AZ AZ - Mary Margaret Begay, 20, Grand Canyon, 01 Aug 1957

New Posts

MadMcGoo said:
Well comparing the photos of the two, I think they look a lot alike. They’re from the same area and after reading about Kern County Jane Doe, I noticed the names... Probably just a coincidence but I just happened to come across it

59UFCA
Click to expand...

My family lives in New Mexico. The Navajo people use just a few surnames. Begay & Yazzie are the most AFAIK.

This is a relatively small genetic group -- a small population -- and especially to outsiders many Navajo will 'look alot alike.'

NOT saying this with derision in any way. Haven't been in Anthropology or Psych class in a loooong time, but we learn to distinguish between our family members and "other" as young babies. Apparently our ability to sort other humans by appearance is good for our own racial group, and not so good for other groups.

Sure there is overlap in appearance, and sure there are individuals who are very good at remembering faces & recognizing people.

Probably simpler to suggest that if a Navajo looked at the pictures of the 3 women -- the women would look more like individuals & less alike.

I hope that makes some sense!

JMHO YMMV
 
Laughing said:
My family lives in New Mexico. The Navajo people use just a few surnames. Begay & Yazzie are the most AFAIK.

This is a relatively small genetic group -- a small population -- and especially to outsiders many Navajo will 'look alot alike.'

NOT saying this with derision in any way. Haven't been in Anthropology or Psych class in a loooong time, but we learn to distinguish between our family members and "other" as young babies. Apparently our ability to sort other humans by appearance is good for our own racial group, and not so good for other groups.

Sure there is overlap in appearance, and sure there are individuals who are very good at remembering faces & recognizing people.

Probably simpler to suggest that if a Navajo looked at the pictures of the 3 women -- the women would look more like individuals & less alike.

I hope that makes some sense!

JMHO YMMV
Click to expand...
Absolutely! Makes perfect sense! I was afraid my comment might come across as being stereotypical so to speak, but it was not intended as such. By doing this, I have definitely grown to better understand the natural phenomenon you described! Sometimes I even find it more difficult to compare males than I do females, of any race, for the same reason. I guess it really does take all kinds of kinds ;)

I may have gotten carried away but always have only the best intentions here. I’m always learning thanks to many ‘seasoned’ members such as yourself and I appreciate all the wisdom I can get! :)

OT/FWIW, I recently started research my own genealogy and discovered a 5th great grandmother named “Rainbow/Many Colors” or, I thought, Rebecca! Turns out it’s actually Rachael but I think that was in the back of my mind when I decided to venture down this rabbit-hole. Of course this is a different tribe from a different region than ‘mine’ but you’re right about them being a very small population of people. Although I’ve just started, I’ve enjoyed (trying) to learn!

Thank you again!

ETA- I did not mean to imply that just because I found a distant relative who was Native American, I am any better at comparing... oh mercy ... I’ll quit while I’m ahead! :confused:
 
Last edited:
I get ya', McGoo!

What bothers me is that these two young ladies disappeared from the same area within a relatively short span of time.

Their families didn't holler -- the young women left their family homes for work, probably wrote but likely that was difficult. As girls, Mary Margaret & Ida Mae probably learned to read & write English at a Federal boarding school. Their parents may not have read English, mail delivery may have been sporadic, the family may not have checked a PO Box in town very often. Lots of reasons for no letters.

Unfortunately, their employers may have figured that the young ladies had returned to their families with no notice.

So no one told LE they were missing.

Sad situation all around.

Mary Margaret & Ida Lee, we hope you found comfort, peace, and a good measure of whatever you wanted in life.
 
The Charley Project has updated the circumstances of Mary’s disappearance...

http://charleyproject.org/case/mary-margaret-begay

Details of Disappearance
Begay was last seen at Grand Canyon National Park sometime in August 1957. She'd left her home in Leupp, Arizona to go work at the park.

On the day of her disappearance, Begay and three friends left their employee housing and went to the no-longer-extant Grand Canyon Inn to have some drinks. She was last seen getting into a vehicle with two unidentified Hopi Indian men. She has never been heard from again.

