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Aubony or Awbonnie “Ellen” <I>Stookaraka</I> Stuart

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Aubony or Awbonnie “Ellen” Stookaraka Stuart

Birth
Idaho, USA
Death
17 Oct 1888 (aged 40–41)
Fergus County, Montana, USA
Burial
Giltedge, Fergus County, Montana, USA Add to Map
Memorial ID
View Source
Shoshoni wife to Granville Stuart and mother of 5 his children.
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"Pioneers of the Old West"

Stuart first went West in his teens when his father joined the California Gold Rush. Granville and his brother James didn't have much luck in California, and in 1857 struck out for the East. Before they reached Salt Lake City, they were warned that the Mormons were in the midst of an uprising. Not wanting to get mixed up with angry Mormons and federal troops, the brothers headed North, led by an old mountain man named Joe Meek. With Joe they ended up spending the winter in a tent in a Montana valley, and fell in love with the country.

When spring arrived, the Stuart brothers decided to do some prospecting in Montana. They never struck it rich, but they did find some gold in the Deer Lodge valley. News of their find sparked a gold rush to Montana in 1862. Granville and James became road ranchers, buying stock cheaply from wagon trains that needed to unload some of the burden. When they had built up a sizable herd of livestock they found a lush, green valley and built a cabin. They continued to prospect for gold and to raise and sell their livestock, and by the following spring both had taken Indian wives. Granville's Shoshoni wife, Awbonnie Tookanka, lived with him for 26 years and bore him five children.

Katie Stuart, Edward Stuart, Elizabeth Stuart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you to contributor: Loretta(#47125095)
for posting the three children of Awbonnie, including a memorial for Awbonnie herself. She deleted her memorial since she thought this one was better. She did this before I knew she had made one. It would not be the same without her contribution.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

contributor: Ruth

While searching her I find that she was born in 1847 in Idaho and died Oct 17, 1888 - There is a Record Book of Interments in the Post Cemetery at Fort Maginnis, Montana Territory that has her name on it so I believe she is buried there. Does this help? Ruth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Found this on the internet

In the Spring, Granville returned to prospecting. He also married a Snake Indian woman named Aubony, later called Ellen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
greatfallstribune.com
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA
Tribune staff

Stuart was married twice, first to a Shoshone woman named Awbonnie in 1862 and then, in 1890, two years after her death, to former schoolteacher Belle Fairfield.

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Wed, February 1, 2012 6:30:02 AM

"My name is Jolene Tangen. I am Aubony Stuart and Granville Stuart's great great granddaughter. Her maiden/Shoshone Native American last name is believed to be Stookaraka or Tookanka. Her first name is also sometimes spelled Awbonnie in history books. It is believed she was born in Idaho. Her children were: Thomas, Kate, Charles, Mary, Elizabeth(Lizzie), Emma, Samuel, Edward, Harry and Irene. Her children Kate, Edward and also Mary are buried there at Fort Maginnis Cemetery with her.Thank you so much for taking the time to honor her on your website."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggested edit: I do not find any evidence that Awbonnie was ever nicknamed
"Ellen". Both Tom and James Stuarts wives were named Ellen. Often James and Granville took turns writing in their journal so you could easily think the writer was Granville when it really was James speaking. This is probably where the nickname got included.
Contributor: Loraine Domine (50433920)
Shoshoni wife to Granville Stuart and mother of 5 his children.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Pioneers of the Old West"

Stuart first went West in his teens when his father joined the California Gold Rush. Granville and his brother James didn't have much luck in California, and in 1857 struck out for the East. Before they reached Salt Lake City, they were warned that the Mormons were in the midst of an uprising. Not wanting to get mixed up with angry Mormons and federal troops, the brothers headed North, led by an old mountain man named Joe Meek. With Joe they ended up spending the winter in a tent in a Montana valley, and fell in love with the country.

When spring arrived, the Stuart brothers decided to do some prospecting in Montana. They never struck it rich, but they did find some gold in the Deer Lodge valley. News of their find sparked a gold rush to Montana in 1862. Granville and James became road ranchers, buying stock cheaply from wagon trains that needed to unload some of the burden. When they had built up a sizable herd of livestock they found a lush, green valley and built a cabin. They continued to prospect for gold and to raise and sell their livestock, and by the following spring both had taken Indian wives. Granville's Shoshoni wife, Awbonnie Tookanka, lived with him for 26 years and bore him five children.

Katie Stuart, Edward Stuart, Elizabeth Stuart

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Thank you to contributor: Loretta(#47125095)
for posting the three children of Awbonnie, including a memorial for Awbonnie herself. She deleted her memorial since she thought this one was better. She did this before I knew she had made one. It would not be the same without her contribution.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

contributor: Ruth

While searching her I find that she was born in 1847 in Idaho and died Oct 17, 1888 - There is a Record Book of Interments in the Post Cemetery at Fort Maginnis, Montana Territory that has her name on it so I believe she is buried there. Does this help? Ruth

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Found this on the internet

In the Spring, Granville returned to prospecting. He also married a Snake Indian woman named Aubony, later called Ellen.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
greatfallstribune.com
GREAT FALLS, MONTANA
Tribune staff

Stuart was married twice, first to a Shoshone woman named Awbonnie in 1862 and then, in 1890, two years after her death, to former schoolteacher Belle Fairfield.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Wed, February 1, 2012 6:30:02 AM

"My name is Jolene Tangen. I am Aubony Stuart and Granville Stuart's great great granddaughter. Her maiden/Shoshone Native American last name is believed to be Stookaraka or Tookanka. Her first name is also sometimes spelled Awbonnie in history books. It is believed she was born in Idaho. Her children were: Thomas, Kate, Charles, Mary, Elizabeth(Lizzie), Emma, Samuel, Edward, Harry and Irene. Her children Kate, Edward and also Mary are buried there at Fort Maginnis Cemetery with her.Thank you so much for taking the time to honor her on your website."

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Suggested edit: I do not find any evidence that Awbonnie was ever nicknamed
"Ellen". Both Tom and James Stuarts wives were named Ellen. Often James and Granville took turns writing in their journal so you could easily think the writer was Granville when it really was James speaking. This is probably where the nickname got included.
Contributor: Loraine Domine (50433920)


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