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Post by Historian on Mar 12, 2009 13:01:44 GMT -5
 Big Bat Pourier was a Frenchman who married Josephine Richards, a Lakota woman. Big Bat's ability to speak French, English, Lakota and his empathy for the plight of the American Indian, helped him to negotiate the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. He tried to get the best deal possible for the Indian People.
Baptiste Gene Pourier (Big Bat) was born in St. Charles, MO in 1834. When he was 2 years old his father died. Two years later, his mother re-married. He never talked about his step father, which made some assume the two didn't see eye to eye.
At the age of 15 Bat met John Richards, a fellow Frenchman and a frontiersman. The two struck out on the Oregon Trail, which Richards knew well. He knew the customs of the many Indians they met and he and Bat treated them with respect.
The first trip Bat made with Richards to his Wyoming home took 5 months. There Bat met Richard's Lakota wife, Mary and their 3 children. Bat would later marry Josephine, the youngest.
The first time Big Bat met Red Cloud was not long after their arrival at Richard's home. Red Cloud sensed the young man's feelings and invited him to come over to look at his horse. This was the beginning of a long friendship.
In 1858 there was news of gold discovered on Cherry Creek in Colorado. Bat began to deliver freight to Denver from Wyoming.
Beginning in the early 1860's the Indian wars were starting to intensify. This is the time an Indian became an Indian. Whether hostile or friendly, Santee or Minneconju, they all were punished.
In 1867 Congress created a Peace Commission which was to negotiate treaties with the Indians. The negotiations were to take place at Ft. Laramie.
Although according to a sworn deposition, Bat had married another wife in 1862 named White Face. It was also said there is a branch of Pouriers in Montana who are descendants of Big Bat. He was in Montana in 1864. In 1869 Bat married Josephine Richards, daughter of John. He spent the rest of his life with her.
By 1869 the Union Pacific Railroad was completed. Its existence was very detrimental to the buffalo migrations. Many were mass killing buffalo for mere sport as well as a way to control the Indians. The results brought the mighty buffalo very close to extension.
There were days, Big Bat saw so many buffalo killed in the Black Hills that one could step from one to another. Hunters took hides and poisoned the meat. Since the Indians depended on the buffalo for their existence, many began to starve.
Bat actively began interpreting and scouting for the government. He also carried the first ballots in the Territory of Wyoming from Ft. Fetterman to Ft. Laramie which set up the first legislature in the new Territory.
At this point it is hard to stick to the history of Big Bat Pourier without commenting on the history of the Indian wars, discovery of gold in the Black Hills, or a host of other titles that entwined through Big Bat's life during this period of time.
In 1869 Bat moved his family back to Ft. Laramie where he interpreted for the Ft. Laramie Peace Conference in 1868.
In 1874 gold was discovered in the Black Hills. This land had been given to the Indians "as long as the grass grew and the wind blew" in the treaty of 1868 at Ft. Laramie. With Bat as a guide, General Crook went to the Black Hills to keep miners out; instead they found 1200 miners there.
The same year General Sheridan instructed General Crook to prepare to carry on a winter campaign. The Secretary of the Interior notified the Indians that they must come to the Reservation by January 31st, 1876.
How this all happened is a real question. The Indians didn't go by the White calendar and the date January 31st probably had no meaning.
It was at this time General Sheridan ordered the villages, property and stock of "roaming free Indians in unceded Indian Territory on the Powder River" destroyed. The Indians were now to be removed "Army style".
After Crazy Horse was murdered at Fort Robinson in 1877, Big Bat carried his body back to Beaver Creek, where Crazy Horse's Sundance Grounds were located.
Big Bat was scouting for General Crook nine days after the Battle of Little Big Horn when he spotted Indians hot on their trail. Despite Bat's urging to take fast action, the Officers took their time. They then were trapped by the Indians and had to leave their horses in order to escape.
After that incident, Bat moved to Wounded Knee and quite the scouting service. He traded over 1500 head of horses and 20 studs to Ft. Robinson. He then tried to live in St. Charles but soon returned to the Reservation.
