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Post by jones on Feb 29, 2016 17:31:41 GMT -5
This what you're looking for? This actually pertains to some mysterious 1809 initials carved in stone in my family's pasture, so I've read it several times. user.xmission.com/~drudy/mtman/html/thomintr.htmlWilliam H. Thomas was the surgeon to the Missouri Fur Company's party, that, in 1809, ascended the Missouri River to the Mandan Villages.
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Post by jones on Feb 27, 2016 21:37:34 GMT -5
Initially, in 1840, George Catlin was simply exhibiting his many artworks and Indian artifacts in the Egyptian Hall in London. His rent for the hall was expensive, and after a few months his exhibit wasn't attracting enough people to pay expenses, so he added a stage production to lure more customers. By hiring white people, disguised as Indians, to perform dances, mock scalpings and general savage cruelty, his audience numbers increased for a short time. In 1843, when his audience began to decline once again, he linked up with a guy named Rankin, who had brought a group of genuine Indians to Britain. They were Canadian Ojibwa Indians brought over to negotiate annuity payments with British agents. After they completed their business, Rankin saw an opportunity to exploit them, and he eventually went into partnership with Catlin, which allowed Catlin to replace his fake Indians with real Indians. Over the course of three years, Catlin's art exhibit had morphed into a wild west show, but his partnership with Rankin quickly soured; Rankin took his Ojibwas away, and Catlin again found himself struggling to pay expenses. When built in 1812, Egyptian Hall was a natural history museum, for which Catlin's art and artifact collection was a perfect fit, but within a few decades it was a venue for acts resembling circus sideshows, and in 1844, P.T. Barnum brought his "General Tom Thumb" to the hall. Barnum's exploitation of a six-year-old dwarf was incredibly successful, whereas Catlin's show in another room of the hall was struggling for survival. It was then that Catlin learned that an old acquaintance of his, G.H.C. Melody, then an agent for Barnum, was bringing a group of Ioway Indians to London, at which point, Catlin entered into a partnership with Barnum. ........... War Department, Washington City, Sept. 14th, 1843.
Dear Sir, In answer to your application relative to Mr. Melody's making a tour to Europe with a party of Ioway Indians, as well as to a similar one on his behalf from the Rev. Wm. P. Cochran, of Marian County, Missouri, I beg leave to say, that it has not been usual to grant any permissions of the kind, and the verbal instructions to the Agents, Superintendents, &c. have been against permitting such tours, for the reason, I presume, that the persons having them in charge are usually men who merely wish to make money out of them by exhibitions, without taking any care of their habits or morals, or inducing them to profit by what they see and hear upon their route. In the present case, however, I do not think that the evils usually to be apprehended will occur, from the character of Mr. Melody, and the mode in which the Indians are proposed to be selected. This I understand is to be done by the Chief, White Cloud, with the full assent of the individuals thus selected, and their continuance on the tour to be their own act. Under all the circumstances, I suppose all the Department can do, is to allow Mr. Melody and the Chiefs of the tribe to do as they please, without imposing the usual or any prohibition. I am, yours, very truly, J. M. Porter, Secretary at War Vespasian Ellis, Esq. .......... Barnum and Melody handled the promotional end of the deal, and Catlin continued with the show's management. Initially fourteen Ioway Indians arrived in London, but the baby, Corsair, (named after the riverboat they'd taken on the Ohio River) died shortly after their arrival. As with any and everything associated with Barnum, sensationalism was the key to success, and Catlin's scalping and waring acts became progressively more realistic. The act was performed in a nearby park for four hours each day, and then taken indoors for two more hours in the evening. Some critics said watching a real scalping would be less gruesome than watching Catlin's show.
