1881 James A. Garfield Indian Peace Medal. Silver. The Only Size. Original. Julian IP-44, Prucha-55. Fine. 70.0 mm x 58.9 mm, oval. 2025.0 grains. An incredible and historic medal, featured in multiple images of James A. Garfield Velarde, a principal chief of the Jicarilla Apache. The medal features the expected wear of a piece that was proudly worn for a long time, and in this case, by multiple chiefs. The silver is light in tone, with some deeper gray patina in the peripheral recesses. Both sides are peppered with marks, as usual, and there are a couple of gentle rim bumps, but none is terribly serious. Close inspection reveals a tiny "J" and "A" in the left and right reverse exergue. Originally pierced just above Garfields head which is an unusual position, but one that avoids the name of the president, and one that fortuitously aids in the unraveling of the story of this medal, as will be seen below. The piercing was filled long ago, in the 19th century, and a distinctive custom suspension hanger was added. The hanger is an ornamented bar with two loops on the back to allow for a cord. It is affixed to the medal by three thick silver rings, one each sturdily soldered to the bar and to the medal, respectively.Tradition has it that the chief seen wearing this medal in multiple images, James A. Garfield Velarde, was the direct recipient of the medal. It has been long believed that President Garfield presented this medal to him, and that he took the Presidents name as his own, in his honor. However, we have not been able to find any historical references to such a presentation to Velarde and the timing of his rank as chief does not align well with the period in which the Garfield medals are known to have been struck and distributed. This said, there is other evidence that points to the likely chain of ownership. To present this effectively, a brief genealogical presentation is necessary:Huero Mundo (1828-1889)Principal chief of the Apache from 1868 to 1873, and half brother of the famous Chief Ouray of the Ute. Chief Ouray is recorded as having met with presidents Abraham Lincoln, Ulysses S. Grant and Rutherford B. Hayes, and played a part in advising Apache delegations to Washington, likely relevant to this medal. Chief Huero Mundo also visited Washington, in 1868, and sat for a portrait of his Delegation taken by Nicholas Brown and Son, of Santa Fe. A CDV of the image was sold in the June 6-7, 2007 Cowans Historic Americana sale, lot 150.Children of Huero Mundo-Huerito Mundo (1846-1888)-Hoshka Velarde (1850-1928)-Augustin(e) Velarde (1851-1903)-Pilar Velarde (a half sister) (1852-?)-Jose David Barela (a half brother) (1853-1926)-Chanhkata Velarde (1853-1909)-James A. Garfield Velarde (1853-1961)-David Velarde (a half-brother) (1859-?)Information on the various past chiefs is found on the website of the Jicarilla Apache Nation, <em>https://apacheria.es/jicarilla-apache-nation/</em>, where it is clarified that Huero Mundo was chief from 1868 to 1873, his son Huerito Mundo was chief from 1880 to 1886, another son, "Garfield Velarde" was chief as of 1886, and yet another, "Augustine" Velarde, was chief "around 1890." The last entry is directly supported by a September 1890 report of Special Agent George B. Meston on the Jicarilla Apache reservation: "The head chief, or governor, as he is called, of all the Jicarilla Apaches is Augustin Velarde. His office was obtained by election. He is of slight build, wears a complete citizens dress, and on his left breast the Garfield medal, of which he is justly proud. Velarde is a very intelligent and progressive Indian." This not only places Augustin Velarde as a chief, but it places a Garfield medal upon his chest.As noted above, we have found no evidence of a Garfield medal being directly presented to James Garfield Velarde, nor do we find reason for such a presentation. However, there is an unavoidable contender for such an honor in his older brother, Huerito. Upon the advice of Chief Ouray of the Ute, a small delegation of Apache made a trip to Washington D.C. to discuss new reservation lands. The delegation of principal chiefs of local Apache groups included Huerito Mundo, his brother-in-law, Augustin Vigil, San Pablo, Juan Julian and Santiago Largo. At least two images exist from this trip, both taken at the Corcoran Gallery of Art, on April 2, 1880. The meeting resulted in then-President Rutherford B. Hayes establishment of new reservation lands for the