The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-02-29
ONEIDA COUNTY sHEIK.


FROM ihc buiriio fourier.
A few days ago The Copri,r printed
the story OF Sheik Randall, born in
Wales, Of American parentage, and
now with the Arish tribe OF Arabs, hus-
band to the female successor TO the
leadership Of the tribe, and father of
the present Shsik. That article stated
that the father OF Sheik Randall lived
in Oneida county. A Rome Sentinel
reporter found the. father, William
Austin Randall, residing on a small
farm just inside the town Of Annsville.
Mr.. Randall is at present known as
Austin Randall, having dropped the
name of William some years since,
while living in ncighborhood where
were several OF the same name.
A.l HIS STORY. -i.l.
William Austin Randall was born in
the town OF Paris, Oneida county, Aug
nst 2s. in the year 1911 or 1919. While
William Randall, who was n soldier in
the American army while William Ans
tin was an infant, moved from Paris
into Lenox, Madison county. The
Oneida Indians wero camped close by,
and the little Austin was frequent
visitor among them, learned tho lam
guage of the children, and soon prefer
red the camp to his fathers house.
Among the Indians was Uncle Isaac,
who took a great fancy to the little
Randall, who, on his side, soon called
Uncle Isaac his father. When Austin
was nine years old he accompanied
Uncle Isaac and his sons TO the west,
and was with them, hunting and trap
ping furs. until 1929. During this
timo no made only two or three short
visits home. His life was one Of con-
slant danger aud frequent suffering.
In 1929, Randall and Uncle Isaac had
a council, aud the Indian advised the
white boy to go home, for said he, ''If
you stay here you will be nothing but
an Indian, and who respects on Indian?
Among white men you may be man"
Randall returned 10 this state, making
his home near Oneida. July %, 1891,
he married Mary Reves, daughter Of
David Reves, OF Peterboro.
HER STORY.
The mother of Mary Rsves was q
daughter Of Charles Snowdon, land
owner and mercantile man of Cardiff,
Wales. Miss Snowdon fell in love
with David Reeves, and married him
against the consent OF her father. Da-
vid Reeves, either before or after his
marriage, became a British soldier,
and his wife. her father disowning her,
accompanied her husband to Gibraltar;
where his regiment was doing duty,
and at Gibraltar, September 10, 1911,
Mary Reves was born. When his term
OF seryice expired, David Reyes came
with his family direct to America, and
his daughter married Austin Randall.
THE BLACK HAWK WAR.
At the time Of his marriage Austin
Randall was commanding q troop of
horse, made up OF Madison county
men, and during the Black Hawk war,
this company being fully equipped and
drilled, enlisted and saw considerable
service in scouting, etc Randall him.
self did a great deal of scouting, and
was slightly wounded in both hands,
and while he, with one other man, who
had been sent To bring into the lines q
family of settlers by the name Of Ian
ing, were assisting in the defonse OF
the house, which was suddenly sur
rounded and assaulted by q body Of
Indians. Randall was confronted by
five or six savsges, and received slash
from n knife between the eyebrows
and down across the bridge OF the nose.
When asked who came ont ahead Mr..
Randall said: "Well, did. At least
/ left three Of them under the wall OF
tha. loo h"'. and 7 am hove
MORE OF THE wIFE's STORY.
When Charles Snowdon, OF Cardiff,
Wales, learned that his granddaughter
Mary Reeves, had married in America,
he seems TO have repented somewhat
OF his severity toward his daughter,
Mnry's mother. He sent word to
Mary, the bride Of Austin Randall,
that il her first child was born at the
old family homestead at Cardiff, Wales,
he would give her Mary one thousand
pounds in gold. Accordingly, the day
after Austin Randall left Lenox for the
Black Hawk war, his wife Mary started
for Wales, where her SOD, William A.
Randall, was born May %, 1892 This
date is the last one in Mary Randalfs BIZ
BILE, written in her hand. Her death
is chronicled just below it. in another.
HER DEATH.
October 81, 1892, she accepted an
invitation OF friends TO ride, and the
party took road considered perfectly
safe, near quarry. A blast was fred
as they went by, and flying piece Of
stone hit Mrs. Randall, inAicting inju-
ries from which she died.
The infant, William A., remained at
Cardiff, in the house of his great grand
father, Charles Snowdon. Valvina
Snowdop, n single daughter, wrote 10
Austin Randall, the father, and obtain
ed his permission 20 raise and educate
the boy herself. When he arrived Mt
his fun stature. the son stood six feet
I II inches in his stockings, and was a
powerfully built man. After complet-
ing his course at Cambridge, William
I bought a ticket to come to America
and soc his father. His great aunt,
-yalvina, had given him some money;
his great uncle, Henry Snowdon, had
t.fwo,, ec,N.o apI thfs with fha fbOf..