First regional office open, council meeting dates set

Transcription

Vol. 13, No.9
September, 1991
Citizen Band Potawatomi Tribe
Applications for tribal credit cards rolling in
"I cui myoId one in Iwo
trib~.
They know
have the spcci<11 card. Family
and sent it back to them
we mean business."
mcmlx'Ts, friends, anyone may
when I got my new tribal
VISA card," said tribal
Response to the new tribt1!
cards has been good so tar, Davis
apply. Those already holding
administrator and treasurer
said, bul he would like 10 see
more people send in applicatiuns
section of the application form
(an application is printed on page
for Ihat.
3). Of course, he can't guarantee
that you'll be approved, but if
"Turn in the one you have,"
Davis urged. "It's important to
the tribe that INC have as many of
these issued as we possibly can.
Let's show them we're proud to
be Potawatomi."
Bob Davis.
Davis wants everyone in
the tribe 10 be able to nash
thai VISA wilh the tribal
seal. "It's a mailer of pride,"
he said. "When they see that
card, they know about Ihe
Potawatomi Tribe. They
know we are a progessivc,
seriolls -minded
VISA cards may simply transfer
their account; there's <l special
you are, the tribe will earn (]
transaction fcc every time you
use thai card.
And don't forget - you don'l
have to be a tribal member 10
Have you sent in your application?
See page 3f
First regional office open,
council meeting dates set
The first regional officeof the Citizen Band POlawalomi Tribeopened
in the Dallas area this month.
The Dallas regional office is located at DFW Execulive Suites, 601 N.
Bcllline, IrVing, Texas, and Ihe telephone number is (214)399-1345.
Tribal accounting director Curolyn Sulliv<lll drove to the Dallas area
Sept. 18 to set up Ihe office and had it opened by Sept. 23.
,
.
.J
~<_
i
Mega Night At Bingo Hall
Potawatomi Tribal Bingo celebrated the third anniversary of
tribal management of the hall Sept. 14 with a super session
featuring free caps and T-shirts, special games, a reception
with live music and more. Employees were decked out in
tuxedos for the occasion, which was highlighted by a live
remote Mega Bingo broadcast from the hall. Above, technicians prepare the crowd for the live broadcast. At left, a
player sports one of the free T-shirts. Below, tribal gaming
director David Qualls goes over last minute details with
Bryan Foster, visiting MegaBingo host.
"Craig Anderson, a tribal rnember from the area, \\'a~ mosl helpful,"
Sullivan said. "He saved me a couple of days of driving around by
helping scout somesitcs." Craig's wife Kim will man th<.'office for a few
hoursa day until a volunteer schedule can be worked out. Her first task
was to call and invite tribal members to the OCl. 5 Regional Council .It
the Dallas Marriott Quorum ilnd tell them about the office.
Sullivansaid she was very pleased with both the location and Ihecost
of the office. It came furnished and a secretarial service is provil'!l'd, shl..'
said, so that calls . . vill be answered evell when a voluntct:r is not in the
office. "We need volunteers," she stressed, adding that those willing to
donatc a few hours il month 10 the office should contaci the tribe.
Tribal chairman John A. Barrett hailed the opening of the office as
"the first step toward the creation of organized politic'll subdivisinns
within the tribal structure." When the regional offices were first propost\..i
several yearsago, Barrett prophesied that they \.\'ould evt'ntually 1c'ad to
such subdivi5ions which might even elect regional representatives who
would meel with the Business Committce by salellite hook-up.
Sullivan will travel to Denver in October losel up the second regional
office. "1 have two ladies in D<.·nver looking for sites," shc S<lid. Names
of volu ntccrsarealso being compiled for that office and thcones to come
laler. Sullivan said that Santa Clara will probably be Ihe third sitl'
opened.
The regional offices will Cl'rtainly lx' a topic of discussion at the
coming year's round of Regional Councils, beginning Oct. 5 in Dallas.
But there will definitely be a new flavor to those meetings, Barrett said.
"V\'e have a wonderful new video," he said. "It was professionally
shol during l'otawalomi Days this year." The video will fealure the
,
\
annu111 pow wow, of course, as well as olher sights and sounds of tribal
life. "Ouremphasisat Regional Councils in Ihe future will beon culture,
arts and customs," the chairman said, "including the evolution of the
powwow."
Here is the Regional Council schedule for 1991-92:
Oct. 5, 1991 - Dallas, TX.
OCI. 27, 1991 - Denver, CO.
Nov. Y, 1YY1 - Santa Clara, CA.
Ian. 11, 1992 - Phoenix, AZ.
Feb. 8,1992 - Long Beach, CA.
Feb. 22, 1992 - Portland, OR.
March 14, 1992 - Kansas City,
MO.
AprilS, 1992 - Tulsa, OK.
April 18. 1992 - Seattle, WA.
May 2, 1992- Houston, TX.
Page 2 • HowNiKan • September, 1991 • Vol. 13, No.4
"C.::,::,:,:: ..'
....
;."
Work underway on restaurant overlooking golf course
Work has begun on a restall~
rant and recreation area in the
area above the tribal pro shop,
according to tribal administrator
Bob Davis.
The space WilS left vacant
when the elderly meal program
was moved to bigger quarters
several months ago. The Business
Committee has becn considering
several alternative uSC's for the
area since then, iJnd recently
decided to proceed with the
renovations.
Funds were approved by tribal
members from the set-aside
budget. The ceiling has been
raised and an outside deck,
which overlooks the golf course,
is being redone. Final details
have not yet been worked Ollt,
but Davis said there will be a
restaurant as well as party rooms
available for rental to outside
groups. That work should be
completed in time for the Christmas season.
"This will really enhance the
pro shop," Davis said. "'rVe plan
to do a brochure \vith photographs of the new facilities and
usc it to promote the golf course
among large companies."
He added that other improvements approved by the voters in
the last election have been
accomplished, including $37,000
in new equipment for the gold
course. Work on the ponds on the
golf course is complete and the
pumps are set, he said, making
the back nine "totally complete."
~~ra:?"=:~~
by Rev. Norman W. Kiker
Tribal Member Playing For SWOSU
After opening the 1991 football season with two road contests,
the Southwestern Oklahoma State University football team will
make its home debut on Saturday, Sept. 21, as Central Arkansas
visits the SWOSU campus at Weatherford. Game time will be 7
p.m. Members of-lhe 1991 Bulldog squad include (front from left):
JuniorLowden, SI. Louis; Bob Bruce, Wynnewood. Backfrom left:
Robbie Fletcher, Maud; Robbie Whitefield, Maud; Gary Bigelow,
Savanna. Lowden, a tribal member. is the son of museum curator
Esther Lowden.
State University
Jovce
Sue Moonev-Oklahnm<l
,
,
New Supreme Court
City Community College
justice to be named Theresa Sue Nichols-Kansas City
KS Community College
A new justice will soon be
Stacie Dianne O'Bright-East
named to the Potawatomi
Central University
Supreme Court, Tribal Chairman
Kathryn DcLonais Price-Univl'rjohn A. Barrett has announced.
sity of Oklohoma
justice Peggy Big Eagle has
Donna jcan Fullbright-Scminole
resigned from the tribal court
Junior College
because she has tlccepted fcder,ll
Michelle PclUlL'tte LOH:-1l-0kla.
ernployment, Barrett SJid. In ,1
Univ.-Hl'alth Scil'llce Center
letter to Barrett, Big Eagle
Randall A. Woodfin-OK Christhanked the tribe for the opportutian Univ. ofScil'ncc & Arts
nity serve and said she valued
Louana Gay Kennedy-Langston
her service with the tribal court.
University (UCT)
The Business Committee \".'ill
Linda Ruth Haralson-Oklahoma
milke a new appointment to the
City Community College
Supreme Court next month,
VVilliam L. Everett-Seminole
Barrett said.
junior College
Joseph Poul Glasgow-Carl Albert
junior College
Cathy Rae Mock-LlllC Community College
Fall Scholarships
Deborah Reinhardt-Texas
john D. Baker-Western OklaWesleyan University
homa State College
Robert Ray DeVader-Manhottan
Sonia Ann Davenport-Californiil
Area Vo-Tech
State Univ -Los Angeles
Loretta May Oden-Barton
Kelly Ann Gonzales-Capital City
County Community College
Barber College
Barney Robert Melot-Central
Allan Jared Hinton-Rogers State
State University
College
Marilyn Joy Hopper-Murray
Darlene Louise Irvin-Washburn
State College
University
Patricia Carson-Seminole Junior
Robbie McClatchey-Univ. of
COllege
Okla.-Health Science Center
Barbara Jean Gregg-Connors
Lora Bell McHenry-Northeastern
Stale College
Fall scholarship
recipients listed
Susan Mae Appicr-Clendale
Community College
Rebecca Ann WilliamsonSeminole Junior College
Deborah Ketchum-Lake City
Sunday 1l10rning rota wa t0I11i Mission v\'orshi p services conti llUl' ,1 t
the Potawatomi Title VI Senior Citizens faeil ity, IOC.ltcd approximatcly
one quarter mill' cast of Hardesty's store on Hardesty Road. Just tra vL'1
east until you cross the railroad tracks; the building is on the south side
of the road. Services ilre in the east end of the building. A potluckdinner
follows the service, so bring your favorite food and get acquainted. For
more information, contact Tribal Chaplain NorJll<ln Kiker on weekdays
at 275-3121.
Schedule of Servic£,'5
October 6 - 10:30 am
November 3 -10:30 am
December 1-10:30 am
The work isalmost completed on the old Friends Mission church and
it is something \veCJn all take great pride in. As tribal members it is evell
more important to know that a place on our land will be set aside tlnd
dedicated toGod the Father, for worship and fellowship in the name 01
jesus Christ, a ploce of refuge and prayer.
Any tribal member wishing to know moreabout themission, feel frcc
to contact me at 1-800-880-9880 or Local 275-3121, or by mail: Norman
Kiker, Chaplain,19m S. Cordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee, Okla. 74801.
On October 6, the Rev. Jim Knowles (lnd his wife Sharon will be
worshipping with the Potawatomi Mission at the Title VI building on
Hardesty Rd.
Je~~i~
~azyeIRwoshe].sHtl:rrr,iTXck,.·.K._
C. Labrum, UT-$l() •.. ·•··...
5$·5"'- $5... ...
. Victor R·uffinen, GA.-$20·'"
<"Iohn'Anttiiiten;OR:-!>l ..
•• Geoi'ge and Ge~trudeMyers~ .
H. Berton McCauley, MD. - .' KS.· $25 • '. . •.. .•. ••. '
$10 ...
• . . . ·'LairyPoser,OK - $10
..
J,K Atiams, FL.· $35 '. .
Community College
john Robert Weber III-Tulsa
Junior College
Deborah Ann Brewer-East
CentrJJ University
From Joyce Abel, R.N.
I Will Be A Paillter of Positive Pictl/res
111 lIIind I have the abilitll to for III pict1ll"es using 11111
imaginatiOiI. These call be positive or lIegative pictures or
It can be a colllbination of both. If I think positive, positive
things will appear In Illy life. If I think negative thirlgs,
negative things will show up. This is 1/111 choice. These
pietu res are formed by my self-talk, that is, the can versat ion
that 1 carryon with my self. Even if my Clles and cars hear
and see negative things. I can still talk positively to myself
to maintain the positive picture. This is called faith. The
negative self talk will crase the positive picture. This is
called doubt. During these situations, I can call on the
power of the creator to help me maintain the positive
picture. No outside person, event, or thing can change my
self-talk. It is up to me to maintain my positive thinking
that Ican live in harmony with nature./will commit myself
to practice positive thinking, for Iknow this is the way that
the great spirit would want me to live my life. Each day I
will affirm:
/ am a beautiful child of the Great Spirit.
/love and accept myself just as I am today,
I am a growing person. My choice is to be positive.
(Author Unkmrum)
Davis completes
Naval training
Miss Heather Danielle Davis
of Las Vegas, Nevada, a tribal
member and descendant of Ncllil
Anderson of the Citizen Band
Potawatomi Tribe, has completec
her basic training at the Naval
Training Center in Orlando,
Florida.
Seaman Davis is a 1990
graduate of Eldorado High
School in Las Vegas and is
currently attending Cryptologic
Technician School at Ft. Devens.
MA.
