USA > Wisconsin > Winnebago County > History, Winnebago County, Wisconsin: Its Cities, Towns, Resources, People > Part 13
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THE MENOMINEE TRIBE.
At this time the chief was Lapone, "an excellent Indian," and the village was composed of a dozen cabins and about thirty people. Traces of their corn hills and burying grounds may still be seen.
Wild Cat's Winnebago village at Island Park was one day the scene of a laughable fit of savage humor. Paw-wa-ga-nien, the Menominee chief, whose name was given to Lake Paw-wa-qan (Poygan), was a half century ago on a friendly visit to old Wild Cat at his Indian village. Cut Finger, chief of Potawatomi, of Chicago, was on a visit south of Oshkosh to old Black Wolf, but was informed that he was at Pe-Sheu's village, at a corn husking, so he went on there, where he also found Chief Paw-wa-ga-nien, of the Menominees. Cut Finger was a great brave, a wag and a bully. He stalked up to Paw-wa and pulled his hair and jerked his head about, saying he was no brave. Paw-wa did not wince, but stood his punishment like a man. When Cut Finger was satis- fied he had humiliated the chief sufficiently he sat down. Then Paw-wa opened his sack and took out his famous cap of war eagle feathers and, taking up his lance and club, paid his re- spects to Cut Finger. Seizing his long hair in both hands, he shook his head with all his might, then raised ('ut Finger off his feet by the hair and threw him away. This sort of reply in kind seemed to satisfy the old warriors and they were friends.
From an intelligent paper in the "Winnebago County Press," February 5, 1870, the localities of a number of Indian villages are given : "A Menominee village was located on what was then (1870) Hammonds farm, on Big Lake Butte des Morts, presided over by a chief called by the French Mat-qui-Marche, or Mat the Traveler. There was a village at "Rogers" Point on Big Lake Butte des Morts, about a mile above the cemetery.
"On Lake Poygan, in Norwegian Bay. Wau-poose, or the Rab- bit, had a village. This was on the north shore. Opposite this on the south shore at the pay ground on Section 16 there was another Menominee village." And this writer says, "Lake Win- neconne is the lake of the place of skulls."
Also the following: "A Menominee village was at Cowan's place, one and a half miles north of Winneconne, on Lake Win- neconne; another at the mouth of Mud lake. on Fuller place, since Mr. James Clark.
"A Potawatomie village at Potawatomie Point, one mile south of Winneconne. This was a band which moved from Calumet county, on the east side of the lake. There were Winnebago vil-
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
lages on the McCann farm at Omro, and on Preech Bend, a few miles below, were mixed villages of Winnebago and Pota- watomi." Mentions: "Remains in city of Oshkosh of planting grounds in fourth ward on a vacant block, lying on lake shore between Merritt and Washington streets, the elevation left by the old corn hills are still plainly visible (1873), and a mound on the lake shore close by was no doubt a cache or place of storing grain. In the lot on Merritt street adjoining this block on the west a strip of ground running the whole length of the lot is composed almost entirely of stones from fist size to larger that marks a 'squaw hill,' or the place where the squaws piled away the stones that might interfere with the growing crops."
Indian Eloquence.
As a sample of Indian eloquence we give here the speech made by Reginald Oshkosh at the celebration held in Oshkosh, August 26, 1903, to recognize the half century of its corporate life. A large party of Menominee Indians came from their reservation under the care of their agent, Mr. Shephard Freeman, and with them Neopope Oshkosh, a son of Oshkosh, then 72 years old, and his son, Reginald Oshkosh, a grandson of Chief Oshkosh, a young man of 26 years. He was a graduate of Carlisle, Pa., Indian School and a married man. His wife was also present. Neopope made a forcible and complimentary address, his words being in- terpreted through an interpreter, as he speaks only the Indian language. The exercises were held in the open air at North Park before an immense crowd of people. The address made by Reginald Oshkosh was in the English language and was in words as follows :
"Ladies and Gentlemen-I appreciate very much the honor of being called upon to address you upon this great day. I am not an orator; therefore I feel unprepared for the occasion.
"It is a pleasure to me to be in the midst of so many happy and intelligent faces and to be greeted as the once original owner of the soil upon which you stand. Words fail to express the im- pressions and ideas which come to.me as I view this beautiful city, and its surroundings where my ancestors once happily dwelt. The wigwam, the dense forest and even the red man and his customs have entirely disappeared. Today we see him not roaming the paths beneath the gigantic pines, with painted face. bow and arrows; neither the tomahawk nor the war club.