Within a year, Catlin's partnership with Barnum came to an end. Catlin became thoroughly disgusted with Barnum, calling him a unprincipled Blackguard. The friction between the two, resulting in much name-calling, was actually about money that Catlin owed to Barnum, but Catlin pretended that he was engaged in an educational and cultural exchange, whereas Barnum's goals were purely mercenary. Catlin's next move was to take his show to France, where his Indians entertained the King and his royal family. Sadly, the mother of the baby Corsair (who had died the previous year), died when they were in France.
..... "Tell these good fellows that I (Louis-Philippe, King of France) am glad to see them; that I have been in many of the wigwams of the Indians in America when I was a young man, and they treated me every where kindly, and I love them for it.—Tell them I was amongst the Senecas near Buffalo, and the Oneidas—that I slept in the wigwams of the chiefs—that I was amongst the Shawnees and Delawares on the Ohio; and also amongst the Cherokees and Creeks in Georgia and Tennessee, and saw many other tribes as I descended the Ohio river the whole length, and also the Mississippi to New Orleans, in a small boat, more than fifty years ago." . . The King then took from his pocket two large gold medals with his own portrait in relief on one side of them, and told me he wished to present them to the two chiefs with his own hand . . . The King and Royal Family then took leave; and as they were departing, some one of them being attracted to the Indian drum which Jeffrey had brought in his hand, and had left upon the floor in another part of the room, and inquiring what it was, was told that it was their drum which they had brought with them, supposing it possible they might be called upon to give a dance. This information overtook the King, and he said, "By all means; call the Queen:" and in a few moments the august assembly were all back to witness the dance . . . This information overtook the King, and he said, "By all means; call the Queen" . . . The Doctor led off first in the character (as he called it) of a soaring eagle, sounding his eagle whistle, which he carried in his left hand, with his fan of the eagle's tail, while he was brandishing his lance in the other. At the first pause he instantly stopped, and, in the attitude of an orator, made his boast of an instance where he killed an enemy in single combat, and took his scalp. The Little Wolf, and Wash-ka-mon-ya, and others, then sprang upon their feet, and sounding their chattering whistles,* and brandishing their polished weapons, gave an indescribable wildness and spirit to the scene. When the dance was finished, the Indians had the pleasure of receiving their Majesties' applause, by the violent clapping of their hands, and afterwards by expressions of their pleasure and admiration, conveyed to them through the interpreter.
......... The "head chief" in charge of the Ioway troupe was Mahaska Ii "Francis White Cloud", although, as an Ioway linguist told me, "head chief" is a white man's invention. Some chiefs were more influential than others, but decisions were made by tribal councils. Francis White Cloud inherited the title of "head chief" when his father, also named Mahaska, was killed by his own people in 1834. The original Mahaska's father was Mauhawgaw "Wounding Arrow". The Ioway (Aiouez) lived on the upper Missouri River when he was born. During Mauhawgaw's lifetime battles with the Sioux were so frequent, the Ioways were compelled to accept an invitation by Pierre Laclede to relocate to what is now southeastern Iowa. Laclede (founder of St. Louis in 1764) promised them protection from the Sioux in exchange for trading privileges. Nonetheless, Mauhawgaw was killed in a battle with the Sioux at their new location. By the early 1800s the Ioways had returned to the Missouri River, but considerably farther downstream than their previous location. Francis White Cloud was living on the Ioway reservation (in present-day northeastern Kansas) when he joined Melody's troupe in 1844. At that time he said he had never killed nor scalped a man. Three years after he returned from Europe (1848), Francis White Cloud led raid on the Pawnees. Perhaps he had begun to believe the sham that he had been engaged in with Catlin. As a result of his foolish raid, the Ioway tribal council stripped him of his title, and Notchininga "No Heart" became their most influential leader. No Heart was Mahaska I's brother. Francis White Cloud was killed by Pawnees in December 1851. His son, James White Cloud (maternal grandson of Joseph Robidoux), was born in 1840 (some say 1849), and he died in 1940.
