HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



a very common occupation, and it is said bells were often used for this purpose.
Often a stalwart Indian could be seen carrying a deer on his shoulders. Occasion-
ally the squaws carried in the game. The wigwams were oblong, square, and
round
in shape. Some were constructed of bark, others were covered with mats made
of
bullrushes or reeds and a few others with bear and deer skins and some with
brush.
John Young, the chief, occupied a log cabin. Here also was a largle cemetery,
and
a dance circle with smooth and well leveled floor, enclosed by a railing
and board
seats.
   There were at certain times from thirty to fifty or more families living
here.
During their dances and feasts there often were Chippewa visitors, and occasionally
some from other tribes. John Young, it is said, had a ceremonial pipe with
a
quarter-pound capacity, that would be smoked on these occasions. In spring
they often had a sugar dance, when 400 to 500 Indians would gather for a
week's
pow-wow. An instance is mentioned showing the authority of John Young in
this
village. One of the Indians, Little Joe by name, still living near McCord,
became
unruly. John Young tied him by his hands to a tree, and there he was obliged
to remain for the rest of the day.
   These Indians had many dogs and ponies. Most of the ponies were tame,
but
some were quite wild and would occasionally jump over a brush fence. Frequently
when they moved camp a long train of ponies loaded down with bark mats, skins,
and blankets could be seen following the trail into the thick woods.  A buck,
or
several, holding a gun in his arms, rode ahead and the other ponies followed
him.
The squaws with children were usually mounted and some of the men walked
be-
side the ponies. Sometimes the men rode and the squaws walked. Often they
could be seen taking slippery-elm bark to the trading house. The bark was
carried
in bundles hanging across the backs of the ponies. This bark, of which they
gath-
ered large quantities, was taken sometimes as far as Colby, Medford, and
Dancy,
there being trails to all these places. It was stripped off the trees in
spring, after
which it was dried, rolled, and tied up in bundles. Over a radius of many
miles
these trees were denuded and many dead red elm trees could in consequence
be
seen standing or fallen on the ground. When some of the early settlers arrived
most of these trees had already been stripped for miles around.
   The late Mr. John Brinkman of Rozellville traded with these Indians for
many
years. He came here about 1880. He could talk their own language. These
Indians trapped and bartered chiefly the skins of muskrats, skunks, foxes,
raccoons
and sometimes weasels, otters and minks. They also gathered ginseng and made
maple sugar which they also occasionally sold. Mr. Brinkman during one season
bought almost $3,000 worth of ginseng root, paying the Indians at the rate
of
$2.00 per pound. The Indians also gathered evergreens and occasionally brought
in deer hair which were bought and shipped by the traders. Venison, i. e.
the
hams then known as "saddles" were also bought and shipped. They
tanned deer
skins and made moccasins, mittens, tobacco pouches, jackets, and leggins.
Each
Indian had one or several pairs of large snowshoes. Baskets of all kinds
and sizes
were made. Red with blue stripes was a favorite color for their blankets.
In the
earlier years they wore shirts which they made from calico, breech clouts
and also
buckskin jackets, leggins and moccasins, and when hunting a powder horn or
cart-
ridge belt with a knife and scabbard completed the accoutrement. Occasionally



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