USA > Wisconsin > Columbia County > A history of Columbia County, Wisconsin : a narrative account of its historical progress, its people, and its principal interests > Part 6
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INDIAN PAYMENT OF 1830
A payment made to the Winnebagoes in 1830 is thus described by an eye-witness: "There were two divisions of the Winnebago Indians, one of which was paid by the agent at the portage, the other at Prairie
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du Chien. The first, between 4,000 and 5,000 in number, received ac- cording to treaty stipulations, $15,000 annually, besides a considerable amount of presents and certain rations of bread and pork, to be issued in times of emergency throughout the year. The principal villages of this division of the tribe were at Lake Winnebago, Green and Fox lakes, the Barribault (now Baraboo), Mud Lake (Dodge County), the Four Lakes, Kosh-ko-nong (White Crow's village) and Turtle Creek (now Beloit). Messengers were dispatched at or before the arrival of the annuity money to all the villages, to notify the heads of families or lodges to assemble at the portage.
"When arrived the masters of families, under their different chiefs, gave in their names and the number in their lodges, to be registered. As, in paying, a sum of money is apportioned to each individual, it is an object to the head of a lodge to make the number registered as great as possible. Each one brings his little bundle of sticks and presents it to the agent to register. Sometimes a dialogue like the following oc- curs: 'How many have you in your lodge ?'
"The Indian carefully and with great ceremony counts a bundle of sticks-'Fifteen.'
" 'How many men?'
"' 'Two.'
"The agent lays aside two sticks.
" 'How many women ?'
" 'Three.'
"Three more sticks are separated.
" 'Eight.'
"Eight sticks are added to the heap.
" 'What is the meaning of those two sticks that remain ?'
"The culprit, whose arithmetic had not served him to carry out this deception, disappears amid the shouts and jeers of his companions, who are always well pleased at the detection of any roguery in which they have had no share.
"The young officers generally assisted in counting out and deliver- ing the money at these payments and it was no unusual thing. as the last band came up, for the chiefs to take a quantity of silver out of the box and request their father to pay his friends for their trouble, seem- ing really disturbed at his refusal. In this, as in almost every instance, we see the native courtesy and politeness which are never lost sight of among them. If a party comes to their father to beg for provisions and food is offered them, however hungry they may be, each waits patiently until one of the company makes an equal distribution of the
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whole, and then taking his share eats it quietly, with the greatest moderation. I never saw this rule violated, save in one instance.
"Our friend, Pawnee Blanc, 'the old dandy,' once came with a party of Indians requesting permission to dance for us in the open space before the door. It was a warm, dusty afternoon, and as our friends grew heated and fatigued with their violent and long-continued exercise, a pitcher of raspberry negus was prepared and sent out to them. Pawnee received the pitcher and tumbler, and pouring the latter about half full gave it to the first in the circle, then filled the same for the next and so on, until it occurred to him to look into the pitcher. What he saw there, determined his course of action; so, setting the tumbler on the ground he raised the pitcher to his lips and gave a hearty pull, after which he went on, giving less and less, until he was called to have the pitcher replenished. All present agreed it was the first instance they had ever witnessed of an Indian appearing afraid of getting less of a thing than his share.
"During the payment a good many kegs of whiskey find their way into the lodges of the Indians, notwithstanding the watchfulness of both officers and agent. Where there is a demand there will always be a supply, let the legal prohibitions be what they may. The last day of the payment is invariably one of general carousing.
"When the men begin their frolic, the women carefully gather all the guns, knives, tomahawks and weapons of every description and secrete them, that as little mischief as possible may be done in the absence of all restraint and reason. I am sorry to record that our little friend, Pawnee Blanc, was greatly addicted to the pleasures of the bottle.
"Among the presents for the chiefs brought from the east was a trunk of blue cloth coats trimmed with broad gold lace, and a box of round, black hats, ornamented in a similar manner. All who are familiar with Indians of whatever tribe will have observed that their first step toward civilization, whether a man or a woman, is mounting a man's hat decorated with tinsel, ribbons and feathers. Pawnee was among the happy number remembered in the distribution, so donning at once his new costume and tying a few additional bunches of gay-colored rib- bons to a long spear that was always his baton of ceremony, he came at once, followed by an admiring train chiefly of women, to pay me a visit of state.
