Holmes County Republican. [volume] (Millersburg, Holmes County, Ohio) 1856-1865, 1859-12-29
A Thrilling Narrative.
The Indian Captive Reclaimed after "a
Years Absence.

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The Ladian Captive Reclaimed after 34
Years Absence.
I In consequenc of the many conflicting
accounts in relation to the Indian Captive
the brother of said Captive Mr.. William
Brayton, sends US the following as anthem
tic.
INCIDENTS OF HIS LIFE.
The following narrative of the return
and recognization of Mathew Brayton, OF
this county, who was stolen by the Indi-
ans "a years ago, will lie read with interest.
1t was Kindly furnished US by Mr.. ]. w.
Chamberlain Of Carey and can be relied
upon as true.
On the goth day of Sept. 1925. two
children of Elijah Brayton, then residing
near Springville in this county, were sent
cut after the cows After going short
distance, from home the younger one Mat
thew, lad between Seven an eight years
of age, became, fatigued and started for a
neighboring house, close by, while the 9th
er continued to search for the cows
Since that time, nothing has been heard
of the child until lately. The country was
thoroughly searched, by all the whites and
friendly Indians that resided near this set
tlement, and continued s.yeral weeks but
without effect. At the time he was lost,
there was two scars on his person, one on
his head caused by boil, and one on the
big Toe of his right foot, caused by cut
with an axe.
During the latter part of last August it
was ascertained through the medium of the
papers, that returned Indian captive was
at Cleveland searching for his relatives
Search was made for this person, but he
was not found until Tuesday evening Nov.
18th, when he was discovered at farmers
house near Sugar Grove Warron Co., Pa,
by William Brayton, who started with him
Immediately for Adrian where be arrived
Thursday noon.
The news flew like wild-fre through the
neighborhood, and the people have been
visiting him constantly since his arrival,
questioning and cross questioning him un-
til he is almost exhausted. The scars cor
responding to those on Mathew Brayton,
when lost, were found on his person. He
is man about feet u inches in height,
and of light complexion. He has some
tattoo marks on his chest, also some scars
on his right leg, caused by wounds received
10 an Indian battle some three years ago.
The Indians. in performing the necessary
surgical operation, strapped him to a log
sewed up the wound (some eight inches in
lengthy with buck-skin thong, making
but three stitches. The scars made by the
needle and thong are nearly as large as
that made by the cut Of the tomahawk.
He has with him his Indian dog, called
Nemi, and large pipe made of flint,
which weighs nine ounces. He says it
took him one moon to drill the hole through
his pipe, which he did with piece of steel
some bears oil and water. He was stolen
by the Pottawatomie and Canadian Indi-
ans, and was shifted from one of these
tribes To the other until he was sold by
them to the Papaw Indians, who gave 81
gallons of whisky for him, and they sold
him to the Winnebagoes for Z gal. They
were living in Michigan at that time. The
Chippewa's bought him of the Winneba
goes and kept him two months and hall,
and then sold him to the Sioux for eleven
gallons Of the "fire water" This he does
not recollect himself, but it was told him
by the various tribes, as he traced himself
back to Ohio.
He remembers back to the time he was
owned oy the Sioux, which he says was
twenty-six years ago.
To use his language II was then head
shorter than am now" He was pur-
chased from the Sioux twenty-five years
ago, last April at Cedar Rapids, Iowa, by |
the Snakes and Copperbeads, with whom
he has resided ever since. He lived in |
Iowa two years, then moved to Minnesota,
where he staid six months, thence to Cali
forria, where he resided five years and a
half; thence to Oregon where they staid
two years; thence to the Russian Posses
sions where be has resided ever since, ex-
cept when travelling 10 and from their ira
ding points. He lived near Behring's
Straits, two hundred miles Northwest of
"B1e EsoU1MAux" village, so North Lat
itude. He has crossed the Straits several
times in the winter season on the ice. |
He was crossing, once few winters ago,
on the back of large elk, going at
pretty sharp pace, when the elk stepped
into an air.hole, throwing him over his
head into the water. At the time this
took place the lamented DR.. Kane, with
his expedition was in that section. After
getting out of the water he met one of the
crew man by the name of Thomas Hick-
ey. Since his return 10 the States, on his
arrival at Cleveland when be got off the
train, he saw Hickey, who recognized him
calling him by bis Indian name.
He was in St. Paul, when it only con-
tanned seven houses. About eight years
ago his tribe being nearly famisbed with
hunger, went 10 Hudson's Bay in search
of provisions, where he first learned that
he was pale face. The whites being un-
able to purchase him (the indians refusing
t. part with him. threatened to take him
by force, but the great disparity Of their
numbers prevented them from putting
their threat in force. They would not
visit any white settlement for three years
after that for fear he would leave them or
be taken away by the whites. They then
IL C.ll.-Is- IN Ra1 |