Books: History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan
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Andrew J. Blackbird >> History of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of Michigan
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The day we arrived at Mackinac we took passage for Cleveland. Arriving
there we were scared at seeing so many people coming to us who wanted
us to get into their cabs to take us to some hotel which might cost us
two or three dollars a day. We went to Farmer's Hotel. In the evening
the landlady was somewhat curious to know where we hailed from and
where we were going to. I told her we came from Michigan, but we did
not know yet where we should go to. I asked her if she ever knew or
heard of a minister named Alvin Coe. "What,"--she seemed to be very
much surprised--"Mr. Alvin Coe the traveling missionary?" I said, "Yes,
the same." "Why, that is my own uncle. What is it about him?" "O,
nothing; only I would like to know where he lives, and how far." I was
equally surprised to think that we happened to meet one of his
relatives, and thought at this moment, God must be with us in our
undertaking. "You know my uncle, then," she said. I said, "Yes; he is
my particular friend, and I am going to look for him." Of course, she
told us the name of the town in which he lived, and how far and which
road to take to get there. It also happened that there was one
gentleman at Farmer's Hotel, who had been out west and came on the same
boat on which we came, and he was going the next day in that direction
on foot, and said he would guide us as far as he would go, which would
be about twenty miles, and there was thirty miles to go after that. So
the next day we started. Arriving late in the afternoon at the
outskirts of the little village called Twinsburg, our white companion
told us this is the place where he intended to stop for a while, and
said, "You better stop with me for the night, and after supper you
could visit the institution in the village and see the principal of the
school here; you might possibly get a chance to attend that school, as
you say that was your object in coming to this part of the country." I
was very much surprised, as he had not said one word about it as we
came along on the road. After supper, I went as he directed. As I
approached the seminary I saw a good many boys playing on the square of
the village, and I went and stood close by. Very soon one of the young
men came up to me, saying, "Are you going to attend our school here?" I
told him, "No, sir; I am going thirty miles further to attend some
school there." "This is the best school that I know of anywhere about
this country," he said. I asked him if he would introduce me to the
proprietor of the school. "Most cheerfully," said he; "will you please
to tell me what place you came from, and your name." "I came from
Michigan, and my name is Blackbird." "All right, I will go with you."
So we came to the professor's room, and he introduced me. "Well, Mr.
Blackbird, do you wish to attend our school?" I said, "I do not know,
sir, how that might be, as I have not much means to pay my way, but I
am seeking for a man who invited me to come to come to Ohio some five
years ago, and promised that he would help me all he could for my
education. His name is Alvin Coe, a traveling missionary, my father's
old friend." "We have two Indian boys here attending school, and I
think you will not be very lonesome if you should conclude to stay with
us." "What are their names?" I asked. "One is Francis Petoskey, and the
other is Paul Ka-gwe-tosong." I said, "I know them both; I came from
the same place they did, but I did not know they were here, I only knew
they were attending school somewhere among the whites." "Can you do any
kind of work?" "I am a blacksmith by trade, sir, and besides I can do
most every other kind of work." He said, "If you conclude to stay, I
will try to aid you in finding a place where you could work to pay for
your lodging and board; and in the meantime we will cause Mr. Alvin Coe
to come and see you, and if he sees fit to take you away he can do so,
provided you would be willing to go with him." I told him I would stay,
if I found a place to work to pay for my board, and provided that I
could make some arrangement for the little companion who came with me.
After considering a few moments, he proposed to take my little
companion to his boarding house until a better arrangment could be
made. This was the end of my conversation with this noble hearted
professor and proprietor of this Institution, whose name was Rev.
Samuel Bissell, of Twinsburg, Ohio.
In the morning, after breakfast, I went back to the village and found
arrangments were already made for both of us, and all we had to do was
just to shift our quarters. I came to live with a young blacksmith in
the village and work two hours in the morning and two hours in the
evening, and many times I finished my hours at sunrise. Some time
during the winter, my friend Mr. Alvin Coe came and took me off, with
the understanding, however, that if I did not like the school where he
was, I was to come back to Twinsburg. So in about two weeks I came back
to the old institution, as I did not like the place. At last Dr.
