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Mike Burns (Hoomothya) Papers, SHM MS-8 1881-2010 (Bulk Dates 1923-2010)

SHM MS-8

Biographical Note

Hoomothya (c.1865 to November 26, 1934) later known by his anglicized name of Mike Burns, was born in 1865, into the Kwevkepaya Yavapai Tribe as Hoomothya (“Wet Nose” or “Moist Nose”). Hoomothya was orphaned as a result of the slaughter of his extended family at Skeleton Cave in Arizona during December of 1872. Captured by the troops who killed this band of Yavapais, he was taken in as a temporary ward by Captain James Burns, who renamed the child Mike Burns. He was also known as “Apache Mickie.”

He remained with the U.S. Army for many years, then was sent as one of the first students to Carlisle Indian School in Pennsylvania. After that, he pursued additional education, but in spite of his academic efforts, he was always hard pressed to survive in the white world. He eventually served several enlistments as an Indian Scout, and then returned to his native Arizona where he married a woman from his tribe and took up residence at several places, including Fort McDowell.

As early as 1910, Burns sought aid in telling his story, and that year wrote to the Arizona Territorial Historian, Sharlot M. Hall, asking for help to publish his autobiography. Just before World War I, part of his memoir appeared in Thomas Farrish’s multi-volume History of Arizona, and a longer version prepared by Burns was drafted in the 1920s. Burns did not live to see his memoir published as he died on November 26, 1934, at the Fort Whipple hospital (now the VA Center in Prescott, Arizona).

The latter document served as the basis for a version produced by retired U.S. Army surgeon William Corbusier, who significantly edited Burns’s original as is evident when comparing the Corbusier manuscript with the typescript Burns provided to Sharlot M. Hall in the 1920s. Following Corbusier’s edits, the manuscript was passed through many hands, and underwent several more edits. Those names will appear throughout this collection.

Robert Sullivan, retired chemist and former volunteer at the Sharlot Hall Museum, traveled and did extensive background research in order to edit and supply contextual information for another version of the manuscript. He passed away before the book was published. Sullivan worked with former Chief Curator Norm Tessman, who corresponded with Nancy Corbusier Knox, granddaughter of William Corbusier. Tessman also produced an edited version of the manuscript that never reached publication.

In 2005, former Sharlot Hall Museum Executive Director Richard Sims commissioned Editor, Gregory McNamee of Tucson, Arizona, to produce yet another edition of the manuscript in hopes of publishing it through the Sharlot Hall Museum Press. McNamee’s edition was not published, and the project was put on hold following the departure of Richard Sims as Director. The project was adopted by Sims’ successor, Dr. John Langellier, who worked in conjunction with Dr. Sandra Lynch, Sharlot Hall Museum Anthropologist, to edit and produce the final version of the manuscript that was published in 2010, as All My People Were Killed: The Memoir of Mike Burns (Hoomothya) A Captive Indian. One hundred years following Burns’ letter to Sharlot M. Hall, requesting her assistance in getting his memoir published, the manuscript finally became a book under the imprint of the Sharlot Hall Museum Press.

Scope and Content

This collection contains background information about the Carlisle Indian School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, Skeleton Cave in Arizona, and Mike Burns. It contains Mike Burns’ correspondence with various individuals about his memoir and requests for assistance in its publication. The collection includes several versions of the Burns manuscript, including the original manuscript created by Burns, as well as later versions edited by William Corbusier, Robert Sullivan, Norm Tessman, Gregory McNamee, Dr. Sandra Lynch, and Dr. John Langellier. Finally, it includes correspondence regarding background information, requests for images and permissions from other archives, and publication information.

System of Arrangement

Restrictions

Conditions Governing Access

None.

Conditions Governing Use

Unpublished and published manuscripts are protected by copyright. Permission to publish, quote, or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder. The Sharlot Hall Museum may not own copyright to all parts of this collection. It is the responsibility of the user to obtain permission to publish from the owner of the copyright the institution, the creator of the record, the author or his/her transferees, heirs, legates, or literary executors). The user agrees to indemnify and hold harmless the State of Arizona and the Sharlot Hall Museum - this includes its Board of Trustee officers, employees, outside contractors, and agents from and against all claims made by person asserting that he or she is an owner of copyright.

Controlled Access Terms

Administrative Information

Custodial History

The materials within this collection were donated to the Sharlot Hall Museum Library & Archives by Mike Burns and assigned the accession number 1928.003. Additional materials were located and were assigned accession numbers 2011.090 and 34.001. No more accruals are expected to this collection.

Additional related materials to this collection can be located in the Sharlot Hall Museum Library & Archives' Vertical File: Native Americans – Yavapai 1 and 2, and within The Josephine Harrison Photo Collection, Photo Box 164, Folder 43, Item 1 is a photo of Mike Burns taken in 1923, as well as the books All of My People Were Killed: The Memoir of Mike Burns (Hoomothya), A Captive Indian, by Mike Burns. (970.3 YAV); The journey of a Yavapai Indian: A 19th Century Odyssey, by Mike Burns. (970.3 YAV); The Only One Living to Tell: The Autobiography of a Yavapai Indian, by Mike Burns. (970.3 BUR); and The legend of Superstition Mountain, by Mike Burns. (979.1 BUR)

In addition to the above, there are several photographs in other collections in which access is restricted and permission must be obtained from the Yavapai Tribe prior to accessing the photos. These collections are the Skeleton Cave Photographs by Shamhart, located in Photo Box 169, Folder 12; as well as the Walter J. Lubken Collection, located in Photo Box 168, Folder 9.

Preferred Citation

Mike Burns (Hoomothya) Papers, SHM MS-8. Sharlot Hall Museum Library & Archives.

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