Post by Doris McCraw
I took a day off and made a trip to Pueblo, Colorado, and the El Pueblo History Museum. In addition to the amazing "Children of Ludlow" exhibit, there was the "Borderlands of Southern Colorado". It was while wandering around the second listed exhibit that I was reacquainted with the fascinating and sometimes forgotten women of that region. Since March is National Women's History Month, what better time to highlight some of these women. For this post, I will be offering a brief overview of Amache 'Amy' Ochinee Prowers. I confess from the start, I will not be able to do this pioneer of life between Indians, American Settlers, and Spanish, the justice it deserves. I do, however, believe that telling even part of her story can bring others a bit of understanding of the world she lived in.
Amache was born into the Southern Cheyenne tribe sometime around 1846 to a leader in that tribe known as Ochinee or sometimes referred to as 'One-Eye'. On a side note, her father lost his life in the Sand Creek Massacre in 1864, and William was quoted as saying he and the family were kept 'hostage' in their home at this time because of his Indian family. They were afraid he would communicate with the Indians at Sand Creek.
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| John W. Prowers- Photo from Wikipedia |
She married John Wesley Prowers in 1861, at the age of 15 or 16, after what could have been up to a three-year courtship. Prowers at the time was working as a trader for William Bent, at Bents Fort. After their marriage, they eventually moved to Boggsvsille, which is near to the Santa Fe Trail, in 1867.
The couple had six to nine children, according to some records it says six others say nine. It is interesting to note that Amache spoke English and had lived for a brief time in John's hometown of Westport, Missouri, where she learned the tradition of white women wives. Although this may have been a trying time for Amache, these skills also helped her bridge the gulf between her people and the 'Americans' who were moving into the Colorado Territory. At the same time, she continued the language and customs of her own people.
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| Amache 'Amy' Prowers - Photo from Wikipedia |
Amache and William who had been twenty-five at the time of his marriage worked together to build their business, which involved trading and ranching. The family moved to Las Animas, Colorado, in 1873. William served in the territorial and state legislature.
William died in 1884 and Amache continued with the family business and raising her children. She remarried in 1891 to a man named Dan Keesee. She died in 1905 and was inducted into the Colorado Women's Hall of Fame in 2018.
There is so much more to the story of this woman who helped bridge the conflicting and sometimes violent clashes of cultures. For those who would like to learn more I give you the following links:
History Colorado - Understanding Amache
Post (c) Doris McCraw 2021
Colorado and Women's History
