| Naiche was born into the Chokonen band of Chiricahuas Apaches around 1856-1858. He was the youngest son of Chief Cochise. Taza was Naiche's full brother, both being the son's of Cochise and his wife Dos-teh-seh, daughter of Mangas Coloradas. After the sudden death of his brother Taza in 1876, he became the last chief of the "free" Chiricahuas. Naiche became chief of the Chokonen upon the death of Cochise in 1874, a position for which he had not been trained. Initially peaceful and co-operative with the whites, from 1881 onwards he was associated with Geronimo in a number of breakouts from the reservation. After his final surrender in 1886, he was a prisoner of war until 1913, in Florida, Alabama and finally at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. He spent his last years on the Mescalero reservation in New Mexico and died in 1919. He rode with Geronimo, had three wives at one time, and father of fifteen children. He was considered a great warrior, crack shot, gifted artist and in his later years to conform with the demands of the Anglo became a Christian. |
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Naiche's Wives
| Nadeyole, was Naiche's oldest wife. Nadeyole died on 24 December 1896, while
a prisoner of war at Fort Sill, Oklahoma.
Eclah-eh, Naiche's second wife, was related to Geronimo, which meant that Naiche
felt closely bound to Geronimo as head of his wife's kin. She died in 1909, also
at Fort Sill.
Ha-o-zinne, Naiche's youngest wife was the daughter of Beshe and Ugohun. She and her parents were with Naiche up to the time of his final surrender in 1886. She lived until 1913, dying of a heart attack while out for a walk in their new home, the Mescalero Apache reservation in New Mexico. She was the mother of the baby boy who was stolen from the Naiches by the nurse set to care for him, in 1888. They never saw him again. In later years, the kidnapped son managed to trace Naiche and Haozinne's surviving children, and was accepted by them as kin. |
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Used with her kind permission.
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