COMPLETE THIS FORM - CUT IT OUT - MAIL IT TO:
Credit Card Center • P.O. Box 12000 • Oklahoma City, OK 73157-9907
Citizen Band
Potawatomi Indian Tribe
FOR BANK USE ONLY RA650
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_
APP. By
VISA Application
4
PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF
FIRST NAME I Plca~(' Prlnl)
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EMPLOYMENT INFORMATION
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FINANCIAL INFORMATION
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By ~igning toelnw. I aUlhorize you. ifmy account i~ approved. 10 Iransfer In my
Uniled BankCard VISA lhe amounl(.... l up to my available credil limil on Ihe
al'counts li,..led. You will treal Ihi" tramfer a.... a cash advance with inl~resl
a"..essed from dal~ ()f po.. . ting..
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PLEASE RE,<\D C AREFULLY. United B<lnkCard may cau"t'.1 cr~dit inv~sligation 10 be made conn:mm~ yuuH·haralll:r. g.:neral rl.'pulatinn. pel"'oona
l'haraclerislics among. consumer r~porting <Igeol.:ie.. and Olher ..ource.. tu be considered a pan nfthi.. application, Revealing lilcmne rt.·c~ived from ahmnn)
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r'SIGNATURE
Account Balance $
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Transfer my accounts!
When my account is approved, please transfer
the balances that [ have listed below.
\H) ...H IILY
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II'I.FASE
TRANSFER REQUEST
("RU)IT
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JOINT APPLICA TS ARE LIABLE FOR ALL CHARGES BY OTHER APPLICANTS UNTIL ACCOUNT IS TERMI ATED.
CARDHOLDER AGREEMENT AND DISCLOSURE PROVIDED UPON APPROVAL.
REV6!"J1
Signature
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ANNUAL PERCENTAGE RATE
IR.9%
The infomlalion about the costs of the ..:ard described in this applicalion is
accur.ue a.~of5191. This infonnalion may have chang.cd afterlhat dale. To find
oul whal may have changed. call us al I-XllO-456·22H.
I
ANNUAL FEE
S20
Waived FiN Y~<Ir
LATE PA YMENT & OVER·THE·CREDIT·l!MIT FEE
Latc Payment Fee: SI2 Over-thc-Credil·Umit Fcc: $10
II
(;RA<..:E PF:RIOO FOR PURCHASF:S
You have nOlles.~ Ihan 25 day" 10 repay your balance
for purchase.. . before being char}!.ed a finance charge.
BALANCE CALCULATION METHOD FOR PURCHASES
Average Daily Balance (including. current purchases)
A Potawatomi welcome to these new members
New Descendancy Enrollees
August 29, 1991
Barnes, Adam Lee
Barnes, Candice Marie
Dunkin, Shawn Michael
Tabor, Dustin Shawn
Tabor, Travis Don
Yates, Amanda Sue
Boswell, Scoll Paul
Mars, Mindy Dawn
Mars, Angela Marie
Glenn, Anita Kay
Burris, Beth Ann Glenn
Burris, Amanda Kaye
Buettner, Deidre Ann
Trousdale, Daniel Lee
Moon, Chelsea Louise
Leonard, Lorraine Suzanne
Foresman, James William
Aguilar, Brittany Nicole
Johnson, Bradley Keith
Johnson, Brian Oelea
DeVencenzi, Daniel Mathew
Edwards, Matthew Crawford
Behrens, Earl William
Behrens II, Robert James
Behrens, Heather Quinn
Robinson II, Kenneth Grant
et:r-uLsll
Heck, Emily Christine
Hyde Ill, Charles William
Rynn, Candy Michelle
Jackson, Lucas Eric
Jackson, Sarah Da\<vn
Roberts, Sarah Ann
Pitts, Thomas James
Pitts, Thad Jeffrey
Quinn, Rachel
Quinn, Heather
Cullen, Sarah Anne
Leckie, Joshua Murrell
Leckie, Michelle Marie
Hudson, janesa Lynn
Dietrich, Donis Mary
Jenks, Andrew Leslie
Sivils, Dustin Tyler
Cartmill, Jerry Earl
Lazelle, Curt Franklin
Lazelle, Rachael Christa
Meloll, Jr., Justin Keith
Meloll, Dustin Heath
Melott, Autumn Dione
Melott, Amber Dawn
Swanson, Michael Duane
Swanson, Mandi Louise
Swanson, Chad William
Peterston, Steven Lee
Moody, jennifer Celeste
Moody, Michael Patrick
LaRue, Lance J.
Geron, Taylor Michael
Geron, Phillip Nelson
Siemens, Jenifcr Elizabeth
Martin, Patricia Anne
Barton, Angela Kaye
Barlon, Brad Christopher
BartOll, Joshua Ryan
Barton, Cori DallelJ
Barton III, Billy Chester
Bickford, Jr., Alex Eugene
Bickford, KrystJe Dawn
Bickford, Aaron Nathaniel
Dean, Lynncttc Yvonne
Dean, Jeffrey Alan
Woods, Lisa Gay
Costa, Brad jospeh
Costa, Derek Anthony
Williams, Peter Lefoy
Harvey, Kim Maric
Williams, Mary Elizabeth
Williams, Kathleen Rose
Davis II, Timothy Paul
Davis, Amy Lynne
Johnson, Chad Everelt
Johnson, Jeffry Scott
Hill, Paige McGee
Franklin, Damon Franklin
Franklin, Christopher Anthony
Castaneda, Daniel Proceso
Castaneda, Cassie Rose
Chc'ttwood, Kaci Nicole
Weaver, Herman Alton
VVcavcT, Jordan Wayne
Pradmore, Timothy Charles
Pradmorc, Jessica Donya
Foughty, Dustin Kent
Lunsford, Stephanie Dawn
LaClair, Stewart McLane
Pcwachikorr
Jackson, Bradley Cole
Kime, Taylor Liberty
Lowry, Mark Louis
Jenks, Desiree Francisca
Jenks, Christopher David
Fisher, Dcann Rene
Ross, Dcvron Lee
Ross, Austin Lee
Zen-Ruffinen, Kurt H.
Zen-Ruffinen, Craig Richard
Goodgion, Alice May
Yanke, Kyle Christopher
Paxton, Timothy Don
I Kaul1s mother relates other side
For the record...
BUSINESS COMMITIEE MINUTES
June 27, 1991
Present: Chairman-John A. Barrelt, Vice-Chairman-Linda Capps, Secretary ITreasurer-Bob Davis, Committeeman-Hilton Melol, Commi tteeman-Francis Levier, Account·
ing Director-Carolyn Sullivan, Tribal Rolls-Mary Farrell, Grievance Committee Members-Jerry Motley, Jo Ann Johnson and Gene Bruno, tribal member-Glenn Lazelle of
Idaho.
Chairman Barrelt called the meeting to order at 6:45 p.m.
Bob Davis moved to approve the minutes of May 30, 1991 with one correction; Hilton
Melot seconded. Passed 5-0.
Francis Levier moved-to approve Resolution #91-77 in support of the House Select
Committee Bill cited as the Oklahoma Indian Four Winds Cultural Study Act; Linda
Capps seconded. Passed 5-0.
Bob Davis moved to approve Resolution #91-78 enrolling 25 desccndancy applicants;
Francis Levier seconded. Passed 5-0.
Hilton Melot moved to approve Resolution #91-79 enrolling 25 descendancy applicants; John Barrett seconded. Passed 5-0.
Francis Levier moved to approve Resolution #91-80 enrolling 12 dcscendancy applicants; Bob Davis seconded. Passed 5-0.
Francis Levier moved to approve Resolution #91-81 enrolling 6 applicants eligible for
enrollment under previous blood quantum guidelines; Bob Davis seconded. Passed 5-0.
Chainnan Barrett informed the BusinessCommittee that a Fax had lx-en received from
Tribal Attorney Michael Minnis that Judge West had ruled in favor of the Potawatomi
Tribe against the Oklahoma Tax Commission on the issueof the beer license and that there
will be a permanent injunction and the Tribe is also filing to recover the illtOrt)CY fees.
Business Committee went into Executive Session at 7:25 p.m.
Business Committee adjoumed at 7:50 p.m.
SPECIAL BUSINESS COMMITIEE MEETING
July 1, 1991
Present: Chairman-John A. Barrett, Vicc-Chairrnan-Linda Capps, Secretary /Tre(.1surer-Bob Davis, Committeeman-Hilton Mclot, Supreme Court-Justice Bill Rice, Tribal
member Linda Ezell, guest, Mrs. Sheryl Barrell.
Chairman Barrett called the meeting to order at 7:00 p.m.
Bob Davis moved to approve an amendment to repeal the previous amendment to the
Appellate Procedure of the Citizen Band Potawatomi Indian Tribe of OklahoJ11a; Linda
Capps seconded. Passed 4 in favor, 0 opposed. 1 absent.
Bob Davis moved to adjourn the meeting; Hilton Melot seconded. Meeting adjourned
at 8:30 p.m.
A care of thank from the family of
jim Wood to Dr. Shetty, Dr. Gupla, lCU
nurse's, the Shawnee Medical Center
Hospital personnel who were so kilid
to us dUring Jim's hospital stay. Thanks
also to the Rev. jim Harris, Rev. Victor
Cope, the many relatives and friends
who supported us through their visits,
phone calls, cards, flowers, food, love
offerings and prayers. We thank you all
and God Bless each and everyone oi
you.
Scali, Justin Andrew
Scali, Kara Lynn
Scali, Kyle Thomas
Scott, Donna jean
Edgar, Casey Erin
Edgar, Kristin Leann
Yoachum 111, Robert Eugene
Bruno, Cami Marie
Smith, Karen Michelle
Smith, Sara Kimberly
Sanders, Brian joe
Sanders, jennifer Darlene
Cox, Theresa Lane
Killman, Mary Christene
Talton, Byron Keith
White, Kayla Renee'
Tipton, Vicky Lee
Graham, Vanessa Renee
Lunsford, Tara Nicole
Lunsford, Ashley Breann
Lunsford, Garrett Russell
Smith, Todd Starr
Fechner, Bobby Eugene
Anttonen, John Stuart Russell
Carter, Kimberly Ann
Carter, Jr., Ronnie Lloyd
Moseley, Todd Calvin
judy Wood
Lorena Mack Wood
Darla Wood Teboe
Jennifer Wood Pleets
Samantha L. Pleets
Betty & Larry Hernandez & family
Harry D. & Katie Wood & family
Wanda S. & Rev. William Tiger &
family
Pat Wood Ward & family
(judy Wood is a CHR in the Health
Service Dc pI.)
of Kansas cigarette tax dispute
EDITOR, HowNiKan:
In your recent July copy of How-NiKan there was an article on Kathy Kaul.
It states that the Tribal Council contends that she owes $80,000 in taxes and
has refused to pay. What it doesn't say is
that the Tribal Council cannot produce a
legal document showing that they have a
legal tax code.
The Prairie Band General Council is in
the process of trying to get the Tribal
Council to do things legal. Their tax code
and a great number of other things are
being questioned by the General Council.
and the General Council says that they
have to vote on any major decision that
the Tribal Council \vants to put into
effect.
The Prairie Band Tribal Council dug
up the entry to her business illegally, that
was an entry off of a Public Highway and
was state property.
Att. Gen. Stephen of Kansas raided her
business and took the cigarettes because
they didn't have a state tax stamp on
them.
Those cigarettes were returned Aug.
27. Find enclosed copies of thcse from the
Topeka Paper.
Perhaps some of these articles could be
published also.
Thank you,
Nina Kaul
Kathy's mother
(From The T0l'd<Jl Capital-four,",l, Aug. 28, 1991) - The allorney general's office has
agreed to return to the distributor$46,OOO worth of cigarettes confiscated in june in a raid
on a convenience store on the Potawatomi Indian reservation.
Pantaleon Florez, attorney for convenience store owner Kathy Kaul, 5<1id thl' out-oicourt settlement was negotiated Monday in a telephone call between him, the attorney
general's office and an attorney for Cash and Carry, the cigarette distributor.
The agreement resolves a lawsuit Cash and Carry filed against Attorney Ceneral Bob
Stephan and Kaul ior return of the cigarettes after checks in payment weren't honored by
Kaul's bank, Florez said.
It also includes a stipulation that Kaul \-vas in possession of the cigarettes without d
valid tax stamp at the time of the raid, Florez 5<1id.
"But that has never been disputed in the first place," Florez said. "Kathy hasC'ssentially
admitted she possessed these cigarettes without a tax stamp."
'vVh('l( has been disputed, and continues to be litigated, is whether Stephan had <-\1egill
right to raid the store, he said.
Earlier this Slimmer, Stephan filed two misdemeanor charges against Kalil in Jackson
County district court. The case is pending, Florez said.
In a motion to dismiss the charges, Florez said he cited Kansas laws that exempt
reservation retailers from possessing cigarettes without a state sales tax stamp.
