Henry Chee Dodge began his career in politics early. At the age of twelve, he worked as an interpreter at his first job at the
supply room at Fort Defiance. At the age of 20, Henry was hired by the US Government to serve as official interpreter for the
Navajos, a position he held for nearly ten years. He was asked to translate in many different situations, often serving as the
conveyor of Government laws to his people while explaining to the Government the Navajo view of the same situation. He
was valued for his ability to remain calm in heated and difficult situations. US Government Agent Dennis Riordan praised
him for his “cool headedness and good judgment, and tact” when under pressure.
While Dodge was still serving as official interpreter he was appointed “head Chief of the Navajos” in 1884 by Agent Riordan,
a position sanctioned by the Secretary of the Interior and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Dodge was twenty-four years
old. He continued to spend a great deal of time traveling throughout the large expanse of the Navajo reservation talking to
headman about Government issues. He also began working closely with Dr. Washington Matthews, post surgeon at Fort
Defiance, to collect and translate Navajo stories and chants.
From his first job at the age of twelve to his job as official interpreter and Head Chief, Dodge had begun earning a wage. By
his late twenties, he was a wealthy man. Dodge invested his earnings in several ventures, but his most prosperous was in
ranching. Besides his primary home in Crystal, New Mexico, Dodge purchased ranch land at Tanner Springs near Klagetoh,
Arizona where he ran several thousand head of cattle sheep and horses.
When the Navajo Tribal Council was formed in 1923 as the official governing body of the Navajo tribe, Dodge was elected by
the Council as the Navajo Tribal Chairman. He was so revered by his people that, again, in 1946 he was elected Chairman.
However, Dodge never took office. He was old and had fallen ill with pneumonia in the winter of 1946 and died on January 7,
1947.
The exact year of Dodge’s birth is unknown. His mother was Bisnayanchi, half Navajo and half Jemez. His father is said to
be Juan Cocinas (several variations), a Mexican silversmith and interpreter in the employ of Agent Henry L. Dodge. However,
there is recent evidence that Agent Henry L. Dodge himself may have been his father. After Agent Dodge’s untimely death, a
letter was written in February 1875 from Agent Dodge’s brother, Augustus C. Dodge, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Edward P. Smith. He talks at length about a Navajo son belonging to Henry Dodge. He refers to the boy being “…now some
18 years of age”. If this indeed is Henry Chee Dodge, this would place his birth at about 1857. Whatever Dodge’s
parentage, or exact birth date, there is no question that he lived a full and rewarding life that substantially impacted the
history of the Navajo people.
supply room at Fort Defiance. At the age of 20, Henry was hired by the US Government to serve as official interpreter for the
Navajos, a position he held for nearly ten years. He was asked to translate in many different situations, often serving as the
conveyor of Government laws to his people while explaining to the Government the Navajo view of the same situation. He
was valued for his ability to remain calm in heated and difficult situations. US Government Agent Dennis Riordan praised
him for his “cool headedness and good judgment, and tact” when under pressure.
While Dodge was still serving as official interpreter he was appointed “head Chief of the Navajos” in 1884 by Agent Riordan,
a position sanctioned by the Secretary of the Interior and the Commissioner of Indian Affairs. Dodge was twenty-four years
old. He continued to spend a great deal of time traveling throughout the large expanse of the Navajo reservation talking to
headman about Government issues. He also began working closely with Dr. Washington Matthews, post surgeon at Fort
Defiance, to collect and translate Navajo stories and chants.
From his first job at the age of twelve to his job as official interpreter and Head Chief, Dodge had begun earning a wage. By
his late twenties, he was a wealthy man. Dodge invested his earnings in several ventures, but his most prosperous was in
ranching. Besides his primary home in Crystal, New Mexico, Dodge purchased ranch land at Tanner Springs near Klagetoh,
Arizona where he ran several thousand head of cattle sheep and horses.
When the Navajo Tribal Council was formed in 1923 as the official governing body of the Navajo tribe, Dodge was elected by
the Council as the Navajo Tribal Chairman. He was so revered by his people that, again, in 1946 he was elected Chairman.
