Post by gregor on Sept 6, 2015 16:36:09 GMT -5
... and here we go again...
Pretty Rock
aka Felix Brunot
(1854 – 1920)
Inyan Washte
Pretty Rock aka Felix Brunot, born in 1852, succeeded his father Pretty Boy as a band chief when he was only 13 years old and was the first Yankton to attend college. He advocated cooperation and acculturation but without giving up traditions.
He died in 1920 as the last Yankton Band Chief by birthright.
Pretty Rock was Pretty Boy's son who changed his name to Felix Brunot and finally gave up being chief to Mahpiyato (Blue Cloud) or William Bean as he was also called (1833-1918), who was actually the last chief. Pretty Rock was baptized by Mr. Charles C. Cook, the missionary among the Yankton. And Cook also named him Felix Brunot after Felix Reville Brunot (1820-1898), an Episcopal Layman, philanthropist and President of the First Board of Indian Commissioners 1867. In 1877 he worked at St. Paul's Boarding School (Yankton Mission).
Pretty Rock, 1867 Felix Brunot, 1905
In 1892 Felix Brunot was elected Chairman of the Yankton Committee of 24. In this Year a three member “Yankton Indian Commission” (J.C. Adams, John J. Cole and ?), which represented the Secretary of the Interior, traveled to the reservation to discuss the federal government’s interest in acquiring the Tribe’s “surplus land”. Brunot spoke against the selling, while William T. Selwyn, whose father was Medicine Cow, argued in favour of this issue.
Throughout the summer the Commissioners again and again attempted to convince Yanktons through threats and flattery to sell their land - with little success. Felix Brunot, in an act of brilliant political theater, again addressed the crowd stating, “I move all the people in favor of selling their land keep their seats, and those who do not want to sell get up and go outside.” The majority followed Brunot’s motion, leaving Commissioner Cole angrily to adjourn the meeting by shouting, “This action will not decide anything…. We cannot recognize this action.” Unfortunately Cole was legalistic right, because less than 50% of the male tribe members were present. But had he decided the other way round as well?
The Commissioners spent the next three months gathering Yankton signatures to ratify the document, while the Interior Department sent two different independent investigators to the Yankton Reservation to probe charges of coercion, threats, and unscrupulous dealings by the Land Commissioners. Neither investigation substantiated the charges, though both reported that Yanktons felt the price for the land was too low.
Faced with official indifference to their plight, by November of 1893 the majority of Yanktons acquiesced to the 1892 document (= Agreement with the Yankton Sioux, December, 31 1892). According to this agreement the Tribe would “cede, sell, relinquish, and convey to the United States . . . all the unallotted lands on the reservation.” In turn the the United States agreed to pay the Tribe $600,000, or $3.60 an acre. A part of this payment was to be placed into an interest bearing account for the benefit of the Tribe. Some of the interest should be set aside and used “for the care and maintenance of orphans, and aged, infirm, or other helpless persons of the Yankton tribe …. [and] ….. for schools and educational purpose …. and for courts of justice and other local institutions for the benefit of said tribe. Of course these provisions were never honored. Despite his opposition to the agreement, however, Brunot did not deter to accept an acre of land for his services as interpreter.
On Friday, June 14, 1895 the Algona Courier, Iowa wrote:
“Although the old custom of being ruled by chieftains is being superseded by the appointment of Indian judges and Indian police, who have jurisdiction over the reds, there are still several influential chiefs among the Yanktons. Petaga or "Live Coal," is one who still wields large influence. "Feather in the Ear" is also a prominent red. Felix Brunot or "Pretty Rock" holds a high place among his brethren”.
What else do we know about Pretty Rock and his family?
Pretty Rock
aka Felix Brunot
(1854 – 1920)
Inyan Washte
Pretty Rock aka Felix Brunot, born in 1852, succeeded his father Pretty Boy as a band chief when he was only 13 years old and was the first Yankton to attend college. He advocated cooperation and acculturation but without giving up traditions.
He died in 1920 as the last Yankton Band Chief by birthright.
Pretty Rock was Pretty Boy's son who changed his name to Felix Brunot and finally gave up being chief to Mahpiyato (Blue Cloud) or William Bean as he was also called (1833-1918), who was actually the last chief. Pretty Rock was baptized by Mr. Charles C. Cook, the missionary among the Yankton. And Cook also named him Felix Brunot after Felix Reville Brunot (1820-1898), an Episcopal Layman, philanthropist and President of the First Board of Indian Commissioners 1867. In 1877 he worked at St. Paul's Boarding School (Yankton Mission).
Pretty Rock, 1867 Felix Brunot, 1905
In 1892 Felix Brunot was elected Chairman of the Yankton Committee of 24. In this Year a three member “Yankton Indian Commission” (J.C. Adams, John J. Cole and ?), which represented the Secretary of the Interior, traveled to the reservation to discuss the federal government’s interest in acquiring the Tribe’s “surplus land”. Brunot spoke against the selling, while William T. Selwyn, whose father was Medicine Cow, argued in favour of this issue.
Throughout the summer the Commissioners again and again attempted to convince Yanktons through threats and flattery to sell their land - with little success. Felix Brunot, in an act of brilliant political theater, again addressed the crowd stating, “I move all the people in favor of selling their land keep their seats, and those who do not want to sell get up and go outside.” The majority followed Brunot’s motion, leaving Commissioner Cole angrily to adjourn the meeting by shouting, “This action will not decide anything…. We cannot recognize this action.” Unfortunately Cole was legalistic right, because less than 50% of the male tribe members were present. But had he decided the other way round as well?
The Commissioners spent the next three months gathering Yankton signatures to ratify the document, while the Interior Department sent two different independent investigators to the Yankton Reservation to probe charges of coercion, threats, and unscrupulous dealings by the Land Commissioners. Neither investigation substantiated the charges, though both reported that Yanktons felt the price for the land was too low.
Faced with official indifference to their plight, by November of 1893 the majority of Yanktons acquiesced to the 1892 document (= Agreement with the Yankton Sioux, December, 31 1892). According to this agreement the Tribe would “cede, sell, relinquish, and convey to the United States . . . all the unallotted lands on the reservation.” In turn the the United States agreed to pay the Tribe $600,000, or $3.60 an acre. A part of this payment was to be placed into an interest bearing account for the benefit of the Tribe. Some of the interest should be set aside and used “for the care and maintenance of orphans, and aged, infirm, or other helpless persons of the Yankton tribe …. [and] ….. for schools and educational purpose …. and for courts of justice and other local institutions for the benefit of said tribe. Of course these provisions were never honored. Despite his opposition to the agreement, however, Brunot did not deter to accept an acre of land for his services as interpreter.
On Friday, June 14, 1895 the Algona Courier, Iowa wrote:
“Although the old custom of being ruled by chieftains is being superseded by the appointment of Indian judges and Indian police, who have jurisdiction over the reds, there are still several influential chiefs among the Yanktons. Petaga or "Live Coal," is one who still wields large influence. "Feather in the Ear" is also a prominent red. Felix Brunot or "Pretty Rock" holds a high place among his brethren”.
What else do we know about Pretty Rock and his family?
