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    Towange Timbimboo
    (ca. 1846–1935)

    Towange Timbimboo was an influential Northwestern Shoshone Latter-day Saint, a survivor of the Bear River Massacre, and a longtime leader of the Washakie Ward Relief Society. She was born in the mid-1840s to father Pwe-ah-wadsey and an unknown mother. Her parents were from Nevada, and evidence suggests she was born either at Promontory in present-day Utah or in eastern Nevada.1 Sometime after the massacre, she married Soquitch Timbimboo, a fellow massacre survivor and the oldest son of Sagwitch, the Northwestern Shoshone dai’gwahni’, or chief.2 Towange was presumably baptized along with her husband on 5 May 1873 by George Washington Hill, although this is not certain.3 On 5 April 1875, she was endowed in the Endowment House in Salt Lake City, Utah Territory, with her name spelled as “Toaney.”4 She was sealed later that day to Soquitch.5

    Towange and Soquitch presumably participated in the Shoshone Saints’ various attempts to establish viable farming communities in southern Idaho and northern Utah in the 1870s.6 They settled at Washakie soon after its establishment in 1880. According to Northwestern Shoshone tribal historian Mae Timbimboo Parry, Soquitch and Towange owned “the first Indian built homes” in the community. Soquitch was among the first Shoshone men to apply for a homestead at Washakie in 1881.7 Two years later, a Relief Society was organized in the Washakie Ward, with Euro-American Elizabeth Harding Zundel as the first president. Towange was likely among the first Northwestern Shoshone sisters to join the organization. However, fires in 1887 and 1891 destroyed nearly all of the Washakie Ward’s earliest records, including for the Relief Society.8

    In July 1891, Elizabeth Zundel was released as Relief Society president and replaced by Eliza Voss Ward, wife of the new Washakie Ward bishop, Moroni Ward.9 Eliza Ward evidently operated without counselors during her tenure as president, with Phebe Zundel Ward, who was called as secretary and treasurer, listed as the only other officer on the Relief Society attendance rolls during the 1890s and early 1900s. However, a 1930s history of the Washakie Ward Relief Society described Towange as serving as a counselor in the presidency during the 1890s, suggesting that she may have acted as an unofficial adviser for the new president.10 The Relief Society rolls demonstrate that Towange—with her name spelled as “Towingeap Timbimbo”—was a faithful attendee of meetings.11 In 1898, Towange and Soquitch’s eleven-year-old daughter Phebe began attending Relief Society with her mother and was a regular attendee until her untimely death in 1902.12

    The Washakie Ward Relief Society presidency was reorganized on 6 August 1904 under Mary Ann Morgan Ward, the wife of George M. Ward, the third Euro-American bishop of the ward. President Ward selected two Northwestern Shoshone women as counselors—Cohn Shoshonitz Zundel, who had served in the ward’s first Relief Society presidency under Elizabeth Zundel—and “Towang Timbimboo.”13 As second counselor, Towange conducted meetings, bore her testimony, and taught the sisters about gospel principles such as the Word of Wisdom.14 Although she was apparently not fluent in English, on 11 April 1908 she understood enough of President Ward’s remarks to interpret for the Shoshone sisters. The following year, however, she remarked that “she would only like to be able to understand”—presumably referring to the language barrier—“but she thinks she is to[o] old to learn.”15 On 6 May 1919, Mary Ann Ward reorganized her Relief Society Presidency, releasing Towange and Cohn Zundel after nearly a decade and a half of dedicated service.16

    Towange and Soquitch enjoyed a long and happy marriage. Soquitch was remembered as an excellent dancer, knowing how to waltz, square dance, and two-step, suggesting that Towange also enjoyed the dance floor.17 The couple had several children, including a set of twins, during their marriage.18 Tragically, none of their biological children survived to adulthood, but they cared for a time for Lewis Jones Neaman (1906–1922), the son of Moses Neaman and Betsy Padzipe. Following Betsy’s death, “Jones,” as he was known, appeared as a “Grand Son” in the Timbimboo household in the 1910 United States census.19 Jones may have been still staying with the Timbimboos in 1913, when Northwestern Shoshone journalist Willie Ottogary noted that “The little boy of Mr. [Soquitch] Timbimboo had appendicitis,” but was recovering.20 However, by the following year Jones was living with his father Moses Neaman and stepmother, Katie Pabawena.21 Ottogary, who referred to Soquitch as his “uncle,” regularly noted when the couple visited the Ottogary farm in Elwood, Utah, as well as when Soquitch and Towange went on excursions together outside of Washakie.22 On 20 March 1926, about a year prior to Soquitch’s death, the couple performed a musical number together at the ward’s annual Relief Society party.23 Soquitch passed away on 16 March 1927, with Ottogary eulogizing him as a “very splendid churcher worker.”24