He built a large house and the St. Peters Church north of Manderson. Bat and Mary had 11 children who they sent to school in Philadelphia. Religion became more and more important. His long time friend, Red Cloud converted to Catholicism because of Big Bat.
In the winter of 1889 the Wounded Knee Massacre occurred. An eye witness to the event recalled the scene at the age of 94. He covered his eyes with his hands and cried out, "Let me forget, God let me forget!" The soldiers went mad and shouted, "Remember Custer". When it was over 300 Indians were dead.
Soon after the massacre a delegation of Sioux, with Bat as interpreter, went to Washington. The Indian Bureau then tried harder to understand the plight of the Indian and increased the rations.
The Pourier grandchildren remember their grandparents with great love and fond memories. Josephine would not speak English to her grandchildren. She didn't want them to lose their language. They remembered their grandfather Bat's sensitive nature, his good sense of humor, his tears, curses and wonderful stories.
Before his death at the age of 91 Bat was asked in an interview, "Are you an Indian"? Bat concentrated for some time before answering, "Yes, I am an Indian, but I am a white man too." Taken from: www.bigbats.biz/about-big-bat.html******* Baptiste "Big Bat" Pourier Birth: Jul. 16, 1843 - St. Charles County, MO, USA Death: Sep. 17, 1928 - Shannon County, SD, USA Western Frontier Scout and Interpreter. He was a Frenchman who left home on an expedition at the age of 15 to trade with the Indians. It was this early contact that made him one of the greatest scout guides and interpreter of the times. During these trading trips, he met Red Cloud and their friendship endured until Red Cloud's death. He was called 'Big Bat' to distinguish him from Baptiste Garnier, another scout for the military. On his first trip to Wyoming he met John Richards, a fellow Frenchman and a frontiersman who was married to a Lakota Indian. In 1868 he married Richards daughter Josephine and spent the rest of his life with her. By 1869 he moved his family to Fort Laramie where he interpreted for the Fort Laramie Peace Conference. In 1874 he guided General Cook into the Black Hills to keep miners out in a effort to honor the Indian Land Treaty Agreements. While scouting for General Crook nine days after the Battle of Little Big Horn he managed the company to escape being trapped by pursuing warriors. When Crazy Horse was murdered at Fort Robinson in 1877, he carried his body back to Beaver Creek, where Crazy Horse's Sundance Grounds were located. After the Wounded Knee Massacre 1889, he went to Washington as a interpreter for the delegation of Sioux at the Indian Bureau. After that incident, he moved to Wounded Knee and quite the scouting service. He became a horse trader for a while and tried to live in St. Charles but soon returned to the Reservation. Big Bat was known as being second to none in his scouting abilities and being straightforward and honest in all of his dealings. Taken from: www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=gr&GRid=7910942******* Big Bat Pourier (October 5, 1841 - September 7, 1928) Big Bat Pourier was also known as John Porie. He was described as Red hair. He was Catholic. Big Bat Pourier was also known as Jean Baptiste Pourier.
Big was born at St. Charles, St. Charles Co., Missouri, USA, on October 5, 1841. He was the son of Joseph Pourier and Marie Aubuchon.
Big traveled at St. Charles, St. Charles Co., Missouri, USA, in 1858. He moved in 1858 at St. Charles, St. Charles Co., Missouri, USA. He resided at Fort Laramie Region, USA, after 1868.
Soon after Bat's marriage, he moved with the Richard family to the Chugwater where there was good grass and water. Here the Indians were constantly driving off their horses and cattle. Finnaly they had to move closer to a small garrison on the Chugwater. Here the Cheyennes dashed in and took all their horses, but they came back to the bell mare. The men shoot two of the party and recovered all their lost horses.
Bat moved three miles up the Laramie River from Fort Laramie across the river from the Cuny, Ecoffy and Richard Ranch and Roadhouse and Saloon. Here Bat's home was often used as the official polling place for the area. Many of the voters were Indian women, some of the first women to vote. Apparently the voting records have been lost.
