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 1932 - 2000 (68 years)
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| Name |
ROBINSON, James McLaughlin Jr. |
| Suffix |
Jr. |
| Born |
16 Feb 1932 |
| Gender |
Male |
| Died |
14 Sep 2000 |
Crow Agency, Montana  |
| Buried |
18 Sep 2000 |
Muddy Creek Cemetery |
| Person ID |
I513 |
Connecticut Spangs |
| Last Modified |
23 Jun 2015 |
| Father |
ROBINSON, James McLaughlin, b. Jan 1898, South Dakota , d. 15 Aug 1956 (Age ~ 58 years) |
| Relationship |
Natural |
| Mother |
SPANG, Nellie Pearl, b. 06 Oct 1897, Lame Deer, Rosebud County, Montana , d. 21 Jun 1985, was at Lame Deer, MT (Age 87 years) |
| Relationship |
Natural |
| Married |
08 Feb 1917 |
Lame Deer, Rosebud County, Montana |
| Family ID |
F219 |
Group Sheet |
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| Notes |
- Obituary:
On a warm evening in June, James called the family he loved so dearly together to ask that we all join in helping him fight against the cancer that raged inside him. On September 14, 2000, he lost that battle. We gather now to mourn the passing of this courageous man.
James McLaughlin Robinson, Jr. "Dull Knife" was born on February 16, 1932, to Major and Nellie Robinson. He was raised on Muddy Creek and attended schools at the forks of Muddy, Lame Deer and Busby. He married Lorraine Brien on November 7, 1950. They lived in Ashland, establishing the home ranch on Reservation Creek. Together they raised four children. They divorced and he later married Jackie Sparboe. James and Jackie made their home in Dunmore.
Although ranching was James' life, rodeo was his passion. He competed in his first rodeo at Crow Fair in 1949. He went on to excel in NRCA, ProRodeo, and Indian rodeos all over the country, winning championship titles and trophies in calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and finally breakaway roping right up until a month before his passing. James served on many committees and boards, governing various organizations on the reservation. He was one of the founders of the Indian Action Program which was instituted at St. Labre Mission and later moved to Lame Deer. This program became the foundation that the present Dull Knife Memorial College was built on. James served as director and/or member of many Boards for programs whose purposes were to raise the economy and improve lifestyles for his Northern Cheyenne Homeland. These governing boards included the Northern Cheyenne Livestock Association, Northern Cheyenne Housing Authority, Steer Enterprise, Northern Cheyenne Grazing Board, and the Northern Cheyenne Tribal Council. He was also fundamental in introducing gaming to the reservation, managing the first casino for a number of years. In addition James coordinated the effort that salvaged the Ashland Sawmill, which later became Northern Cheyenne Pine. Various private businesses that he established on the reservation include a janitorial service, a logging and trucking company, and construction contracting.
Another joy in James' life was raising, training and trading good racehorses and arena horses. He took as much pride in these accomplishments as he did his rodeo championships.
James is survived by the love of his life, Jackie, five sons Ernie, Jimmy, Tracy, Joey, and Gilbert; eleven grandchildren, three great-grandchildren and his sister, Nita. Harry and Anna Joyce Little Bird and family and also the Yarlott family adopted him. One adopted sister, Clara Nomee, one adopted brother, Tyrone Ten Bear, two adopted sons, Earl Charette and Howard Brady, and an adopted daughter, Caroline Pretty Weasel, also survives him. In addition James had many adopted grandchildren and great-children and he will be dearly missed by a multitude of neices and nephews.
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