Brainsmade, of Newark, New Jersey, took a deep interest in my welfare
and education, and he proposed to aid me and take me through the
medical college. Therefore I quit working my hours in the shop and
boarded at the institution, attending solely to my studies for over
four years.
I have already told my readers in previous chapters how bad I felt when
I had to return to Michigan. After I came home I did everything towards
the welfare and happiness of my people, beside attending to my aged
father, as I found my people to be very different then from what they
were, as they were beginning to have a free use of intoxicating
liquors. I immediately caused the pledge to be signed in every village
of the Indians, in which I was quite successful, as almost everyone
pledged themselves never again to touch intoxicating drinks. I also
advocated the right of citizenship for my people in the State of
Michigan, although we were repeatedly told by our white neighbors that
we could not very well be adopted as citizens of the State as long as
we were receiving annuities from the general government on account of
our former treaties. My object of promulgating this cause was, I
thought it would be the only salvation of my people from being sent off
to the west of the Mississippi, where perhaps, more than one-half would
have died before they could be acclimated to the country to which they
would be driven. I have suffered very great hardships for this cause,
as I had to walk from Little Traverse through the dense forest, and
almost the entire length of the southern peninsula of Michigan, in
order to reach the authorities of the State to hold conference with
them upon the subject of the citizenship of the Ottawas and Chippewas,
and walked on snow-shoes in the middle of winter in company with one of
our young chieftains from Cross Village. [Footnote: Mr. Wardsworth also
accompanied us from Elk Rapids, on his way to Detroit to obtain a
commission as surveyor on some part of the Grand Traverse region.] We
were subjected to great exposure with only a camp fire for several days
in the month of February.
After crossing Houghton Lake, which is the head waters of the Muskegon
river, that evening we swallowed the last morsel of food, and actually
we traveled and camped out with empty stomachs for two days and a half
before we came to any inhabited place. At last we struck the Te-ti-pe-
wa-say (Tittabawassee), one of the principal branches of Saginaw river,
and following down that stream on the ice we came to an Indian camp
which stood by the river side, and also saw many human foot-prints on
the ice, but the camp was deserted and we found nothing to eat. We left
the place and once more followed the river, and after walking about
half a mile we came to another Indian camp, and saw blue smoke coming
out of it. As we came up to the camp we found nothing but women and
children (all the men were out hunting). They gave us food, and we went
on our journey the next day.
We went to Detroit to see Judge Wing to obtain his legal opinion on the
subject of the citizenship of the Ottawa and Chippewa Indians of
Michigan. We had a very pleasant visit with him, and he gave us as his
legal opinion of this matter, that he did not think that it would debar
us from being citizens of the State, because the Government owed us a
little money on account of our former treaties, provided we should
renounce our allegiance to our chiefs and recognize no other chief
authority than the President of the United States; and that we would
not be required to have any writ of naturalization as we are already
naturalized by being American born. After a pleasant visit with Hon.
Judge Wing, we next turned our faces to the State Legislature and
Governor. In this also we thought we were very successful, for the
Governor received us very kindly and gave us much good counsel on the
subject of citizenship, giving us some instructions as to how we should
live under the rule of the State if we should become the children of
the same. He talked to us as though he was talking to his own son who
had just come from a far country and asked his father's permission to
stay in the household.
After a pleasant visit with the Governor, and seeing some of the
members of the State Legislature, receiving full assurance that our
undertaking and object would be well looked after, we retraced our
steps back to Little Traverse, to report the result of our visit. After
that, not many Indians believed these flying reports gotten up by our
white neighbors. In that year, the clause was put in the revised
statutes of the State of Michigan, that every male person of Indian
descent in Michigan not members of any tribe shall be entitled to vote.
In the year 1855, I was again delegated to attend the council of
Detroit for the treaty of 1855, and in that council I made several
speeches before the Hon. Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Mr. Manypenny,
of Washington, on the subject of our educational fund, $8000 per annum,
which had been expended for the education of the Indian youths for the
last nineteen years, and which was to be continued ten years longer.
