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Chippewa Indian
Chiefs and Leaders
Biauswah A
Chippewa
chief, also known as Byianswa, son of Biauswah, a leading man of the Loon gens
which resided on the s. shore of L. Superior, 40 m. w. of La Pointe, N. w. Wis,
He was taken prisoner by the
Fox
Indians when a boy, but was saved from torture and death by his father, who
became a voluntary substitute. After the death of his father he moved with his
people to Fond du Lac. Being made chief he led the warriors of various bands in
an expedition against the
Sioux of Sandy lake and succeeded in driving the latter from their village,
and later the Sioux were forced to abandon their villages on Cass and Winnipeg
lakes and their stronghold on Leech lake, whence they moved westward to the
headwaters of Minnesota r. The Chippewa under Biauswah were those who settled in
the country of the upper Mississippi about 1768 (Minn. Hist. Coll., v, 222,
1885). The date of his death is not recorded, but it probably occurred not
long after the date named. (C. T. )
Broken Tooth. The son of Biauswah and chief of the
Sandy Lake Chippewa, also referred to as Kadewabedas and Catawatabeta (strictly
Ma‛kadēwâbidis,
from ma‛kadē
'black', wábidis 'tooth'), and by the French
Brèche-dent. He is spoken of as a little boy
in 1763, and is mentioned in 1805 by Lieut. Z. M. Pike, who be stowed on him a
medal and a flag, and according to whom his band at that time numbered but 45
men. Broken Tooth was one of the signers of the
treaty of Prairie du Chien, Aug. 19, 1825; his death occurred in 1828. His
daughter was the wife of Ermatinger, a British trader. (C. T. )
Copway, George (Kagĭgegabo,
he who stands forever. W. J.). A young
Chippewa chief, born near the mouth of
Trent r., Ontario, in the fall of 1818. His parents were Chippewa, and his
father, until his conversion, was a medicine-man. George was educated in
Illinois, and after acquiring considerable knowledge in English books returned
to his people as a Wesleyan missionary. For many years he was connected with the
press of New York city and lectured extensively in Europe and the United States,
but he is noted chiefly as one of the few Indian authors. Among his published
writings are: The Life, History, and Travels of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh
(George Copway), Albany, 1847, and Philadelphia, 1847; The Life, Letters, and
Speeches of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh, New York, 1850; The Traditional History
and Characteristic Sketches of the Ojibway Nation, London and Dublin, 1850,
and Boston, 1851; Recollections of a Forest Life, London, Edinburgh, and
Dublin, 1851, and London, 1855; Indian Life and Indian History, Boston,
1858; The Ojibway Conquest, a Tale of the Northwest, New York, 1850;
Organization of a New Indian Territory East of the Missouri River, New York,
1850; Running Sketches of Men and Places in England, France, Germany, Belgium
and Scotland, New York, 1851. Copway also wrote a hymn in the Chippewa
language (London, 1851) and cooperated with the Rev. Sherman Hall in the
translation of the Gospel of St Luke (Boston, 1837) and the Acts of
the Apostles (Boston, 1838). He died at Pontiac, Mich., about 1863.
Curly Head (Babisĭgandĭbe).
A chief of the Mississippi (or Sandy lake)
Chippewa, born about the middle of
the 18th century, on the s. shore of L. Superior. H e removed to the upper
Mississippi about 1800 with a number of the Crane (Businausee) gens, of which he
was a member, and settled near the site of the present. Crow Wing, Minn. Here
his band was augmented by the bravest warriors and hardiest hunters of the
eastern Chippewa until it became a bulwark against the Sioux raiders who
hitherto had harried the Chippewa as far as the shores of L. Michigan. The white
traders lavished gifts upon him, which he freely shared with his followers. His
lodge was always well supplied with meat, and the hungry were welcomed. The
peace and friendship that generally prevailed between the white pioneers and the
Chippewa were due chiefly to Curly Head's restraining influence. He was visited
in 1805 by Lieut. Z. M. Pike, who passed the winter in his neighborhood. He died
while returning from the conference, known as the
treaty of Prairie du Chien, held Aug. 19, 1825, in which his name appears as
"Babaseekeendase, Curling Hair." According to Warren (Hist. Ojibway, 47, 1885)
he was both civil and war chief of his people.
