The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1903-11-08
BIOGRAPHY OF
MOSES KEOKUK
Late Hereditary Chief of Sac
and Fox Tribe.
HIS CAREER WAS NOTED
Through an Interpreter He
Tells Tribal History.
HIS CAREER WAS NOTED

.bo life ana characteristics of the late
hereditary chief of the Sac and FOX IN
dams. Moses Keokuk, whose death &c
CURED at the agency, on lie eastern line
of Lincoln county, October q. Waiter
Odds editor of the Asher Altruist, VINO
was in this city last week, who once
gave to Mr. Olds a long story or the MS
tory and traditions of the Sac and FOX
Indians. keokuk was able to speak
broken English. but ST imperfectly that
ne gave his history through his inter
preter. William Herr which, summarized,
was about as follows:
The old chief said his people formerly
inhabited the lands by the side of the
big waters" meaning Lake Erie and
Lake Huron, where they had dwelt for
many. many moons. Wars with heredi-
tar yenemies, undoubtedly the Chlppe-
way tribe. finally caused big council al
which it was decided to move farther
towards the setting sun, and the powerful
tribe began a migration that lasted Tor
"a long time, traversing Michigan, Indiana,
wisconsin, Iowa and Illinois. keokuk
had no knowledge Of the time when his
tribe left the big waters but related his
story with many details, which he said,
he had heard from the old men of the
tribe. The long trip was one of great
hardships, notwithstanding there was
plenty of game, as the tribe was con-
stantly at war with new Indian tribes
through whose territory the emigrants
were obliged to pass, and they were con-
setantly attacked by their old enemies,
who followed them and harrassed them
sn the many ways known TO savage war
sare.
After wandering long time. stopping
for a while on the present site of the
city of Chicago, and at Keokuk, Iowa,
named for the father of the dead chief,
the tribe finally settled on Rock River,
Illinois. They were not allowed to dwell
I'm peace. however. and Keokuk related
the traditions Of the tribe that contained
accounts of endless wars with indians
from the north The Sac and Foxes sided
with the British in the war of 1872. which
happened some eight or Ten years before
Keokuk was born, and after the close Of
this war, the tribe made a treaty with
the United States, and was ceded large
areas Of land in Iowa and Missouri
Wars with their Indian enemies con
tinued. and KeOkuk when n boy, accom-
panied the war party on its last campaign
when the northern foes were so badly de-
feated that their aggressions ceased for
ever He said that the Sac and Foxes
had a hereditary chief, who governed in
times OF piece They also had a war
chief. who led in times of war. and who
held his position by reason of his prOwess
and success in battle. The rewards in
battle were based. first, on the number of
enemies slain by a member of the tribe
second, by the number of women and
children captured alive; third by the
number OF warriors slain fourth, by the
number Of women and children slain.
No wounded enemies were taken prisoner
but We're dispatched as fast as overtaken
The unwOunded prisoners We're turned
over to the tribe for torture. The war
chief, in this final victory of the Sac and
Foxes, was Pok-hom-way, who besides
killing a great number of the enemy.
succeeded in capturing five warrior pris-
oners with his own hands, unaided, a
fact that established him and his descend
ant sons as great war chiefs of the tribe.
the family still possessing the sacred
tommahawk of Black Hawk. famous
and blood-stained relic of the tribe that
is greatly venerated.
In 1896. the tribe split up over the ques-
tion of going to war with the whites. part
going north with the elder Keokuk, and
the balance going to battle under the
leadership of the famous Black Hawk
The disastrous ending Of the war, and the
famous speech of Black Hawk (supposed).
while in captivity, is familiar TO every
school boy. Abraham Lincoln command
ed a company in this war and the early
school readers contained many and
glowing accounts of the battles fought
The tribe sold their lands in Iowa and
Missouri, and came to Kansas. finally
being moYed TO their present reservation
in oklahoma 1t now numbers but 49,
members, and the census shows a de-
crease each year. They have received
their allotments of loo acres each. and
have fund of 100000 on deposit at
Washington from which they derive an
nuity money.
For long time Keokuk was unpopular
with the members Of his tribe. owing TO
the fact that he had embraced Christi
anity. moved into a house. refused 10 par
ticipate in the annual dog feasts and other
heather rites Of the tribe. and was al
ways urging an acceptance of civiIizing
conditions. In time this feeling wore OFT
and at his death he was respected and
loved by every member of his tribe In
response TO a question concerning present
conditions as coutraSted with those wheu
the Indians were mtrammeIed with civ
liking influences. Keoluk. laid his hands
on his heart and made number of re-
marks: then he placed them on his head
continuing his talk Interpreter Herr
said that keolluk's heart lonsed for the
old times but stat his head told him that
present conditions were better for his PEG.
pie and that their only hope was to ac-
Cept civilization. and educate their chill.
\ dren in the white mans ways
At the conclusion OF the interview. the
aged chief said he wished to send n mes.
ssrge 10 the white people concerning his
people. The Interpreter save his words as
follows
Say through the newspapers 10 the
white people that nearly all the trouble
and war between them and the Indians
has ben caused by tie fact that the IN.
dian has no idea what the word title
means. and no WORD IN the Indian ian.
guage conveys this meaning. Land has
always been free TO them to come and
20 as they pleased. and they cannot mn.
oerstand how anyone can get the rsrht
10 occupy tracts of land TO the exclusi 1r
OF other people. For thousands of year.
they have roained at viii. ana TO D.
crowded back ard kirdered from go n
where they pleased seems the height 81
2 .,