This sum had never been used directly for any scholars, but it was
stated that it was given to the religious societies which had missions
among the Michigan Indians. In that council I advocated that the said
fund be retained in the hands of the general Government for the benefit
of those Indian youths who really intended to be educated and who went
among the whites or in civilized communities to be educated, and if it
need be, to be used for the collegiate education of those Indian
youths, but let the children at home be educated at home by taxation,
and giving fully my reasons in advancing such proposition. The Hon.
Commissioner was much taken up with my remarks on this subject, I being
the youngest member, and told the older members of the council that he
would like to hear some of them on this subject. "The young man who has
been making remarks on this matter has a very good idea with regard to
your educational funds; now let us hear farther remarks on this subject
by some other members of the council." But not one Indian stirred. And
again and again the next day, I tried to urge this matter to the Hon.
Commissioner and the Indians to cooperate with me, but they would not,
because my people were so ignorant they did not know the value of
education, or else they misunderstood the whole subject. On the third
day, as I was about getting up to make further remarks upon this
subject, one of the old members, who was the most unworthy of all the
company, as he got very drunk the day we arrived in Detroit and was
locked up in jail as disorderly two or three days, arose and said to
the Commissioner that I was not authorized by any of the council to get
up here and make such remarks. "We did not come here to talk about
education, but came expressly to form a treaty." Then burst into a
great laughter all the spectators of the council and some of the
members too. I was told afterwards that it was a put up job to prevent
any change by the persons who had been handling for years this Indian
educational fund, as there were a number of them in the council hall.
Thus was lost one of the most noble objects which ought to have been
first looked after.
After the council dispersed and came home, I sat down and wrote a
long article, giving the full history of the past in regard to this
matter; how our educational fund, $8000 per annum, had been handled and
conducted for nearly twenty years, and yet not one Indian youth could
spell the simplest word in the English language, and these writings I
had published in the Detroit Tribune for public inspection.
CHAPTER VIII.
Becoming Protestant--Persecutions--Second Attempt to go to School--
Trials With Indian Agent--Governor Lewis Cass--Struggle During
Education--Getting Married--Coming Home--Government Interpreter and
Postmaster.
The next five years were passed among my people, doing a little of
everything, laboring, teaching, and interpreting sermons among the
Protestant missions--for there were by this time two Protestant
missions established among the Ottawas of Arbor Croche, one at Bear
River, now Petoskey, and another at Middle Village or Arbor Croche
proper, where I acted as an assistant teacher and interpreter. I met
much opposition from the Catholic community, because I had already
become a Protestant and left the Romish church, not by any personal
persuasion, however, but by terrible conviction on reading the word of
God--"That there is no mediator between God and man but one, which is
Christ Jesus, who was crucified for the remission of sins." One Sunday,
some friend persuaded me to come to the church, but when the priest saw
me he came and forcibly ejected me out of the room. The same priest
left the Indian country soon afterwards, and it seems he went to
England, and just before he died he wrote to my sister a very touching
epistle, in which he said nothing about himself or any one in Little
Traverse, but from the beginning to the end of the letter he expressed
himself full of sorrow for what he had done to me when in this country
among the Indians, and asking of me forgivness for his wrongs towards
me.
Soon after the council of Detroit, I became very discontented, for I
felt that I ought to have gone through with my medical studies, or go
to some college and receive a degree and then go and study some
profession. But where is the means to take me through for completing my
education? was the question every day. So, after one payment of the
treaty of 1855, late in the fall of 1856, I went up to Mr. Gilbert, who
was then Indian agent, and made known to him my intention, and asked
him if he would aid me towards completing my education, by arranging
for me to receive the benefit of our educational fund, which was set
apart at the last council for the education of the Indians in this
State. But he would not. He bluffed me off by saying he was sorry I had
voted the "black republican ticket," at the general election, which
took place that fall of 1856. This was the first time that the Indians
ever voted on general election. Mr. Gilbert was at North Port, Grand
Traverse, on election day, managing the Indian votes there, and he sent
a young man to Little Traverse to manage the voting there and sit as
one of the Board at the Little Traverse election. He sent the message
to Indians to vote no other ticket but the democratic ticket. At this
election there were only two republican votes in Little Traverse, one
of which was cast by myself. As I was depositing my ballot, this young
man was so furiously enraged at me he fairly gnashed his teeth, at
which I was very much surprised, and from my companion they tried to
take away the ticket. Then they tried to make him exchange his ticket,
but he refused. We went out quickly, as we did not wish to stay in this
excitement. At that time I felt almost sorry for my people, the
Indians, for ever being citizens of the State, as I thought they were
much happier without these elections.