Enmegahbowh ( The one who stands before his people.) An
Indian preacher. He was an Ottawa by birth, but was adopted while young by the
Chippewa and was converted to the Methodist faith in Canada, educated at the
Methodist mission school at Jacksonville, 111., and ordained as a preacher with
the name of the Rev. John Johnson. In 1839 he ac companied Elder T. B. Kavanaugh
to the upper Mississippi, w r here he was a missionary among the Chippewa for 5
years, when the Methodist church with drew from that field. In 1852, at
Johnson's solicitation, the Episcopal church sent a minister into this section,
and a mission and school w r ere established at Gull lake, Minn., in which he
served as assistant and interpreter. In 1858 Johnson was admitted by Bishop
Kemper to the first order of the Episcopal ministry at Faribault, and in 1859
was left in charge of the mission at Gull lake, where he continued until the
Sioux outbreak of 1862, when he alone of the Episcopal missionaries remained in
the field. In 1869 the Gull lake mission w T as removed to the reservation at
White Earth, whither Johnson followed and was given charge, bringing into the
church a number of his tribesmen and erecting a chapel and parsonage. Here the
Rev. Joseph A. Gilfillan, who was assigned to White Earth as an Episcopal
missionary in 1873, with Johnson's aid established a school for the training of
Indian clergy, and in a few years 9 Chippewa were ordained to the ministry.
Johnson was living in 1898, at which time he was spoken as the "aged Indian
pastor and co-worker of Bishop Whipple."
Eshkebugecoshe ('Flat-mouth , Wide-mouth'). A chief of
the Pillager Chippewa; born in 1774, died about 1860. He belonged to the Awausee
gens. In his youth Eshkebugecoshe engaged in distant expeditions, lived among
the Cree and Assiniboin, and visited in war or peace the tribes of the upper
Missouri, spending some time among the Hidatsa. His father, Yellow-hair
(Wasonaunequa), was not a chief by descent, but gained ascendency over the
Pillagers through his knowledge of medicine, and it is said that whoever
incurred his hatred died mysteriously. The son was different, enjoying the
respect of whites as well as Indians throughout his long life. He was much
impressed by the prophecies of Tenskwatawa, and through his influence poisoning
ceased among the Pillagers, as among other Chippewa. In the later contests with
the Sioux for the head waters of the Mississippi he bore a valiant part.
Although his band at Leech lake, Minn., was decimated in the ex terminating war,
it continued to grow through accessions of the bravest spirits of the eastern
villages. When a political agent sought to enlist the Pillagers in the British
interest at the beginning of the war of 1812, Flat-mouth returned the proffered
wampum belts, saying that he would as soon invite white men to aid him in his
wars as take part in a quarrel between the whites. (F. H.)
Hole-in-the-day (Bagwŭnagijĭk,
'hole, opening, rift in the sky'. W. J.). A Chippewa chief, a member of the
warlike Noka (Bear) clan. He succeeded Curly-head (q. v.) as war chief in 1825.
He had already been recognized as a chief by the Government for his bravery and
fidelity to the Americans in the war of 1812. His whole subsequent life was
spent in fighting the Sioux, and he ended the struggle that had lasted for
centuries over the possession of the fisheries and hunting grounds of the L.
Superior region by definitively driving the hereditary enemy across the
Mississippi. Had not the Government intervened to compel the warring tribes to
accept a line of demarcation, he threatened to plant his village on Minnesota r.
and pursue the Sioux into the western plains. At Prairie du Chien he
acknowledged the ancient possession by the Sioux of the territory from the
Mississippi to Green bay and the head of L. Superior, but claimed it for the
Chippewa by right of conquest. The Chippewa had the advantage of the earlier
possession of firearms, but in the later feuds which Hole-in-the-day carried on
the two peoples were equally armed. George Copway, who valued the friendship of
Hole-in-the-day and once ran 270 miles in 4 days to apprise him of a Sioux raid,
relates how he almost converted the old chief, who promised to embrace
Christianity and advise his people to do so "after one I more battle with the
Sioux." He was succeeded as head chief of the Chippewa on his death in 1846 by
his son, who bore his father s name and who carried on in Minnesota the ancient
feud with the Dakota tribes. At the time of the Sioux rising in 1862 he was
accused of planning a similar revolt. The second Hole-in-the-day was murdered by
men of his own tribe at Crow Wing, Minn., June 27, 1868. (F. H.)