He said he also argued that Kaul's failure to have a state sales tax number was
administrative. Kaul had applied to the state Department of Revenue for a 5<lles tax
number. It was denied on the grounds it wasn't required for reservation businesses, he
said.
Kaul also has sued Stephan in federal court, claiming his raid and confiscation
deprived her of equal protection and privileges under the law, Florez said.
The return of the cigarettes was a relief to Kaut Florez said, since she now no longer
owes Cash and Carry $46,O()(). There still are issues that must be resolved before Kaul can
reopen the store.
It isn't clear yet when the Potawatomi tribe will issue Kaul a tribal tax number or
whether she can procure finanCing. Nevertheless, the agreement is a relief, Florez said.
"It's a start in the right direction for something that should never have escalated to this
point," he said.
Vol 13, No.4· September, 1991 • HowNiKan • Page 5
EDITOR
HowNiKan.:
Tribal mcmbers by Ililllll' oj Grq;s(lJ1:
My husb,md Bryan Lee Gregson is ,1 trib,ll mcmbl'T. His lather \\',lS
the latc Dave Gregson. 'We hilve three children who <lrc vcry interested in the culture and history of the Crq:;sn!1 family. [n Y()UT ]UI1l'
issue you \Nclcomed fouT
Gregson's as ne\\' Il)Cmbl..'Ts. ]clrni, Jcnnitl..'T,
Joshua and Justin. Possibly they m,l)" bl' of S\)I11C rc],ltilH1, ,)5 IUIllkrst<md it W,lS J large family thill Dave Cdll1C from.
I find YOUT newspaper vcry intcTl'sting, ,md would like ,lS much
information a:.; possible on how to obt,lin Potawcltl1Jllj ! [ishlry. Our
local librJry docs not han.' rnuch infnrJlldtinn.
Thank you for <lny ClssistdncL' or Ih.1t (If <1 CrL'gsnn f.lInily ITK'mbl'T
Sincerely,
liz GregsfJIl
1'.0. Box 38·\
Yre ko, C A 96097-0381
Call Your Orders In 1-800-880-9880
Designed by Tribal
Member Johnnie Ogee
Log cabin donated...
Editor
How-Ni-Kan:
About twenty years ago John AndcrS(lJ1 SLlog cJbin ~I(l{1d in Ill\.'
field, west of Hatley's FanTl which is ahnlJt I\Yo milt,s \\'cst ofllll'
tribal store. i\ man bought the log cabin fnul) Mr. Hatley, Jis..1Ssembled it and moved it to his plder in l\'lukshoc, TexJs. I-Ie
reassembled it on his property but did not rebuild it to it's origin,ll
configuration. This summer the cabin WdS donated to thc.·Mulcshnl'
Heritage Foundation. The Heritage Found.)tion had it mo\'cd to the
Heritage Complex where it now sits.
I have becn in contact with the Herit.lge Foundation Jnd they
would like to, in the future, restore the c,lbin to it's original appc,lfJ1Ke. The only photo I hav"l' of it is poor and taken frorn the road.
This was also <lfter Mr. Hath'y had ITwvl'd it from it's origin.1llncJ
tion, further bi)ck from the TOad. Thl' photo docs show it W,1S Cl twp
story log cabin. My mother remembers th,lt it had Cl frame addition
built onto the left side where the kitchen ,1nd dining rooms were.
If Jnyone has a photo of this cabin, ,15 it stood on it's originZll
location when John Anderson Sr. !i\'ed in it, I would like for them to
contact me so I can get a copy to furnish the Muleshoe Heritage
Foundation in their efforts to restore it. They ,",vould also like <lny
information on the interior arrangement or other information that
would aid in the restoration.
John Kremenak
310 Tanglewood Lane
Lewisville, TX. 75067
$11 95
Ladies Visors
$9 95
.;1,..
...
··,:t.l._I·'
.. I
~\
TOTE BAG
15" X 18" Red "People Of The Fire"
Logo on Natural Color Canvas
•
1
Enjoy paper...
Editor
How-Ni-Kan:
[ received my pi)}'er whik [ WdS on v,lC..Uion. I enjoy rl'i)ding the
paper very much.
I am sorry I missed the Pow-'\'Vow. Looks like it \V,lS a vcry good
one. I am hoping next year I can attend. I enjoy it.
I want to th,lIlk you for helping 1l1C pay for my p"1fti,ll pl,ltC, it sure
did help. Thanks ag,1in.
Sincerely,
Oleta C. Holloway
Call Toll Free 1-800-880-9880
Not reponsible for damage in shipment
POTAWATOMI MUSEUM TRADING POST· ORDER FORM
QUANTITY
DESCRIPTION
SIZE
PRICE
AMOUNT
Want on mailing list. ..
Editor
How-Ni·Kan:
Dear Ladies,
It was my uncommon plc,lsure to meet you in the Administration
Building of the Potal,.v<ltomi headquarters on Mond<ly, A ugust.5. At
my instigation, you together expended a good deal of time and efforl
consulting rccords that revealed the identity of my grandfather, Jocl
)~:m
Ci)gnon BOUrilSS<1, as a tribal mernber dnd owner, in 1907, of 1/l0 .K rl'S
in the vicinity of \I\'anetle, just north of the Canadian River.
Your cheerful and willing helpfulness in acceding to my request
for the search and copy of relevant documents is gratefully appreciClted.
[ learned from distClnt relatives at vVanette that the Pot,nvatomi
issue a tribal newspaper, the How-Ni-KJn. If it is feasible to add my
namc to the mailing list (using the Hadley Square address), please d(l
so. It too would be much appreciated. As a token in recognition of
your kindness, there is enclosed a contribution for the usc of the
tribe. With mony thanks.
J
o~
CHARGE IT
TO MY
[
INTERBANK" (MlC)
I I I
OR
Month
Year
CD OJ
Card Expiration Date
$1.50 Per Item
postage &0
handling -$2 for
jackets & nlJgs
Total
I I I I I I I I 1 I I I
If paying by check,
please include
Tribal Roll Number.
Name on Card
Signature
Ship To:
Name:
Postage
& Handling
_
_
Mail Order Form & Payment To:
Potawatomi Museum Trading Post
".~::~i~I~~g!~~:;;~:=.:~:c~~~:;:~~-"'";::;~~~~
Thunderbird says no illegal Class III gambling in Norman
(From The Daily Oklahoman,
Sept. 14, 1991) - Allegations of
illegLlj casino-style gambling on
Indian land CCIst of Norman have
spilrked dcmililds ior federal Jaw
enforcement ,lClioll all the Wily
NC\'cH.ia to vVashinglon,
D.C.
Anthony J. Hope, chairman of
the Ndtional Indian GClrning
Commission, said many Oklahoma Indian tribes have called
fT(ln1
him to complaio that what they
perceive as illegal caSino-style
gaming is taking place at the
Absentee Shawnee Tribe's
Thunderbird Entertainment Center.
Two U.s. senators from
Nevada, where casino gambling
is legal. arc so concerned about
the situalion that on Aug. 29 they
wrote a letter to acling U.S.
Attorney General William Barr
requesting an investigation and
"forceful action by the Juslice
Department ... "
The controversy centers on the
Absentee Shawnee Tribe's
Thunderbird Entertainment
Center, located about 20milcs
l'aslof orlllan on lh1..' ellst skh.'
of Lilke Thunderbird.
Fr"d Cliell, Thunderbird's
general mil nager, says there is no
illegal Class III casino gambling
taking place at that k)(,ltion, just
legal Class II gaming activities,
which include pull tabs and
bingo.
1I's the bingo that's crt:<lling
the controversy.
Thunderbird offers 26 variNics
of bingo - some of which b1..'iH 11
striking rcscl11blancC' to such
Class III gambling games as
blackjack and craps, players say.
How the games arc classified
is of great importance. Class I
games, which consist of l'radi·
tionallndian social games, and
Class Ii games, which include
bingo, pull tabs and IOllo, arc
legal on Indian land in Oklahoma.
Class III games. which include
blackjack, craps, horse racing,
dog racing, sports belling and
many other forms of gaming,. are
illegal on Indian land unlt."Ss
lrilx's have negotiated COn1pt1cts
with th1..' gc)\·crnor. The Abst:ntcc
Shawnee Tribe and two other
Oklahoma tribes havc forlll,llly
asked Gov. David Walters to
negotiate compacts, but talks
h,1\'c not lx'gun.
Players say the rules for
bingojack and bingobones <It
Thunderbird are similar to the
rll iC's for blackjack and craps,
cxcept numbered bingo balls arc
used instead of playing cards ilnd
dice.
Gary Pitchlynn, a Norman
attorney \Nho has researched
Indian gaming regulations, said
he believes the games being
he said.
PilCh lynn S<lid 1H.'H', morl'
specific r1..'glllalilll)s <Ire expt..'cIL'd
to be published by the Nationlll
Indian C,lming COlllmission in <1
month. At that time, the tribl..'
may hl1vC to "bilck lip and
reassess" whether ~)Jlll' of its
games should be c1{l~L't.i, he said.
Nevada's t\\'o U.s. Scn<lWrs,
Harry Reid and Rich<lfd Brynn',
wrote a letter to the f.1cting U.s.
attorney general in which they
complnined about a lack (If lilW
enforcement <lction Ilg,linst
Thunderbird.
"Reccn t 1Y we ha vc bcen
informed thai the United Stnte
Attorney in Oklnhoma has been
played at Thunderbird fall with
contacted by both Indian and
in legal Class II gaming activities. nonindian parties concerning
Indian gaming laws are similar Class III gaming activities that
to federal tax laws in the respect arc being conducted by the
that there are a lot of "gray
Absentee-Shawnee Tribe without
areas," he said.
having concluded the required
When there are gray areas,
tribal-state compact," the sena"most good business people
tors said in the Aug. 29 letter.
decide the gray area belongs to
"It is our understanding that
me until it id decided otherwise," the United States Attorney is
prepared to investigate this
sitll,ltion and tclke action agdinst
dny illegal garni ng <Ktivltics,"
th1..'y wrote. "'Ne further understand they <'1ft.' only awaiting the
concurrence of your office. It is
our hope thdt you will act qUickly
to encourage the United Statc
Attorney to investigate and
pursue action against any dolations of the Indian Cill1ling
Regulatory Act."
Cliett snid cvada's U.s.
senntors hilve a vested interest in
trying to shut down gaming
activities in Oklahoma and other
states because they arc interested
in Oklahoma gaming money
coming to Nevada rather than
staying in Oklahoma.
Cliett said emphatically that he
believes the games oifered at
Thunderbird are legal.
Tim Leonard, U.s. attorney in
Oklahoma City, said he was not
aware of the letter from Nevada's
senators and declined comment
on whether an investigation was
under way.
Missing persons - we need addresses
Thi:i is a COnlinualion ofa list of
names/or which the BfA does not
have up·EO·date addresses.l/y()u arc
receiving your lIowNiKan, Ihe lribe
has your correct addre.......
Schimmel, Rolx'rt
Schlehuber, Mark Wayne
Schlehnber, Michael Cene
SchlllbilCh, Jaynie Elise
•.• •.• {rrt"l~in"~~1lp1;~~~~i!?ir"':i!!W~nighn:(a(jleboardS,whid;i"ere
tlili}1~~!;t~~~~~,i,~~iil~~~~I#~~j~~~~~tu~~:~:l~~e1;
.
colJiidiori;.whikbthers1areortJdanfrOln theCenier of theAmeri.
:t:ili!r4l~9(:<?¥fW~~fu'~Si~!r;""
. ... ". . '.,'
......•... Pi~¥e~ai<lN~t\.\f~4Jnerica#pabies\lsua)ly first were placed in .
·c~~;~I$K?~;~t~~i.~~O¥:(j~~h,¥~;HTiil'''1e~~3.t65 "'.ontilS old
.
\ Although they,~ere.fak~!l{Qulofthe carners for varying
pefi§.~~·~.~.:tlm~Aur,ingthed.ay/t)}~b.<l_bY'~arrierwas their world"for·
the next severaltJlonthsohhdrlife,"Droke said.
.
....·:ti:l~:~:~ing th.e.:d~y;"t~e:.~#fi.~,i~,~:~-l:~:~~~d.~gainst
posts or tepees
.near; the:m·other, and· thiis~;th'e,:chil(rw_~ never left alone."
