Abby Connolly
She and Cheif Ouray even traveled to Washington, D.C., in 1880 to testify in front of Congress after it was revealed that the U.S. government had plans to take over their Ute land and force their people to work on farms and convert to Christianity. In 1909, she was presented to speak with President William Howard Taft.
Tragically, Chipeta’s promotion of peace did not come to fruition despite her tremendous efforts and bravery.
After her husband died in 1880, her tribe was forced by the U.S. government to leave their homes in Colorado and were forced to move to a reservation in northeastern Utah.
Trying to make the most of their new life, Chipeta remained an extremely well-respected member of her tribe, entertaining her community and attending important meetings.
While the government had promised her and her people good homes to live in and good land for farming, Chipeta and her people were overlooked and neglected.
Although her health declined in her later years, she still did whatever she could to support and share her belongings with her people until she passed away in Utah in 1924.
Chipeta’s dedication to her community and strength to promote peace in the gravest of circumstances is nothing short of admirable, and she’s a great woman in history to learn about.