Nanawonggabe. The principal chief, about the middle of
the 19th century, of the Chippewa of Lake Superior. lie was born about
1800, and was noted chiefly as an orator, and as the father of
Ahshahwaygeeshegoqua ('The Hanging Cloud'), the so-cal led "Chippewa
Princess", who was renowned as a warrior and as the only female
among the Chippewa allowed to participate in the war ceremonies and
dances, and to wear the plumes of the warriors. Nanawonggabe is
described as having been of less than medium height and size, and as
having intelligent features. See Morse in W is. Hist.
Soc. Coll., 111, 338,1857).
Shingabawassin (Shingábewasin,
'reclining human figure of stone.'-W. J.).
A Chippewa chief of the Crane gens, born about 1763,
and prominent during the first quarter of the 19th century. He was the
eldest son of Maidosagee, the son of Gitcheojeedebun. His residence,
during most of his years at least, was on the banks of St Mary's
river, Mich., at the outlet of Lake Superior. His life, so far as
known, was characterized by but few marked incidents, though largely
spent in behalf of the welfare of his people. During his younger days
he took an active part in the war expeditions of his band, especially
those against the Sioux, but after assuming the responsibilities of
his official life he became a strong advocate of peace. At the
councils convened for the purpose of entering into treaties,
especially those at Prairie du Chien in 1825, Fond du Lac in 1826, and
Butte des Mortes in 1827, he was the leading speaker and usually the
most important person among the Indian delegates.
He seems to have risen, to a large extent, above the
primitive beliefs of his people, and even went so far in one of the
councils as to advise making known to the whites the situation of the
great copper deposits, although these were regarded by the Indians as
sacred. A favorite scheme which he advanced and vigorously advocated,
but without effect, was to have the United States set apart a special
reservation for the half-breeds. In addition to the treaties mentioned
Shingabawassin signed the treaty of Sault Ste Marie, June 11, 1820. He
died between 1828 and 1837, and was succeeded as chief of the Crane
gens by his son Kabay Noden. Consult Schoolcraft, Pers.
Mem., 1851; McKenney and Hall, Ind. Tribes, 1, 1854; Warren, Hist.
Ojebway, 1885.
Sassaba. A minor Chippewa
chief of the Crane gens, who first appears in history as a member of
Tecumseh's forces at the battle of the Thames, Canada, Oct. 5, 1813,
in which his brother, to whom he seems to have been greatly attached,
was killed while fighting by his side. This incident embittered
Sassaba against the Americans during the remainder of his life. When
Lewis Cass visited Sault Ste Marie, Mich., in 1820, to negotiate a
treaty with the Chippewa for purchasing a small tract of land, Sassaba,
who was one of the chiefs assembled on this occasion, not only
manifested his bitter animosity toward the United States authorities,
but displayed his eccentric character as well. During the council he
hoisted the British flag over his tent, which was torn down by Gen.
Cass in person. On this occasion he was thus dressed: "Beginning at
the top an eagle's feather, bear's grease, vermilion and indigo, a red
British military coat with two enormous epaulets, a large British
silver medal, breech-clout, leggings, and moccasins." He arose in
council and remarked gruffly that the Chippewa did not wish to sell
their land; and refusing the pipe, kicked over the presents that had
been placed before him, and rushed from the tent under its side. He
refused to sign the treaty (Wis. Hist. Soc. Coll, v, 414-15, 1868).
On Sept. 25, 1822, Sassaba and his wife and child were
drowned at Sault Ste Marie. He had been drinking heavily at Point aux
Pins, 6 miles above the rapids, and was intoxicated during the trip.
According to Schoolcraft (Pers. Mem., 119, 1851) he would often walk
through the village where he resided, divested of every particle of
clothing except a large gray wolf's skin, which he had drawn over his
body in such manner as to let the tail dangle behind. From this habit
the name Myeengun ('wolf') was sometimes applied to him. He was also
known as The Count.
The books presented are for their
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opinions of the Webmasters of the site.
Handbook
of American Indians, 1906
Index of Tribes or Nations
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