According to the linked article, "Chief" Don Solomono is buried in the Jewish cemetary in Colma, California. That would probably be Hills of Eternity, which is not a Jewish cemetary, but has a Jewish section. Interestingly, that is also where Wyatt Earp was buried, at the instance of his third wife, Josephine Sarah Marcus Earp.

Why are you posting this in a libertarian legal blog? :--)

Why are you posting this in a libertarian legal blog? :--)

I suspect because it demonstrates that lawyers can be people too and actually appreciate interesting trivia when they see it.

I don't think it's so remarkable that Solomon, who won the respect of an indian tribe, was jewish. I'm sure the indians were weary of Christians, avoided them, did not trust them, and recognized them as the worst, most oppressive sect of the white man. So, the fact that this guy earns their respect and was not wearing a cross around his neck, and was not trying to force Jesus and the Bible upon this native american tribe makes perfect sense to me. I'd say a jew (or, at least a non-christian) is the most likely white man, aside from Kevin Costner, to earn the respect of and be invited to join an a tribe of native americans back in the ninteenth century.

Interesting this was in New Mexico, which also has a large presence of "crypto-Jews" -- descendants of those expelled from Spain in the inquisition. I read somewhere that 10 to 15% of New Mexico residents are of significant Jewish descent. There are a surprising number of Hispanic Catholics who have converted to Judaism in the Southwest over the years after discovering their family history.

There was also a Jewish conquistador, Alonso de Avila
see
http://tinyurl.com/3a4uhj

And of course, there was Jeff Chandler (Ira Grossel) who
although not a real Indian, played the Apache chief
Cochise in several films.

It seems strange that so many commenters on a "libertarian law blog" feel that they have the right to dictate what a blogger posts. Irony is wonderful.

It seems strange that so many commenters on a "libertarian law blog" feel that they have the right to dictate what a blogger posts. Irony is wonderful.

My post was ironic, wherefor the :--) emoticon.

I found the post fascinating, and did a Google search on the guy, which was interesting as well. I had known about Jewish tinkers, tailors (a stereotypical Jewish occupation), soldiers (Sharon, Dayan), sailors (Uriah Levy), rich men, poor men (yes, Gary Anderson, there are poor Joooz), beggermen, thieves, doctors and lawyers (soon I'll be both of the latter two).

This, however, completes the picture.

neurodoc wrote at 1.20.2008 3:35pm:

I am surprised that in the course of this thread about a Jewish Indian "chief" no one has raised the subject of the Lost Tribes of Israel. Consider the possibility that Solonomo was warmly welcomed by his mishpocha.

Being the lost 13th tribe of Israel was the "Jewish Indian" gag in Cat Ballou.

MDJD2B:

Uriah Levy is a fascinating individual. He was despised by the Navy leadership for both being a Jew and for daring to ban flogging of sailors. More the latter, than the former, I suspect.

There are/were two Jewish Indian chiefs.
The other was Iron Eyes Cody.

Fub,

For some time, I've been meaning to sign up for Netflix. Maybe now I'll go and do it, requesting Cat Ballou as one of the first titles. Then, I will watch it again, hopefully with the same joyful innocence I viewed it with so long ago, and the same regard I had for Jane Fonda back then. (And I won't have any Jimmy Carter type hangups about what was in my heart where young, pre-Vietnam Jane was concerned.) The particular scene that you describe certainly sounds as though it has great comedic potential, even if Mel Brooks didn't write it.

Thanks.

Shouldn't that headline be "F-Troop got it right"?

If memory serves, the Indian tribe in that sitcom was portrayed by Jewish comedians.