Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-12-31
fr the Ellsworth American
Indians Of X nusssaA. 5.


Next to the Shawnccs. and Del,wares or
the Kansas river as have described, tn,
Potttwatom:as are located Their reserve
is not immediately contiguous to that of the
tribes below THIN, bat smc thirty mile
farther up the river, leaving space oper
tor presumption. which is already occupied
more dense!y by white emigrants than an,
other part of the territory vet settled Ev-
cry lot probably on the whole space referred
to, is taken up, and most Of them considcra
bly, improved And then, it is there that
the cities Of La"r nee, Lccomrton, Tecutn,
sch, and Topeka are rising up us by magic.
The Pettawatomie Indians are much
larger tribe than either of the others refer
red to. Their number. am not prepared
to give. Their reserve is thirty miles square
and lies on both sides of the Kansas river
It is the Yer" best Of land, and has very
desirable variety of prairie and timber Land
At mon town about mid way of their re
serve. and on the southern bank Of the Kan
sis river is quite village. 1t was formerly
great trading post. 4 number of Indian
traders resided there. and built quite clus-
ter Of houses, stores and other buildings.
Here too, the government blacksmith, and
carriage maker, for the Indians reside. Here
too, the payments Of the government annui.
ties T. the tribe are madc. These payment
DAYS are high days for the Indians. and for
many others. Then, and there the whole
tribe come together, each one to receive his
or her quota from the general fund, and to
have grand spree in drinking feasting and
fighting for the Indians though generally
quiet and peaceable when sober, will fight
and sometimes murder when they are drunk
Indeed, believe drunken Indian is quite
as bad, and as british "a drunken white
man.
These payment days are seized upon by the
traders, to collect their dues Tor goods sold
to the Indians on credit Confectioners, and
dealers in whiskey, and all kind of trirkets
and Indian fnery are sure to b, close in the
wake at such gatherings. Most of the mon
ey distributed by the government on such
occasions, (and it is very considerably is
left on the spot, or carried away by others,
rather than by the Indians, and they, many
of them, are but little the better-some of
them no doubt the worse. for all they get.
know an Indian; he is an educated man.
who on one of the occasions above referred
to- killed three of his fellow Indians. and
then bought himself off from the avenser Of
blood to whom he had forfeited his life. It
was done with knife, in drunken row
He is now living. and Is quite respectable
man; at least he appears u be such.
With this tri5. there are two Missions
One Of them is under the direction of the
southern Btptsts, and the other Catholic
mission. The Baptist mission is located near
the eastern border of the reserve, and on the
south eide Of the Kansas river.
NJ church has been gathered thers-thev
have but little preaching think, and but
few, if any of the Indians ar hopefully pi
Gus \ small boarding school is kept at the
mssi5n, but regret to say that it appears
to be exerting but little influence for good.
Considerable money has been expend ID in
large stone 'sson house, but it is now in
quite dilapdated state.
The Catholic mission is on the north bank
OF the Kansas river. and nearly up to the
west Tn line OF the reserve. 1t is in u some
what hourshing state. They have a church
and mission houses, and other buildings to
quite an extent. They have large farm
connected with the mission, and raise and
keep large amount of stock. There is a
boarding school kept for Indian children; but
am sorry to learn that the children are
taught vast deal more in regard to the "ine
arts than they are to read write, and to
Il der.tand what is more essential to their
best good. But their education in the Cath :
ollie faith is not neglected of course. The
mission is evidently ex.rting q commanding
influence upon the tribe.
1t is even drawing the Indians from the
south, to the north side of the river Many Of
their former lodges are torSlken and they have
made new ones nearer to the Catholic mission
which has become the mission Of their choice
This is 50 true, that Union town is nearly
torsaken. The Indians removed to the north
side Of the river, anu the traders have fol-
lowed them
+ The payments are no longer to be made a
Union town as formerly, but On the other
the sorth side Of the river The Catholic
mission is called St. Mary's mission.
, This tribe OF Indians were removed from
Miebi an, their former residence, to kansa.
, Their first location in this territory wa,
: down south. on the Pottawatomie Creek
which took its name from them. Will,
there located they suffered much from sick
; ness and death. Among many others o
them their chief died there have seer
the spot where his remains were deposited
One Of the tribe told me that he helped t.
. put them there. 1t is upon the summit OF d
high bluff The corpse was placed in sit
ting pasture, and large heap Of stones wer'
piled up around him to keep the body in tn'
. position desired. There it stands, and Their
it WAS designed To stand ] suppose till tn
end If time.
GA account OF the sickness which prevail
oil Al