Truckee (chief)

Truckee (Wuna Mucca,[1] The Giver of Spiritual Gifts,[1] Old Winnemucca, One Moccasin,[1] Onennamucca,[1] sometimes known as Captain Truckee) was medicine chief of the Northern Paiute and an influential prophet.[1]

Family life

Old Winnemucca was born a Shoshoni and became a Paiute by marrying a Kuyuidika woman.[1] He was the father of Tuboitone and father-in-law to Bad Face, her husband.[1] Thus, he was the maternal grandfather of Sarah Winnemucca.[2][1] The Wuna Mucca clan had no choice by the 1850s but to accept the anglicized spelling of their name, Winnemucca, as journals of the time spelled it.[1]

Relationship with United States settlers

He intercepted the Lewis and Clark's Corps of Discovery, led by Tobe (Swooping Eagle) on the Lemhi River in the summer of 1805, offering to lead them to the Columbia River over the Old Shoshoni Trail through the Ochoco, rather than the old Banatee Snake Trail held by the Blackfeet, but the Corps declined the offer.[3]

He was friendly with white settlers and guided John C. Frémont, securing a letter of introduction from him commending him for his support during the Mexican–American War.[2]

Death

In October 1860 he developed a serious infection in his hand which some sources say was caused by a tarantula bite.[4] Sarah Winemmucca and her father were present at his death.[4][5]

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 Ontko, Gale. Thunder Over the Ochoco, Volume II: Distant Thunder. Bend, OR: Maverick Publications, Inc., Fourth Printing. 1997.
  2. 1 2 Sarah Winnemucca of the Northern Paiutes, Gae Whitney Canfield, p.6
  3. ↑ Ontko, Gale. Thunder Over the Ochoco, Volume I: The Gathering Storm. Pg.118-120 Bend, OR: Maverick Publications, Inc., 1997.
  4. 1 2 Sarah Winnemucca of the Northern Paiutes, Gae Whitney Canfield, p.29
  5. ↑ Sarah Winnemucca of the Northern Paiutes, Gae Whitney Canfield, p.30
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