Yavapai Apache Indians, Yavapai Indians, Apache Mohave Indians (said to be from enyaéva ‘sun,’ pai `people’: ‘people of the sun’). A Yuman tribe, popularly known as Apache Mohave and Mohave Apache, i. e., ‘hostile or warlike Mohave.’ According to Corbusier, the tribe, before its removal to the Rio Verde agency in May 1873, claimed as its range the valley of the Rio Verde and the Black mesa from Salt river as far as Bill Williams mountains, west Arizona. They then numbered about 1,000. Earlier they ranged much farther west, appearing to have had rancherias on the Rio Colorado; but they were chiefly an interior tribe, living south of Bill Williams fork as far as Castle Dome mountains, above the Gila. In the spring of 1875 they were placed under San Carlos Apache agency, where, in the following year, they numbered 618. Dr Corbusier described the Yavapai men as tall and erect, muscular, and well proportioned. The women are stouter and have handsomer faces than the Yuma. Cuercomache was mentioned in 1776 as a Yavapai rancheria or division. In 1900 most of the tribe drifted from the San Carlos Reservation and settled in part of their old home on the Rio Verde, including the abandoned Camp McDowell Military Reservation, which was assigned to their use Nov. 27, 1901, by the Secretary of the Interior until Congress should take final action. By 1903 these were said to number between 500 and 600 (but probably including Yuma and Apache), scattered in small bands from Camp McDowell to the head of the Rio Verde. By Executive order of Sept. 15, 1903, the old reservation was set aside for their use, the claims of the white settlers being purchased under act of Apr. 21, 1904. Here they are making some progress in civilized pursuits, but in 1905 the ravages of tuberculosis were reported to be largely responsible for a great mortality, the deaths exceeding the births 4 to 1. In 1906 there were officially reported 465 “Mohave Apache” at Camp McDowell and Upper Verde valley, Ariz., and 55 at San Carlos, a total of 520. In 1910 there were 178 Mohave Apache and Yavapai under the Camp McDowell school, 282 under the Camp Verde school, and 89 under the San Carlos school.