However, Dodge never took office. He was old and had fallen ill with pneumonia in the winter of 1946 and died on January 7,
1947.
The exact year of Dodge’s birth is unknown. His mother was Bisnayanchi, half Navajo and half Jemez. His father is said to
be Juan Cocinas (several variations), a Mexican silversmith and interpreter in the employ of Agent Henry L. Dodge. However,
there is recent evidence that Agent Henry L. Dodge himself may have been his father. After Agent Dodge’s untimely death, a
letter was written in February 1875 from Agent Dodge’s brother, Augustus C. Dodge, to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs,
Edward P. Smith. He talks at length about a Navajo son belonging to Henry Dodge. He refers to the boy being “…now some
18 years of age”. If this indeed is Henry Chee Dodge, this would place his birth at about 1857. Whatever Dodge’s
parentage, or exact birth date, there is no question that he lived a full and rewarding life that substantially impacted the
history of the Navajo people.
Henry Chee Dodge
(1857-1947)
Maternal Clan: Ma’ii deeshgiizhinii
(Coyote Pass People or Jemez Clan)
Paternal Clan: unknown
“The greatest of all Indian needs is education”
Henry Chee Dodge
(1857-1947)
Maternal Clan: Ma’ii deeshgiizhinii
(Coyote Pass People or Jemez Clan)
Paternal Clan: unknown
“The greatest of all Indian needs is education”
Henry Chee Dodge
Selected Book Sources:
- Evers, Larry, ed. Between Sacred Mountains:
Navajo Stories and Lessons from the Land,
Tucson, University of Arizona Press, 1982,
Tucson, University of Arizona Press & Sun
Tracks, 1986 (Rock Point community School,
Rock Point, AZ) (info – Section -War and
Reservation: Chee Dodge (subsection) pp. 136-
141; Why War? (subsection) p. 142; Section -
Winning the Peace: mention p. 146; The
Checker Board (subsection) pp. 150-151;
Section – Peace and Livestock: mention p. 160 &
168 - Hoffman, Virginia and Broderick H. Johnson.
Navajo Biographies, Chinle, AZ: Dine, Inc. and
the Board of Education, Rough Rock
Demonstration School, The Navajo Curriculum
Center, 1970 (pp. 186-212) - Iverson, Peter. The Navajo Nation,
Albuquerque, NM, University of New Mexico
Press, 1981 (pp. 21&22 bio; p. 51 death; p. 20
business council; pp. 31, 34, 36&37 stock
reduction; pp. 61&62 education) - Iverson, Peter. The Navajos: Indians of North
America, Chelsea House Publisher, 1990, pp.
56, 57, 73, 74, 77 (photo) - Locke, Raymond Friday. The Book of the
Navajo, Los Angeles, Mankind Publications Co.,
1976, 1979 ( info on – advice from Manuelito, p
409; background, p 440; conflict over schools, p
413; interpreter p 396, 408; overgrazing
problem, pp 442-43, 445; preservation of Navajo
culture, p 416; Tribal Council Chairman, pp 439-
40) - McNitt, Frank. Navajo Wars: Military
Campaigns, Slave raids, and Reprisals,
Albuquerque, University of New Mexico Press,
1972, 1990 (info on – relationship to Henry L.
Dodge, 295n, 408) - Moses, L.G., and Raymond Wilson, ed. Indian
Lives: Essays on Nineteenth-and Twentieth-
Century Native American Leaders,
Albuquerque, NM, University of New Mexico
Press, 1985, 1993 (Chapter 4 – Henry Chee
Dodge: From the Long Walk to Self-
Determination by David M. Brugge, pp. 91-112) - Young, Robert, compiled w/articles by,Asst. to
the General Superintendent, Navajo Agency,
Navajo Yearbook: A Decade of Progress, Dept
of the Interior, BIA, Gallup Area Office Navajo
Agency – 1961 (photo of Henry Chee Dodge in
council, p383; officers of the Navajo Tribal
Council 1923-1955, Chee Dodge 1923-28 &
1942-46)
Selected Website Sources:
www.lapahie.com
www.nrcprograms.org
www.findarticles.com
www.lapahie.com
www.nrcprograms.org
www.findarticles.com