Post by ephriam on Dec 14, 2008 12:26:31 GMT -5
By Ephriam D. Dickson III
SWAN Magaska. Also translated as White Swan. Family name of a lineage of prominent Minneconjou leaders during the nineteenth century.
SWAN I (c1790?-1866). The Lakota wintercounts first mention Swan in 1824-25 when he lost 20 horses killed by a jealous tribal member. One of his daughters married fur trader Thomas Sarpy who was killed in 1832 when a candle was knocked over into a keg of gun powder and blew up his trading post on Rapid Creek. By the 1860s, Swan was recognized as one of the six hereditary chiefs of the Minneconjou, together with Brave Bear, Makes Room, White Hollow Horn, Black Shield and Lone Horn. White Bull later recalled that of these leaders, Swan “in particular hated the whites,” apparently beginning with an incident in which drunken soldiers looted his lodge. He fought Americans in a number of battles later in his life. Shortly before Swan died in 1866, he warned those gathered: “Friends, you must look out for yourselves and protect your people. Try to kill white men, for the white men have come here to kill you.”1
SWAN II (c1810-1877). Also known as Little Swan. The late headman’s son also became known as Swan and assumed his father’s leadership role in the family band. Born about 1810, this Swan soon took a more moderate position regarding the invading Americans. While he did not sign the Treaty of 1868, he did come in to the Cheyenne River Agency on the Missouri River shortly after and was reportedly well pleased with how he was treated. In October 1869 he left to bring in other bands of Minneconjou but returned in February 1870 saying that the Oglala had swayed the peace talks. General Stanley described him as “a superior Indian, and has always been faithful.” About 1870, Swan allowed his family wintercount to be copied by a surgeon from the adjacent military post. He was one of the prominent headmen selected to represent the Minneconjou as a delegate to Washington D.C. in 1870 and again in 1875. In January 1875, Swan was listed as leader of a band of about 20 lodges at the Cheyenne River Agency.2
By the summer of 1876, a sizeable portion of Swan’s band had left the agency to hunt and visit relatives among the northern bands, including his sons. These band members participated in the battles of Rosebud and Little Bighorn. The elder Swan however remained at Cheyenne River. That fall as the Army prepared to seize the Indian ponies and firearms, a number of Minneconjou including Touch the Clouds, Roman Nose, Bull Eagle and Spotted Elk fled the agency. The elderly Swan however endeavored to persuade his relatives to remain. By October 1876, his band numbered just 9 families. The agent noted that he “claims to be a reformed and good Indian.” Swan died at the agency in 1877.3
SWAN III (c1838-1900). Born about 1838, he was the oldest son of the Minnecoujou leader Swan and his wife Blue Cloud. At the time of the Great Sioux War of 1876-77, he and his brothers Fine Weather and Puts on His Shoes, were visiting relatives in the north. According to family tradition, the brothers all fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. They may have surrendered at Cheyenne River in the spring of 1877. Following the death of his father in 1877, Swan assumed his father’s name and his role as band leader.4
Known later as Paul Swan, he lived the remainder of life on Cheyenne River Reservation, a vocal spokesman and prominent leader among the Minneconjou. He expressed deep dissatisfaction over the land negotiations in 1888 that would decrease the size of the reservation. “I don’t want to make trouble,” he commented at one of the councils, “and for the people’s sake shall advise peace.” He traveled to Washington, D.C. with the 1889 delegation to advocate the needs of the tribe, calling for tribal members to be employed at the agency instead of whites and that the contracts for hay, wood and beef be opened to the tribe as well. He asked for more schools on the reservation and called for compensation for the ponies seized by the army in 1876. During the Ghost Dance troubles, he advocated Big Foot’s band be brought in and disarmed.5
Swan married about 1870 and had several sons, including Edward (born c1871); Douglas (b. c1877) and James (b. c1881). Following the death of his first wife, he remarried about 1890 to Hinzin (later known as Mary Swan). Swan’s community was located north of the agency proper near the mouth of the Cheyenne River. Paul Swan died September 30, 1900. His son, Edward, continued in his family's role into the 20th century as a leader on the Cheyenne River Reservation.6
1 Candace S. Greene and Russell Thornton, The Year the Stars Fell: Lakota Winter Counts at the Smithsonian (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press) p. 175-176. Stanley Vestal, Warpath: The True Story of the fight Sioux Told in a Biography of Chief White Bull (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1934) p. 51. George M. Platte, “Thomas L. Sarpy,” in Leroy Hafen (ed.), The Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the Far West (Glendale, CA: Arthur H. Clark Co., [year]), vol. 3 p. 279-283.
2 Greene and Thornton, The Year the Stars Fell, p. 26-27. James H. Howard, The Warrior Who Killed Custer (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1968) p. 31-32. Stanley to Sheridan, Feb. 12, 1870, quote in New York Times, Mar. 8, 1870. New York Times, July 8, July 9, July 15, 1870; May 19, 1875. Cheyenne River Agency census, Jan. 1875, CoIA Letters Received, NA.
3 Military census, 1876-77, Fort Bennett records, NA.
4 Howard, The Warrior Who Killed Custer , p. 31-32. Donovin A. Sprague, Cheyenne River Sioux, South Dakota (Arcadia, 2003) p. 30.
5 New York Times, Dec. 13, 1890.
6 Cheyenne River Agency Census Records, 1886-1900, National Archives. 1900 Federal Census, Cheyenne River Agency (T623 R1555) p. 217a. Blue Cloud’s “Report on Heirship”, Cheyenne River Reservation, and Amanda Grass Probate record, copies courtesy Bruce Brownwolf, a descendant of the family.