A portrait of Francis White Cloud (Young Mahaska) was painted by Charles Bird King. King had painted portraits of Francis White Cloud's parents a twelve years earlier. Catlin painted Francis White Cloud's portrait, as well as portraits of his wife and daughter when they were in London.
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Post by jones on Feb 25, 2016 16:00:51 GMT -5
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Post by jones on Feb 24, 2016 18:48:21 GMT -5
The Skidi Pawnee Morning Star sacrificial ritual was a long drawn out ceremony. Pierre de Smet learned of it from two traders (Papin and Dougherty) who had been traders among the Pawnee in the early part of the 1800s. Dougherty lived among them for several years, so he would have most likely witnessed several of these events. Life, letters and travels of Father Pierre-Jean de Smet, S.J., 1801-1873 By Pierre-Jean de Smet Philadelphia, April 6, 1847. Mr. J. D. Bryant (The account of human sacrifice among the Pawnees was published as Letters XXVI, Oregon Missions, XXVIII, Missions de I'Oregon. It is dated as above in both, but addressed in French to a Father. The English, which seems to be a translation from the French, is here followed.) In their religious ceremonies they dance, sing and pray before a bird stuffed with all kinds of roots and herbs used in their superstition. They have a fabulous tradition, which teaches them that the morning star sent this bird to their ancestors, as its representative, with orders to invoke it on all important occasions and to exhibit it in times of sacrifice. . .They are firmly persuaded that human sacrifices are most agreeable to the Great Spirit. Hence, when the Pawnee takes a prisoner and wishes to render himself acceptable to heaven, he devotes it to the morning star. At the time of sacrifice, he delivers the prisoner over into the hands of the jugglers . . . The victim in this horrid transaction was a young Sioux or Dakota girl, aged fifteen years, who had been taken prisoner by the Pawnees about six months previous to her immolation. . . and everywhere was treated, in appearance at least, rather as a fond friend than as a prisoner. It is the custom thus to prepare the victim, in order to conceal their infernal design. The rest of the story books.google.com/books?id=h9dYAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA978&lpg=PA978#v=onepage&q&f=trueThe Pawnee Indians by George E. Hyde "The Skidi had kidnapped a Ietan girl to sacrifice at planting time. Knife Chief tried to have her released after she had already been tied to a scaffold. It was then that Petalesharo, who had a reputation for courage, came to her rescue. None of the warriors attempted to stop him, when he cut her free, put her on his horse and delivered her to safety." I paraphrased much of the following from Hyde's book. But the next year, 1818, a Skidi warrior captured a young Spanish boy from New Mexican hunters, and they intended to use him for their spring sacrifice. When he and his party arrived home at their village, Knife Chief and Petalesharo failed to free the boy. Knife Chief then enlisted help from other Skidi chiefs, and the French trader, Papin, in an attempt to buy the boy from the warrior, and according to Hyde, Papin's offer was generous but the warrior refused, which caused Knife Chief "to spring at him with a war club", but at the last second, he withheld his blow, and instead of using violence, he offered selected items of his own personal property for a ransom payment, and the warrior agreed. Account of an Expedition from Pittsburgh to the Rocky Mountains Volume 2 By Edwin James, Stephen Harriman Long, Thomas Say books.google.com/books?id=ys5jAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA79&lpg=PA79#v=onepage&q&f=trueThis excerpt is from an account from Major Long's expedition in 1819-20. This particular event happened when they were heading west up the Platte in 1820. Dr Say's detachment had already been attacked by Pawnees seven miles north of the Kaw Villiage (at the mouth of the Blue Earth River) the year before (1819). They weren't harmed, but they were robbed of their provisions and were reportedly "humiliated" which might mean they were stripped naked. John Dougherty was with Say, but was out hunting when they were