When Begay didn't return to work, the park authorities fired her and boxed up her belongings. Her family realized she was missing when they came to visit and she was gone. They reported her disappearance to the Navajo Nation authorities, but the Coconino County Sheriff's Office's didn't learn about it for another year.

Some of Begay's friends thought she might have walked out of her life and started anew in the Los Angeles, California area and an acquaintance heard she had married, started a family and was living in Oregon. The police thought a voluntary disappearance was unlikely. She was in regular touch with her family while she was working at the park, and had no reason to run away.

The circumstances of Begay's disappearance are unclear. There has been no sign of her since 1957.
 
Mary Margaret Begay
  • begay_mary.jpg
Begay, circa 1957
 
I still come back to the statement about getting into a car with unidentified “Hopi men”. Who made that statement? Did any of her co workers know if she was dating? Someone was bothering her? The native community at GC would have been small and if they weren’t tourists, chances are someone knew who they were.
 
AZ Native Cat said:
I still come back to the statement about getting into a car with unidentified “Hopi men”. Who made that statement? Did any of her co workers know if she was dating? Someone was bothering her? The native community at GC would have been small and if they weren’t tourists, chances are someone knew who they were.
Click to expand...

Likely others from the bar, co-workers, park staff? It would be helpful to know.

jmho ymmv lrr
 
Missing for 64 years...

Mary Margaret Begay

begay_mary.jpg

Begay, circa 1957

  • Missing Since 08/01/1957
  • Missing From Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona
  • Classification Missing
  • Sex Female
  • Race Native American (Navajo Nation)
  • Age 20 years old
  • Height and Weight 5'2 - 5'5, 100 - 120 pounds
  • Clothing/Jewelry Description A white sweater and pedal pusher pants.
  • Distinguishing Characteristics Native American female. Black hair, brown eyes. Begay is a member of the Navajo Nation.
Details of Disappearance

Begay was last seen at Grand Canyon National Park sometime in August 1957. She'd left her home in Leupp, Arizona to go work at the park.

On the day of her disappearance, Begay and three friends left their employee housing and went to the no-longer-extant Grand Canyon Inn to have some drinks. She was last seen getting into a vehicle with two unidentified Hopi Indian men. She has never been heard from again.

When Begay didn't return to work, the park authorities fired her and boxed up her belongings. Her family realized she was missing when they came to visit and she was gone. They reported her disappearance to the Navajo Nation authorities, but the Coconino County Sheriff's Office's didn't learn about it for another year.

Some of Begay's friends thought she might have walked out of her life and started anew in the Los Angeles, California area and an acquaintance heard she had married, started a family and was living in Oregon. The police thought a voluntary disappearance was unlikely. She was in regular touch with her family while she was working at the park, and had no reason to run away.

The circumstances of Begay's disappearance are unclear. There has been no sign of her since 1957.

Investigating Agency
  • Coconino County Sheriff's Office 928-226-5033
Source Information
 
The Coconino County Sheriff’s Office cold case unit investigates dozens of unsolved rapes, murders and disappearances — some dating back more than 50 years.

Former Arizona Daily Sun News Team Leader Larry Hendricks brought their hard work to light in 2013 and 2014 during his Cold Case Close-up series. Here are some of the cases that remain unsolved.

Anybody with information about any of these case can contact the Sheriff’s Office cold case division at 774-4523, or visit the Facebook page.

For more information on this case see the below link.

-------------------------------
LINK:

Coconino County Cold Case Files
 
AZ Native Cat said:
I still come back to the statement about getting into a car with unidentified “Hopi men”. Who made that statement? Did any of her co workers know if she was dating? Someone was bothering her? The native community at GC would have been small and if they weren’t tourists, chances are someone knew who they were.
Click to expand...

It's hard to describe, but the two tribes do look a bit different. I'm sure there is overlap and it's super hard to describe, but after living near both tribes for years, you can usually tell. And I'm guessing that would be even more apparent to Navajos and Hopis. Hopis tend to be shorter, among other things.
 
