The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1918-12-20
RISING SUN, 10, JOHN GRASS
OF TURTLE MOUNTAIN CHIPPEWAS
DEAD AFTER REMARKABLE LIFE
Noble Old Indian Saved Whites In Dunseh Hills From Repe
ton of Massacre of Little Big Horn-Was
Long Dev0ut Christian

Belcourt, eN.,f,5~D.,, Dec. 20. "A
staunch Episcopalian has passed
away. full-blood OF the Turtle Noun:
tain Chippewa tribe Rising Sun died
at his home north of Dunseith, at the
great age of 10 years, or whereabouts.
Nm one knows his exact age. Inter
ment was made In the St. Sylvan GEN.
etery. services being conducted ty his
pastor, Rev. W. Salt. Many people
attended the funeral who considered it
a privilege to be present to pay their
last respects to the aged man. His
wife died several years ago at tn
same place.
Rising Sun was a remarkable man.
In response to questions OF how he
received his name, he replied that he
had been told that he first saw the
light Of day when the sun was just
peeping out Of the east. In his
younger days he followed the buffalo
for living, making several trips to
the Rocky Mountains. Later in life
he worked for the Hudson Bay con-.
pany, making trips to Hudson's Bay
to meet the English ships for sup
plies. He also worked for the Ameri'
can Fur company, making trips to
st. Paul with dog trains in the dead
of winter through q hostile Sioux
country. ~ -.
When he passed middle age, he set
tied down in Pembina Mountains
North Dakota, devoting his time to
raising cattle. At one time he had
over thirty-fiye ,hsad, bu soon after
among the Indians, they quarantined
themselves and used his cattle to live
ON during that time. 5
When Rising Sun and his wife re-
ceived their first annuity payment
from the government several years
ago, they bought $4,000 worth OF
lumber to help build a chapel that
they had been wanting for years,
keeping the lumber in their little log
hut for six . years before their ambi
ton was ranzed..
Prevented Massacre.
He was partly the means OF pre-
| venting a repetition of the Custer
| massacre In the Dunseith hills when
the county authorities had bisun
Outstanding with the mixed-blood In
dams in 1889 about taxes. The gov
ernor of North Dakota sent q tele
gram to E. W. Bremen, United States
agent for the Turtle Mountain Indi
| ans, stating that trouble was expect
ed the following day and requested
him to render such assistance as he
could to prevent It. The message wal
received at midnight by courier from
st. John, n. D., and although 1t wal
bitterly cold, the writer and Mr.
Bremen started Immediately b,
| sleigh for Dunseith. arriving there
about daylight. Mr.. Bremen, Captain
Eaton and Major Mckee OF the coun
ty militia, with myself acting as IN
| terpreter. went early that morning II
January, 1889, to the foothills o
Dunseith to hold council with tn
mixed-blood Indians on the tax ques
ton, the militia, full armed, remain
ing in Dunseith. There were at leas
500 well.armed mixed.blood Indian'
present; they were waiting for tn
county militia to sdyAuce from DUN
seth and they were certainly read!
for the. fight; but through the wis.,
counsel Of Rising sun, the men wer'
persuaded to disperse and leave tn
question under dfsp4ato with the "a
thorities 1t WhshlngtOn. TINS Pre-
venting Whist would und0ubtedly hav'
been bloody massacre. as the militii
were greatly ostaumbered ~ N