·.'The"i~d.leboilrds·;'eft~d·t1iecl.lit~reof each tribe and often
:_:l.}a~~;.:~~~~ca~e~ b~!1.d,~q!_k/p:qi~~p'j~~_::.qi~lli~orkor baubles at·
:lacl)edc{o~.t~~ am~s~niert\iflh€5I1il<:\~e!ithey would carry: ..'
i;.':;'::;:~t7ti~~.v~~.~.tid,~ ii;t:.th,~ a~.~i.gns.:~~~_e:Ci~o~~.cradle c"t~vers is so gre.at
:T.~·a~ i.t i~ ~a.r:t; tq.£in~:tWo~~.~a~cjle~:Wilh l~_en,tfcal orsimilar designs/'
,Droke s~id.
.
. ,"' .":." ",., ...•.. .
,qacljeboardS'USiialJyw.~;", ~~dipr,o~to birth by the unbor~
:'~~:~~io~~~!;;:;,r:ted;~~~2t~:~I~~b'jrd prestigious fora
SchmiJlkofcr, Pillt! Anthony
Schmidt, Lori Jo
Seh(l('mann, Dce Martin
Scho1..'mann, Francis
Schoemilllll, Larry K1..'ith
Sehrl'ibL'r, LClurn l.ynn
Schrepter, Rpbl.'rt C.
Schwartz, Michacl r<lLIl
Senti, Cc()rge \Nm
Selltt, jillllL'5 C, j r.
SG1tt, Lisa Michl'ile
Se<lk, Tawat1<l G<lyk
Shadden, An'nd'l Kay
Shallcross, Gloria Llitl(,'
Sh,l\.\·, Rebeccil Ja nc
Shdton, Gt.'orgi'l A.
Shcmt'k, Catherine Lce
Siddons, W'illiam Tr<l\'b
Silas, Kelllll'th \-Vnynt.'
Simecka, krry Wm
Sinlt..'cka, \Nilliam Bryclll Jr.
Sinll'cka-Pappas, Betty Jean
.,:.,They'Tal'so ,,,,er.·co.nsider<!d·~s:·al) .app.ropriategift for fami] y
;gift'.ghiing~ . . dtoiforma'(prestil\tatipns b~tw'een tribal officials,.'
:P!o¥e4!d"a,<Jd.ilig:tl'~X~~fl~i;li~t~e'ric"f
cl:'iiures c.<i~id" .. ,
~iedi~f.ldJeboa'rdtQ beeqli3'noil\evii!ue of. horse. . : . .,
"ir,{~t~t4,W~;~~1l,~~;~~~0~~;~!]~G~::~::::·.::,~aiur~i
...
SUPPORT YOUR HOWNIKAN
Simmons, Rhondd Kny
Simon, Aldan Ldorest
Simon, Steven Lcc
Simon, Theresa Anne
Simon, Veronica A.
Simonson, Linda Sue
Sims, Louis E.
Singletary. Gail
Singletary. Norma Lucille
Singleton, Joe Lome
Sinor, Alla Mae
Slavin, Danny L.
Slavin. Ray Robert
Slavin. Timothy B.
Slease, Robert Benjamin
Slover, James Andrew Jr.
Slover, SherryI Lynn
Smith, Betty Jean
Smith, Bobbi" Engen"
Smi th, Da vid Eugent.'
Smith, Denise D<lrnt.'ll
Smith, Destiny Fawn
Smith, C'lf}' F,
Smith, C,lfy Rand,lll
Smith, CIClllltl Lucile
Smith, Ill)' Neill
Smith, KdlL')' SllZ,mlll'
Smith, LL'.lIlIl<1
Smith, Len)y
Smith, Lil<l Jc'lll
Smith, Lprrinc Mac
Smith, \I,lfk Rc)hill
Smith, ,\:lprris DC"lIl
Smith, l'.ltrici,l LOll
Smith. P,llli H.
Smith, Roy ThonlCts Jr.
Smithson, Jackie Ray Sr.
Snow, Certie E.
Sn(l\\', Richard VVyll1(ll)
Snydcr. KathiLx.'n Kaye
Snyder, Mary ThcrL'S<l
Soc!ter, Sharon Ann
SO(ln~y, \Vilbert Duane
Sorc.'l1s(.'n, tlevcrl y Jo
South"r1and, Sheila S.
Sowcrsby, Susan Grace
Spalding. Thomas F.
Sparhawk, Deb;orah Monelle
Sparks, Cheryl Lynn
Sparks, Richard Dale
Spealman, Nancy L.
Spencer, James Eldon
Sperry, Oval Marie
Spillman. James
Spurlock, Kenneth Douglas
St. John, Marcell Martha
Starr. Nancy R.
Stegm"ier, Verchel Let'
Stephens, Joshua Lee
Stephenson, Ruby &'11
Stephenson. Ruby F.
Stewart, Harry L. Jr.
Stiles, Lynn Georgi:'
Stinehelfcr, Bfildley Sentt
Stinnett, Lyda R('bcCCIl
Stinson, Gene
Sti lL's, Kathleen HopL'
Stockdale, }Uliil IrellL'
Stone, J,lnK'S Ridltlrd
StolK'rod, Rolanncl r-,.·1arll'L'll
Stovall, jesse Morgan Jr.
Str,lttotl, Rl.'cky Jo
Strectl'r, Carla Kay
Striegel,
J. Rick
Stricgt.'i, Thomas Lcstl'r
Strobel, D,lr\\"in Dec Jr.
Strohl. K,llhleen Ann
Stubbs, Stewart VVm
Sullivan, Dotty DeneS('
Sulli\'lln, John R. Sr.
'illmmpy, Cillvin Glell
Summey, C1iiiord Let'
Sutton, Susanna Cilrol
Sw<ub, Della
Sweeney, Michael Dc.
Sweeten, Phyllis Oletha
Swisher, Richard keith
Swisher, Wayne Lee
Tarter. Christopher B.
T~rIPr,
C:eorge La . .v rcnce Sr.
Tarter, Orville Lee
Tarter, Orville Lee Jr.
Tarter, Timothy S.
Tasier, Jackson
Tate, Jesse Neal
Vol 13, No.4· September, 1991 • HowNiKan • Page 7
Barrett looks at land run centennial from tribe's perspective
(The following articles appeared in a special section of
The Shawnee News-Star published Sept. IS, 1991, as part
of the city's observance of the 1891 Land Run which
opened the tribal lands that are now Pottawatomie and
Lincoln c01,1nties. Virginia Bradshaw wrote the stories.)
Chairman of the 16,300 member Citizens Band Potawatomi Indian Tribe John A. "Rocky" Barrett Jr. agrees that
Shawnee's 1ClOth anniversary has to date from the Sept. 22,
1891 land run that opened present Pottawatomie Jnd LincoIn Counties to white settlement.
B11 t "when historiJns say tha t Etta Bcard' s cabin was the
first settlement, it makes you wonder \-"hat they did with
the hOllSt'S that were on the land before she drovc that
stake," Barrett said.
There wasa Sacand Fox family living here when the Run
occurred, he added.
"SOli th of the ri ver, the Potawa tomis had already bu ilt
schools and churches. The settlers '.vl'ren't taming the \vild
frontier.
"They \,\-'ere grabbing up settled land," Barrett, president
of Barrett Refining Corp.,and one-fourth PotawatolTli, silid.
But never mind.
Today, Potawatomi and Absentee Shawnee complexes
and the Indian Health Service clinic on Cordon CoopL'r
Drive in south Shawnee, alone, are cstin1ated to be worth
$14 million.
That's not counting Sac and Fox holdings in Shawnee
and south of Stroud, Kickapoo tribal complex north of
McLoud, other tribal facilities and First Oklahoma Bank,
almost totally owned by the Potawatomi Tribe.
Tribes issue their own Iicensp tags, have their own tax
commissions, courts, police departments and housing authorilies.
The Potawatomi Tribe, for example, provides college
scholarships to any tribal members who want them, gcnera ted out of their revenues.
They offer job placement services; provide geriatric care,
well ness care in the home, nutrition supplements, meet
members' medical and ph~armacy needs. .
Counting all the tribes' operatiolls, Sac and Fox and
Absentee Shawnee Housing Authorities, Indian Health
Service and Bureau of Indian Affairs, "we must be the
town's second or third largest employer," Barrett said.
Federal contract operations are the largest employment
source. Then there is the Indian Health Service; and the
Potawatomi Tribe alone employes about 100 people.
But it hasn't always been that way.
Barrett, who was first elected chairman of the
Potawatomis in 1985and is now in his third two-year term,
recalls what the tribe's facilities were like when he first got
into tribal office in 1971.
"We had a 12 x 30-foot dilapidated, fiberboard-sided
trailer house at the site of our present tribal complex.
"We had just gotten a telephone.
"We wcrcat the end of a little gravel road located about
where the administrative offices arc now.
"We had about $1,500 in the bank and the government
washoldingtrustfundsonourbehalfofabout$2.5millioJ1."
The tribe'sassets now <trcabout $32 million, Barrett si.liJ.
Turningpoint was establishment of Central Tribes of the
Shawnee Area (CTSA), which Barrett and leadersof the five
participating tribes organized in 1975.
Barrett served as its first director from 1975-78 ,mel also
directed its adult vocational training program.
CTSA, owned by all five area tribes, "was rcaJ]y the start
for all five tribes' development." Bilrrl'tt said.
"CTSA was the entity that started government contr,lcting on the tribes' behalf.
"The Indian Self-Determination Act passed about then
and there was a change in operation for tribes."
Tribes, he continucd, were able to start contracting \vork
on their own, which formerly the government had done for
them.
The business committees of the five tribe-Potawatomi,
Sac and Fox, Absentee Shawnee, KickllpOO and lowawere given the opportunity through CTSA to fund and
operate tribal staffs.
Thl' business committees began learning contemporary
business methods dnd the tribal operations as they exist to
day.
"CTSA farmed the government operations back out to
the tribes. They were operating CETA and other contracts
for the BIA, Indian Health Service, Deportment of Agriculture."
As time went on, the tribes began contracting such
projects on their own.
Through CTSA asa joint ventureof all five tribcs20 years
ago, they were able to build their present tribal complexes
and opef(::ltions.
The Potawatomi complex on Gordon Cooper Drive ineludes its administrative offices; $6million Fire L:tke public
golf course; $1.2 million bingo hall which grosses about $5
million per year; store which does a $4 million business per
year; and pow wow grounds.
The Raymond Peltier Memorial Pow Wow grounds,
named for BJrrett's uncle who was chairman from 1970-73,
is the site annually of one of the biggest Indian pow wows
in Oklahoma.
An estimated 4,500 persons attended the Saturday night
performance and some 3,eX)0 were at the Friday night
dances during this year's pow wow in late June.
The three day event attracts around 4,{XJO people from
out of town, Barrett indicated.
South of the Potawatomi facilities, is the Absentee
Shawnee tribal complex which includes the former Indian
tuberculosis sanatorium buildingand threeotherbuildings;
and the Indian Health Service Clinic which serves the
highest patient volume of ilny IHS clinic in the state.
Bureau of Indian Affairs, once housed in the old Indian
sanatorium building, now has only three employees. They
have offices in the post office building.
"The rcsl of the BIA operations have been contracted by
the tribes," Barrett said.
First Oklahoma Bank is the first on-going, sllccessful
national bank ever to be c1cquircd by an Indii1l1 tribe, he
stated..
The Pot<lwatomi Tribe, whichacquired it about 15months
Jge, presently owns 94 perCl'nt of the stock.
They acquired it "because it reprcSent5c1Ilothl'r upportunity for the tribe to invest in the community ,md provide
service," Barrett said.
The tribe has revenucs in cxcess of$7 million a ycar "that
should stay in the community to provide johs ,md opportunities and the bank was the best mcans that wc saw to
accomplish that.
"We're not hankers, \".'e'rL' investors. VVe leave the rUJ)ning of the bank to the cilp,lblc, professional staff ,lt the
bank," Barrett said.
Dr. John Robinson is ch,lirman of its ho,lrd; l)<nrett is
vice-chairman.
Other directors <He .le'rry O'Cnnnor, Hil ton Melot, Bnb
Davis, Dennis .lett, b,mk president; and Jjm 11,1yden.
The Citizen Band Potawatomi "bought this reservatioJl
for several million dollars cash," BJrrett said.
That was around 1870.
"We sold our portion of our reservation in Kansas to the
Santa Fe Railroad and bought this land here "vith the idl'a
that the land would always belong to us, if we paid for it."
When the Potawatomi, a people that had intermarried
\-,'ith the French for generations, arrived in present day
Pottawatornie County, they found other Indians already
here.
"The federal government failed to uphold our property
rights on the land we purchased," Barrett said.
"And in the Allotment Act of 1889, they took the reservation away from us, anyway,"
The land they bought extended from the North Canadian River to the South Canadian River and from the
Seminole line to the Indian Meridian, which is now in
Cleveland County.
