history of the ottawa and chippewa indians of michigan_ by a j blackbird

8/10/2019 History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan_ by a J Blackbird

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The Project Gutenberg EBook of History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indiansof Michigan by !ndrew "# B$ackbird

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Tit$e5 History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan

!uthor5 !ndrew "# B$ackbird

/e$ease 'ate5 6o%e&ber 7889 :EBook ;:)es we are &ore than one year ahead of schedu$e>:This fi$e was first posted on ,ebruary 78 788?>

Edition5 18

@anguage5 Eng$ish

Character set encoding5 !0CII

*** 0T!/T O, THE P/O"ECT GATE6BE/G EBOO OTTO+! !6' CHIPPE+! O, MICHIG!6 ***

This eBook was produced by Miche$$e 0hepard "u$iet 0uther$andChar$es ,ranks and the On$ine 'istributed Proofreading Tea&

HI0TO/)O, THE OTT!+! !6' CHIPPE+! I6'I!60O, MICHIG!6

! G/!MM!/ O, THEI/ @!6GA!GE!6' PE/0O6!@ !6' ,!MI@) HI0TO/) O, THE !ATHO/

B)!6'/E+ "# B@!CBI/'


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@!TE A#0# I6TE/P/ETE/ H!/BO/ 0P/I6G0 EMMET CO#MICH#

I6T/O'ACTIO6

!ndrew "# B$ackbird the author of this $itt$e book is an educatedIndian son of the Ottawa Chief# His Indian na&e is MackDawDdeDbeDnessyB$ack HawkF but he genera$$y goes by the na&e of (B$ackbird( takenfro& the interpretation of the ,rench (@Oiseau noir#( Mr# B$ackbirds

wife is an educated and inte$$igent white wo&an of Eng$ish descent andthey ha%e four chi$dren# He is a friend of the white peop$e as we$$ asof his own peop$e# Brought up as an Indian with no opportunity for$earning during his boyhood when he ca&e to think for hi&se$f hestarted out b$ind$y for an education without any &eans but his brains

and his hands#

He was $oya$ to the Go%ern&ent during the rebe$$ion in the Anited0tates for which cause he &et &uch opposition by designing white

peop$e who had fu$$ sway a&ong the Indians and who tried to &is$eadthe& and cause the& to be dis$oya$ and he broke up one or tworebe$$ious counci$s a&ongst his peop$e during the progress of therebe$$ion#

+hen Hon# '# C# @each of Tra%erse City Mich# was Indian !gent Mr#B$ackbird was appointed Anited 0tates Interpreter and continued in thisoffice with other subseuent !gents of the 'epart&ent for &any years#Before he was fair$y out of this office he was appointed post&aster of@itt$e Tra%erse now Harbor 0prings Mich# and faithfu$$y dischargedhis duties as such for o%er e$e%en years with but %ery $itt$e sa$ary#

He has a$so for se%era$ years $ooked after the so$diers c$ai&s forwidows and orphans both for the whites as we$$ as for his own peop$ein &any instances without the $east co&pensation not e%en his sta&psand paper paid# He is now decrepit with o$d age and fai$ing hea$th andunab$e to perfor& hard &anua$ $abor#

+e therefore reco&&end this work of Mr# !# "# B$ackbird as interestingand re$iab$e#

"!ME0 @# MO//ICE Treasurer of E&&et County#

C# P# 6E+I/ Principa$ Harbor 0prings Pub$ic 0choo$s#

CH!/@E0 /# +/IGHT E.DPresident Harbor 0prings#

CH!/@E0 +# I6G!@@0 6otary Pub$ic for E&&et Co#

!@BE/T @# H!TH!+!) County C$erk E&&et County#

+M# H# @EE Probate C$erk and !bstractor of Tit$es#


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!/CH# '# MET 'eputy /egister of 'eeds#

+I@@!/' P# GIB0O6 Pastor Presbyterian Church#

+I@@I!M H# MI@@E/ A#0#!#

P/E,!CE#

I dee& it not i&proper to present the history of the $ast race ofIndians now e.isting in the 0tate of Michigan ca$$ed the Ottawa andChippewa 6ations of Indians#

There were &any other tribes of Indians in this region prior to theoccupancy of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of this 0tate who ha%e$ong ago gone out of e.istence# 6ot a page of their history is onrecord but on$y an a$$usion to the& in our traditions#

I ha%e herewith recorded the ear$iest history of the Ottawa tribe ofIndians in particu$ar according to their traditions# I ha%e re$ated

where they for&er$y $i%ed the na&es of their $eaders and what tribesthey contended with before and after they ca&e to Michigan and howthey ca&e to be the inhabitants of this 0tate# !$so the ear$iesthistory of the Is$and of Mackinac and why it is ca$$ed(Michi$i&ackinac(DDwhich na&e has ne%er been correct$y trans$ated by

white historians but which is here gi%en according to our know$edge ofthis &atter $ong before we ca&e in contact with white races#

I ha%e a$so recorded so&e of the &ost i&portant $egends which rese&b$ethe Bib$e history particu$ar$y the $egends with regard to the greatf$ood which has been in our $anguage for &any centuries and the$egend of the great fish which swa$$owed the prophet 6eDnawDboDJhoo

who ca&e out again a$i%e which &ight be considered as corresponding tothe story of "onah in the 0acred History#

Beside &y own persona$ and our fa&i$y history I ha%e a$so uitee.tensi%e$y trans$ated our $anguage into Eng$ish and added &any otherite&s which &ight be interesting to a$$ who &ay wish to inuire intoour history and $anguage#

!6'/E+ "# B@!CBI/'#

!C6O+@E'GME6T#

The )psi$anti !u.i$iary of the +o&ens 6ationa$ Indian !ssociation bywhose efforts this book is pub$ished take this opportunity to e.pressearnest thanks to those who ha%e aided in this work#

Most generous donations of &oney fro& friends of Indians and eua$$y%a$uab$e $ibera$ity fro& pub$ishers and paper&akers ha%e &ade possib$ethe preser%ation of this &ost rare and i&portant history#


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This is the on$y instance where a nati%e Indian has recorded the storyof his peop$e and gi%en a gra&&ar of their $anguage thus producing a

work whose i&&ense %a$ue as an account of a race and a $anguagea$ready passing into ob$i%ion wi$$ beco&e e%en &ore inesti&ab$e withthe $apse of ti&e#

)psi$anti Mich# Oct# 1==3#

CH!PTE/ I#

History of the Ottawa of MichiganDDPre$i&inary /e&arks in /egard toOther Histories Concerning the Massacre of the O$d British ,ort on the0traits of MackinacDDBritish Pro&ise to the OttawasDD/a%ages of 0&a$$Po.DD,irst /eco$$ection of the Country of !rborDCroche and Its'efinitionDDAprightness and ,or&er Character of the Indians#

I ha%e seen a nu&ber of writings by different &en who atte&pted to gi%ean account of the Indians who for&er$y occupied the 0traits of Mackinacand Mackinac Is$and that historic $itt$e is$and which stands at theentrance of the straitF a$so gi%ing an account of the Indians who$i%ed and are yet $i%ing in Michigan scattered through the counties ofE&&et Cheboygan Char$e%oi. !ntri& Grand Tra%erse and in the regionof Thunder Bay on the west shore of @ake Huron# But I see no %erycorrect account of the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians accordingto our know$edge of ourse$%es past and present# Many points are farfro& being credib$e# They are either &isstated by persons who were not%ersed in the traditions of these Indians or e.aggerated# !n instanceof this is found in the history of the $ife of Pontiac pronouncedBwonDdiacF the Odjebwe or ChippewaF chief of 0t# C$air theinstigator of the &assacre of the o$d fort on the 0traits of Mackinac

written by a noted historian# In his account of the &assacre he saysthere was at this ti&e no known sur%i%ing Ottawa Chief $i%ing on thesouth side of the 0traits# This point of the history is incorrect asthere were se%era$ Ottawa chiefs $i%ing on the south side of the0traits at this particu$ar ti&e who took no part in this &assacre buttook by force the few sur%i%ors of this great disastrous catastropheand protected the& for a whi$e and afterwards took the& to Montrea$

presenting the& to the British Go%ern&ent at the sa&e ti&e prayingthat their brother Odjebwes shou$d not be reta$iated upon on account oftheir rash act against the British peop$e but that they &ight be

pardoned as this terrib$e tragedy was co&&itted through &istake andthrough the e%i$ counse$ of one of their $eaders by the na&e ofBwondiac known in history as PontiacF# They to$d the BritishGo%ern&ent that their brother Odjebwes were few in nu&ber whi$e theBritish were in great nu&bers and dai$y increasing fro& an unknown partof the wor$d across the ocean# They said (Oh &y father you are $ikethe trees of the forest and if one of the forest trees shou$d be

wounded with a hatchet in a few years its wound wi$$ be entire$yhea$ed# 6ow &y father co&pare with this5 this is what &y brotherOdjebwe did to so&e of your chi$dren on the 0traits of Mackinac whosesur%i%ors we now bring back and present to your ar&s# O &y father ha%e

&ercy upon &y brothers and pardon the& for with your $ong ar&s and&any but a few strokes of reta$iation wou$d cause our brother to beentire$y annihi$ated fro& the face of the earth4(

!ccording to our understanding in our traditions that was the ti&e the


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British Go%ern&ent &ade such e.traordinary pro&ises to the Ottawa tribeof Indians at the sa&e ti&e thanking the& for their hu&ane action uponthose British re&nants of the &assacre# 0he pro&ised the& that her $ongar&s wi$$ perpetua$$y e.tend around the& fro& generation to generationor so $ong as there shou$d be ro$$ing sun# They shou$d recei%e giftsfro& her so%ereign in shape of goods pro%isions firear&s a&&unition

and into.icating $iuors4 Her so%ereigns beneficent ar& shou$d be e%ene.tended unto the dogs be$onging to the Ottawa tribe of Indians# !ndwhat p$ace soe%er she shou$d &eet the& she wou$d free$y unfasten thefaucet which contains her $i%ing waterDDwhisky which she wi$$ a$socause to run perpetua$$y and free$y unto the Ottawas as the fountain of

perpetua$ spring4 !nd further&ore5 she said (I a& as &any as the starsin the hea%ens and when you get up in the &orning $ook to the eastyou wi$$ see that the sun as it wi$$ peep through the earth wi$$ beas red as &y coat to re&ind you why I a& $ikened unto the sun and &y

pro&ises wi$$ be as perpetua$ as the ro$$ing sun4(

EgoD&eDnayDDCornDhangerDDwas the head counse$or and speaker of theOttawa tribe of Indians at that ti&e and according to our know$edge

