Western Folk Legend. After completing his first year at Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey, he entered the meteorological service of the United States Government. He was ordered to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and there opened a station for meteorological observations in November 1871. On February 27, 1874, President U.S. Grant signed his commission as Indian Agent at the San Carlos Reservation Arizona, in the center of Chiricahua Apache country. In position of agent, he was known as "White Chief of the Apaches" and worked well in keeping peace. He established the first Tribal Police and Tribal Court, on the Reservation and was the only man to capture Geronimo peacefully in 1877. After he resigned his post, he was elected first Mayor of Tombstone, Arizona in 1881, he and Wyatt Earp became best of friends. He also founded the "Tucson Citizen" and "Tombstone Epitaph" newspapers. In 1898, he was appointed Postal Inspector for the Territory of Alaska and served as postmaster for Fairbanks until 1909. He relocated to California, was a citrus rancher, moving to Los Angeles in 1928 and took part in local affairs. He was frequently called upon by motion picture producers to serve as consultant on matters pertaining to the Apaches. A narrative of John P. Clum's life as Apache Agent was the subject of the 1956 motion picture, "Walk the Proud Land" staring Audie Murphy.
Western Folk Legend. After completing his first year at Rutgers College, New Brunswick, New Jersey, he entered the meteorological service of the United States Government. He was ordered to Santa Fe, New Mexico, and there opened a station for meteorological observations in November 1871. On February 27, 1874, President U.S. Grant signed his commission as Indian Agent at the San Carlos Reservation Arizona, in the center of Chiricahua Apache country. In position of agent, he was known as "White Chief of the Apaches" and worked well in keeping peace. He established the first Tribal Police and Tribal Court, on the Reservation and was the only man to capture Geronimo peacefully in 1877. After he resigned his post, he was elected first Mayor of Tombstone, Arizona in 1881, he and Wyatt Earp became best of friends. He also founded the "Tucson Citizen" and "Tombstone Epitaph" newspapers. In 1898, he was appointed Postal Inspector for the Territory of Alaska and served as postmaster for Fairbanks until 1909. He relocated to California, was a citrus rancher, moving to Los Angeles in 1928 and took part in local affairs. He was frequently called upon by motion picture producers to serve as consultant on matters pertaining to the Apaches. A narrative of John P. Clum's life as Apache Agent was the subject of the 1956 motion picture, "Walk the Proud Land" staring Audie Murphy.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
Family Members
Siblings
Advertisement
See more Clum memorials in:
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
