---- Thursday - May 15, 2008 - 10:00:08 PM - Navajo Nation Time ----

Willie Lapahie

Picture was taken directly south of Willie's farm across the San Juan River about 1934 to 1935. Top Row from left to right: Ruby Jones, Milton Begay, Puggee's wife (Puggee is brother of Willie Lapahie's mother), Sarah Bradley (Sister of Willie Lapahie), Lee Bradley (Husband of Sarah Bradley), Martha (Yazzie) Hosteen Lapahie (Mother of Willie Lapahie), Edith Lewis (Later known as Edith McKinley, sister of Willie Lapahie), Willie Lapahie (the one farthest right with the Navajo Hat). Front Row from left to right: Alex Lewis (Cousin to Harrison Lapahie), Harrison Lapahie (the one holding the dog), Johnson Lapahie (Brother of Harrison Lapahie), Virginia Devore (Sister of Alex Lewis), Lee Bradley Jr. (Son of Sarah Bradley), Jeanette Lewis (Sister of Alex Lewis), Frank Bradley (Son of Sarah Bradley), Sarah Lapahie (Sister of Harrison Lapahie), Lucy Lapahie (Sister of Harrison Lapahie), Serah Louise Bradley.

Clan	:	Ta'neezahnii Hooghan Lání Ta'neezahnii (Tangle People) from mom, Martha (Yazzie) Hastiin Lapahie Hooghan Lání (Many Hogans Clan) from dad, Hastiin Lapahie
Birth Date	:	August 5, 1901
Born Where	:	Shiprock (Naat'áanii Nééz), New Mexico
Died	:	November 3, 1977
Died Where	:	Actual: Driving from Valley Trading Post to his farm in Shiprock (Naat'áanii Nééz), New Mexico Official: Farmington, New Mexico
Burial Place	:	?
Children	:	Harrison Lapahie Johnson Lapahie Lucy (Lapahie) Begay Sarah (Lapahie) Largo Nelson Yazzie Annie Jack

*Johnson Lapahie died in 1956 or 1957 and is buried in Shiprock Cemetery.
**Harrison Lapahie found out that he had another brother and sister from a different mom when attending the funeral of his father, Willie Lapahie. That is when Harrison Lapahie and Nelson Yazzie met by hugging and consolidating each other at the funeral. The union happened when Cora (Henderson) Lapahie was in Colorado Springs, CO (1 year 8 months) at a hospital for Tuberculosis (TB).
***Mary Begay was a female that was to cook, clean, and take care of Willie. They were married for two years, and then Mary died.
****Pauline Dale was chosen by Willie's daughters, Sarah (Lapahie) Largo & Lucy (Lapahie) Begay, not necessarily as for a wife, but as a companion for Willie during oldness. She proposed to Willie, and she wanted to take care of Willie.

*Hugh Lapahie Sr. died at Shiprock Hospital approximately 1933 to 1939, more likely 1935. This happened during the time Harrison Lapahie was a little kid going to school in Shiprock. Robert Lapahie died of split coffee burns as a baby in a hogan. The crawling baby split a coffee pot which was on the ash of a fire pit. This killed him. He is buried beyond Table Mesa, toward Sanostee in an unmarked grave, in a box. He had a Navajo burial.
**Edith McKinley and H.B. Lewis are the parents of Alex Lewis, Jeanette Lewis (her married name was Popjeck, then later came back to Lewis), and Virginia DeVore. Alex Lewis is the father of Keevin Lewis, and Daniel Lewis. Daniel Lewis was adopted. He is also Navajo.
***Sarah Bradley is buried at Memory Gardens in Farmington, NM. She died instantly in a car accident in Kayenta, AZ. Services were held in a Catholic Church in Farmington, NM in 1973.
****? Cambridge is the grandmother of Charles Cambridge Jr.
*****Ruby Jones had the same mother as Willie Lapahie, but different father. Ruby Jones father was Charlie Lewis, while the mom was still Martha Hosteen Lapahie. Charles Lewis is the brother of H.B. Lewis. H.B. Lewis is the father of Alex Lewis, and grandfather to Keevin Lewis.

