Shagasokicki/Peter Greensky was said to be born around 1807 [age 59 at death] while the 1860 census puts his birth at 1815 [age 45 in 1860]
"With the coming of John Sunday and other Indian evangelists in 1831 from the Canadian Methodist mission north of Lake Ontario, a revival began among the Indians at the Soo. Here Peter Greensky was converted under the preaching of John Sunday." (From Methodist Indian Ministries in Michigan, 1830-1990 by Dorothy Reuter, page 148).
"He [Peter] received missionary training in the small Methodist settlement known as Bay Mills, a few miles west of the Soo.
"In spring of 1838 Peter Greensky and a few of his friends decided to go down to Mackinac Island and see Henry Schoolcraft, the government agent who had recently lived at the Soo. He told them about the project of a new Presbyterian mission, the first Protestant mission to be established in the Grand Traverse Region. Peter was interested.
"In June [1839], Schoolcraft visited the new settlement. 'He found Rev. Dougherty, with the assistance of Peter Greensky, the interpreter, busy with the work of finishing the house and clearing the land in the vicinity.' " (From Methodist Indian Ministries in Michigan, 1830-1990 by Dorothy Reuter, page 148).
This first settlement was near what is now Elk Rapids, Chief Aishquagranaba's band. Soon after the settlement was moved across the east Grand Travese bay to what is now known as Old Mission.
"After moving, the mission opened a school with their interpreter, Peter Greensky, as teacher in the bark wigwam that the Indians had vacated at Mission Harbor. During the winter of 1839-40, the mission family consisted of four men, Rev. Dougherty, Issac George, Peter Greensky, and John Johnson..." (From Methodist Indian Ministries in Michigan, 1830-1990 by Dorothy Reuter, page 149-150).
Son Benjamin was said to be born about 1839. [It is unclear who was his mother, since the 1860 census gives Susan's birth as 1830].
From History of Methodism in Minnesota by Chauncey Hobart:
"In 1842 at the Chicago Conference, James R. Goodrich was appointed superintendent of the Green Bay District. Rev. T.M. Fullerton was sent to the Fond du Lac Mission. George Copway was also appointed there, but he had transferred himself to Canada, in expectation of better pay. This necessitated the appointment of an interpreter to accompany Brother Fullerton, and at La Pointe Elder Goodrich employed Peter Greensky for that purpose. Greensky was accompanied by his wife and child. Brother Fullerton found this arrangement very unsatisfactory. Greensky had charge of the provisions and proved to be a bad manager and a worse interpreter. So that this year was a hard one to the missionary, and filled with perplexities and annoyances."
The Wisconsin Tribune, 18 Aug 1848, Mineral Point, Wisconsin
"NORTH AMERICAN INDIANS.
No. 2
I was my lot to spend a part of the years 1842-3 with the Fond Du Lac band of the Ojibewa Indians, who accupy a space of country on the extreme Head of Lake Superior about 125 miles square. There were at that time 79 families in the band, and the entire population did not exceed 350 souls.
This nation of Indians is divided into many small tribes called bands, each occupying a limited district of country, and each having a first and second civil Chief and a first and second, and sometimes as high as a fifth war Chief. Each band also has one or more medicine men, and of whom is at the head of medicine and conjury. There are also other men who are distinguished by their success in war or the chage. Among them men are esteemed or otherwise for their worth---there being scarcely any property qualifications among them.
The band with which I was connected have what may be termed a poor country. The game was then almost their only dependence. But the larger game, suc as bears, deer, moose, &c., has been almost all taken years ago, and, consquently, there is little or no increase, and they must therefore have recourse to fish, fowls and the smaller animals for subsistence. But in the winter, when the snow is deep and the fowls have migrated southward, the destitution among them is beyond the conception of any one who has not witnessed it, nor will I hazard my veracity by attempting to portray it in its true colors. Suffice it here to say that the ma(j)ority of the band subsisted for six weeks, during the winter I was among them, mainly on basswood and other barks, moss from the rocks, and such roots as might be had by very hard labor from the frozen earth.
RELIGION ---The prominent doctrines of the Bible are recognized by them, though, like their more highly favored white neighbors, too many of them utterly disregard them.
They believe in the existence of one universal great, good, first cause; one great evil, who controls many other evil spirits; the immortality of the soul; the resurrection of the body; and in future rewards and punishments.