"The solemn gravity of his countenance as he motioned away those who would approach too near and finger his newly received finery ; the dignity with which he strutted along, edging this way and that to avoid any possible contact from homely, everyday wardrobes, augured
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well for a continuation of propriety and self-respect and a due con- sideration of the good opinion of all around.
"But, alas for Pawnee! Late in the day, we saw him assisted to- ward his lodge by two stout young Indians, who had pulled him out of a ditch, his fine coat covered with mud, his hat battered, his spear shorn of its gay streamers, and poor Pawnee himself weeping and uttering all the doleful lamentations of a tipsy Indian."
MRS. KINZIE DESCRIBES THE CHIEFS
John H. Kinzie, son of the John Kinzie who is generally called the "father of Chicago," came to Fort Winnebago as the Indian agent in 1831, accompanied by his charming and talented young wife. She was the author of "Wan-Bun," that interesting and valuable book dealing with life and events at such frontier posts as Fort Dearborn and Fort Winnebago. We shall have occasion to draw upon her remin- iscences later, our present indebtedness to her being on the score of her piquant description of the best known of the Winnebago chiefs, in these words: "After breakfast I received a visit from the principal chiefs, who had put on their best of apparel and paint, to receive their new mother.
"There was Naw-Kaw or Kar-ray-mau-nee, the Walking Turtle, then the principal chief of the nation, a stalwart Indian with a broad, pleas- ant countenance, the great peculiarity of which was an immense under lip hanging nearly to his chin.
"There was old De-Kau-ray (De Korra), the most noble, dignified and venerable of his own, or indeed of any tribe. His fine, Roman countenance, rendered still more striking by his bald head, with one tuft of long, silvery hair, neatly tied and falling to his shoulders; his perfectly neat and appropriate dress, almost without ornament, and his courteous demeanor never laid aside under any circumstances, all com- bined to give him the highest place in the consideration of all who knew him.
"There was Black Wolf, whose lowering, surly face was well de- scribed by his name. The fierce expression of his countenance was greatly heightened by the masses of heavy black hair hanging around it, quite contrary to the usual fashion among the Winnebagoes. They, for the most part, remove a portion of the hair, the remainder of which is drawn to the back of the head, clubbed and ornamented with beads, ribbons, cock feathers, or, if they are so entitled, an eagle's feather for every scalp taken from an enemy.
"There was Talk English, a remarkably handsome young Indian,
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who received his name in the following manner: He was one of the party of sixteen Winnebagoes who had, by invitation, accompanied their agent and Major Forsyth (or the Chippewa, as he was called) on a visit to the president at Washington, the year previous. On the journey the question naturally addressed to them by people not familiar with the western Indians was 'Do you talk English?' The young fellow, being very observant, came to his father. 'What do they mean by this? Everybody says to me. "Talk English?"' The agent interpreted the words to him. 'Ah, very well!' The next place they arrived at was Lockport, New York. Jumping off the canal boat upon the lock, he ran up to the first man he met and thrusting forward his face called out 'Talk Eengeesh ?' 'Yes,' said the man. 'Do you talk English ?' 'Ya-as.' From that time forward he always bore the name of Talk Eng- lish and was registered on the payrolls by that title, of which he was not a little proud.
"Hoo-wau-nee-kah, the Little Elk, was another of the distinguished men of the tribe. He had likewise been at Washington. Henry Clay, when he visited them, after looking carefully at the countenances and bearing of all the members of the deputation, had indicated him as possessing the greatest talent; and he was greatly pleased when in- formed that he was the principal orator of the nation and decidedly superior in abilities to any other individual of the tribe.
"Then there was Kan-ray-kaw-saw-kaw, the White Crow, a Rock River Indian, who afterward distinguished himself as a friend of the whites during the Sauk war. He was called by the French, Le Borgne, from having lost an eye; and the black silk handkerchief which he wore drooping over the left side of his face to disguise the blemish, taken with his native costume, gave him a very singular appearance.