Big's occupation: Post guide and interpreter at Fort Laramie (1834 - 1890), Platte Co., Missouri Territory, USA, in 1869. Bat was first hired as an interpreter and guide in 1869 when McClosky, the interpreter at Fort Laramie, was in Washington with the Red Cloud party. He was stationed at the garrison on the Chugwater at Hi Kelly's place with the 5th Cavalry under Major Hart. He was discharged from the service and went to Fort Fetterman where Louis was taking care of John's business while he was away.
Josephine had not even had time to greet all her family and show them a new baby, Alice, when Bat came with a letter from Fort Laramie which told of the murder of McClosky by John Bouyer, half-brother of Mitch Bouyer. Bat replaced McClosky as Post guide and interpreter.
He married Josephine Richard (b. 9, 1853, d. February, 1936) at Laramie Co., Wyoming Territory, USA, on October 22, 1869.
Big's occupation: He was a US. Army Scout.
"Jules Ecoffey, from the nearby Three Mile Ranch; Baptiste "Big Bat" Pourier, a scout and interpreter often on the Fort Laramie rolls who was living along the Chugwater Creek; and Louis Richard, another Fort Laramie regular and an intimate friend of Chief Red Cloud. Before Crook departed from Fort Laramie, the list of scouts reached nearly forty. Most were mixed-bloods hired from the settlements below Fort Laramie and from the Red Cloud Agecy. All were put in charge of Major Thaddeus Harlan Stanton, a paymaster in the department who doubled as troubleshooter and frequent chief of scouts for Crook."
[Hedren, Paul L. , Fort Laramie in Eighteen Seventy-six: ,1988, pp.59-60] at Dakota Territory, USA, in 1876.
He resided at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, Manderson, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, after 1880. He was listed as husband of Josephine Richard on the Indian Census in 1896 at Pine Ridge Indian Reservation, South Dakota, USA. Big died on September 7, 1928 at Holy Rosary Cemetery, Pine Ridge, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, at age 86. His body was interred at Pine Ridge, Shannon Co., South Dakota, USA, at Holy Rosary Cemetery.
Children of Big Bat Pourier and Josephine Richard
Alice Aldene Pourier+ b. July 8, 1870, d. December 8, 1959
Elizabeth Pourier+ b. 1872, d. August 16, 1929
John Pourier II+ b. 1872, d. circa 1930
Josephine Pourier b. 1876, d. 1883
Joseph Pourier Sr.+ b. 1878, d. September 15, 1908
Louis Pourier+ b. 1880, d. November 1, 1937
Amelia Pourier b. 1882
Emile Albert Pourier+ b. 1882, d. November 30, 1954
Livia Mary Pourier+ b. 1884, d. 1986
Ellen Pourier+ b. 1886, d. 1960
Peter Pourier+ b. 1888, d. 1956
Rose Pourier+ b. 1890, d. 1965
Charles Pourier+ b. 1892, d. 1945Taken from: freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~mikestevens/tiyo2-p/p29.htm#i970******* Another source: Gilbert, Hilda, George Harris and Bernice Pourier-Harris. 1968. Big Bat Pourier: Guide & Interpreter, Fort Laramie, 1870-1880. Mills Company, Sheridan, WY.  |
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Post by jinlian on Mar 12, 2009 17:34:42 GMT -5
 Baptiste Pourier, detail from the 1891 delegation group photo  Pourier and wife, 1920s |
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Post by awynative on Sept 17, 2012 17:55:48 GMT -5
This long post of Mar 2009 has three sections. The source for the first and longest-- www.bigbats.biz/about-big-bat.htmlis NOT retrievable. It is a narrative which appears to be primarily comprised of oral history along with the writer's generalizations. I'd like to know more information about the source. From where does "middle name" Gene come? Father in law John Richard was also known as Pete Richard and Pete "Reshaw." He was French. The latter spelling would be a phonetic pronunciation of Richard in French. Here, the wife of John Richard was "Mary." I'd like to know her Lakota name. Josephine, Big Bat's wife, had a sister named Elizabeth. Elizabeth married Hiram "Hi" B. Kelly. Kelly became a prosperous stockman and resident in the area of present day Chugwater, Wyoming. Passed down to descendants of Elizabeth was that she was a granddaughter of Red Cloud. That would make John Richard's wife a daughter of Red Cloud. Section 2 ...a "lift" from