Jump to Content

Collection Guide
Collection Title:
Collection Number:
Get Items:
Nidever's (George) Remembrance of the Lone Indian Woman of San Nicolas Island
MS.764  
View entire collection guide What's This?
Search this collection
Collection Overview
 
Table of contents What's This?
Description
A handwritten manuscript entitled "The Indian Woman of San Nicolas," which records the remembrances of George Nidever, as recorded by E. F. Murray in Santa Barbara, California, 1878 November 4, and a handwritten note of biographical information on Nidever.
Background
Juana Maria (died October 18, 1853), better known to history as the Lone Woman of San Nicolas Island (her birth name is unknown), was a Native American woman who was the last surviving member of her tribe, the Nicoleño. She lived alone on San Nicolas Island from 1835 until her discovery in 1853.George Nidever (also spelled Nidiver) (1802 December 20 – 1883 March 24) was an American mountain man, explorer, fur trapper, memoirist and sailor. In the 1830s he became one of the first wave of American settlers to move to Mexican California, where he made his living in fur trapping. In 1853, he led the expedition that rescued Juana Maria, the last member of the Nicoleño people, from San Nicolas Island where she had been living alone for eighteen years. Toward the end of his life Nidever wrote a memoir, "Life and Adventures of George Nidever."
Extent
0.1 Linear Feet (1 folder)
Restrictions
Copyright has not been assigned to the Autry Museum of the American West. All requests for permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Research Services and Archives. Permission for publication is given on behalf of the Autry Museum of the American West as the custodian of the physical items and is not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the reader.
Availability
Appointments to view materials are required. To make an appointment please visit https://theautry.org/research-collections/library-and-archives and fill out the Researcher Application Form.