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Show The Reservations Moapa In the 103 years between 1869 and 1972, the Moapits suffered through the near destruction of their reservation at the hands of corrupt white men, but were able to turn that situation around and begin a new era of economic growth. In October of 1869, R. N. Fenton reported at Saint Thomas, Nevada, on the lower reaches of the Muddy River as Indian Agent for the Nuwuvi. He "found no one in charge of the agency, and from the best information that can be obtained, there never has been an agent in this tribe of Indians (the Pah-Utes) previous to my being assigned to this duty." 1 Fenton was appointed by the Nevada Superintendency for Indian Affairs in Nevada's first attempt to exercise control over the southern triangle of the state, which had wavered between the influence of Arizona and Utah. His first action was to recommend the establishment of a reservation to be "located on the Upper Muddy in Nevada, about 25 or 35 miles north of this point [St. Thomas], containing from 700 to 1000 acres of fine farming land, also a good range for stock." He estimated that there were about 3,500 Nuwuvi in Nevada, Arizona, Utah and California. He urged that the government quickly supply them with their annuities and reported that the Indians were complaining bitterly about the way they had been ignored while other tribes received regular annuities.'' Fenton, while seemingly expressing true concern over the plight of the Indians under his supervision, moved his agency to Pioche, a town which was too far north of the heart of Nuwuvi country to serve more than a few. While he moved, relations between Nuwuvi and whites further south continued to deteriorate. In 1870, for example, two white men and one Indian were killed near Las Vegas.4 Captain W. R. Johnson reported that in July of 1870 he was attacked twice while traveling through Southern Nevada.' Fenton apparently did little to actually benefit the Nuwuvi despite his expressions of concern. When his successor, Charles F. Powell, arrived 92 |