EgoD&eDnay was the $eading one who went with those sur%i%ors of the&assacre and he was the &an who &ade the speech before the augustasse&b$y in the British counci$ ha$$ at Montrea$ at that ti&e# 6eDsawDkeyDD'ownDtheDhi$$DDthe head chief of the Ottawa 6ation did not go

with the party but sent his &essage and instructed their counse$or inwhat &anner he shou$d appear before the British Go%ern&ent# My fatherwas a $itt$e boy at that ti&e and &y grandfather and &y greatDgrandfather were both $i%ing then and both he$d the first roya$ ranka&ong the Ottawas# My grandfather was then a subDchief and &y greatDgrandfather was a war chief whose na&e was PunDgoDwish5 !nd se%era$other chiefs of the tribe I cou$d &ention who e.isted at that ti&e butthis is a&p$e e%idence that the historian was &istaken in assertingthat there was no known Ottawa chief e.isting at the ti&e of the

&assacre#

Howe%er it was a notab$e fact that by this ti&e the Ottawas weregreat$y reduced in nu&bers fro& what they were in for&er ti&es onaccount of the s&a$$Dpo. which they brought fro& Montrea$ during the,rench war with Great Britain# This s&a$$ po. was so$d to the& shut upin a tin bo. with the strict injunction not to open the bo. on their

way ho&eward but on$y when they shou$d reach their country and thatthis bo. contained so&ething that wou$d do the& great good and their

peop$e4 The foo$ish peop$e be$ie%ed rea$$y there was so&ething in thebo. supernatura$ that wou$d do the& great good# !ccording$y afterthey reached ho&e they opened the bo. but beho$d there was another tin

bo. inside s&a$$er# They took it cut and opened the second bo. andbeho$d sti$$ there was another bo. inside of the second bo. s&a$$eryet# 0o they kept on this way ti$$ they ca&e to a %ery s&a$$ bo. which

was not &ore than an inch $ong and when they opened the $ast one theyfound nothing but &ou$dy partic$es in this $ast $itt$e bo.4 They

wondered %ery &uch what it was and a great &any c$ose$y inspected totry to find out what it &eant# But a$as a$as4 pretty soon burst out aterrib$e sickness a&ong the The great Indian doctors the&se$%es weretaken sick and died# The tradition says it was indeed awfu$ andterrib$e# E%ery one taken with it was sure to die# @odge after $odge

was tota$$y %acatedDDnothing but the dead bodies $ying here and therein their $odgesDDentire fa&i$ies being swept off with the ra%ages ofthis terrib$e disease# The who$e coast of !rbor Croche or +awDgawDnawDkeDJee where their principa$ %i$$age was situated on the west shoreof the peninsu$a near the 0traits which is said to ha%e been acontinuous %i$$age so&e fifteen or si.teen &i$es $ong and e.tendingfro& what is now ca$$ed Cross -i$$age to 0e%enDMi$e Point that is


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se%en &i$es fro& @itt$e Tra%erse now Harbor 0pringsF was entire$ydepopu$ated and $aid waste# It is genera$$y be$ie%ed a&ong the Indiansof !rbor Croche that this who$esa$e &urder of the Ottawas by thisterrib$e disease sent by the British peop$e was actuated throughhatred and e.press$y to ki$$ off the Ottawas and Chippewas becausethey were friends of the ,rench Go%ern&ent or ,rench ing who& they

ca$$ed (Their Great ,ather#( The reason that toDday we see no fu$$Dgrown trees standing a$ong the coast of !rbor Croche a &i$e or &ore inwidth a$ong the shore is because the trees were entire$y c$eared awayfor this fa&ous $ong %i$$age which e.isted before the s&a$$Dpo. rageda&ong the Ottawas#

In &y first reco$$ection of the country of !rbor Croche which is si.tyyears ago there was nothing but s&a$$ shrubbery here and there ins&a$$ patches such as wi$d cherry trees but the &ost of it was grassy

p$ain and such an abundance of wi$d strawberries raspberries andb$ackberries that they fair$y perfu&ed the air of the who$e coast withfragrant scent of ripe fruit# The wi$d pigeons and e%ery %ariety offeathered songsters fi$$ed a$$ the gro%es warb$ing their songs

joyfu$$y and feasting upon these wi$d fruits of nature and in thesewaters the fishes were so p$entifu$ that as you $ift up the anchorDstone of your net in the &orning your net wou$d be so $oaded withde$icious whitefish as to fair$y f$oat with a$$ its weight of thesinkers# !s you $ook towards the course of your net you see the finsof the fishes sticking out of the water in e%ery way# Then I ne%er knew

&y peop$e to want for anything to eat or to wear as we a$ways hadp$enty of wi$d &eat and p$enty of fish corn %egetab$es and wi$dfruits# I thought and yet I &ay be &istakenF that &y peop$e were %eryhappy in those days at $east I was as happy &yse$f as a $ark or asthe brown thrush that sat dai$y on the upper&ost branches of the stubbygrowth of a basswood tree which stood near by upon the hi$$ where weoften p$ayed under its shade $odging our $itt$e arrows a&ong the thick

branches of the tree and then shooting the& down again for sport#

:,ootnote5 The word !rbor Croche is deri%ed fro& two ,rench words5!rbre a tree and Croche so&ething %ery crooked or hookD$ike# Thetradition says when the Ottawas first ca&e to that part of the countrya great pine tree stood %ery near the shore where Midd$e -i$$age nowis whose top was %ery crooked a$&ost hookD$ike# Therefore the Ottawasca$$ed the p$ace (+awDgawDnawDkeDJee(DD&eaning the crooked top of thetree# But by and by the who$e coast fro& @itt$e Tra%erse to TehinDgawD

beng now Cross -i$$age beca&e deno&inated as +awDgawDnawDkeDJee#>

Ear$y in the &orning as the sun peeped fro& the east as I wou$d yet be$ying c$ose to &y &others boso& this brown thrush wou$d begin his

warb$ing songs perched upon the upper&ost branches of the basswood treethat stood c$ose to our $odge# I wou$d then say to &yse$f as I$istened to hi& (here co&es again &y $itt$e orator( and I used to tryto understand what he had to say and so&eti&es thought I understoodso&e of its utterances as fo$$ows5 (Good &orning good &orning4 arisearise4 shoot shoot4 co&e a$ong co&e a$ong4( etc# e%ery word repeatedtwice# E%en then and so young as I was I used to think that $itt$e

bird had a $anguage which God or the Great 0pirit had gi%en hi& ande%ery bird of the forest understood what he had to say and that he wasappointed to preach to other birds to te$$ the& to be happy to bethankfu$ for the b$essings they enjoy a&ong the su&&er green branchesof the forest and the p$enty of wi$d fruits to eat# The $arger boysused to a&use the&se$%es by p$aying a ba$$ ca$$ed PawDkawDdoDway footDracing wrest$ing bowDarrow shooting and trying to beat one anothershooting the greatest nu&ber of chip&unks and suirre$s in a day etc#


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I ne%er heard any boy or any grown person utter any bad $anguage e%enif they were out of patience with anything# 0wearing or profanity wasne%er heard a&ong the Ottawa and Chippewa tribes of Indians and note%en found in their $anguage# 0carce$y any drunkenness on$y once in agreat whi$e the o$d fo$ks used to ha%e a kind of short spree

particu$ar$y when there was any specia$ occasion of a great feast going

on# But a$$ the young fo$ks did not drink into.icating $iuors as abe%erage in those days# !nd we a$ways rested in perfect safety at nightin our dwe$$ings and the doorways of our $odges had no fastenings tothe& but si&p$y a frai$ &at or a b$anket was hung o%er our doorways

which &ight be easi$y pushed or thrown one side without any noise iftheft or any other &ischief was intended# But we were not afraid forany such thing to happen us because we knew that e%ery chi$d of theforest was obser%ing and $i%ing under the precepts which theirforefathers taught the& and the chi$dren were taught a$&ost dai$y bytheir parents fro& infancy unto &anhood and wo&anhood or unti$ they

were separated fro& their fa&i$ies#

These precepts or &ora$ co&&and&ents by which the Ottawa and Chippewa

nations of Indians were go%erned in their pri&iti%e state were a$&ostthe sa&e as the ten co&&and&ents which the God !$&ighty hi&se$fde$i%ered to Moses on Mount 0inai on tab$es of stone# -ery few of thesedi%ine precepts are not found a&ong the precepts of the Ottawa andChippewa Indians e.cept with regard to the 0abbath day to keep itho$y a$&ost e%ery other co&&and&ent can be found on$y there are &oreas there were about twenty of these (unci%i$iJed( precepts# They a$so

be$ie%ed in their pri&iti%e state that the eye of this Great Being isthe sun by day and by night the &oon and stars and therefore thatGod or the Great 0pirit sees a$$ things e%erywhere night and day andit wou$d be i&possib$e to hide our actions either good or bad fro&the eye of this Great Being# E%en the %ery thresho$d or cre%ice of your

wigwa& wi$$ be a witness against you if you shou$d co&&it any cri&ina$action when no hu&an eye cou$d obser%e your cri&ina$ doings but sure$yyour cri&ina$ actions wi$$ be re%ea$ed in so&e future ti&e to yourdisgrace and sha&e# These were continua$ incu$cations to the chi$dren

by their parents and in e%ery feast and counci$ by the (Instructorsof the Precepts( to the peop$e or to the audience of the counci$# ,orthese reasons the Ottawas and Chippewas in their pri&iti%e state werestrict$y honest and upright in their dea$ings with their fe$$owDbeings#Their word of pro&ise was as good as a pro&issory note e%en better asthese notes so&eti&es are neg$ected and not perfor&ed according totheir pro&ises but the Indian pro&ise was %ery sure and punctua$a$though as they had no ti&epieces they &easured their ti&e by thesun# If an Indian pro&ised to e.ecute a certain ob$igation at suchti&e at so &any days and at such height of the sun when that ti&eco&es he wou$d be there punctua$$y to fu$fi$$ this ob$igation# This wasfor&er$y the character of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan#But now our $i%ing is a$together different as we are continua$$ysuffering under great an.iety and perp$e.ity and continua$$y beingrobbed and cheated in %arious ways# Our houses ha%e been forcib$yentered for thie%ing purposes and &urder peop$e ha%e been knocked downand robbed great safes ha%e been b$own open with powder in our $itt$etown and their contents carried away and e%en chi$dren of theCaucasian race are heard cursing and b$asphe&ing the na&e of theirGreat Creator upon whose p$easure we depended for our e.istence#

