San Pitch Utes

The San Pitch Utes (Sahpeech, Sanpeech, Sanpits, San-pitch) were members of a band of Ute people that lived in the Sanpete Valley and Sevier River Valley and along the San Pitch River. They may have originally been Shoshonean, and were generally considered as part of the Timpanogos.[1]

Birdseye view of the town of Manti and the Sanpete Valley

Mormons settled in the Sanpete Valley in the winter of 1849–1850. They brought measles which decimated the San Pitch Utes. Mormons established the town of Manti and the Utes continued to camp, hunt, and fish near there. Those who had horses hunted traveled for hunting grounds. Generally, the band was having difficulty finding sufficient food and Chief Sanpitch and Walkara asked the Mormons to teach them how to farm. There were few band members who were interested in embracing agriculture. More than 100 Utes were baptized in Manti Creek by the Mormons, but many Utes made half-hearted conversions and the band continued their traditional ceremonies. The Utes asked settlers for food, which was upsetting to some of the Mormons. Brigham Young assigned Indian Agents for the Pahvant and Uintah tribe districts.[2]

San Pitch Utes were classified as members of the Uintah tribe by the U.S. government when they were relocated to the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation.[3]

Notable people

Chief Aropeen
Chief Sanpitch, for whom Sanpete County, Utah is named.

References

Forney, Jacob (September 6, 1858), Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, UTAH SUPERINTENDENCY, September 6, 1858, by Jacob Forney, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, W.T., pp. 209–213
Simmons, Virginia McConnell (May 18, 2011). Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. University Press of Colorado. p. PT102. ISBN 978-1-4571-0989-8.
Bakken, Gordon Morris; Kindell, Alexandra (February 24, 2006). "Utes". Encyclopedia of Immigration and Migration in the American West. SAGE. ISBN 978-1-4129-0550-3.

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[AnnualReportoftheCommissionerofIndianAffairsUTAHSUPERINTENDENCY-1] Forney, Jacob (September 6, 1858), Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, UTAH SUPERINTENDENCY, September 6, 1858, by Jacob Forney, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, W.T., pp. 209–213

[2] Simmons, Virginia McConnell (May 18, 2011). Ute Indians of Utah, Colorado, and New Mexico. University Press of Colorado. p. PT102. ISBN 978-1-4571-0989-8.

[Bakken-3] Bakken, Gordon Morris; Kindell, Alexandra (February 24, 2006). "Utes". Encyclopedia of Immigration and Migration in the American West. SAGE. ISBN 978-1-4129-0550-3.