The Mail-Journal, Volume 7, Number 23, Milford, Kosciusko County, 8 July 1970 — Page 10

LEESBURG DAYS

Indian Chief Monoquet Believed Poisoned By Squaw

Probably it would not be out of place before we take up the history of the early white settlers of the township and town to finish the history of the race formerly in possession of the land, up to the time of their final removal The early settlers of the township found when they came quite a number of the original owners of the soil still in posession. although they had sold the majority of their lands to the general government and were living on small tracts reserved by them. These in many cases were unwilling witnesses of *the paleface's inroads upon their hunting grounds, but no disposition to be unfriendly was shown. The settlers soon began to plant and raise their crops and. although the red man had to divide with him the game of the forests, they on the other hand were benefited by the produce of the farm and merchandise introduced by the settlers and soon became quite well satisfied with the new order of things, and. until their removal west of the Mississippi by the government, lived peacefully in their villages trading and trafficking with their white neighbors. The Indians who were then the inhabitants of Plain township and its immediate vicinity were the fragments of two great tribes that at one time possessed Ohio. Indiana. Michigan and Illinois; namely, the Pottawatomies and Miamias. The Pottawatomies were lead by two chiefs. Mo-no-quet and Mus-squaw-buck There, were two other tribes of Pottawatomies whose chiefs were Che-cose and Mo-ta. The Checose village was situated on the river just below the present site of the city of Warsafv. The Monta's village was located farther (town toward Atwood The Mo-no-quet village was located in Plain township on the bluff just north of Tippecanoe river and just west of the Leesburg road where it crosses the river bridge. The village consisted of quite a number . of bark-covered wigwams and had a population of from 150 to 300 inhabitants These were Pottawatomies and were governed by Chief Monoquet, after whom the village was named. Monoquet was a prominent chief among the Pottawatomies. both, we might say, as a political leader and as a warrior. He fought under Te-cum-seh at the battle of Tippecanoe. where he gained quite a reputation as an Indian brave In personal appearance, he was a thin, spare man. about 60 years old at that time (1835*. stood five feet seven inches in his moc-

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easins. His forehead was high and rather square, his eyes small and bright, his nose (something uncommon for an Indian) was aquiline, his voice tenor, clear and sharp. He died of lung fever and debauch. An incident occurred at the time of Monoquet’s death that would strike us as barbarous in the extreme, even for an Indian. There was a handsome young squaw on a visit at the village from some tribe in Michigan and for some cause, most likely on account of his sudden death, the tribe suspicioned her of having poisoned him. The rumor reaching her ears, she became alarmed and started on foot and alone for her home in Michigan. This movement on the part of the *squaw confirmed their suspicions and two young braves were sent out in pursuit of her. One of them overtaking her at the cross-roads south of Leesburg, brained her with his tomahawk. Mr (1 think Joseph* Harper and Harrison Pool, two early settlers, who were coming down the road from the north and saw them when they overt ode her and ruthlessly struck her down with a tomahawk, rushed up to them and as they'came up one Indian flourished his tomahawk and exclaimed, “Waugh" big Indian me." Mr Harper replied: “Yes big Indian you, to run down and brain defenseless squaw.” Then raising his gun he said: “For a sip I’d put a bullet thru your cowardly heart " The Indians sneaked off to join those who most likely could better appreciate this act of valor. This incident was related to us by Mr. Thomas Harper, who died in Leesburg in 1870. as he heard it from his father or imcle. we are not sure which. After the performance of the usual Indian ceremonies over the dead chief his remains were taken half a mile south of the village and about forty rods southwest of the residence of Mr. John Hall, where they built a pen of poles six feet long, four feet Wide and four feet high In one end of the pen they placed the dead chief in a sitting position, face toward the south with his blanket thrown across his shoulders Twd poles were used to hold the body in position. One of them was placed under his chin and one lower down to keep his hands and body in the desired position, the ends of the poles being fastened between the poles of the pen on either side. For some time succotash and other edibles were brought for the dead chief to subsist on as he traveled to the happy hunting grounds. But soon the dead chief* was