It was about 40 x 50 miles in sizL'.
"Welostaboutonc-thirdofthcoil rcscrn'spfthcCreatcf
Sl'lllinolc oil boom," Barrett said.
"Present day market value would be in thl' hUJldrl'ds of
billions of dollJrs.
"The Allotment Act \'\'ilS almost <l dCilth knell to liS," he
con tinued.
The Pota watomi tribe in Kansas originally h,ld split over
the i:iSliC of staying on the rcscrv,ltion under thosl' cirCUl11stances.
"Our portion, the Citizen Band, took US. citizenship in
1.s69, the first. tribe ('vcr to do so.
"Vve sold Oll r port ion of the Ka IlSi.lS rcserVd tion ,1I1d «llll\.'
down here. Twenty years later, thl'y took it ,l\\",ry frolllus."
EdCh triba 1member was alloted.sO acres of his choice Jnd
triba I 1<.',llkrs rccci vl'd 160 ilcres.
Bu t, <1 group {)f Sha wnec arL',J citizL'ns "nicknllmed the
'Sh,lwllee \Volvcs,' fleeced the Indi,lns out of thl'ir lands,"
Barrett said.
"\VithinIO ye,lrsof the Allotment Act (If 'St), 65 pl'rcent
of the' Indian allotments hud been lost bv thl'ir owners."
Pota\Nc1tomis, Sac <md Foxand Kick,lpO(l::> \\-cre ttwbiggl'st
losers in the Sha wnec arca, he said.
"Indians in gl'ncral arc still the lowcst CCOIKHllic groupin
the ,uea."
ThcPota\vatomicprobab]yhavethchighestemployment
ratl'and highest perc.:1pita incomeof anyof the larger tribes,
Barrett continued, "but unfortunately, we haven't done it
here.
"Our people hi1ve had to leave the reserv.ation area and
go elsewhere" to make their living.
"1 have been incredibly lucky that I'v(' gotten to stay."
The tribe's emphasis on education is beginning to pay
dividends for this generation, he believes.
"More younger educated Indians art:' coming back to
contribute to the growth and progress or tlwir people."
After the Allotment Act of '89, tribes were allowed to
keep their reservation boundaries which have since become
jurisdictional boundaries for tribal courts, police and taxing
authority.
"Within the last five or six years, the tribes have won
Ihrough long and expensive federal court baWes, the right
to fund themselves as all other governments do, through
the collection of taxcsonactivities within thcirjurisdiction.~'
Tribal sovereignty is as old as the United States, Barrett
said.
Treaties between the French, the Britishand the U.S. with
the tribes of this area go back 300 years, <Inc! nations only
make treaties with other nations, Barrett pointed out.
"In spite of the setbacks, I believe the Indians arc going
to continue to become a significant p,ut of the (omrnullity
and the economy."
Chairman Seventh Generation
In Potawatomi Government
"'0/e have always been involved in tribal government,"
John A. "Rocky" Barrett Jr., chairm,ln of the Potil\vatomi
Ind ia n Tribe and presidcn tof Barre! t Rcfini ng Corpora tioll,
Sh,Hvnee, said this week.
"Even as a small child, I WCllt tocouncil nWl,tings. Tribdl
government was frequcllt t,llk ,lt thc dinner table."
He is the sevellth gcner,ltiOJl of his family to hold the
ch<.lirrnanship of the Pota\\"atomi TribL'.
A member of the Pot,HV<lt(lllli br,lnch of his family, the
Pl'1tiers and Bour<lssas hilS been ,In eiL'ctcd offici,ll sincl'
1.s37-or '38, Barrett s,lid.
Barrett was first clec!L'd to tribal office in ]971 iH1d hilS
formerly served as vice chairman and committc\.'m,m.
He helped organize Central Tribes of the Shawnee Are<l
llnd was its first din.'. Ctor from its inception in 1975 through
1978.
In 1983, a fler fi Vl' years' employlllent "vith Barrett Drilling
Co., the family firm which he had \vorked for periodically
since age 15, Barrett became tribi11 administrator for the
Potawatomis. He held that posi tion until he ran for and was
elected tribal chairman in 1985.
At that time, Barrett also established Barrett Refining
Corporation, which he currently heads.
A native of Shawnee, he was educated at Princeton and
Oklahoma City University. He has done work toward a
master of business administration degrt"t" at OCU.
This artiicle is I'm exert from The PotmvaflJmi fruiirws of
SOllthwc:.-tcm Michigan by Everett ({aspy.
French-British Period
As thl' Indians do not have a written history, we
cannot be sure of everything, but SCh(llars .He in gCllcT<l1
agreement that the Potawiltomi, Miami, OU,l\va, <1nd
other Algonquian·sfJC<lking tribes Ill(lH:-d inl(l the region
oi the Creat Lakes from Ihe east .md north not much
more than a century or two before the French iHrivcd.
They found an easier Wi1Y of Iift'in such .1 Teas <15 the 5t.
Joseph V<lllcy where «~rn gn.:\\' bcttCf th,1I1 it did fMthl'T
north, and they could kill buff,lhl ,md store the Illcat fCiT
winter. It is belicvl'{i that these Algnllqllltm lribes pushed
(',r'rlier tribes down into southern Illinois. The
Algonquitllls in turn were forccd to ilce fdrther to the
west as a fesult of attacks by thl' Iroquois from the region
of ew York.
In the 1fX)(J's, French priests tr~l\Tlcd w....st tp find
Indi.lIls they hild known in Ont.Hip, ,md by ·1668 they
had established a mission .1t Sillllt Slc..\1cHiL'. RCllcRobert Cd\'clier, Siellr de Ii1 Si11h.' l'ncounl('f{X.l i'.:1iJITlis in
the 51. Joseph Valley in 1679
'IS
they began lil driil back
from the west, protccted by .1rm~ whey they had dCqui red froll) the French. Missiolli1rics were in Illinois in
the 1670's and by 1690 a mission had b,,,,n established
two miles south of Niles. The following yl?i.H, Augustin Ie
Gardell and Sieur de Couftemanche, arrived with
soldiers and founded Fort St. Joseph Iwar the mission at a
"site on the east bank of the river, which is now marked
by a monument. The fort repulsed <In attack of the
Iroquois in the spring of 1694, but the troops were
\\iithdrawn in 1696 as a result of a change in rrench
policy as to how the Indians in the west were' to be
handled. The French, like the British and the Americans
at tll<ltl'r date, were to have their problems with the
Indians.
The missionaries ,1Jld traders stayed on ilfter th...
soldier" left Fort 51. Joseph. Father Claude Aveneau
served the Miamis from 1690 to 1708. A second priest
arrived at the mission in 1699, indicating the import<lIKl'
of the post. The rota\\'at()mie~arrived about this time
and hold Father Je<lt1 B. Ch,lfdon as their mi~siDn,HY from
17DS to "1712. He left when thl' Fox 'War bwkc out, but thl'
traders remained. Til(' rnilitJry and the clergy were back
by 1720, and the settlcmcnt n(IW was to ('n~)y its most
prospc-f(lUS pc-rind.
Intcrlllilrriagc between tl1L' Indians ,md the Frl'nch w,15
common, ,1Ild b<lth Indi.lIl and white children were
baptized by the Jesuits at the St. Joseph Mi~~i(ln in thL'
next few decades. Missionaries wefe not as~igned to S1.
Joseph continuously during th('sc YCilrS but only inlL'rmittently.
This \\',15 a bl(IPdy ('rd, ,lnd afkction for the church did
not prevent thl' Pnttlw,ltpmi from getting a reputation of
being w<lr-likt'. They fought alongside the French in the
French and IndiJn vVar. In 1763, one hUlldrcJ of the tribl'
killcd den__' 1l of the memocrs of the British gJrrison at
Fort St. Joseph during the Pontiac uprising. Not being
satisfied with fighting the British, the Potllwatomi no\\'
engaged in ,1 \\'tH with the Illinois Indii.ms, in which
various tribes WL'rl' virtul1lly l'xtcrminc1ted. Leg<..'nds
connected with St,Hved Rock StatL' Park in Illinois datl'
from this period. The Potawatomi became supreme over
a wide arCil in the Midwl'st, but the Virginians \verc S(lon
settling in Kentucky, and the tribe \vould jpin the British
in seeking to h(lld back the Jdvancc of the AmeriG1n
settlers. The f,lct that the Frcnch wcre on thL' side of thl'
Americans in the revolution must han.' confuscd the
Indians of the area and hl'1ps to t'xplain why two hundred Potawatomi from the Milw<tukct' drecl an.' said to
have helped the Spanish in their capture of Fort 51.
Joseph on February 12, 1781. Theconiusion continued
when the British remained at Detroit until 1706, although
Michigan hJd become cl pmt of the United States by the
treaty oi 1783.
The SI. Joseph Valley Indians participated with other
western Indians in an attack on the Spanish at SI. Louis
on May 26, 1780. which nn doubt helped bring aboulthe
two Spanish invasions. The first expedition had only
sixteen men, but they managed to overcome the twenty-
two traders at the post and departed with fifty bales of
TO-PE-NE-BEE
For 1II0re tlw II ji,rtl/ year, Topl"lld1ee was ch ief of Ihe Potmua tOIll i llld ialls. We do 1I0t kllOiI' IIII1(h aboll t hi,
life excepl ill (mllleclioll wilh his work as chief of his people. tic ,1'11, [JOI'/I at his father's villase on the 51.
/oseph abolll the lIIiddleof Iheeighteenth celltllry. His father, A 1111'111 iba. ,l'as a noled chief ill his dl"f. Beside~
Topellebee, tht'l'e ,ms n1I0ther '011, 5mmwk, whose dallghler /Jtnllllt' the 'I'lfe of the ,enllld dlief. Poknso".
Anll'illibal7h, Iwd a da/lghter, Ka/lkCilllla, who becallle the Wlft' of Willialll BlIl'/lett.
We do 1/01 kllow when Tapelle"ee sllcceeded his father as chief We first filld hil'lJ as the first of ti,e Polawatolll i
105i811 llie Tn'Irly of Greenville ill 1795. The seaelary who 11'1'01<' olltliis Ilal'lJe spelled it TIIlI-pe-lIe-bll. III
llie lIexl Hl't'II I If-five years he siglled a /lllIlIber of trealies, a/waifS atllie liead of the lisl of chiefs. This f'lct
indicl/tes his poplilarity al'lJong all the Potawl/lollli, for lliey '/"I'I't' ,/"dll'epl'eSt'TIled al alllrenties ll'lld tlieir
leadillg clli<'f~ were prest'llt.
furs. They Werl' intl'rCl'pted 011 DL't:L'mbl'r 5, 1780 west of
Michigilll City ,llld only three t'sG1ped. The Indians were
s,lid to have DL'en ,1bSl'nt on a winter hunt \.vhcn this took
pbCl'. The sl'('(lnd force was larger ,md included sixtyfi\T n1ilitia wh(l wcre jpincd by two hundred Potawatollli
.llrccldy n1l'lltiOlwtl. The Spanish ilag is said to have
flown OH:>r F(lrt SI. Joseph tor twcnty-four hours lX'forc it
W~lS burned. This event permits Niles to call itself the
City of Four FI.lgs. The British .1fl' rcpnrted to han_'
sought to arrcmgl'''' pursuit this time also, but wcre
unsllccessful.
Early American Period
The Potawatomi were first recognized by the United
States when leaders of this tribe joined with other Indian
leaders in signing a treaty at Fort Hi.Hmar, Ohio on
January 8, 1789, which confirmed earlier arrangements
regarding cession of Indian lands. VVarfare between the
Indians and frontiersmen in Ohio soon broke out again,
howl'ver, cUlL! the Pot.1w<ltoTlli fought with other trilx.'s
and defeated General Josii1h Harmdr in 1790. They
helped the grl'<1t Mi.lmi chid, Little TllrtlL', ddL'at CClleral
Arthur 51. Clilir pn November 4,1791, in OI1l' pf the
grcatest \";CtOrll'S eH'r won by the Indians. TIll' AmeriGiIl
casualties of mnrc than nine hundred mCIl wcre more
than Celler.ll CL'orgl' \N,lshillgton sustclillCd in <lny of his
engagellll'nts during thc Revolution. PotawJtomi were
also prcsl'llt .11 the final Indi<tn defcilt at Falll'll Timbers in
August, 1794, and twenty-four of their chi<.'fs, including
Topencbl''t..'' chid of the Pota\vatomies of southwestern
Michigan, were preSC'nl of the signing of the treaty of
Greenville, August 3, 1795. This treaty settled the issue of
Indian landholdings in Ohio and provided for the first
cessions of Indian lands in Michigan to the Americans.
