While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Epanow. One of the first Indians to be taken across the Atlantic by the
English
from New England—a member of the party
forcibly taken from Marthas Vineyard,
Mass., by Capt. Harlow in 1611. He was
shown in England as a wonder, and managed to escape from the English on the
return voyage by pretending to pilot them
to a gold mine. In 1619 he was at the
Island of Capoge, near Cape Cod, and in
that year a body of Indians under his guidance attacked Capt. Dormer's men while attempting to land on Marthas
Vineyard. Epanow is spoken of as artful
and daring. He may be the same as Apannow, a signer of the Plymouth treaty of 1621.
Maquinna. A chief of the Mooachaht, a Nootka tribe, who attained. notoriety
as the chief who captured the brig Boston, in Mar., 1803, and massacred all of
her crew except the blacksmith, John Jewitt, and a sailmaker named Thompson.
After being held in captivity until July, 1805, they were liberated by Capt.
Hill of the brig Lydia, also of Boston. The story of the captivity of these two
men was afterward extracted from Jewitt by Roland Alsop of Middletown, Conn.,
and published in America and Europe. A point near the entrance of Nootka sound, is
now called Maquinna point. See Narrative of the Adventures and Sufferings of John
R. Jewitt, in various editions from 1815 to 1869.
Kiasntha (alias Guyasuta, 'it sets up a cross.'—Hewitt). A chief of some
prominence as an orator in the Ohio region about 1760-1790. Although called a
Seneca, he probably belonged to the mixed band of detached Iroquois in Ohio
commonly known as Mingo, who sided with the French while their kinsmen of the
New York confederacy acted as allies of the English. As a young warrior he
accompanied Washington and Gist on their visit to the French forts on the
Allegheny in 1753. After Braddock's defeat in 1755 he visited Montreal in
company with a French interpreter and in 1759 was present at Croghan's
conference with the Indians at Ft Pitt (now Pittsburg). He is mentioned also at
the Lancaster conference in 1762, and in 1768 was a leading advocate of peace
with the English both at the treaty of Ft Pitt in May and at Bouquet's
conference there six months later. Washington visited him while on a hunting
tour in Ohio in 1770. He is noted as at other conferences up to the time of the
Revolution, and in 1762 is mentioned as leading an Indian raid on one of the
frontier settlements. His name occurs last in 1790, when he sent a written
message to some friends in Philadelphia.
Dekaury, Choukeka. A chief, eldest of the Winnebago, born about 1730. He was the
son of Sabrevoir De Carrie, an officer of the French army in 1699, and Hopoekaw,
daughter of a principal Winnebago chief, whom he married in 1729 spoken of by
Carver (Travels, 20, 1796) as the queen of the Winnebago.
Their son, Choukeka ('Spoon') , was known to the whites as Spoon Dekaury. After
having been made chief he became the leader of attacks on the Chippewa during a
war with the Winnebago, but he maintained friendly relations with the whites. It
was principally through his influence that the treaty of June 3, 1816, at St
Louis, Mo, was brought about. He died at Portage, Wis. in the same year, leaving
6 sons and 5 daughters.
Dekaury, Konoka. The eldest son and successor of Choukeka Dekaury, born in 1747.
He was named Konoka ('Eldest') Dekaury, and is often mentioned as "Old Dekaury,"
but is equally y well known as Schachipkaka. Before his father's death, in 1816,
Konoka joined had a band of Winnebago who took part, in 1813, in the attack led
by Proctor on Ft Stephenson, Ohio, on lower Sandusky river, was gallantly
defended by Maj. George Croghan. He fought also in the battle of the Thames, in
Canada. He was held for a time, in 1827, as a hostage at Prairie du Chien for
the delivery of Red Bird. His band usually encamped at the portage of Wisconsin
river the site of at the the present Portage, Wis. Mrs. Kinzie (Wau-Bun,
89, 1856) describes him as "the most noble, dignified, and venerable of
his own tribe
or indeed of any other, having a fine Roman countenance, his head bald except
for a solitary tuft of long,
silvery hair neatly tied and falling back on his shoulders, and exhibiting a
demeanor always courteous, while his dress was always neat and unostentatious.
An unpleasant peculiarity of his face was an immense hanging under lip. He
signed the treaty of Prairie du Chien Aug. 19, 1825, on behalf of the Winnebago,
and died on Wisconsin river April 20, 1836.
