My direct ancestor

It's time for applied history 101.
Real history you do not learn in a text book.
here's some stories from my direct grandfather...





The time was September of 1833. The place was the rapidly growing village called Chicago. A French man had gone there hoping to collect on debts that several American Indians in that area owed him for trade goods. The United States government had just finished coercing the tribal peoples in the northern region of the U.S. Midwest to acquiesce to the Treaty of Chicago, a major Indian-removal treaty. The French man knew from experience that at such times, if non-Indian traders wanted to collect for goods previously extended to tribal peoples on credit, traders had a chance of being paid from the limited treaty monies which government agents distributed to the Indians after a signing.

One afternoon San-gau-nau-nee-bee (meaning Sour Water), a Potawatomi village leader from the St. Joseph's River area (located in the far southwestern lower peninsula of present-day Michigan), swaggered into the French man's temporary trading shanty. The Potawatomi walked over to a big keg of plug-style tobacco in the shanty, took about six pounds out, and turned to walk away with the tobacco. The French man immediately called out (in the Potawatomi language), "What are you going to do with that?" The Potawatomi turned and replied, "I am going to use it." The French man responded, "It doesn't belong to you!" Angered, the Potawatomi again began to leave with the tobacco, "What of that? I am an Ogima ["Chief"] and can do as I please!" Upon which the French man stood up threatening, "You can, can you?"

The Potawatomi immediately pulled out a long bowie knife; however, before he could do anything with it, the French man lunged forward and with his two hands, grabbed the fellow by his neck and his breech-clout, and literally threw him out of the shanty, the plugs of tobacco scattering in all directions.

San-gau-nau-nee-bee hurried over to a group of Indians who stood watching nearby. The French man followed him.

One of the other Potawatomi leaders, Che-po-i, whose name means the corpse (probably so named because his nose was cut off clear to the bridge), looked at the French man, shook his finger at him and said loudly, "Jacques Vieau, we have always heard you were a popular man, a benefactor of our peoples, feeding them when they were hungry; but today you have lost all, you have spoiled yourself, by doing that which we saw you do to the noble San-gau-nau-nee-bee. Never again will you have our favor!"

Jacques looked him in the eye and asked, "Who are you, talking with such authority?" Che-po-i replied, "I am Che-po-i, the head man of the St. Joseph River band of Potawatomi."

Jacques, not backing down an inch, said, "If I was such a looking man as you are, Che-po-i, I should consider that the name you bear suits well. You, who wants to show so much authority, go where you lost your nose and find it; only then will you be fit to come here to Chi-ca-go and make such fine speeches!"

Immediately the large crowd of Indians, who had gathered around upon hearing the confrontation between Che-po-i and Vieau, burst into vociferous applause. Che-po-i, glaring fiercely at the impudent French man, sat down in chagrin. **1

Who was this French man who dared to deal in such a way with these Potawatomi leaders at Chicago when he was most certainly and vastly outnumbered? He was Jacques Vieau.


www.uwgb.edu...

so you're trying to prove that what...Jaques was a horrible racist...etc, etc, or what?

Originally posted by Loki
so you're trying to prove that what...Jaques was a horrible racist...etc, etc, or what?

before you post you should read the entire story.
i'm biting my tounge.

Originally posted by Loki
so you're trying to prove that what...Jaques was a horrible racist...etc, etc, or what?

"Jacques Vieau, we have always heard you were a popular man, a benefactor of our peoples, feeding them when they were hungry; but today you have lost all, you have spoiled yourself, by doing that which we saw you do to the noble San-gau-nau-nee-bee. Never again will you have our favor!"


Yeah, my grandfather was racist. he married into the tribe, he himself was metis. I wonder if you even know what that is. if you want to post unnecesary crap on my thread then be prepared to back it up.

Fury, I liked your post. Here is an aspect of history, I did not know about - now I know a little more. These are things you do not normally read in history books (unless you are into specialist history). As a matter of fact, I plan to reread the page to which you linked. A fascinating subject.

By the way - do you have any fine white horses??