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THE MENOMINEE TRIBE.
"In place of these we behold the white man with his modern structure, massive farms and all the comforts which accompany civilization.
"It has been over fifty years since this country was ceded by the Menominee Indians to the white man, who soon afterward founded this beautiful city. If Chief Oshkosh, after whom this city is named, was here today and could see how prosperous its citizens have been during his absence, he would undoubtedly de- scribe the improvement which cultivation has made of the once most deserted wilderness as being a miracle performed by 'Ma-na-poose.'
"I will tell you later who Ma-na-poose was. A short sketch of his life and the Indian's belief might interest you, as the pagan Indian still practices his religious teachings. The religious teach- ings of the Indian resembled that of the Christian world. Many generations ago mysteriously human blood was placed on a bunch of leaves in the forest. Four days later it developed into a great rabbit, from which it gets its name of 'Ma-na-poose,' meaning in the English tongue, 'Great Rabbit.' Later it took the form of man and roamed about preaching to the Indians a higher and nobler form of living. On entering the prime of life he established the grand medicine dance. After his work was accomplished the great spirit beneath the sea took him. The fourth day he arose from the dead and returned to the Indians, saying, 'I am going West, far beyond this continent, to prepare a happy hunting ground for those that are to come hereafter.' While he was speaking he disappeared with the setting sun in the West.
"Some of the tribes still cling fast to the doctrine of 'Ma-na- poose' and perform their ceremonies according to his dictation. Since the majority of my people have become Christianized by the whites, this tradition is only of historical value to us.
"I am proud to say that my people have always realized that there was some supreme power above human beings. The lack of intellectual education prevented them from discovering the truth until the Franciscan fathers introduced the gospel to them in the eighteenth century. There are thousands of people who know little or nothing about the Indians. I am sorry to say that we have been too often misrepresented in the newspapers. We are generally pictured in costumes that degrade our character and race, impressing the world with dependence upon the na-
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
tion. We realize that these United States have been liberal with their protection to us, yet we feel that there are reasons for it.
"Your forefathers have seen their red brother pick up his wig- wam and pathetically disperse from his happy surroundings for the pleasure of his white brothers. Today we see my people driven so far westward that the mighty Pacific in her sympathy for her red children stretches her threatening hand of destruc- tion to them and says, 'Thus far and no further shall you be driven.' While traveling in the East some years ago I was oc- casionally questioned, 'How did you ever become tame?' I felt that I was as tame as they. So I answered them that I never was wild. This interested them enough to allow a long conversa- tion between us.
"There are many noble white men and there must be a noble Indian, as all men are created equal regardless of features and color. While noble Chief Oshkosh was ruling the Menominee tribe they were very peaceable, took no part in the pow-wows or massacres among the whites as did other tribes. Chief Osh- kosh stood between the reds and the whites to maintain peace. I feel justified in saying that the Menominees have always been loyal to all with whom they have made treaties. In the early days by the request of France the Menominees arose to protect her from oppression of the English, who after the contest became in possession of this country. At the outbreak of the Revolution- ary War the Menominee Indians again sacrificed their lives to protect the English crown and restore her rights on American soil. In spite of all efforts the birth of this great nation took place: There was no more promptness than that of the Menomi- nees in responding to the call of President Lincoln for men to maintain the Union in 1860. There are a number of the Menomi- nees here today in their native costume. This is not our daily at- tire. We do this simply to commemorate the days of our ances- tors. We have laid aside our blankets and breech cloths. Our usual dress is that of the ordinary farmer or citizen.
"The aim of my people today is to reach the highest rank in civilization. I hope to see the day when they will be among the best citizens of the country. We have been in close relation with the Oshkosh people. Our affairs have been conducted by some of the most prominent citizens of Oshkosh for a number of years, who took much interest for the betterment of the tribe.
"I thank the Oshkosh people for their courtesies and honor ex- tended toward my people."
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VIII. COLONEL ROBERT DICKSON ICE BOUND.
