David's first wife was said to be Mary / Awnemequoung.
Son Ashpetahgzhick / Thomas Nelson, was said to be born about 1836 in the Saginaw area.
1854 Annuity Roll - under Chief O saw waw bun
#6 Shaw baw ne gonse, 1 man, 1 woman, 1 child, receiving $4.92
1859 Annuity Roll - under Chief A. O-saw-waw-bun
#4 Shaw bwaw ne ganse, 1 man, 1 woman, no children, receiving $8.55
It is unknown what happened to wife Mary. David next married Waw-we-yea-aw-te-no-quay-dung, daughter of Nauck-che-gaw-me and Ne-be-nay-quaw-do-quay.
Son Thomas Nelson, age 23, married Mary / Waw waw saw mo quay Fisher, age 18, on 6 Jan 1859 at Taymouth, Saginaw, Michigan.
A second son, also named Thomas, was said to be born in 1860. [age 20 in 1880 census].
1861 Annuity Roll - under Chief A. O-saw-waw-bun
#4 Shaw bwaw ne ganse, 1 man, 1 woman, 1 child, receiving $18.36
Son Thomas Nelson enlisted as a corporal in Company K, 1st Michigan Sharpshooters on 18 Mar 1863 at Isabella City (Mt. Pleasant).
Daughter Mary was said to be born in 1864 [age 16 in 1880 census]
1864 Annuity Roll - under Chief A. O-saw-waw-bun
#8 Shaw bwaw ne ganse, 1 man, 1 woman, 2 children, receiving $25,28
1865 Annuity Roll - under Chief A. O-saw-waw-bun
#8 Shaw bwaw ne ganse, 1 man, 1 woman, 2 children, receiving $36.76
1866 Annuity Roll - under Chief A. O-saw-waw-bun
#7 Shaw bwaw ne ganse, 1 man, 1 woman, 3 children, receiving $46.65
Photo taken about 1867 - Shawbwawneganse, son Thomas on the horse, and Chief Nauckchegawme.
1867 Annuity Roll - under Chief A. O-saw-waw-bun
#7 Shaw bwaw ne ganse, 1 man, 1 woman, 3 children, receiving $44.30
Daughter Lucy was born about 1867/8 [age 12 in 1880 census]
Daughter Hattie was born about 1867 [age 20 on death record. She is either Lucy or Grace from the census.]
The Gruett Roll (dated 1868) #169B states Waw-we-yea-aw-te-no-quay-dung, age 25 was married to Shaw-bwaw-ne-ganse. [I have not found David or the children on the roll]
Daughter Grace was born about 1869 [age 11 in 1880 census]
27 May 1871 David Shaw-bwaw-ne-goone received the West 1/2 of the NE 1/4 of section 17, T15N R4W (Union township, Isabella) containing 80 acres.
Daughter Nancy was born about 1873 [age 7 in 1880 census]
Son Thomas Nelson died 4 Aug 1877 at Taymouth, Saginaw, Michigan, His age was given as 40.
Thomas was buried in the Chippewa Indian Cemetery, Burt, Saginaw, Michigan
David sold his land prior to 1879. Red dot shows where is was.
David, wife and daughter - date unknown
Crawford County Avalanche 24 May 1894 - news from 1879
Crawford County Avalanche 7 Jun 1894 - news from 1879
1880 Federal Census - Grayling, Crawford, Michigan
Shopnagons, David, 50, trapper
Nancy, 50, wife, keeping house
Thomas, 20, son, at home
Mary, 16, daughter, at school
Lucy, 12, daughter, at school
Grace, 11, daughter, at school
Nancy, 7, daughter, at home
Said to be David and daughter Mary - date unknown.
Daughter Cora was said to be born 15 May 1880.
Crawford County Avalanche 13 Sep 1894 - news of 1881 tells of the death of Henry Shoppenagon. No death record has been found.
Crawford County Avalanche 24 Feb 1881 - tells of a house fire. Wife and 5 children escape the blaze.
Crawford County Avalanche 3 Mar 1881
Daughter Nancy died 6 Aug 1881 and is buried at Elmwood Cemetery in Grayling.
Crawford County Avalanche 19 Jan 1882
Crawford County Avalanche 16 Feb 1882
Crawford County Avalanche news of 1882 [from the 24 May 1894 issue]
Crawford County Avalanche 15 Jan 1885
Crawford County Avalanche 14 May 1885 - David received 45 cents for clothing from the superintendent of the poor.
Crawford County Avalanche 17 Sep 1885 - two articles.
Crawford County Avalanche 21 Jan 1886. Sadly his book was never published.
Crawford County Avalanche 3 Jun 1886
Crawford County Avalanche 17 Jun 1886
Crawford County Avalanche 18 Nov 1886
Crawford County Avalanche 10 Feb 1887
Baby's death record - age 1 year 8 months, parents not given. Cause looks like summer complaint.
Daughter Hattie died 12 Apr 1887 in Grayling, Crawford, Michigan, at the age of 20.