Originally posted by jagdflieger
Fury, I liked your post. Here is an aspect of history, I did not know about - now I know a little more. These are things you do not normally read in history books (unless you are into specialist history). As a matter of fact, I plan to reread the page to which you linked. A fascinating subject.

By the way - do you have any fine white horses??

lol,
Plenty of english ones

I got a lot of cool links, not only of my familly history, but of the entire region, and it really shows alot of how our government came to power and aquired land.

I am of Native Ameircan heritage as well, Fury. And I understand about the "racism" involved in being not a "full-blood". This pertains especially to the women, who were often forced??? (I'm saying that with parity toward both sexes involved) to give up their heritage (because the white men who married the "sqaws" did not want the women's heritage known). I lay the blame of disavowing their heritage on all involved. But this is definitely racism...we cannot make it something different.

If I ever find myself in a bind YOU are the guy I want on MY SIDE... Like MOST of my Uniquely American Brothers...

That EXACT history, as depicted in your Grandpa's story, which is UNMATCHED anywhere else in the world EXCEPT Australia/N.Z., is what makes us GREAT IMHO...

Think of the cujones that man had! I love it!

P...
m...

Originally posted by Valhall
I am of Native Ameircan heritage as well, Fury. And I understand about the "racism" involved in being not a "full-blood". This pertains especially to the women, who were often forced??? (I'm saying that with parity toward both sexes involved) to give up their heritage (because the white men who married the "sqaws" did not want the women's heritage known). I lay the blame of disavowing their heritage on all involved. But this is definitely racism...we cannot make it something different.

Yeah, that got pretty bad there for a while,
when they sent half my tribe to oklahoma, it was a very similar event to the "trail of tears"

hunters having to become farmers.
forced relocation, and internment.
I think that's why a majority of the tribes sided with the french. they tended to have better views of the metis peoples. the english? well, that can be sumed up in a couple quotes by frank baum writer of the wizard of oz.

The Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians.


"The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last in the bosom of Sitting Bull. With his fall the nobility of the Redskin is extinguished, and what few are left are a pack of whining curs who lick the hand that smites them. The Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians. Why not annihilation? Their glory has fled, their spirit broken, their manhood effaced; better that they die than live the miserable wretches that they are. History would forget these latter despicable beings, and speak, in later ages of the glory of these grand Kings of forest and plain that Cooper loved to heroism.

Originally posted by Springer
If I ever find myself in a bind YOU are the guy I want on MY SIDE... Like MOST of my Uniquely American Brothers...

That EXACT history, as depicted in your Grandpa's story, which is UNMATCHED anywhere else in the world EXCEPT Australia/N.Z., is what makes us GREAT IMHO...

Think of the cujones that man had! I love it!

P...
m...

thanks man, trust me, it made me laugh my azz off when i read that bout my grandfather.

Originally posted by Fury
Yeah, that got pretty bad there for a while,
when they sent half my tribe to oklahoma, it was a very similar event to the "trail of tears"

hunters having to become farmers.
forced relocation, and internment.
I think that's why a majority of the tribes sided with the french. they tended to have better views of the metis peoples. the english? well, that can be sumed up in a couple quotes by frank baum writer of the wizard of oz.

The Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians.


"The proud spirit of the original owners of these vast prairies inherited through centuries of fierce and bloody wars for their possession, lingered last in the bosom of Sitting Bull. With his fall the nobility of the Redskin is extinguished, and what few are left are a pack of whining curs who lick the hand that smites them. The Whites, by law of conquest, by justice of civilization, are masters of the American continent, and the best safety of the frontier settlements will be secured by the total annihilation of the few remaining Indians. Why not annihilation? Their glory has fled, their spirit broken, their manhood effaced; better that they die than live the miserable wretches that they are. History would forget these latter despicable beings, and speak, in later ages of the glory of these grand Kings of forest and plain that Cooper loved to heroism.

We are maybe kith and kin, one line of my Native American heritage is from Illinois.

Don't get me started on Baum, he was a sick f...well, let me just ask you to add him to your Cackwatch...ok? That way I don't get in any further trouble here.