In the winter of 1813-14 the majesty of the King was forced to remain seated on Doty island in the person of Col. Robert Dick- son, who signed himself agent and superintendent of the Western nations for his Britannic Majesty, and therefore was the foremost officer in command in the state. While on a voyage from Macki- nac to Prairie du Chien up the Fox river his fleet of canoes, loaded with presents for the savages and provisions for the garri- son, was ice bound as it reached the Winnebago village on Doty island, at the entrance to Winnebago lake, and compelled to tie up for the winter. With him and under his command were a number of soldiers and Canadians and a large number of Menominee Indians. A number of his letters (the first ever writ- ten in this county) written to the officers at La Baye and Macki- nac have been published in volumes 10 and 11 of the "Wisconsin Historical Collections," from which we have a lively picture of his activities during the season. Some of these are dated from Puant's lake, Winnebago rapids and Lake Winnebago. He ar- rived on November 14, 1813, with "very little provision, but trust in a kind Providence."
During the winter he was in constant fear of an attack by the Potawatomi, which did not occur. ITis little band suffered much from hunger and cold. The winter was severe and in the spring a great snowfall made it almost impossible to travel and many savages died of hunger or perished in the snows. In the middle of March he writes that he had not less "than fifty people per day here for these ten days past. They have eaten me even to the nails. I have only two bushels of wheat remaining." News came by courier from Mackinac of the defeat of Proctor by Gen- eral Harrison at the battle of the Thames and death of Tecumseh, and newspapers were frequently forwarded to him with letters, so that while cut off from the world, he had news of even foreign wars such as the defeat of Napoleon.
Dr. David Mitchell, a frontier physician assigned to the Indian service, was with this flotilla winter bound. At intervals Lieuts.
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
John Lawe and Louis Grignon, famous traders, visited Dickson's camp from La Baye, as also Jacob Franks, Mr. Brisbois, Mr. Longevin, Mr. Collish and Jean Vieux, all traders, ran over the snows to his camp, and letters and mail were constantly ex- changed through Indian couiriers. One Chandonnet acted as a scout, and news was brought over land from Chicago and St. Joseph. The old Menominee chief, Tomah, with his tribe, re- mained with the camp all winter. In the spring the Winnebago returned from the winter hunt and Dickson looked forward to the opening of spring that he might escape their begging.1
After the capture of Prairie du Chien by Mckay in July, 1814, Dickson returned to Mackinac for supplies, ammunition and Indian goods; but being delayed by the nonarrival of the supply boats, his return with loaded barges was late in the fall and he was caught by the cold weather and frozen in when he had reached Garlic Island, the home of the Wild Cat, where he was compelled to remain until late in December, when he hauled his boats over the ice and arrived at Prairie du Chien in January, 1815, after many difficulties, to the great relief of the Indians. He dated his letters from Garlic island, which is the first use of the term.
In his reports Bishop Henni tells of his visit to the Menominee at Lake Poygan in 1844:
"In company with Father Van den Broek and four half- breeds, we now passed up the Fox River and Lake Winnebago to the new Indian settlements. It was midnight when we came to the western shore of Poygan lake, so we fired a gun to notify the people of our arrival, as our guards were unable to locate their wigwams among the dark birch woods. It was not long before a number of Indians came down to the swampy shore, one of the most sturdy of them taking me upon his shoulders and, notwith- standing my objections, bearing me to dry land. Here then I for the first time experienced the novelty of establishing my episco- pal residence in a wigwam in which soon after, upon a couch composed of native mats, I obtained some much needed repose. Early in the following morning we returned to our canoe, by means of which we journeyed a farther distance of four miles, which brought us to the center of the settlement, where all of the Indians had been notified to gather for divine service. This was on the 12th of July.
"Not far from the shore we built a temporary chapel from
' See letters, and note, 10 "Wis. Ilist. Colls., " 113.
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COLONEL DICKSON ICE BOUND.
branches, wherein I celebrated holy mass. Afterwards I ad- dressed the Indians in English, which was interpreted for me into the Indian language sentence by sentence. After giving the Episcopal benediction I left the chapel, and was led to the Pres- byterian wigwam, where I partook of some excellent refresh- ments. Soon after the chiefs, with their attendants, came to call upon me, and after much handshaking they sat down. After a pause the first chief began to speak, making the following re- quests: First, that a teacher be sent to instruct their children; second, that permission be granted them to build a chapel; third, that an additional missionary be sent to them, their present pastor, owing to extreme age, being unable to attend the ever- increasing duties of his charge. In response I gave them permis- sion to erect a chapel in honor of St. Francis Xavier, and I also told them that I would send an English missionary as soon as I could secure the services of one. As regards a teacher, I made them acquainted with my companion, Joseph Bouglar, formerly a teacher at Little Chute, suggesting him as an altogether suita- ble person for that position. His services were at once accepted ; more readily, perhaps, owing to the fact that his wife belonged to their tribe. At the close of the conference we entered our canoe and began the return journey, being accompanied by thirteen other canoes bearing a number of Catholic Indians who were going with us to Little Chute so that they might receive the sac- rament of confirmation in their old chapel at that place. Hav- ing arrived at our point of destination, Butte des Morts, we landed and received a friendly welcome from Mr. Grignon, an old Canadian courier des bois. I accepted his courteous invitation to stay over night at his residence, while the Indians erected their wigwam and camped between this house and the river. Mr. Grig- non is a descendant of those French who came to this country 100 years ago."
