RBC | Uriah Martin Curtis was appointed government interpreter to the Utes by Agent Simeon Whiteley in 1863. Whiteley opened his agency for the Northern Utes at Hot Sulphur Springs, now in Grand County. The Utes had been camping there in the winter for many years. I am not sure if U. M. Curtis was involved with the 1863 Ute treaty, but he was instrumental in the 1868 Ute treaty. Curtis accompanied the Ute delegation in 1868 to Washington D.C. and assisted the negotiations. Curtis appears in the famous group photo taken in Washington. His signature is on the 1868 treaty as witness. He not only translated, but he was also often called upon to work out disagreements.
In March of 1872 a delegation of Ute chiefs and warriors met with Indian Special Agent J. B. Thompson in the office of the Colorado Territorial Governor. Curtis translated for them. The Utes presented grievances and claimed that some Whites had stolen horses and other stock from the Utes. The Rocky Mountain News praised Uriah M. Curtis as “the only man in the territory who is thoroughly conversant with the Ute language.”
In the April 27, 1876, edition of the Rocky Mountain News, there was an odd story. U.M. Curtis was seeking permission “to enlist three companies of Ute warriors to go up north and hunt Sioux scalps.”
Curtis wanted to lead the warriors against the Sioux, who were traditional enemies of the Ute.
The Utes would be under the command of General Crook. Crook had been ordered to force the Sioux to a new reservation to make way for settlers and gold seekers. Custer and his men died later in June of 1876 as they attacked an Indian camp. The White River agent, E. H. Danforth was still opposed to the idea in July and forbid Curtis taking the Indians from the reservation.
Curtis somehow managed to get permission and arrived early August at Rawlins with 65 Ute warriors. Among them were Chief Douglas and Chief Tabby. The Utes who helped General Crook, learned first-hand U.S. Army tactics. That knowledge may have been useful to the Utes later, to the detriment of Col. Thornburg and his men three years later.
In December of 1877, U. M. Curtis was in Rawlins when a large group of desperately hungry Utes arrived outside Rawlins seeking food that had been promised by treaty. Agent Danforth at White River may have led them to believe that the supplies were being held in storage in Rawlins with no way to transport them. The Utes blamed Danforth for the shortages. The Chief Douglas appealed to Curtis to interpret and help them in their plight. Alarmed Rawlins residents were outnumbered.
I am sure Curtis was responsible for the peaceable outcome.