attacked by war party, so he wasn't aware of it until later. Long's party spent the winter at Cantonment Engineer (Council Bluffs area) on the Missouri River and then continued their expedition up the Platte River to the Rockies the following spring. Dougherty, who spoke Caddoan and Siouan languages (as well as other Indian languages) managed to get the Pawnees to return the stolen goods. As they progressed along: "Towards evening, Sharetarish arrived with his dancers, thirty or forty in number, who were all accoutred and painted for the occasion." And the following morning: "After waiting a short time, we observed, at the distance of a mile before us, a great number of mounted Indians emerging suddenly, apparently from the plain itself, for we could not then see a ravine that had previously concealed them from our view. They immediately began to ride in various directions, and to perform numerous evolutions, until the whole were arranged in a widely-extended line. These rapid movements, which attracted our attention from other objects, having ceased, we perceived a small body of men in front, whose movements were independent of the others, and who were advancing at a moderate pace. When all were formed, they set forwards, slowly at first, but gradually increasing their speed as they approached, until they surrounded us at a full charge. It is impossible by description to do justice to the scene of savage magnificence that was now displayed. Between three and four hundred mounted Indians, dressed in their richest habiliments of war, were rushing around us in every direction, with streaming feathers, war weapons, and with loud shouts and yells. The few whom we had observed in advance of the main body, and whom, as they came near, we recognized to be the chief men, presented a perfect contrast to the others in their slow movements, and simplicity of dress. Courtesy obliged us to shake hands with each individual, as they came to us in succession for that purpose, nor was a single soldier of our train forgotten on this occasion by any one of them. They expressed great satisfaction on account of our visit, rubbing their breasts in token of the sincerity of this pleasure. Many remarked that the nation had been mourning for their grievous losses in a recent battle with an enemy, but that now grief should give place to rejoicing. Major O'Fallon addressed the Indians as usual, after which we again moved on towards the village. Latelesha, the grand chief, perceiving that the division of his warriors that were on our left, raised some dust on the march, ordered them all to leeward, that we might not be incommoded. Almost from the beginning of this interesting fete, our attention had been attracted to to a young man who seemed to be the leader or partizan of the warriors. He was about twenty-three years of age, of the finest form, tall, muscular, exceedingly graceful, and of a most prepossessing countenance. His head dress of war eagles' feathers, descended in a double series upon his back like wings, to his saddle croup; his shield was highly decorated, and his long lance was ornamented by a plaited casing of red and blue cloth. On inquiring of the interpreter, our admiration was augmented by learning that he was no other than Petalesharoo, with whose name and character we were already familiar." Major Long's map
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Post by jones on Feb 24, 2016 16:11:41 GMT -5
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Post by jones on Feb 24, 2016 14:41:40 GMT -5
Dietmar, The top portrait is indeed that of Petalesharo. His portrait was supposedly the first sketched image of a plains Indian wearing a feathered headdress. I'll write some more about him later. The second portrait you posted isn't White Plume -- it is the Oto Chief, L'Ietan "Prairie Wolf". He was a colorful character. I'll tell some of his history later as well. I'll post links to all of the others in awhile too. They are the Pawnee, Sharitarish "Wicked Chief" and tge Kaw Chief White Plume. The portraits of Petalesharo, L'Ietan, Wicked Chief and White Plume have been on display on each side of a doorway in the Whitehouse Library for several decades. Another of King's portraits in the library is of Haynes Hudjihini "Eagle of Delight, L'Ietan's wife.
