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Show Mountain Men and Fur Trappers 21 turned with "Busted by God" on their wagons, but enough remained to organize the Territory of Colorado in 1861. The governor of the territory, William Gilpin, appointed by the president, was named to be Superintendent of Indian Affairs within the territory. Thus, by 1861, the Utes came under the control of the governors of the territories of Colorado, Utah, and New Mexico. In 1861, an agency was opened at Conejos, Colorado, under Agent Lafayette Head for the Tabeguache Utes, but he was hampered by lack of funds.18 The agency at Taos continued to operate for the Capotes, Mouaches, and Weeminuches, and by 1863, the Hot Sulphur Springs agency was opened to serve the Northern Utes. As throughout the history of the United States, the migration of miners and settlers into a new region caused trouble between them and the Indians accustomed to hunt and gather food. The white settlers could not understand why the Indians should need so much land, and the Indians regarded the newcomers as interlopers and trespassers. Because of the friction which was developing in Colorado, a conference was held at the agency in Conejos on October 1, 1863. The representatives of all the Ute bands were to have been at the conference. However, the Northern Utes sent insufficient representation. The United States was represented at the conference by Simeon Whiteley, agent for the Northern Utes from Hot Sulphur Springs; Lafayette Head, agent for the Tabeguaches at Conejos; Michael Steck, superintendent of the Southern Ute agency at Taos; John Evans, governor of the Territory of Colorado; and John Nicolay, secretary to President Abraham Lincoln, from Washington, D.C. Mr. Nicolay served as secretary of this commission, whose aim was to move the Utes out of the path of the miners and settlers. Since the Northern Utes were not well represented, the commission dealt only with the Tabeguache Utes and the Mouache band of Southern Utes. The Tabeguache refused to be moved to a new location but did agree to a treaty which defined the boundaries of a reservation for them and the Mouaches. Ten Tabeguache leaders, including Ouray, signed this treaty by which they gave up claim to much land already occupied by white settlers in return for promises of livestock and goods for the next ten years.19 18 Ibid., pp. 68-9. 19 Ibid. |