Rocky Boy (Chippewa leader) facts for kids
Rocky Boy, also known as Asiniiwin or Stone Child, was an important leader of the Chippewa people. He was a chief of a band in Montana during the late 1800s and early 1900s. Rocky Boy worked hard for his people. His efforts led to the creation of the Rocky Boy's Indian Reservation. This reservation was named in his honor. It was formed from part of a closed fort called Fort Assiniboine. The reservation is located in Hill and Chouteau counties in north-central Montana.
Contents
Rocky Boy's Early Life
Not much is known about Rocky Boy's early life. Some people thought he was born in Wisconsin. They believed he moved to Montana later, like many other Chippewa. However, historical records show he was born in Montana. He once told a friend he was Chippewa. He was born somewhere between Anaconda, Butte, and Deer Lodge. His father was Chief Bobtail, also known as Alexis Piche Bobtail. Rocky Boy was likely born in 1851 or 1852.
Rocky Boy Becomes a Leader
As a young man, Rocky Boy was part of a band led by Monsomos (Moose Dung). Monsomos signed the 1864 Pembina treaty. After Monsomos died, Rocky Boy became the main leader of this band.
Agreements and Land Issues
Chief Rocky Boy signed the 1889 Red Lake Agreement. However, his rights to the Red Lake Nation were never fully recognized. His family members are now working to fix this. They want Rocky Boy's people to be included in their Pembina homeland. Chief Rocky Boy and his family have rights to be part of both the Red Lake Nation and the Rocky Boy Reservation.
The government also tried to fix unfair payments from the 1864 treaty. This was called the Pembina Judgments. Rocky Boy's descendants were supposed to get money from this. Many of his original people never received this payment. They still do not agree with the terms of that treaty.
Illegal Land Sale
Between 1900 and 1904, the U.S. government sold about 100,000 acres of land. This land was meant for Chief Rocky Boy's band. It was a very unfair act. The land was sold in Thief River Falls, Minnesota. Rocky Boy's people never received any money from this sale. The million dollars from the sale went to the Red Lake Nation.
Rocky Boy mostly lived in southwestern and western Montana. He liked the Great Falls, Montana area. He led a band of about 130 people. Other Chippewa had to live on reservations of other tribes. Rocky Boy worked hard to keep the Chippewa identity strong in Montana. This was important as more white settlers moved into the area.
In 1902, Chief Rocky Boy wrote a letter to President Theodore Roosevelt. He asked for a reservation for his people. He also wanted a chance for his people to get an education.
Other Chippewa Leaders
Rocky Boy was the main leader of the Montana Chippewa people. Other leaders worked with him or followed him. They were located in different parts of Montana. Some lived on other Montana reservations. They tried to get tribal recognition for the Ojibwa people there.
- Little Bear was a leader of some Cree people. He led them to Montana as refugees after Riel's Rebellion.
- Buffalo Coat was an important Chippewa leader near Great Falls. This included areas around Fort Shaw, Montana and Fort Benton, Montana. In 1898, he asked for land and citizenship for the landless Chippewa. The United States refused his request.
- Long Hair (Ka-na-bay-zhic-um) was chief of the landless Chippewa. They lived near the Marias River. This area is north of Great Falls, near Loma, Montana and Fort Benton. It is also near the Blackfeet Indian Reservation and the Sweet Grass Hills.
- Kah-keesh-ka-wash-chah-bay-wo was the main leader of landless Chippewa. They lived on the Crow-Northern Cheyenne Reservation and near Billings, Montana.
- Lucky Man was connected to Little Bear. He was likely from western or north-central Montana. He went to Alberta and Saskatchewan with Little Bear around the time of the 1877 Nez Perce exodus. He later returned to Montana with Little Bear.
Many other leaders, like Rain of the Bow, Mah-chop, Pay-pah-mi-show-ait, and Nan-ome-sha, were also sub-chiefs. Each of these men led groups of 25 to 200 or more landless Chippewa. They lived in Montana, Idaho, and other places. They stayed in touch with Rocky Boy. They wanted to hear news about new Chippewa Reservations. Their goal was to keep the Chippewa tribal identity alive.
The Fight for a Chippewa Reservation
Rocky Boy was forced off the Red Lake Reservation. This happened even though he signed the 1889 Red Lake agreement. An Interior Agent named James McLaughlin caused many problems for Rocky Boy's people. McLaughlin took land from Rocky Boy's Band twice. In the late 1880s, he sold land from the Thief River Falls area. He also removed many people from the tribal roll. Only 45 of 451 names on the McLaughlin Roll were actual Chippewa descendants.
Rocky Boy could travel on several railroads for free. These included the B.A. & P, Oregon Short Line, Rio Grande Western, and Southern Pacific Railroad. He had letters of recommendation from the governor of Idaho. He also had letters from an Idaho District Judge and important people from Pocatello. Pocatello is near the Fort Hall Reservation. He also had many letters from important people in Utah. People in these areas likely wanted his help. They wanted to move the Chippewa living there to reservations.
