This is a Message Board Post that is gatewayed to this mailing list. Author: wrmuseum Surnames: Classification: queries Message Board URL: http://boards.rootsweb.com/localities.northam.usa.states.colorado.counties.rioblanco/14.18.20.1.2/mb.ashx Message Board Post: Hello Frank, I am Sandy Shimko, computer operator/docent at the White River Museum. I have been answering anything coming by e-mail and Ardith Douglass, Curator does the research with me. Do you have THIS IS WHAT I REMEMBER? These books are an invaluable resource for family histories from Meeker. If you have the books, I can tell you what pages have your ancestors mentioned and most times there stories. Ardith did look up some information on J. C. Gentry, is that your family? If not just let me know who you need looked up. If your ancestor was in the militia from Aspen that would put him in the Ute War of 1889 (also known as the Colorow War). The Meeker Massacre and the Milk Creek Battle (only known as this) were before anyone was on the reservation except a couple of people on Blue Mountain in the Rangely area and Dunc Blair who was married to a Ute woman and had cattle on Blair Mesa; and the people at the agency, who were all killed except 3 women and 2 children. The Milk Creek Battle (once known as the Thornburg Battle) was the last battle of the Indian Wars between the U. S. Military and the Ute Indians. The Aspen & Meeker Militia were the people who went to fight the Indians in the Ute War. The war was started by some drunken cowboys and the Garfield County Sheriff (Rio Blanco County was formed in 1885.) The cowboys evidently did not know or chose to ignore the treaty which said the Utes could come into this country to hunt and so they shot into the Ute camp, killing a boy. Needless to say the Utes shot back. The cowboys got the sheriff, the sheriff got Militia and the Utes headed for Utah. The sad thing was that the Utes thought they had gone over the border, so they stopped to camp. It turned out they were not in Utah and the parties had a shoot out that killed people on both sides. I hope your Grandfather came through unscathed. The leadership in Meeker realized very quickly that this incident was not caused by the Ute Indians. The sheriff wanted the horses and venison they had killed. Be aware that the Indians did steal white men's horses, also. Not a nice bunc! h of people!! Hope this clears things up. Sandy Important Note: The author of this message may not be subscribed to this list. If you would like to reply to them, please click on the Message Board URL link above and respond on the board.