Lake County Obituaries

Lydia Sleeper

Submitted by Anita Crabtree

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Santa Rosa Press Democret, June 12, 1961

OLDEST POMO INDIAN SUCCUMBS AT LAKEPORT  
Mrs. Lydia Sleeper, the oldest member of the Pomo Indian tribe, died last night 
in a Lakeport rest home. Tribe member considered her 108 years old. Her actual 
age was estimated to be about 96. Mrs. Sleeper, Lake county�s oldest resident, 
had lived on every Indian rancheria in the county during her long lifetime. None 
of her children are living but she is believed to have 9 grandchildren, 10 great 
grandchildren and 5 great-great grandchildren in the Lake county area. She was 
the sister of William Graves, acknowledged chief of the Pomo tribe, who died 
last December. 
She was one of the few remaining �chanters� of the tribe and chanted the ancient 
rites at her brother�s burial. 
Lakeport residents remember watching Mrs. Sleeper, as recently as 15 years ago, 
gathering tules from Clear Lake. She was considered one of the most skillful 
basket makers in the tribe. She escaped death many years ago when she was on 
Clear Lake in a storm with eight Pomo men, all of whom drowned. She was found, 
nearly dead, clinging to the boat. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Saturday 
at the Dewell Rancheria near Upper Lake. Summerhill Mortuary is in charge of 
arrangements. 
Pomo rites with chanters, possibly Jonathan Moore, Upper Lake and Clifford 
Salvador, Cache Creek, are expected for Mrs. Sleeper.