The British then evacuated their remaining posts in
Michigan in 1796.
Bloodshed on the frontier had ended (or a time, but
Continued on page 9
Vo/13, No.4· September, 1991 • HowNiKan • Page 9
trading post was at the mouth of the S1. Jo~'ph River Oil
the \'\'cst side jllst north
ttll' present N(lpier Strl..'ct
bridge.
British influence in the area continued as the Indians
The church, 01 courSe, did not forget these Indians tnr
continued to confer with British traders and officials ell
sixty years and always had priests at Detroit and along
Fort Malden, across form Detroit. In southwestern
the Mississippi. McAvoy says thi.lt Father Edmund Burke
Michigan, French traders had continued to be active al
who left Detroit with the British troops in 1796 hild
the site of old Fort 51. Joseph as well as at the mouth of
the 51. joseph River after the British took over in 1761. A considered visiting the St. Joseph Valley but was told thilt
few British or English-spl'aking.traders h'ld also begull to there was so much nlln there thi.lt a visit WilS not 5<llc.
Father John Rivet \,:as ilt Vincennes froln 1795 until his
arrive when the British military forces briefly occupied
death in 1804 but he n..'Cl'i\'ed so little support from the
Fort St. Joseph. William Burnett, the most prominent pf
French settlers there and was so depressed by the h.l\·pc
these, arrived in 1776. In 1782, he married a sister of
Topeneb<..'C. Burnett's pro-American tcelings got him into that liquor innicted on the Indians, that he wwtl' d kttL'r
to Burnett offering to mOH' to the St. joseph Valley. He
diffieulties with British authorities during the 1780's.
Another prominent trader who arrived sometime before later conferred with Pntil\Vi.ltomi visiting Vincennes.
Even the church sllf(<.'red (rom the liquor evil. Father
1808 was Joseph Bertrand. Like Burnett, his relationships
with the Potawatomics wC're excellent. Some reports have Badin reacht..'Ci Kentucky in -1703 and was often alone in
the state as he could not utilize Father de Rohan who was
him marrying the daughter of Topinebee, but this is
suspended in 1796 and lived on until 1832, sometimes
apparently false.IThe Niles Star in its 75th ,wniversary
doing a little teaching. Another priest suspended becausc
edition in 1962 states that the wife of Bertrand was the
of his weakness for liquor was Father Rynn who lived in
daughter of a Montreal merchanl named Barlolel and her
Kentucky from 1806 until 1815.
mother was Madelon Bourassa who was 3/4 French and 1/4
white man's liquor. The fedcral government scnt agents
into the area to get the chiefs to sell this limd as part 01
the removal program. They cven enlisted the aid of
Joseph Bertrand and 01 Pierre N<lVarrc and Alexis
Coquillard, who had bccn opl'r(lting trading posts ,\I
South Bend sinn'<lbout 1823. By thl' Carey Mission
Treaty of Septcmbl'r 20, 1828, the Potawiltomi surre!ldered all but it rCSl'rViltion pf fifty sections which illc1uded most of preseilt BL'rtr<lIld T(l\\,llship. McCoy
immediately lett with the p(ltil\\'ilt\\mi and Ottilwa chids
for Kansas to look ovcr new 1.1Ild. They did not rdurn
until january, iltld McCoy went to Washington to urge
congress to s<..'nd the Indi,lll~ west. Latcr in the year, he
moved his family to MisS<lllri, but (\thcr missionaries
kept the school g()ing until IS](l.
The beloved priests
the Pot,lwdtomi now returned
and most of them spoke Frl'flch although i.l good share
were from Belgium rather than France. Father Resc
(Cerman) arrived in July 1830 and by january 1831, tllL'
famous Father Badin (French) now 62 years old was
hearing confessions from three hundred members of the
Pokagoll village. There was even lalk that the Catholics
might be given the Carey Missi"" buildings. Bishop
Chippewa. The same infonnalion was given in 1960 by"
Fenwick visited the Pokagon Village July 28,1831.
mimeographed History of Niles Township put out by a Niles
The U.s. Government paid thl' Baptist Mission Board
school study group. Although the city could not have been
at Boston $5,080 for the improvements and $641 for the
happy to lose the story of its Indian Princess, her tombstone
growing crops. Mr. simerwell, the missionary in charge
was returned 10 the cemetery, and set in concretc.(South Bend
moved with eight remaining Indian children to a buildTribune, May 28, 1963) All early IUcounts indicate that she
ing nearby. In his book about the Baptist Missions,
lived as Ihough she was an Indian, although it is now said that
Mccoy blames the traders for delaying the departure of
she was educated at a convent in Montreal.>
the Indians as they wanted to profit from the treaty
The 51. joseph Valley Potawatomi were not very active
payments. He is also eritical of the Catholics for not
in the anti-Ameriean movement led by the Shawnee
waiting longer before moving into the 51. Joscph Valley.
chieftain, Tecumseh. Only a few, induding the son of
As Catholic priests had made visits to L' Arbre Croche in
William Burnett, took part in the battle of Tippecanoe on
1826, 1827 and 1829, we can wonder if the delay in
November 11, 1811. Five hundred Potawatomi were the
reaching the 51. joseph Valley was out of courtesy to the
main participants in the massacre of the American
We know that Father Michael Levadoux in 1796
Baptists.
garrison at Fort Dearborn at the outbreak of the War of
The Black Hawk War hastened the departure of the
traveled from Kaskaskia to Detroit by way of the site of
1812 in 1812, but Topinebee had advised against this
action and both he and his nephew and adopted son,
Chicago and Mackinac, being enroute from june 15 to
Indians. A conference was held May 22-27, 1832 in the
Leopold Pokagon, sheltered American survivors of the
August 14. McAvoy says that he visited the 51. Joseph
grove near the Carey Mission at which Leopold Pokagon
massacre. The entire tribe, however, supported the attack Valley but gives no details.
a~sured General joseph W. Brown that the Potawatomi
The Potawatomi ceded away daims to land in Illinois
on Fort Wayne, Indiana, in August, 1812. They were not
would remain peaceful and defend themselves if atinvolved in the last Indian battle in this part of the
in 1816 and in Indiana in 1818. The land that they actutacked by the Sacs. Militia assembled at Niles and started
Northwest, at Mississinewa near jalapa, about twenty
ally used was sold by them in the treaty of Chieago in
marching towards Chicago. Father Badin arrived back on
miles southeast of Peru, Indiana, where on December 18, 1821 which opened most of southwestern Michigan ;to
May 30 and helped avert trouble which threatened when
settlement. Only the cxtreme southwestern tip of Michi1812, three hundred Miami Indians drove an American
Young Topenebee killed a convert.
force back into Ohio. However, the Potawatomi were
gan, bounded on the cast by the 51. joseph River, was not
The Indiana Poti.lwatomi ceded away more land by the
with the British at the battle of the River Raisin on
included in this cession. Governor Lewis Cass and
treaty of Tippec'lIloe River, October 27,1832. Father
january 22, 1813, and at the siege of Fort Meigs, Ohio, in Topenebee wcre prescnt at this conference of three
Badin was presellt at this council and his biographer says
thousand Indians.
May, 1813.
that $365,000 was distributed, most of it going quickly
The Potawatomi were always quick to adapt themThe Chicago treat)' set aside money which it'd to the
into the hands of fitty traders present. Various Michigan
selves to new conditions. They did not wait until the end establishment of the Carey Baptist Mjs~:on at a site which members of the tribe including Pokagon, receivcd land
of the war to make peace with the Americans. Sixteen of is now marked by a stone on the western edge of Niles
grants at this timl'.
on the road to BuchilTlan. The Baptists soon discovered
their chiefs signed a treaty at Greeenville, Ohio, on July
The 1828 fl'serVi.ltipll W.l5 ceoed away as part of
that the Potawdtomi hild not forgotten the teachings of
22,1814, and twenty-four were present at Springwells,
another Chicagp Trl'ilty signed Scptemb<..'r 26, 1833 by
near Dctroit, on SI..'ptcmber 8,1815, when all was forthe French Catholic pri('sts, but there was no difficulty.
forty-five chids including Pokagon. Apparently tribes in
given. No Indian seems to have been punished for
Children of the Indians and of the traders attended the
Illinois wcre invplved <.1111..1 it is said that tC'1l murders took
anything that hilppened at Fort Dearborn, but memories mission schotll, and fjfty-eight Indian pupils \verc given
place in the next twenty-four hours. It is here thi'lt
of that and other \viJrtime events help to expliJin the
land grants in 1826. The head of the mission, Isaac
Pokagoll recL'i \'L'd the guara ntees tha this gmup would
contempt which J1)tlny pioneer settlers in the years that
McCoy, was i.l rL'markabJe man who made many trips to
not have to go WL'st. But tWill' of the tribe were required
followed the v\'ar h,ld for the red men.
Washington in efforts to help the Indians. In 1825,
to leave for thrcl' yedrs <md it was to be iive years before
The Potawatomies showed great powers of survival·
Topinebee moved his village to a site about three miles
the main group departed.
during this difficult period. They seemed to thrive on
southwest oi Niles in (\rder to be nearer to the mission.
Li ule informati(Hl is supplied by the early COllllty
contact with the ..v hite man, while other Indians suffered The following yeM, McCoy helped Leopold Pokagon
histories about the J,lter days of the Pokagon Mission but
so much. To a certain extent, of course, the Miami
establish his village nl'tlr the Indiana lint' abollt one mile
McAvoy supplies some background. Two Ciltholic
Indians acted as a buffer, talking much of the brunt of the west of the 51. Joseph River. A visitor from Washington
women had spellt the winter of 1833-34 at the village
hardships brought 011 by the advance of the \vhite mCIl
at this time thought that the Indians were milking
teaching the Indi.ms. Bi.ldin built the chapel tlnd cabin 011
into this area.
progress, but lhings Soon got worse as thl' (orertmners of the site of the present University of Notre Dame in the
New information ubout the life of the Potawiltomi has a tidal wavc of settlers began arriving.
spring uf 1834 and in September is quoted (IS feeling that
been found in Catholic historical studies. We often hear
The old order W(lS not quite dcad. A group o( Snuk
certain Potawatomi in Indiana who owned reserves had il
that the Saint Joseph Indians did not see a priest between Indians from the west passed through in 1827, cnroutc to better chance of ilvoiding removal than any of the tribe in
1764 and 1830, yet they continued to love the men with
Fort Maldcn to collect form the British small annuities
Michigan. The nt'\\' Bishop of Indiana, l:3rule, visiled the
the black robes. The French Jesuits left not because the
that were paid them for services in the War of 1812.
area in the spring of 1835 following a trip through
nag had changed but because the King of France as did
Pokagon is said to have purchased from tht'm a boy
eastern Illinois to Chicago. McA voy mentions that he
other Kings of the period brought pressure on the Pope
prisoner who was being mistreated, and McCoy heard
visited the Pokagon village of 650.
to suppress the order in their countries. Father Gibault
rumors that these Sauk still practiced cannibalism.
Father Louis de Seille had arrived in january 1833 to
who was to become the famous "patriot priest" at
Topinebee died in july, 1826, as a result of a fall frol11 a
minister to the Potawatomi. He was Flemish although
horse which he had suffered while drunk. He had led the actually born in Holland. He transferred his headquarters
Kaskaskia was at Fort 51. joseph on August 17, 1768 and
on March 21,1773. By 1780, only 49 settlers were left at
Potawatomies of southwestern Michigan for forty years.
in 1835 to southwest of Plymouth where Indiana groups
the fort and after the Spanish invasions, the traders
He was succeeded as chief by Leopold Pokagon.
had assembled in preparation for the tragic march
moved their activity a few miles south to the site of the
McCoy and the government were now convinced that westward in 1838. He was so active in defending the
present Bertrand just north of the state line. The Burnett
the Indians had to go west in order to get away from the
Continued from page 8
0"
0"
Although the city could not
have been happy to lose the
story of its Indian Princess,
her tombstone was returned
to the cemetery, and set in
concrete.
Continued on page 10
Indians that he was ordered of Indian lands by Col Abel
C. Pepper and died Sepl. 26, 1837 at 51. Marys Lake on
the grounds of the present University. He \VClS succl'l'(icd
by 26 year old Father Benjamin Marie Pelit, who had
been a lawyer in Fr,lIl(e form 1832 to HBS. He was to die
at 51. Louis, FebruilrV "If), 1839 after h,lVing gone west
\.vith the 859 Indi<ll),{ !'clt,lwatomi Oil the Septl'mbl'T:1-
November 5,1838 J1'\,Hch. The trail of dC<lth cxpcricl1cnl
by the Menomince group has bCL'n well described by
WingeT but it is said Ih<1t lhe piollt'l'r viJl.lgCS through
which they passed Wl'Tl' illso s1.lffl'ring from <111 kinds pi
fevers
ilS
the \"'C<Hlwr st,wcd warm so long into the fall.