!ccording to &y reco$$ection of the &ode of $i%ing in our %i$$age sosoon as darkness ca&e in the e%ening the young boys and gir$s were nota$$owed to be out of their $odges# E%ery one of the& &ust be ca$$ed into his own $odge for the rest of the night# !nd this ru$e of theIndians in their wi$d state was i&p$icit$y obser%ed#


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Ottawa and Chippewa Indians were not what we wou$d ca$$ entire$yinfide$s and ido$aters for they be$ie%ed that there is a 0upre&e /u$erof the Ani%erse the Creator of a$$ things the Great 0pirit to whichthey offer worship and sacrifices in a certain for It was custo&arya&ong the& e%ery spring of the year to gather a$$ the cast off

gar&ents that had been worn during the winter and rear the& up on a$ong po$e whi$e they were ha%ing festi%a$s and jubi$ees to the Great0pirit# The object of doing this was that the Great 0pirit &ight $ookdown fro& hea%en and ha%e co&passion on his red chi$dren# On$y thisthat they foo$ish$y be$ie%e that there are certain deities a$$ o%er the$ands who to a certain e.tent go%ern or preside o%er certain p$aces asa deity who presides o%er this ri%er o%er this $ake or this &ountainor is$and or country and they were carefu$ not to e.press anything

which &ight disp$ease such deities but that they were not supre&eru$ers on$y to a certain e.tent they had power o%er the $and wherethey presided# These deities were supposed to be go%erned by the Great0pirit abo%e#

CH!PTE/ II#

Cases of Murders !&ong the Ottawas and Chippewas E.ceeding$y 0carceDDCeding the Grand Tra%erse /egion to the Chippewas on !ccount of

MurderDDI&&ora$ity !&ong the Ottawas not Co&&onDDMarriage in ,or&erTi&es#

The &urders in co$d b$ood a&ong the Ottawa and Chippewa nations ofIndians in their pri&iti%e state were e.ceeding$y few at $east there

was on$y one account in our o$d tradition where a &urder had beenco&&itted a young Ottawa ha%ing stabbed a young Chippewa whi$e indispute o%er their nets when they were fishing for herrings on the0traits of Mackinac# This near$y caused a terrib$e b$oody war betweenthe two powerfu$ tribes of Indians as they were nu&erous thenF soc$ose$y re$ated# The tradition says they had counci$ after counci$ uponthis subject and &any speeches were de$i%ered on both sides# TheChippewas proposed war to sett$e the uestion of &urder whi$e theOttawas proposed co&pro&ise and restitution for the &urder# ,ina$$y theOttawas succeeded in sett$ing the difficu$ty by ceding part of theircountry to the Chippewa nation which is now known and distinguished asthe Grand Tra%erse /egion# ! strip of $and which I be$ie%e to ha%ee.tended fro& a point near 0$eeping Bear down to the eastern shore ofthe Grand Tra%erse Bay so&e thirty or forty &i$es wide thence betweentwo para$$e$ $ines running southeaster$y unti$ they strike the head

waters of Muskegon /i%er which e&pties into @ake Michigan not %ery farbe$ow Grand Ha%en# They were a$so a$$owed access to a$$ the ri%ers andstrea&s in the @ower Peninsu$a of Michigan to trap the bea%ers &inksotters and &uskrats# The Indians used their furs in for&er ti&es forgar&ents and b$ankets# This is the reason that to this day the OdjebwesChippewasF are found in that section of the country#

It &ay be said this is not true it is a &istake# +e ha%e knownse%era$ cases of &urders a&ong the Ottawas and Chippewas# I ad&it it to

be true that there ha%e been cases of &urders a&ong the Ottawas andChippewas since the white peop$e knew the But these cases of &urdersoccurred so&e ti&e after they ca&e in contact with the white races intheir country but I a& speaking now of the pri&iti%e condition ofIndians particu$ar$y of the Ottawas and Chippewas and I be$ie%e &ost


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of those cases of &urders were brought on through the bad inf$uence ofwhite &en by introducing into the tribes this great destroyer of&ankind sou$ and body into.icating $iuors4 )et during si.ty yearsof &y e.istence a&ong the Ottawas and Chippewas I ha%e ne%er witnessedone case of &urder of this kind but I heard there were a few cases inother parts of the country when in their fury fro& the inf$uence of

into.icating $iuors#

There was one case of sober &urder happened about fifty years ago at!rbor Croche where one young &an disposed of his $o%er by ki$$ingwhich no Indian e%er knew the actua$ cause of# He was arrested andco&&itted to the Counci$ and tried according to the Indian sty$e andafter a $ong counci$ or tria$ it was deter&ined the &urderer shou$d

be banished fro& the tribe# Therefore he was banished# !$so aboutthis ti&e one case of sober &urder transpired a&ong the Chippewas of0au$t 0te# Marie co&&itted by one of the young Chippewas whose na&e

was +auDbauDneD&eDkee +hiteDthunderF who &ight ha%e been re$eased ifhe had been proper$y tried and i&partia$ judg&ent e.ercised o%er thecase but we be$ie%e it was not# This Indian ki$$ed a white &an when

he was perfect$y sober by stabbing# He was arrested of course andtried and sentenced to be hung at the Is$and of Mackinac# I distinct$yre&e&ber the ti&e# This poor Indian was %ery happy when he was about to

be hung on the ga$$ows# He to$d the peop$e that he was %ery happy todie for he fe$t that he was innocent# He did not deny ki$$ing the &an

but he thought he was justifiab$e in the sight of the Great 0pirit assuch wicked &onsters ought to be ki$$ed fro& off the earth as this

white &an ca&e to the Indians wigwa& in the dead of night and draggedthe &other of his chi$dren fro& his %ery boso& for $icentious purpose#He re&onstrated but his re&onstrances were not heeded as this ruffian

was encouraged by others who stood around his wigwa& and ready to fa$$upon this poor Indian and he$p their fe$$owDruffian and he thereforestabbed the principa$ party in defence of his be$o%ed wife for whichcause the white &an died# If an Indian shou$d go to the white &anshouse and co&&it that cri&e he wou$d be ki$$ed and what &an is there

who wou$d say that is too bad this Indian to be ki$$ed in that &annerKBut e%ery &an wi$$ say a&en on$y he ought to ha%e been tortured beforehe was ki$$ed and $et the &an who ki$$ed this bad and wicked Indian berewarded4 This is what wou$d be the resu$t if the Indian wou$d ha%edone the sa&e thing as this white &an did#

The Ottawas and Chippewas were uite %irtuous in their pri&iti%e stateas there were no i$$egiti&ate chi$dren reported in our o$d traditions#But %ery $ate$y this e%i$ ca&e to e.ist a&ong the OttawasDDso $ate$ythat the second case a&ong the Ottawas of !rbor Croche is yet $i%ing#

!nd fro& that ti&e this e%i$ ca&e to be uite freuent for i&&ora$ityhas been introduced a&ong these peop$e by e%i$ white persons who bringtheir %ices into the tribes#

In the for&er ti&es or before the Indians were christianiJed when ayoung &an ca&e to be a fit age to get &arried he did not troub$ehi&se$f about what gir$ he shou$d ha%e for his wife but the parents ofthe young &an did this part of the business +hen the parents thought

best that their son shou$d be separated fro& their fa&i$y by &arriageit was their business to decide what wo&an their son shou$d ha%e as his

wife and after se$ecting so&e particu$ar gir$ a&ong their neigborsthey wou$d take up uite $arge package of presents and then go to the

parents of the gir$ and de&and the daughter for their sons wife atthe sa&e ti&e de$i%ering the presents to the parents of the gir$# Ifthe o$d fo$ks say yes then they wou$d fetch the gir$ right a$ong totheir son and te$$ hi& +e ha%e brought this gir$ as your wife so $ongas you $i%e now take her cherish her and be kind to her so $ong as


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you $i%e# The young &an and gir$ did not dare to say aught against itas it was the $aw and custo& a&ongst their peop$e but a$$ they had todo was to take each other as &an and wife# This was a$$ the ru$es andcere&ony of getting &arried in for&er ti&es a&ong the Ottawas andChippewas of Michigan5 they &ust not &arry their cousins nor secondcousins#

CH!PTE/ III#

Ear$iest Possib$e nown History of Mackinac Is$andDDIts Historica$'efinitionDD+ho /esided at the Is$andDDMassacre at the Is$and by0enecasDD+here the Ottawas were @i%ing at That Ti&eDDOn$y Two Escapethe MassacreDD+hat Beca&e of The&DDThe @egends of the Two +ho EscapedDDOccupants of the Is$and !fterwardsDD+ho i$$ed +arrior Tecu&sehK

!gain &ost e%ery historian or anna$ist soDca$$ed who writes aboutthe Is$and of Mackinac and the 0traits and %icinity te$$s us that thedefinition or the &eaning of the word (Michi$i&ackinac( in the Ottawaand Chippewa $anguage is ($arge turt$e( deri%ed fro& the word MiDsheD

&iDkiDnock in the Chippewa $anguage# That is (MiDshe( as one of theadno&ina$s or adjecti%es in the Ottawa and Chippewa $anguages which

wou$d signify tre&endous in siJe and (Mikinock( is the na&e of &udturt$eDD&eaning therefore (&onstrous $arge turt$e( as the historians

wou$d ha%e it# But we consider this to be a c$ear error# +heree%erthose anna$ists or those who write about the Is$and of Mackinacobtain their infor&ation as to the definition of the word

Michi$i&ackinac I dont know when our tradition is so direct and soc$ear with regard to the historica$ definition of that word and is farfro& being deri%ed fro& the word (Michi&ikinock( as the historiansha%e to$d us# Our tradition says that when the Is$and was firstdisco%ered by the Ottawas which was so&e ti&e before !&erica was knownas an e.isting country by the white &an there was a s&a$$ independenttribe a re&nant race of Indians who occupied this is$and who beca&econfederated with the Ottawas when the Ottawas were $i%ing at