Willie Lapahie was a shepherder and farmer most of his life. He was one of the first original citizens and founder of Shiprock (Naat'áanii Nééz). He used his bare hands to clear the land of the round rocks and boulders that dot the land. From this he created a farm near the San Juan River. It was about 36 acres in size.

During the winter, he lived in the sheep camp on Table Mesa. During the summer, he lived at the sheep camp in the mountains of New Mexico.

On the farm, he had no modern machinery. He used his body or horses to plow the land. From this land grew watermelons, honey dew, squash, apples, corn, tomatoes, and alfalfa for hay.

During the end of his life, he was Vice-President of the Community Action committee of the Sanostee Chapter near Shiprock (Naat'áanii Nééz), New Mexico.

The story of how Willie Lapahie died goes something like this. Leonard Begay (Willie's grandson), Pauline Dale, and Willie Lapahie were coming from Table Mesa, and dropped off Leonard in Shiprock. Pauline and Willie then brought a ram. Willie picked up the ram and put it in the back of the pick-up truck. This was possibly the cause of the heart attack. Going back to the farm in Shiprock, Willie had the heart attack. James Barber brought the news that Willie had the heart attack. Tommy Begay drove to the site, and then went with grandfather, Willie Lapahie, to the hospital. Willie Lapahie died on the way to the hospital in Farmington, NM.

At the time of his death, he had 18 grand children, and 10 great grand children..

Willie Lapahie roping a steer and Cora Lapahie looking on, probably at Hogback near Table Mesa, New Mexico.

Willie plowing at the farm north of the San Juan River in Shiprock, New Mexico.

Willie aside their log cabin home at Shiprock, New Mexico, some time in the 1920s or 30s.

Willie atop their log cabin home at Shiprock, New Mexico, on March 10, some time in the 1920s or 30s.

Willie aside his car about the 1920s or 30s.

Willie at the hospital to visit Cora or Sarah Lapahie.

Willie with two of his work horses at the farm in Shiprock, New Mexico.

Willie Lapahie fixing the tire on a trailer, with Charles Cambridge and Andrew looking on. Taken a day after Christmas, on December 26, 1947.

A chapter meeting at Shiprock in 1957. The chapter system, inaugurated in the 1930s, formalized the Navajos' tradition of allowing local leaders to settle disputes among people within a community. Willie Lapahie, third to the left sitting on the ground looking down, was in attendance. Standing and speaking is Lee Tom from Red Valley, Arizona who was a member of the Navajo Tribal Council.

Willie Lapahie is second from the left above the little boy. Sarah Bradley is fourth from the left. Sarah Lapahie is third from the right. Edith McKinley is second from the right, and Cora (Henderson) Lapahie is to the far right. The others are currently not known. Photos was taken June 22, 1957.

From left to right: Sarah Bradley, Willie Lapahie, and Edith McKinley. The two kids are currently not known but are probably relatives. Photo was taken June 22, 1957.

Willie at the grave of his first wife, Cora (Henderson) Lapahie.

Willie Lapahie, and Dondo, during the summer of 1970, some where in Utah.

Dondo, grandfather Willie Lapahie, and Tommy Begay, in the home of Harrison Lapahie, the son of Willie Lapahie, in downtown Los Angeles, in the year 1970. Tommy Begay is the son of Lucy (Lapahie) Begay, the daughter of Willie Lapahie. Tommy and Dondo are cousins.

Edith McKinley, Pauline, Willie Lapahie, and Sarah Bradley, at the wedding of Willie and Pauline.

Willie with a favorite hand-made Navajo jacket.

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URL:	http://www.lapahie.com/Willie.cfm
Creator(s):	Harrison Lapahie Jr.
Contributor(s):	Lucy Begay, Sarah Largo
Dated Created:	08/27/2001
Version:	2.0
Updated:	12/24/2004
Curator(s):	Harrison Lapahie Jr.
Resource(s):	Harrison Lapahie Jr., Lucy Begay, Sarah Largo
Questions/Comments:	Harrison Lapahie Jr.

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