Their worship is by sacrifice, prayer, and thanksgiving. Although they are called idolaters they are not such in the sense in which the Hindoos and many others are. They have 10,000 gods it is trye, but in offering sacrifice to them they invariably do it as mediators between them and the Great Spirit. On this point I made particular inquiries of several interpreters and others well acquainted with their worship, and they all agree that all their minor gods are recognized only as mediators. When in dreat distress they offer that which is esteemed most valuable as a sacrifice, and generally through fire, at the same time calling on the name of the Great Spirit, through the local deity to whom they offer the sacrifice. Among their local gods are the bear, lion, moose, beaver, and many other animals, birds and fishes.---They also offer sacrifice to the sun, moon, stars, stones of singular form, lakes rivers and blocks of wood, one of which is frequently see cut in some fantastic shape, painted and otherwise ornamented, and placed in their wigwams, is held as a household god.
It is also the time that they offer sacrifice to the Great Evil Spirit through some of their local gods. They suppose the Great Spirit to be the author and ruler of all good, and their prayers to him are usually for some desired benefit; and and (sic) on the contrary, they suppose by sacrificing and praying to the Evil Spirit they may avert approaching calamities.
I said they worshiped by thankgiving. Among no people that ever I have seen, is there more scrupulous regard paid to this duty. If a hunter is crowned with success, a feast is made, and before any one is at liberty to taste the food, a portion is poured out as a thank offering. And their children are taught that no crime can be greater than that of taking the top of the pot to satisfy their own appetites.
Fasting is also strictly enjoined on the young. We that have always been fed to the full, could not endure their fasts. Often children are compelled to subsist for from fiften (sic) to twenty one days without food or water. This is to propitiate the particular god of the family, to smile on them trhough life. My interpreter, Peter Greensky, told me that when a boy he was directed to fast twenty one days to the sun, that being the god of his father's family. He tasted neither food nor water until about the fifteenth day, when he, the family being absent, provided himself with water, went into the wigwam, closed the entrance, feel on his knees, and after drawing his blanket down so as to exclude the rays of light, he quenched his thirst; supposing, the act was performed in thich darkness, the sun could not be aware of it. During these fasts the youths are required to paint themselves black, and retire to the must solitary places, and are threatened with the anger of their god, and a continued series of misfortune through life, in case of disobedience to the reuirements of their laws on fasting.
But after the youths has finished this course of self-morticiations, which continues at intervals for years, he is welcomed to the circe of hunters, and has every assurance offered by the older members of the bind that a bright path is laid out for him, and he enters on duties of manhood, in most cases, wth buoyancy of spirit, and with that determined energy that meets with success among Indians as well as the white race.
T. M. F.
Dogeville, Aug., 1848"
[T. M. F. is Thomas M. Fullerton]
Peter received a license to preach on 1 Sep 1844 and was sent under Samuel Spates to Fond du Lac, in what is now Minnesota. From 1845 to 1846 still under Samuel Spates, Peter was at the mission at Sault St Marie.
It is unknown when Peter married Susan, her exact age, or her parents.
Son Jacob was said to be born about 1846.
Son Henry was said to be born about 1850.
From a letter Rev. Dougherty wrote to Walter Lowrie, 15 Jul 1856 "The school is now full, twenty five girls two of whom are temporarily absent unwell; and twenty four boys one of whom is absent unwell---There are 5 other children in the school, 4 belonging to the family, and one Mr. Greenskys son."
1857 Annuity Roll - under Chief Aw ko we say
#54 Peter Greensky, one man, one woman, two children, received $20.24
1858 Annuity Roll - under Chief Aw ko we say
#55 Peter Greensky, one man, one woman, two children, received $16.84
1859 Annuity Roll - under Chief Aw ko we say
#50 Peter Greensky, one man, one woman, two children, received $19.88
Peter was with Rev. Dougherty as an interpreter until 1859 when preaching styles clashed.
"Peter Greensky and Mwakewenah strengthened their authority through the tools Crhistianity provided and became rivals of the Presbyterian missionaries. They chose to practice Methodism, which seemed more familiar to them and encouraged them to assume a more active leadership role in their practice of Christianity." ("The More Noise They Make": Odawa and Ojibwe Encounters with American Missionaries in Northern Michigan, 1837-1871 by Michelle Cassidy - The Michigan Historical Review, Vol. 38 #2, fall 2012)
From George N. Smith's Memorandum:
"January 30, 1859 I am told that Greensky held a meeting at Mr Mason's house with a part of Mr Dougherty's church members which he has drawn away, perhaps some of our Indians...he left Mr. Dougherty some 3 weeks ago & is evidently seeking to build up a Methodist Society out of his Church & mine--I now think he is doing very wrong."
"February 6, Mr Mason had meeting at his house---Greensky has had a meeting there today---had a part of Mr Dougherty's Church with him."
"February 8 Spent the day discussing matters in relation to the school we assembled for Lyceum but it was turned into a school meeting for the purpose of seeing whether Mr Greensky and his faction of Mr Dougherty's Indians should occupy the District School house for meetings..."
