[NATIVE AMERICANS]. BOSTON, Jacob A., photographer. Four cabinet cards presenting a photographic study of Southern Ute Chief Ignacio. Durango, CO: ca 1890.

3 7/8 x 5 1/2 in. cabinet photographs on cardstock mounts (rich tonality; some edge and corner wear to mounts, some surface loss to green mount). Each with photographer's imprint on recto.

A series of 4 photographs providing front, back, right and left profile views of Southern Ute Chief Ignacio, leader of the Weeminuche, wearing an "Indian Police" badge.

The Southern Utes never had a chief that represented all bands. During the 1860s, Ouray (Tabeguache) represented several Ute bands during negotiations with Federal representatives, but he had not been selected for this role and was recognized primarily by the government. Southern Utes did not like Ouray's decisions and chose to follow Ignacio (Weeminuche). Initially, Southern Utes were to be moved to a section of their lands, and a Southern Ute Agency established, the rest of the land having been ceded to the US. However, the agency never materialized and the government decided to move the Utes to Colorado. Ute bands in New Mexico did not want to leave, and later negotiations fell to Ignacio. Eventually the people did move to the Los Pinos River Agency in southern Colorado, which later became the town of Ignacio.

Our sincere thanks to Mike Cowdrey for providing information regarding this group of cabinet cards.