Friday and Saturday, July 10 & 11

forgotten and his last resting place neglected, but for months afterward the ghastly form could be seen as it grinned at the person who might venture into its hideous presence, a forcible reminder of the instability of all things earthly and the end to which all are surely approaching, be he red. white or black. After the funeral rites were over, his son. a young man of fine physical appearance, Jim Monoquet. was hailed as their chief amid great rejoicing, the ceremonies lasting seven days. Like the ocean’s ebb and flow, Earth’s millions come and go. Leaving on the page of time. The History of their worth or crime. INDIAN BURYING GROUND On the south side of the river opposite the Indian village of Monoquet, there was quite a large space of ground which had been used as a burial place. The graves and many other traces of the Indians were plain to be seen at the time we came to Monoquet, in 1843. Even when a boy of eight or nine we were deeply interested in anything which pertained in any way to the antecedent history of a race who were of prehistoric origin. We spent many, many happy hours hunting for such mementoes of them as flint arrow heads, stone axes, etc., which at that time were quite plentiful. The adult Indian and squaw were usually buried in the earth, but the squaws, when their little ones died, wove willow cradlelike baskets, placed the little ones in them and fastened them among the upper branches of a tree. Rather than consign them to the tomb. Its darkness and its gloom. They swung their loved one high in air ‘Mid rustling leaves and sunshine fair. Left to the Great Sprit’s loving care The earliest pioneers said they had seen some of those burial baskets hanging in the trees in the village of Monoquet. The birds of prey soon carried the little forms away, so it was not as unsanitary as it would at first appear. Something like this mode of burial was practiced by some of the ancients. After the funeral rites were over the body was given to men whose business it was. They stripped it of its clothing and cast it into a pit or walled enclosure and left it for the vultures to dispose of. which they did very quickly. Speaking of the Indian burying ground at Monoquet brings in mind (please excuse a personal reminiscence) an incident connected with it. the circumstances and details of which are as vivid, to our mind today as when they occurred, some sixtynine or seventy years ago. of which we and our brother were the principals. Our father. Dr. James Armstrong, then a young man not far from thirty, and just out of college, had come west to grow up with the country. We had often heard him in conversation with a Dr Harper, who then lived on the place now owned by Mr. Funk, relate some of his experiences in college and explain the many new methods in the practice of medicine and the new appliances for the study of the human system, among which he often spoke of a complete human

OLD EMPIRE HOTEL — This is a photo of the old Empire Hotel in Leesburg which was owned by the Blaine family of Leesburg. It was built by Robert Blaine and operated as a hotel until 1861. It was located where the town hall is now located. j

skeleton and said he would have one as soon as he was able. We came to the conclusion that it would be a capital idea to furnish father with the desired skeleton, and as we understood that the Indian graves across the river were very shallow we at once determined at the first opportunity when he was away from home we would open an Indian grave and secure the bones of one of the departed braves, believing that father would appreciate the present. Accordingly, one pleasant morning with spades on our shoulders we started for the scene of action. We soon found a grave that we thought would answer the purpose and commenced operations, which were not very rapid as we were but lads of seven and nine years old. But we -f seven and nineyeßrs oh). But we toiled on, inspired by the prospect of witnessing the pleasure it would afford father. "Die noon hour came but we had not reached the object of our ambition. In fact we began to entertain grave doubts as to whether the Indian had no melted, away entirely, bones and all. Along in the afternoon we came to what we thought was a fine subject. We picked out the bones very carefully. The small ones we placed in a basket. Being the stronger of the two we took the larger bones in one arm and with the fingers of our right hand in the eye sockets of the skull, lead the van on the homeward march as proud as though we were loaded with the gold of Ophir; so sure were we of father’s pleasure. But. alas for our visions of pleasure and approval, they were destined to be blasted. We were soon standing chagrined and disconcerted in the presence of him from whom we expected approval and commendation When we arrived at home, as it happened, father came out of the house just as we came into the door-yard and we shall never forget the look of utter astonishment that came over his countenance when he saw us. We saw that in some way we had made a serious mistake and stood still, loaded down with our remnants of Indian mortality, awaiting further developments. On coming 14) to us he said: “Boys, what under the sun have you been doing and where did you get those?” pointing to the bones. We told him we had often heard him express a desire to possess a skeleton and we had procured one for him, hoping he would be pleased with it. He burst into a hearty laugh and said: "Well boys. 1 guess you meant it all right, but these decayed bones are of no earthly use as a skeleton; besides it is very wrong for you to disturb the dead, although it wa| an Indian. You must put those oones back where

New Tax Rates Released By County Auditor Butts

Tax rates for governmental units in Kosciusko county are final and were released by County Auditor Lawrence Butts Friday. , The auditor's office will now begin preparing tax statements which will be mailed in from six to eight weeks. Twenty-two taxing units will have lower rates and 11 show

