East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-03-29
Tradition Of the saginaw valley.
Lalt0r Of Me Bay az JomnaI;

A<Aah I'm IL hNAAA1 WI Ittlll ,
life, something will transpiro which
may be interesting TO his fellow mon !;
and as pioneer of the Saginaw Val
ley, brought up on the frontier, with
out any advantages, and no society
except the hardy pioneer and the Indi-
ans you must not, therefore, expect
60 find my theme as interesting as if
ponned by moro sllillful hand.
My father emigrated TO the Saginaw
Valley when | was but ten years old,
and nltha,,ol - lVohs are turnino
gray, II seoms as IL il was but yester
day. But what change has come
over our beautiful valley Then it
was one vast wilderness, and nothing
disturbed tho waters of this beautiful
river save the Indian and his canoe.
/ was accustomed, for many years,
10 travel up the different tributaries
of the Saginaw, and on nearly all |
have found Indications that the Sagi-
nav Valley was inhabited by differ
ont race of people prior to the present
Indians. On most of tho tributaries,
can be found mounds filled with hui
man bones, which l have often opened
for my own satisfaction, and found
them lying in oil positions, showing
that they wero thrown together with
out any regularity, and satisfying me
that they were killed i'll battle This
awakened in me an interest to find out
who they were, how they came there,
and what became of them. l often
questioned the Indians in regard to
it, but they would invariably say,
that there were two or three very old
Indians, living on the Bay shore, who
could tell me all about it, and gave
me their names.
Accordingly, on one of my journeys
70 the Bay, l sought out and found
one Of these Indians in question:
His name was Pu-ted-qaas-G-mm. /
had often heard Of him before as
traditionist or historian one that had
the history of his nation. He was
very old mantle most so L ever saw.
l asked him his age. He said,
my son, / am very old; l am a
great deal over one hundred"
/ told him that it was said he could
give me the history of his race. lie
said he could, as it was handed down
TO him by his grandfather, who was
older than he was now when it was
told to him.
For fear that / should mako any
mistake, l called to my aid an educated
man, who was part Indian, and who
had spent most of his life among the
Indians, and who could talk the Ian
Guage more correctly than myself.
Tho old man, drawing himself up
rs if he was about doing a great deed,
related substantially as follows: He
said the Socks occupied the Saginaw
River and all its tributaries, extending
rom Thunder Bay on the north to
headwaters of the Shiawassee on tho
south, and from Lake Michigan on
the west to Detroit on the cast. The
balance of southern Michigan was
occupied by the Pottawatomies. The
Lake Superior country was inhabited
by the Chippewas the Monominees
were at Green Bay, and the Sioux &C.
cupied Minnesota.
The main village Of the Socks was
situated on tho west bank of the Sag
NAV River below where Mr.. Frank
Fitzhugh now resides and opposite
the mill of Mr.. n. b. Bradley.
The Socks were always at war with
the neighboring tribes. At last a
council was held, consisting of the
Chippewas, Pottawatomies, Otowas,
and the Six Nations Of Canada and
New York, at which it was determined
to exterminate the Socks.
AT a given time, they all met at the
island of Mackinaw. There they
fitted out large army, and started in
bark canoes, and proceeded south
until they reached what is now called
Otowas Bay. They then divided, the
largest part of the army proceeding
up the west side of the Bay and landed
IN the night at Petobegung. The
other part of the army crossed
10 the Charity Islands, and from there
TO the east shore of the Bay, at
point near the mouth of the river
1t was arranged that both armies
should land at the same time. That
On the west side of tho Bay left their
canoes, and proceeded Mt night, on
foot, and attacked the main village,
aid mossacred nearly all the inhabit-
ants. Those who escaped reiterated
in canoes, some to Skull Island, and
others across the river to another vii
lage, which stands near wherc the
Centre House now stands, in Ports
mouth, Here they were met BY that
part Of tho army that oameup on tho
cast side of the Bay, and desperate
battle took place in tho vicinity of the
present residence of w. r. McC ormick,
that being the highest land, where
they fortified themselves, and where
1t the present time can be found the
remains Of those said to have been
lilled in that battle. Here they were
again defeated They then retreated
10 Skull Island, where the others had
already gone. Skull Island is little
island next above what is now at tho
present day known as Stone Island.
Hero thoy considered themselves safe,
rs their enemies had no canoes, and
they could fortify themselves. But
next night after their retreat to tho
Island, the ice frozo thick enough for
tho allies to cross, which they did,
whom IN indiscriminate slaughter on
suod. They wero all oxterminated,
with the exception of twelve families.
The allies then divided, some going
up tho Cass, some up the Flint, othors
up tho Shiawassie, Titabawassee, and
20 on, whore there were different bands
located. But thelargest battle on any