Baraboo weekly news. [volume] (Baraboo, Wis.) 1912-197?, 1921-11-03

When the early settlers began to
take up land in the western portion
of Sank county, an Indian village exist
ed at the head of the valley leading
west from the County Poor farm. It's
location was on what is now known
as the Klogos farm, in section 70,
town of Reedsburg.
The village contained 10 or II per-
manent Indian lodges, with bury
ing ground near by. An additional
number Of wigwams were put up
every fall as trancient quarters for
the natives who only wintered there
and shifted their camps to other quar-
tiers when spring came thus making
the population of the village greater
in winter than during the summer
season.
This village was the headquarters
of Ah-ho-cho-ka, the Winnebago chief
so well known to the white settlers.
June 20, 1851 Ah-ho-chO-ka purchased
from the government, 40 acres of land
on which the Indian village was sit
uated.
Indian pow-wows were Of frequent
occurrence at the village when 400 or
500 Indians were present and taking
part in the ceremony. These pow
vows were often visited by the early
settlers, who bore witness to the fact
that the social festivities OF the In
dams squaws, papooses fand dogs)
on these occasions were spectacular
and motley.
The principal hunting ground Of
these Indians at the time the whites
came, was the country lying to the
south and west of them, now compris-
ed by the towns OF Westfeld, Wash
ington. Franklin and Bear Creek. Deer
were then very plentiful in this re-
gion, and late in the fall bands of
Indians with their ponies, would make
their yearly hunting trip southwark
for deer. After a couple weeks hunt
ing they would return TO the Indian
village with a bountiful supply of
venison. On one Of their hunting trips
as they returned through LOganville,
in addition to large quantity of deer
meat on the backs Of their pack
ponies, there also hung the pelts of a
wolf and lynx. From statements made
by the Indians, the lynx was shot al
ter being put up tree by one OF their
dogs. The wolf was routed by some
of their party while hunting, and in
attempting to make it's escape ran
near another Of the Indians who had
stationed himself on deer runway
ARD who shot the wolf as it was pass
lag ny him at close range.
Il 1857, George, the Oldest son Of
Al ho-choka, was with much cere-
r10-y, initiated as a chieftain.. Soon
af>er this event George went to Min
roecta.. It was afterwards reported
+baa he participated in the Minnesota
massacre at New Ulm.
Potatoes are Dried
When the Whites came these In
dil1s subsisted mainly on fruits, nuts,
ard wild game, but raised some corn
ard potatoes, and hay for their ponies.
Tie potatoes for winter use, instead
Of being stored away as done by the
whites, were cut into small slices or
pieces and dried, similar to the man
ner of drying apples. The dried p0ta-
toes were light and easy to carry,
were not easily injured by frost, and
were ever ready for the camp kettle
when desired for eating.
In the winter of 1850 Ah-hoc ho-ka
ACCOMPANIED by two other Indians,
ST OF and killed bull elk in what is
now the town Of Washington. They
TRACKS of the elk were discovered
in the snow The hunters at once took
Ur the trail finally killing the animal.
Elk were then scarce in Wisconsin.
This noble creature no longer exist
ed in bands of considerable numbers,
but only as scattered individuals, and
the killing of this elk by the Indians,
constituted an event which was the
occasion for pow-wow at the village,
in which large number of their tribe
took an active part. A large fire was
built and the elk venison was roasted.
After feasting freely ON the meat the
Indians smokeds schanted tribal songs,
and engaged IN dancing to the music
of the tom-tom which made the woods
about resound with genuine Indian
melody,
Game Plentiful
We learn from. the records OF the
early French traders and trappers
that black bears were formerly very
numerous in the valley of the Bara-
boo river. Their trails were every
where present in the woods and
swamps and the animals were even
more plentiful than deer. The western
portion of Sank county was no ex-
ception to the rule and in the early
DAYS bears were often seen by the
settlers, who occasionally lost pig