Sam Phillips was born around 1893 in the old Crow Village, Alaska. Birth records in the area were not maintained until 1914, so that date is based on Crow Village Sam's recollection as told to archaeologist Wendell H. Oswalt in 1963.[3]
When Phillips was about 10 years old, he and his community evacuated from Old Crow Village due to shifts in the Kuskokwim River sediment. They settled a half-mile downriver.[2] Their name settlement was called New Crow Village. Today, it is simply called Crow Village and the original settlement is referred to as Old Crow Village.
Phillips survived the kanukpuk or "big sickness", an early 20th-century influenza epidemic that wiped out about 50 percent of the population along the Kuskokwim River. Later, he lived in Akiak, and Chuathbaluk.[3]
By the 1950s, Sam Phillips was recognized as the leader of the Native Yupiit living in the mid-Kuskokwim valley.[2] He was an accomplished boat builder, woodworker, and snowshoe-maker among other things. He was fluent in the English language, which was a great asset in his leadership role.
In 1954, to avoid epidemics, Sam Phillips orchestrated a collective relocation from New Crow Village inhabitants upstream to Chuathbaluk, Alaska.[4] Chuathbaluk was a village located 18 miles upstream from Crow Village that had been abandoned since 1929.[1][5] Yup'ik people from Aniak and Crooked Creek later joined the Phillips family at Chuathbaluk.[4][1] The community later became part of the federally recognized Chuathbaluk Traditional Council,[1] part of the Calista Corporation, an Alaska Native Regional Corporation. In the 1950s, Sam Phillips and other men from the community built a new church, St. Sergious Church, at Chuathbaluk to replace the original Russian Orthodox church built between 1897 and 1905.[6]
Sam Phillips still maintained a fish camp at the abandoned Crow Village with a large fish smokehouse. Later he installed a wind-powered generator at Crow Village to supply his radio with electricity. Crow Sam Phillips was an avid subsistence fisher and had the largest fish smokehouse in Chuathbaluk as well.[3]
In 1963, Phillips shared cultural information and oral history of Yup'ik peoples with Wendell H. Oswalt. This project reflected a new approach to archaeology by learning from living oral history.[2]
With the 1971 passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, the title to the lands including Crow Village was given to Sam Phillips, since he could fill out the English-language paperwork.[2] His son inherited the land, followed by his grandson David Phillips.[2]
Personal lifeEdit
Sam Phillips married three times. Each wife, named Lucy, died. He had at least seven children from his first wife. It has been reported by some of his descendants that Sam was of half Russian ancestry.
Death and legacyEdit
Sam Phillips died in 1974 at the age of 81. That was remarkable longevity for a person living in his region during the 20th century. In 1991, the Chuathbaluk grade school built in 1969 was renamed Crow Village Sam School in his honor.
ReferencesEdit
^ abcd"Chuathbaluk". Kuskokwim Corporation. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
^ abcOswalt, Wendell H. & James W. Vanstone (1967). "The Ethnoarchaeology of Crow Village, Alaska," reprinted by Coyote Press.
^ ab"The History of Chuathbaluk". Explore North. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
^Tiller, Veronica E. Velarde (1996). American Indian Reservations and Trust Areas. Economic Development Administration, U.S. Department of Commerce.
^Jerabek, Cheryl L. (2014). "Russian Impact on Cultural Identity and Heritage in the Middle Kuskokwim Region of Alaska" (PDF). University of Alaska. pp. 69–70, 199. Retrieved 1 May 2023.
