The Encyclopedia Americana (1920)/Gros Ventres

GROS VENTRES, grō văntr (Fr. “big bellies”). (1) The Minnetari or Hidatsa Indians, on the Missouri River. (2) A band of the Arapaho, who separated from the main body about 1800: the name was a misunderstanding of their own term, which meant “hungry men” or “beggars.” After conflicts with the Sioux, and being plundered by the Crows, whom they had joined, they settled among the Blackfeet near Milk River about 1824; prospered, and were very hostile to the whites. About 1830 they had some 400 lodges and 3,000 souls. But about 1866 they were decimated by the measles, and thus weakened, received a terrible defeat from the Piegans; reduced to about 1,300 by smallpox in 1870, they were plundered and many killed by the Sioux. Later they were joined by the main body of Arapaho and Cheyennes. They are now settled among the Blackfeet in Montana.