SWAN Magaska. Also translated as White Swan. Family name of a lineage of prominent Minneconjou leaders during the nineteenth century.
SWAN I (c1790?-1866). The Lakota wintercounts first mention Swan in 1824-25 when he lost 20 horses killed by a jealous tribal member. One of his daughters married fur trader Thomas Sarpy who was killed in 1832 when a candle was knocked over into a keg of gun powder and blew up his trading post on Rapid Creek. By the 1860s, Swan was recognized as one of the six hereditary chiefs of the Minneconjou, together with Brave Bear, Makes Room, White Hollow Horn, Black Shield and Lone Horn. White Bull later recalled that of these leaders, Swan “in particular hated the whites,” apparently beginning with an incident in which drunken soldiers looted his lodge. He fought Americans in a number of battles later in his life. Shortly before Swan died in 1866, he warned those gathered: “Friends, you must look out for yourselves and protect your people. Try to kill white men, for the white men have come here to kill you.”1
SWAN II (c1810-1877). Also known as Little Swan. The late headman’s son also became known as Swan and assumed his father’s leadership role in the family band. Born about 1810, this Swan soon took a more moderate position regarding the invading Americans. While he did not sign the Treaty of 1868, he did come in to the Cheyenne River Agency on the Missouri River shortly after and was reportedly well pleased with how he was treated. In October 1869 he left to bring in other bands of Minneconjou but returned in February 1870 saying that the Oglala had swayed the peace talks. General Stanley described him as “a superior Indian, and has always been faithful.” About 1870, Swan allowed his family wintercount to be copied by a surgeon from the adjacent military post. He was one of the prominent headmen selected to represent the Minneconjou as a delegate to Washington D.C. in 1870 and again in 1875. In January 1875, Swan was listed as leader of a band of about 20 lodges at the Cheyenne River Agency.2
By the summer of 1876, a sizeable portion of Swan’s band had left the agency to hunt and visit relatives among the northern bands, including his sons. These band members participated in the battles of Rosebud and Little Bighorn. The elder Swan however remained at Cheyenne River. That fall as the Army prepared to seize the Indian ponies and firearms, a number of Minneconjou including Touch the Clouds, Roman Nose, Bull Eagle and Spotted Elk fled the agency. The elderly Swan however endeavored to persuade his relatives to remain. By October 1876, his band numbered just 9 families. The agent noted that he “claims to be a reformed and good Indian.” Swan died at the agency in 1877.3
SWAN III (c1838-1900). Born about 1838, he was the oldest son of the Minnecoujou leader Swan and his wife Blue Cloud. At the time of the Great Sioux War of 1876-77, he and his brothers Fine Weather and Puts on His Shoes, were visiting relatives in the north. According to family tradition, the brothers all fought at the Battle of the Little Bighorn. They may have surrendered at Cheyenne River in the spring of 1877. Following the death of his father in 1877, Swan assumed his father’s name and his role as band leader.4
Known later as Paul Swan, he lived the remainder of life on Cheyenne River Reservation, a vocal spokesman and prominent leader among the Minneconjou. He expressed deep dissatisfaction over the land negotiations in 1888 that would decrease the size of the reservation. “I don’t want to make trouble,” he commented at one of the councils, “and for the people’s sake shall advise peace.” He traveled to Washington, D.C. with the 1889 delegation to advocate the needs of the tribe, calling for tribal members to be employed at the agency instead of whites and that the contracts for hay, wood and beef be opened to the tribe as well. He asked for more schools on the reservation and called for compensation for the ponies seized by the army in 1876. During the Ghost Dance troubles, he advocated Big Foot’s band be brought in and disarmed.5
Swan married about 1870 and had several sons, including Edward (born c1871); Douglas (b. c1877) and James (b. c1881). Following the death of his first wife, he remarried about 1890 to Hinzin (later known as Mary Swan). Swan’s community was located north of the agency proper near the mouth of the Cheyenne River. Paul Swan died September 30, 1900. His son, Edward, continued in his family's role into the 20th century as a leader on the Cheyenne River Reservation.6
1 Candace S. Greene and Russell Thornton, The Year the Stars Fell: Lakota Winter Counts at the Smithsonian (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press) p. 175-176. Stanley Vestal, Warpath: The True Story of the fight Sioux Told in a Biography of Chief White Bull (Boston: Houghton Mifflin, 1934) p. 51. George M. Platte, “Thomas L. Sarpy,” in Leroy Hafen (ed.), The Mountain Men and the Fur Trade of the Far West (Glendale, CA: Arthur H. Clark Co., [year]), vol. 3 p. 279-283.
2 Greene and Thornton, The Year the Stars Fell, p. 26-27. James H. Howard, The Warrior Who Killed Custer (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1968) p. 31-32. Stanley to Sheridan, Feb. 12, 1870, quote in New York Times, Mar. 8, 1870. New York Times, July 8, July 9, July 15, 1870; May 19, 1875. Cheyenne River Agency census, Jan. 1875, CoIA Letters Received, NA.
3 Military census, 1876-77, Fort Bennett records, NA.
4 Howard, The Warrior Who Killed Custer , p. 31-32. Donovin A. Sprague, Cheyenne River Sioux, South Dakota (Arcadia, 2003) p. 30.
5 New York Times, Dec. 13, 1890.
6 Cheyenne River Agency Census Records, 1886-1900, National Archives. 1900 Federal Census, Cheyenne River Agency (T623 R1555) p. 217a. Blue Cloud’s “Report on Heirship”, Cheyenne River Reservation, and Amanda Grass Probate record, copies courtesy Bruce Brownwolf, a descendant of the family.