After payment of our annuities, as the vessel was about starting off to
take the Indian agent to Mackinac, they had already hoisted the sails,
although there was not much wind, and I thought, this was the last
chance to get to Mackinac. As I looked toward the vessel I wept, for I
felt terribly downcast. As they were going very slowly toward the
harbor point, I asked one of the Indian youngsters to take me and my
trunk in a canoe to the vessel out there. I had now determined to go,
in defiance of every opposition, to seek my education. [Footnote:
Indians are now forbidden to leave their reservations without
permission from the agent, so no ambitious and determined youth can now
escape from the Indian Bureau machine.--ED.] I hurried to our house
with the boy, to get my trunk and bid good bye to my aged father, and
told him I was going again to some school outside, and if God permitted
I hoped to return again to Little Traverse. All my father said was,
"Well, my son, if you think it is best, go." And away we went. We
overtook the vessel somewhere opposite Little Portage, and as I came
aboard the agent's face turned red. He said, "Are you going?" I said,
"Yes sir, I am going." So nothing more was said. The greater part of
the night was spent by the agent and the captain gambling with cards,
by which the agent lost considerable money. We arrived the next day at
Mackinac, and again I approached the Indian agent with request if he
could possibly arrange for me to have the benefit of our Indian
educational fund, set apart for that purpose at the council of Detroit,
1855; and again he brought up the subject of my voting. Then I was
beginning to feel out of humor, and I spoke rather abruptly to him,
saying, "Well, sir, I now see clearly that you don't care about doing
anything for my welfare because I voted for the republican party. But
politics have nothing to do with my education; for the Government of
the United States owes us that amount of money, not politics. I was one
of the councilors when that treaty was made, and I will see some other
men about this matter, sir." His face turned all purple, and as I was
turning about to keep away from him, he called me back, saying, "Mr.
Blackbird, how far do you intend to go to get your education?" I said,
"I intend to go to Ann Arbor University, sir." "Well, I will do this
much for you: I will pay your fare to Detroit. I am going by way of
Chicago, but you can go down by the next boat, which will be here soon
from Chicago." I thanked him, and he handed me money enough to pay my
fare to Detroit.
So I reached Detroit, and went to Dr. Stuben's house and inquired my
way to Governor Cass' residence; and when I knocked at the door, behold
it was he himself came to the door. I shook hands with him and said,
"My friend, I would like to speak to you a few moments." "Is it for
business?" he asked. "Yes sir, it is." "Well, my boy, I will listen to
what you have to say." I therefore began, saying, "Well, my friend, I
come from Arbor Croche. I am the nephew of your old friend, 'Warrior
Wing,' am seeking for education, but I have no means; and I come to see
you expressly to acquaint you with my object, and to ask you the favor
of interceding for me to the Government to see if they could possibly
do something towards defraying my expenses in this object. That is all
I have to say." The old man raised his spectacles and said, "Why, why!
your object is a very good one. I was well acquainted with your uncle
in the frontier of Michigan during the war of 1812. Have you seen and
told the Indian agent of this matter?" "Yes sir, I have asked him
twice, but he would not do anything for me." "Why, why! it seems to me
there is ample provision for your people for that object, and has been
for the last twenty years. What is the matter with him?"
I said, "I don't know, sir." "Well, well; I am going to Washington in a
few days, and shall see the Indian Commissioner about this matter, and
will write to you from there on the subject. I know they can do
something toward defraying your expenses. Where do you intend to go?" I
said, "I don't know, yet, sir, but I thought of going to the University
at Ann Arbor." "Is it possible? are you prepared to enter such a
college?" I told him I thought I was. "Well, sir, I think you had
better go to Ypsilanti State Normal School instead of Ann Arbor: it is
one of the best colleges in the State." This was the first time I ever
heard of that school, and it sounded quite big to me; so I told him
that I would gladly attend that school, provided I had means to do so.