"February 13 Mr Greensky had meeting in new school house.... Eve prayer meeting at our S-H but few attended---the irregular figure of Mason & Greensky seems to possess a strange power to draw people after them especially the ignorant & wicked---what the end will be none can tell."
Rev, Dougherty wrote from Omena on 16 Feb 1859 to Walter Lowrie "There is an unhappy division in our Indian congregation mentioned in my last letter. Mr. Greensky and a number of young men members of the church have established separate meetings on the Sabbath at North Port. They are quite earnest in trying to get others to attend their meeting. some suppose Mr. Greensky being a methodist has been a long time laboring for this privately. Some think the Methodist minister at North Port last winter sowed the seed--But my own opinion is, it is the natural result of excitement they have not properly governed. The young man who first gave loose to the noisy demonstrtion gives this history of himself. As he began to understand more of the testament as he heard and read it he began to see more of his sinfulness and became more anxious about his condition. When absent in the woods hunting his mind was much exercised and he was so over come he laid down his pack and prayed to God. He felt a change he prayed much when he came back in the meetings his feelings over came him and he could not restrain them. Mr. Greensky did not aid me to restrain these demonstrations but reather fostered them this probably led others under some more than usual feeling to make unnecessary noise and now others initiated and supposing this was religion they thought I was opposing the spread of religion.
From the Grand Traverse Herald 22 Apr 1959
The Reason Why The Indians Vote the Democratic Ticket
Mr. Bates: In conversation a few days ago with the Interpreter, Peter Greensky, I ask him why the Indians were all Democrats? He said the reason that they gave was that the Democratic party was in favor of whisky, and they were willing that they should have all they wanted, and would give whisky for their votes. This, he said, was invariably the reason given.
A REPUBLICAN
Leelanau land records - transcription of Warranty Deeds recorded in Grand Traverse county, page 489; 29 Jun 1859 Peter Greensky and wife Susan sold to Hazen Ingalls, for $390, fraction #1 - West half of Northwest fraction of section 25, township 31 north, range 11 west, 67 50/100 acres with the exception of 2 acres sold to Babezha Greensky on 15 Jan 1857.
Peter, his wife, brother Isaac and 27 families left Northport for Pine River mission. (Reuter, page 195).
Peter received a license as a local preacher in 1859.
1860 Federal Census - Charlevoix, Emmet, Michigan, dated 14 June 1860
Peter Green Sky, 45, preacher, value of real estate $207; value of personal estate $305; born in Michigan
Susan Green Sky, 30, born in Michigan.
Jacob Green Sky, 13, born in Michigan
Henry Green Sky, 10, born in Michgian
Son Benjamin died 12 May 1864 at Spotsylvania, Virginia. He left a widow, but no children. Link to widow's pension records.
1865 Annuity Roll - under Chief Shaw wan day se
#14 Peter Greensky, one man, one woman, three children, received $12. [wife Susan and son Benjamin have died before this and were not in the 1861 annuity roll. Peter remarried, to another woman named Susan?]
From George N. Smith's Memorandum
"June 27 1865 Was a ke zhik came AM & said Greensky preached over at Kash quanege's & urged all the Indians to leave y church & join the Methodists, they said they would all go to hell if they didn't---they all used their influence to the utmost to make them turn."
