The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1872-02-29


the Neshoto, stream ia the northern
part of Manitowoc County, lies the old
Indian planting ground. It is at present
owned by family named Coburn, but
less than twenty years ago, it was the
home of the Indians who lived in that
section of the country. The cleared
ground occupied some ten acres, and
here the dark skinned daughters of the
forest planted their corn and other small
crops. At the time of which write, there
were about fifty Indians who made this
lovely spot their home, for lovely it indeed
was, too fair spot to be the scene of SO
much riots and drunkenness.
I was in the spring of 1855, that Mr.
Coburn purchased the land adjoining the
Indians, and settled his family thereon
The family consisted of Mr. c., his wife.
FIVE sons and daughter the eldest, a
son of eighteen years. the youngest, an
infant of one year. Having settled his
family and put In crop the cleared
kTOuLu,
return to Chicago, where they had fer
merly lived he went, taking with him
the eldest son, leaving the mother and
five little ones alone in that wild place.
The eldest now at hand, was lad OF
fourteen, who was quite help to the
mother, thus left alone. as it were, the
nearest neighbor being two miles away.
THUS nobly through privation, did the
early settlers achieve the comforts which
now surrounded Them 1t was some
three months after they had been thus
settled, that the Indians had corn dance
or pow-wow. The Indians came from
different places at distance, and they
we're soon all drunk and enjoying them
selves after the most approved Indian
style. 1t was the evening of the second
day of their earousal and they were very
noisy. The evening was somewhat chilly
and Mrs. G. had requested the children
to build a fire near the door and the little
group were seated around it the mother
soothing the little one to sleep. The
others wondering in their childish way,
if father would be coming soon; when
they were all startled by the appearance
of an Indian he was from Sheboygan,
he said, and called himself John, the
Squire; he requested them to give him
some tobacco, which was done; he then
asked for bread, Mrs. G. complied and
gave him half loaf; after receiving the
bread, he then demanded some whiskey;
to comply with this request was an impos-
sibiIity, and Mrs. Coburn knew not what
to do. To refuse him would irritate him
and she knew the danger of max ing him
angry, alone as she was, with none to
whom she could send for help. She did
not show her fear, but telling the chill
1ren to sit still she entered the house
to lay down the sleeping child. While
thus engaged, the screams of the children
caused her to return quickly to the door;
the cause of their fear was clearly to be
seen. The Indian, it seems, had become
angry at her absence, and taking it for
4 refusal, he seized large stone in both
hands, and raising it above his head, lie
was about to hurl it at the defenceless
children. At this appalling moment the
mother appeared; for moment her spir
it failed her, but unheeding the cries of
the children to save them. as they crowd
ed around her, she pushed them back,
and sprang toward the Indian with out
stretched hands, crying: 0 good Indian
good Indian he will not hurt squaw and
papoose! Struck by her bravery, he let
fall the stone behind him, and said, as he
shook her hand. Yes. yes, good squaw
give me bread, me not kill papoose He
then left, and went to the camp, leaving
the noble mother to watch through the
long hours of the night, for she dared
not sleep, but she was not again molested.
The SUI shone as brightly and the birds
sang as sweetly as if no such scene of
peril had been enacted there Through
such peril did the indomitable spirit of
mothers love carry her darlihgs. and she
is still the honored mother Of a loving
family, who delight to hear her tell how
she saved them at her own peril, and
though the hard times of those days are
now past, she tells her children tn at pros
perity is best enjoyed through adversely.
HALE.