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Post by jones on Feb 23, 2016 20:48:13 GMT -5
Yes, you are correct -- the first Knife Chief to make our attention was a chief of the Skidi band. He was one of the Pawness who held council with Zebulon Pike. His later fame came when he and his son, Petalesharo, put an end to the sacrificial Morning Star ritual. However, that sacrificial rite did continue sporadically into the 1830s. When Petalesharo was taken to Washington DC in 1821-22 his reputation preceded him and he was welcomed like a rock-star would be today. His portrait was painted by Charles Bird King, and that portrait is on display in the White House Library along with a few other of King's portraits, which includes the Kaw Chief "White Plume". The portraits are shown on the website linked below. www.whitehouse.gov/photos-and-video/photogallery/library
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Post by jones on Feb 23, 2016 18:30:21 GMT -5
Well, here's the thing -- one of Saint-Memin's portraits was used in the 1827 book and then again in the 2013 book, and that portrait is supposedly of Big Soldier. Earlier I mistakenly said only one of the five Saint-Memin's portraits of Osage was labelled by name, but two were named and only one was dated (1804). The named and dated one was Pawhuska "White Hair" and the other named one was Ke-He-Kah Shinkah (AKA Little Chief), which had been botched by Saint-Memin to read Cashunghia. Anyway, I'll simply link to the pages of Least Heat Moon's book until I can figure out how to paste pictures in this text box. First I'll link to Saint-Memin's portrait of Little Chief (AKA Track & Big Foot). He was just a teenager when this portrait was sketched, and he might have been little then, but he became tall and athletic, so I prefer to call him Track rather than Little Chief. I avoid calling him Big Foot so as not to be confusing him with the Sioux killed in the Wounded Knee massacre. Here's his portrait books.google.com/books?id=D8IcAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA31&lpg=PA31#v=onepage&q&f=trueThis next link will take you to the portrait mistakenly labeled Big Soldier. Without cheating, how old does this guy look to be? What is the youngest age he could possibly be? books.google.com/books?id=D8IcAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA32&lpg=PA32#v=onepage&q&f=trueHopefully you aren't reading ahead before deciding his age. Two sources give his age as 45, but that was when he was in Paris 22 or 23 years after the portrait was sketched. Obviously, the sketch is not of somebody 22 or 23 years old. This link will take you to the portrait gallery in William Trogdon's book. books.google.com/books?id=D8IcAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA29&lpg=PA29#v=onepage&q&f=true At someplace in the book it said (or insinuated) the artist, Boilly, only sketched 3 of the 6 Osage who went to Europe, but he drew all 6', and I have copies of all 6. They're posted in the National Portrait Gallery's webpage. Another thing -- Page 8 says Big Soldier went to Washington and visited with Thomas Jefferson, but according to his own testimony to President Madison in 1812, he said it was his first time there. Here's the link to that page books.google.com/books?id=D8IcAgAAQBAJ&pg=PA8&lpg=PA8#v=onepage&q&f=true
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Post by jones on Feb 23, 2016 2:35:37 GMT -5
I've been working on a puzzle pertaining to the first three (1804-1807) Osage delegations to go to Washington DC, but I would need to figure out how to post pictures to get feedback. I have copies of five Osage portraits that were sketched by Saint-Memin when they were there, but I would need for you to see them to get your opinion. Saint-Memin identified only one by name and identified all the others by tribe and rank. I'm pretty sure I know who three of the five are (and possibly four). Peale made a silhouette of an Osage during that time as well, and he was identified (Wind), and I'm thinking my possible fourth of Saint-Memin's five might be Wind too. Are there instructions as to how I can paste pictures in this text box? My puzzle began when I was searching for a portrait of Sans Oreilles because he was with George C. Sibley when they came trekking through here in 1811.He was with one of those first delegations, but I would need to know how old he was in 1805 to rule him out as one of the five. I have portraits of Sibley who came through in 1811; portraits of Moses Harris & Jim Beckworth who came through in the winter of 1824-5; portraits of Isaac McCoy and his son (in 1830), but none of Wm. Sublet (1827) because none exist. The mysterious fifth Saint-Memin Osage portrait has been misidentified as Big Soldier in at least two histories. but according to his own testimony, Big Soldier hadn't been to Washington until 1812 and Saint-Memin returned to France in 1810, so those histories are wrong. The first mistaken identity was made in 1827 "Six Red Indians" and the mistake was repeated in William Trogdon's (AKA Least Heat Moon's) "An Osage Journey to Europe" published in 2013. Maybe you can help solve that riddle as well.
