Red Crow was born about 1830 at Belly River (now
the Oldman River) south of present City of Lethbridge.
His father was Chief Black Bear.

In his youth Red Crow was known as Sitting White
Buffalo. He qualified to become a Blood brave at a
Sun Dance where thorns were inserted under his
breast skin. He then tugged and pulled until the
inflamed flesh broke to release him from the central
pole which he was tied to in the Sun Dance lodge.

He went on the warpath and horse stealing against
the Crees, and the Crows and Snake Indians of
Montana and was mostly successful. In one foray
Red Crow suceeded in stealing a band of horses from
the Crows which were the same horses that his Blood
tribe had recently lost.

The life of the Bloods had been raiding, warring,
hunting for generations in which Red Crow followed
for forty years. However he never suffered any
wounds or scars from all his experiences.

Chief Black Bear died in 1870 and was succeeded by
his son Red Crow. Crow was the brother-in-law of
Crowfoot.

Traders from Montana built Fort Hamilton (which
was burned down) and later Fort Whoop-Up both
in the vicinity of Lethbridge. The Blood Indians
exchanged buffalo robes for poor and diluted
whiskey, and then when inebriated beat-up and
in some instances massacured each other while
the traders watched and laughed behind the
blockades.

Red Crow patronized the whiskey traders at first
but later saw the destruction the whiskey caused
his people and co-operated with the Northwest
Mounted Police when they came to the Northwest
Territories and built Fort Macleod in 1874.

Red Crow approached Assistant Commissioner
Macleod to find out that the police intended to
execute justice to all - Indians and whites alike.
He had great respect for Colonel Macleod saying
that he had made many promises to Red Crow and
had kept them all.

Red Crow and his Indians were hunting and failed
to appear on the day Treaty Seven was to be
negotiated. Chief Crowfoot of the Blackfoot
delayed the procedures for three days so that
Red Crow could be present.

A large reservation area was set aside to serve
Bloods, Sarcees and Blackfoot. When the Bloods
travelled South in 1879 looking for buffalo they
returned only to Fort Macleod area, refused to go
north of the Bow River and camped along the
Oldman RIver. A new reservation was eventually
established between the Bloods temporary
campground and the St. Mary River. This is
where they settled. He built a log house, grew

From a fearsome youth with a violent temper and
expert horse stealing he became a chief of peace
and a law-abiding citizen who knew the value of
modern education and traditional customs. He
earned the coveted title of the "Father of his
tribesmen."

He had two wives "Singing First" and "Spear
Woman."

Red Crow drowned August 28, 1900 while crossing
the St. Mary River. His adopted son, Crop Eared Wolf
succeeded him. A Memorial Cairn was elected at
Stand-Off, July 15, 1944 as a token of Red Crow's
fame and courage as leader and Chief of Bloods.

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