Manitou$in for&er$y ca$$ed Ottawa Is$and which is situated north of@ake Huron# The Ottawas thought a good dea$ of this unfortunate race of

peop$e as they were kind of interesting sort of peop$e butunfortunate$y they had &ost powerfu$ ene&ies who e%ery now and then

wou$d co&e a&ong the& to &ake war with the Their ene&ies were of theIrouois of 6ew )ork# Therefore once in the dead of the winter whi$ethe Ottawas were ha%ing a great jubi$ee and war dances at their is$andnow Manitou$in on account of the great conuest o%er the +eDneDbeDgoesof +isconsin of which I wi$$ speak &ore fu$$y in subseuent chaptersduring which ti&e the 0enecas of 6ew )ork of the Irouois fa&i$y ofIndians ca&e upon the re&nant race and fought the& and a$&ostentire$y annihi$ated the But two escaped to te$$ the story whoeffected their escape by f$ight and by hiding in one of the natura$ca%es at the is$and and therefore that was the end of this race# !ndaccording to our understanding and traditions the triba$ na&e of thosedisastrous peop$e was (MiDshiDneD&acki nawDgo( which is sti$$ e.istingto this day as a &onu&ent of their for&er e.istence for the Ottawasand Chippewas na&ed this $itt$e is$and (MiDshiDneD&ackiDnong( for

&e&oria$ sake of those their for&er confederates which word is the$ocati%e case of the Indian noun (Michine&ackinawgo#( Therefore wecontend this is proper$y where the na&e Michi$i&ackinac is originated#

This is the ear$iest possib$e history of this $itt$e Is$and as I ha%e


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re$ated according to the Ottawa traditions and fro& that ti&e forwardthere ha%e been &any changes in its history as other tribes of Indianstook possession of the is$and such as the Hurons and Chippewas andsti$$ $ater by the whitesDD,rench Eng$ish and !&ericans and nu&bersof batt$es ha%e been fought fro& ti&e to ti&e there by both Indiansand whites of which I need not re$ate as other historians ha%e a$ready

gi%en us the accounts of the But on$y this I wou$d re$ate because Iha%e ne%er yet seen the account of it5 It is re$ated in our traditionsthat at the ti&e when the Chippewas occupied the is$and they ceded itto the Anited 0tates Go%ern&ent but reser%ed a strip of $and a$$around the is$and as far as a stone throw fro& its waters edge astheir enca&p&ent grounds when they &ight co&e to the is$and to trade orfor other business#

Perhaps the reader wou$d $ike to know what beca&e of those two personswho escaped fro& the $a&ented tribe Michine&ackinawgoes# I wi$$ heregi%e it just as it is re$ated in our traditions a$though this &ay beconsidered at this age as a fictitious story but e%ery Ottawa andChippewa to this day be$ie%es it to be positi%e$y so# It is re$ated

that the two persons escaped were two young peop$e &a$e and fe&a$eand they were $o%ers# !fter e%erything got uieted down they fi.edtheir snowDshoes in%erted and crossed the $ake on the ice as snow wasuite deep on the ice and they went towards the north shore of @akeHuron# The object of in%erting their snowDshoes was that in case any

person shou$d happen to co&e across their track on the ice their trackwou$d appear as if going towards the is$and# They beca&e so disgustedwith hu&an nature it is re$ated that they shunned e%ery &orta$ beingand just $i%ed by the&se$%es se$ecting the wi$dest part of thecountry# Therefore the Ottawas and Chippewas ca$$ed the& (PawDgwaDtchawDnishDnawDboy#( The $ast ti&e they were seen by the Ottawas theyhad ten chi$drenDDa$$ boys and a$$ $i%ing and we$$# !nd e%ery Ottawaand Chippewa be$ie%es to this day that they are sti$$ in e.istence androa&ing in the wi$dest part of the $and but as supernatura$ beingsDDthat is they can be seen or unseen just as they see fit to be andso&eti&es they si&p$y &anifested the&se$%es as being present bythrowing a c$ub or a stone at a person wa$king in a so$itude or bystriking a dog be$onging to the person wa$king and so&eti&es bythrowing a c$ub at the $odge night or day or hearing their footsteps

wa$king around the wigwa& when the Indians wou$d be ca&ping out in anunsett$ed part of the country and the dogs wou$d bark just as they

wou$d bark at any strange person approaching the door# !nd so&eti&esthey wou$d be tracked on snow by hunters and if fo$$owed on theirtrack howe%er recent$y passed they ne%er cou$d be o%ertaken#0o&eti&es when an Indian wou$d be hunting or wa$king in so$itude he

wou$d sudden$y be seiJed with an unearth$y fright terrib$y awestricken apprehending so&e great e%i$# He fee$s %ery pecu$iarsensation fro& head to footDDthe hair of his head standing and fee$ingstiff $ike a porcupine ui$$# He fee$s a$&ost benu&bed with fright andyet he does not know what it is and $ooking in e%ery direction to seeso&ething but nothing to be seen which &ight cause sensation ofterror# Co$$ecting hi&se$f he wou$d then say (Pshaw4 its nothing hereto be afraid of# Its nobody e$se but PawDgwaDtchawDnishDnawDboy isapproaching &e# Perhaps he wanted so&ething of &e#( They wou$d then$ea%e so&ething on their tracksDDtobacco powder or so&ething e$se#Once in a great whi$e they wou$d appear and approach the person tota$k with hi& and in this case it is said they wou$d a$ways begin

with the sad story of their great catastrophe at the Is$and ofMackinac# !nd whoe%er wou$d be so fortunate as to &eet and see the& andto ta$k with the& such person wou$d a$ways beco&e a prophet to his

peop$e either Ottawa or Chippewa# Therefore Ottawas and Chippewasca$$ed these supernatura$ beings (PawDgwaDtchawDnishDnawDboy( which


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is strict$y (+i$d roa&ing supernatura$ being#(

Pine ri%er country in Char$e%oi. County Michigan when this countrywas a$$ wi$d especia$$y near Pine @ake was once considered as the&ost fa&ous resort of these kind of unnatura$ beings# I was oncecon%ersing with one of the first white sett$ers of that portion of the

country who sett$ed near to the p$ace now ca$$ed Boyne City at thee.tre&e end of the east ar& of Pine @ake# In the con%ersation he to$d&e that &any ti&es they had been frightened particu$ar$y during thenights by hearing what sounded $ike hu&an footsteps around outside oftheir cabin and their dog wou$d be terrified crouching at thedoorway snar$ing and grow$ing and so&eti&es fearfu$$y barking# +henday$ight ca&e the o$d &an wou$d go out in order to disco%er what it

was or if he cou$d track anything around his cabin but he ne%er cou$ddisco%er a track of any kind# These re&arkab$e &ischie%ous audib$efancifu$ appa$$ing apprehensions were of %ery freuent occurrence

before any other inhabitants or sett$ers ca&e near to his p$ace butnow they do not ha%e such apprehensions since &any sett$ers ca&e#

That &assacre of Mishini&ackinawgoes by 0eneca Indians of 6ew )orkhappened probab$y &ore than fi%e or si. hundred years ago# I cou$d say&uch &ore which wou$d be contradictory of other writers of the historyof the Indians in this country# E%en in the history of the Anited0tates I think there are so&e &istakes concerning the accounts of theIndians particu$ar$y the accounts of our bra%e Tecu&seh as it isc$ai&ed that he was ki$$ed by a so$dier na&ed "ohnson upon who& theyconferred the honor of ha%ing disposed of the dreaded Tecu&seh# E%en

pictured out as being co&ing up with his to&ahawk to strike a &an whowas on horseback but being instant$y shot dead with the pisto$# 6ow Iha%e repeated$y heard our o$dest Indians both &a$e and fe&a$e who

were present at the defeat of the British and Indians a$$ te$$ aunani&ous story saying that they ca&e to a c$earing or opening spotand it was there where Tecu&seh ordered his warriors to ra$$y and fightthe !&ericans once &ore and in this %ery spot one of the !&erican

&usket ba$$s took effect in Tecu&sehs $eg so as to break the bone ofhis $eg that he cou$d not stand up# He was sitting on the ground whenhe to$d his warriors to f$ee as we$$ as they cou$d and further&oresaid (One of &y $eg is shot off4 But $ea%e &e one or two guns $oadedI a& going to ha%e a $ast shot# Be uick and go4( That was the $ast

word spoken by Tecu&seh# !s they $ook back they saw the so$diers thickas swar& of bees around where Tecu&seh was sitting on the ground withhis broken $eg and so they did not see hi& any &ore and therefore

we a$ways be$ie%e that the Indians or !&ericans know not who &ade thefata$ shot on Tecu&sehs $eg or what the so$diers did with hi& whenthey ca&e up to hi& as he was sitting on the ground#

CH!PTE/ I-#

The !uthors /easons for /ecording the History of His Peop$e and Their@anguageDDHistory of His 6ationa$ityDD! 0ketch of His ,athers HistoryDDHow the Indians +ere Treated in Manitoba Country One Hundred )ears

!goDDHis ,athers Banish&ent to 'ie on a @one$y Is$and by the +hiteTradersDD0econd Misfortune of the Ottawas on !ccount of the 0hawaneeProphetDDThe Earthuake#

The Indian tribes are continnua$$y di&inishing on the face of thiscontinent# 0o&e ha%e a$ready passed entire$y out of e.istence and are


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forgotten who once inhabited this part of the country such as theMawshDkoDdesh Arons OssawDgeesDDwho for&er$y occupied 0awDgiDnaw bayand the Odaw gawD&ees whose principa$ habitation was about the%icinity of 'etroit /i%er# They are entire$y %anished into nothingness#

6ot a sing$e page of their history can be found on record in thehistory of this country or hard$y an a$$usion to their e.istence# My

own race once a %ery nu&erous powerfu$ and war$ike tribe of Indianswho proud$y trod upon this soi$ is a$so near the end of e.istence# Ina few &ore generations they wi$$ be so inter&ing$ed with the Caucasianrace as to be hard$y distinguished as descended fro& the Indiannations and their $anguage wi$$ be $ost# I &yse$f was brought up in a

pure Indian sty$e and $i%ed in a wigwa& and ha%e partaken of e%erykind of the wi$d jubi$ees of &y peop$e and was once considered one ofthe best (Pipe( dancers of the tribe# But when near$y grown up I wasin%ited by a tra%e$ing Protestant Missionary whose na&e was !$%in Coeto go ho&e with hi& to the 0tate of Ohio with the assurance that he

wou$d gi%e &e a good education $ike the white &an and the idea struck&e that I cou$d be rea$$y educated and be ab$e to con%erse with thewhite peop$e# !nd a$though at that ti&e in the fa$$ of 1=98F I &issed

the opportunity the idea was ne%er after off of &y &ind# 0o so&e ti&eafterwards I started out %o$untari$y to obtain an education and I hadnear$y succeeded in co&p$eting &y professiona$ studies when I ca$$edaway to co&e ho&e and $ook after &y aged father in 1=L8# !nd now Iha%e four chi$dren but not one of the& can speak the Indian $anguage#

