Kanosh (1821 – December 24, 1884) was a nineteenth-century leader of the Pahvant band of the

Ute Indians Ute () are an Indigenous peoples of the Great Basin, Indigenous people of the Great Basin and Colorado Plateau in present-day Utah, western Colorado, and northern New Mexico.Pritkzer''A Native American Encyclopedia'' p. 242 Historically, their t ...

of what is now central

Utah Utah is a landlocked state in the Mountain states, Mountain West subregion of the Western United States. It is one of the Four Corners states, sharing a border with Arizona, Colorado, and New Mexico. It also borders Wyoming to the northea ...

having succeeded the more belligerent Chuick as principal chief. His band had "a major camp at Corn Creek." He is remembered for having been "friendly toward early Mormon Pioneer settlers." It is believed Kanosh was born near modern-day

Spanish Fork, Utah Spanish Fork is a city in Utah County, Utah, United States. It is part of the Provo–Orem metropolitan area. The 2020 census reported a population of 42,602. Spanish Fork is the 20th largest city in Utah based on official 2017 estimates from the ...

but this claim is not certain. Kanosh spoke Spanish, and according to an early 1900s source "learned to speak good English for an Indian.

William Black William Black may refer to: Politicians * William Black (Ontario politician) (1867–1944), speaker of the Legislature of Ontario and Conservative MLA * William Black (Canadian politician) (1869–1930), Progressive party member of the Canadian Hou ...

, one of the pioneers of the Sevier and San Pete Valleys, was a lifelong friend of this chief." Kanosh invited the

Mormons Mormons are a Religious denomination, religious and ethnocultural group, cultural group related to Mormonism, the principal branch of the Latter Day Saint movement started by Joseph Smith in upstate New York during the 1820s. After Smith's d ...

to come and settle in his area where they founded the town of Kanosh. He "represented the Pahvant Utes at the signing of the treaty with

Brigham Young Brigham Young ( ; June 1, 1801August 29, 1877) was an American religious leader and politician. He was the second President of the Church (LDS Church), president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church) from 1847 until h ...

which signalled the end of the Walker War in 1854," and was among the Utes who took up farming. Kanosh joined

the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, informally known as the LDS Church or Mormon Church, is a Nontrinitarianism, nontrinitarian Restorationism, restorationist Christianity, Christian Christian denomination, denomination and the ...

in 1858. In 1874, Kanosh was ordained an elder by Dimick B. Huntington. Kanosh was one of the very earliest Native Americans to receive the endowment, a ceremony in Mormon temples. Kanosh met with

on September 1, 1857, to discuss strategy in relation to the

Utah War The Utah War (1857–1858), also known as the Utah Expedition, the Utah Campaign, Buchanan's Blunder, the Mormon War, or the Mormon Rebellion, was an armed confrontation between Mormon settlers in the Utah Territory and the armed forces of the ...

. At one time, widely circulating anti-Mormon literature speculated that Kanosh recruited the Utes who had participated in the Mountain Meadows massacre later that month, but no credible evidence has ever been presented to tie Kanosh to the event. One of Kanosh's wives was Sally, a Southern Paiute who had been raised in Young's household. This relationship is a key part of why Kanosh's band worked so closely with the Latter-day Saints. Another of Kanosh's wives was a Paiute named Mary who had been raised by Latter-day Saints in Payson,

Utah Territory The Territory of Utah was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from September 9, 1850, until January 4, 1896, when the final extent of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Utah, the 45th st ...

.Dixon. ''Peteetneet Town''. p. 103 Kanosh built a regular cabin for her, whereas his other three wives lived in wikiups. Chief Kanosh and Group of Piute Indians ca 1860s

Chief Kanosh and Group of Piute Indians ca 1860s

Kanosh and his fellow Pahvants were the only large group of Utes who did not participate in the

Black Hawk War The Black Hawk War was a conflict between the United States and Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans led by Black Hawk (Sauk leader), Black Hawk, a Sauk people, Sauk leader. The war erupted after Black Hawk and a group of ...

.Garr. ''LDS History''. p. 601 Kanosh died at the town of Kanosh, Utah Territory.

References

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Kanosh (chief) 1821 births 1884 deaths 19th-century Native American leaders Converts to Mormonism Latter Day Saints from Utah Mormonism and Native Americans Native American people from Utah People of the Utah War People from Utah Territory Ute people