The onc~htlndrl'd i.llH.:t"'liity Pot<1watomi who lett the
Carey Mission silL' in UDR did not suffer like those in the
Mcn;)mincc group. Bertrand i$ silid to have gone with
them, and the two comp;mies of troops did not prevent
some from escaping. Others had fled north to the OU.1was. Some simply hid out in the forests. SOIl'le Wl'rl'
rounded up the following yenr <lnti lilkcn to KclllS,lS hv
Alexis Coquillnrd, the South Bend tri1dl'f.
No Indian tribe \\'.1$ evcr very IMgl' <lI1d it is rl'l11,lrkable that the Potawatomi covered so JlHH.'h territory. \Vl'
cannot help but wOlldl'r if they hnd !lot absorbed m,1I1y
memhers of historic Ohio tribes which were llOI,\, alll1Psi
extinct. \I\/e have seen that the tribe l'xtended f<1f dOl,vll
into Indiana. Still others lin.'d in Illinois and had gone
Wl'st in ]837 to Council Bluff, Iowa, where trnops hill! 1(1
protect them irom more wclrlikl' western tribes.
Potnwatomi from vVisconsin h<ld gnne north <1$ early as
1853; 135 now Iivl' at Hannahvill(' in Menominl.'l:' Count):,
Michigan.
Other Pot<l\\'nt(lllli to the north (If till' SI. Joseph Valley
around Kaldmi1l00 lived on reserves established in 1~21
ilnd 1827, These al~o signed the 183.1 treaty but . .vere not
required to leave until 18-tO when thl' rcmov,l! W.1S
cMricd out in a hU!1lil!lc rmmner.
By 1836, Bertrand wa~ having <1 building boom dnd ,1
brick church was erected there, but lhe Indians were'
never buried in the adjacent cemetery. The Pokagon
village was across the river one mill' to the west and i b
last days were douhtlcss not vl'ry happy with so mallY
white men around ready to get the Indians in trouble <1l1d
often moving onto Indian land before the legal date. The
site hilS been visiled recently by !Iw Southwest Chapter
of the Michigan Archac(llogical Society which reportedly
was able to Sl'C Indian storage pits. The group also \'isih..d
the .H.ijaccnt site of the cemetery \\'Ill'Tl' Indians wc-'re
huricd lip to 1837 when the main grnup left for Silvcr
Crcck. It is 11('re thdt one tradition hilS it th,lt POkt1g011
was visited by Johnny Applesced, ,lnd we rl'ild how till'
Chid drove around in a curious two·wheel carl. Ab(lul
this time in order tocscnpe renlOV,)I, [lot<1\\'<ltollli Indlt1llS
5l'ttlcd PI1 \ValpoiL' Isbnd in Ontario ,It the n(lrth end PI'
Lake St. CI<1ir \\'Iwre they still live with the Chippewils.
The c(lInbined group numbered 800 in 1941 ilnd .)lw,1ys
has had rlpsc-' connl'ctions wilh the Ppt,1\\',lt(lmi tlt
Athens, Michig,ln.
It is tlssull1ed thtlt some oi the Indi,lIls lilkcn west tr{l1l1
Niles h.ld bl'longl'd to the bands oi Wl'Stl\\, .Illd
Shavl'head who art' treated in thl' 1882 C.1SS County
History pn pages 46-49. Wesaw is descrihed as being ,1
War Chief and hi1ving three wives of whom the favorite
was the daughter of Topenebee. He spent muc~ time in
Volinia Township in Cass County but l<ller lived ncar
Buchanan. Shavehead had only a few followers but has a
Lake named after him in Porter Township in Cass
County. The county history repeats the t\.\fO different
accounts of his death in September 1840. He was a
trouble maker but no effort Sl'ems to have becn made to
send him west.
We sh9Uld nol forget the traders of Ihis era. William
Burnell disappeared al the slarl of Ihe War of 1812 while
enroute to one of his branch posts. Joseph Bertrand, after
the death of his wife, moved to Kansas where he died in
1865. Neilher Burnell nor Bertrand have any descendents
in this area but their blood survives in Kansas, Outside of
Topeka is Burnell'S Mound named after Abraham
Burnell 0811-70) who weighed 450 pounds.
South Bend was founded by a new generation of
French traders. Pierre Navarre and Alexis Coquillard
came in 1820 and 1823 from around Detroit where both
-.
.Isaac McCoy
had bl'l'll connected with the United Stat('s Army in the
W,u o( UH2. Navarre tuuk an Indian wife by whom he
had six children. He died in 1864 and his cabin has been
removed to LC'cper Park where it still stands just across
the river from his trading post. There is a Mrs. Alexis
Coquillard in South Bend today. Schools, streets, parks
and subdivisions have been named after both. No trader
in the regitm, except for Coguillard seems to have been
able to hold on to their land grants as did Frenchmen in
the Wabash Valley and none were to become as famous
as Gurdon Hubbard in lIIioois who had an Indian wife
for two years.fA new shopping center and Junior High School
in Elkhart have been named after Pierre Moran who had a
French fa/her and a Kickapoo mo/her and died in J840. He is
called a Potawatomi chief in the Indiana State Guide, 289,)
It is said that therc Wl'n.' soldiers (rom Berrien COllllty
with French names on the Civil War army rolls but
inquiry at Benton Harbor and Niles led to statements that
there are no families now liVing in the area that claim any
historic French blood. Apparently the pioneers would
nol have much to do with either the French traders or
Indians. Inter-marriage among the local Potawatomi
seems to have been resumed only in recent decades.
Silver Creek - Rush Lake Period
The Potawatomi who settled in Silver Creek Township, the group with whom we are concerned, are said to
have numbered three hundred and fifty at the time that
Continued on page 11
Vo/13, No.4
they received their exemption from removal. It was
included in a supplement to the main treaty signed the
day before. It mentions that a portion of the
Potawatomies, "on account of their religiolls creed,"
desired to remove to northern Michigan, and, if this \\'<15
done, which they \-verc entitled at L' Arbre Crochc.
Michael Williams, the present revered leadcT (If the
group says that he was told that a group did go up to
L' Arbre emehe to look for land but found that they
would not be welcomed by the Indians already there.
It is Iikcly that they at first regarded the 1,1l1d that tl1L'Y
acquired in 1836 as only a temporary hOJ11l'. It was
probably fortunate that they did not buy Ill(HC acres than
are included in a section as the many secti(lll rcsen'l'S of
the Potawatomi bands in Indiana soon attr,lCted the
atten-tion of the white man. According to the 1882 Cass
County History the main tract of 214 acrl's was in Section
14 directly south of the present Catholic Church. Onl'hundrt-xJ sixty more acres arc given as being in Section 22
which \Nould be in between. The Pokagons arc listed as
being assessed in 1838 at $2,602 with $1,690 the next
highest assessment in the township.
Leopold POkagon is said to have paid for the land with
$2,000 received at the time of the 1833 treaty and with
funds acquired from the sale of two sections of land
granted to him by the Tippecanoe treaty of 1832.
Two hundred and fifty of the group moved here in the
fall of 1837. A rude chapel was built here the following
year. Several sources mention that Judge G.A. Barney
and three other white men helped the Indians put the
logs in position. The settlement depended upon visiting
priests. Father Stanislau Bernier conducted services here
in 1839,1840 and was present at the death of Leopold
Pokagon in 1841.
The group must have been pretty docile to survi ve as
pioneers of the period generally objected to having
Indians around. One wonders if the farmers could have
benefitted from their cheap labor as was suggested in the
case of Calvin where some Quakers became quite well
off.
After 1843, the Potawatomi again have members of the
church living among them for the Holy Cross order had
brothers operating a school for them from 1843 to 1845.
Father Sorin had reached St. Marys Lake from Vincennes
November 26,1842 and with the help of seven brothers
erected there a log building which \-\'3S the start of the
University of Notre Dame. What is 50 remarkable is that
the now famous order had only been established about
two years before in France by Father Sorin and two other
priests.
A Father Alvill was in charge of the brick church at
Bertrand until 1840 and all sources agree that there was
no priest resident in the area from then untit the arrival
of Father Sarin in November 1842. The Catholics of South
I)end attended services at Notre Dame until their first
church building was erected in 1853. A young priest from
Notre Dame was present in Dowagiac Christmas_ week
end of 1965 to help out Father Cook, carrying on the
traditkm of over a century, of how the community has
carried all missionar.y work all over the area in addition
to its educational acti\·itil's. The Congregation stationed
Father Mirvault at the church in 1845 at \vhich time
sisters took over the school and continued its operation
for five years until the band split in two. The school was
partly financed by annuitil's received by the Indians. A
new church to replace the 1838 structure was erected 0n
the site of the present building and was dedicated ;by
Father Sorin, January 24, 1847. Later in the year the Holy
Cross Order sent the Rev. L. Baroux to work with the
Potawatomi. He was to devote much of his life to the
group and was buried ncar the Silver Creek church in
1897.
Leopold Pokagon died July 3, 1841 at the age of 66
after having been a good lead for his people. His sons by
his second wife succeeded him as chief. The oldest of
these was Paul, described by some as an unscrupulous
individual who was blamed for the split in the settlement. He was succeeded by another brother, Francis
Pokagon, who reportedly died in 1877. He was said to be
liked bul it is doubtful if enjoyed much influence as it is
• HowNiKan
the youngest brother Simon whom we find visiting
Trapping was pretty good in the Dowagiac sv\'amp.
\Vashington to confer with President Lincoln and PresiThe Irish were attracted to Silver Creek by the fact that
dent Grant. Leopold also left descendents by daughters
it had a Catholic church but it is said that the bcautiiul
of his first wife Acuarie, daughter of Sawak, a brothl'r of
lakes of the area reminded them of [rel<md. Some hJd
Topenebee.
helped ;build the railroads on their way to Michigan and
The circumstances under which the Silver Crl'l'k
others had lived for while ncar the Catholic church in
settlement broke up in 1850 CITe not very clear. Lcop(\ld
Bertrand. The Cass Co. history already cited S,lyS the thl,.'
Pokagon had not made any arrangements ,lS to h(1w the
Holy Cross order sent Father Baroux to !ndidn in 1852
land \.-\'as to be handled after his dedth but the Indians
dnd he was succeeded by Father FourmnnL A Father
appear to have gotten along satisfactclTily fnr a few years. Labell made a few visits ironi Kabmaz()o in 1~5-l. [n
One report states that Leopold Pokagon's hl'irs iinall y"
1855, Father john Dc Neve (Belgian) attended tn the
claimed the whole estate. Others say that the trouble W,lS mission from Niles and also had charge ni the Bl'rtrand
over how much each resident was to contribute towards
church. Augustine J. Topash now started the construction
the real estate taxes Jlthough taxes were lo\\' in those
nf i:l £lev..' church edifice which was compkted in 1B58. It
days. Leopold's widow lived until 1851. Thl' church must was dedicated by Bishop Lefevre (Belgidnl of Detrt1it,
have been distressed by this division but the Pntawatomi September 29,1861.
then as now made their own decisions.
Both the Indians and the Irish must h,wl' Il1ddc quitL' (l
lot of money during the Civil War as the writer had
relatives who stayed home and did pretty well ri.lising
wheat. Possibly the prosperity helpl'd Simon Pokagon
make his two visits to \Vashington, and Wl' know that
Father Baroux visited France from October -1862 until
May 1863.
Father Baroux served both Indian parishl's but neither
were self supporting, and it has been suggestcd that the
church felt compelled to send such an experienced priest
elsewhere in 1870. He was brought back to Silver Creck
for burial in 1897 and in 1913 an imposing monument
was erected ove.r his grave. Father Richard Sweeney
arrived in December 1870 and Father James Herbert in
October 1873.
A church had been built in DOvvagiac in 1872 as a
branch of the Niles Parish and in 1875 it was transferred
to Silver Creek with Father C.j. Roeper as the new pastor.