"There was a nephew of the defunct Four Legs, to whom, with jus- tice, was given by both whites and Indians, the appellation of the Dandy. When out of mourning, his dress was of the most studied and fanciful character. A shirt (when he condescended to wear any) of the brightest colors, ornamented with innumerable rows of silver brooches set thickly together; never less than two pairs of silver arm bands; leggings and moccasins of the most elaborate embroidery, in ribbons and porcupine quills; everything that he could devise in the shape of an ornament, hanging to his club of hair behind; a feather fan in one hand, and in the other a mirror in which he contemplated himself every few minutes. These with the variety and brilliancy of the colors upon his face, the suitable choice and application of which occupied no small portion of the hours allotted to his toilet, made up the equipment of young Four Legs.
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"This devotion to dress and appearance seemed not altogether out of place in a youthful dandy; but we had likewise an old one of the same stamp. Pawnee Blanc, or the White Pawnee, surpassed his younger competitor, if possible, in attention to his personal attractions. Upon the present occasion he appeared in all his finery, and went through the customary salutations with an air of solemn dignity, and then walked, as did the other, into the parlor (for I had received them iu the hall), where they all seated themselves on the floor.
"Fortunately the room was not bare of furniture, but 'Alas !' thought I, 'for my pretty carpet if this is to be the way they pay their respects to me!' I watched the falling of their ashes from their long pipes, and the other inconveniences of the use of tobacco, or kin-ni-kin-nie, with absolute dismay."
YELLOW THUNDER, LAST WINNEBAGO WAR CHIEF
Some years after Mrs. Kinzie wrote these descriptions of the best known Winnebago leaders of the very early times, Yellow Thunder (Mi-ja-jin-a-ka) commenced to come into notice, and for years was the Good Indian of Columbia County. Those who knew him in his younger years admired his poise and unfailing kindness to white and red, and as the years went by, and his character never changed, he became an object of general pride and love. Yellow Thunder, who died in 1874, was the last war chief of the Winnebagoes and, as such, aside from the steadfastness and nobility of his character, has a high place among the historical figures of Wisconsin.
Among those who knew this noble red man longest and best was the late Mrs. Lydia A. Flanders, of Portage, who contributes the following :
PERSONAL RECOLLECTIONS OF YELLOW THUNDER
By Mrs. Lydia A. Flanders
The red races are passing away before the silent but irresistible spread of civilization. The tenure of Indian sovereignty is as pre- carious as the habitation of the deer, his co-tenant of the forest. Their gradual displacement is as inevitable as the progress of events. A por- tion of the Indian family is destined to a citizenship with ourselves: but this can only be accomplished by the adoption of agricultural pur- suits and the diffusion of knowledge among them. At no distant day the war shout of the Red man will fall away into eternal silence upon the shores of the distant Pacific. Industry will then have taken up her abode in the seclusion of the forest. The church will rise upon the
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ruins of the Council House: the railway will then pursue the distant trail : the plough-shares turn the sod of the hunting ground, and the continuous hum of industry will rise from ocean to ocean when the destiny of the Indian is thus fulfilled. The words of the Great Seneca orator (Honauous or "Farmer's Brother") will rise up in perpetual membrance, "Who then, lives to mourn us? None. What works our extermination ? Nothing."-Third Annual Report of the Regents of N. Y. University, Historical and Antiquarian Collection.
It is a matter of rejoicing among humane and fair-minded people that the sentiment "the only good Indian is a dead Indian," is no longer accepted, and less frequently heard.
History records the first lessons taught our savage brothers. These were lessons of deceit, dishonesty, and intemperance. They were apt scholars, and after half a century of personal observation of the rela- tions between the white man and the Indian, we are fain to lean, in charity, to the side of the latter. Adding to their savage natures these grosser elements of civilization, can we expect the product to be one with nice or even moderate distinctions? Our attitude toward them now should be governed by this knowledge and their helplessness. Herbert Spencer's oft quoted line "The survival of the fittest," if applied to the Indian, is a compliment to the white man which is capable of exceptions, and the sentiment is modified when treating of individuals. "Noble red man," so often ironically quoted, is certainly not a flight of roman- tic fancy, but a knowable and veritable fact.
