The Indianapolis journal., 1897-01-04
LAST CHIEF OF THE MIAMIS.
The Services of La FOntaine and His
Death and Burial.


Huntington Qnd.) Herald.
The work of removing the bodies inferred
in the Catholic cemetery on North Poplar
street to the site of the new cemetery
north of the city on the Goshen road has
been begun. Conspicuous among the mon
uments in the old cemetery is the one bear
ing the inscription:
FRANCIS LA FONTAINE,
Principal Chief of the Miami Indians of
Indiana.
Died April Is. 1S47.
1t is probably nearly fifty years old. and
is we'll preserved. 1t is a tall shaft of
white marble, on the top of which is a
cross in token of the religious faith of the
chief. The monument was originally erect
cd at the first Catholic cemetery in this
city. on Cherry street, where now stands
the Catholic schoolhouse but which was
abandoned as cemetery early in the
sixties.
Francis La Fontaine whose Indian name
was To-pe-ah, was the last national chief
of the Miami Indians of Indiana. His
father was Indian trader at Ke-ki-on-
ga, the present site of Fort Wayne as
early as i775. La Fontaine was born i'm 1910.
He is credited with having had a liberal
education. and his wife was daughter
OF Richardville. who was La Fontaine's
predecessor as national chief. La Fon-
taines home at the time of his selection
as the successor of Richardville was south
or the prairie between Huntington and
Fort Wayne
didates for the position of successor of
Rlchardville-La Fontaine. Broullette and
Me-shin-g -go-me-sia. The excitement Incl
dent to the election ran very high. and
tnere was talk of putting some of the can
9idates out of the way. The late John
Roche once told the writer that Brouil-
lette adherentS were I'm a conspiract IN
take La Fontaine's life but that a friend
apprised the intended victim of the plan,
That Brouillette was implicated i'm the con-
spiracy. however. may he doubted for he
was an early convert to Christianity and
was Tor many years of his life a regularly
ORDAINED minister of the Baptist Church
When the council convened all the village
chlefs were present, but only the name of
To-pe-ah was presented. William Chap
peen, noted Indian of Black Looms vii
lage, arose in his place and with his hand
upon ms Knife defantly made one of the
shortest and most effective nominating
speeches on record. Il say To-pe-ah shall
be chief. Who says no?' There was no
dissenting voice. and the election of La
Fontalne was acquiesced in by all the rival
factions.
La Fontaine's residence after he became
national chief was near the forks of the
w Wabash river. about two miles west of
Huntington. Here he built comfortable
frame house. which is still well preserved
and is occupied by his only surviving
daughter, Mrs. Christian Engleman her
husband and family. Mrs. Engleman's name
appears upon the rolls as Archangel La
Fontane. and she has in her possession
many valuable relics of her father among
them very fine paintings of both La Fon-
taine and Richardville. The chiefs arm
chair is also i'm possession of the daughter
1t is a massive affair large enough to seat
two ordinary people comfortably and its
weight is about forty pounds.
ont aiy,A
tainship when the tribe was rapidly declin-
ing in Importance. The treaty for the re-
moval of the Miamis. to Kansas. except
certain favored families had been made
prior TO Richardvilles death. and TO assist
in carrying out ttle provisions of this treaty
was one of the burdens of his administra-
ton. For several years nothing was done
by the government to enforce the treaty
and La Fontaine. TO protect his people from
the greed of traders. established a store in
a building near his residence. employing
the late John Roche to conduct it. While
its primary object was to supply the In
dians with merchandise. it was nevertheless
patroniZed by the early settlers. Joseph +.
Moore. the pioneer Friend, now living in
this city, says that all found La Fon-
taine an honorable business man. and as
evidence OF his retentive memory. says that
he would sell goods all day without MAX
ing "A note of his transactions and in the
evening sit down with Mr.. Roche who act
ed as his bookkeeper. and detail every item
of the days business. Captain Wintrode
whose early days of manhood were largely
the Indian name Al-lo-chut and who was
often employed as an interpreter in their
affairs. speaking of the business sagacity
of La Fontaine. says that he made a great
effort to have the county seat established
at the forks. Offering to put uD the court
house and build a bridge across the river
as a bonus.
La Fontaine is remembered as a man of
fine personal presence. In his youth he is
said to have been tall. spare. athletic and
noted for his fieetness OF foot. He grew
robust and cOrpulent, and In his later wears
weighed $50 pounds He usually dressed i'm
Indian costume and had the Indian love of
tinery and ornament well developed. In 1876
when the MiamiS were transferred to the
West, La Fontaine accompanied them TO
their destination. The return journey was
undertaken IN the spring. and as travel was
mainly by steamboats, of primitive comfort
and speed. was long and tedious The route
was from Kansas City down the Missouri
and Mississippi TO the mouth of the Ohio
up the Ohio to the Wabash and thence up
the Wabash to Lafayette. La Fontaine was
taken sick at ST. Louis. At Lafayette he
entered an unfinished building and lay
down to rest. He grew suddenly and vio-
lently worse. and although medical aid
was summoned. died before he could be re-
moved to more comfortable place. His
body was embalmed and brought to his
home at the forks in spring wagon. The
funeral occurred from his home and was
attended by nearly all the white population
of the county and the remnant bands of
Indians. The pallbearers Were white men
members of the Catholic congre cation of
this city-and the interment was at the
first Catholic cemetery laid out in Hunting
ton Years after about 1862 the body was
removed to the cemetery on North Poplar
street. The casket was opened on this oc-
cason and Judge Sayler who was present,
says they found the remains almost a
perfect state of preservation. due probably
to the emhalming process.
La Fontaine was the national chief of
the time of his death, but thirty-seven
years.