Other members of the family, whose name has been
variously written De Kaury, DeKauray, DayKauray, Day Korah, Dacorah and DeCorrah,
were noted. From Choukeka's daughters, who married white men, are descended
several well-known families of Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Dekanawida ('two river-currents flowing together.'—Hewitt). An Iroquois
prophet, statesman, and lawgiver, who lived probably during the second and third
quarters of the 15th century, and
who jointly with Hiawatha, planned who, and founded the historical confederation
of the five Iroquois tribes. According g to a circumstantial tradition, he was
born in the vicinity of Kingston, Ontario, Canada in what then was probably
Huron territory. He was reputed to have been one of 7 brothers. Definite
tradition gives him rank with the demigods, owing to the masterful orenda
or magic power with which he worked tirelessly to overcome the obstacles and
difficulties of his task, the astuteness he displayed in negotiation, and the
wisdom he exhibited in framing the laws and in establishing the fundamental
principles on which they were based and on which rested the entire structure of
the Iroquois confederation. Omens foreshadowed his birth, and portents
accompanying this event revealed the fact to his virgin mother that Dekanawida
would be the source of evil to her people, referring to the
destruction of the Huron confederation by that of the Iroquois. Hence at his
birth his mother and grandmother, with true womanly patriotism, sought to spare
their country woes by attempting to drown the newborn infant by thrusting it
through a hole made in the ice covering a neighboring river. Three attempts were
made, but in the morning after each attempt the young Dekanawida was found
unharmed in the arms of the astonished mother. Thereupon the two women decided
that it was decreed that he should live, and so resolved to rear him. Rapidly he
grew to man's estate, and then, saying that he must take up his foreordained
work, departed southward, first assuring his mother that in the event of his
death by violence or sorcery, the otter skin flayed entire which, with the head
downward, he had hung in a corner of the lodge, would vomit blood. Dekanawida
was probably a Huron by blood, but perhaps an Iroquois by adoption. In the long
and tedious negotiations preceding g the final establishment of the historical
confederation of the five Iroquois tribes, he endeavored to persuade the Erie
and the Neuter tribes also to join the confederation; these tribes, so far as
known, were always friendly with the Huron people, and their representatives
probably knew of Dekanawida's Huron extraction. Many of the constitutional
principles, laws, and regulations of the confederation are attributed to him.
His chiefship did not belong g to the hereditary class, but to the merit class,
commonly styled the 'pine tree chiefs.' Hence, he could forbid the appointment
of a successor to his office, and could exclaim, "To others let there be
successors, for like them they can advise you. I have established your
commonwealth, and none has done what I have." But it is probable that
prohibition was attributed to him in later times when the true nature of the
merit chiefs had become obscured. Hence it is the peculiar honor of the merit
chiefs of today not to be condoled officially after death, nor to have
successors to their chieftaincies. For these reasons the title Dekanawida does
not belong to the roll of 50 federal league chiefships.
Manuelito. A Navaho
chief. When Gov. Merriwether conferred with the Navaho in 1855
about putting an end to murders and robberies committed by
members of this tribe, the head chief avowed that he could not
command the obedience of his people, and resigned. The chiefs
present at the council thereupon elected Mannelito to fill the
place. The lawless element did not cease their depredations, and
the obligation to surrender evil doers was no greater than it
had been because the Senate neglected to confirm the treaty
signed at the conference. When Col. D. G. Miles started out to
punish the Navaho in 1859 he destroyed the houses and shot the
horses and cattle belonging to Manuelito's band. When the Navaho
finally applied them selves thoroughly to peaceful and
productive pursuits, their old war chief was chosen to take
command of the native police force that was organized in 1872.
He died in 1893.
Negabamat, Noel. A converted Montagnais chief, who lived at Sillery, Quebec;
born about the beginning of the 17th century. He was baptized, with his wife
Marie and his son Charles, in 1639. Although generally peaceful after embracing
Christianity, he frequently engaged in war with the Iroquois, always enemies of
the Montagnais. In 1652 he was a member of a delegation sent by his tribe to
solicit aid from Gov. Dudley, of New England, against the Iroquois. He also
appeared in behalf of his people and acted on the part of the French daring the
convention at Three Rivers, Quebec., in 1645, where a treaty of peace was made
with the Iroquois, and other tribes. He was selected by Pére
Druillettes to accompany him on his visit to the Abnaki 1651, at which time he
was alluded to by, the French as "Captain Sillery." It was through his efforts
that peace was made by the French with one of the tribe on the coast south of
Quebec, neighbors of thr Abnaki, seemingly the Malecite or Norridgewock. On his
death, Mar. 19,1666 his war chief Negaskouat became his successor. Negabamat was
a firm friend of the French, and after his conversion was their chief counsellor
in regard to their movements on the louver St Lawrence.
