Beaver Island History - Helen Collar Papers
Indians
To the archaeologist the B.I.s have been the most interesting part of the county. Mr. Henry Gillman, Smithsonian Report 1873, removed from the mounds upon the point on the north side of St. James Bay (Whiskey Point) some of the most interesting specimens found in the state. There were villages at both ends of the largest island, B.I. proper, & at intermediate points. Upon some of the other islands of the group [Garden & High] are still to be seen the remains of Indian construction. These islands were stopping-places for voyagers crossing the large lake, & served also as a kind of refuge from the mainland in times of disquiet.1
- Wilbert B. Hinsdale, Archaeological Atlas of Michigan (1931), p. 172
Passing the river which flows from Lake Nipissing, Nicolet "upon the same shores of this fresh-water sea," that is, upon the shores of Lake Huron, came next to "the Nation of Beavers,"
whose hunting grounds were northward of the Manitoulin Islands. This nation was afterwards esteemed among the most noble of those of Canada. They were supposed to be descended from the Great Beaver, which was, next to the Great Hare, their principal deity. They inhabited originally the Beaver Islands in Lake Michigan; afterwards the Manitoulin Islands; then they removed to the mainland, where they were found by Nicolet.
- C. W. Butterfield's History of the Discovery of the Northwest by Jean
Nicolet, as recorded in Walter Havighurst's The Great Lakes Reader, p. 6-7
Death records:
Angeline McAbow, "black," widow, age 90, died in Peaine Twp, of old age, Feb. 6, '03.
She is listed as "laborer," parents "deceased," res. B.I..
Samuel Babonwena, "black," widower, age 87, died in Peaine Twp, of old age, on Feb.
21, '03. Laborer, parents "deceased," res. High Island.
Moses Wowegeis, "black," widower, age 101, died in Peaine Twp, of old age, on Mar.
11, '04. Born Mich., laborer, parents deceased, res. Beaver Is..
Jule Wowegeis, black, female, age 1-1-10, died in Peaine Twp, on Mar. 10, '04, cause
not given. Born Mich.; parents Juge Wowegeis, Jule Meboeur, res. B.I..
Angeline, Indian, married, age 20, died in St. James Twp, Oct. 10, '06, of tuberculosis of
the lungs. Father Frank Martin, mother unknown; res. St. James (I find no Frank M.).
Peter Manuto, single, 15, died St. J. Twp, "kicked by a horse." Parents Peter Manuto &
Angeline. Peaine.
Garden Island -
Indian name Tagoning, meaning garden or cultivated land. It is inhabited (1854) by about 200 Indians, who subsist by fishing & raising corn & potatoes. Their numbers are increasing.
Hog Island -
Occupied by a few families of Indians.
From Mrs. O'Brien's notes -
"How the Indians first came to the Beaver Islands is told by our Indian friend Jack Thomas of High Island, who tells the story as told by his grandfather:
An Indian first visited the Islands, coming from Goodhart, a small settlement at that time on the Upper Peninsula. The name of this Indian was She-gog. He & his squaw landed on Hog I.. Exploring this island they found a great many beavers, which led them to visit the other islands where they found still more beavers, which delighted them very much. This Indian had come to Goodhart from the present site of Chicago, which had been his happy hunting ground. Too many white settlers having drifted in he left there for the north, finally locating at Goodhart, hence his visit to the Beaver Islands. After looking over the islands and being well-pleased with the prospects for fur-trading, he returned to the north shore but said nothing of his find.
But this did not keep others away, for two more Indians with venturesome spirits started out to visit these islands. Mogwisom (meaning bear heart) and his grandfather also landed on Hog. I., exploring this & the other islands and finding a great many beavers. They went back & reported this to their friends. Mogwisom and his family returning with a few other families and settling on Hog I., where they caught beavers and started trading with Mackinac I., where two fur-traders were located at that time.
Our friend Jack tells us of their first trip to Mackinac. This is the story as told by Jack. White man gave Indian glass of whiskey. White man ask Indian how he feels. 'Make Indian feel good.' White man give Indian more drink. Make Indian go round & round. White man give Indian another drink. Indian fall down. They take some whiskey home with them to the other Indians, who like it very well.
The next trip they bring home a good supply & they all get drunk. A big fight is the result - in which one Indian kills another. This Indian, whose name is 'Misigan,' for his crime is banished to High I., which at this time was not inhabited. He & his squaw were forced to live there alone for a long time, but later were forgiven and other Indians moved there. Many Indians came from the North Shore, settling on the islands, attracted by the beavers, until they had settled most of the islands."
- This was written during the year of the 100th celebration of Bishop
Baraga's 1st visit, so it must have been 1932.
Five Indian villages in Emmet County (1854): Garden Island, Cross Village, Middle Village, Le Arbre Croche, & Bear Village, all containing a population of about 2,000.
Garden - formerly lived on Beaver & have moved to Garden in last 6 years. A priest
visits once a year; very devout but a few are pagan.
Cross Village - priest lives there who is supported by U.S. as a teacher. Have a sawmill.
Middle Village - on bluff back of Isle de Galet (Skillagalee) lighthouse. Much such a
place as Cross Village.
Le Arbre Croche - Little Traverse; most thriving town - have well-built vessel of 30-40
tons burthen, constructed, owned, & navigated by themselves.
Bear Village - south side of Little Traverse; an outstation of Le Arbre Croche.
- Strang, An. & Mod. Mack., p. 39-40
Chippewa, Ojibway - eastern half of Lower Peninsula & Upper Peninsula
Ottawa - lower half of southern Peninsula
Potawatomi - a strip across southern part
- when pressure of white man from east, boundaries shifted
1618 - when Etienne Brulé (1st white) landed on Mich. soil, at Soo -
Mich. pop. about 15,000, southern 1/2 12,000, rest in pine forests of the north; settlements
along rivers in hardwood forests (used maple for sugar, birch for canoes); agriculture
- corn, st__le, also squash, tobacco, kidney beans.
1680 - 800 voyageurs (French) in total pop. of 10,000.
1822 - Schoolcraft appointed Indian Agent, headquarters [at] the Soo.
As pressure of settlers built up in the south, Indians moved to northern 1/2 of
Southern Peninsula & Upper Peninsula.
1930 - census enumerated 7,080 Indians in state, 1,214 full-bloods; on reservations,
2,404.
1939 - 4,530 Indians in state (report of Commissioner of Indian Affairs); of these, only
579 in census.
1 Brackets in this paragraph in original.
2 Wilbert B. Hinsdale, Archaeological Atlas of Michigan. Ann Arbor, MI: University of Michigan Press, 1931.