Monday, March 4, 2013

A Story of the RINCON Tribe, Their Chief from the 1940's. Are all their family Enrolled?


 Marcus Golsh, chief of the Rincon Indians in the 1940s, was a pioneer in moving Riverside and San Diego County tribes toward economic self-sufficiency.

As an irrigation specialist and a mentor, Golsh taught local Indians how to generate money for their tribes by farming and selling products such as alfalfa, walnuts, tomatoes, potatoes, peppers, squash and melons.

His family background was interesting.

Golsh was a descendant of the Hapsburg dynasty, which ruled central Europe from the 13th to the 20th century, but his allegiance was to his mother's DiegueƱo heritage.

Golsh's grandparents, Alfred and Josephine Golsh (a.k.a. Golaszewski), came from Austria to the United States after the Civil War, according to the family historian, Donald Jamison.

Jamison, now in his 80s, is a nephew of Marcus Golsh.

Jamison said the Golsh family came to the United States seeking religious freedom. They settled in San Francisco, where they founded the Diamond Match Co.

Alfred Golsh eventually moved his family south, first homesteading in Bonsall and later in Pala.

Alfred's son, Ami, met his wife-to-be, Claudina Duro, at a fiesta in Pala. Her father was Santiago Duro, the last chief of the Mesa Grande Indians.

Their son Marcus was born May 18, 1890.

At age 6, Marcus Golsh was kidnapped by relatives who sought to return him to Europe to the life of privilege they thought he deserved, Jamison said. According to family legend, Jamison said, young Marcus jumped from the moving buggy and found his way home on foot by following the San Luis Rey River.

In the early 1900s, Alfred Golsh sold his ranch in Pala to the U.S. government, which used it for a reservation for Indians who were moved there from Warner Hot Springs, according to his 1988 obituary in The San Diego Union-Tribune. Later his son, Ami, bought land that became the Lazy H Ranch in Pauma Valley.

Marcus Golsh attended Indian schools in Pala, Perris and Riverside.

He went on to study engineering at a school that was then called Haskell Indian Institute, in Lawrence, Kan. There, he met and married Elsie Barada, a member of the Potawatomi tribe, Jamison said. They had two children, Marcus Jr. and Marge.

Marcus Golsh worked for 25 years for the U.S. Department of Interior as an irrigation specialist on Indian reservations, Jamison said.

He divorced his first wife and married Genevieve Vaughn. They built a home on the Rincon reservation where the medical clinic on Golsh Road now stands.

"They used to have big parties," Jamison said of Marcus and Genevieve. "Uncle Mark was the best dancer of anybody, always winning prizes for waltzes at fiestas.

"Uncle Mark was also a passionate hunter. He could read tracks like Daniel Boone."

Golsh also was a celebrated beekeeper.

But he was probably best known for his strong views on Indian self-sufficiency.

"Uncle Mark made use of the land through his knowledge of irrigation," Jamison said. "He was always pushing everyone to go to school. He prepared the tribe for what it is today."

Golsh died at 97. He is buried on the Rincon reservation.

Jamison went on to became director of economic development for the Intertribal Council of California in the late 1960s. He also served on the Southern California Indian Planning Organization. In that capacity, he advised the Viejas, Barona and Sycuan tribes on generating revenue by offering bingo, and later slot machines, on reservations.

17 comments:

CrazyHorseRincon said...

nope, i sent this into original pechanga. i was told they have enrollment apps on hold. they will not except anymore apps until those are gone thru, there is no set date on when they will review the applications they have... more waithing game, while they steal our heritage. forget the money. how can a native tell, another native, your not native enough? add millions of dollars & just watch. Atleast they havnt removed my great grand father from the mission cemetery, yet... aho all my relations. this proves, natives have there greedy "sheep" too.

Anonymous said...

The leaders have all become greedy white men, they do not deserve to be called Indians. They have been influenced by white Lawyers like Howard Dickstein, who is taking advantage of all native people that he represents, it is sad.

CrazyHorseRincon said...

the old saying; follow the money. the natives that get to say in, dont want to say anything for the natives getting wronged, so they dont lose what they have. the ones that care that is.... intimidation/retaliation/corruption/paperwork gencide for our resources, again. And who has our family things? If i remember right, i heard the smithsonian? how, why, and when did they get them? did the tribe give "everything" away? doubt it.