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IX.
JOHN LAWE'S THRILLING MOONLIGHT PLUNGE THROUGH THE FOX RIVER RAPIDS ASTRIDE CHEST CONTAINING $9,000 IN SILVER.
Judge John Lawe was one of the most remarkable characters who ever engaged in the fur trade in Wisconsin. His accounts were accurate, he was strictly honest, was beloved by white and red man alike. He was proverbially charitable, and the richest man on the river. A man of never tiring energy, he could add four columns of figures at once and attend to business day and night. At the time he made his midnight ride over the Long Sault of the lower Fox river he had had no sleep for two nights, weighed 300 pounds and was 65 years of age.
For two days John Lawe had been dumping silver into a large chest. It was at the annual payment of the Menominee Indians by the Government, held on the green banks of Lake Poygan. These Indians had purchased red blankets and whisky of John Lawe, the veteran trader of Green Bay, during the previous sum- mer and winter, and each one had been charged various sums under such local names as "Two Toes," "Run Fast John" and other equally identifying cognomens, until the tribe was totally indebted to his trading post in a large sum. As each Indian emerged from the paymaster's tent he was guarded for a distance by the soldiers, but soon fell into the hands of the creditor, who exacted his due; and then, seized by the fighting trader who fol- lowed the payments with flashy jewelry, he was soon as spare of silver as before. As this contest to collect the charges on his book had been fierce for two days, John Lawe was not sorry when, late in the afternoon, the last red man had been paid and his books were once more balanced. By this time he had tumbled into the big chest over $9,000 in silver. Quickly his tent was folded. He grasped one handle of the heavy chest and his big Highlander assistant grasped the other handle, by which they carried with some effort and several rests the huge chest to the lake beach and heaved it over the side and into the center of a Mackinaw rowboat. John Lawe followed the chest and sat down
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JOHN LAWE'S MOONLIGHT PLUNGE.
on it. The Highland voyageur seated himself in the bow with a pole.
Two Indians kneeling side by side one-third the length of the boat from the stern plied their paddles. The boat shot out into the lake; looking back they could see the dusky outline of the savage village, and the campfires glowing in the advancing gloom along the edge of the wood. After a short time the boat had come to the edge of the lake and entered the tall rice which cov- ers the bar and separates it from Lake Winneconne. A flock of geese were frightened from their rest as they swiftly crossed the reeds and glided into the open water. After an hour's steady paddling they entered the Wolf river, passed the few log cabins which fifty years ago marked the site of the village of Winne- conne and sped on their course to the confluence of the Fox river, which they entered and glided on its deep-flowing waters, passed the scattered settlement of Butte des Morts, hailing each light as it came in sight with the merry cheer of the coureurs de bois. They crossed the six miles of Big Lake Butte des Morts and bore down the current of the three miles of river to Lake Winnebago, where they sited the ferry man at the collection of shanties, now celebrated as Oshkosh. Here they ought to have tarried and rested the Indian canoemen, but John Lawe, sitting like a sphinx on that chest of silver, did not give the order. They kept on into the lake and turned north on a straight line for Garlic island. several miles away. It was now so dark that the coast line was only known to the instinct of the kneeling Indians plying the paddle blades. A cool breeze came over the lake and rippled its waters into long swells, but the blades gave no heed to this. The rythmic play was as regular as when in the quiet water of the river. About 10 o'clock a faint gleam of light stole over the lake. They knew the moon was rising. Soon a dark spot could be seen ahead. It was Garlic island. When they came into its inner har- bor the boat was beached. A fire was made and supper prepared of salt pork and bread. The savages stretched their cramped limbs along the sandy beach. The moon was rising. After an hour's rest Lawe gave the word, still seated on the chest, when all took their places again, and the boat, leaving the island far in the wake, was speeding toward the one log cabin which marked the site of the infant metropolis of Menasha. The moon now could be seen, a great silver ball, above the Clifton hills far over the wide lake, and the dark night was turned into a silver day. Long after midnight they reached the first rapids of the Lower
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY.