Crawford County Avalanche 14 Jul 1887
At some point David purchased lot 12 in block 18 in Grayling. On 31 Aug 1887, David and wife Wa-we-ah-to-we-ana mortgaged the land to Orvill J. Ball for the sum of $20 plus 8 per cent per year. The mortgage was discharged on 16 Aug 1888.
Crawford County Avalanche 5 Jan 1888
Crawford County Avalanche 23 Feb 1888
Crawford County Avalanche 15 Mar 1888
Crawford County Avalanche 12 Jul 1888
Crawford County Avalanche 16 Aug 1888
Crawford County Avalanche 23 Aug 1888
On 30 Oct 1888 David and Wa-we-ah-to-we-ana mortgaged their land to John Staley for $35, as recorded in liber D, pages 171, 172 and 173, Crawford mortgage records.
Crawford County Avalanche 27 Dec 1888
Daughter Mary was married 8 Jan 1889 in Pinconning, Bay, Michigan to Henry Cabay.
Daughter Mary died 17 Jul 1889 at age 22 and was buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Grayling, Crawford, Michigan.
Crawford County Avalanche, Jul 1889
On the 17th inst., at the residence of her father, David Shoppenagons, Miss Mary Shoppenagons, of consumption, in her 22d year. Her body was buried onThursday, and funeral service, were held in the M.E. Church, by Rev. J.W. Taylor.
David paid off his mortgage to John Staley on 16 Aug 1889, liber C page 70, Crawford county mortgage records.
Crawford County Avalanche 31 Jul 1890
Crawford County Avalanche 29 Sep 1892
Crawford County Avalanche 10 May 1894
Crawford County Avalanche 25 Oct 1894
Crawford County Avalanche 1 Nov 1894
Crawford County Avalanche 12 Sep 1895
Crawford County Avalanche 15 Oct 1896
David was a close friend of Hanson, the owner of a lumber company in Grayling and when Hanson had maple in his waiting pond that was to be cut for market, Daivd would go to the pond and select a log and follow it to the mill to have the sawyer cut it for making paddles. Anyone lucky enough to have one has a treasure.
Canoe paddle hand carved by David. From the collection of AJ Wakely. [At lease two others are also in private collections.]
Crawford County Avalanche 16 Sep 1897
1900 Federal Census - Grayling, Crawford, Michigan
Shopenagon, David, born Aug 1819, age 80, married 50 years, guide and hunter
Irean, wife, born 1835, 65, married 50 years, 6 children born, 1 living
Cora, daughter, orn Apr 1887, 23, single
Nancy, granddaughter, born May 1882, 12, at school
Picture of David - date unknown
From the William Clements Library at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, the following undated (probably 1890) photos.
Daughter Cora, 25, was married 1 Mar 1903 in Oscoda, Iosco, Michigan to Elijah Tadgahsong, 21.
Owosso Times 31 Jan 1908
Daughter Cora died 25 Aug 1908 at Grayling, age 28 years, 3 months, 10 days. Mother's name was given as Irene. She was buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Grayling, Crawford, Michigan.
With wife and friends [his children?]
1910 Federal Census - Grayling, Crawford, Michigan
Shopenagon, David, 92, married twice, married 53 years
Irene, 87, wife, married once, married 55 years, 5 born, 0 living
Caby, Nansie, granddaughter, 21, single
Caby, Edward Harris, great-grandson, 3
4 Jul 1910
Crawford County Avalanche 18 May 1911 [Transcribed by Louis R. Ward Jr.]
Chief Shoppennegan is enjoying a rest in Mercy Hospital, his extreme age and debility demanding better care and teartment than could be furnished in his home.
Crawford County Avalanche 28 Sep 1911 [Transcribed by Louis R. Ward Jr.]
Mrs. Nancy Covay, grand daughter of Chief David Shoppenegon, returned here Tuesday morning and is looking after her grand father.
Wife Irene died 8 Oct 1911 age the age of about 96. Cause of death was Brights Disease.
Crawford County Avalanche 12 Oct 1911 [Transcribed by Louis R. Ward Jr.]
Mrs. Irene Shoppenagons, wife of David Shoppenagons, died at their home in this village last Sunday evening at nine o'clock. She was ninety-six years of age and had been in poor health for some time. She is one of the few survivors of the Chippewa Indian tribe, and was the third wife of Mr. Shoppenagons. She had been a resident of Grayling for over thirty years. Funeral was held from the home Tuesday afternoon, and she was laid to rest in Elmwood cemetery. She has been an industrious, hard-working woman and many a dollar has been brought into the home by the deftness of her fingers in basket weaving. The husband is grief stricken at the loss of his companion of may years.
Crawford County Avalanche 14 Dec 1911 [Transcribed by Louis R. Ward Jr.]
David Shippenagons, our Indian friend, is ill at his home near the bridge. It is hardly believed that he can recover sufficiently to get out again. He is being well cared for by his granddaughter.
David died 25 Dec 1911. His birth was given as 1 Jul 1808. Cause of death old age. Occupation was canoe maker. He was buried at Elmwood Cemetery, Grayling, Crawford, Michigan.
Obituary - Crawford County Avalanche 28 Dec 1911 [Transcribed by Louis R. Ward Jr.]