Mugg. An Arosaguntacook chief in the latter half of the 17th century,
conspicuous in the war beginning in 1675, into which he was drawn by the
ill-treatment he received from the English. With about 100 warriors he made an
assault, Oct. 12, 1676, on Black Point, now Scarboro, Maine, where the settlers
had gathered for protection. While the officer in charge of the garrison was
parleying with Mugg, the whites managed to escape, only a few of the officers'
servants falling into the hands of the Indians when the fort was captured; these
were kindly treated. Mugg became embittered toward the English when on coming in
behalf of his own and other Indians to treat for peace he was seized and taken a
prisoner to Boston, although soon released. He was killed at Black Point, May,
16, 1677, the place he captured the preceding year.
Many Horses. A Piegan Siksika chief, sometimes
mentioned as 'Dog' and also as 'Sits in the Middle'; born about the close of the
18th century. He was noted not only for his warlike character but for the large
number of horses he acquired; hence his name. According to the account given by
the Indians to Grinnell (Story of the Indian, 236, 1895),
he commenced to gather and to breed horses immediately after the Piegan first
came into possession of them from the Kutenai (1804-06), and also made war on
the Shoshoni for the purpose of taking horses from them. His herd became so
extensive that they numbered more than all the others belonging to the tribe and
required a large number of herders to take care of them. Many Horses was a
signer of the first treaty of his tribe with the whites, on the upper Missouri,
Oct. 17, 1855, which he signed as "Little Dog." He was killed in 1867 at the
battle of Cypress Hill between the Piegan and the allied Crows and Atsina, at
which time he was an old man.
Adario. A Tionontate chief, known also as Rondiaronk, Sastaretsi, and The Rat.
He had a high reputation for bravery and sagacity, and was courted by the
French, who grade a treaty with him in 1688 by which he agreed to lead an
expedition against the Iroquois, his hereditary enemies, Starting out for the
war with a picked band, he was surprised to hear, on reaching Cataracouy, that
the French were negotiating peace with the Iroquois, who were about to send
envoys to Montreal with hostages from each tribe. Concealing his surprise
and chagrin, he secretly determined to intercept the embassy. Departing as
though to return to his own country in compliance with the admonition of the
French commandant, he placers his men in ambush and made prisoners of tile
members of the Iroquois mission, telling the thief of the embassy that the
French had commissioned him to surprise and destroy the party. Keeping only one
prisoner to answer for the death of a Huron who was killed in the light, he set
the others free, saying that he hoped they would repay the French for their
treachery. Taking his captive to Michilimackinac, he delivered hint over to the
French commander, who put him to death, having no knowledge of the arrangement
of peace. He then released a captive Iroquois whom he had long held at his
village that he night return to inform his people of the act of the French Commander.
An expedition of 1,200 Iroquois fell upon Montreal Aug. 25, 1689,
when the French felt secure in the anticipation of peace, slew hundreds of the
settlers and burned and sacked the place. Other posts were abandoned by the
French, and only the excellent fortifications of others saved them from being
driven out of the country. Adario led a delegation of Huron chiefs who went to
Montreal to conclude a peace, and while there he died, Aug. 1, 1701, and was
buried by the French with military honors.
Neron. The "captain general" of the Iroquois,
taken near Montreal in 1663, and so called by the French because
of his great cruelty. In memory of his brother he had burned 30
captives, besides killing 60 men with his oven hand
(Jes. Rel., 1656, 1663). It, was an
Onondaga named Aharihon. suggesting his French name.
Job Nesutan. One of the Indians chosen by John
Eliot to assist him, as interpreter, in translating the
Scriptures into the Natick language of Massachusetts. Gookin
(Trans. Am. Antiq. Soc., ii, 444, 1836)
thus speaks of him: "In this expedition [July, 1675] one of our
principal soldiers of the praying Indians was slain, a valiant
and stout man named Job Nesutan; he was a very good linguist in
the English tongue and was Mr. Eliot's assistant and interpreter
in his translations of the Bible, and other books of the Indian
language." Eliot wrote, Oct. 21, 1650: "I have one [Indian
interpreter] already who can write, so that 1 can read his
writing well, and with some pains and teaching, can read mine"