    Towange subsequently found companionship with Ammon Pubigee, a prominent Latter-day Saint Shoshone widower. After their marriage, she lived in Ammon’s household and she took the Pubigee surname.25 Despite remaining firm in the faith, during her final years she was described as “homebound” and “blind,” making church attendance difficult.26 She died of “general debility” on 7 January 1935.27

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    Towange Timbimboo(ca. 1846–1935), Native Saints, accessed May 28, 2026 https://www.churchhistorianspress.org/native-saints/biographies/towange-timbimboo

      Footnotes

      1. [1]In 1875, the Endowment House clerk wrote her place of birth as Promontory, Utah. However, subsequent censuses identified her birthplace as Nevada and her death certificate placed her birth at Montello, Nevada. (Endowment House Endowments of the Living, 1851–84, microfilm 183409, vol. J, p. 1, 14 June 1869, FamilySearch Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City [FamilySearch Library hereafter cited as FSL]; 1900 U.S. Census, Washakie, Box Elder Co., UT, enumeration dist. 207, p. 13A; 1920 U.S. Census, Portage Precinct, Box Elder Co., UT, enumeration dist. 8, p. 5A; Utah Death Certificates, 1904–51, DGS 4120515, no. 5, 7 Jan. 1935, familysearch.org; Washakie Branch, part 1, Record of Members Collection, 1836–1970, Church History Library, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Salt Lake City [Church History Library hereafter cited as CHL]; “Towange Timbimboo,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org.)

      2. [2]Mae Timbimboo Parry, “Massacre at Boa Ogoi,” appendix B to The Shoshoni Frontier and the Bear River Massacre, by Brigham D. Madsen, vol. 1 of Utah Centennial Series (University of Utah Press, 1985), 238; “Soquitch Timbimboo” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org; biography of Sagwitch Timbimboo. Their first child, a daughter, was born around 1865. (Logan Temple Sealings of Children to Parents, 1884–1943, microfilm 178090, vol. D, p. 349, 27 Mar. 1912, FSL.)

      3. [3]See “George Washington Hill,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org. Hill did not include a clear equivalent of “Towange” in his list of persons baptized on 5 May 1873, although that may be due to the varieties of English spelling of Shoshone names. When Towange was endowed at the Endowment House in 1875, the clerk wrote that she was baptized in 1874. (George Washington Hill, Journal, 5 May 1873, George W. Hill Collection, 1840–1908, CHL; Endowment House Endowments of the Living, 1851–84, microfilm 183409, vol. J, p. 1, 14 June 1869, FSL.)

      4. [4]Endowment House Endowments of the Living, 1851–84, microfilm 183409, vol. J, p. 1, 14 June 1869, FSL.

      5. [5]Endowment House Sealings of Couples, Living and by Proxy, 1851–89, microfilm 183400, vol. J, p. 224, 5 Apr. 1875, FSL.

      6. [6]See “The Northwestern Shoshone Mission.”

      7. [7]“Mae Olive Timbimboo,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org; Utah Tract Books, DGS 7115138, vol. 23, p. 46, familysearch.org; map of Shoshone Homestead Applications at Washakie; Mae Timbimboo Parry, interview by Kathy Bradford, 5 Dec. 1985, transcript, p. 2, copy in possession of David W. Grua.

      8. [8]Eliza R. Snow, “An Interesting Trip: The Lamanites Improving, Relief Society News—Silk Industry,” Woman’s Exponent (Salt Lake City), 1 July 1883, 16–17; “The Washakie Ward”; “Elizabeth Jane Harding,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org.

      9. [9]Malad Idaho Stake Relief Society Minutes and Records, 1888–1973, vol. 1, image 46, 11 July 1891, CHL; Washakie Ward Manuscript History and Historical Reports, 1847, 1874–1965, image 11, CHL; see “Eliza Voss” and “Moroni Ward,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org.

      10. [10]Washakie Ward Minutes, 1883–1910, pp. 31–54, CHL; “Histry of Washakie Ward Relief Society,” Washakie Ward Relief Society Minutes and Records, 1926–37, 1959–61, vol. 1, p. 3, CHL; see “Phebe Maria Zundel,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org.

