Mayan and Creek Similarities

Many, many suns ago, I was awarded a fellowship by Georgia Tech to spend a summer studying the indigenous architecture and town planning of Mesoamerica. The grant involved visiting all of the major archaeological sites in Mexico, Guatemala and Belize. In addition, I was to photograph at least 2500 professional quality color slides for the Georgia Tech library.  The education I received seemed only a little relevant to an architectural career in the United States, but it would make interesting conversation for dates and parties.  Besides . . . Relaciones Exteriores (their State Department) let me ship home 125 kg … Read more

Antiquities of Mexico

Codex Mendoza

The Southwestern regions of North America present a most extensive and interesting field for antiquarian research. The long-continued existence of powerful, civilized, and populous races is fully proved by the occurrence of almost innumerable ruins and national relics. Even in the sixteenth century, the Spanish invaders found these regions in the possession of a highly prosperous and partially civilized people. Government and social institutions were upon that firm and well-defined basis which betokened long continuance and strong national sentiment. In many of the arts and sciences, the subjugated races were equal, and in others superior, to their Christian conquerors. Their … Read more

Biographical Sketch of Lewis Deck

Lewis Deck, of Redlands, is a native of the “Keystone” State. His father, Henry Deck, was one of the pioneers of Waukeha County, Wisconsin, and had a family of nine children, of whom our subject is the oldest. He left home at the age of fifteen, and went to New York, and from there by the Panama route to California, in 1857. He had the measles while on board the vessel, and when he got on land had not money enough to buy his dinner. He first worked in the vegetable gardens at Marysville, for $20 a month. After this … Read more

Papago Tribe

A Piman tribe, closely allied to the Pima, whose original home was the territory south and south east of Gila River, especially south of Tucson, Arizona, in the main and tributary valleys of the Rio Santa Cruz, and extending west and south west across the desert waste known as the Papaguería, into Sonora, Mexico

Shawnee Indian Chiefs and Leaders

Prophet's Rock view

Big Jim Big Jim. The popular name of a noted full-blood Shawnee leader, known among his people as Wapameepto, “Gives light as he walks”. His English name was originally Dick Jim, corrupted into Big Jim. He was born on the Sabine Reservation, Texas, in 1834, and in 1872 became chief of the Kispicotha band, commonly known as Big Jim’s band of Absentee Shawnee. Big Jim was of illustrious lineage, his grandfather being Tecumseh and his father one of the signers of the “Sam Houston treaty” between the Cherokee and affiliated tribes and the Republic of Texas, February 23, 1836. He … Read more

Important Men of the Choctaw Indians

The Choctaw Nation, from its earliest known history to the present time has, at different intervals, produced many great and good men; who, had they have had the advantages of education, would have lived upon the pages of history equally with those of earth’s illustrious great. The first of whom we have any historical account, is Tush-ka Lu-sa, (the heroic defender of Moma Bin-na, a Lodge for All corrupted first to Mobila, then to Mobile) who perished, with many thousands of his people, in that bloody tragedy of three and a half centuries ago, while de fending his ancient city against … Read more

Indian Mounds throughout North America

Great Serpent Mound Postcard

Charlevoix and Tantiboth speak of Indians who inhabited the region of country around Lake Michigan, who were well skilled in the art of erecting mounds and fortifications, Charlevoix also states that the Wyandots and the Six Nations disinterred their dead and took the bones from their graves where they had lain for several years and carried them to a large pit previously prepared, in which they deposited them, with the property of the deceased, filling up the pit with earth and erected a mound over it. A string of sleigh-bells much corroded, but still capable of tinkling, is said to have been found among the … Read more

Day, Chad Eric – Obituary

Chad Eric Day, 30, of Redmond, died August 15, 2003. A visitation for family and friends will be held Thursday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m. at Burns Mortuary of Hermiston, 685 W. Hermiston Ave. A gathering will be held on Saturday at 1 p.m. at the home of Vicki and Mike Koontz, 924 W. Alder St. in Hermiston. Private inurnment will be held at the Hermiston Cemetery. Chad was born Oct. 17, 1972, at Hermiston to Bob and Vicki Clark Day. He was raised and grew up in Hermiston, where he enjoyed playing baseball and soccer and attended Hermiston … Read more

Tabasco and Chiapas

Chontalpa

The southern end of Vera Cruz and all of Tabasco in Mexico are not significantly different in appearance than southeastern Georgia.  Most of the region is level and humid, with many swamps and natural lakes. The coast of Tabasco is lined with tidal marshes almost identical to those of the coast of Georgia.  Although most of the indigenous inhabitants of Tabasco are called Mayas, most are descended from ethnic groups that were not true Mayas, but absorbed varying degrees of Maya culture.  One group, the Tamauli were originally refugees from Tamaulipas State in the northeastern corner of Mexico. This is … Read more

Kickapoo Indians

Kickapoo Indians. From Kiwegapaw`, “he stands about,” “he moves about, standing now here, now there.” Also called: A’-uyax, Tonkawa name, meaning “deer eaters.” Higabu, Omaha and Ponca name. I’-ka-dŭ’, Osage name. Shake-kah-quah, Wichita name. Shígapo, Shikapu, Apache name. Sik’-a-pu, Comanche name. Tékapu, Huron name. Yuatara’ye-ru’nu, a second Huron name, meaning “tribe living around the lakes.” Kickapoo Connections. The Kickapoo belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock, and in a special group with the Foxes and Sauk. Kickapoo Villages. The villages were: Etnataek (shared with the Foxes), rather a fortification than a village, near the Kickapoo village on Sangamon River, Illinois. Kickspougowi, … Read more