!nd e%ery one of the $itt$e Indian urchins who are now running about inour town can speak to each other uite f$uent$y in the Eng$ish$anguage but I a& %ery sorry to add that they ha%e a$so $earned

profanity $ike the white chi$dren# ,or these reasons it see&s desirab$ethat the history of &y peop$e shou$d not be $ost $ike that of othertribes who pre%ious$y e.isted in this country and who ha%e $eft norecord of their ancient $egends and their traditions#

Before proceeding to record the history of the Ottawas of the 0tate ofMichigan to who& I a& i&&ediate$y connected in their co&&on interestsand their future destinies I propose to rehearse in a su&&ary &anner

&y nationa$ity and fa&i$y history# Our tradition says that $ong agowhen the Ottawa tribes of Indians used to go on a warpath eithertowards the south or towards the west e%en as far as to the /ocky

Mountains on one of these e.peditions towards the /ocky Mountains &yre&ote ancestors were captured and brought to this country as prisonersof war# But they were afterwards adopted as chi$dren of the Ottawasand inter&arried with the nation in which they were capti%es#0ubseuent$y these capti%es posterity beca&e so fa&ous a&ong theOttawas on account of their e.p$oits and bra%ery on the warpath and

being great hunters that they beca&e c$ose$y connected with the roya$fa&i$ies and were considered as the best counse$ors best chieftainsand best warriors a&ong the Ottawas# Thus I a& not regu$ar$y descendedfro& the Ottawa nations of Indians but I a& descended as traditionsays fro& the tribe in the far west known as the Anderground race of

peop$e# They were so ca$$ed on account of &aking their habitations inthe ground by &aking ho$es $arge enough for dwe$$ing purposes# It isre$ated that they e%en &ade ca%es in the ground in which to keep theirhorses e%ery night to pre%ent the& fro& being sto$en by other tribes

who were their ene&ies# It is a$so re$ated that they were uite aninte$$igent c$ass of peop$e# By cu$ti%ating the soi$ they raised cornand other %egetab$es to aid in sustaining $ife beside hunting andfishing# They were entire$y independent ha%ing their own go%ern&entand $anguage and possessing their own nationa$ e&b$e& whichdistinguished the& as distinct and separate fro& a$$ other tribes# Thissy&bo$ica$ ensign of &y ancestors was represented by a species of s&a$$hawk which the Ottawas ca$$ed the (PeDpeDgwen#( 0o we were so&eti&es


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ca$$ed in this country in which we $i%e the (PeDpeDgwen tribe( insteadof the (Andergrounds#( !nd it was custo&ary a&ong the Ottawas that ifany one of our nu&ber a descendant of the Andergrounds shou$d co&&itany punishab$e cri&e a$$ the PeDpeDgwen tribe or descendants of theAndergrounds wou$d be ca$$ed together in a grand counci$ and reuestedto &ake restitution for the cri&e or to punish the gui$ty one

according to the fina$ decision of the counci$#

There were se%era$ great chieftains of the Andergrounds a&ong theOttawas who were $i%ing within &y ti&e and so&e are here &entioned who

were &ost known by the !&erican peop$e particu$ar$y during the warwith Great Britain in 1=17# Most of these chieftains were &y ownunc$es# One was ca$$ed @ate +ing who took a %ery acti%e part for thecause of the Anited 0tates in the war of 1=17 and he was a greatfriend to Go%ernor @ewis Cass of Michigan# +ing was pensioned for $ifefor his good ser%ices to the Anited 0tates# He was one of &y fathersown brothers# 0hawDbeDnee was an unc$e of &ine on &y &others side whoa$so ser%ed bra%e$y for the Anited 0tates in the war of 1=17# Hetra%e$ed free a$$ o%er the Anited 0tates during his $ifeti&e# This

pri%i$ege was granted to hi& by the Go%ern&ent of the Anited 0tates forhis patriotis& and bra%ery# He died in the 0tate of I$$inois abouttwenty years ago fro& this writing and a &onu&ent was raised for hi&

by the peop$e in that 0tate# +aDkeDJoo was another great chieftain whodied before &y ti&e in the country of Manitoba out north# He was a$soone of &y fathers brothers# It is re$ated that he was a$so a prophetand a great &agician#

My own dear father was one of the head chiefs at !rbor Croche nowca$$ed Midd$e -i$$age or Good Heart which $atter na&e was gi%en at &ysuggestion by the Postoffice 'epart&ent at +ashington# My father diedin "une 1= which &eans B$ack Hawk butso&ehow it has been &istrans$ated into B$ackbird so we now go by this$atter na&e# My father was a %ery bra%e &an# He has $ed his warriorsse%era$ ti&es on the warpath and he was noted as one who was &ostdaring and ad%enturous in his younger days# He stayed about twentyyears in the country of Manitoba with his brother +aDkeDJoo a&ongother tribes of Indians and white furDtraders in that section of thecountry# Many ti&es he has grapp$ed with and narrow$y escaped fro& thegriJJ$y bear and treacherous buffa$o which were then %ery nu&erous inthat portion of the country# This was about one hundred years ago# Hehas seen there things that wou$d be a$&ost incredib$e at this presentage5 $iuor so$d to the Indians &easured with a wo&ans thi&b$e athi&b$efu$ for one do$$ar one wooden coarse co&b for two bea%er skinsa doub$e handfu$ of sa$t for one bea%er skinDDand so on in proportionin e%erything e$se the poor Indian had to gi%e pi$e upon pi$e of

bea%er skins which &ight be worth two or three hundred do$$ars for afew yards of f$i&sy c$oth# Eng$ish&en and ,rench&an who went theree.press$y to traffic with the Indians genera$$y started fro& uebecand Montrea$ $ea%ing their fa&i$ies at ho&e but so soon as theyreached this wi$d country they wou$d take Indian wi%es# +hen they $eftthe country they wou$d $ea%e their Indian wi%es and chi$dren there toshift for the&se$%es# Conseuent$y there are in this region thousandsof ha$f breeds &ost beautifu$ &en and beautifu$ wo&en but they are assa%age as the rest of the Indians# 6o white &an there e%er to$d these

poor Indians anything about Christianity but on$y added unto the&their degradations and robbed the

My father was once there $eft to perish on a $one$y is$and by the furtraders not because he had done any cri&e but si&p$y fro& inhu&an


15/76

crue$ty and disregard of Indians by these white &en# He was tra%e$ingwith these traders fro& p$ace to p$ace in a $ong bark canoe which wasthe on$y &eans of con%eyance on the water in those days# It appearsthat there were two parties and two of these $ong bark canoes weregoing in the sa&e direction one of which &y father was padd$ing forthe He was not hired but si&p$y had joined the& in his tra%e$s# But

these two parties were thrown into a great uarre$ about who shou$dha%e &y father to padd$e their canoe# Therefore they $anded on this$itt$e is$and e.press$y to fight a&ongst the&se$%es and after fighting$ong and desperate$y they $eft &y poor father on this $itt$e is$and todie for they conc$uded that neither of the& shou$d take hi& into theircanoe# He was $eft to die4 +hat &ust be the fee$ings of this poorIndian to who& $ife was as sweet as to any hu&an creatureK +hatre%enge shou$d he take upon those tradersK He had a gun which he$e%e$ed at the& as they started off in their canoes# His fingers wereon the trigger when sudden$y a thought f$ashed across his &indDD(Perhaps the Great 0pirit wi$$ be disp$eased#( 0o he dropped his gunand raised a fer%ent prayer to the !$&ighty /u$er for de$i%erance fro&this awfu$ situation# !fter being se%era$ days on this $itt$e is$and

when a$&ost dying fro& star%ation fortunate$y de$i%erance ca&e# Hespied a s&a$$ canoe with two persons in it within hai$# They ca&e andtook hi& off fro& his dying situation# It was an Indian wo&an with her$itt$e son who happened to tra%e$ in that direction who sa%ed &yfathers $ife#

,ro& this ti&e hence &y father $ost a$$ confidence in white &enwhate%er the position or profession of the white &an &ight be whethera priest preacher $awyer doctor &erchant or co&&on white &an# Heto$d us to beware of the& as they a$$ were after one great objectna&e$y to grasp the wor$ds wea$th# !nd in order to obtain this they

wou$d $ie stea$ rob or &urder if it need be therefore heinstructed us to beware how the white &an wou$d approach us with %erys&ooth tongue whi$e his heart is fu$$ of deceit and far fro& intendingto do us any good#

He $eft Manitoba country about 1=88 or about the ti&e when the0hawanee prophet (+awDwoDyawDgeDsheD&aw( who was one of Tecu&sehsown brothers sent his e&issaries to preach to the Ottawas andChippewas in the @ower and Apper Peninsu$as of Michigan who ad%isedthe Ottawas and Chippewas to confess their sins and a%ow their wrongsand go west and there to worship the Great 0pirit according to the o$dsty$e as their forefathers did :,ootnote5 The worship of the Great0pirit consisted &ost$y in songs and dancing acco&panied with an Indiandru& which has a %ery deep and so$e&n sound a$not %ery $arge about afoot in dia&eter# I used to think that the sound of it &ust reach tothe hea%en where the Great 0pirit is#> and to abandon e%erything e$se

which the white &an had introduced into the tribes of Indians toabandon e%en the &ode of &aking fire which was by f$int and stee$ andto start their fires by friction between the two pieces of dry wood astheir forefathers &ade their fires before the white peop$e ca&e to thiscountry and to eat no f$esh of do&estic ani&a$s but to eat nothing

but wi$d ga&e and use their skins for their wearing appare$ and robesas the Great 0pirit designed the& to be when He created the He taughtthe& that the Great 0pirit was angry with the& because they confor&edto the habits of the white &an and that if they did not be$ie%e and

practice the o$d habits the Great 0pirit wou$d shake the earth as ane%idence that he te$$s the& the truth# ! great &any Ottawas be$ie%edand went far west according$y# !nd it happened about this ti&e theearth did uake in Michigan I think if I a& not &istaken the earthshook twice within a year which is recorded in the anna$s of thiscountry# !t the earthuake &any Indians were frightened and


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conseuent$y &any &ore be$ie%ed and went west but near$y a$$ of the&died out there because the c$i&ate did not agree with the 0awDgawDkeeDDGrowingDp$antDDwas the head chief of the Ottawa nation of Indiansat that ti&e and was one of the be$ie%ers who went with the partiesout west and he a$so died there# :,ootnote5 This Chief 0awDgawDkee was