the memorial to Big Bat from the Find a Grave website. Big Bat's registration number on f*g is 7910942. The biographical narrative here by the memorialist is also not sourced. It "mimics" the narrative found in the first section of this thread. The entire thread has as many as 4 birthdates for Big Bat. At least the f*g memorial has a photograph of the headstone which is the best source for birth and death: 1843 - 1928. He is Baptiste "Big Boy" Pourier. There is no "Gene." Section 3 Having a genealogical format, it declares: 1. marriage for Big Bat and Josephine in 1869 2. a dob for Josephine in 1853 As apparently the youngest child, the birthdate is probably correct. Sister Elizabeth was born in 1849. Once again, I'm interested in the source for section 1. I am: Clint Black cjoblack@comcast.net Thank you. |
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Post by ephriam on Apr 11, 2014 6:23:41 GMT -5
Undated interview [1907] with Pourier, from the Edmond S. Meany Papers (Box 13 Folder 20):
Pourier, Batiste
born St. Charles, Mo., 1844
Came out on plains in1858, to drive bull team to Platte Bridger, Wyoming (now) from Leavenworth for a trader John Richard. Kept working for him driving teams and t[r]adding with the Ogalals, Arapahoes and Cheyennes.
Hunted for John Stewsbury who was furnishing meat for Fort C. F. Smith, one year, then did some for son of John Richard who had hay and wood camp.
In 1868 started back for Laramie as wagonmaster for John Richard.
In October 1869 married sister of John Richard and in May hired to Government as guide and interpreter. Worked wall summer as scout for 5th Cavalry. In the fall moved with 5th Cav. to [Fort] Laramie and became interpreter at $100 a month. Stayed there ten years but General Crook, on starting the Rosebud expedition, asked General Smith for the services of Pourier as scout and Crook offer him $150 a month, so he went.
(insert dictated letter)
The Sioux killed "Baldy" Major Brown and his whole company, 95 in all, while Pourier was hunting for Richard.
In 1877 sent with Lieutenant Clark to persuade the Sioux to go to Tongue River near the present Miles City for a reservation but they declined and began to split and go in different directions. They are sorry now that they did not take Tongue River.
Big Road's band was the last that left us at the mouth of Little White River. Big Road's name is Chun-Ko-Tonka. His son is now at Wounded Knee.
5th March 1878 left the camp and returned to [Fort] Laramie and quit working for the Government. Went on his own place near [Fort] Laramie.
Got a place ten miles from sub agency and been there ever since. Six girls and six boys all living but one girl. His wife is 1/8 Sioux.
In the olden times the bravest became chief but now the son succeeds to the chieftainship.
Red Cloud's father was a chief but Red Cloud himself was a great man and big chief.
Old Man Afraid of his Horses was a great chief, was succeeded by his son Young Man Afraid of His Horses who was greater than his father. He is now dead and his brother has succeeded but he is no good.
Crazy Horse became chief through his own bravery. His father survived him but was not a chief. He was a quiet man and of high bravery. Pourier saw him at Rosebud gallop around a little hill 300 yards from the soldiers who fired volleys at him. "I myself fired at him four times but missed him and I was a good shot them days too." The Indians say this was because of his great medicine.
Pourier was with Crazy Horse when he died. He was to have accompanied the chief to Omaha but the chief balked at the guard house and pulled his knife. There was a scuffle and a soldier stabbed the chief through the kidneys and he never spoke afterwards.
His father buried him in a cliff overlooking White Horse Creek but later the father took the bones and buried them in secret, where no one knows.
Pourier was with a party that captured a Cheyenne village on fork of the Powder River [in margin: Camp was on Crazy Woman Creek.] where Capt. [Lieut.] McKinney was killed. Near there Fort McKinney on this side of old Fort Phil Kearney. 37 soldiers killed and wounded and 15 Indians killed. There Pourier got necklace of fingers which he gave to Lt. B[o]urke. It is now in Washington, D.C.
