Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1888-11-02
Her Story Is One of the Famous RoInances
of the Early Pioneer Days and Has
Tales
Especial Correspondence

Sangamon, while they ranged from Lake
Michigan to the Ohio; but it is probable
that less than half of the Indians in that
area were pure Miamis. Indeed, at least
six branches of the aborigines had some
share of this fair heritage, and brief
sketch of them will serve both as illus
tration of and introduction to tho sadly
romantic story of Frances Slocum, the
white captive from Pennsylvania.
When tho French first traversed the
Wabash and Mississippi valleys they found
all the Indian nations in a strange transi-
ton state-the general movement being
from north TO south, but traversed by
smaller movement from east to west.
The first Indians they knew in the
Wabash country were the Il-lee nee, or
nlini (meaning "real men," self fatter.
ing title savage nations often take), which
the French transformed into the mascu-
line plural Illinois. Down upon these
came the Nliamis from the far northwest
tradition traces their course back to
northern lowa-and soon they dominated
both sides of the Wabash, their various
bands known as Weans, Twighters,
Piankeshans, etc. Among them came the
Pottawattomies ferocious race from the
wooded wilderness north of Lake Huron;
but leaving only n remnant on the Wabash
they turned to the west Meanwhile
the Wau- pa-nuck-e or Lcnni- Lcnapes,
whom the first settlers in Penn
sylvana named "Delawares' because
they met them on that stream, were
slowly rotreating before the ever advanc-
ing whites; across Pennsylvania and Ohio
they fell back till they occupied central
Indiana, and rs late as 1910 Anderson
and killbuck, Delaware chiefs, ruled the
region where indianapolis now is. Then
their westward march was resumed
across Illinois and across Missouri, then
they halted for final home in the lovely
Delaware reservation in Kansas. In
1906 civilization again crowded on
them and they abandoned their tribal or
ganization, and to the number of 1900
took "hcad rights in and became citizens
of the Cherokee nation.
Tho kickapoos halted long and left a
remnant among tho Miamis the main
part continued westward, finally dissolved
their organization and were for the most
part absorbed among the wild tribes Of
the Rocky mountains. Pure blooded
Kickapoos are still met in Mexico, still
implacably hostile to white Ameri-
cans. The Mingocs, after their ex-
pulsion from West Virginia and
the adjacent part of Ohio, drifted
to northern Indiana. The Shou
au-nons, or "Exiles," driven from their
original seat on Lake Eric by the New
York Indians, were allowed by the Mia
mis- to pass through the latter's country
and went to Tennessee; thence they were
driven again to Florida, where the Su-
vance river attests their residence and
gradual change of name. Driven again
by the encroaching whites, they returned
In three bands to the Ohio and Wabash,
and the band known as Shawnecs located
along the Wabash from Shawnee creek to
the Tippecanoe and beyond. The Miamis
denied them real title to the lands, but
tolerated them as squatters, and this band
produced the celebrated Tecumseh and
Elkswatana-"The Prophet" Another
band of Shawnees went to Canada; Te-
cumseh melted them to fight the Ameri-
cans, and, cheering them on at the battle
Of the Thames, died as became warrior.
OF course all these tribes occasionally
captured whites, and when not too old the
captives generally became thorough In
dams, for the wild life is natural to man,
and while it takes twenty years to civilze
an Indian smart white boy can go wild
In six months So there were few
Anglo Indians and many Franco Indians
In all the tribes; and the first settlers re-
marked with some surprise that the white
captives avoided them quite as much as
the Indians, and some say more. Their
Indian relatives explained that they were
afraid of being aiken back to the whites. :"
In 1923 the Miamis having shrunll to u
mere band, located on a reservation in
Miami county, Ind. Col. f. G. Ewing, a
trader, met an old woman known as She
pu ca nah near Peru, and some years after
| hn
papers, of which this is an extract:
There is now near this place, among the
Miami tribe Of Indians, an aged white woman,
who q few days ago told me whilst / lodged in the
lamp with her one night that she was taken away
from her fathers home, on or the Susque-
hanna river, when she was young, say from TO 3
gears old, she thinks, by the Delaware Indians,
who were then hostile to the whites. She says
acr fathers name was SlOcum; that he was a
Quaker rather small in stature, and wore large,
broad trimmed hat, had sandy hair, light com
plexion and was much freckled; that he lived
about half mile from a town where there was
fort, in a wood house two stories high, and had q
spring near the house. She says three Delawares
came to the house in the daytime, when all were
absent but herself and perhaps two other small
children. Her father and brothers were making
nay. The Indians carried her off and she was
adopted into Sanity OF Delawares, who raised
her and treated her as their own child.
Mr.. Isaac j. SlOcum, near WilkeSbaTre,
Pa, at once recognized it as the case of
his aunt, who was stolen at the age of 8;
so her brother Isaac went to Peru and
identified the captive by scar which he
caused in boyhood by an accidental cut.
Her memory revived in conversation with
, him and her identity was completely estab.
lished. Then her remaining brother, 10.
seph, and her only sister Mrs, Mary Town,
visited the woman in 1887; but she had
, taken fright at tho gossip among the ln-
, dams that all captives were to be returned,
! md peremptorily refused to SEQ her rela-
, tives till the authorities gave her an as.
, surance that she could remain in Indiana.
: They remained some time at her home
near the mouth Of the Mississinewa. and
r were much charmed by the manners and
, friendly conduct of their relations Of the
, half blood, for Frances had four daughter
. living and several grandchildren She de