New-York tribune., 1896-12-27
OTHER RED JACKET MEDALS
THEY MAY BE COPIES MADE WHILE THE
ORIGINAL WAS IN PAWN.
THE STORY OF THE ONE OWNED BY MRS. FOX


OTHER INDIAN MEDALS.
In The Tribune last week was printed an article
concerning the Red Jacket medal that General
Washington when President Of the tnlted STATES
presented to the Indian chief and orator. That
article brought TO light the fact that there is at
least one other medal in existence that the owner
has always treasured. in the belief that II was the
Red Jacket medal 1t Is possible that thcre are
even more Of these medals, for upon Investigation
the following facts In regard 10 the lscd Ja'hct
medal were learned:
Red Jacket was born in 175o, near what Is now
the beautiful village of Geneva. n. Y His original
name was O-;e-ti-an always Ready. This' ne
fore he came to be named again by his own people
Sa -go-yc-wat-ha OIe that keeps them awake) Oh
account of his marked eloquence that actually
forced his auditors to listen and effectualiy put a
stay of proceedings those who would Ike 10
snore; or the other name Red JACKIE, given 10
him by the whites, on account OF the beautiui en-
brodcred scarlet jacket that was presented py 'he
British 10 the great chief OF the six Nations as
reward for his help during the War of the Revolu-
tion. The old Indian WAS nightly proud OF h-S req
Jacket and when the first one was worn our ire
British gave him another and still anothe' AS
long as he in their service. so much influence
this Jacket supposed 10 have on the chiei
that this Government. as "A means OF placatlhg
him and securing his influence with the SIX Ma
tions in its turn also gave him red jacket
The Tribune has already told how a medal was
presented TO Red Jacket at Philadelphia by Cen
eral Washington at a council that the President
had called and how this medal was treasured by
the old Indian above almost everything. perhaps
except fire water" and 10 get this last he would
occasionally put his precious medal in pawn But
It would always be redeemed. either by his own
people or some friendly white man. who had sym
pathy with the old Indians falling Whiskey final
Is got the better Of the old chief His life had
been full OF vicssitudes. excitement ana dissipa-
ton In 1890 he died. history assigning dissipation
as Il cause. His medal then passed 10 his nephew.
So-sa-wa Corpucnt NAM. otherwise James john
SON 1t is the only well-authenticated Washington
peace medal. although similar ones were given TO
different Indian chiefs. General Knox. Secretary
o. War in a message to them. said My broth
ers your father General Washington sends you
two great silver medals You will point out the
two great chiefs who to receive these marks
Of distinction"
General Parker. the owner OF the medal OF
pure Indian descent In lSiS-'io he read law hut by
the rules Of the Supreme Cour none hut male white
citizens could practise IN the courts As he was
not white he could not be admitted 10 the practice
Of law so he abandoned this profession and took mp
that Of civil engineering. lie was employed in this
new profession on the State canals until lSo1 ndv.ng
in the mean time been chosen chief sachcm Of his
people General Parker himself. in speaking OF his
medal said that It WIS mlde by DR.. Rittenhous".
who was Director OF the United States Min at
Philadelphia from l7a2 TO l1!"
Other Indian medals east in the Philadelphia
mint were of three different. sizes. They were
made during the administrations of different Presi-
dents. from Thomas jefferson 10 Mllard Fillmore
and were given 70 Indian chiefs grading downward
according TO their rank. Since the time Of FIJI
more Indian medals have been made only in TWO
sizes
William J.. Stone. who wrote THE Life and
Times OF Sa-go-ye- -wat-ha" D.cd Jacket was
aware that there were other Indian medals in ex-
n lo he
Jacket medal But he said he had indisputable
proof that the in possession Of General Parker
WAS the only real medal. the one actually pre-
sented by General Washington to the Indian chief
AT the council in Philadelphia. Mr.. stone assumes
that possibly copies of i. might have been made
when ii was. at time or another, in pawn. IN
the hands OF those 10 whom Red Jacket had
pledged It for whiskey. But none o. these copies
were over owned by Red Jacket himself He had
the original the only genuine one. that had been
presented 10 him by General Washington.
Mrs r. w Fox of Washington. d. c., hTs
medal that she had supposed 4 Red Jacket
medal The following history Of this medal WAS
got from her son, William c. Fox. OF Nos. Ss-il
Cortland.,st:
Mr. Foxs great-grandfather. Captain Samuel
Pratt had dealings with the Seneca Indians some
thing after the Daniel Boone fashion. in his con-
ncctioh with the Holland Land Company when
what is now tie city of Buffalo had bat ono house.
and thst house Captain Pratt himself built Cap
tain Pratt collected Indian relies during MS entire
lifetime. The Buffalo Historical Society to-day has
:, vast nuabe- that once belonged TO him
Augustus Carlton Fox grandfather of William
G. Fox. Of Erie. Penn. an officer in the War OF
ISL. lie was then but about twenty-one years OF
age. At the time that the British burned Buffalo;
Lieutenant Fox. riding along on ms morse. SiN'd
the lives of two sisters, Esther and Lucy Pratt
lie subsequently married Esther. the marrlaSe
having taken place one day before peace was de-
clarcd. His widow enjoyed pension up To the day
of her death. Augustus Carlton Fox was closely
alli cd vii he Indi q a
the dialects He was the pioneer OF pioneers IN
the Buffalo Bill Indian show business. for he took
seven Indian chiefs over TO London. where they
exhibited in the old Drury Lane Theatre Tor
six weeks On the voyage over these noble req
men dyed their skins and cut up all sorts OF Wild
4 celebrated artist in London made crayon
mimi in the possession Of Mr. Fox's erca-nncle
Orlando Allen. for many years, and the descend
ants of these old warriors used to come in. every
once in a while. 10 look it. While they stood
TO keep ours to look at old Red Jacket himself
was we'll known at the kitchens Of both Pratt and
Fox: ~ would come there wearing his medal
L. W. Fox. father Of William G. Fox. went as
Kansas and Iowa on horseback ON one OF these
rips he met young woman who was about TO be
married. hrt who had no dOwry In return for
silver medal which Is said TO he the exact counter
part OF the genuine Red Jacket medal. Mr.. Fox
gave the young woman a box Of axes. worth about
SIS Axes were in demand I'm that neck of woods.
and with such a marriage portion the young woman
felt that she need not consider herself doweress.
The Indian medal thus obtained, which Mrs Fox
always supposed was the Red Jacket medal. is still
IN her possession. I'm the city Of Washington. If it
is the exact counterpart of the genuine Rcd Jacket
medal 1t would give color TO the theory OF William
J.. stone. the author Of the Life and Times Of
medal was of the keeping OF the old Indian a
cast Of 4 was taken. and from this more
medals made. II it is smaller, il may be one
OF those made In the Philadelphia mint after the
time OF Washington.
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