During the Wounded Knee trouble he sent his family into Pine Ridge and he stayed to care for his place until the General sent Frank Gruard, scout, to have him go into the agency. He did so and soldiers took all his goods. Quartermaster afterward paid him for those goods.
[Typed letter, to be inserted above:]
Manderson, So. Dak., July 17, 1907
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
I, Batiste Pourer, left Fort Laramie with General Crook's division in June, 876. When we arrived on the Tongue River (or Goose Creek, as it was called), Gen. Crook sent us out to secure Crow scouts. Three of us went, Frank Grouard, Louis Richard and myself. We went to the Big Horn River and across to the Little Box Elder, where the Indian village was situated.
We told them what we had come for. We collected a large number from 75 to 100, and returned to the command. The next day the command started for Rosebud, and when we arrived there early in the morning of the second day, the Crow scouts went out and came back, saying that the Sioux were going to charge. The cavalry were unsaddled, and the Sioux charged on them; The Crow and Snake scouts counter-charged. This gave time for the cavalry to saddle their horses and charge the Sioux. We fought there about two and a quarter hours, according to the officers. 37 soldiers were killed and wounded; six Crows were wounded, and five Snakes wounded and one killed and scalped.
We drove them back to Rosebud Hill, and when we started to follow them down the canyon, the Crows refused to go, and said they were going to turn back with their wounded. I told this to Gen. Crook, and said that the canyon was full of Sioux, as thick as the grass on the prairies. The General said: "What do you think of it?" I said: "We had better return. I noticed little piles of cartridges today where the soldiers had been shooting -- 10 or 15 in a pile. You started with 100 rounds, and I will bet some of the soldiers have none left at all." Crook said "Orderly, you go call the Captains." When they came he said "How much ammunition have you?" They replied: "Most of the men have none at all; some have 10 or 15 -- a few 50."
We went back. Frank Grouard was head guide; he had been in that country for six years with Crazy Horse's band, and knew the country. Grouard said to Gen. Crook, "You had better send for re-inforcements. You will never get back if you enter that Canyon.["]
Bull Snake was shot in the thigh, shattering the bone. They put him on a horse and tied his leg with sticks to the neck of a horse, and that night he rode 45 miles to Big Horn. He was crippled for life.
We went back to the command. Gen. Crook sent Louis Richard back to Laramie [to] get the 5th Cavalry. We moved down to the Tongue River, across to ___er River, where we met Terry.
About eight days after this [Rosebud Battle] the Custer Battle took place.
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wyman
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Post by wyman on Sept 30, 2014 14:08:06 GMT -5
Undated interview [1907] with Pourier, from the Edmond S. Meany Papers (Box 13 Folder 20): Pourier, Batiste born St. Charles, Mo., 1844 Came out on plains in1858, to drive bull team to Platte Bridger, Wyoming (now) from Leavenworth for a trader John Richard. Kept working for him driving teams and t[r]adding with the Ogalals, Arapahoes and Cheyennes. Hunted for John Stewsbury who was furnishing meat for Fort C. F. Smith, one year, then did some for son of John Richard who had hay and wood camp. In 1868 started back for Laramie as wagonmaster for John Richard. In October 1869 married sister of John Richard and in May hired to Government as guide and interpreter. Worked wall summer as scout for 5th Cavalry. In the fall moved with 5th Cav. to [Fort] Laramie and became interpreter at $100 a month. Stayed there ten years but General Crook, on starting the Rosebud expedition, asked General Smith for the services of Pourier as scout and Crook offer him $150 a month, so he went. (insert dictated letter) The Sioux killed "Baldy" Major Brown and his whole company, 95 in all, while Pourier was hunting for Richard. In 1877 sent with Lieutenant Clark to persuade the Sioux to go to Tongue River near the present Miles City for a reservation but they declined and began to split and go in different directions. They are sorry now that they did not take Tongue River. Big Road's band was the last that left us at the mouth of Little White River. Big Road's name is Chun-Ko-Tonka. His son is now at Wounded Knee. 5th March 1878 left the camp and returned to [Fort] Laramie and quit working for the Government. Went on