From Fort Marion to Fort Sill: A Documentary History of the Chiricahua Apache Prisoners of War, 1886-1913

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1 A Aanitso (Borgia) c. 1877–1898 ch Aaitsa; Aanitsa; Aanitsao; Frank Ahnitsa; Ahnitza; Georgia Aanitsa. He was Dahahtsozhn’s brother, Beshadé’s husband, and Susie Aanitso ’s father. He was enrolled in Carlisle on April 30, 1887 as “Borgia Aanitsa, age 10, height 4'8½", weight 88, mother living, father dead.” He was assigned to work for Samuel Smith of Holicong, Pennsylvania, on April 2, 1892. On August 9, one day prior to his discharge from school in 1892, Borgia was enlisted as a private in Company I. By 1894 his demeanor had become “sullen, sulky [and] lazy,” according to the company’s commander, Lieutenant Allyn Capron. Borgia served as a private in Troop L. He died on March 27, 1898 [ne5235].1 See also Aanitso, Susie; Beshadé. Aanitso, Susie 1897–1940 ws + ch Susie Aaitso. She was Beshadé and Borgia Aanitso’s daughter, and Abner Kozine’s stepdaughter, born on January 27, 1897. Susie attended the Reformed Church Apache Mission School at Fort Sill prior to enrollment in Chilocco Indian School as “Susie Ahnitsa” on September 14, 1912, “father dead, mother living.” With army approval and encouragement, the Dutch Reformed and Catholic churches in Anadarko, Oklahoma, provided primary education for the prisoners’ children. Susie transferred her church membership from Fort Sill German Reformed Church Mission to the Mescalero German Reformed Church by letter from Chilocco on April 6, 1913. She was discharged from school on June 18, 1917, settled at Mescalero, and married George Magooshboy , a Lipan Apache; they had three children. After George’s death she 2 | Ahdis married Robert Decherle, a Mescalero Apache; they had no children. Susie died in 1940.2 See also Aanitso (Borgia). Ahdis c. 1851–1895 nd Artis. In the 1950s two Chiricahua informants disagreed on the nonliteral translation of his Apache name: Ahdis meaning “slender arrow” or “head bandaged.” Some Apache names and their English translations were not recorded prior to or during the pow period. A warrior in Noglee’s Nednai group, Ahdis served as a scout against Juh in September 1879. His two sons were James Russell and Tom Duffy. He died on June 10, 1895 [sw5030].3 Ahdishnee c. 1870–1902 nd Adishde. Her parents’ or husbands’ names are not recalled. Ahdishnee died on June 16, 1902 [sw5009].4 Ahdishnee, Mary ?–1900 nd Mary Ashdishne. Ahdishnee’s daughter Mary died on November 23, 1900 [sw5008].5 Ahdishnee, Susie 1901–1904 nd Susie Adishne; Susie Adishue. Ahdishnee’s daughter Susie was a sister or half-sister of Mary Ahdishnee . Susie died in the hospital at Anadarko, Oklahoma, near Fort Sill on April 23, 1904 [sw5010].6 Ahnandia (James) c. 1882–1900 ws + bd James Ahraindia. His Apache name was Bilshdawosla. His parents were Dahn and Ahnandia (Ralph). After Dahn’s death in early 1888, and in accordance with Apache Ahnandia (Ralph) | 3 custom, James remained at Mount Vernon with his maternal grandmother, Tado, and aunt, who refused to let James join his father at Fort Pickens. After repeated pleas to post commander Lummis L. Langdon, who had up until that time requested only absolute necessities for the prisoners at Fort Pickens, Langdon finally acquiesced. He justified his request to higher authorities on the basis that Ahnandia’s (Ralph) “. . . squaw [Tahdaste] was fond of the boy.” Langdon also noted that Ahnandia (Ralph) spoke and wrote some English and wanted to teach James what English he could before the boy was sent to Carlisle. Langdon was reluctant to have Ahnandia sent to Mount Vernon for James “because he is the most useful Indian here and is employed every day in issuing rations and other official work.” George Wratten offered to go at his own expense to fetch James, but Langdon advised that Wratten should not bear the cost to do so. In his reply, Mount Vernon Barracks post commander Major William Sinclair informed Langdon that James’s grandmother was “rather infirm and the separation will probably kill her.” The issue was resolved on May 12, 1888, by a War Department directive transferring all the Fort Pickens prisoners to Alabama. James appears as “Bilshdawosla (Onandis’s Son)” on the Mount Vernon census. He died on April 24, 1900 [sw5067].7 Ahnandia (Ralph) c. 1860–1892 bd Ralph Anandiah; Cannonniha; Omandiah; Onandis; Ralph Ahnawdia. Ahnandia was Nahkaygodekonne’s brother, Betzinez’s first cousin, and Geronimo’s second cousin. Listed in Mangas’s band as “Can-non-niha, age 21, height 5...