Richard Wetherill 1858-1910
A day of remembrance for Richard Wetherill was held at the Wetherill
Cemetery, Chaco Culture National Historic Park June 22, 2010. It was
100 years to the day Richard was murdered by Chis-Chilling Begay. Jim Shaffner, Grandson of Richard Wetherill spoke at the grave site giving a
short overview of Richards life and events leading up to his death.
Rulon Wetherill, great grandson of Robert Wetherill and Harvey Leake,
great grand son of John Wetherill also paid tribute to Richard Wetherill.
Also in attendance were Grand children and great grandchildren of Richard
Wetherill. They included Richard Wetherill, Lawanda Smith,
Marietta Eaton, Terry Watson, to name a few. That afternoon the family viewed a petroglyph depicting Richard's
murder. The following day several Wetherill family members visited three
Wetherill trading post sites in the area, Tiz-Nat-Zin, Ojo Alamo and
Kimbeto.
A Tribute to Richard Wetherill June 22, 2010
by
Jim Wetherill Shaffner
Today is a day of remberance for Richard Wetherill
b. 12th June 1858, Harden County Iowa. Son of Benjamin Kite Wetherill and
Marion Tompkins Wetherill. Richard will be remembered as a Quaker, family
man, archeologist, scientist, stockman, negotiator and one of a family of
five siblings. I will remember him as a person who treated the Native
Americans in the Four Corners area with respect and honor. During
Richard's time it was neither fashionable nor considered reasonable to
treat these native people with respect. One of the reasons Richard and his
brothers were such successful explorers was their innate ability to get
along with all people. I suspect this has to do with their religious
believes as Quakers and their belief, that all people are guided by inner
light which is a Quaker trait. Quakers believe that God speaks to
everyone.
The Wetherills, Richard included were known to
frequent areas in the Four Corners, unarmed and greeted by Utes and
Navajos as friends and confidants. These relationships led to the
discovery of Cliff Palace in the Mesa Verde, the discovery of Betatakin in
the Navajo National Monument, Arizona and the discovery of Rainbow Natural
Bridge in Utah. I suspect that other lesser discoveries were related to
these friendships and connections with the native people.
Richard and his brothers were often maligned by
those whose motives were at the least extremely questionable. These
individuals instigated the arrest of the Wetherills’ in Colorado, which
was related to their jealousy and dishonest accusations. Of all the
persons that maligned Richard with half-truths, lies and
misrepresentations, the most egregious accusations were accusers in
government employment. The first in the Chaco Canyon area was the
misinterpretation of Richard's activities based on an old smear campaign
by a government surveyor in 1901-2. Richard had filed a homestead
application and made it clear in a sworn deposition that his purpose in
encompassing the major pueblos was to protect them. He said that he would
gladly relinquish his claims to the pueblos if the government would make
of them a national monument. The only stipulation was that the American
Museum of Natural History would be able to continue their investigations
there. The surveyor, Holsinger, did not want to go along with the
stipulation, and he thought he could force Richard out of the canyon by
defaming his character.
The second group of government employees that
misrepresented Richard’s activities were in the employment of the
Department of Interior United States Indian Service, W. T. Shelton, and
S.F. Stacher, both superintendents of their respective areas. Neither of
these individuals ever confronted Richard with their outrageous claims but
assaulted him behind his back by starting outrageous rumors as well as
other charges all the while accepting Richard's hospitality.
It is now 100 years since Richard Wetherill's
murder and history is beginning to credit him with what he did and
deserves. As author David Roberts states "In the history of the Southwest,
no scholar ever found or discovered more sites, or more important sites,
than Richard Wetherill. One might expect that Richard's achievement, which
rivals those of Heinrich Schliemann at Troy and Hiram Bingham at Machu
Picchu, should be hailed as a landmark in American archaeology. But the
controversy that shadowed his work from start to finish has never entirely
lifted."
We now start a new century, hoping the Wetherills
are hailed as heroes and explorers with only preservation and good will in
their hearts. The Wetherill's were not the first in history to be maligned
by individuals of questionable integrity, driven by greed and jealousy and
won't be the last. We hope today that we can begin to give Richard his due
and remember him as a man of great integrity, and an inquisitive nature
that drove him to make monumental discoveries.
Today Richard
Wetherill is represented by grandchildren, great grandchildren and great,
great grandchildren. Also represented is the great grandson of John
Wetherill and a representative of the eastern family, the great grandson
of Robert Wetherill the Chester, Pennsylvania industrialist.
Richard Wetherill
1858-1910
The Wetherill Family
The Wetherill reunion celebrating Richard Wetherill's life. L - R Marietta Eaton great granddaughter of Richard Wetherill, Harvey Leake great grandson Of John Wetherill, Terry Watson great granddaughter of Richard Wetherill, Lawanda Eaton Smith great granddaughter of Richard Wetherill, Rulon Wetherill great grandson of Robert Wetherill of Chester Pennsylvania, Jim Shaffner grandson of Richard Wetherill, Richard Wetherill III grandson of Richard Wetherill and Ralph friend of Wanda Eaton Smith.
Wetherill family members at the Richard Wetherill grave site.
Harvey Leake great grandson of John Wetherill, Marietta Wetherill great granddaughter of Richard Wetherill and Rulon Wetherill great grandson of Robert Wetherill.
The Richard Wetherill Wreath placed at the Wetherill Cemetery in Chaco canyon
Stacher and Shelton
Dr. T. Mitchel Prudden letter to federal officials after Richard Wetherill's murder with charges against Shelton, Stacher and others. Click Here