Native American Biography: Delaware Prophet and Pontiac

Pontiac

Delaware (Delaware) and Pontiac (Ottawa) had similar goals, to create a Native American Pan American alliance.  However they had different means, Pontiac had violent intentions, to throw off the British, while Delaware had peaceful intentions.  Delaware Prophet got his mandate from the Master of Life and a mystical experience.  He hoped to bring people together spiritually, and taught that they must throw off white ways, alcohol included.  He was well received.  He also denounced evil practices such as war dances and medicine making.  He promoted return to the old ways.  Pontiac believed he benefitted greatly from adherence to Delaware Prophet's teachings.  The prophet predicted his eventual victory.  Delaware isn't dead to attack the fort at present day Pittsburg.  However his plans were known.  Instead the laid siege.  In the meantime the defeated eight British forts, and inflicted over 2000 casualties.  However Indian life is not conducive to long affairs.   The warriors have families to feed.  Pontiac's strength was also reduced due to illness.  The had been given blankets infected with smallpox.  Pontiac negotiated peace, gaining a pardon. Delaware Prophet lost his influence after Pontiac was defeated.  Little is known of the prophet after this.  Pontiac was murdered in Cohokia, Illinois some years later, which lead to a brief war to avenge his death.  He was killed by a Peoria Indian, who may have been ordered by the British to prevent another uprising.  In Pontiac we have and example of resistance to European incursion.  This pattern would last for many years.

Native American Biography: Charles Curtis: Vice President

The highest political office ever held by someone of Native American descent in the U.S. is vice president held by Charles Curtis of Kansa ethnicity.  Curtis grew up in Kansas and established a law practice in Topeka.  He ventured into national politics at the age of 33, becoming a congressman.  He took an active roll in Indian affairs serving as chairman of the Committee on Indian Depredations.  He served there until 1907 when he became part of the Senate.  He served the Senate for 18 years, and became first the Republican Whip and then the Senate majority leader.  In 1929 he began serving as Vice President with President Herbert Hoover.  He is the last individual to be single and serve as vice president.  Curtis was a widower at the time.  He and his wife Annie Elizabeth Baird had three children.  After serving as vice president he returned to law.  He passed away a few years later.  He is buried in Topeka, Kansas.

Native American Biography: Josiah and Milly Francis

Josiah and Milly Hayo Francis are father and daughter.  Josiah is of mixed parentage, but identified with the Creek and Seminole.  He was of the Red Stick warring faction of the Creek and supported Tecumsah in his efforts to form a Pan American Indian Alliance.  He fought against Andrew Jackson who referred to Francis as a prophet.  When the Creek lost the first war, they had to give up millions of acres.  Francis was forced to sign the treaty.  In 1815 Francis journeyed to England to recruit English support for the Native Americans.  He was captured in 1818 and Jackson ordered his execution.

During the first Creek war, Josiah Francis had captured George McKinnon and order his execution by fire.  His daughter Milly Hayo Francis plead for his life from his father.  She said she would burn with him.  He was released, and stayed with the tribe until he was sold as a slave to the Spanish.  After the death of her father, Milly showed up with a group of women and children at an army post.  McKinnon, who had escaped was there and spared her life.  She refused his offer of marriage, feeling he must have felt obligated.  For her support during the first Creek war, Milly was granted a government pension, which she never received.  She did walk the trail of Tears and lived her final years in Oklahoma.  

Native American Biography: Wayne Newton: Entertainer

Wayne Newton is a Las Vegas entertainer.  He has been referred to as Mr.  Las Vegas.  Hew was born in New Jersey, but his family moved to Arizona because of Wayne’s asthma.  Wayne Newton said his father was half Patawomeck and his mother half Cherokee.  However he is also a mix of English, Irish, Scottish, Welsh and German.  Wayne Newton began playing instruments as young as age six.  He and his brother were spotted by a Ls Vegas talent scout when he was a junior in high school.  He was offered a two week trial, and entertained in Vegas for five years.  Entertaining with his brothers, they opened for many acts, including Jack Benny.  He also appeared as a guest on many TV programs including Here’s Lucy and I Love Lucy, Bonanza (as a singing young man), Full House, L.A. Law and Vegas.  He has also appeared on numerous reality shows including Dancing with the Stars and The Amazing Race.

Musically he has performed for many years, mostly in Las Vegas.  Recording successes include, “Daddy Don’t You Walk So Fast,” “Danke S:choen,” “Red Roses for a Blue Girl,” and “The Letter.” 