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Post by jones on Feb 22, 2016 21:33:19 GMT -5
Oops! I should have proof-read the letter before I posted it. The letter should begin "Am half breed Sioux" not half beef Sioux.
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Post by jones on Feb 22, 2016 21:29:25 GMT -5
When I said Louis Shangreau spelled his name with a G, I was wrong. I checked the document that I was thinking about and see he spelled his name Jengraw. Louis's life was full of heartbreak, and the letter he composed (probably written for him) describes just one of those incidents. I transcribed the document as follows. The randomly capitalized words were actually underlined in the document, but I see no way to do that. ....... Pine Ridge Agency Dakota Terr. November 1st 1881 To the Hon. Commissioner of Ind. Affairs Washington City, DC Sir, Am a half beef Sioux and at the urgent request of the present US Ind. Agt here, two years ago last July I was induced to take up a land claim on a stream known as The Big White Clay immediately outside the present Sioux reservation and within the limits of the state of Nebraska the object of the Agent in soliciting me with others to settle on said stream, was for the purpose (as he stated at the time) to exclude white men from "squatting" in the vicinity of this Agency -- when we were assured that we would be entitled to draw our rations as formerly and having on this Positive Assurance compiled with his request and invested all our little means in building and opening up, and otherwise improving our new homes the Agent on the first day of January last (in winter) issued a very preemptory order to the effect that all persons entitled to rations and living outside the Sioux reservation, should move and At Once within its limits, otherwise their rations would be discontinued: Many Half breeds upon the issuing of this order, (and who had made but small improvements), immediately abandoned their new homes and moved as requested, but my extended improvements would not justify me in adopting such a course and I am still living and occupying my new home and in consequence, my rations have been discontinued, the Agent plainly and manifestly went back on his word and promises and I now appeal to you for redress, as I would very much like to draw my rations as formerly for the maintenance in support of my family, a partial failure of the crops occasioned by the drouth the past season, alone prompts me to this, and I would not even now complain of the Agents present course of actions, did he full enforce and apply his January order Equally to everyone. But he has pets of his own, and some of whom are my neighbors, and who like me live outside the Sioux reservation, and who still continue to draw their rations as formerly but for some unknown cause or other, excludes me and my family from this number. Now in view of these brief facts and after having Fully Convinced Yourself, of the truth of my assertion, would you please be kind enough to request him to issue me my rations as formerly? A little aid and assistance at this time would prove of great help and benefit to me, as within a year or two I would be fully able to maintain myself and family without further aid or assistance from the government. I think (and I trust without egotism) that my undertaking is a laudable one and would prove as an example to others to eventually make themselves self sustaining and not wholly dependent on the general government for their support as at present, and in view of this I should be encouraged, instead of.being allured by False Promises and having obstacles thrown in my way, and wholly abandoned by those who should aid and assist me, by allowing me the small rations to which I am justly entitled. Sincerely hoping to receive a favorable answer to my humble request. I have the honor to remain Very respectfully your most obedient servant. Louis Jengraw
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Post by jones on Feb 22, 2016 16:32:35 GMT -5
I forgot to say -- if Eddie Herman's story is correct, Julian (AKA Gulian & Jules) was killed shortly after he returned from Kansas. The latest document (that I know of) showing he was still here in Kansas was 1858. The Herman letter says Louis was 15 when his father was killed. As I recall, Louis was born in 1848.
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Post by jones on Feb 22, 2016 16:18:02 GMT -5
<< I have a note that Jules was known as Long Hair to the Indians. I believe I have a couple other ref's relating to Jules's death, give me a little time I'll dig them out. >> -kingslybray That's interesting that he was still known as Gingras when Parkman went through. It seems strange that such a name was phonetically equivalent to Shangreau, but that's reportedly the case. The name change must have resulted from some government official's misunderstanding, much like the mistakes that occurred at Ellis Island. Oddly enough, even Jules Shangreau's son, Louis, spelled his name with a G., so it seems odd that documents here in Kansas have the name spelled with an S (as most histories do as well). The "Long Hair" reference was probably from the story linked below. It's a wild tale and I wonder how much is actual fact. Nonetheless, it is a fun story with the James Gang and all. www.thekillingofcrazyhorse.com/about-crazy-horse/unpublished-documents/eddie-herman-letter-to-george-hyde/EDDIE HERMAN LETTER TO GEORGE HYDE, MARCH 1, 1951.
