The Nez Perce Indian Grandpa Llewllyen - Part I

Photo courtesy of National Park Services

My maternal grandfather, Grandpa Llew, passed away when I was very young.  I still have very faint distant memories of watching the "Incredible Hulk" with him and cuddling on a recliner.  His plaid shirts and gorgeous bolo ties were so distinctive and different, and I lovingly remember them along with his white tee shirts and glasses.  He used to take me for walks around the neighborhood, and I still remember the sun glinting off the trees and the faint breeze as we strolled, slowly and surely, enjoying the day.  My Grandpa Llew was an interesting and very loving man, and it's one of my missions to find out more information and explore my heritage on my mom's side of the family.  This is Part I of my journey.

My grandpa Llewllyen Francis Hatfield was born in Silverdale, Washington in 1902 to Hugh Augustus Hatfield and Mary Phoebe Benbennick.  Hugh Augustus was part Nez Perce Indian and a lumberjack.  Sometime later, though I'm not sure exactly when, the Hatfield family moved from Washington to Montana and at the time they were mandated to live on an Indian reservation since they were of Indian descent.  They lived on a Blackfoot Indian reservation until they signed away their Indian rights because they were starving on the reservation.

Chief Joseph - one of the most famous Nez Perce Indians

My Grandpa Llew lived off the land as a trapper in the mountains of Montana when he was 16, and wore long braids.  He loved the West and the mountains and was responsible for teaching my Dad all about hunting and the outdoors.  To this day, my Dad wistfully recounts the stories of hunting with my Grandpa and the memories he has of him. 

Some interesting facts about Llew:
At the age of 13, Llew joined the Navy during WWI and was shipped to Hawaii, until the navy found out he was only 13 and shipped him right back!  Grandpa Llew did go on a vision quest when he was young, but we do not know what his "Wyakin" or guardian was.  The Nez Perce believe the Wyakin is an individual's personal link with nature, a spiritual guardian in animal form.  At some point in Washington, Grandpa Llew was arrested and put in the Washington Federal Penitentiary for counterfeiting.  He was also a bootlegger, but we will discuss that more in Part II of Grandpa Llewllyen.

My spiritual guardian is no doubt, a horse.  Since I was a baby, I have been obsessed with horses.  My mom told me when I was two I spotted a tiny, tiny horse on a Christmas ornament from across the room when we were shopping in Bullocks. I didn't notice anything else but the horse - not the tree, not the gifts, not the other ornaments, just the "horsey" as I called it.

Leopard Spotted Appaloosa

I have always attributed my love for horses to my Native heritage.  In my research of the Nez Perce Indian, I found that the Nez Perce tribe was responsible for breeding the best horses throughout the years.  The Appaloosa Museum claims that by the early 1700s, the Nez Perce had acquired horses and excelled at breeding them.  The breed the Nez Perce is known for is the beautiful Appaloosa.  According to the Appaloosa Musuem, The war of 1877 and the subsequent range raids resulted in the loss of the best and the sturdiest horses.  In 1937, the breeding program of the Appaloosa was resurrected.  My dream is to own an AraAppaloosa - half Arabian, half Appaloosa.

AraAppaloosa - Website

Today, the Nez Perce horse breeding program is alive and well.  They are crossing the Appaloosa with the Asian Akhal-Teke breed to produce a horse similar to the ones the Nez Perce were first known for breeding.

For more information on the Nez Perce Indian history, please click here or you may visit the Nez Perce tribal website. 

Part II of Grandpa Llew's life will be coming soon!