He has been heavily involved in USO concerts and was chairman of the USO Celebrity Circle after Bob Hope.  He also performed in Washington D.C. at the Great Mall while Ronald Reagan was president.  He has also supported Native American causes and has held concerts and benefits on their behalf.  He was awarded the entertainer of the years at the first Native American Music awards program.
Wayne Newton Concert

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Native American Biography: Conquering Bear: Sioux

Conquering Bear was a peace Indian, however his death sparked the North Plains War.  He had signed the treaty of 1851 guaranteeing peace along the trail.  His people lived along the Oregon Trail.  A Mormon immigrant claimed that One of cattle had been stolen by the Indians.  He reported the theft to Fort Laramie.  A visiting Indian had butchered the cow.  Conquering Bear traveled to the fort to make restitution.  John Grattan, a new West Point lieutenant was dispatched to handle the issue. One of Conquering Bear's men were killed.  Conquering Bear still demanded restraint.   Grattan trained a cannon on the Indians.  Apparently Lieutenant Grattan's translator was drunk and taunted the Sioux.  The talks broke down, and a shot rang out.  Conquering Bear was hit in the back.  Then another Indian was hit.   Grattan ordered his men to attack.  The Sioux counter attacked in retaliation, the Indians killed all of Grattan's command, he being one of the first to die.  This battle is known as the Grattan Massacre, or the Mormon Cow War.  The conflict escalated when General William S. Harney ordered an attack on a Sioux village.  This lead to the first Sioux War.  Red Cloud was a War Chief who participated in the counter attack.

Native American Biography: Jim Thorpe: Athlete

Canton Bulldogs

Miss-matched socks and shoes, 1912 Olympics

An argument could be made for Jim Thorpe as the greatest American athlete of all time.  He could do so many things and do them well.  He is of Sauk and Fox descent, and the great-grandson of Black Hawk, The Chippewa War Chief.  Both his parents were half Caucasian but he was raised in an Indian household.  He began his career on the football field, playing for "Pop" Warner at Carlisle Institute.  He then played semi-professional baseball (he was paid to play) a couple years and then returned to Carlisle for football.  In 1912 his football team won the national championship with an 11-1 record.  Thorpe played running back, defensive back, punted and kicked.  He scored 25 touchdowns and 198 points.  President Eisenhower, while a youth played against Thorpe, playing for Army.  Of Thorpe he said, "Here and there, there are some people who are supremely endowed. My memory goes back to Jim Thorpe. He never practiced in his life, and he could do anything better than any other football player I ever saw." In the game he ran a 93 yard touchdown, called back for a penalty, and he ran 97 yards for a touchdown the next play.  At the 1912 Olympics he showed his versatility.  He won the pentathlon and the decathlon.  He not only won the events but dominated.  Taking first in 8 of the 15 individual events.  He also competed well in the long jump and the high jump.  An interesting side note, Thorpe's shoes were stolen.  He competed in the decathlon in shoes he found in a trash can.  Because they were mismated, he wore heavy socks on one foot so they would fit.  He was also given two special awards, by the King of Sweden and the Czar of Russia.  Upon given him the award the Kind of Sweden reportedly said, "You are the Greatest Athlete in the World."  Thorpe replied, "Thanks Coach."  (This maybe anecdotal but the feeling was accurate.)  Thorpe was greeted by a ticker tape New York parade upon his return to America.  Later his gold medals were taken away because of his time playing professional baseball.  They were returned to his family in 1982.

With the New York Giant

He played basketball, baseball and football professionally, and retired in 1929.  He organized a professional Indian football team at one point, and although they didn't win many games, Thorpe played well and was honored as an all league player in the league which became the NFL.  DUring his career, when racial issues were prevalent, his race was sometimes an issue, particularly in the newspapers.  The papers would say such things as He passed away in Lomita, California in 1953.

Native American Biographies: Ira Hamilton Hayes: WWII Hero

Johnny Cash does a good job telling Ira hayes' story.  This song was written by Peter LaFarge after he saw the movie "The Outsider" starring Tony Curtis as Ira hayes.

postage stamp depicting the famous photograph

Marine recruiting photograph

Training as a paratrooper, camp photograph

 Hayes was born in Sacaton, Arizona in 1923.   He was Pima.  His family remembers him as a shy and sensitive child.   When the war started he volunteered for the Marines for the remainder of the war.  He was trained in San Diego and assigned to the Pacific theater as a paratrooper.  He served in three major engagements.  He first fought in occupation Vella Lavalle Island which took about three months of fighting.  He was then moved to Bougainville, where the Marines were already engaged.  This was also heavy fighting that lasted another couple of months.  After eleven months in the Pacific, and two major engagements he received leave back in San Diego.  There he was assigned to a different unit, (non-paratrooper) and trained for the landing on Iwo Jima.  He landed with the initial assault on the island and the Marines were heavily engaged for a month and a half.  Ira hayes was captured as one of those raising the flag on Mount Suribachi.  He with four other Marines and a Navy Sailor were immortalized in a picture taken of the event.  The picture was taken by Joe Rosenthal.  It is likely the most viewed photo of the war and was put on a postage stamp and a War Bonds poster.
As a result Ira was reassigned to a bond-promoting assignment tour and held as a hero.  Ira was discharged from the Marines after the war and returned home.  Hayes was still in demand as a speaker.  He also portrayed himself in a move "The Sands of Iwo Jima."  He knew he was being exploited even as his people suffered.   With limited education he found it difficult to get a job.  He also struggled with alcohol.  At age 32 he was found dead in a ditch from exposure and alcohol poisoning.  He died in Bapchule, Arizona and was buried with full honors at Arlington National Cemetery.