More than fifty years ago, when a child of nine years, I wandered one October day, a short distance from my home, then a settler's cabin. Glancing along the trail, I saw an Indian approaching. Terrorized and unable to move, I stared, but did not utter a sound. He approached nearer and held out his hand and in the most pleasant of voices said, . "How ? How?" I still felt unconvinced of my safety, even if the face before me was not at all formidable, and the expression one of extreme good nature, and murmuring something that I suppose was meant as a farewell, he passed on. That was my introduction to Chief Yellow Thunder, and the beginning of a friendship which lasted many years. in fact, to the time of his death.
On a stream of water flowing through my father's farm and near the point made memorable by Mrs. Kinzie in that most delightful book "Wau-Bun," is an old-time camping ground of the Indians. On the outside curve of this stream, on a slight elevation thickly covered with trees, is where, on their journeys to and from Madison, where they went for their annuity, they camped sometimes for days and often for weeks,
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hunting, fishing, and some of the tribes begging, in which last mentioned pastime, however, our Chief did not in the slightest degree participate.
Combined with the dignity of his bearing was an air of self-respect, which enveloped him as a mantle. He was tall and well proportioned, with a hand that was shapely and slender and a voice deep and clear, devoid of the gutterals or sharpness which is characteristic of the voices of many of these people.
He was not in the least affected by his visit to Washington, which was made about the year 1838. Such was not the case however, with his wife, who was greatly set up by her traveled experience. Apparently with him it was a natural event, of which he talked freely: with her it was greatness achieved: with him a part of the expected: with her one more feather in her head-band, and ever after she demanded the greatest deference from her people, as well as the title "Madam Washington."
Whenever any of the tribe partook too freely of fire-water the old chief ordered them tied and a guard set, but when this disgrace came to his own dwelling, in the person of his wife, he took himself off, no one knew whence or whither, until quiet and order were again restored to his household.
I never saw him in paint or feathers. A small braid of hair near the crown, into which a small black ribbon was woven, was all his head ornament. Otherwise he wore his hair as did the white man, parted on the left side and brushed to the right. His garments were very similar to the white man's in fashion though not in texture, except that his blanket was always a part of his apparel. He was a firm believer in noble lineage, and rupudiated any and all the so-called "Chiefs," who found their way to back doors, or in fact to any doors, to beg, and in an apologetic manner told my father that his wife was a tribes-woman, meaning not his equal, though always appearing kind and courteous to her. Incidentally she was the hewer of wood and the drawer of water, as well as the doer of all other menial tasks. His affair was to furnish the game, hers to see that it was prepared, either for cooking or, if peltries, stretched and drying.
Few there are living today who can tell of good deeds and courtesies extended to them by this son of the wilderness, but many there were who could during our long acquaintance with him. Many times he cheered and sheltered lost and belated settlers, and when wishing to return the value of some favor it was sent by the hand of his wife, who. I grieve to say, often tried to bargain his generosity by the gain of some- thing for herself. Once he engaged a settler to carry himself, wife, and belongings to their home near Delton. The conveyance was a wagon into which their outfit was piled, and among these she, of Washington
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fame, calmly seated herself. Not so the Chief. He sat beside the driver erect and dignified and appeared not to see how unprincesslike was the position she had assumed.
Always on approaching my father's house he gave some signal, per- haps a few light taps on the porch or door and never did he enter with- out permission and a word of welcome, something he was sure of from all its inmates.
His instincts were gentle and had fortune placed him among thie "fittest" he would readily have been recorded as one of nature's noble- men, a title, knowing him as I did, I cheerfully accord him.
As years came on apace, his visits to the old camping ground be- came more rare and finally ceased altogether, followed in February, 1874, by the tidings of his death, sincerely mourned by many of the early settlers as well as by his own people. I am glad to chronicle the fact that a portrait of Yellow Thunder, done in oil, by the distinguished artist, S. D. Coates, hangs in the gallery of the Wisconsin Historical Society, with many others, whose names are prominently connected with the history of Wisconsin.
Not very different from the white man's idea of Heaven is the thought of the place, in the mind of "poor Lo" of his state of future bliss, and truly he "sees his God in clouds and hears him in the wind, and thinks, when taken to that blessed land his faithful dog shall bear him company."
