Shoshone Mike."
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Mike Daggett's Early Life
Mike Daggett was a father to twelve or thirteen children. The first time he appears in historical records was in 1890. At that time, he and his family were living on the Fort Hall Indian Reservation in Idaho. However, settlers claimed they had bought the land. Because of this, Daggett and his family were forced to leave their home.
Moving to Nevada and California
About 20 years later, in the spring of 1910, Mike Daggett led his family off the reservation. They traveled to different places in Nevada and California. During this time, they worked at various jobs to support themselves.
A Difficult Winter and Conflict
By January 1911, the Daggett family was staying in Little High Rock Canyon in Washoe County, Nevada. Their food supplies for the winter were running low. To get more food, Mike Daggett decided to take some cattle from a local rancher.
This cattle theft was quickly noticed. A group of four men went to the canyon to investigate the situation. On January 19, Mike and two of his older sons met this group. A conflict happened, and all four men from the group were killed.
The Battle of Kelley Creek
On February 8, a larger group was formed to find the Daggett family. This group included police officers and citizens from both Nevada and California. On February 25, 1911, this group found Mike Daggett and his followers. They were at a place called Kelley Creek in Humboldt County, Nevada.
A battle started that lasted for three hours. During this fight, Mike Daggett was killed. Seven other people also died. Four of his children were taken into police care. These four children later attended the Stewart Indian School near Carson City, Nevada. Sadly, three of them passed away due to illness. By 1913, only one of his grandchildren was still alive. This was his baby granddaughter, who was renamed Mary Jo Estep. She lived until 1992.
The people who died in the battle were buried near Golconda, Nevada. Later, a local rancher gave their remains to the Smithsonian Institution. In 1994, the remains were returned to the Fort Hall Idaho Shoshone-Bannock Tribe.