He rebuilt and enlarged the Silver Creek Church and in
1882 it was reported that forty-five white and five Indian
families \.-vere attending church there. Two Indian families then attended the church in Dowagiac and ten
The leader of the movement out of the township was
belonged to the Rush Lake Church which had a few
William Sinagaw, whose daughter was married to Simon white members. The pastor moved to Dowagiac in 1886
Pokagon and was to be the heroine of her husband's
after fire had destroyed the Silver Creck church and
book, The Queen of the Woods. Sinaga w lead the grou p
rectory. The present brick church (third church) was then
fifteen miles north to the south side of Rush Lake in Van
erected on a site different from that of the original
Buren County, about four miles northwest of Hartford.
church. This explains why the Leopold Pokagon grave is
The new land was purchased with funds based on
now covered by a sidewalk. It is said that in connection
annuities. The original log church was replaced by Father with the rebuilding, many Indian stones were taken up
Baroux in 1864 with a wooden structure which he built
and lost. Few monuments with Indian names Ciln be
with the aid of $1,000 that he brought back with him
located in the cemetery although many burials have been
from a trip to France.
made since that time. Rev. Joseph joos, who arrived in
Little is known about the Rush Lake group for the next 1891, is the last of the Belgium-born priests that ~ve will
forly years until Simon P(lkagon appears at the Chicago
hear of. He was very energetic and during the next year
World's Fair. One reference declares that there ~'I'as no
built the present ;church in Dowagiac at a new location,
leadership among the group after the death of Sin,lgaw
the old one having becll 1ll'.lr thc Catholic cemetery. By
and Pepeyah.
1897, he had established a Ilew church at Watervliet and
A long article W<1S fOllnd in till' Fort St. joseph ~\1lJ
the Indians were offcnlkd Whl,.'1l pews were removed
seum at Niles which p,lints J sad picture of the scttk'irom the Rush Ldke building t<lh'll to the new church.
ment and makes one understand why the church may
Father john V\'all wa~ in charge of the Parish from 1901
have been willing to Sl'e it broken ;up. The rcporter from
to 1914 and it was during this period that Auxiliary
Chicago \vas making ;his first visit and \.-VJS not imBishop E.D Kelley of Dl'twit wrote d little booklet, now
pressed by Simon Pokago11 (lr his wife . .",ho lived in a
very rare, to raisl' mo["'lL'Y lor ,1 lllclllument in honor of
rude shack as did the others. He says that almost all of
Father Baroux. It consists (11 Il'ttl'rs from the priests of the
the horses and wagons h,ld Ix'en sold to get money for
1830 deGlde which Wl'rc translated from French by
drink. William and Chclrles were at home but jerome
Father Baroux and sent tn Mgr. de Neve, Rector of the
Pokagon was away to school in Kansas. A daughter
American College at LOll\"'lin, who had been a priest at
named Celia is mentioned and the article includes several Niles and had assisted in Silver Crl'ek following the
sketches of the cabins.
departure of Father J:)aroux to the Indies. Much of the
There is considerable discussion of the claims then
material deals with the expl'riences of Father DeScille
being made. Small annuities had been paid to the
who predicts that the United States would by punished
POkagon band after it reached Silver Creek but not as
by a civil war for its mistrl'atn1ent oi the Potawatomi.
much as was given those who had gone to Kansas. They
Rev. Henry O'Neill was the Pastor from 1924 until
were offered $39,000 in 1865 and took that money but the 1921, and towards the end he was given an assistant,
reporter says that they thought that it was only a part
Father Idone, to help with Silver Creck and the new
payment on their claim for $150,000. They were now
Catholic Hospital. He was soon very popular with the
claiming $200,000 which included interest on the unpaid Indians and got them to appear in all kinds of outdoor
balance. A man named Crane her was representing them
festivals. The church never had a hall but dances were
and was to receive 12 per cent as commission. A bill to
held in the township hall not far away in the winter.
pay the money had twice passed the Senate. (Payment
Many Indians were present. Father Idone improved the
was finally made in 1893.)
rectory and the church but he appeared to depart sudNo doubt there were Indians in the Hartford area
denly, and an era that started back in 1690 was ended for
living some distance away from Rush Lake who were
the Potawatomi.
better off as were those in Silver Creek who were by now
scattered out quite a bit and able to work for the farmers.
Conclusion
The group must have been
pretty docile to survive as
pioneers of the period generally
objected to having Indians
around. One wonders if the
farmers could have benefitted
from their cheap labor as was
suggested in the case of Calvin
where some Quakers became
quite well off.
Bulk Rate
U.S. Postage
PAID
Tecumseh, OK.
Permit No. 26
The HowNiKan is published by the Citizen Band Polawalomi Tribe with oflices at 1901 Gordon Cooper Drive,
Shawnee, Oklahoma 74801.
The HowNiKan is mailed lree 10 enrolled tribal mem-
bers. SubscripUons to non-members are available lor $10
annually in the United States and $12 for foreign countries.
The HowNiKan is a member of the Native American
Press Asstx:ialion. Reprint permission is granted with
publication credit 10 the HowNiKan and the Citizen Band
Potawatomi Tribe,
All tetters and submissions become the property of the
HowNiKan. Editorials and letters are limited 10 500 words
and must contain a traceable address.
All correspondence should be directed 10 HowNiKan,
1901 Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee, Ok. 74801. Address
changes should be senllo Potawatomi Tribal Rolls, 1901
Gordon Cooper Drive, Shawnee, Ok. 74801.
Chizen Band Potawalomi Business Commillee
Chairman· John A. "Rock( Barrell Jr.
Vice Chairman· Linda Capps
SecJTreasurer· Bob F. Davis
Committeeman· Dr. Francis levier
Committeeman· Hilton Melot
1901 Gordon Cooper Drive
Shawnee, Oklahoma 74801
Toll-Free Number: 1-800-880-9880
Tribal flag plaza planned for Oklahoma state capitol
Oklahoma City-A public fund raising
campaign of his own. He says, "Every
tribal member should feel an identitv with
lion of the Oklahoma Tribal Flag Plaza at
the plaza because it symbolizes thei;
heritage."
the State Capitol. When completed, the
"One tribe has already contributed
plaza will display the flags of the thirty-six
federally recognized tribal governments in $5,000," Reynolds said. He is asking each
Oklahoma.
tribe in Oklahoma to give a similar
amount from its general fund toward the
Through the efforts of State Senator
Kelly Haney, S.j.R. 48 was passed in 1988. plaza. He is going one step further, asking
The legislation directs the state Office of
each tribal member to contribute $1
Public Affairs to "display in an appropritoward the completion of the plaza. With
ate and dignified manner within the
Oklahoma having the highest Indian
Oklahoma State Capitol Complex the flags population of any state in the nation at
of all federally recognized Indian tribal
more than 252,000, this amount could
governments which are located within the conceivably be a major portion of the
State of Oklahoma." At that time, the
contribution toward the effort. Reynolds
Legislature appropriated $99,000 toward
also said that each donation is tax deductthe project.
ible and every dollar goes toward the
When the actual design of the flag plaza plaza. He is sending letters to all the tribes
was completed, the project neared the
asking them to organize individual efforts.
The Tribal Flag Plaza Fund Raising
$400,000 mark to be constructed in three
phases. The legislative appropriation was committee is organized under the Center
of the American Indian at the Kirkpatrick
used for constructing Phase I which
Center with no p,lid administrators, all
included the digging and concrete work.
Senator Haney states he was pleased to only volunteers arc working on the
see such an interest of public undertaking project.
to raise the remainder of the funds for the
The Capitol Historical Preservation
Committee has authorized the location of
plaza's construction. He added, "The
Oklahoma Tribal Flag Plaza will not only
the plaza to be ccntered on the Capitol's
represent this state's rich Indian heritage
north mall betwcen the 5equoyah and Will
but will signify the important role the
Rogers Bldgs.
The Tribal Flag Plaza was designed by
tribal governments will play in
Oklahoma's future." Haney said he
Paul and David Meyer of Meyer Associenvisioned the plaza to become a destina- ates, Oklahoma City. Paul Meyer deeffort is undeT\\'ay to complete construc-
tion point for travellers around the world.
scribes the plaza in terms of art sculpture.
The Tribal Flag Plaza follows the
landmark S.B. 210 known as the Statel
Tribal Relations Legislation, representing
the first statutory overture by state
He related it to be a simple, bold design
reflecting the dignity of Oklahoma Indians
government to improve inter-governmental relations between state government
and tribal governments.
··The Oklahoma Tribal Flag Plaza at the
State Capitol will stand as a constant
reminder that all citizens of Oklahoma can
benefit by a united effort toward better
relations," stated Dr. Blue Clark, vicepresident of Oklahoma City University.
Clark, an enrolled Oklahoma Creek, is the
co-chair of the Tribal Flag Plaza Fund
Raising Committee with Jerry Burger,
executive director of the University of
Oklahoma Medical Alumni Association.
New York Yankee baseball legend, Allied
Reynolds, is the committee honorary
chair.
Reynolds, who is also an enrolled
member of the Creek Nation has initiated,
within the overall fund raising project, a
and their oneness with nature. Inspired by
the Spiro Mounds, the plaza is separated
into quadrants with walkways sloping
downward into the "center of the earth"
where water flows over native boulders
surrounding an eternal flame.
Ten foot high walls inside the mound
wiII be finished in highly polished black
granite that wiII reflect the elements of the
sky, the fire and the flowing water. Meyer
said when viewed from the air, one can
see the flag poles and their colorful flags
fluttering in the wind and casting moving
shadows across the earth, forming "feathers" around an Indian shield-the Indian
shield on the Oklahoma flag. The plaza
will be called "The Meeting Place."
During Red Earth ·91, a ceremony was
held at the plaza site to honor the ground
where the plaza is under construction and
to proclaim it a sacred place. Seventeen
Oklahoma tribal governments participated
in the flag processional while the site was
traditionally smoked with cedar and a
lance was staked into the ground by
Nathan Hart on horseback. Hart is the
executive director of the Oklahoma Indian
Affairs Commission. The Vietnam Era
Veterans Inter-Tribal Association Color
Guard also performed a routine v','hile
presenting the colors.
The Oklahoma tndianAffairs Commission is currently in the process of collect-
ing the tribal flag designs for when the
flags wiII be made for the plaza. The target
date to display the flags in ceremony is
June 1992. The committee feels 1992 is
very appropriate for the occasion. For
more information on the Oklahoma Tribal
Flag Plaza and related activities phone
405-524-2685 or write the Kirkpatrick
Center, Center of the American Indian,
OTFP, 2100 N.E. Street, Oklahoma Citv
73111.
'
Tribal members participate
in Trail of Courage festival
The 16th annual Trail of Courage Living History Festival was held Sept. 21-22
at Rochester, Indiana, under the sponsorship of the Fulton County Historical
Society.
The Dowagiac Singers, a Potawatomi drum, played for the Indian dances. The
group is headed by Henry Bush, Dowagiac, Michigan.
The participants' badge this year honored Chief Aubbeenaubbee,a Potawatomi
who lived here in the 1830's. The badge was designed and drawn by Martha
Caparell, who has Indian ancestry. It has il bear and red-tailed hawk, which were
the totem and clan of Aubbecnaubbee.
The Trail of Courage depicts frontier history. There were several historiccClmps:
French & Indian War, B-evolutionary War, Voyageur, Western Flir Trade, Plains
Indian, and Woodlands Indian.
The Potawatomi Memorial Village consists of wigwams and demonstrations of
Indian crafts such as basketry, headwork, tanning hides, making cattail mats,
cooking, etc. Each year a different Potawatomi family is honored and this year it
was Aubbeenaubbl'C.
Tom Hamilton, Warsaw, a member of lhe Citizen Band Potawatomi, has been
an active participant since 1983 and video-taped the event. Tom's family, descl'n-
dants of Abram Burnett, was the honored Potawatomi family in 1989.
Bill Wamego, Tulsa. OK.,anotherCitizen Band member, has attended since the
early 1980salso. The Wamego family was honored in 1988;and Howard LaHurrcau
family, the descendents of Chief Meteah in 1990.
George Godfrey, a Citizen Band Potawatomi member, demonstrated
fingerweaving of sashes. Godfrey is from Villa Grove, Ill. The Citizen Band is
headquartered in Shawnee, OK., but their ancestors Iivcd in Indiana.
All the participants were dressed in historic clothing to fit the period they were
portraying. The big festival attracts over 10,000 people. This year the Trail of
Courage was awarded a grant of $1,700 from the Indiana Arts commission to hire
musicians and artists to perform. This is a matching grant and must be matched
dollar for dollar by donations.
The Trail of Courage, museum and round barn are alt located on 35 acres that
lie beside the big dual-lane highway, U.s. 31, four miles north of Rochester. It is 50
miles south of Notre DamelSouth Bend, and 50 miles north of Kokomo.
The Trail of Courage was founded in 1976 to honorthe Indians and memorialize
those who died on the forced removal known as the Trail of Death in 1838.

First regional office open, council meeting dates set

Transcription

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