Henry Duane Headdress

  General Notes:

Spotted Bear - Mahio Knesga Indian name

Henry Headdress, Sr. (1888 - 1974)

Henry Headdress Sr. was born in the spring, probably in March of 1888 approximately four miles west of the present day Wolf Point, Montana to Owl Headdress (a former Indian Scout) and Night Hawk. During his formative years horseback riding was very important to him. As a young man he met the love of his life Sarah Mitchell. After a couple of dates he decided to check out another young woman in the vicinity so rode over to where she lived. He looked in the window and saw that the young woman had a visitor who was no other than “Sarah” so he decided to vacate the area promptly. In his haste to get away undetected, he didn’t see the clothesline and took a terrible spill. When he slowly got to his feet he noted that they were both looking out the window and laughing at his humorous “accident”. After that incident he courted Sarah Mitchell until she married him in 1916. Henry and Sarah were married for 58 years.

Henry and Sarah’s children were Henrietta, Henry Jr., Martin, Nettie, Dale Sr. and Doris. Only Henrietta, Dale, and Doris survived to be adults as the three other children died of Spinal Meningitis in the 1920s. Henry’s family was very important to him. Once when Dale was about seven years old he rode over to the neighbors to play with their kids. The neighbors lived along Wolf Creek just a few miles away. A bad blizzard blew in and Henry worried that Dale might have started home and got lost so he rode to the neighbors with great difficulty. He found his son playing with the other children on the kitchen floor and had to stay the night and return the next day.

Dale entered the service during World War II and fought at Okinawa. During Dale’s stint in the Military, Henry was very worried about his safety. He would often go into the hills alone to pray and sing for the safety of his son. He would sing the old Assiniboine War Song known as “The Double Attack” to honor Dale and assure his safety.

During his lifetime Henry was a well known member of the Assiniboine Tribe who attained an interesting variety of accomplishments.

> He was one of the first, if not the first Bullfighter (Rodeo Clown) at the Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede.

> He won Relay Races at the Stampede with his brother Edgar.

> He worked for numerous Ranches and Cattle Company’s in the area including the well known Fry Cattle Company.

> He was an accomplished horseman who broke many horses. His wife Sarah and son Dale often helped with the horse breaking. His favorite horse was a big bay named “Pretty Boy”. Henry is credited with having roped an antelope, something that few cowboys accomplish.

> He was a Tribal Policeman for the Fort Peck Reservation when the police work was accomplished through the use of horses.

> He was one of the original members of the Assiniboine Singing Group known as the “Chicken Hill Singers”.

> He was a well known Traditional Indian Dancer who wore a White Cowboy Hat as part of his regalia. He danced until he was in his 70s. (There is a DVD of a 1956 Flynn Creek Pow Wow, shot on an 8 mm camera, which shows Henry dancing in costume).

In 1973 when Henry was eighty-five years old he was honored at the 50th Annual Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede. He rode in the parade in a Model T car.

Henry died August 13, 1974. In 1975 he was again honored at the Wild Horse Stampede Rodeo when Marvin Brookman lead a black horse with the empty saddle and cowboy boots turned backwards in memory of Mr. Headdress. Henry was truly a Cowboy who lived as a cowboy his whole lifetime. He was greatly loved and admired by his family and friends.
References:
Headdress Family History from Family Member Information
Wolf Point Wild Horse Stampede History

Henry married Sarah Mitchell Headdress, daughter of Martin Mitchell and Mary Small Woman Mitchell, on 16 May 1916 in Poplar, Montana Roosevelt County. (Sarah Mitchell Headdress was born 10 Dec or Oct 12, 1902 about in Montana, died on 23 Feb 1984 in Roosevelt County and was buried in Chicken Hill Cemetery.)