In 1902, Rocky Boy began talks for a new Chippewa Reservation in Montana. He had several white supporters, including Senator Dixon. Rocky Boy sent a letter to the President of the United States asking for a reservation. A count of Rocky Boy's original band was taken in 1908. It showed 139 men, women, and children. This count was certified in 1909 in Washington D.C.
Proposed Flathead Reservation in 1904
In 1904, the U.S. government discussed giving the Montana Chippewa a home on the Flathead Reservation. But the plan was not approved. Rocky Boy was upset about this failure. The Chippewa living on the Flathead Reservation were even more upset. They continued to live there as Rocky Boy kept searching for a new reservation. The Chippewa on the Flathead Reservation were not the only tribe forced to live among the Kootenai and Salish. The Nez Perce were also forced to do so. Even though Rocky Boy's attempt failed, over 100 Chippewa still keep their Anishinabe identity on the Flathead Reservation today.
The Swan Valley Incident of 1908
In late 1908, the United States learned that some Chippewa had left the Flathead Reservation. They went to hunt in the nearby Swan Valley. The U.S. sent a game warden and other citizens to find the hunters. They found one group. The hunters showed their licenses, proving they had permission to hunt. But the warden told them to leave. He said he would return the next day and arrest them if they were still there. The next day, he returned and started shooting instead of talking. In the fight that followed, four Chippewa were killed, and the game warden also died.
To calm the unrest, the U.S. sent Indian Inspector Frank Churchill to Montana in 1908. He was sent to talk with Rocky Boy. This was also to ease fears about the Land Acts. These acts opened up the Flathead and Fort Peck Reservations for white settlement.
The Valley County Reservation Idea
In 1908, Frank Churchill met with Rocky Boy. Rocky Boy told him that Chippewa people lived all over Montana. They were on the Blackfeet Reservation, Crow Reservation, Fort Peck Reservation, and Flathead Reservation. They also lived near white towns like Anaconda, Billings, Butte, Deer Lodge, Garrison (Ulm), Havre, Glasgow, Great Falls, Helena, and Missoula.
To help the Chippewa in western Montana and Idaho, Churchill asked the government to set aside all of Valley County, Montana. This would be a new Chippewa Reservation. It would cover about 1.4 million acres. Both requests were approved. However, many Chippewa from western Montana and Idaho did not want to make the long journey. Railroad owners also charged high prices. So, this plan did not work out. Churchill knew the problem was not solved.
Moving to the Blackfeet Reservation
U.S. representatives continued to talk with Rocky Boy. Many Chippewa were still without land. They lived near white towns and on the Coeur d'Alene and Flathead Reservations. Many also lived on the Blackfeet Reservation. In 1909, Rocky Boy reached an agreement with the United States. A new home for the landless Chippewa from western Montana and Idaho was found. It was on the Blackfeet Reservation, between St. Mary, Babb, and the Canada–US border.
They moved there in November 1909. Many people did not like it and started to leave. However, Rocky Boy stayed with about 50 Chippewa.
The Rocky Boy Reservation is Created
Many Chippewa and the Cree, led by Little Bear, were still without land in 1910. Little Bear had to follow Rocky Boy. This was because the U.S. Government decided he and his people were Canadian Cree. Many Chippewa on the Coeur d'Alene and Flathead Reservations stayed in touch with both Rocky Boy and Little Bear. They kept searching for a reservation in Montana. Finally, in 1916, the United States created the Rocky Boy Reservation. Rocky Boy did not live to see this new reservation. It was a joint Chippewa-Cree Reservation. When news of the new reservation spread, the landless Chippewa and Cree began to move there.
The Move to Great Falls
The Chippewa recognized in the Act of September 7, 1916, were meant to be the only tribe to control their new reservation. However, the federal government caused problems for the Rocky Boy Band. They used the 1917 McLaughlin Roll. This roll wrongly removed many original Chippewa band members from the tribal list. Because of this, most of Chief Rocky Boy's people were unfairly removed from their own tribe. Many found a safe place on Hill 57 in Great Falls. Later, the government refused to help these tribal members living there.
Hill 57 was first settled by Jim Loud Thunder Gopher. He was a hard-working and honest Chippewa leader. Jim Gopher arrived from Manitou Lake in 1918. He also had treaty rights in Canada. Jim Gopher was the son-in-law of Chief Rocky Boy's brother, Charles Chippewa (Walking Stone). Hill 57 was and still is the historic home for Chief Rocky Boy's people and Jim Gopher's people. The land on Hill 57 is owned by many of these families. Many landless Little Shell Indians also lived there until the 1950s-1960s.
Rocky Boy's Death
Between 1900 and 1910, there was a lot of unrest in Montana and the western United States. This was because of the Land Acts. These acts opened up reservations for white settlement. Rocky Boy was very important in keeping the peace during this time. This is likely his most important legacy. He died on April 18, 1916. He was 64 or 65 years old.
