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Post by ahmann on Sept 1, 2011 13:31:17 GMT -5
I have a letter dated Dec. 1873 from a doctor relative that took care of Grass a Blackfoot when he died in 1873 at the Grand River Agency. Could there be ANOTHER Grass?
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Post by kingsleybray on Sept 1, 2011 16:17:34 GMT -5
Thanks ahmann for your interesting message. Could you post more details about the letter? John Grass, the famous chief of the Sihasapa Lakota, was born about 1844 and died in 1918. His father was also known as Grass, also as Used As A Shield, and he was a very prominent leader of the Sihasapa in the 1850s, 60s and early 1870s. He was one of three Sihasapa from Grand River Agency to go to Washington in 1872 - the others being Sitting Crow and Iron Scare. Photographs of that visit are elsewhere here on American-tribes. The last reference I could find to Grass the elder was in a May 1873 list of familes engaged in farming at Grand River. By summer 1875 sources identify John Grass as the active leader of his father's band. Since Grass the elder doesn't appear in the extensive census record which kicks in in 1876, it was clear that he must have died c. 1874. Your letter is an important source. It would be great if you would share it with us here!
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Post by ahmann on Sept 2, 2011 8:02:08 GMT -5
Kingsleybray, I will be happy to share the letter. My family also has many of Grass' personal items such as his bow & arrows, quiver, moccasins (spelling), spoon, part of a pipe, and a few others that don't come to mind. This Doctor was my g grandfather's cousin and after Grass died he sent these items to my g grandfather in 1873. this Dr. Mann is an interesting person also. He was severly wounded by Rain-in- Face sometime in 1872 or 3, was withe Custer for 3 years and resigned when Custer was ordered to the Yellowstone in 1876. Google AH Mann to read more but I am always looking for even more info on him if anybody has anything. THANKS!
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Post by kingsleybray on Sept 2, 2011 9:35:18 GMT -5
tremendous, ahmann. Your ancestor certainly sounds a very interesting man. The collection of personal items definitely identified with a named and significant individual - Grass senior - makes for a very important body of material. Would you also consider photographing the collection and posting the pictures here?
Thanks indeed!
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Post by ahmann on Sept 2, 2011 11:34:29 GMT -5
i already have photos. I will scan them over the weekend and post them asap along with the letter.
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Post by ahmann on Sept 14, 2011 9:13:13 GMT -5
to whom it may concern: I looked at my photos and the letter mentioned above and i noticed that some of them were missing. SO, I am in the process of getting the physical items from my cousin so that I can get better photos. I will hopefully get them soon.
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Post by grahamew on Sept 14, 2011 12:55:17 GMT -5
Looking forward to it!
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Post by Dietmar on Sept 17, 2011 16:12:04 GMT -5
ahmann, these are portraits of the older Grass, taken by Alexander Gardner in 1872. He is possibly the man your ancestor, Dr. Mann, treated in 1873. Grass aka Used As A Shield (SIRIS) Grass aka Used As A Shield, profile (SIRIS) Best Wishes Dietmar
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Post by ahmann on Sept 19, 2011 10:21:43 GMT -5
thanks dietmar. Do you know of any other photos? We have what is supposed to be his pipe but the part that is covered by Grass' hand on mine is sort of "screw" shaped. I was wanting to see that part of his pipe.
thanks, Joe
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Post by kingsleybray on Sept 19, 2011 15:03:14 GMT -5
I was looking at the three Sihasapa portraits by Gardner in 1872 - Grass Sr., Sitting Crow, Iron Drives Away (Iron Scares Off etc. - Maza Wanapeya) - and they look to be all holding the same pipe and pipe-bag. I've not checked the other Grand River Agency portraits done at the same time (Hunkpapa, Yanktonai).
ahmann, do you mean that part of the stem of the pipe you have is spiral?
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Post by ahmann on Sept 19, 2011 15:57:47 GMT -5
yes. just below the clay area, the wood is a sprial for about 4-5 inches and then is flat in a more normal way.
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Post by ahmann on Sept 20, 2011 7:55:24 GMT -5
here is the photo of the items that were supposed to belong to Grass the elder and the pipe as described above
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Post by ahmann on Sept 20, 2011 8:06:34 GMT -5
try again Attachments:
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Post by ahmann on Sept 23, 2011 8:39:48 GMT -5
any thoughts from the experts on the items in the photo? looks to me like there are two seperate styles in the beadwork. is the pattern of the beadwork what Grass would have used? is the time period correct? the reason I ask is that family "stories" aren't always correct
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Post by kingsleybray on Sept 27, 2011 16:38:58 GMT -5
I'm not a material culture expert, but the items look fine to be of the right time and place.
The beadwork on the pipebag, those lanes in the middle of the composition, are I think usually diagnostic Cheyenne. Lots of Lakotas carried pipebags in that style though.
The pipe is pretty clearly not the pipe that Grass Sr. carries in the 1872 photograph. Again, that's not a problem. Chiefs, like Indian photographers, tended to have several pipes on hand.
The predominant blue beading on the quiver and bow case: I know that the blue seed beads (smaller than earlier beads) that came in in the mid-19th c. were called "Sioux blue".
But it would be great to have each item separately photographed, ahmann, and if possible in such a way they could be magnified.
Any material culture buffs out there care to make some comments on the photo?
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