6eDsawDwaDuats father the $ast head chief of @itt$e Tra%erse# 6eD

sawDwaDuat was the on$y chi$d re&aining a$i%e of the who$e fa&i$y of0awDgawDkee# Therefore the chi$d was brought back to this country andwas the $ast head chief of @itt$e Tra%erse now Harbor 0prings#> Thisis the second ti&e that the Ottawas were terrib$y reduced in nu&bers inthe country of !rbor Croche#

CH!PTE/ -#

The !uthors ,ather !ppointed 0peaker for the Ottawas and ChippewasDDThe On$y Ottawa +ho was ,riend$y to EducationDDMaking !$phabetDD!cting

as 0choo$ TeacherDDMo%ing 'isposition of the OttawasDDMode ofTra%e$ingDDTradition of +i$$ia& B$ackbird Being ,ed by !nge$ic Beingsin the +i$dernessDDHis being Put into Mission 0choo$ by His ,atherDD0tudying to be a PriestDDHis !ssassination in the City of /o&e Ita$y

!$&ost the 'ay +hen He was to be OrdainedDDMe&oria$ Poe&DDThe !uthors/e&arks on the 'eath of His Brother#

!fter &y fathers return to !rbor Croche he beca&e uite an oratorand conseuent$y he was appointed as the head speaker in the counci$ ofthe Ottawa and Chippewa Indians# He continued to ho$d this office unti$his fra&e was beginning to totter with age his &e&ory beca&edisconnected and inacti%e and he therefore ga%e up his office to hisown &essenger whose na&e was "oseph !sDsawDgon who died during the$ate rebe$$ion in the Anited 0tates whi$e Hon# '# C# @each of Tra%erseCity was the Michigan Indian !gent# !sDsawDgon was indeed uite anorator considering his scanty opportunities# He had no education ata$$ but was natura$$y gifted as an orator# He was uite $ogica$ anda$$egorica$ in his &anner of speaking# I ha%e heard se%era$ white

peop$e re&ark who had $istened to his speeches through the i&perfectinterpreters that he was as good a speaker as any orator who had beenthorough$y educated#

My father was the on$y &an who was friend$y to education# +hen I was a$itt$e boy I re&e&ber distinct$y his &aking his own a$phabet which heca$$ed (PawDpaDpeDpo#( +ith this he $earned how to read and write andafterwards he taught other Indians to read and write according to hisa$phabet# He taught no chi$dren but on$y the grown persons# Our

wigwa& which was about si.ty or se%enty feet $ong where we $i%ed inthe su&&er ti&e was $ike a regu$ar schoo$Dhouse with &y father asteacher of the schoo$ and they had &erry ti&es in it# Many Indiansca&e there to $earn his PawDpaDpeDpo and so&e of the& were %ery easyto $earn whi$e others found $earning e.tre&e$y difficu$t#

+e were ten of us chi$dren in the fa&i$y si. boys and four gir$s# Iwas the youngest of a$$ who were $i%ing at that ti&e# The e$dest boywas one of the greatest hunters a&ong the Ottawas# His na&e was PungDoDwish na&ed after our greatDgrandfather but he was afterwards ca$$edPeter by the Catho$ic &issionaries when he was baptised into theCatho$ic re$igion# One of &y brothers who was fi%e or si. years youngerthan &y e$dest brother was a re&arkab$y interesting boy# His na&e wasPeDtawDwanDeDuot though he was afterwards ca$$ed +i$$ia He was


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uick to $earn PawDpaDpeDpo and %ery curious and interesting uestionshe wou$d often ask of his father which wou$d great$y puJJ$e the o$d

&an to answer#

!$$ the Indians of !rbor Croche used on$y to stay there during thesu&&er ti&e to p$ant their corn potatoes and other %egetab$es# !s

soon as their crops were put away in the ground :,ootnote5 The &ode ofsecuring their corn was first to dry the ears by fire# +hen perfect$ydry they wou$d then beat the& with a f$ai$ and pick a$$ the cobs out#The grain was then winnowed and put into sacks# These were put in theground in a $arge cy$inder &ade out of e$& bark set in deep in theground and &ade %ery dry fi$$ing this cy$inder fu$$ and then co%eringit to stay there for winter and su&&er use#> they wou$d start a$$together towards the south going to different points so&e going asfar as Chicago e.press$y to trap the &uskrats bea%ers and &any otherkinds of furs and others to the 0t# "oe /i%er B$ack /i%er Grand/i%er or Muskegon /i%er there to trap and hunt a$$ winter and &akesugar in the spring# !fter sugar &aking they wou$d co&e back again to

+awDgawDnawDkeDJee or !rbor Croche to spend the su&&er and to raise

their crops again as before#

In na%igating @ake Michigan they used $ong bark canoes in which theycarried their who$e fa&i$ies and enough pro%isions to $ast the& a$$

winter# These canoes were &ade %ery $ight out of white birch bark andwith a fair wind they cou$d skip %ery $ight$y on the waters going %eryfast and cou$d stand a %ery hea%y sea# In one day they cou$d sai$uite a $ong distance a$ong the coast of @ake Michigan# +hen nighto%ertook the& they wou$d $and and &ake wigwa&s with $ight po$es ofcedar which they a$ways carried in their canoes# These wigwa&s wereco%ered with &ats &ade for that purpose out of prepared &arsh reeds orf$ags sewed together which &ade %ery good she$ter fro& rain and windand were %ery war& after &aking fires inside of the They had anotherkind of &at to spread on the ground to sit and s$eep on# These &ats areuite beautifu$$y &ade out of different co$ors and c$ose$y wo%en of

we$$ prepared bu$$Drushes# :,ootnote5 To prepare these bu$$Drushes for&ats they are cut when %ery green and then they go through theprocess of stea&ing after b$eaching by the sun they are co$oredbefore they are wo%en# They are genera$$y &ade about si. or eight feet$ong and about four feet wide#> !fter breakfast in the &orning they areoff again in the big canoes#

My fathers fa%orite winter uarters were so&ewhere abo%e Big /apids onMuskegon /i%er# He hunted and trapped there a$$ winter and &ade sugar#! %ery &ysterious e%ent happened to &y brother +i$$ia& whi$e &y fo$kswere &aking sugar there# One beautifu$ &orning after the snow hadentire$y disappeared in the woods &y brother +i$$ia& then at the ageof about eight or nine years was shooting around with his $itt$e bowand arrows a&ong the sugar trees but that day he ne%er ca&e ho&e# !tsundown our parents were beginning to fee$ %ery uneasy about their$itt$e boy and yet they thought he &ust ha%e gone to so&e neighboringsugar bush as there were uite a nu&ber of fa&i$ies a$so &aking sugarin the %icinity# Ear$y in the &orning &y father went to a$$ theneighboring sugar ca&ps but +i$$ia& was nowhere to be found# 0o atonce a search was instituted# Men and boys were out in search for the

boy ca$$ing and shooting their guns far and near but not a trace ofhi& anywhere cou$d be found# Our parents were a$&ost distracted withan.iety and fear about their boy and they continued the search threedays in %ain# On the fourth day one of our cousins whose na&e wasOgeD&awDweDneDne ca&e to a %ery deep gu$$y between two hi$$s# He wentup to the top of the highest hi$$ in order to be heard a $ong distance#

+hen he reached the top he began to ha$$oo as $oud as he cou$d


18/76

ca$$ing the chi$d by na&e PeDtawDonDeDuot# !t the end of his shoutinghe thought he heard so&e one responding to his ca$$ (+auK( This wordis one of the interrogati%es in the Indian $anguage and is eui%a$entto (what( in the Eng$ish $anguage# He $istened a few &inutes and againhe ca$$ed as before and again heard distinct$y the sa&e response(+auK( It ca&e fro& abo%e right o%er his head and as he $ooked

upwards he saw the boy a$&ost at the top of a tree standing on as&a$$ $i&b in a %ery dangerous situation# He said (He$$o what are youdoing up thereK Cant you co&e downK( ()es I can( was the answer (Ica&e up here to find out where I a& and which way is our sugar ca&p#((Co&e down then I wi$$ show you which way is your ho&e#( !fter heca&e down fro& the tree our cousin offered hi& food but the chi$d

wou$d not touch a &orse$ saying that he was not hungry as he hadeaten on$y a $itt$e whi$e ago# (!h you ha%e been fed then# +ho fedyouK +e ha%e been $ooking for you now o%er three days#( The boyrep$ied (I had e%ery thing that I wanted to eat in the great festi%a$of the +aD&eDteDgoDJheDwog#( which is (the white peop$e#( (+here arethey nowK( asked our cousin# (That is just what I wou$d $ike to knowtoo( said the boy (I had just co&e out of their nice house between

the two hi$$s and as I $ooked back after I ca&e out of their door Isaw no &ore of their house and heard no &ore of the& nor their &usic#(Our cousin again uestioned the boy (How did you co&e to find these

+aD&eDteDgoDJheDwog hereK( !nd $itt$e +i$$ia& rep$ied (Those +aD&eDteDgoDJheDwog ca&e to our sugar ca&p and in%ited &e to go with the& but Ithought it was %ery c$ose by# I thought we wa$ked on$y just a few stepsto co&e to their door#( Our cousin be$ie%ed it was so&e supernatura$e%ent and hastened to take the boy to his an.ious parents# !gain andagain $itt$e +i$$ia& to$d the sa&e story when interrogated by any

person and it is fir&$y be$ie%ed by a$$ our fa&i$y and friends that hewas cherished and fed three days in succession by ange$ic beings#

+hen he was about twe$%e or thirteen years of age the ProtestantMission 0choo$ started at Mackinac Is$and and &y father thought bestto put hi& to that schoo$# !fter being there $ess than a year he wasgoing around with his teachers acting as interpreter a&ong the Indianca&ps at the Is$and of Mackinac# I was perfect$y astonished to see howuick he had acuired the Eng$ish $anguage# !fter the &ission broke upat the is$and about the ti&e the Catho$ic &ission was estab$ished at@itt$e Tra%erse +i$$ia& ca&e ho&e and stayed with us for about twoyears when he was again taken by Bishop /eese with his $itt$e sistera %ery $o%e$y gir$ who& the white peop$e ca$$ !untie Margaret orueen of the Ottawas# They were taken down to Cincinnati Ohio wherethey were put into higher schoo$s and there &y brother attained thehighest degree of education or graduation as it is ca$$ed#

