Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-03-14

Chief W.pello was read at the teachers
meeting at.Agency March A.
Wapello the head chief of the Fos
tribe was born at Prairie du Chen II
1887. At the time of the erection jo1
Ft. Armstrong in 1916 he presided ovei
one OF the three principal villages II
that vicinity, His village was on the
east side Of the Mississippi near the
foot OF Rock Island and not far from
the famous Black Hawk village. In
1929 he moved his family to Musca
tine slough N the west side Of the
Mississippi and then to a place at OF
near the present town Of .Wapello In
Louisa county.
While Wapello was chief OF the
Foxes he himself was a Sac. He was
a powerful ruler among his people but
was fast friend of the whites es
pecially OF General Street the first
Indian agent. He belonged to the
peace party and supported Keokuk and
Pashepaho in adhering to the treaty
Of 1904.
Wapello was one of the chiefs pres
ent at the liberation of Black Hawk al
FIT. Armstrong in 1888.
That he was man OF few but
weighty words Is shown by his talk
at that time. After several OF the
chiefs had spoken he arose In the
council and said: II am not In the
habit OF talking; think! I have beer
thinking all day. Keoknk has spoken
II am glad to see my brothers; will
shake hands with them. am danei
Shortly after this one of his sons
was slain by a Sioux warrior. In
stead OF avenging the murder he pur
chased a barrel of whiskey and In
wiling his people to partake they ap
peased their sorrows In drunken
debauch.
In the fall of 1897 party Of about
thirty chiefs and head men were taken
bv General Street to Washington Ir
the party were Wapello. his wife, ant
little son. Tfay were novelty II
this city and were entertained with
great attention and kindness by the
people, mayor and city government
there by the governor an behalf o.
the state.
About this time Gen. Street the
United States Indian agent was trans
ferred to new agency on the Def
Moines river. OF course he wanted
to locate at some place convenient tc
the principal villages q, accompanied
by Chief Poweshiek and a party o.
Indians he set out to, find suitable
|place and selected the location neal
the present t~wn Of Agency. At once
necessary buildings were erected ant
the village was made up Of the STREE
family and their servants, q blask
smith, a gunsmith and Patten the
farmer. Gen. Street moved his family
lin 1899 but his health was failing fas'
and he died in 1870. The indians
were greatly attached to their "Fathe1
as they always called an agent whom
they liked. When the news reached
the villages opposite Ottumwa grea
numbers OF them came at once to tn
agency.
In speaking OF this time, Genera
Streets son says: About twenty Q
the leading Indians came to the doc
the day before the funeral and asket
that they might see my father. When
gave them permission to do SO, the!
marched in quietly, the one LEADING
stopping at my fathers head.
At a signal from their leader the!
gathered around the body and at a sec
ond signal they marched slowl,
around the casket, and then departed
Not a word was spoken after they hat
entered the house. While the Indians
are very inexpensive, they showed
their feelings in many ways at tina
time, and. this was especially true o
EWapello The Indians wanted to Civ
the widow section of land and eacl
child quarter section for buryins
the father" in their country, but thu
government interfered, saying 1t wa!