Ko-zhe-la 'James' Toby

Toby was a Mescalero Apache man

Indian tepes Mescalero Agency N. M.. Denver Public Library Digital Collections, accessed 10/05/2024, https://digital.denverlibrary.org/nodes/view/1058832''

Mescallero Indian Agency New Mexico, 140 miles from R.R., agency near Balzer's Mill. Denver Public Library Digital Collections, accessed 10/05/2024, https://digital.denverlibrary.org/nodes/view/1058837''

Biography:
Ko-zhe-lo, his Apache name, or Toby, who he was to become known, was born in New Mexico to unknown parents of the Mescalero Apache tribe, c. 1871. He appears to have had an older brother and sister, also unnamed. When he was 25 years of age, he married a young girl of age15 by the name of Canasta. Together they appear to have had three children, their first two daughters both died young, while the third, a son named John, born c. 1893 survived. Canasta seems to have died by age 22 as she disappears from the census after 1896. Toby's date of admission to the Canton Asylum is unknown, but according to Carla Joinson in her book Vanished in Hiawatha, he was diagnosed with spastic spinal paralysis (Hereditary spastic paraplegia (HSP) is a rare, inherited group of neurological disorders that cause muscle weakness and stiffness in the legs. These disorders are caused by a faulty gene that causes the long nerves in the spine to deteriorate, which normally control muscle tone and movement in the lower body), but later, in 1910 (after he had died) revised to Chronic dementia (Dementia is a chronic condition that causes a loss of cognitive functioning that interferes with daily life.)

In the letter dated February 17, 1934, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Dr. L.L. Culp advises that Toby had arrived from Mescalero, New Mexico, had died at the Canton Asylum on March 6, 1906, and had been buried in the Canton Hiawatha Cemetery tier 4 plot 46.

His profile is part of the The Canton Asylum One Place Study.

Research Notes:
-In later censuses, Toby is specifically listed as a surname by FamilySearch
-The cover letter for the 1902 census says "Every man, woman, and child on the reservation was brought to the Agency, his or her name correctly ascertained, and all properly enrolled in the families to which they belong".
-Two censuses in 1901, one handwritten and one typed, are different for Toby, see below both are listed
-Two censuses in 1899 written in a different hand?

Additional Reading:
1. Wikipedia contributors. "Mescalero." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 8 Apr. 2024. Web. 11 May. 2024.
2. Foundation, Historic Santa Fe. “Mescalero Apache Tour Recap.” Historic Santa Fe Foundation, 3 May 2022, www.historicsantafe.org/545-hsff-blog/2022/5/3/churches-of-the-mescalero-apache-reservation. Accessed 11 May 2024.

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Sources:

1885 Aug -“Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n169/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 170/761, line 258 (Toby age 2x), census of the Mescalero and Jicarilla Apache Indians, Mescalero Agency, N. Mex.

1886 Jun 30 -“Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n204/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 205/761, line 258 (Toby age 20 in San Juans Camp - Mescaleros), census of the Mescalero and Jicarilla Apache Indians, Mescalero Agency, N. Mex.

1887 Jun 30 -“Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n251/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 252/761, line 258 (Toby age 25, wife 15 in Nautzilla's band), census of the Mescalero Indians, Mescalero Agency, N. Mex.

1889 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n293/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 294/761, line 48 (Toby Rose age 22, wife Canasto "Kate", daughter 6 mo), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1890 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n317/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 342/761, line 49 (age 25), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1891 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n341/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 342/761, line (family) 18 (James Toby, age 26 husband, wife Martha age 16, daughter Ina age 1), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1892 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n361/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 362/761, line (family) 18 (James Toby, age 27 husband, wife Martha age 17), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1893 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n378/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 379/761, line 49 ("Jas 'James' Toby", age 28 husband), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

(Curator Note: listed as a family #17, with Cauasra 'Martha' Toby line 50 and Baby 'John' Toby line 51)

1894 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n397/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 398/761, line 43 ("Toby", age 27 father), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

(Curator Note: Mrs. Toby listed line 171 as the mother of a son listed on line 172.)

1895 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n413/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 414/761, line 448 ("Toby", age 29 father), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

(Curator Note: see lines 174-175, it is unusual for a wife NOT to be listed on the line following the husband, but here we see a Mrs. Toby (mother age 21) on line 174 and an unnamed son on line 175, note that in the 1896 census, Toby is listed as a widower)

1896 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n440/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 441/761, line 448 ("Toby", age 30 widower), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1897 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n454/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 455/761, line 747 ("Toby", age 31 single), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1898 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n457/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 458/761, line 447 ("Toby", age 32 single), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1899 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n472/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 473/761, line 28 ("Toby", age 33 single), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1899 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n489/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 490/761, line 28 ("Toby", age 33 single), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1900 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n506/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 507/761, line 58 ("Toby", age 30), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1901 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n526/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 527/761, line 54 ("Toby", age 31), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1901 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n556/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 557/761, line 359 ("Coo-zhe-lee", age 31), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1902 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n573/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 574/761, line 409 ("Co-zhe-la", age 32), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1903 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n586/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 587/761, line 400 (age 33), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1904 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n600/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 601/761, line 390 (age 34), census of the Mescalero Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1905 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:77VX-722M : Fri Mar 08 23:13:07 UTC 2024), Entry for Toby, 1905, pg. 615/764, line 384 (age 35 alone), census of the Mescalaro Apache, Mescalero Agency, New Mexico

1906 Mar 6 - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14493789/toby-unknown: accessed May 10, 2024), memorial page for Toby Unknown (unknown–6 Mar 1906), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14493789, citing Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery, Canton, Lincoln County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Graveaddiction (contributor 46528400).

1906 Mar 6 - Hilton, M. (Ed.). (2023, July 10). Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians Historical Marker. Historical Marker. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=183486 Photo by Ruth VanSteenwyk, July 10, 2023, courtesy of HMdb.org

Jacob Hayes 10-4-07 · Toby 3-6-06 · Trucha 11-17-05

1906 Mar 8 - Obit

Argus-Leader (Sioux Falls, South Dakota) · Thu, Mar 8, 1906 @ https://www.newspapers.com/browse/united-states/south-dakota/sioux-... (subscription required)

1906 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll254unit/page/n625/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 626/761, Toby has disappeared from the census (died in March!)

1910 Aug 12 - Camp Verde School: 1910-27; Canton Insane Asylum: 1910-22, Series: Superintendents' Annual Narrative and Statistical Reports, Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408 @ https://catalog.archives.gov/id/155854182?objectPage=674, line 29, Table 7 Form of mental disease of those admitted since opening of Asylum