Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1915-05-06
INDIAN TRADE AXES
Written for the Sank County Historical Society by Charles e
Brown, Chief of the Historical Museum, Madison.

Archaelogists and historians designate
by the name of Ftrade axes" specl-
mems of the hand-forged iron axes
which were supplied to the early In
dians, of Wisconsin and surrounding
regions by the French British and
American fur traders. They replaced
the less serviceable stone axes and
matches, which, previous to their intro
duction, were employed by the natives
both as tools and as weapons.
The first trade axes were imported
from European countries. Later many
| were made for the Indian trade by
blacksE1iths in this country. Thousands
of these axes were distributed among
the Indians, being received by them
largely in exchange for furs. In the
accounts and invoices of the traders
frequent mention of these axes is made.
They are there classified as 'small ,,
medium" and large" axes, also oc-
c&sionally as half axes, the latter
probably referring to axes of
certain size. I'm a series of these axes
in the State Historical Museum at
| Madison the smallest is 4 inches IN
length and the Gargest8 inches. The
smallest weighs IL ounces and the
largest 2 pounds g ounces. We learn
from the account books of the old trad
Ing posts that the small axes cost in
| the days of the French regime 3 hvres
or about 60cents each, and the largest
ones from g to Is livres each, or what
would be equivalent in our money from
about 1.s0 to $3.50 each. The Indians
often paid the highest price to the ira
FIambeaW post in northern Wisconsin,
in 1904 o. a small axe was worth two
and Large one three Beaver skins.
Thousands of these old trade axes
have been recovered from old Indian
village sites and graves in Wisconsin
and perhaps many thousands Of others
remain 90 be found. There are records
.of the finding of boards or caches of
these @Hes, having lain for many years
beneath the roots of trees and IN
other places where they were hidden
| by their red owners. Most of the axes
found 81 the old Indian sites after be-
ling found by the present white owners
of theNand were.by them sold to f1ravel-
ing iussiz dealers; who disposed of them
to fonmdries located in the cities sof the
state.
Mas.y of these old trade axes have
stamped upon or beth sssurfaces Of their
blades the trade marks of their makers.
Of such marks there is a great variety.
Among1 these are,Glrcles. dots arranged
in different ways, crosses, rGsettes,
sQuareaaand triang4es. Occasionl2ymono
grams such as "UP", u s., and "W
s. appear, or such names as Fraser
or 4Relfnnrs' In almost every collect
ion of these axes, however small. some
may be found which bear trade mark
differing from any Of those previously
recorded. The writer is engaged IN col
Letting formation.eoncerning thee3iffer
ent styles of makerd marks represented
with ttaelhope that ii may finally be pos
] sible to trace eome of these axes to the
places where they were made and pessl-
bly, to learn something of their makers.
Recently some marks were referred
to the Hudson Bay Company Of Canada
in the hope that the significance of Ger
tain Of them might thass be traced.
The State Historical museum, of Mad
son, has in its fur trade history collect
ion the trade axe which was formerly
the p roperty of Agustin Grignon, the
IN nous creOle trader, whG Sc seventy-tW&
lyears recollections of Wisconsin Histor-
Iical Society. and which w:as used by
him at the Grignon- Paxlier trading
post, at Butte Ges Morris. The blade is
fitted in its original wooden handle.
Joseph Jourdain of West Menasha
was blacksmi til and famous for the
tomai2awk pipes which he made.
1t is very probable that sonae of the
numerous trade axes found ON Indian
sites in this state were made at JOurd-
aims forge. Many other early Wiscon-
sin smiths probably also make iron axes
] for the Indians.