Alma record. (Alma, Mich.) 1878-1928, 1886-01-29
LAST OF THE MOHICANS,
CAREER OF NAw-GAw-NEE, AN INDIAN
90 YEARS OLD.
He Knew Gen Hull aud Lewis Cass, He Says
"A Man OF Trad tional Endurance How
He Lost His squaw Tragic
Death of HIS Sons

Peter Naw-gaw.ne of the Chippewa tribe
OF Indians, l. one of the last wing links con
Meeting The civilization Of the present with the
history Of the past A correspondent of the
Detroit journal visited the old niaa cw days
since, near Whteylle, Isabella county. BY
the aid of Ju lgc Bennett and an interpreter
the following sketch Of NaW-gaw-nee's lie
was drawn from him:
lie was the son Of Sha.saboc (Timber-full-
of-holesl, and was horn near the site OF The
village of Featonvlc at what was known
10 the Indian. as Long Lake near
the close of the last century. lie knows this
because he was IL years old when Ttcu nseh
died; and as this took place in lsl3 lie II now
nearly 80 years OF age. Sha sa boc WAS noted
warrior under Pontiac an participated with
h IN in the siege OF Detroit, the massacrcs on
the Wabash, on the Maumec, the river kal>ln
and Bloody run. he was employed as spy
and scout by the English In the warfare
against the French previous Ia the revolution,
aud was an active participant In the frontier
warfare Of that period. During the struggle
OF lSl2 he was firm and useful ally OF lie
cumseh and was present at the death oi that
chieitan.
1t was during the bloody scenes OF 1872 that
the young Nav gaw nee began the remarkable
career now nearly closed. Being OF great
bravery and marvellous endurance and Wlthal
fleet OF foot he was chosen To- 90 On many
an important mission. Iecumseh, Tn re-
nowned chief Of the Shawnee, aud his
prophet brother had raised the war whOop
and sent around the war belt To all the
eighblring tribes, ur5ing them 10
don In a conf dcracy against tn whites.
Most Of them % ned in the league, but tie
death of their leader at tie battle OF the
Thames disurganized the bant and destroyed
their hope o. success. During this time Nav
gaw-nee was FIRE uently at Detroit anu knew
Gen. Hull, Lewis Cass and many Others whom
he rem NIB rs only by the names 2 ven them
by thr Ind ans. lie remembers flu'l "a a tail,
fne-looA ug man. "A lover OF games, and often
both a witness and helper in Indian sports.
One day foot race was arranged between the
Guogees Myandots) and the Chppcwas, In
answer 10 challenge from the former ana
Gen. Hull selected the Toy Nav gaW-hce 10
run the race, which he did and won, RECEIVING
as his prize $40 and a fine suit OF c.othes.
After the settlement Of the war Ma" cav nee
lived with his tribe at Long Lake, and became
as famous in the hunt as ht had been as a
scout He could walk 10 his wigwam Win
shoulders erect under the weight OF two deer
without fatigue. Bear, moos. and elk were
plenty. aud often Tell before rs gun About
1880 he made "A trip alone To Il west pat the
site of Chicago TO the Grand River, Mississippi
down 10 I Ohio, up the Naumec la his lone
without seeing trace OF whit men, Nhat
change could he take IN, same tIip now
One of the pastm of his tribe was wrest
ling for the championship. Gathered on sci
day each OF the contestants stood by MS post
or stake and as each was dei, ated u posi-
was thrown down. Each was provided with
scaping knife in his belt. and when angry did
no: hesitate 10 use H. one day saws Nav
gaw-nec. IA brave became angry M his rlYa and
stabbed him in the neck SO that he dicd lie
then stood al his post and cried, "NhI CONES
next The next met the same iate. and 80
did the next till eight had been slain, when
the chief appeared and stopped thr carnage.
Naw-gaw nee was present aud participated IA
the treaties al Detroit and ; ~ nav. aud often
met agents and commissions ot the govern
ment "a representative of his triic. Tie re
members Cas- AS portly and bild-headcd
mau kind Il the Indian IN peace, nut severe
In war, and Nav gaw nee recel' ed many tokens
OF his favor.
In ls4s the government gather all the
/ scattered remnants OF the PotiaWatoulcs
/ aud loc tied them on reservation in Kan
sas At this time the wife Of Nav gdw-nce
either having "a trace of that loud IN her
VEINS or for some other cause, became
frightened aud fet 10 ,ahdda' h'F
husband being the meantime EN- loNeu III
/ the search for members OF ne II owing 'IIot'
He being thus engaga d for two Years lie
lowed her affect ons t. rest upon ano,he' ana
he was forced Ia console himself WIN ahothcr
s4s" bhe MAS Mas naSsfn s,, c on me ,,
southwest Of sag nav. where he lived till 1874
/ when he removed TO the Isabella Icser, alton
where hc now resides. Some year nee he
was converted Ia Christianity by TIA Efforts of
Il lilh~lpudiA named snow. anu mas SINCE uNcu
quiet and peaceful life In lsS2 two sons,
al his family then living, oined "a company,
and went 10 Euo pe Ia EXHIBIT the manner.
and customs OF the North Amer can
Indians, and having spent a succ ssfu
wear were on their return HON, on board
the Servia, when she was iun into by tie
Scotia of the banks OF Newfoundland and
sunk. By the rules of the vessel those hold
ing first cabin tickets lad the first chance of
being saved, the second class tickets had
second chance, and the stetragr passengers
third chance. As part OF the vessels boats
had been destroyed in the coll sion, only
part OF al her passenger, could Ice saved. and
when the s"rnnd-class was called the Indian
boys got in the boat Being stecraE pas-eugeis
the cauta u Ordred them to 70 out which
they deemed To- do He stepped lack ON the
vessel and getting the boat AK. split the head
Of one Of the Indians 40 single blow aud the
other was thrown out aud drowned. Thus
the last living relative Of NaW-gdw ne passe
from carrh. and as the remnant OF his n be l.
small and fast decreasing. and all tribal rela-
tions are lost he is virtually the last OF the
Mohicans still heart, and robust, ! c walks
with quicn elastic steJ, with form erect and
al a rapid rate lie Is ;he owner OF a small
improved farm and a comfortable house.