Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1921-02-10
THE OLD IRISH
WOMAN" WRITTEN UP
IN MERRILL HFoALD

The Merrill Herald, in an article on
Tuesday tells something of the white
families in Old Wisconsin in which
Indian blood was introduced. and 1t
carries photograph of "The Old
Irish Woman" nickname by which
the Indian woman was always called.
The following is part of the article.
THE picture is one which Mrs. Alice
Fleming has kept as a relic of earlier
days. 1t is wonderfai photograph.
lights and shades in wonderful cem-
bination. When ii was taken is bit
OF mystery. Mrs Fleming says it
was taken iii 1905. sixteen years ago,
and that 1t is a picture of the sOld
irish Woman Those who knew the
Old Irish Woman, recall her death
sa about 40 years ago. She was the
mother of Jack Bates, son of the In
dian chief and who was buried at Big
Eddy.
Mrs. Fleming says the photograph
was taken while she and number of
other women made the trip to Grand
father. In the road they noticed The
Old Irish Woman and with her a
youngster Indian. The mother Indian
was pickine some herbs and asked
what she was doing, the old lady
pointed to her nose, indicating that
they were for treatment of q cold.
The herbs We're placed in an apron
tucked around her waist. In her
hand she held a long stick to keep
the dogs away. Mrs. Fleming said
that bit of change was given the
ole lady who in return allowed her
self to be photographed.
Jake Snow, whose father. Joe
Snow, was one of the very earliest
settlers around Merrill, recounted in
teresting data of early Merrill. He
says his father did not have drop of
Indian blood in him. His grandfather
was Irish and his grandmother, Ger
man, and his father was born in Penn
sylvania. The latter. gave his son a
pocket book of the year 1876 which
had been brought from Pennsylvania
and which is still in Mr.. Shows pos
session. His father for many years
logged with three or four yoke OF
oxen at points between Wausau and
Grandfather and along the Copper.
Snow, who was born on April, 1863,
can recall the logging of big timber
in the sixth ward, the logging being
centered along the river ad it's tri-
utaries, these being used as carriers
for the logs which were of immense
size
"Mr. Snow said that William Har-
| rison Cross, named in honor of the
nations president was one-quarter
breed Sioux Indian and that he was q
great big powerful fellow, probably
six feet four inches tall. He was a
graduate of Indian schools and was
we'll educated. He had a trading post
at the mouth of Newwood and also
tarried at the mouth OF the Toma-
hawk river the rapids at the latter
place being known to this day in his
honor as Bill Cross Rapids. For
many years he lived at Wausau and
was finally disabled and met his ru-
ination by drink. He was a great
speaker among the Indians, preached
indian religion and dealt in furs.
Cross had two daughters, Kate and
Dibbie, and son, Frank. Kate Cross,
after marriage, was mother of Nellie
Burgess who i'm turn married Jake
Snow.
Martin Lynch was a full blooded
lrishman who married a Chippewa
Indian. There were fifteen In his
family and as Lynch was called in
the Civil War draft and failed to re-
spond, he for many years lived on fish
and game and remained in retreat in
the northern woods. Snow saw some
| of his daughters week ago at the
Indian gathering at Lac du Flambeau.
Lynch's children and grand children
include some interesting and educated
half breed Indians, one of whom is a
lawyer in the city of Washington
where he is working In the interests
of Indians"