"Well, then, it is settled. You shall go to Ypsilanti, and I will
direct my letter to Ypsilanti when I write to you; and now mind nobody,
but just go about your business." After thanking him for his good
counsel I shook hands with the old man and left.
The next day was a terrible snow storm, but, however, I started out for
Ypsilanti, which is only about thirty miles from Detroit. Of course, as
I was totally a stranger in the place, I put up at a hotel, although my
means were getting very short. The next day I went about to find out
all about the institution, cost of tuition, and private board, etc.,
and saw some of the professors of the institution, but I did not dare
to make any arrangements for a steady boarding place and begin school
for fear Governor Cass should fail of getting help from the Goverment.
Therefore, instead of beginning to go to school, I went and hired out
on a farm about three miles from the city, and continued to work there
for about three weeks before I heard from Governor Cass. At last the
old farmer brought a package of letters from the post-office, one of
which was post marked at Washington, D. C., and another from Detroit. I
fairly trembled as I opened the one which I thought was from Governor
Cass, as between doubt and hope, but my fears were suddenly changed
into gladness, and quickly as possible I settled with the farmer, and
away I went towards the city, singing as I went along. By intercession
of Governor Cass, it was proposed to pay my whole expenses--board,
clothes, books, tuition, etc. The other letter was from the Indian
Agent, calling me to come down to Detroit, as he had already received
some instructions from the Commissioner of Indian Affairs to look after
me and to arrange the matters of my schooling at Ypsilanti State Normal
School. O, how I did hate to have to meet the Indian Agent again on
this subject; to stand before him, and to have him think that I had
overcome him, and succeeded in spite of his opposition to my desire. O,
how I wished this matter could have been arranged without his
assistance. However, I started out for Detroit the same evening I
received these communications, and went to the agent. He never even
said, "How do you do?" but immediately began, saying, "Well, sir, how
much do you think that it will cost for your schooling at Ypsilanti?"
"I don't know, sir," I responded. "Well, who knows? I think you ought
to know, as you have been there," he said, in a gruff voice. "I have
not been to school at all, sir," I said, "but have been working on a
farm up to this morning." "Working on a farm, eh? I thought you came
here on purpose to attend school?" "I did, sir; but you know I was very
short of means, so I had to do something to keep me alive." "Can't you
tell me the cost for your board per week?" "The private board is from
$3.50 to $4 per week, sir, as according to accommodation." "How much
for books and clothing?" "I don't know, sir; but I think I have enough
clothing for at least one year."
In the morning I went back to Ypsilanti, and with the aid of the
professors of the institution I got a good boarding place. I attended
this institution almost two years and a half, when I could not hold out
any longer, as my allowance for support from the Government was so
scanty it did not pay for all my necessary expenses. I have always
attributed this small allowance to the Indian Agent who was so much
against me. I tried to board myself and to live on bread and water; and
therefore hired a room which cost me 75 cents a week, and bought bread
from the bakeries, which cost me about 50 cents a week, and once in a
while I had fire-wood as I did not keep much fire. I stood it pretty
well for three months, but I could not stand it any longer. I was very
much reduced in flesh, and on the least exertion I would be trembling,
and I began to be discouraged in the prosecution of my studies. By this
time I was in the D class, but class F was the graduating class in that
institution, which I was exceedingly anxious to attain; but I imagined
that I was beginning to be sick on account of so much privation, or
that I would starve to death before I could be graduated, and therefore
I was forced to abandon my studies and leave the institution.
As I did not have any money to pay my passage homeward, I wept about
working and occasionally lecturing on the subject of the Indians of
Michigan, and at last I had enough means to return home and try to live
once more according to the means and strength of my education.
September 4th, 1858, I was joined in wedlock to the young lady who is
still my beloved wife, and now we have four active children for whom I
ever feel much anxiety that they might be educated and brought up in a
Christian manner. Soon after I came to my country my father died at a
great age. The first year we lived in Little Traverse we struggled
quite hard to get along, but in another year I was appointed U. S.
Interpreter by the Hon. D. C. Leach, U. S. Indian Agent for Mackinac
Indian Agency, to whom I ever feel largely indebted, and I continued to
hold this situation under several of his successors in office.
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