Esta Hmi 'Crooked Eyes' Eagle Tail

Crooked Eyes was a (Makahu) Oglala Lakota Sioux man of the Pine Ridge Agency who lived in Rushville, Nebraska

Makahu Oglala Lakota Sioux
Makahu refers to either the village or area from which they are identified. The name is used on several of the census reports along with the district name Medicine Root. Presumed to be an area in Nebraska near Rushville.

Buffalo Bill's Wild West Entourage in front of the Asay Store, Rushville, Nebraska, April 21, 1893

"The store in the center of the photo is the original Asay Store. Buffalo Bill would recruit people from the Pine Ridge reservation for his Wild West Show and pay them in scrip from Asay's Store. Jim and Mary Asay were great friends of Buffalo Bill Cody. The store in the center of the photo "Farmers Merchantile" is the original Asay Store. Buffalo Bill would recruit people from the Pine Ridge reservation for his Wild West Show and pay them in scrip from Asay's Store. This photo from the Rushville Museum is the definitive proof of the location of the Asay store in the 1890s. The photo has identified Jim and May Asay, as well as Chief American Horse and Chief Red Cloud. (Curator Note: In the Indian census reports Crooked Eyes is always found in the general vicinity following American Horse which indicates he was a follower or member of the band led by American Horse.)

Biography:
Crooked Eyes (his birth name Eagle Tail is never used in censuses) was born c. 1866 to parents Eagle Tail (Wanbli Sente) and his wife. He was married twice, to Sally HIghbull (1857) and Wacinki Anatan 'Good Feather' (1868), the order of marriage has not been confirmed and the birth dates of children could indicate that they were plural wives.

The children of Crooked Eyes and Sally are also to be taken lightly. There are a total of eight (8), but they do not seem to be shown consistently in census reports, being shown only two or three at a time.

According to the book Vanished in Hiawatha, author Carla Joinson states that Crooked Eyes was committed on December 14, 1925, and discharged on April 10, 1926, around age 60. His diagnosis was intoxication so it appears that he was committed based on an alcoholic event and not a long-term mental disability.

He was recorded in the Wounded Knee District, South Dakota censuses but is reported to have lived near Rushville, Nebraska. The letter of discharge discusses the difficulties of his transit by train because he spoke no English.

Crooked Eye for reasons unexplained was not identified in any Canton Asylum census!

Very early 1887 photo of Rushville Main Street! View is from the north, looking south.

Another early view of the west side of Main Street. The store in the center of the photo is the original Asay Store. Buffalo Bill would recruit Indians from the Pine Ridge reservation for his Wild West Show and pay them in scrip from the Asay Store. The building to the right with the pointed top is the current location of the Pudelko store. To the left of it is a mercantile store and furniture store (perhaps the Grubb store?). Note the large gathering of Indians on the street that day. Based on the fire photo (see below), I would guess that the photo above is pre-1909. All the buildings to the left of the Pudelko building burned in the 1909 fire.
Photo Courtesy Armstrong House Museum of Rushville, Nebraska

The 1909 Fire of Rushville, Nebraska

Main Street Rushville before 1911

There is some controversy over his date of death. Some sources suggest it was March 28, 1928. Still, Crooked Eyes b=1866 is identified in the annual census for the Pine Ridge Reservation through 1937 and is NOT recognized as having died in supplemental census updates through December 31, 1942, so he likely died sometime after the later date. The Oglala census reports ceased in 1942.

His profile is part of the https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Canton_Asylum.

Sources used in the bio:
1. Main, Rushville. “Hindmanhistory - Rushville Main Street.” Google.com, 2024, sites.google.com/site/hindmanhistory/rushville-main-street. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.
2. NLN, Grahame. “Oglalas in Rushville, Early 1900s | Www.American-Tribes.com.” Proboards.com, 2022, amertribes.proboards.com/thread/3511/oglalas-rushville-early-1900s. Accessed 9 Nov. 2024.

Research Notes:
(?) Crooked Eyes1,2,3,4 (M)
(1866 - ), #38995
Also known as (?) Ista Hini.1,2,3,4 The nationality of (?) Crooked Eyes was Makahu Oglala Lakota Sioux.1 (?) Crooked Eyes was born in 1866.3,4 He was the son of (?) Eagle Tail.1 Another source states that he was also listed with a birthdate of 1867.2. Yet another source states that he was also listed with a birthdate of 1870.1. He married (?) Good Feather circa 1885.2,3,4 (?) was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Wounded Knee District, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, on July 1, 1890.1 (?) was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Wounded Knee District, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, on July 1, 1892.2 (?) was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Wounded Knee District, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, on June 30, 1894.3 (?) was listed as the "Head of the Household" on the US Indian Census Rolls at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Wounded Knee District, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, on June 30, 1895.4
Child of (?) Crooked Eyes
(?) Thrown Away b. 18861
Children of (?) Crooked Eyes and (?) Good Feather
(?) Sunrise b. 18902,3,4
(?) White Cow b. 18923
(?) Yellow Woman b. Jan, 18954
Citations
1. [S47] 1890 Indian Census, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, M595_364, National Archives.
2. [S556] 1892 Indian Census, Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, M595_364, National Archives.
3. [S269] 1894 Indian Census, Pine Ridge Agency, National Archives.
4. [S561] June 30th, 1895 Indian Census, Pine Ridge Agency, National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls, Ancestry.com.
Source: Stevens, Mike. “Tiyospaye - Person Page 88.” Rootsweb.com, 2024, freepages.rootsweb.com/~mikestevens/genealogy/2010-p/p88.htm#i38995. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.
-The June 30, 1918 census has him residing in two separate districts.
-In the 1887 census there is a Crooked Eyes at line 3315 age 52 but this is NOT the same family, this profile Crooked Eyes would be only 21!
-No census reports seem to exist for the years 1909 through 1913 for either the Oglala Sioux of the Pine Ridge Reservation. There are indications that the allotment roll was used instead.
__________
Sources:

1890 Jul 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll364unit/page/n206/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg, 207/479, line 708 (age 20), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Wounded Knee District, Pine Ridge Agency, S.D.

