THE RED MEN OF IOWA.
CHAPTER XX.
A Trader's Indian Wife--Montrose Apple Trees--A Pledge of Honor-- "Wild Cat Wilson"--Rescuing a Drowning Man--Three Women--A Heroine--An Indian Woman's Revenge--Origin of Indian Names-- Competine's Gun--Chivalry--Respect for the Cloth--Black Hawk and Keokuk--A Dog Feast-- A Highly Seasoned Kettle of Soup--Death of an Indian Child--Offerings for the Dead--Indians and Mormons--Indian Honor--lndian Friendship--Fort Robinson--A Trader's Fate--A False Alarm--Panic in Ringgold County--A Sabbath Sensation--Early Days of Sioux City--Bruigher and his Indian Wives--War Eagle--Indian Scare in Boone County--''Old Tom"--The Three Trappers--Che-wa-lis-ki Man-i-ton Se-po--Ka-la-we-quois--Toney and his Whisky--Murder of Rev. Oliver Atwood--Black Hawk and Gen. Scott--A" Big Drunk"--Indian Rites at the Grave of Col. Davenport--Indian Strategy--Indian Raids in Western Iowa.
IN 1821 a French trader named Lemoliese occupied a post on the west bank of the Mississippi, about five miles above the present city of Keokuk. His Indian wife was an amiable and exemplary woman, but exceedingly fond of dress. To please her husband she would frequently array herself in the costume of the white woman, including gown, bonnet and shoes. He could not, however, prevail upon her to continue this style of dress; she would array herself in the most gaudy styles of her native costume, this being more congenial to her taste.
At the time of the first settlement of Lee county by the whites, after the "Black Hawk Purchase," there was considerable curiosity in regard to an old apple orchard that existed just below the town of Montrose in that county. The question was as to how the trees came there, as they were old and full grown, even at that early date. The attention of the late Hon. D. W. Kilbourne, who was an early settler at Montrose, being called to the public curiosity, he gave the following account of the origin of the "old orchard": a half-breed of the Sac and Fox nation named Red Bird (known also among the whites as Thomas Abbott), as early as 1790 had his wigwam near the spot where the apple trees were. Up to 1839 this half-breed continued to make visits to Montrose, and Mr. Kilbourne became well acquainted with him. One day, while sitting with Mr. Kilbourne under the trees in the "old orchard," Red Bird related the story of their origin, and the account was confirmed by Black Hawk, and other aged Indians of the Sac and Fox tribes. Sometime between the years 1795 and 1798, Red Bird, then a young man, paid his annual visit to St. Louis in the early spring. On his return he stopped a few days at St. Charles, on the Missouri River, and when he was about to leave there for home a "nish-e-shin-che-mo-co-man" (good white man) made him a present of about twenty small apple trees put up in a bundle, with the roots protected, and instructed him how to plant them near his wigwam. Red Bird carried them home in his hand, and planted them promiscuously in the forest near his wigwam. He planted stakes, around them, and
Previous Pages:
Introductory Page| Portrait of MA-KA-TAI-ME-SHE-KIA-KIAH (Black Hawk)| Title Page| Page 2|
Preface (pages 3 - 6)| Illustrations (page 7)| Contents (pages 8 - 17)
Chapter One| Chapter Two| Chapter Three| Chapter Four| Chapter Five
Chapter Six| Chapter Seven| Chapter Eight| Chapter Nine| Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven| Chapter Twelve| Chapter Thirteen| Chapter Fourteen| Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen| Chapter Seventeen| Chapter Eighteen| Chapter Nineteen
This is a genuine MOM (Mother of Michael) site
estone@yawp.com
Michael A.
Stone,
Owner, janitor, and chief data rancher for
YAWP (Yet Another
Webservice Provider...)
revised 12 August 1999
