The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1892-12-29
LAST OF THE MIAMIS.
Something Of the History OF u Long Line
Of Mighty Warriors-rhe Only Ke-
maiuing Chieftain OF
the Tribe.

Anuidu couleueracy cidtueu uopidin
over the territory bounded on the
north by the great lakes, south by the
Ohio, east by the Scioto. and west by
the Fox river.
The approximate number of them In
this county in the day when the Indians
had possession was about one thousand
nine hundred.
The Miamis, according to the Cincin-
natl Post were naughty, proud, and
held the neighboring tribes in con-
tempt, and with chiefs both able and
powerful. ranking at that time by Me-
she-ko-no-quah, or Little Turtle, the
noblest Roman of them all. The line
of succession passed down from Little
Turtle TO Pe-che-wa, commonly called
John b. Richardville, and from him to
Francis Godfrey, the great war chief Of
the nation, who had an eye to his own
pecuniary benefit, and when the final
treaties were consummated he had his
choice of the best land in Indiana,
which he chose near Cincinnati.
Half the divisions and subdivisions
IN this city are known by his name,
and the great township for miles around
is known az the Godfrey and Richard
willie reserve. He was one of the wealth.
lest men in the state when he died. both
In lands and money. He was one of the
most powerful Indians ever known, and
many remarkable stories are extant re-
garding his bravery and prowess. At
the time of his death he weighed over
three hundred pounds. In the line of
succession came Gabriel Godfrey, the
last chief of the tribe, and now living
six miles east of this city.
Prominent among them, and the
leader as much now as In the days be-
fore the white man, is Gabriel Godfrey.
Gabriel is known throughout the entire
west, and his name is synonymous with
that of the tribe. His advice is sought
by his remaining people, of whom there
are about one hundred and fifty left,
and he is probably guardian for more
people than any other ten men COM
bined in Indiana. Gabriel Godfrey is
mau well versed in the past history of
his nation, and has in his possession
medals from congress, mementoes from
various governors, tokens of esteem
and merit from generals and Others
with whom his tribe came in contact,
and who invariably manifested their
appreciation of kindly deeds or other
acts by these souvenirs.
Prominent among them are those
from George Washington, Van Buren,
and other presidents. He is about
sixty-five years old, but bis figure is
erect and his physical ability almost as
great as thirty years ago. An enthusi-
astic hunter and fine shot, IT is one of
his greatest delights to engage in a
shooting match, and rarely. II ever,
does he draw the BOBBY prize, notwith-
standing his somewhat defective eye
sight Every fall at this time OF the
year he joins the Peru Hunting club in
its pilgrimage to the northern wilds,
and success always attends him. With
broad, compact shoulders, physical de-
velopment perfect, iron-gray hair and
mustache and skin copper color, God
troy readily attracts attention wherever
seen. During the past year it has been
his misfortune, through depreciations
and losses, to have TO sell the farm on
which he has lived since a child, and
which was part of the reservation re-
served by his father.
This farm was purchased at a cost of
forty-five thousand dollars by Wallace,
of circus fame, for winter quarters for
his animals and show. Gabriel has,
however, refitted and rebuilt the old
homestead, the early home of his fore
fathers, where he is now living. God
froy has been married twice, having
three children by his first wife and two
by the latter, who is now living. Farm
ing is his vocation, and he thoroughly
understands II. Godfroy's grandfather
was a white man captured by the
Shawnee Indians when about seven
years old.
The name, as near as can be ascer-
tained, was Cole, or Coleman. He be-
came skillful trader, and was the
Shawnee interpreter at the treaty of
Greenville. This man married a woman
of the Miamis, who was half French.
They raised a large family, and the man
finally died in Kentucky near where he
was captured. After his death the
mother came to live with her own peo-
pie, the Miamis, near Fort Wayne.
Here Francis Godfrey, the father of the
subject of this sketch, married her
daughter, Shac-qua-a-tah. Gabriel was
the first child of this marriage. She
was one-fourth Indian and Francis one
half According to tradition the God
froys are descendants from the nobility
of France. At very early time one
Godfrey was so fond of sport and the
game so plentiful, together with the
other romantic surroundings. that he
remained. II may also not be doubted
that Gabriel is direct descendant of
the great Godefroy de Bouillion. who
was the first Christian king of Jerusa-
lem. after 400 years Of Saracen rule.