Geronimo: Story About This Western Indian Chief Will Never Die

David Tee  AncientPages.com - Geronimo was a man who was hated by the Whites and American soldiers at the time he lived.

When it came time for him to tell his own story, permission was first denied as the officer in charge at Fort Sill claimed that the actions of Geronimo throughout his life and the cost of his capture, approx. 12 million dollars, meant he deserved to be hanged not immortalized.

Here is a little of Geronimo’s story...

Tragic Story About Geronimo’s Family

Because the American border with Mexico was still a little fluid in the 19^th century, some historians place Geronimo’s birth in Mexico, while others place it in what is now Clifton, Arizona. He was born into the Bedonkohe Apache tribe.

Then historians cannot agree on how many brothers and sisters he had. Geronimo himself said he was the 4^th child of 8 children. Yet historians again disagree with some saying he was an only child and others claiming he only had a sister.

Regardless of these differences Geronimo was a strong boy, the grandson of an Apache chief and a skilled horseman and hunter. He also grew up to be a mighty warrior in the eyes of his fellow tribesmen.

Maybe not to his own choosing. Geronimo was a regular western Indian who fell in love with a beautiful Indian girl and who paid several ponies to marry her. They had three children together, yet a blissful life was not to be.

The Bedonkohe Indians were at peace with other tribes and northern Mexican towns and traded freely with them. On one particular trading mission, the Indians left their families and a few guards at home and left for several days. On their return, they found that the guards and most of the women and children were massacred including Geronimo’s family.

This tragedy is what put Geronimo on his murderous, stealing trail, one which he would not depart from for many years. This was not the only family tragedy that struck Geronimo throughout his life.

It is said that the old chief had roughly 10 wives. Besides the one mentioned above, another wife and his children were taken hostage by Mexicans and a third with their child were killed by the Mexican military. Another died of tuberculosis when in captivity with Geronimo in Florida.

The rest, like his children, of which he is said to have eleven, is unknown. Some of his children were killed or died of disease. Unfortunately, the Apaches never kept records and anything relating to Geronimo family history is incomplete or not credible.

Very little is known of most of his family members.

How Geronimo Became A Great Warrior

Geronimo had a deep hatred for the Mexicans and after the murder of his first family, he let his hatred direct him to attack Mexicans wherever he could find them. He rode with Cochise, Victorio and other famous Apache chiefs attacking Mexican and American settlers.

Soon he became a chief in his own right, appointed to lead the Chiricahua tribe of Apaches. It was at this time that Geronimo led a very vicious attack on Mexican settlers and troops.

During the attack, the Mexicans were heard to say Jerome, and somehow those that heard it thought they were identifying the Indian Chief who led the attack. In the noise of battle, the name sounded like Geronimo and that nickname stuck with Geronimo the rest of his days.

When their reservation was removed in 1876, Geronimo did not allow him or his tribe to be moved to a very unforsaken new reservation in eastern Arizona He led them up into the Sierra Madre Mountains and a very well hidden, easy to guard new camp.

From this location, Geronimo and his men continued their raiding ways until they finally surrendered in 1886. Because of Geronimo’s fame and reputation, he and his tribe, without families, were sent to live in Florida. This was not a good move for the Apaches as many of them died from the many diseases that lurked there and they had never been exposed.

Geronimo’s Later Years

For years Geronimo tried to escape Florida and the Oklahoma reservations. He also tried to convince the American government that he should be transferred back to his home state of Arizona. But to no avail.

The American government had used over 5,000 troops, and 500 Indian scouts traveling over 1600 miles to finally capture Geronimo. They were not about to let him go to live in a land where he could inspire his people to rise up again.

It was at Fort Sills, that Geronimo became a Christian, but he was rarely on the Dutch Reformed Church’s good side because he refused to stop his gambling activities. Not much is said about his beliefs or Christian lifestyle, but Geronimo’s fame did not die.

He made money farming, as well as selling photographs of himself and Indian souvenirs. He also attended many state fairs and even appeared in Theodore Roosevelt’s inaugural parade.

His fame also led Buffalo Bill to enlist him in his traveling old west show. Pawnee Bill also employed Geronimo in his version of the old west show. Finally, Geronimo was so famous and so many people wanted to see him that he made appearances at the Buffalo, Omaha’s expositions, and the St. Louis World’s Fair.

Geronimo has always inspired people. Maybe that is why his name is used when some skydivers leap from their planes. He is the symbol of bravery, courage, and warfare. He also sparks romantic notions of adventure in the minds of many people.

One of the cries that people make when they jump out of a perfectly good airplane with a parachute on is - Geronimo! How many people and how often it is invoked, we do not know. But its unique use is just one way this western Indian chief is remembered.

Geronimo - it is probably a name that will never die.

Written by – David Tee AncientPages.com Staff Writer

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