Mentioned in the article.

Mary Begay worked at the Bright Angel Lodge and was last seen on Aug. 1, 1957.

The 20-year-old was reportedly seen getting into a vehicle with two men and hasn’t been seen since.

Coconino County says human remains were located just outside the Grand Canyon on Oct. 31, 1958, and were believed to belong to Begay. However, according to a report from the Arizona Daily Sun, those bones were determined to belong to another person, also considered a cold case. Further DNA testing has been done to try to identify that person.

Reports say some believed Begay started a new life elsewhere, but others say she had no reason to run away and once had regular contact with her family.

https://www.abc15.com/news/region-northern-az/unsolved-murders-missing-persons-in-the-grand-canyon
 
@Caring1 Hey could you post the current list of NamUs exclusions for Mary Margaret Begay? I would greatly appreciate it.
 

Mary Margaret Begay, age 20
Missing since 1 August 1957

DOB: Unknown, circa 1937
Description: Mary was 5'2-5'5 and 100-120 pounds at the time of her disappearance. She was last seen wearing a white sweater and pedal pusher pants (capris). She has black hair and brown eyes.

Tribal Information: Mary is a member of the Navajo Nation.

Mary was 20 years old when she was last seen leaving her home to go to work at the Bright Angel Lodge in Grand Canyon National Park, Arizona in August of 1957. She and three friends later walked from the employee dorms to the Grand Canyon Inn to have some drinks. Mary reportedly got into a vehicle with two unknown Hopi men and was never heard from again.

When Mary didn't show up for work the next day her employer fired her and packed up her belongings. Family didn't know she was missing until they arrived for a visit some time later. Only then was a missing persons report filed. In October of 1958 the remains of Little Miss X were found near Grand Canyon with clothes that were consistent with what Mary was last seen wearing. The remains were thought to be too young and non-native, so Little Miss X was buried in a pauper's field at an unknown location. Authorities are hoping to locate her remains to compare family DNA with the decedent in the hopes of ruling Mary out once and for all.

People who knew Mary at the time of her disappearance told authorities it was possible that Mary fled to start a new life in Los Angeles. Another acquaintance reported hearing that Mary had married and started a family in Oregon. Neither lead has brought the case to a conclusion and her family believes neither theory is true. The case is still open and Mary remains missing.

If you have any information regarding the disappearance or whereabouts of Mary Begay, you are encouraged to contact the Coconino County Sheriff's Office at (928) 774-4523.

LINK:

www.justicefornativewomen.com

Mary Begay, Missing from Arizona since 1957.

A blog about the many missing, murdered, and unidentified Native/Indigenous/Aboriginal women of the United States and Canada.
www.justicefornativewomen.com www.justicefornativewomen.com
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

TheArtfulDetective
CA CA - Charles Wayne Jones, 25-35, Chowchilla, 1 May 1957
Replies
2
Views
192
TheArtfulDetective
TheArtfulDetective
Pennysmom1
CO CO- Mary Bernadette Brubaker, 32, Boulder, 1 Dec 1996
Replies
2
Views
101
Caring1
Caring1
Pennysmom1
MI MI- Kevin Eugene Russell, 38, Grand Rapids, 5 May 1997
Replies
0
Views
32
Pennysmom1
Pennysmom1
Pennysmom1
MI MI- Larry Thomas Kimble, 39, Dorr, 1 Apr 2003
Replies
1
Views
34
Pennysmom1
Pennysmom1
D
CANADA Canada- Toronto, Grenadier Pond, High Park, & in Lake Ontario, John Doe #3491UMON, Dark complex; 20-40, 5'8'', med. build, 11 May 1995, *Homicide*.
Replies
0
Views
74
dotr
D

Members online

... and 121 more.
Total: 17,819 (members: 122, guests: 17,697)

Online statistics

Members online
122
Guests online
17,697
Total visitors
17,819
Totals may include hidden visitors.

Forum statistics

Threads
623,964
Messages
18,475,431
Members
240,613
Latest member
trapdnak
Back
Top