Last Updated on October 5, 2011 by Dennis
Gila Apache Indians, Gila Indians. The name, Gila, or Xila, was apparently originally that of an Apache settlement west of Socorro, in southwest New Mexico, and as early as 1630 was applied to those Apache residing for part of the time on the extreme headwaters of the Rio Gila in that territory, evidently bracing those later known as Mimbreños, Mogollones, and Warm Springs (Chiricahua) Apache, and later extended to include the Apache living along the Gila in Arizona. The latter were seemingly the Arivaipa and Chiricahua, or a part of them. There were about 4,000 Indians under this name in 1853, when some of their bands were gathered at Ft Webster, New Mexico, and induced by promise of supplies for a number of years to settle down and begin farming. They kept the peace and made some progress in industry, but were driven back to a life of pillage when the supplies were stopped, the treaty not having been confirmed. They are no longer recognized under this name. The term Gileños has also been employed to designate the Pima residing on the Gila in Arizona.
