Capitan Chiquito Volume 47: A Personal History of an Apache Chief, 1821-1919

Capitan Chiquito: A Personal History of an Apache Chief, 1821–1919, is a book about the life and career of Chief Capitan Chiquito, a leader of the Aravaipa band of Apaches during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. It is based on personal recollections, historical records, and biographical research and provides a unique view of a previously little-known yet intensely revealing historical narrative.

Format: Hardback
Length: 208 pages
Publication date: 13 June 2022
Publisher: Texas A & M University Press

Capitan Chiquito: A Personal History of an Apache Chief, 1821-1919, delves into the remarkable life and career of a prominent leader of the Aravaipa band of Apaches during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Spanning nearly a century, Chief Capitan Chiquito experienced a diverse range of events, including imprisonment alongside Geronimo, defending his homeland in Aravaipa Canyon against the depredations of Anglo-Americans, Mexicans, and rival Native American tribes, enduring the tragic massacre and abduction of many of his people, and ultimately securing the federal government's recognition of his right to live on and cultivate his canyon homestead. Tragically, he passed away in 1919 at the age of 98 due to complications from influenza while diligently caring for his ill clan members.

In the opening pages, author John Paul Hartman reflects on the individuals he has cherished and bid farewell to during his time on the San Carlos Reservation in southeastern Arizona. Among them are his wife, Velma Bullis, a great-granddaughter of Chief Capitan Chiquito; her father, Lonnie, the chief's grandson; and numerous others who have passed through "the Western portal," leaving this world. Hartman candidly expresses his sentiment, stating, "There is nothing for me here in San Carlos now. It is time for me to leave. . . . But before they will let me go, I have a story to tell." As Hartman concludes this work, he reveals that he embarked on the research and writing about his wife's ancestor as a means of closure for his two decades of life on the San Carlos Reservation. With the guidance of a historian and the unwavering enthusiasm of an enthusiast, he has meticulously traced the path of this notable leader, offering readers a singular perspective on a previously lesser-known yet profoundly insightful historical narrative.

Weight: 492g
Dimension: 161 x 237 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781623499976