Sapiah met five or more presidents in Washington, D.C., including Benjamin Harrison who awarded him the Rutherford B. Hayes Indian Peace Medal and Theodore Roosevelt.

The government was pressured to remove all Utes from Colorado after the Meeker and Beaver Creek Massacres (1885).

[8] Utes lived and traveled in bands,[1] and they fought Comanches, Navajo, and Apaches to protect their land.

[2] Antonio Buck, the second son, became the first elected chairman of the Southern Ute after his father's death.

[2] In 1909, Sapiah lived alone, and he was married that year or in 1910[2] to Emma Naylor Buck (Ute: Te-Wee or To-Wee).

[8] Sapiah and Emma worshiped with the Native American Church, also known as the Peyote Religion, and participated in the ceremonial Sun Dance.

Sapiah and Sarah's son Julian worshipped the Presbyterian faith and facilitated the establishment of a mission school run by Rev.

[1] Known as Charles Buck, Sapiah served as an Indian scout with the United States Army during the American Civil War.

Other treaties reduced the size of the reservation as more miners and prospectors settled in the area, and Utes from New Mexico were forced to move to Colorado.

[3] Sapiah led a group of Utes to the agency to rescue women and children and was later called the "Hero of Meeker Massacre".

[1] After the Beaver Creek Massacre (1885), the government was pressured to remove all Utes from Colorado.

[1] Sapiah met five[15] or seven United States presidents in Washington, D.C., including Benjamin Harrison (1889–1893) and, with his son Antonio, Theodore Roosevelt (1901–1909).

He was successful, in part due to financial incentives given to leaders by the government until the early 20th century.