Fox river. They shot down them and out into Little Lake Butte des Morts. They had now made as long a voyage as usual for an all-day run. A wise man would have made fast to shore and camped until morning. Below there was one long, plunging, boil- ing, treacherous rapid extending for thirty miles with many dangerous intervals where most men quailed to leap the falls in daylight. Over these seething rapids the waters rush and roar over a long fall 170 feet in one long leap from the level of Lake Winnebago to the level of Lake Michigan.
The bed of the river was filled with broken rock and great boulders around which the waters fought their way from one to the other. The trader who had seated himself on that chest of silver before the sun went down still sat there, while the shore seemed to move past him so swiftly sped the boat. Just before them they heard the roar of the Grand Chute Falls, where the waters made a perpendicular jump of six feet. The Scotchman in the bow stood up. The Indians placed their paddles close against the side of the boat to act as rudders. No need to ply the paddle any longer to propel the boat. The rushing torrent would give them the speed of wings. On they flew. As they shot over the falls the bow of the boat dipped almost perpendicular with the stern high in the air.
The Indians gave a shout to the Manitou to save them. A crushing, breaking noise was heard above the water's roar. The bow had splintered against a boulder. Quick as thought the Scotchman stanched the hole with his blanket. The boat leaped into the torrent and rushed on her way past the foundation of Lawrence University, then building in the forest hamlet of Apple- ton far upon the heights. The shouts of the savages echoed through the deep gorge made by the river as they used every en- deavor to keep their frail barque in deep water and away from hidden boulders. On they flew through the turbulent boulders. Some deer coming down the ravines to drink the cool water sniffed the air and raised high their heads as the strange craft went sailing by. Some creole fishermen crawling out onto the bank near the old church of Father Van Den Brock at Little Chute in the early morning wondered at a sight they had never seen before in all their lives along those long saults of leaping water. Still John Lawe sat on the silver chest. The perspiration streamed from the Indians as they strove with might and skill to steer the boat from the thousand hidden rocks that lined the way. Now they came to the Kakaling rapids. No sane man
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JOHN LAWE'S MOONLIGHT PLUNGE.
would run this death trap at night. But the boat plunged on. Here was a rush of the torrents over broken rocks and hidden islands. A fall of fifty feet in a mile. A roar of surging water heard far off through the woods like the breakers on the seashore. When he saw through the moonlight the white surf boiling ahead of him, even the hardened scout thought he saw a vision of the white lady on the heights above, a sure sign of death. Even the Indians, born to danger and the river, had not seen the like be- fore. For a moment they ceased their efforts and paled before the sight of plunging waters into which the boat was rushing to a wreck. Surely no craft could run through that chaos of jagged rock and foaming waters in the dim moonlight without being dashed to splinters.
The stone man sat on the silver chest and the boat rushed on. Several crashing noises were heard. The men were nearly thrown out of the boat and the water trickled down the inside .from some ugly cracks as the boat stove heavily against sub- merged rocks. Yet in a few minutes the worst of the rapids were passed in safety. Old Statesburg, whose deserted and rotten cabins, like a phantom village, lay dark along the southern shore, and the Canadian French cabins came into view on the flats at Kaukauna. Still the iron man sitting on the silver chest gave no word to land and sleep. The night was far spent. The paddlers were much exhausted. Swiftly down the smooth currents the boat flew. Now they see far up on the red banks at Little Kakaling the log cabin of Eleazer Williams, the lost dauphin. The morning breaks. Swarms of duck fly up at every turn through the narrows. The high, rolling, beautiful banks, green and wooded, are now outlined in the early morning light. The old mission site of St. Francis Xavier comes in view. They are almost home. They shoot the last rapid, Des Peres, and, plying the paddles for five weary miles farther, leap ashore. The Indians lay down on the grass nearer dead than alive, but the man of the silver chest once more grasps its handles with the Scot and car- ries it to the store. The long midnight ride is ended. They have come seventy miles since sundown, over five lakes and the treach- erous rapids of the lower Fox, by dark and moonlight, a ride never made before or since.
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