Jicarilla Apache at Amargo, New Mexico, to the west of Tierra Amarilla, on September 21, 1880, by Executive Order. No Hayes Peace medals were struck for distribution, so it seems likely that Garfield medals were probably forwarded later, as it was not an unusual practice for medals to be gifted well after initial actions that prompted the gifts. Indeed, according to Father Pruchas research, a pair of Garfield medals was sent to the Mescalero Agency in New Mexico on June 3, 1882, for presentation to two men "in recognition of their good conduct." At the time, the Jicarilla and Mescalero Agencies had been combined, under the Mescalero aegis. We have not seen images of the men of the 1880 Delegation wearing Garfield medals, but their presence in Washington and the favorable outcome of their meeting makes some or all of them highly probable recipients of such awards. By the time the brothers Velarde were chiefs, President Garfield was long dead, and the Chester Arthur Peace medals were in production. Just ten Arthur medals were ordered for distribution, and those are known to have been available for delivery by 1885, so any medals presented to the Velardes as chiefs, after 1886, would have almost certainly been Arthur medals. It seems probable that one of the Garfield medals sent to New Mexico in 1882 was given to Chief Huerito Mundo in recognition of events in 1880, and later transferred to his brothers when they became chiefs, as both brothers are well-documented as having worn such a medal.As noted in the discussion of the condition above, the piercing of this medal is unusual in that it is lower than on the other known issued medals. A wonderful photograph by Randall A. Frank exists of Augustin Velarde wearing a Garfield medal around his neck, suspended by what is likely a plain ribbon, tied through a hole that appears to be positioned as the former piercing of this piece. This is almost certainly the medal offered here, photographed "circa 1890?," prior to the filling of the piercing and the addition of the distinctive suspension bar, soldered loop and links presently affixed to the medal.This medal in its present state, with its distinctive and readily identifiable suspension hanger, is included in at least four images that we have seen. It appears prominently in an 1899 photograph by William Henry Jackson of James A. Garfield Velarde. It is also in one of him and his wife by Charles A. Nast, circa "1880-1910" and another of him with his family, also dated to circa "1880-1910." These two are in the Digital Collections of the Denver Public Library. Another is of unknown ownership or authorship, and simply identified online as "Jicarilla Apache Group - 1898" but it clearly features this medal on the breast of James A. Garfield Velarde. Unfortunately, Velarde is not wearing his medal in the famous photograph taken of him by Edward S. Curtis, circa 1905-1906.In the 1898 Report of the Department of the Interior, there is a roster of those employed in the Indian Agency Service. Both Augustin Velarde and James A. Garfield Velarde are listed in the capacity of "Judge," clarifying their ongoing respected status among the Apache, and also their good relationships with the Indian Agency.There are only five genuine silver Garfield Peace medals known to the writer, and this medal, being offered publicly here for the first time, is the only one with a confirmed (by the writer) Native American provenance. The other reported to have such is held in the collection of the American Numismatic Society, but that provenance has proven unverifiable thus far. In either case, the medal presented here is the only one in private hands and is a remarkable survivor from what is believed to have been just 25 medals originally struck in silver for presentation.The silver suspension chain is obviously of much later vintage. However, it was hand-made by a well-known Jicarilla-Navaho silversmith, Gibson Nez, who was himself a descendant of Chief Heurito Mundo. Nez died in 2007. Probably awarded to Heurito Mundo, chief of the Jicarilla Apache; certainly ex Chief James A. Garfield Velarde of the Jicarilla Apache; probably to his brother Augustin Velarde, Chief as of 1890, and back to James A. Garfield, who outlived his brother by nearly six decades; a grand-daughter of Heurito Mundo, Mary Vicenti; purchased by a New Mexico trader, date unknown, but after 2007; unspecified private collector; purchased by our consignor, April 2023.