1892 Jul 1 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7TYQ-QTPZ : Fri Mar 08 22:10:21 UTC 2024), Entry for Esta Hmi, 1892, pg. 391/482, line 3904 (age 25), census of the Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, S.D.

1893 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll365unit/page/n443/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 444/503, line 4406 (age 27), census of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, Medicine Root District, South Dakota

1894 Jul 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll366unit/page/n219/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 220/514, line 5279 (age 28 w/Runs For Plume), census of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, Medicine Root District, South Dakota

1895 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll366unit/page/n452/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 453/514, line 4822 (age 29), census of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, Medicine Root District, South Dakota

1896 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll367unit/page/n82/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 83/655, line 3386 (age 30), census of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, Medicine Root District, South Dakota

1897 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll367unit/page/n260/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 261/655, line 3366 (age 31), census of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, Medicine Root District, South Dakota

1898 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll367unit/page/n461/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 462/655, line 4493 (age 32), census of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, Medicine Root District, South Dakota

1899 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll367unit/page/n626/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 627/655, line 5319 (age 33), census of the Sioux and Cheyenne Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, Medicine Root District, South Dakota

1900 Jun 30 -“Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll368unit/page/n129/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 130/622, line 5285 (age 34), census of the Indians of the Pine Ridge Reservation

1901 Jun 30 -“Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll368unit/page/n271/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 272/622, line 5200 (age 35), census of the Indians of the Pine Ridge Reservation

1902 Jun 30 -“Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll368unit/page/n432/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 433/622, line 5089 (age 36), census of the Indians of the Pine Ridge Reservation

1903 Jun 30 -“Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll368unit/page/n582/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 582/622, line 5101 (age 37), census of the Indians of the Pine Ridge Reservation

1904 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll369unit/page/n114/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 115/467, line 5104 (age 38), census of the Indians of the Pine Ridge Reservation, Medicine Root District

1905 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll369unit/page/n257/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 258/467, line 4937 (age 39), census of the Indians of the Pine Ridge Reservation, Medicine Root District

1907 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll369unit/page/n415/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 416/467, line 4832 (age 41), census of the Indians of the Pine Ridge Reservation, Medicine Root District

1913 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll370unit/page/n101/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 102/805, line 4348 (b=1866), census of the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation

1915 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll370unit/page/n287/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 288/805, line 4247 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak.

1916 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll370unit/page/n499/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 500/805, line 4283 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak.

1917 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll370unit/page/n717/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 718/805, line 4294 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak.

1918 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7ZMD-RW6Z : Sat Mar 09 20:54:12 UTC 2024), Entry for Crooked Eyes, pg. 151/698, line 5459, (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Agency, S.D.

1918 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7XYV-G22M : Fri Mar 08 19:46:38 UTC 2024), Entry for Crooked Eyes, pg. 11/698, line 168 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Wakpamni District, Pine Ridge Agency, S.D.

1919 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll371unit/page/n312/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 313/695, line 2115 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak.

1920 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll371unit/page/n539/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 540/695, line 2129 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Medicine Root District, Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak.

1921 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll372unit/page/n50/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 51/735, line 1449 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak.

1922 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll372unit/page/n270/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 271/735, line 1583 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, S. Dak.

1923 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WM2W-X3T2 : Thu Mar 07 14:27:48 UTC 2024), Entry for Crooked Eyes, pg. 539/738, line 1641 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, S.D.

1924 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll373unit/page/n64/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 65/862, line 1619 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Reservation, So. Dak.

1925 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll373unit/page/n350/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 351/862, line 1639 (b=1866, Rosa disappeared at age 18 married?), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Reservation, So. Dak.

1926 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll373unit/page/n632/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 633/862, line 1651 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Reservation, So. Dak.

1926 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7RY9-B33Z : Fri Mar 08 18:19:35 UTC 2024), Entry for, pg. 635/865, line 1651 (b=1866), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Agency, So. Dak.

1927 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll374unit/page/n57/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 58/598, line 1638 (b=1865), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Reservation, So. Dak.

1928 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll374unit/page/n351/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 352/598, line 1668 (b=1865), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Reservation, So. Dak.

1929 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll375unit/page/n137/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 138/652, line 1668 (b=1865), census of the Oglala Sioux Indians, Pine Ridge Reservation, So. Dak.

1930 Apr 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll376unit/page/n137/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 138/662, line 1694 (b=1865), census of the Pine Ridge Reservation, Pine Ridge jurisdiction, South Dakota

1931 Apr 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll377unit/page/n143/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 144/697, line 1702 (age 65 therefore b=1866), census of the Pine Ridge Reservation, Pine Ridge jurisdiction

1932 Apr 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll378unit/page/n144/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 145/682, line 1727 (age 66 therefore b=1866), census of their Pine Ridge Reservation, Pine Ridge jurisdiction

1933 Apr 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll380unit/page/n143/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 145/682, line 1727 (age 67 therefore b=1866), census of their Pine Ridge Reservation, Pine Ridge jurisdiction, South Dakota

1934 Apr 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll381unit/page/n150/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 151/697, line 1756 (age 68 therefore b=1866), census of their Pine Ridge Reservation, Pine Ridge jurisdiction, South Dakota

1937 Apr 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll383unit/page/n159/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 160/762, line 1755 (age 71 at Shannon, therefore b=1866), census of their Pine Ridge Reservation, Pine Ridge jurisdiction, South Dakota