Richard Komas: Ute Educator and Advocate
Richard Komas, a Ute from the Uintah Reservation, played a unique role in late 19th-century Indian affairs. Taken east by explorer John Wesley Powell after meeting him in the Uinta Basin in 1869, Komas was educated at Lincoln University in Pennsylvania, a historically Black college. Returning to Utah, he served in Powell’s office, assisting in the creation of a Ute dictionary, collecting Ute stories, and bridging the cultural and bureaucratic worlds of his people.
In December 1873, Komas visited the Gosiutes at Deep Creek during debates over their potential removal. He reported that they preferred relocation to the Uintah Reservation over Fort Hall, contrasting with Powell’s recommendation for Fort Hall. Whether Komas reflected the Gosiutes’ true wishes or favored his home reservation is unclear, but the conflicting guidance left the Indian Bureau unable to act, and the Gosiutes remained at Deep Creek.
Komas also contributed to census efforts. Critchlow noted that Komas “visited his friends… and has, at my request by letter, taken as complete a census as possible” (OIA Utah, 1874, c. 947, p. 413). In November 1873, Komas reported to the Salt Lake Herald population counts for the Yampa, Grand River, and Uintah Utes in Colorado Territory (1,446) and the Uintah Valley and White River Agencies (2,117). His integrity was recognized in correspondence with Commissioner E.P. Smith, describing Critchlow as “[not] liked by the Indians and not interested in them… haughty, somewhat harsh, but honest” (Komas to Ingalls, October 29, 1874, OIA Utah, 1874, c. 947, p. 413).
That fall, Komas served as interpreter when Ute leaders Wanrodes, Antero, Tabby, and Kanosh traveled to Washington, D.C., with special agent George W. Dodge. His life exemplified the rare combination of formal education, cultural knowledge, and advocacy for his people in a turbulent era of U.S. Indian policy.