On 29 Mar 1866 son Jacob, age 20 years, married Ester Wa-zhemo-gaw, age 16, by John N. Horton, Justice of the Peace. Emmet county marriage records, page 62
Peter died 8 Apr 1866 at Susan Lake, Emmet, Michigan
From the Michigan Annual conference Mintues - Thirty-first session 1866 [Also published in the Northern Christian Advocate - 25 Jul 1866]
GREENSKY.--Rev. Peter Greensky died in Susan Lake, Emmet County, Michigan, April 8th, aged 59. The deceased was among the first Indians converted under the labors of Rev. John Sunday, in the Lake Superior country, in 1833. He received his first license to preach September 21, 1844. Subsequently he was employed as an interpreter to Rev. Mr. Daughtery, of the presbyterian Board, for several years. June 18, 1859, he was again licensed as a Local Preacher in the Methodist Episcopal Church, During the following Conference year he was employed by Presiding Elder Rev. Salmon Stell on the Pine River Indian Mission. At the session of the Michigan Conference held in September 1860, he was received on trial in the traveling connection, and was appointed to Pine River Mission. In 1861 he was appointed junior preacher on the Isabella Indian Mission. In 1869, he was admitted into full connection in the Conference, and ordained Deacon by Bishop Levi Scott. For the two years following he was in charge of the Oceana Indian Mission. In 1864 he was again appointed in charge of the Pine River Indian Mission. In 1865 he wa ordained Elder by Bishop Edward Raymond Ames, and returned to Pine River. He was attacked in November, with what was supposed to be inflammatory rheumatism. He suffered exceedingly during the entire winter.--About the first of March his disease assumed the form of quick consupmtion, and he gradually sank away, until Sabbath morning at 10:30 o'clock, April 8, when he fell asleep in Jesus.--He was triumphantly hapyy during his many months of suffering. As he grea near the closing scene, his prospects of heaven grew brighter and brighter. Just before he breathed his last, aroused as if by a shout of angels, he cried out, "Blessed are the peace makers, for they shall be called the children of God. Come ye sinners"--and his voice was hushed in death. Brother Greensky was a strong preacher, a faithful pastor, a rigid disciplinarian and a man of great influence. He was a powerful man in argument, and hence in council among his people he was generally the ruling spirit. This contributed much to hi influence as a missionary. The Indians in North Michigan are greatly indebted to him, under God, for their status of intelligence, civilization and piety. As a student, Brother Greensky was a model. A given amount of his time was sacred to study. In those hours he did not read merely, but he STUDIED. He became well versed in history, both sacred and profane. he was a good theologian, and I never saw any other Indian who was as well acquainted with English grammar. He had collected a library which would be an honor to any man. In his library I found the complete works of Clarke, Wesley, Fletcher and Watson; and in his preaching he gave evidence that these athors had been well studied. In short he was a noble specimen of a Christian gentleman and minister. His death is a great loss to our Indian missions, but we realize that our loss is his eternal gain.
Written by Rev. J. Boynton
1870 Federal Census - Charlevoix, Charlevoix, Michigan - taken 17 Aug 1870.
Green-sky, Jacob, 24, farmer, value of real estate $250, born Michigan
Esther, 20, keeping house, born Michigan, cannot read or write
Peter, age 9 months, born in August. [If born in August he would be 12 months old, if 9 months old he was born in November.]
Jacob's daughter Alice was said to be born 15 Sep 1872 in Charlevoix [Date of death unknown]
The Pine River Mission was later renamed Greensky Hill, after Peter.
1880 Federal Census - yet to be found
Jacob's daughter Jane was said to be born 3 Aug 1884 in Hayes township, Charlevoix [Date of death unknown]
Jacob's son, George Jacob was born 19 Aug 1886 in Hayes township, Charlevoix.
Jacob died 25 Jun 1888.
1890 Federal Census - Soldiers Schedule
#9, house 33, family 34, Esther Greensky, widow of Greenskye, Jacob, private, company K, 1 Mich Sharp Shooters, enlisted 21 Aug 1863, discharged 21 Aug 1865, served 2 years.
Jacob's wife, Esther, married Reuben Willis, 5 Oct 1890 in Hayes, Charlevoix. Reuben died 2 Feb 1901 and Esther then married Thomas Anewishky on 1 Aug 1904.
Durant Roll Field Notes - 1908
Line 24 page 23
Jacob Greensky, dead
Esther Greensky, 67, resides Bay Shore, now wife of Thos. Aniwasky, 53
child 1 dead, no heirs
child 2 Geo. Greensky, see #26-46
child 3 John Willis, 20
child 4 Enos Willis, 18
page 26-46
Naw-scow or Edward Naskaw, 89, Elk Rapids
child - dead, husband Thomas Fisher, 60, Bay Shore;
their children
1) Moses Fisher, 30, wife and child dead
2) Susan (Fisher) Greensky, 27, Bay Shore, huband Geo. Greensky, 23, Bay Shore: their children 1] Elsie, 5, 2] Keibardm dued s/ept 14, 1908, born Nov. 3, 1907
Line 33 page 23
Susan Walker #1 or susan Greensky, 70, Charlevoix, no childr.
[Is this Peter's second wife named Susan?]
Thomas Anweshky died 17 Apr 1913 and Jacob's widow, Esther married Moses Waukazoo on 5 Sep 1917 in Charlevoix.
1920 Federal Census - Hayes Township, Charlevoix, Michigan
Greensky, Susan, head, rents, age 83, widowed, basket maker in own home.
Charlevoix Courier - 14 Mar 1923
Phebe was born 23 Sep 1911 in Levering and died 11 Oct 1911 in Hayes township, Charlevoix.
Jacob Leonard died 1 Feb 1984 in Cloquet, Carlton, Minnesota. Obit 21 Feb 1984 Petoskey News Review. Survived by sons Gil Robin, Jacob L., Jr. and daughters Jacqueline, Myrtle, and Fay Ann.
Copyright (c) 2023 Vicki Wilson