his own place near [Fort] Laramie. Got a place ten miles from sub agency and been there ever since. Six girls and six boys all living but one girl. His wife is 1/8 Sioux. In the olden times the bravest became chief but now the son succeeds to the chieftainship. Red Cloud's father was a chief but Red Cloud himself was a great man and big chief. Old Man Afraid of his Horses was a great chief, was succeeded by his son Young Man Afraid of His Horses who was greater than his father. He is now dead and his brother has succeeded but he is no good. Crazy Horse became chief through his own bravery. His father survived him but was not a chief. He was a quiet man and of high bravery. Pourier saw him at Rosebud gallop around a little hill 300 yards from the soldiers who fired volleys at him. "I myself fired at him four times but missed him and I was a good shot them days too." The Indians say this was because of his great medicine. Pourier was with Crazy Horse when he died. He was to have accompanied the chief to Omaha but the chief balked at the guard house and pulled his knife. There was a scuffle and a soldier stabbed the chief through the kidneys and he never spoke afterwards. His father buried him in a cliff overlooking White Horse Creek but later the father took the bones and buried them in secret, where no one knows. Pourier was with a party that captured a Cheyenne village on fork of the Powder River [in margin: Camp was on Crazy Woman Creek.] where Capt. [Lieut.] McKinney was killed. Near there Fort McKinney on this side of old Fort Phil Kearney. 37 soldiers killed and wounded and 15 Indians killed. There Pourier got necklace of fingers which he gave to Lt. B[o]urke. It is now in Washington, D.C. During the Wounded Knee trouble he sent his family into Pine Ridge and he stayed to care for his place until the General sent Frank Gruard, scout, to have him go into the agency. He did so and soldiers took all his goods. Quartermaster afterward paid him for those goods. [Typed letter, to be inserted above:] Manderson, So. Dak., July 17, 1907 TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: I, Batiste Pourer, left Fort Laramie with General Crook's division in June, 876. When we arrived on the Tongue River (or Goose Creek, as it was called), Gen. Crook sent us out to secure Crow scouts. Three of us went, Frank Grouard, Louis Richard and myself. We went to the Big Horn River and across to the Little Box Elder, where the Indian village was situated. We told them what we had come for. We collected a large number from 75 to 100, and returned to the command. The next day the command started for Rosebud, and when we arrived there early in the morning of the second day, the Crow scouts went out and came back, saying that the Sioux were going to charge. The cavalry were unsaddled, and the Sioux charged on them; The Crow and Snake scouts counter-charged. This gave time for the cavalry to saddle their horses and charge the Sioux. We fought there about two and a quarter hours, according to the officers. 37 soldiers were killed and wounded; six Crows were wounded, and five Snakes wounded and one killed and scalped. We drove them back to Rosebud Hill, and when we started to follow them down the canyon, the Crows refused to go, and said they were going to turn back with their wounded. I told this to Gen. Crook, and said that the canyon was full of Sioux, as thick as the grass on the prairies. The General said: "What do you think of it?" I said: "We had better return. I noticed little piles of cartridges today where the soldiers had been shooting -- 10 or 15 in a pile. You started with 100 rounds, and I will bet some of the soldiers have none left at all." Crook said "Orderly, you go call the Captains." When they came he said "How much ammunition have you?" They replied: "Most of the men have none at all; some have 10 or 15 -- a few 50." We went back. Frank Grouard was head guide; he had been in that country for six years with Crazy Horse's band, and knew the country. Grouard said to Gen. Crook, "You had better send for re-inforcements. You will never get back if you enter that Canyon.["] Bull Snake was shot in the thigh, shattering the bone. They put him on a horse and tied his leg with sticks to the neck of a horse, and that night he rode 45 miles to Big Horn. He was crippled for life. We went back to the command. Gen. Crook sent Louis Richard back to Laramie [to] get the 5th Cavalry. We moved down to the Tongue River, across to ___er River, where we met Terry. About eight days after this [Rosebud Battle] the Custer Battle took place. |
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