Mexican Native Americans

As mentioned, three major centers of advanced culture blossomed around 900 AD and quickly disappeared around 1150 AD.  They were the Toltec capital of Tula, the trade megapolis on the Ocmulgee River in central Georgia, and the cluster of towns connected by canals and raised bed roads around Lake Okeechobee.  The causes of their contemporary rise and fall have not been studied by archaeologists and geologists.  In fact, very few of these scientists seemed to be aware of the coincidence. Etula in northwest Georgia and Ichese in central Georgia continued to prosper for 50 years after the abandonment of the … Read more

Biography of Samuel R. H. Robinson

In the history of railroad building throughout the American continent the name of Samuel Roland Hiland Robinson figures prominently. For many years he was accorded and executed most important contracts of that character, being associated with the construction of many of the most important times west of the Mississippi as well as in Canada and in Mexico. He developed splendid executive ability, and his administrative direction of his affairs showed him to be a man of keen insight and wide vision. For many years he maintained his home in St. Louis and was regarded as one of its most valued … Read more

Tigua Tribe

Tigua Indians (Spanish form of Ti’wan, pl Tiwesh’ (span. Tiguex), their own name). A group of Pueblo tribes comprising three geographic divisions, one occupying Taos and Picuris (the most northerly of the New Mexican pueblos) on the upper waters of the Rio Grande; another inhabiting Sandia and Isleta, north and south of Albuquerque, respectively; the third division, living in the pueblos of Isleta del Sur, Texas, and Senecu del Sur, Chihuahua, on the lower Rio Grande. At the time of Coronado’s visit to New Mexico in 1540-42 the Tigua inhabited Taos and Picuris in the north, and, as today, were … Read more

Biography of John B. Tays

John B. Tays is one of the early settlers and enterprising and progressive citizens of Ontario. He is the owner of forty acres of land in that colony and has for years been building up the horticultural industries of his section. His place is located on the south side of Thirteenth Street, east of Euclid Avenue. Mr. Tays purchased this land in 1883 and immediately commenced its improvement, planting trees and vines. He is justly ranked among the pioneer horticulturists of Ontario, and has produced one of the representative places of his section. He now has twenty acres in citrus … Read more

Mexican War Records

The Mexican–American War was an armed conflict between the United States and Mexico from 1846 to 1848 in the wake of the 1845 U.S. annexation of Texas, which Mexico considered part of its territory despite the 1836 Texas Revolution. In addition to a naval blockade off the Mexican coast, American forces invaded and conquered New Mexico, California, and parts of what is currently northern Mexico. Another American army captured Mexico City, forcing Mexico to agree to the sale of its northern territories to the U.S. Territorial expansion of the United States to the Pacific coast was the goal of President … Read more

Slave Narrative of Lucinda Vann

Lucinda Vann, born between 92 and 100+ years old, recounts her life on the Vann plantation in Webbers Falls, Oklahoma, where she was born to enslaved parents in the master’s bedroom during an emergency. Raised in the Vann household, Lucinda describes a plantation managed by wealthy Cherokee owners Jim and Jennie Vann, boasting decent conditions for slaves, who were well-fed, finely dressed, and participated in plantation festivities. Lucinda had a favored horse, Black Hock, gifted by Missus Jennie, with earnings saved for her. Post-war, Lucinda, reflecting on the social inequalities, elected to join the Catholic church and later attempted to flee to Mexico during turmoil, only to return to a depleted plantation. The narrative captures a blend of personal triumphs amid the harsh realities of slavery, retaining a deeply ingrained cultural heritage and the complexities of identity and belonging in post-Civil War America.

Indian Villages and Towns of Mexico

These pages will provide an alphabetical listing for all the villages, towns, and settlements in what was Mexico at the time the Handbook of American Indian of North America was written. Aboreachic to Azqueltan Babasaqui to Buquibava Caborca to Cusihuiriachic Durango Ecatacari to Espejos Galilali to Gumisachic Hecatari to Huvaguere Igualali to Ixtacan

Indian Bands, Gens and Clans of Mexico

Many tribes have sub-tribes, bands, gens, clans and phratry.  Often very little information is known or they no longer exist.  We have included them here to provide more information about the tribes. Ahome. (Buelna says the aboriginal name is Jaomeme, ‘where the man ran’. In Cahita, ho-me means to inhabit, to live, and in Nahuatl ahome might be derived from atl water, ome two, ‘two waters’, referring to the ocean tide which ascends the river to this point; but after all the word may be of Vacoregue origin. ) A subdivision of the Cahita, speaking the Vacoregue dialect, and the … Read more

Biography of Robert S. Crombie

Robert S. Crombie, the senior member of the well-known firm of Crombie & Crombie, wholesale and retail grocers, of Riverside, came here in 1886, and in October of that year entered into mercantile pursuits, establishing his present business under the firm name of Newberry & Crombie, with Mr. J. R. Newberry as his partner. This firm continued until March 1888, when his brother, Mr. G. M. Crombie, bought the interest of Mr. Newberry, and the firm of Crombie & Crombie was formed. The business was enlarged and extended and a branch house established by the firm in Arlington. Mr. Crombie … Read more