,ro& thence he was taken across the ocean to the city of /o&e Ita$yto study for the priesthood $ea%ing his $itt$e sister in Cincinnati#It is re$ated that he was a %ery e$ouent and powerfu$ orator and wasconsidered a %ery pro&ising &an by the peop$e of the city of /o&e andrecei%ed great attention fro& the nob$e fa&i$ies on account of his

wisdo& and ta$ent and his being a nati%e !&erican and yet he had a&uch $ighter co&p$e.ion than his cousin !ug Ha&$in who was a$so takeno%er there and represented as ha$f ,rench#

+hi$e he was at /o&e the proposition arose in this country to buy outthe Michigan Indians by the Go%ern&ent of the Anited 0tates and he

wrote to his peop$e at !rbor Croche and to @itt$e Tra%erse on this %erysubject ad%ising the& not to se$$ out nor &ake any contract with theAnited 0tates Go%ern&ent but to ho$d on unti$ he cou$d return to

!&erica when he wou$d endea%or to aid the& in &aking out the contractor treaty with the Anited 0tates# 6e%er to gi%e up not e%en if they


19/76

shou$d be threatened with annihi$ation or to be dri%en away at thepoint of the bayonet fro& their nati%e soi$# I wish I cou$d produceso&e of this correspondence but on$y one $etter fro& hi& can now befound which is here gi%en5

/OME !pri$ 13 1=??M) 'E!/ 0I0TE/5

It is a $ong ti&e since I wrote you a few $ines# I wou$d write oftenerif the ti&e wou$d per&it but I ha%e %ery few $eisure &o&ents# Howe%eras we ha%e a ho$iday toDday I deter&ine to write a $ine or two# I ha%eto attend to &y studies fro& &orning ti$$ sunset# I thank you %ery &uchfor your kind $etter which I recei%ed so&e ti&e ago by po$iteness of/e%# Mr# 0eajean# My dearest sister you &ay ha%e fe$t $ost after I$eft you you &ust consider who $o%es you with a$$ the affection of

parents# +hat can we return to those who ha%e done us &uch good buthu&b$e prayers for the& that the !$&ighty &ay reward the& for the

benefit they ha%e done in this poor &orta$ wor$d# I was %ery happy when

infor&ed by ,ather Mu$$en that you had recei%ed si. pre&iu&s at thee.a&ination nothing e$se wou$d &ore i&press &y heart than to hear ofthe success of your scho$astic studies# I entreat you dearest sisterto $earn what is good and to despise the e%i$ and offer your prayersto the !$&ighty God and re$y on Hi& a$one and by His b$essing you &aycontinue to i&pro%e your ti&e we$$# )ou can ha%e no idea how the peop$ehere are de%oted to the -irgin Mary# !t e%ery corner of the streetsthere is the i&age of her and so&e of these ha%e $ights burning dayand night# I think of you %ery often5 perhaps I sha$$ ne%er ha%e the

p$easure of seeing you again# I ha%e been unwe$$ e%er since I ca&e tothis country# Howe%er I a& yet ab$e to attend &y schoo$ and studies# Ihope I wi$$ not be worse so that I &ay be unab$e to fo$$ow &yintention#

There are rea$$y fine things to be seen in /o&e# On the feast of 00#0ebastian and ,abian we %isited the Cataco&bs two or three &i$es outof the city where is a church dedicated to those saints which I ha%ea$ready &entioned in pre%ious $etters# Perhaps our country&en wou$d not

be$ie%e that there was such a p$ace as that p$ace which I saw &yse$fwith &y own naked eyes# +e entered in with $ights and saw the scenebefore us# !s soon as we entered we saw coffins on the top of eachother in one of which we saw so&e of the re&ains# The ca%e runs ine%ery direction so&eti&es is ascended by steps and so&eti&es runsdeeper and one wou$d be %ery easi$y $ost in it# There are so&e $arge

p$aces and a chape$ I a& to$d by the students that the chape$ is wherePope Gregory was accusto&ed to say &ass# I assure you it wou$d e.citeany hu&an heart to beho$d the p$ace where the ancient Christians wereconcea$ed under the earth fro& the persecution of the antiDchristians#Indeed they were concea$ed by the power of God# They sought "esus andHi& a$one they $o%ed#

It is the custo& of the Co$$ege of the Propaganda on the feast ofEpiphany each year that the students shou$d de$i%er a discourse intheir own respecti%e $anguages# This year there were thirtyDonedifferent $anguages de$i%ered by the students so you &ay judge whatkind of a co$$ege this is# !t present it is uite fu$$ there areninetyDthree of which thirteen are fro& the Anited 0tates#

On Easter 0unday the Ho$y ,ather ce$ebrated &ass in the church of 0t#Peter# It is %ery se$do& that his ho$iness is seen persona$$yce$ebrating &ass in pub$ic e.cept on great festi%a$s# The church wascrowded with spectators both citiJens of /o&e and foreigners# On the


20/76

front part of the church there was an e$e%ated p$ace beautifu$$yorna&ented# !fter the so$e&n cere&onies the Ho$y ,ather went up andga%e his paterna$ benediction to the peop$e# There is a $arge suare

before 0t# Peters and it was crowded so that it was i&possib$e toknee$ down to recei%e the benediction#

This week we are uite &erry we see& to e&p$oy our &inds on the&erri&ent which is a$ways disp$ayed a&ongst us on such occasions# Oursecretary is now Cardina$ and toD&orrow he wi$$ be crowned with thedignity of the Cardina$# Our co$$ege has been i$$u&inated these twoe%enings# The congregationa$ ha$$s of the Propaganda were opened onthis occasion# The new Cardina$ then recei%ed a$$ the co&p$i&ents ofthe Cardina$s Bishops Pre$ates !&bassadors Princes and otherdistinguished dignities# There are two $arge beautifu$ roo&s in one of

which the new Cardina$ was seated and recei%ed a$$ those who ca&e topay hi& co&p$i&ents# The %isitors a$$ ca&e through the sa&e passageand there was a &an posted in each roo& who recei%ed the& and cried outto others that such &an was co&ing and so on through a$$ those that

were p$aced for the purpose and one ca$$ed the Cardina$ gent$e&an

introduced the& to the new Cardina$# If there were such a thing in!&erica it wou$d be uite a no%e$ty#

It is ti&e for &e to c$ose and I hope you wi$$ write &e so&eti&es# Myrespects to the 0isters and ,ather Mu$$en# ,arewe$$ dear sister prayfor your 0uperior and for &e#

I re&ain your &ost affectionate brother +I@@I!M M!CC!TEBI6E00I#

!fter his death so&e one at Cincinnati wrote the fo$$owing to berepeated before a $arge audience in that city by his $itt$e sister

Margaret who was there at schoo$# The poetry was i&pressi%e$y recitedand $istened to by &any peop$e with wet eyes# This gifted chi$d ofnature died "une 7L 1=??#

The &orning breaks see how the g$orious sun0$ow whee$ing fro& the east new $ustre shedsOer the soft c$i&e of Ita$y# The f$owerThat kept its perfu&e in the dewy night

6ow breathes it forth again# Hi$$ %a$e and gro%eC$ad in rich %erdure b$oo& and fro& the rocksThe joyous waters $eap# O4 &eet it isThat thou i&peria$ /o&e shou$d $ift thy head'ecked with the trip$e crown where c$oud$ess skies

!nd $ands rejoicing in the su&&er sun/ich b$essings yie$d#

But there is grief toDday#! %oice is heard within thy &arb$e wa$$s! %oice $a&enting for the youthfu$ dead,or oer the re$ics of her forest boyThe &other of dead E&pires weeps# !nd $o4C$ad in white robes the $ong procession &o%es)ouths throng around the bier and high in front0tar of our hope the g$orious cross is rearedTriu&phant sign# The $ow sweet %oice of prayer,$owing spontaneous fro& the spirits depthsPours its rich tones and now the reuie& swe$$s

6ow dies upon the ear#


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But there is one :,ootnote5 His cousin Ha&$in#>+ho stands beside &y brothers gra%e and tho no tear'i&s his dark eye yet does his spirit weep#

+ith beating heart he gaJes on the spot+here his young co&rade sha$$ fore%er rest#

,or they together $eft their forest ho&e@ed by ,ather /eese who to their fathers preachedG$ad tiding of great joy the ho$y &an &y brother

+ho s$eeps beneath the soi$ the ,ather /eeses $abors b$essed#How &ust the spirit &ourn the boso& hea%eOf that $one Indian boy4 6o tongue can speakThe accents of his tribe and as he bendsIn &e$ancho$y &ood abo%e the deadI&agination c$othes his tearfu$ thoughtsIn rude but p$ainti%e cadences#

0oft be &y brothers s$eep4!t natures ca$$ the cypress here sha$$ wa%e

The wai$ing winds $a&ent abo%e the gra%eThe dewy night sha$$ weep#

!nd he thou $ea%est for$ornOh he sha$$ co&e to shade &y brothers gra%e with &oss To p$ant what thou didst $o%eDDthe &ystic crossTo hope to pray to &ourn#

6o &arb$e here sha$$ riseBut oer thy gra%e he$$ teach the forest tree To $ift its g$orious head and point to thee/ejoicing in the skies#

!nd when it fee$s the breeJeI$$ think thy spirit wakes that gent$e sound 0uch as our fathers thought when a$$ around0hook the o$d forest $ea%es#

'ost thou forget the hour &y brother+hen first we heard the Christians hope re%ea$ed +hen fear$ess warriors fe$t their boso&s yie$dBeneath !$&ighty powerK

Then truths ca&e oer us fast+hi$st on the &ound the &issionary stood !nd thro the $istning si$ence of the woodHis words $ike spirits passed#

!nd oh hadst thou been spared+e two had gone to b$ess our fathers $and To spread rich stores around and hand in handEach ho$y $abor shared#

But here the re$ics of &y brother $ie+here natures f$owers sha$$ b$oo& oer natures chi$d +here ruins stretch and c$assic art has pi$edHer &onu&ents on high#

0$eep on &y brother s$eep peacefu$ hereThe tra%e$er fro& thy $and wi$$ c$ai& this spot !nd gi%e to thee what king$y to&bs ha%e notDDThe tribute of a tear with &e &y brother#


22/76

He died a$&ost the %ery day when he was to be ordained a priest# Herecei%ed a $ong %isit fro& his cousin Ha&$in that e%ening and they sat$ate in the night ta$king on %arious subjects and particu$ar$y on

