Crazy Horse

The Lakota Warrior's Life & Legacy

The Edward Clown Family, William B. Matson

• Publisher: Gibbs Smith
• Year: 2020
• Print ISBN: 9781423641230
• eBook ISBN: 9781423641247
• Topic: History
• Subtopic: Social Science Biographies
• Index: History

"A family account of the life of Tashunke Witko, their great Sioux relative . . . For the first time, the Clown family members tell their oral history."— True West
 
The Edward Clown family, nearest living relatives to the Lakota war leader, presents the family tales and memories told to them about their famous grandfather. In many ways the oral history differs from what has become the standard and widely accepted biography of Crazy Horse. The family clarifies the inaccuracies and shares their story about the past, including what it means to them to be Lakota, the family genealogy, the life of Crazy Horse and his motivations, his death, and why they chose to keep quiet with their knowledge for so long before finally deciding to tell the truth as they know it.
This book is a compelling addition to the body of works about Crazy Horse and the complicated and often conflicting events of that time period in American History.
"For the first time the first-hand account of Crazy Horse is told . . . The stories were faithfully passed down through the generations . . . It includes Crazy Horse's account of the last moments of Custer and the near-killing of Maj. Marcus Reno by Crazy Horse's father."— Capital Journal
 
"After many years of keeping quiet, the family of Lakota warrior Crazy Horse decided to tell their story of his life and legacy . . . The truth behind the history of Crazy Horse—an iconic Native American warrior—until recently has been kept hidden for more than a century."— The Monroe News

Appendix

Probate Papers of Red Leg, or Red Leggins (As We Knew Her)

The testimonies in her probates happened fifteen years after her death. Called to testify were her son Combing, her daughter Iron Cedar (or Julia Clown, as she was known in most reservation records), her daughter-in-law Margaret Wolf, her brother-in-law Paul Red Bird, and an in-law named Moses Straighthead, who had married her cousin Little Hawk’s sister’s daughter, Mary Marrowbones. The testimonies have been retyped so as to be more legible, however, the original document precedes the transcribed one. They also include testimonies pertaining to Julia Rushes, Combing’s second wife.

All of the original documents can be viewed full size at http://reelcontact.com/pages/tashunkewitkotiwahe.

Testimony of Iron Cedar or Mrs. Amos Clown in the heirship cases of Red Leg #1461, and Julia Rushes #1469, deceased Cheyenne River Sioux allottees taken by M. E. Gorman, Examiner of Inheritance pursuant to notice herewith.

Mary Talks, Interpreter.

Q. Give your name, age, tribe and residence. A. Iron Cedar or Mrs. Amos Clown, am 52 years old, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and live near Dupree, South Dakota.

Q. Did you know Red Leg and Julia Rushes? A. Yes.

Q. What relation, if any, were they to you? A. Red Leg was my mother and Julia Rushes was my sister-in-law, the wife of my brother, Leo Combing.

Q. Did you hear the testimony given in these cases this morning? A. Yes.

Q. Was that testimony correct as to the family history of Red Leg and Julia Rushes? A. It was all right.

Q. Is there anything that you would like to say in addition to what has been said as to these cases? A. They told it all correct and I am satisfied with what they have said and have nothing to add to it.

Q. Are you interested in these estates? A. I am in the estate of Red Leg, my mother, but am not interested in the estate of my sister-in-law, Julia Rushes.

Leo Combing Testimony in Red Leg and Julia Rushes Probate Hearings

Testimony of Leo Combing in the heirship cases of Red Leg #1461 and Julia Rushes #1469, deceased Cheyenne River Sioux allottees, taken by M. E. Gorman, Examiner of Inheritance pursuant want to motion herewith.

Mary Talks, Interpreter.

Q. Give your name, age, tribe, and residence. A. Leo Combing, am 69 years old, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe and live near Dupree, South Dakota.

Q. Did you know Red Leg and Julia Rushes? A. Yes.

Q. What relation, if any, were they to you? A. Red Leg was my mother and Julia Rushes was my wife.

Q. What tribe did they belong to? A. Cheyenne River Sioux.

Q. Are they living or dead? A. Both dead.

Q. When did they die? A. Red Leg died May 1905, age 80 years, and Julia Rushes died in January, 1919 (Records show that Red Leg died May 22, 1905, age 80, and Julia Rushes died January 24, 1919, age 69). I think Julia was 70 years old.

Q. Where did they die? A. Red Leg died at Cheyenne Agency, South Dakota. I was there and she died there. Julia Rushes died at my home where I live now on my own allotment on this reservation.

Q. Did either of them live on their own land? A. Neither of them did but Julia’s land was near mine but she always lived on my land.

Q. Did either of them make a will? A. Neither of them made a will.

Q. Was Red Leg ever married and if so, how many times? A. She had been married one time only to my father, Woman’s Breast.

Q. How and when were they married? A. Indian custom over 70 years ago.

Q. Is Woman’s Breast living or dead? A. He died about 20 years ago and was not allotted so far as I know. It was all given to Red Leg and she got 640 acres.

Q. What tribe did he belong to? A. Cheyenne River Sioux.

Q. Did he live with her un...

Table of contents

• Foreword
• We Will Remain Lakota
• Walks With Sacred Buffalo
• Black Buffalo
• Passing the Sacred Bundle
• A New Life
• The Coming of the Americans
• War Begins in Earnest
• The Hemblecha
• The Name is Passed
• Fighting for Our Hunting Grounds
• A Family Man
• Peace and Family Episodes
• Painful Losses
• Prelude to a Showdown
• Summer Solstice
• The Red Flower Fight
• The Greasy Grass
• The End of the Good Life
• The Agency
• His Final Days
• Joining Those on the Other Side
• Silence and Misdirection
• Wounded Knee
• Keeping Quiet
• The Family Sacred Bundle
• A New Crazy Horse
• Learning the Red Road
• Standing Up to Tell the Truth
• Appendix