Final Final Increase 1968 INI er Taxing Units Rate Rate Decrease Clay $5.61 $5.71 Up .10 Etna $6.65 $6.41 Down .24 Franklin $5.32 $4.99 Down .33 Harrison $5.21 $4.93 Down .28 Jackson $6.10 $5.17 Down .93 Jefferson-East $6.26 $5.95 Down .31 Jefferson-West $5.89 $6.19 Up .30 Lake 55.31 $5.39 Up .06 Monroe 56.03 $4.97 Down 1.06 Plain $5.34 $5.39 Up .05 Prairie $5.47 $5.42 Down .05 Scott $5.88 $6.12 Up .24 Seward $5.40 ss.l] Down .29 Tippecanoe $6.15 $5.85 Down .30 Turkey Creek $6.30 $5.94 Down .36 Van Buren $6.49 $6.10 Down .39 Washington $6.29 $5.37 Down .92 Wayne $5.71 $5.86 Up .15 TOWNS Burket $5.80 $5.75 Down .05 Claypool $7.27 $8.06 Up .79 Etna Green $7.86 $7.22 Down .64 Leesburg $6.55 $6.37 Down .18 Mentone-Franklin $7.36 $7.15 Down .23 1 Mentone-Harrison $7.35 $7.11 Down .24 Milford $8.89 $8.55 Down .34 North Webster $7.31 $6.97 Down .34 Pierceton $8.56 $7.89 Down* .67 Sidney $7.34 $5.71 Down 1.63 Silver Lake $8.07 $8.21 Up .14 Syracuse $9.0? $8.19 Down .83 Warsaw-Wayne $6.11 $8.33 Up .22 Winona Lake $7.94 $8.29 Up .35 Warsaw-Plain SB.OI $8.04 Uo .03

you got them.” He went with us and within an hour the Indian was resting in his narrow home as quietly as though he had never been disturbed by the indiscreet ambition of two little pale faces to please their father. New Paris Speedway To Present 23d Anniversary Program The New Paris Speedway, located about six miles north of Syracuse, will present an anniversary racing program in honor of its 23d season. Two 50lap feature races will be highlighted plus 13 other events for supers, late model flyers and hobby stocks. The spot was opened in 1948 as a dirt track and has grown to one of the largest independent racing tracks in the midwest, with a paved quarter-mile oval and seats for over 4,000. A special will be presented at intermission called “Freddy the Funny For' 1 " The first 200 cars of fans entering the track will receive checkered flags as souvenirs. Joe and Nancy Hamsher of New Paris, operate the trade. MISSIONARY TO SPEAK Miss Nellie Thum, missionary to Honduras, Central America, will speak at the Missionary church, 100 south Locke street. Nappanee, Sunday, July 12 at 7 p.m. Miss Thum serves with World Gospel Mission, an interdenominational Missionary organization with approximately 240 missionaries in 16 areas of the world, with headquarters in Marion. Don Brumbaugh of r 1 Milford has recovered from an appendectomy and is able to return to work this week.

TWO-CAR CRASH SOUTH OF SYRACUSE Minor injuries were reported in a two-car crash one mile south of Syracuse on SR 13 around 10:30 Saturday night. Sharon Spangle. 28, Fort Wayne, complained of a pain to the side and leg but was not hospitalized following the mishap. Officers reported the accident occurred as a car driven by JerryHartman, 17, Fort Wayne, was making a left hand turn and was hit by the Spangle auto being driven by Jimmy Spangle, 39, Fort Wayne, as Spangle was overtaking and parsing. Deputy Alan Rovenstine reported $l5O damage to the Hartman auto and S6OO to the Spangle car.

increases. The value of property in the county increased $18,141,140 overall. The increased valuation caused the total county rate to decrease from 83 cents to 80 cents per SIOO of assessed valuation. Below is listed the comparison of 1968 and 1969 rates and the increase or decrease in the rates:

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Whitley Products Workers Vote To Return To Work Whitley Products, Inc., workers are returning to work this week following a strike of exactly four weeks. In a vote taken at a mass meeting at the American Legion hall at 2:56 p.m. Monday, Whitley Products workers voted 110 to 41 to return to their jobs. The vote* was conducted by William Liston, International Representative for the United Auto Workers. The workers went on strike Monday, June 8, in a dispute over wage and working conditions. According to Jack Lowe, president of Whitley Products, Inc., about 133 workers would return to their jobs yet this week. Others would return later as the production lines pick up momentum. Two-Year Contract The company’s 215 workers entered into a twoyear labor contract following 48 meetings with management, Mr. Liston told the workers at the Monday meeting. He said workers gained increased holiday benefits, increased insurance benefits, bereavement Christmas bonus increases, vacation benefits, and an increase of 25 cents per hour each year. The strike has been the first by Whitley Products workers since they became affiliated with the UAW International, and it has turned out to be one of the most stubborn.

Service Notes ' f firVxr • f ™ ' ' it

Hey Mom — Let us do your Laundry and Dry Cleaning so you’ll have more time to spend at — Leesburg Days Friday and Saturday, July 10 & 11 Jon-Nel Norge Village Uptown Leesburg

ACCEPTED IN CORPS — Miss Kay L. Lewis, 18, who has resided with her uncle and aunt, Mr. and Mrs. Earl B. Lewis of r 2 Warsaw, has been accepted in the Women’s Army Corps and has departed by jet aircraft to Fort McClellan, Ala., for her basic training. Kay, a 1970 graduate of Mentone high school, requested a career in the administration field and "will receive this training upon completing her basic training. Miss Lewis was active in the Mentone high school Spanish club, Projection club, and taught Sunday school at the Mentone church.