The government made Ouray chief. The Utes did not choose him and they were angry. The Utes followed Ouray because he signed the peace treaty between the white settlers and the Utes.

Ouray was born in 1833 somewhere in New Mexico between Taos and Abiquiu. Ouray's people lived in the Rocky Mountains. Ouray had two wives, Black Mare and Chipeta. He also had one son. He married Chipeta after Black Mare died.

Ouray became a peacemaker. At age 14 he learned about the troubles of the Pueblos and he didn't want any troubles to come to his people. He wanted his people to always live in peace. Ouray knew how to speak many different languages including English. By this time Ouray was chief of the Uncompagre Utes.

Ouray was famous for keeping the peace treaty until he died. The treaty between the Utes and the whites was broken in 1880 when Ouray died. After he died the white settlers force the Utes to move to a reservation.

Ouray was 47 when he died on August 24, 1880. He was secretly buried on the rocks two miles from the town of Ignacio. Forty-five years later most of Ouray's bones were recovered and buried again in the cemetery south east of the agency. Ute reservations are located in Utah and Colorado.

We got our information from:

Chief Ouray, Ute Peacemaker by Diane Shaughnessy and Jack Carpenter
Ouray, chief of the Utes by P. David Smith

Click here to learn more about Ouray.

Coal Creek Home PageBiography Menu