Montana oil and mining journal. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1931-1953, 1938-08-20
Chief Big White First Member of Missouri
River Tribe Entertained by Government

was int AkA0A AML1A0Lt va N&aAy 4AA4FS
from the upper Missouri river
country TO be entertained by the
government. The idea originated
with Lewis and Clark. They became
well acquainted with Big White, or
Gros Blanc, as he was known to
his people, on their way to the Pa
cific coast In 1904, and on their
return In 1906 thought it would be
a good plan TO take the chief east
with them as the guest Of the gov
eminent, show him a good time,
impress him with the power and
resources Of the Great White father
at Washington and eventually re-
turn him 20 his klnsmen TO spread
the gospel of white supremacy and
thus perhaps eliminate some OF the
difficulties to travel and settlement
of the region by minimizing Indian
troubles.
Lewis and Clark intended that Big
! White be returned 70 his people the
| following year, 1907, but fortuitous CIR
clImStanceS prevented the accomplish
ment Of their intentions until two
/ years later. Big White had three years
at the governments expense, and when
his return finally was brought about
in 1909 1t led a small band Of white
trappers into an expedition Of travel
and adventure that continued for two
or three years longer and took them
over trails which led from the upper
Missouri and the Yellowstone to the
Arkansas river in the south. The DOM
inant figure in that party was Ezekiel
Williams.
Indians Halted Return
The government assigned the task
OF returning Big White to his people IN
the Dakota country to Ensign Pryor
and q company of soldiers in 1907
They went up river with a company OF
fur traders but were unable to proceed
beyond the Aricara villages, where at
tacks by the Indians forced them to
return to st. Louis. Before giving up
all hope Of getting Big White to the
Mandan villages beyond the Aricara
towns, Pryor tried to induce Big White
to make the last portion of the trip by
land, promising they would go back
from the river far enough to avoid any
difficulty with the Aricaras. Big White,
however, refused to do this because he
was accompanied by his wife and one
child and an interpreter, Rene Jes-
SauIne, and his wife and child, and con-
sidered the land trip too dangerous and
arouous for the women and children.
Therefore there was nothing that
Pryor could do but take Big White and
party back to st. Louis, which he did, |
and where they remained for two more
years at government expense before be- !
ing finally returned home When they |
did make the trip they were escorted |
by a special contingent of 40 riflemen,
trappers and hunters familiar with the |
western wilds, who were in the employ /
OF the Missouri Fur Co., of which /
Manual Lisa was the head, and which |
concern was given the contract to re-
turn Big White to his people
The Missouri Fur Co. was organized
by Lisa after he returned from the
Yellowstone country where he had gone
after Lewis and Clarks return to In
vestigate the glowing stories they had
told OF the fur trade possibilities Prom
1nent in it besides Lisa were Benjamin
wilkinson, Pierre Chouteau ST., Au-
guste Chouteau Jr Rueben Lewis and
william Clark, all Of st. Louis, Pierre
Menard and William Morrison Of Kas-
kaSkia, Ill, Andrew Henry of Louisiana,
MO-, and Dennis Fitzhugh OF Louis
viIle, Ky. This company bought out
the firm composed of Lisa, Menard and
Morrison, which had financed Lisa's
expedition Of 1907, and likewise bought
Inc trading post Lisa had erected at
the mouth Of the Big Horn river.
And to this company was given the !
contract, by Gov. Meriwether Lewis
of Missouri, acting for the United
states government, of returning Big
White and his party TO the Mandan
country. The contract required that
.he company should engage 125 men
for the trip, Of which 20 should be
americans and expert riflemen to con-
'tltute a body of militia to escort the
Mandan chief home, after which they
should be given their discharge Com
nand OF the party was given to Pierre
Chouteau, who had taken part in the
battle before the Aricara villages In
1907 when Ensign Pryor had failed in
lis attempt to return Big White to his ,
)eople.
The contract required that the COM
oany. provide suitable quarters on the
milo and also for the interpreter and
lis family.
The company took presents to be
'iven to the Indians and were to re- |
lort immediately upon the safe de- 3
livery OF their charges. The start was !
Q be made April 90, 1909, or as soon
hereafter as possible but not later 4
han May 90, under penalty OF 5000. !
The compensation was $1,000, half to :
balance when the report Of the chiefs
afe delivery was received. Governor :
lark also promised before the de-
'arture Of the expedition that In re- !
YARD Tor the service rendered he would
lot license any other company to trade
Dove tine mouth OF the Platte river, Z
he company reached its destination q
Without mishap and on Sept. "a, 1909. '
Sig White again joined his people after '
n absence among the white men of
hree years. Z
From there messengers were dis
atched down river to report the carry b
1g out Of the contract terms In the s
afe delivery Of Big White to his people.
ne 40 nailitiamen" were discharged t
S such but most of them accompanied Il
he expedition on up the river, some r
s enlisted members Of the company 2
nd others as free trappers Among 3
hem, Ezekiel Williams, q pioneer OF :
cooper county, Mo-, was an outstand-
ag figure. !.
After two years in the upper Missouri ?
nd Yellowstone river regions, Williams :
nd 10 companions set out from one =
Lisa's posts on hunting expedition =
D the south. All Of them except two =
ere independent hunters, which Is to =
ny they we're under no obligation to q
u. IL