      11. [11]Washakie Ward Minutes, pp. 31–54, CHL.

      12. [12]“Phebe Timbimboo,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org; Washakie Ward Minutes, pp. 43, 47, 49, 51, 53, 5 Mar. 1898, 21 Jan. 1899, 1 Jan. 1900, Jan. 1901, 1902, CHL; Washakie Ward Record Book, 1887–1909, image 45, 1901, CHL.

      13. [13]Washakie Ward Minutes, p. 76, 6 Aug. 1904, CHL; see “Mary Ann Ward” and “George Moroni Ward,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org; biography of Cohn Shoshonitz Zundel.

      14. [14]Washakie Ward Minutes, pp. 89–90, 110, 149, 156, 24 June 1905; 13 Apr. 1907; 8 Nov. 1909; 14 May 1910, CHL.

      15. [15]Washakie Ward Minutes, pp. 126, 141, 11 Apr. 1908; 12 June 1909, CHL.

      16. [16]“Organization of the Washakie Ward Relief Society,” Washakie Ward Relief Society Minutes and Records, vol. 3, pp. 2–3, CHL.

      17. [17]Mae Timbimboo Parry, interview by Scott R. Christensen and A. J. Simmonds, 9 Mar. 1988, transcript, p. 21, CHL.

      18. [18]See Logan Temple Sealings of Children to Parents, microfilm 178090, vol. D, p. 349, 27 Mar. 1912, FSL; Logan Temple Sealings of Children to Parents, 1884–1943, microfilm 178101, vol. N.S. J, p. 940, 23 Nov. 1932, FSL; see also caption on photo of Towange, two daughters who appear to be either pre-teens or early teens, and an infant Phebe: “Twenge Timbimboo and Three Children,” ca. 1880, photograph, The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation Tribal Library, available at Utah State University Digital History Collections, libraryusu.access.preservica.com.

      19. [19]“Lewis Jones Neaman” and “Betsy Padzipe,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org; biography of Moses Neaman; 1910 U.S. Census, Washakie, Box Elder Co., UT, enumeration dist. 12, p. 1B.

      20. [20]Matthew E. Kreitzer, ed., The Washakie Letters of Willie Ottogary: Northwestern Shoshone Journalist and Leader, 1906–1929 (Utah State University Press, 2000), 63; see biography of Willie Ottogary.

      21. [21]Utah Church Census Records, 1914–60, DGS 8622610, image 2733, familysearch.org; “Katie Pabawena,” Church History Biographical Database, history.churchofjesuschrist.org.

      22. [22]See, for examples, Kreitzer, Washakie Letters of Willie Ottogary, 118, 166, 203.

      23. [23]Washakie Ward Relief Society Minutes and Records, vol. 1, p. 96, 20 Mar. 1926, CHL.

      24. [24]Washakie Branch, part 2, image 286, Record of Members Collection, CHL; Kreitzer, Washakie Letters of Willie Ottogary, 203.

      25. [25]Latter-day Saint church records described this as a “civil” marriage. Although no marriage license has been located, the 1930 census identified Towange as Ammon Pubigee’s “wife” and she used the Pubigee surname in church records. Her death certificate gave her name as “Toowingee Timbimboo Pubigee” and Ammon as her husband. (Washakie Branch, part 2, image 282, Record of Members Collection, CHL; 1930 U.S. Census, Washakie Village, Box Elder Co., UT, enumeration dist. 2-38, p. 1A; Washakie Ward General Minutes, 1902–33, 1943–62, vol. 7, p. 145, 7 Dec. 1930, CHL; Utah Death Certificates, 1904–51, DGS 4120515, no. 5, 7 Jan. 1935, familysearch.org; Kreitzer, Washakie Letters of Willie Ottogary, 218, 232; biography of Ammon Pubigee; see also Sandra Pubigee Heaton, interview by Paula B. Watkins, 18 Oct. 2013, transcript, pp. 44–45, CHL.)

      26. [26]Washakie Ward Relief Society Minutes and Records, vol. 2, images 103, 151, 1932, 1933; vol. 3, image 5, 1934, CHL.

      27. [27]Washakie Branch, part 2, image 342, Record of Members Collection, CHL; Utah Death Certificates, 1904–51, DGS 4120515, no. 5, 7 Jan. 1935, familysearch.org.