CrazyHorseRincon said...

I fell they didnt built that medical center on his house sight be accident. That was good medicine. But his family, banished. I have pictures of me in the front yard with those bee hives. We used to take 5 gallon stainless steel drums of honey home. Marcus didnt do anything halfway, i love & miss you, until i see you on the other side. aho all my relations.

CrazyHorseRincon said...

didnt pechanga try to make some "revolutionary" deal with the goverment recently? some move no other tribe hase even tried to do type deal too?

Anonymous said...

the biggest problem rincon faces is,getting leaders that are not afraid of doing the right thing,and that is taking all the people off the rolls that need taken off and enrolling the people that belong on the rolls to be enrolled. this encludes the current enrollment committee chair woman,also current council member.Follow the rules and stop per capita the rincon council is giving away money to alot of the wrong people, and why? maybe votes why not keep them enrolled ,after all they keep voting them in {job security}and big pay checks the Rincon leaders are going down in history as leaders that are scared to do the right thing ,why maybe because they have something to hide. LET'S SEE BO IS 1/8 ,FRANKIE IS 1/8 LAURIE IS 1/16 ALL THESE PEOPLE ARE 98 PERCENT SOMETHING ELSE.

Anonymous said...

Hi this is for both of you what would be your insight or thought on the rincon council and tribe itself as to what i was a year ago

Anonymous said...

Your GREED will get you nowhere. The people you are trying to strip their heritage from are reason the Rincon people even have a Casino. Hypocritical rubbish. You cry do the right thing... The right thing is to follow the tribal laws that the band and the elders have set forth. Who are you to play God. Just remember karma is alive and knocking on your door. You will be prayed for so that your heart condition will become larger than life.. Kind of like the Grinch. Until you haters do right by your band brothers and sisters everything is gonna crumble. ,

Anonymous said...

There is so much I would like to share in regards to lies, greed, heritage, and most importantly integrity. I have read many of the comments and find much truth in your voices. In having silently observed the genocide and separation of families. May you walk strong!

Unknown said...

My Dad was a collector of books and epherma. He had to go into a board and care home a few months ago and I inherited his books. Amonst the hundreds of books I found a small little stapled booklet of Indian prayers made by Marcus and Genevieve Golsh. There are 10 typewritten prayers. On the plain blue paper cover it says "To Gen Harding from Gen Golsh 1955." If you know anybody that would be interested in this booklet, contact me at sunrisepibob@gmail.com. Thanks.

Anonymous said...

I miss Mark and Genevieve. I remember riding in the back of his truck as a boy and forgetting to duck when he spit tobacco out of the window. They were always kind and generous with a flair and mystery about them . I loved staying in their house it was a magical place!

Vikki Marie Golsh said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

Aww, Being a Golsh born in 1961 I remember stories of all kinds.About woman having short legs from chasing men along the river, different racist comments of business cheats,lazy people,and of my grandfather going with great grandfather to take food and water to my great great grand mother to a dirt floor shack on the dry river Rincon.She didn't speak English ...too many to tell.As far as greed there is something about being responsible and stable.Yes everything that was"t stolen was taken to Smithsonian,and a university southern CA.From a adult child of second marriage's American style. I am grateful I didn't grow up on Rincon 1960's.There were new hud shacks,dead dogs,and old cars . don't know where the people were in the 70's and 80's . with respect,v golsh

Vikki Marie Golsh said...

Not annomomus.Why don't the women get honorable or dis honorable mention.We don't have to lose our maiden names any more. I am great full I have eyes that see,ears to hear and the ability to recall my life when I want to or have to.My parents were kind smart , generous human beings.oOne day I hope to take my daughter to Smithsonian.V Golsh

Holly Martin said...

Hey I’m a great great niece of Marcus and Genevieve..
My Granny Charlotte Golsh actually lived on the Rincon reservation in Pala for awhile..
I’m 34 years old now, and back in 2014 I tried to get enrolled with the tribe,
but they said they were on a “Temporary enrollment freeze” since 2007.
Ive heard that Rincon has gotten rid of a lot of members who didn’t meet their blood requirements.
I don’t know if I or my twin would even qualify. But it’s nice to put a name to what we are.

Anonymous said...

I would love to be able to get a copy or the original book. I’m Steve victor golsh.

Anonymous said...

The name is Polish but they were from Lviv, now in Ukraine.