Copied from the Deseret News, May 7, 1884.
An Exemplary Indian
Ogden City, Utah
April 24, 1884
Editor Deseret News:
The funeral services over the remains of Little Soldier, Indian Chief, who died in this city on Tuesday, the 22nd inst., were held this morning. Besides Soldier’s family and other Lamanites, quite a number of white people were present on the occasion, to do honor to the remains and pay a tribute of respect to the memory of one who, notwithstanding his early habits and the color of his skin, is said by those who knew him best to have been one of nature’s noblemen.
The services were held at the lodge of deceased on the bench-land, west side of Weber River, and conducted by Bishop Robert McQuarrie. After the family and friends of deceased were arranged in order around the bier of the departed brave, the choir sang.
“Mourn not the dead who peaceful lay
Their wearied bodies down,” etc.
The opening prayer was offered by Elder Joseph Hall, after which Bishop George W. Hill, who had been acquainted with Little Soldier for thirty-five years addressed the congregation. He first spoke briefly to the white people in English, and then addressed the Lamanites in their own language.
In which he spoke of the past life and character of the deceased as he (the speaker) had known him for many years. Bishop Hill said Little Soldier was an honest, upright man. He was also truthful and unswerving in his integrity. Before he embraced the Gospel he was in his manner of life, like many other wild men of the Mountains, besides which he had adopted some of the habits of modern civilization, and was addicted to drinking the white Christian? man’s firewater, and on this account his first application to Brother Hill he was refused that rite, but he told Brother Hill he had ceased to drink whisky, and further said that he was determined thenceforward never to touch the poisonous drug any more. The speaker said he knew that Little Soldier had faithfully kept his word, in this regard and also the covenants he made in the House of the Lord. Bishop Hill told the widow, children and friends of deceased that they need not utter one loud exclamation of sorrow for him. Father had called him and he had gone to rest in peace. He further said at the proper time when all things were prepared, Little Soldier will return again to live with them upon the earth when it is purified and cleansed from wickedness. He closed by exhorting them to be faithful, to emulate the examples of their father, husband and brother, and they will be united with him when he comes back to them in the morning of the first resurrection. The remarks were listened to by his audience with profound attention and interest, and contrary to the usual custom of the Lamanites on all similar occasions, all loud demonstrations of grief were suppressed.
Bishop McQuairie made a few appropriate remarks which were interpreted to the Indians in the Ute language. Notwithstanding, they understood a great deal of what is said to them in English.
The choir sang:
O, my Father, thou that dwellest
In thy high and glorious place.
The benediction was pronounced by Elder Thomas Doxey.
The casket containing the remains was then placed on a carriage, followed by a large cortege, conveyed to Ogden Cemetery and deposited in their silent home.
After which the dedicatory prayer was delivered by Bishop George W. Hill.
Biographical.
While at the lodge this morning I gleaned a few interesting items of the history of the deceased, and here I will observe that he never was known to the people here by any other name than “Little Soldier;” by that name he received all the ordinances of the Church, and always persistently refused to give his Indian name, alleging as a reason that it was a bad one. No other Indians, if they knew it, could be induced to tell it.
Little Soldier’s father’s name was “To-Nights.” Where he was born or when he died I did not learn, but he was buried by D.B. Huntington’s Springs. His mother’s name was Tsome-Pom-Pitch.
Little Soldier was born in Red Butte Canyon, near Salt Lake City, about the year 1821. His family consisted of four wives, three of whom are dead. One of his former wives had five children, another had one. His present spouse had six papooses. She was born in Cottonwood Canyon, near to where the rock is quarried for the Salt Lake Temple, and close to a large pine tree, hence her name, Wango-Be-Da. He has also three grandchildren living. Little Soldier was always a brave among his people – valiant in battle – defending the rights or redressing the wrongs of his tribe. In the year 1849, he had a terrible fight with “Stick-in-Head” – (Wovitch) chief of a band of Utes, who came from the south, and attacked those in the north country.
The struggle took place in what is now known as Taylor’s Canyon, near this city. In turning an abrupt point No-vitch and Little Soldier suddenly came in sight of each other. They dashed forward, clinched, fell to the ground and rose again; Little Soldier was about to dispatch his antagonist, when the latter adroitly drew himself out of his shirt and shot off to the mountains with remarkably great speed, leaving the former master of the field, and his band of Lamanites unmolested. His influence among his people was always immense, they looked to him as their leader, and it was in 1849 that he became their chief.
In 1874 he was baptized by George W. Hill, in Cub River, Cache County. In 1875 he received his blessings in the House of the Lord, which he appreciated, and to which he always remained true and faithful.
Some months since a quarrel ensued between two Indians, in which firearms were discharged. One drunken Indian was wounded and several shots passed through the wick-a-up of Little Soldier. This fact among the tribes was always considered a fatal omen, and most surely foreboded death to the house. Little Soldier never could shake off the effects of this tradition of his fathers, and indeed, he never recovered from the shock occasioned by it. About three weeks since he grew worse, became much debilitated, and confined to his lodge. He never rallied, but as above stated, on the 22nd inst., succumbed to the power of death.
He was a peaceful, honest, inoffensive man, a friend to the “Mormon” people, and was always a welcome guest at the houses of many people in this county. Peace to his ashes.
Weber.
[The fight referred to in Little Soldier’s obituary, with bullets passing through a lodge, appears to be the same one mentioned in this Ogden Herald article, from January 1884.]