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Post by jones on Feb 21, 2016 20:33:14 GMT -5
Now I'll make an attempt to describe an incident that relates to Julian Shangreau when he lived in Kansas. As the story goes, In 1854, two French-Americans (Shangreau & LaRoche) came to Kansas with James McCloskey. All three men had Sioux wives, and they'd come from Siouan lands in the vicinity of Fort Laramie. McCloskey settled down on the Big Blue River at Marysville, whereas Shangreau & LaRoche settled 20 miles southeast of there on a tributary of the Blue, where the Independence branch of the Oregon Trail crossed that tributary (Black Vermillion River). A French-American named Louis Tremble was already living there taking advantage of the Western migration by operating a toll-crossing and a blacksmith shop. Julian Shangreau's name was listed on the polling rolls from 1855 to at least 1858, and it isn't clear when he returned to Laramie, but the cause for his exit was an attack by Kaw (Konza) Indians. Kaws captured his. wife's sister (another sister of Woman Dress?), took her all the way to their villages and sacrificed her in a manner that resembled the old Skiddi-Pawnee Morning Star ritual. It wasn't unusual for unrelated tribes to share rituals. The Oto were the only upper-plains tribe to practice the peyote ritual (as cited by Major Long in 1819), but several tribes (including the Kaw) adopted that ritual in the 1880s. The Pawnees had already abandoned their horrific fertility rite two decades earlier, and why the Kaws would have been compelled to adopt it might have been their dismal living conditions. Delisle Map (1718) shows Kaw villages extended from the Missouri River to western tributaries of the Kansas "Kaw" River. www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~248276~5516036 The main Kaw villiage was on the Missouri River through the 1700s, but from the late 1700s to the 1830s, their main village was located at the confluence of the Blue Earth (Now Big Blue) River & the Kaw (Kansas) Rivers (present-day Manhattan Kansas). Major Long's map shows their village there: www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~916~60079 The soils in those valleys are among the most fertile on earth. Kaw gardens yielded ample pumpkins, squash, corn &c. to supplement their diet of meat. When Major Sibley visited them in 1811 he described numerous deer, elk and antelope in close proximity to their village. Conditions changed in 1825 when numerous "immigrant tribes" were brought into their homeland and they themselves were forced to live on a reservation. Augustus Mitchell's "A New Map of Texas Oregon and California, (1846) shows how the Kaws were crowded out by immigrant tribes. This map may also be handy for your discussions of Sioux events. www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~238~20003 Well anyway, conditions got seriously worse for the Kaws when they were forced to leave the Blue Earth-Kansas River Valleys in 1846. Their former reservation was given to immigrant tribes (primarily the Potawatomie) and they were forced to live on the uplands of the Flint Hills. Then their living conditions took a more dramatic downward spiral in 1854 when the Kansas Territory was carved out of the Indian Territory. White squatters occupied and fenced the limited fertile valleys in their reservation on the head waters of the Neosho River and wild game had vanished. Severe droughts compounded their problems and starvation had become common during the time when Julian Shangreau lived in southern Marshall County Kansas. Shangreau lived where the Oregon Trail branched south of the Black Vermillion River. The western fork of the trail (the Independence branch) led to Alcove Spring in the Blue River Valley and a newer eastern branch led to Marysville. Shangreau lived near Tremble at the Independence Trail crossing. Kansas extended west to the continental divide during our territorial period. Otis B. Gunn's 1859 "Kansas & the Gold Mines" shows (but doesn't label) the Oregon trail through Marshall & Pottawatomie Counties. His map also shows where the diminished Kaw Reservation was located (roughly 90 miles straight south of eastern Marshall County). www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~1824~180033 Here is a link to the full story. Shangreau's name was misspelled Changreau, but other territorial documents show his name spelled with an S and his first name was Julian (spelled Gulian on some documents) The story includes the name John D. Wells. Wells was the most respected and influential settler in the county, and although Cutler didn't say who contributed the story, I believe it was Wells. www.kancoll.org/books/cutler/marshall/marshall-co-p2.htmlI live in the Big Blue (Blue Earth) Valley, and my brother lives where Shangreau lived in the Black Vermillion Valley. P.S. You have to turn your popup blocker off to get the maps to zoom in.