!&erican &atters and his ordination# My brother was perfect$y we$$ androbust at that ti&e and fu$$ of $i%e$y spirits# He to$d his cousin

that night that if he e%er set his foot again on !&erican soi$ hispeop$e the Ottawas and Chippewas of Michigan shou$d a$ways re&ainwhere they were# The Anited 0tates wou$d ne%er be ab$e to co&pe$ the&to go west of the Mississippi for he knew the way to pre%ent the& fro&

being dri%en off fro& their nati%e $and# He a$so to$d his cousin thatas soon as he was ordained and re$ie%ed fro& /o&e he wou$d at oncestart for !&erica and go right straight to +ashington to see thePresident of the Anited 0tates in order to ho$d conference with hi& onthe subject of his peop$e and their $ands# There was a great

preparation for the occasion of his ordination# ! great cere&ony was tobe in 0t# Peters Church because a nati%e !&erican Indian son of thechief of the Ottawa tribe of Indians a prince of the forests of

Michigan was to be ordained a priest which had ne%er before happened

since the disco%ery of the !borigines in !&erica# In the &orning atthe breakfast tab$e &y brother +i$$ia& did not appear and e%ery onewas surprised not to see hi& at the tab$e# !fter breakfast a &essengerwas sent to his roo He soon returned with the shocking news that hewas dead# Then the authorities of the co$$ege arose and rushed to thescene and there they found hi& on the f$oor $ying in his own b$ood#

+hen Ha&$in his cousin heard of it he too rushed to the roo& andafter his cousins body was taken out wrapped up in a c$oth he wentin and saw at once enough to te$$ hi& that it was the work of theassassin#

+hen the news reached to @itt$e Tra%erse now Harbor 0prings a$$ thecountry of !rbor Croche was en%e$oped in deep &ourning and a great$a&entation took p$ace a&ong the Ottawas and Chippewas in this country

with the e.pression (!$$ our hope is gone#( Many peop$e ca&e to ourdwe$$ing to $earn fu$$ particu$ars of &y brothers death and toconso$e and &ourn with his father in his great berea%e&ent#

6o &oti%e for the assassination has e%er been de%e$oped and it re&ainsto this day a &ystery# It was re$ated that there was no known ene&y inthe institution pre%ious to his death but he was &uch thought of and

be$o%ed by e%ery one in the co$$ege# It was an honor to be with hi& andto con%erse with hi& as it is re$ated that his con%ersation was a$ways

&ost nob$e and instructi%e# It was e%en considered a great honor to sitby hi& at the tab$es as it is re$ated that the students of the co$$egeused to ha%e a strife a&ongst the&se$%es who shou$d be the first to sit

by hi There were se%era$ !&erican students at /o&e at that ti&e andit was c$ai&ed by the Ita$ians that &y brothers death ca&e throughso&e of the !&erican students fro& a secret p$ot originating in thiscountry to re&o%e this Indian youth who had attained the highest

pinnac$e of science and who had beco&e their eua$ in wisdo& and ina$$ the i&portant uestions of the day both in te&pora$ and spiritua$

&atters# He was s$ain it has been said because it was found out thathe was counse$ing his peop$e on the subject of their $ands and theirtreaties with the Go%ern&ent of the Anited 0tates# His death depri%edthe Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of a wise counse$or and ad%iser one oftheir own nati%e country&en but it see&s that it wou$d be i&possib$efor the !&erican peop$e in this Christian $and to &ake such a wickedconspiracy against this poor son of the forest who had beco&e as wiseas any of the& and a great states&an for his country# )et it &ight be

possib$e for we ha%e $earned that we cannot a$ways trust the !&ericanpeop$e as to their integrity and stabi$ity in we$$ doing with us#


23/76

It is said the stains of &y brothers b$ood can be seen to this day in/o&e as the roo& has been kept as a &e&oria$ and is shown totra%e$ers fro& this country# His statue in fu$$ siJe can a$so be seenthere which is said to be a perfect i&age of hi His trunk containinghis books and c$othing was sent fro& /o&e to this country and it ca&e

a$$ right unti$ it reached 'etroit# There it was $ost or e.changed foranother which was sent to @itt$e Tra%erse# It was sent back with areuest to forward the right one but that was the end of it and noe.p$anation was e%er recei%ed#

0oon after the death of &y brother +i$$ia& &y sister Margaret $eftCincinnati Ohio and ca&e to 'etroit Mich# where she was e&p$oyed asteacher of the orphan chi$dren at a Catho$ic institution# 0he $eft'etroit about 1=?L and ca&e to @itt$e Tra%erse where she at once

began $o teach the Indian chi$dren for the Catho$ic &ission# 0he hase%er since been %ery usefu$ to her peop$e but is now a decrepit o$d$ady and so&eti&es goes by the na&e of !unty Margaret or ueen of theOttawas# 0he is constant$y e&p$oyed in &aking Indian curiositiesDD

wearing out her fingers and eyes to &ake her $i%ing and keep her ho&e#@ike &any others of her race she has been &ade the %icti& of fraud ande.tortion# 0o&e years ago a white &an ca&e to the Indian country andco&&itted &any cri&es for so&e of which he is now in prison# 0oonafter he ca&e here this wicked &an pretended he was gored by an o.DDa$though there were no &arks of %io$enceDDwhich he c$ai&ed be$onged to

Mr# Boyd !unty Margarets husband and he therefore sued Mr# Boyd forda&ages for se%era$ hundred do$$ars and a$though the o. which hec$ai&ed had injured hi& did not be$ong to Mr# Boyd and there was noeye witness in the case yet he obtained judg&ent for da&ages againsthi& and a &ortgage had to be gi%en on the $and which the Go%ern&enthad gi%en her# The Indians oath and e%idence are not regarded in thiscountry and he stands a %ery poor chance before the $aw# !$though theyare citiJens of the 0tate they are continua$$y being taken ad%antageof by the attorneys of the $and they are continua$$y being robbed andcheated out of their property and they can obtain no protection norredress whate%er#

Before Mr# Ha&$in &y cousin $eft Ita$y he was asked by theauthorities if +i$$ia& had any younger brother in !&erica of a fit ageto attend schoo$# He to$d the authorities that the deceased had one

brother just the right age to begin schoo$DDthat was &yse$f# Then therewas an order for &e to be sent to /o&e to take the p$ace of &y brotherbut when &y father heard of it he said (6o they ha%e ki$$ed one of&y sons after they ha%e educated hi& and they wi$$ ki$$ another#(Ha&$in ca&e ho&e soon after &y brothers death and so&e ti&e after theTreaty of 1=?< he was appointed A#0# Interpreter and continued to ho$dthis office unti$ 1=


24/76

used to co&e down this beautifu$ strea& of water Muskegon /i%erF inour $ong bark canoes $oaded with sugar furs deer skins prepared%enison for su&&er use bears oi$ and bear &eat prepared in oi$ deerta$$ow and so&eti&es a $ot of honey etc# On reaching the &outh ofthis ri%er we ha$ted for fi%e or si. days when a$$ the other Indiansgathered as was custo&ary e.press$y to feast for the dead# !$$ the

Indians and chi$dren used to go around a&ong the ca&ps and sa$ute oneanother with the words (6eDbawDbawDtcheDbawDyew( that is to say (Ia& or we are going around as spirits( feasting and throwing food intothe fireDDas they be$ie%e the spirits of the dead take the %ictua$s andeat as they are consu&ed in the fire#

!fter the feast of the dead we wou$d a$$ start for !rbor Croche oursu&&er resort to p$ant our corn and other %egetab$es# !t the crossingof @itt$e Tra%erse Bay at the point ca$$ed (iDtcheDossening( that isto say (on the big rock( a$$ the Indians waited unti$ a$$ the canoesarri%ed after which they wou$d a$$ start together in crossing the bay#

+hen about ha$f way across they wou$d begin to sa$ute !rbor Croche byshooting with guns ho$ding the& c$ose to the water in order that the

sound &ight reach to each side of the bay to be heard by those few whoa$ways &ade their winter uarters around @itt$e Tra%erse Bay# !rri%ingat !rbor Croche where our big wigwa& wou$d be waiting for usDDof whichI ha%e spoken in pre%ious chaptersDDthe %ery first thing &y parents

wou$d do wou$d be to go and e.a&ine their stores of corn and beans#!fter a$$ the Indians arri%ed and had sett$ed down they wou$d againha%e a pro$onged &erri&ent and another feasting of the dead and peaceofferings# Grand &edicine dances fire dances and &any other jubi$ant

perfor&ances &y peop$e wou$d ha%e before they wou$d go to work again top$ant their corn# I distinct$y re&e&ber the ti&e and I ha%e seen &ybrothers and &yse$f dancing around the fires in our great wigwa& whichhad two firep$aces inside of it#

!bout in 1=79 there was an Indian ca&e fro& Montrea$ whose na&e was!ndowish and who for&er$y be$onged to !rbor Croche# He was a&ong the0tockbridge Indians so&ewhere near Montrea$ and this tribe speak adia$ect of the Ottawa and Chippewa $anguages and &ost of the& by thisti&e had joined the Catho$ic church# 0o !ndowish by their inf$uencea$so joined the Catho$ic re$igion out there with the 0tockbridgeIndians# Co&ing back to !rbor Croche where he for&er$y be$onged he

began to teach so&e of his own re$ati%es the faith of the Catho$icre$igion which so&e of the& were %ery ready to recei%e but he cou$dnot baptiJe the Therefore parties of Indians went to MackinacIs$and headed by the principa$ chief of the 0e%en Mi$e Point band ofIndians whose na&e was !DpawDkauDseDgun to see so&e of their ha$fD

breed re$ations at the is$and re$ating to the& how they fe$t withregard to Christianity and asking ad%ice as to what they shou$d do inthe &atter# These ha$fDbreed re$ati%es pro&ised they wou$d do a$$ theycou$d to cause the priest to co&e up to !rbor Croche and baptiJe a$$those Indians who fe$t disposed to recei%e the re$igion# Therefore in1=7L /e%# ,ather Baden an o$d priest ca&e up with his interpretersand $anded at 0e%en Mi$e Point and baptiJed uite a nu&ber of grownfo$ks and a great &any chi$dren were taken into the Catho$ic re$igion#

!t this ti&e I was a$so baptiJed by /e%# ,ather Baden I was s&a$$but I distinct$y re&e&ber ha%ing the water poured o%er &y head andputting so&e sa$t in &y &outh and chang

history of the ottawa and chippewa indians of michigan_ by a j blackbird

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