The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1859-12-20
AN INDIAN CAPTIVE RECLAIMED
From The Tifin (Ohio) Tribune.l

tUSHlIlOu Vi 4bdtLuCW lnC ioS1 sun VI
Elijah Braytor OF this county, who was stolen by
the Indians thrty-four years ago, viii be read with
interest. 1t was kindly furnised BY Mr. j. W. |
ChamberliE OF Cary, and can be relied upon as
true: 1
On the Goth of September, 1925, tTo children
Of Elijah Brayton then residing near Sprngyille, |
in this county, were sent out after tho, o>ws. At
tne tq i'd ytaf E9un%sg
became fatigued and started for nelghborlng
house close by, while the other continued the
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 settlement
and continued several weeks, but without effect.
At the time he was lost there were two scans on
his nerson, 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 as
certained through TIE medium Of the papers, that
returned Indain captive at Cleveland, search
ino for his relatives Search was made Tor this
| person but he was not found until Tuesday even
! inc, November 15 when he was discovered at a
| farmers house near Sugar Grove, Warren County,
! Pa by William Dayton, who started with nm
Immediately for Adrian, where he recently arrived
The news flew Ike wldfre through the neigh
borhood and the people have been visiting MN
constantly since his arrival questioning and cross
The scars, corresponding to those on Mathew Bray
| ton when lost were found on his person. lie Is
man about 5 feet Il inches in hight, and OF light
| comDlexion. He has some tattoo marks on ms
chest. also some scars on his light leg caused by
wounds received in an Indian battle some three
years ago.
cical opcration, strapped him to log and sewed
up the wound (some eight inches IN lengthy with
a buckskin thong making but three stitches. The
saars made bv the needle and thong are as large as
that made by the cut of the tomahawk. He has
with him his Indian dog, called Neml, and large
pipe made of flint, which weighs nine ounces
He saws 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 Pottawottomle and Cana-
da Indians and was shifted from Oi these tribes
to the other until he was sold by them to the Paw
paw Indians who gave five and half gallons OF
whisky for him, and they sold him to the VIM
nebaaocs for seven and half gallons. They were
living at Miuhigan at that time. The Chlppewas
bought him of tie Winnebagoes and kept him four
months and q half. and then sold him to an
other tribe for eleven gallons Of the 'fre water.
This he does not recollect himself bat it was told
E him by the various tribes, as he traced himself
back to Ohio
-, lie remembers back to the time he was owned
by the Sionx, which he says was twenty-sIX years
ago
ter than am now lie was purchased from the
, Sioux twenty-five years ago last April, at Cedar
Rapids. Iowa, by the Snakes and Coppcrheads
> with whom he has resided ever since. lie hVec
in Iowa two years. then moved to Minnesota, where
: he staid six months; thence to California, where
) he resided 5! years; thence to Oregon where they
stad two years; thence to the Russian Possessions
n where he has resided ever since.
TD,,,l rl,ay1 w
e seven houses About eight years ago his tribe
d being nearly furnished by hunger, went to Hudson
, Bay in search of provisions, where he first learned
. that he was pale face The whites being unable
> to purchase him (the Indiaus refusing to par
with him. threatened to take him by force, bu
W the great disparity of their numbers prevented
n them from putting their threat in force The.
would not visit any white settlement Tor three year
after that for fear he would leave them or be take
away by the whites. They then visited Lor
. Selkirk's settlement Red River, where the
h got into skirmish with the whites.
The whites told him there, also, that he was
n white man. He had been at st. Paul seven c
g. eight times on trading expeditions; also at Lor
Selkirk' settlement Iudson's Bay and st. Anthony
Falls The whites repeatedly told his tribe tha
: if they did not let him 90 to the States to scare
for his relations, they would take him from the,
=. by force He left his residence September l8os
as left st. Paul on the 10th Of April, 1899, !
IN company with his brother (chief elect last Fail
IN six Indians three ponies and five dogs. The
IS came with him to Chicago, where be was take
' sick and placed in the hospital for treatment all
kept there until he recovered
st His Indian friends there left him and rcturne
to their tribe He went from there to Detrol
Michigan; thence to Ohio; thence to Northel
Pennsyl ylvania, where he was found by Villa
Brayton He was then ca his way to some lndia
in New YORK He can speak five different lndls
II; languages, viz: Snake, Copperhead, Crow, Ota
il a and FIathead. Healsospeaks the English angua;
rk very AueDty and correctly, which he says came
ire him almost intuitively meeting with the white
est The tribe with which lie lived had compass al
watch incosed in one copper case, which they u.s.
in travelling. They purchased it OF the ku9Sla
for Sl00.
He says the Snakes, Copperheads, Crows, Uta
3 and Flatheads together number lOO,OoO sous
of men. women and children included.
'rk lie married the daughter OF the Grand On
at seven years ago. He has two children, son
i'' daughter. His Daughter name Is Ieirona ( al
Deer and is Ave years old. His sons name
- Tui!oosa two years Old last June. His own mai
is Owahowah Kishmewah. When ne arrived
ted Chicago he was dressed in Indian costume, dauh
Of and painted, his hair hanging down to his kne
ISL While in the hospital they cut oil his hair
ase scrubbed him with sand, soap and water, until
ar vestige of the paint removed lie ate Ii