By the report submitted to the House of Representatives, Septem- ber 17, 1850, it appears that about 900 of the Winnebagoes were forced from the Fort Winnebago region soon after the signing of the 1837 treaty, while about 300 remained in the swamps, inaccessible to the two regiments of United States troops looking for them. In 1846 a new treaty was effected by which the Winnebagoes were to be moved about 500 miles north of their allotted lands in Iowa. Some 1,300 did so in the summer of 1848, 400 lingering in Wisconsin and Iowa. In Febru- ary, 1850, quite a band of them located between the Bad Axe and Black rivers and became threatening and insolent; but they yielded to better councils. Other removals followed.
LAST FORCED MARCH OF THE WINNEBAGOES
When, in 1837, the Winnebagoes disposed of all their lands east of the Mississippi to the United States, they stipulated that within eight months they would move west of the great river. As many of them delayed their departure under various pretenses, several forcible re- movals were effected by the Government working through the United
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States of America. The last of these enforced departures occurred two days before the Christmas of 1873. Early in the morning of that day Captain S. A. IIunt and ex-Sheriff Pool crossed the old Wisconsin River bridge at Portage, heading a detachment of United States troops. The little expedition was bound for the Baraboo River, where, near the Crawford bridge, a considerable number of Winnebagoes had gath- ered for a feast and an annual meeting.
Almost every lodge for forty miles around had its delegate. The Winnebagoes (Bagoes, as they were called) had pooled their wigwams, their feathers, their paint, their wampum, and were having a hilarious time when their pow-wow was interrupted by the appearance of the uninvited boys in blue. Of course the greatest consternation prevailed, for the Indians knew at once that they must follow the bulk of their tribe to the reservation in Nebraska. A parley followed, and as the Bagoes refused to be persuaded by mildness, they were surrounded by Captain Hunt's men and made prisoners to the number of nearly a hundred.
With as little delay as possible the captives were arranged in march- ing order and just before noon, with their families and all their festive paraphernalia, sullenly wound over the hill near the Catholic Church, escorted by the United States troops. They were marched to the depot, safely lodged in the cars, and a full supply of rations dealt out to them.
After they had been housed, Captain Hunt set about to inform him- self whether any of his captives had become real estate owners, or had done anything else to show that they had abandoned their tribal rela- tions and were entitled to remain as citizens. Inquiry was made for Yellow Thunder, Good Village, War Club, Snake Swallow, MeWima and Pretty Man, but it was found that only two of them were among the captives and they were allowed to depart. John Little John and High Snake were taken with the more common Winnebagoes. Although not legally entitled to remain, as their characters were quite warmly upheld by a number of respectable citizens, they were informed that they could return to Columbia county later, if they so desired. The ponies and all the other "traps" belonging to the Indians were then collected and loaded into the baggage cars, and at 6 o'clock the train was under way for Sparta, Monroe County, which was to be the point of rendezvous for all the Winnebagoes gathered in by Captain Hunt, who was the official government agent for the removal of members of the tribe who still remained in Southern Wisconsin.
Sunday and Monday were busy days and nights for ex-Sheriff Pool, his specialty being the collection of the squaws and families of the Winnebago braves who had not accompanied their lords to the Baraboo
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celebration. A writer of that time and event puts the matter thus: "As an Indian dance is very like a white man's frolic in some of its characteristics, it was not a matter of surprise to learn that a number of braves were alone at this dance, while the squaws were doing the menial work of housekeeping at home and attending to the papooses. Now Big Jim was just one of that kind, and several others might be named, but out of respect for their families we will not put their names in print. The circumstances, however, made it necessary for Captain Hunt to dispatch Mr. Pool and other messengers for their families, which were at Briggsville (Marquette County, just above the Columbia line) and other places. By Monday evening Mr. Pool had two or three dozen of them congregated here, and on Tuesday evening they were forwarded to Sparta." It would thus appear that the Christmas festivities of the Winnebagoes were rather rudely disturbed in 1873. As we have seen, their beloved and venerable chief, Yellow Thunder, remained in Colum- bia County and died in the year following the last forcible removal of his people.
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