Further readingEdit
Oswalt, Wendell H.; VanStone, James W. (1967). The Ethnoarchaeology of Crow Village, Alaska. Washington, DC: US Government Printing Office. ISBN9781555679118., reprinted by Coyote Press
External linksEdit
Crow Village Sam School, Chuathbaluk, AK
Native Village Of Chuathbaluk
August 25, 2023
crow, village, crow, village, phillips, 1893, 1974, alaskan, native, leader, lived, kuskokwim, river, valley, alaska, crow, village, samsam, phillips, circa, 1970bornsam, phillipsc, 1893old, crow, village, alaska, russiadied1974alaska, united, statesnationalit. Crow Village Sam Phillips Yup ik c 1893 1974 was an Alaskan Native leader who lived in the mid Kuskokwim River valley in Alaska Crow Village SamSam Phillips circa 1970BornSam Phillipsc 1893Old Crow Village Alaska RussiaDied1974Alaska United StatesNationalityNative Village of Chuathbaluk 1 Russian AmericanOccupation s boat builder carpenter community leader fishermanYears active1950s 1970sKnown forcommunity leader culture bearer 2 translator Contents 1 Early life 2 Community leadership 3 Personal life 4 Death and legacy 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksEarly life EditSam Phillips was born around 1893 in the old Crow Village Alaska Birth records in the area were not maintained until 1914 so that date is based on Crow Village Sam s recollection as told to archaeologist Wendell H Oswalt in 1963 3 When Phillips was about 10 years old he and his community evacuated from Old Crow Village due to shifts in the Kuskokwim River sediment They settled a half mile downriver 2 Their name settlement was called New Crow Village Today it is simply called Crow Village and the original settlement is referred to as Old Crow Village Phillips survived the kanukpuk or big sickness an early 20th century influenza epidemic that wiped out about 50 percent of the population along the Kuskokwim River Later he lived in Akiak and Chuathbaluk 3 Community leadership Edit Sam Phillips wearing his favorite mukluksBy the 1950s Sam Phillips was recognized as the leader of the Native Yupiit living in the mid Kuskokwim valley 2 He was an accomplished boat builder woodworker and snowshoe maker among other things He was fluent in the English language which was a great asset in his leadership role In 1954 to avoid epidemics Sam Phillips orchestrated a collective relocation from New Crow Village inhabitants upstream to Chuathbaluk Alaska 4 Chuathbaluk was a village located 18 miles upstream from Crow Village that had been abandoned since 1929 1 5 Yup ik people from Aniak and Crooked Creek later joined the Phillips family at Chuathbaluk 4 1 The community later became part of the federally recognized Chuathbaluk Traditional Council 1 part of the Calista Corporation an Alaska Native Regional Corporation In the 1950s Sam Phillips and other men from the community built a new church St Sergious Church at Chuathbaluk to replace the original Russian Orthodox church built between 1897 and 1905 6 Sam Phillips still maintained a fish camp at the abandoned Crow Village with a large fish smokehouse Later he installed a wind powered generator at Crow Village to supply his radio with electricity Crow Sam Phillips was an avid subsistence fisher and had the largest fish smokehouse in Chuathbaluk as well 3 In 1963 Phillips shared cultural information and oral history of Yup ik peoples with Wendell H Oswalt This project reflected a new approach to archaeology by learning from living oral history 2 With the 1971 passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act the title to the lands including Crow Village was given to Sam Phillips since he could fill out the English language paperwork 2 His son inherited the land followed by his grandson David Phillips 2 Personal life EditSam Phillips married three times Each wife named Lucy died He had at least seven children from his first wife It has been reported by some of his descendants that Sam was of half Russian ancestry Death and legacy EditSam Phillips died in 1974 at the age of 81 That was remarkable longevity for a person living in his region during the 20th century In 1991 the Chuathbaluk grade school built in 1969 was renamed Crow Village Sam School in his honor References Edit a b c d Chuathbaluk Kuskokwim Corporation Retrieved 1 May 2023 a b c d e f Crow Village History Crow Village a b c Oswalt Wendell H amp James W Vanstone 1967 The Ethnoarchaeology of Crow Village Alaska reprinted by Coyote Press a b The History of Chuathbaluk Explore North Retrieved 1 May 2023 Tiller Veronica E Velarde 1996 American Indian Reservations and Trust Areas Economic Development Administration U S Department of Commerce Jerabek Cheryl L 2014 Russian Impact on Cultural Identity and Heritage in the Middle Kuskokwim Region of Alaska PDF University of Alaska pp 69 70 199 Retrieved 1 May 2023 Further reading EditOswalt Wendell H VanStone James W 1967 The Ethnoarchaeology of Crow Village Alaska Washington DC US Government Printing Office ISBN 9781555679118 reprinted by Coyote PressExternal links EditCrow Village Sam School Chuathbaluk AK Native Village Of Chuathbaluk Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Crow Village Sam amp oldid 1164442733, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