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Post by jones on Feb 21, 2016 8:52:27 GMT -5
Thanks for correcting me. Yes, it was John, not Mitch who murdered McCloskey. I was typing off the top of my head without using my notes. It has been a long time since I compiled Boyer data. I never did figure out for whom Boyer River was named, but it was probably named for Mitch Boyer's grandfather, Antoine, who is mentioned on page 10 of the book linked below. books.google.com/books?id=2wXFvLZrO78C&pg=PA9&lpg=PA9#v=onepage&q&f=trueLewis & Clark mentioned the Boyers River in their journals and it is on their map. upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/93/Nodaway-lewis.jpgBoyers River is also shown on Major Long's map. It drains from the northeast into the Missouri River at Cantonment Engineer. www.davidrumsey.com/luna/servlet/detail/RUMSEY~8~1~916~60079:Country-drained-by-the-Mississippi-But, I've strayed from the topic -- Chief Smoke. Julian Shangreau's wife, Wyela, was a sister to Woman Dress. I think that would make her Smoke's granddaughter (if she was a full sister). Julian's son, Louis was married to Louise Janis, one Nicholas Janis and Martha He Bear's daughters. Martha He Bear was reportedly He Bear's daughter. Louise Janis's sister, Felicia, married Billy Garnett, and her sister, Emily, married John Richaud (AKA John Richard) I don't know what the senior James MCloskey did in the Laramie area after Fort Platte shut down. His biographical sketch in Cutler's History of the State of Kansas is full of misidentified people and places, and it says he went to Fort Platte with Sibille & Adams in 1839, but Sibille & Adams didn't become partners until 1841, so 1841 is probably the correct year. I'm sure you know Sibille & Adams were traders for Pratte & Cabanne, and they, just like John Richaud and Lancaster Lupton, were notorious moonshine smugglers. It is quite possible that McCloskey was with Sibille in 1841 when dragoons from Ft. Leavenworth caught him smuggling grain alcohol to Ft. Platte. He was detained for a short time, but was eventually allowed to continue west with his barrels of alcohol. It is said that alcohol was a contributing factor to Bull Bear's murder. Fights resulting in deaths broke out so frequently between the rival factions of Smoke & Bull Bear that their alcohol was laced with opium in an effort to sedate them. McCloskey probably worked for Chouteau at Fort Laramie and then for the US government after Chouteau sold it. Whatever the case, he remained out there until 1854, at which time he came to the Kansas Territory and became our first County clerk. He lived at Marysville, Kansas until he died there at a relatively old age. He outlived his wife, Monie-waka "Medicine Eagle" and all of his children except for one daughter, Julia, who taught school at Pine Ridge. She was married to a Kocer. His son, James Jr., as mentioned earlier, was murdered at a young age; his son, Henry, was an interpreter at Fort Halleck, and was killed (under unknown circumstances) at "Cottonwood Station" (Gerat Hollenberg's outfitting station on the Oregon-California Trail); his son, Charles, was killed while mishandling a gun when he was a school boy, and his daughter, Eda, died when she was a schoolgirl.
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