D. Shoppenagon Passes Away - Chippewa Indian over 100 years old. Laid to rest in Elmwood Cemetery yesterday. Christmas night about seven o'clock when the social life of our citizens was being enjoyed to the full, there passed away from his humble home on the Au Sable a man, who, because of his race, his great age and vigor of manly strength, and by reason of his unique personality, was one of the best known characters in Northern Michigan. Very little is known of the early list of David Shippenagan except that he was a Chippawa Inidan, that he spent most of his life in the Saginaw Valley and vicinity until he came to Grayling, early in the "seventies." He is reputed to have been at one time a chief of his tribe, though we do not know that Shippenagon of himself claimed that distinction. It is generally believed, howere, that he was in his prime a medicine man, a term among the aborigines supposed to combine the function of a physician with that of prophet; tho we do not know that Shippenagan claimed to possess the prophetic gift. That he was an Indian of mer than ordinary intelligence and influence among his tribe there an be no question. Had he been educated as well as were George Copway and Peter Jones, historians of the Chippawa's, undoubtedly he would have been a man of mark. His long life in the Saginaw valley covers more years than the history of Michigan as a state and separate territory. If the most conservative extimate of his age by true he must have been a boy of three years old when General Lewis Cass met the Chippewa tribe in council fire on the banks of the Saginaw in 1820, at a point on the West Side where the court house now stands. If the less conservative estimate be true, then he was a boy in his teens and must have known something of the grave topics discussed by his tribe with the government in that historic council. Shoppenagon had a history which he might have told, but his familiar acquaintances of Grayling knew nothing of it. He chose to keep his own council, and thus died with his tales of pioneer adventure, perchance which would have rivalled the romance of "Leather Stocking Tales," or "The Last of the Mohigans." Shoppenagon, tho born in the faith of the Chippewas, became a believer in the Christian religion and, as we believe in the faith of Jesus. Shoppenagans was a great hunter and trapper and was known to be an excellent marksman. It is believed that he has shot thousands of der and many boar, wolves and elk. He was also familiar with practically every stream between Saginaw and Mackinaw. Many wonderful tales of his exploits are told around here. He retained his excellent health up to about one year ago when his strength began to wave and his eye lose its piercing keenness. It was less than two years ago that he made a trapping trip near Saginaw river and was gone several weeks. The funeral was held yesterday at the Methodist Church where he was a member, Rev. J.H. Fleming preached the funeral sermon. Tho the day was stormy and cold many turned out to pay tribute to their worthy friend. Mr. Shoppenagan had been father to several children, all of whom had preceeded him to their graves many years ago. He is survived by one granddaughter and one great grandson, both of whom were with him during his last illness. When the future historian shall write up the history of Crawford county, that history will be incomplete if no reference is made to the lone Indian, a specimen of the "first American," whose name and familiar form has hitherto been associated with the growth and development of our prosperous village. Shoppenagan is gone; he is on his "long journey," but his friends will remember "Old Shop" with a great deal of pleasure, and feel that they have been benefited by having known him.
David's death notice was picked up by papers both in Michigan and outside the state.
The Day Book, Chicago, Illinois, 27 Dec 1911
Knoxville Sentinel, Knoxville, Tennessee, 27 Dec 1911
Fargo Forum and Daily Republican (Fargo, North Dakota) 28 Dec 1911
Dziennik Chicagoski, Chicago, Illinois, 28 Dec 1911
The Owosso Times 29 Dec 1911
Der Sonntagsbote (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) 31 Dec 1911
Wiarus (Winona, Minnesota) 4 Jan 1912
Crawford County Avalanche 16 Oct 1913 [Transcribed by Louis R. Ward Jr.]
The Shoppenagon monument has arrived and has been place upon the cemetery lot that contains all the remains of the lifeless forms of Chief David Shoppenagon and his wife. Both passed away during the later days of the year 1911, Chief David closing his eyes after a long life of usefulness and adventure upon the beautiful Christmas morn of that year. The monument erected to his memory is of blue granite; it stands about six foot high upon a solid cement base. It is plain but artistic and at the top is a ball setting in an ornamental cap. On the face is carved the words "Chief David Shoppenagon; born 1809, died December 25th, 1911." It is a fitting memento of the esteem in which he was held by his friends in Grayling. The monument was purchased with money raised by popular subscription.
The Owosso Times of 7 Nov 1913 repeats the story of his monument.
STORIES
The Sebewaing Blade 12 Jul 1928
Detroit Free Press 29 May 1954
South Bend Tribune (South Bend Indiana) 21 Aug 2007
The following book was written about David by W. E. Tudor in 2008. [Available on Amazon and other places.]
Copyright (c) 2020 Vicki Wilson
What an Awesome Native Man in his time.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate the inclusion of all the historical documents, and their sources, used in the telling of Shawbwawneganse's life story. The pictures, many of which I had not seen before, were lovely as well. Miigwech for sharing.
ReplyDeleteI’ve been studying this great man for years, thanks for the fine article about him!
ReplyDeleteThank you, thank you, thank you!!!!
ReplyDelete