The San Pitch Utes (''Sahpeech'', ''Sanpeech'', ''Sanpits'', ''San-pitch'') were members of a band of

Ute people 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 ...

that lived in the Sanpete Valley and Sevier River Valley and along the San Pitch River. They may have originally been

Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ), also known by the endonym Newe, are an Native Americans in the United States, Indigenous people of the United States with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshon ...

an, and were generally considered as part of the

Timpanogos The Timpanogos (Timpanog, Utahs or Utah Indians) are a tribe of Native Americans who inhabited a large part of central Utah, in particular, the area from Utah Lake east to the Uinta Mountains and south into present-day Sanpete County. Most Tim ...

. Mormons settled in the Sanpete Valley in the winter of 1849–1850, bringing measles and decimating the San Pitch Utes.

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 ...

established the town of Manti and the Utes continued to camp, hunt, and fish near there. Those who had horses hunted traveled for hunting grounds. Generally, the band was having difficulty finding sufficient food and Chief Sanpitch and

Walkara Chief Walkara (c. 1808 – 1855; also known as Wakara, Wahkara, Chief Walker or Colorow) was a Northern Ute leader of the Utah Indians known as the Timpanogos, Timpanogo and Sanpete Band. He had a reputation as a diplomat, horseman and warrior, a ...

asked the Mormons to teach them how to farm. There were few band members who were interested in embracing agriculture. More than 100 Utes were baptized in Manti Creek by the Mormons, but many Utes made half-hearted conversions and the band continued their traditional ceremonies. The Utes asked settlers for food, which was upsetting to some of the Mormons.

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 ...

assigned Indian Agents for the

Pahvant The Pahvant or Pahvants (''Pavant, Parant, Pahva-nits'') were a band of Ute people that lived in present-day Utah. Called the "Water People", they fished and hunted waterfowl. They were also farmers and hunter-gatherers. In the 18th century they w ...

and Uintah tribe districts. San Pitch Utes were classified as members of the Uintah tribe by the U.S. government when they were relocated to the Uintah and Ouray Indian Reservation...

Notable people

* Chief Aropeen * Chief Sanpitch, for whom Sanpete County, Utah is named.

References

{{Ute people Ute (ethnic group) Uto-Aztecan peoples