Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-03-04
Irene Traul Relates Indian
Story Told BY Mrs.
Keyhee 49,.

Ot.umwa, which means "tumbling
waters" is'an old Indian reservation.
Once Iong ago there lived an old
general called Street. He was very kind
to the Indians. Ee had been great
drinker, but he soon saw that drink
made the Indians vicious, so Me ban
ished it from his table forever. Inc
epitaph en- his tombstone Is:
"In memory of General Street, son
of Anthony and Mil,y Street; died May
5. 1910; born October IS, 1850 in Vlr-
ginia Firm in hour Of danger, he had
a soul sincere, and heart fraught with
the best feeling Of humanity, virtue,
honor and piety were his guard
A great chief was keokuk, which
means "Watchful Fox" He had seven
wives He died in 1s4s, some thought
from being drunkard and others say
his own Indians killed him. He was
buried ir Rampant near the Mississippi
river. He was first buried in Kansas
and Mayor Davis of keokuk thougnt
that since town and county We're
named for him he ought to be buried
decently. They hunted for his bones
and found them. In his grave was
stone siah. On it was his name. They
couldn't find his head, but the people
brought his bones and buried them.
Mrs, Emmett Cooper who. recently
lived in Ottumwa tells the story that
when she was baby Keokuk came and
said to the mother. Give Keokuk baby
When the mother refused he took out
two silver dollars end said Buy The
mother told him nc. He went out
mumbl1 g. Mrs. Cooper calls herself his
old sweetheart. The Daughters of the
Revolution were going to erect stat
ute of an Indian over keokuk's grave
ffcto 10 X
er, formerly of Ottumwa. Just before
they were to put the statute on ped
estal some people found the head OF
Keokuk in an old Masonic temple
They got it and pit it with the bones
so they are all together.
Wapello was another great chief. He
had two wives. When he died he want
ed to be buried near his white mas
ter General Street.
Appanoose was a very prominent
chief He was not as great as keokuk
or Wapello though. He told white
man that Sugar Creek was so miles
long Tie people built Il mill but the
water would not turn the wheel. This
man.
Harfish was another great Indian
His tribe lived near where Eddyville
no" SldHuS. lie IcdSoI tlcy lAoNSt
there was becaus. they said that II
was safe from fires.orms or (cyclones)
There was a flood in 1851 and Hard
f1sh's daughter Gallopinturkey was
said to have fshed up catfish, weigh
ing AZ pounds.
Kishkekoshe was an Indian chief
Kishkekoshe means man with one
leg" Monroe county was formerly
named Kishkekosti county and the
people are trying to get the 1ndiar
name ba ck again
| Garrison Rock was named that way
because in early days garrison was
there
There are three indian mounds, bur.
| ial mound, sacrifice mound, and OBJ
servat ton mound. Franklin park /:
where ileokuks tribe used to sigma
with signal fires 70 him. Hedrick schoo
| point is another place. There Is al
Indian buried in a sitting position un
der the band stand in Caldwell park
Mr.. Caldwell was 4 surveyor. He hat
surveyed the land up west severa
times. He said that II it was eve
opened for settlement he would stalk
of that certain piece of ground. On
night IL was announced that tn
ground was open for settlement Cald
well staked his claim and in tn
morning found that three men had tn
same piece. He asked them to com