Department of the Interior
Office of Indian Affairs
November 4, 1891
The within list of lands selected by Chippewa Indians of Saginaw, Swan Creek and Black River, in the State of Michigan under the third article of the treaty between the United States and said Indians concluded Octobr 18, 1864, is hereby approved and respectfully submitted ofr the approval of the Honorable Secretary of the Interior.
From "Minutes of the Session of the Indian Mission Church Grand Traverse Bay, Michigan by Rev. Peter Dougherty" we learned
"Died on the 7th of Jany 1845 Elizabeth Potts the wife of the Chief."
The rest of the story was told in a letter from Rev. Dougherty to Daniel Wells dated Januy 24, 1845. [On source site as June 24, 1845.]
"Our little church has been afflected by the removal of one of her members. The Chief Ahgosa's wife died on the 7th Jany. On the first of Jany she went with to visit us all as they are in the habit of doing every year. The next day she was confined and as their custom is she was taken to a seperate building to be delivered. She had a hard labor and as the building was an open bark lodge which had not been occupeed since in the fall her husband told them it too cold and that they had better bring her to the house. She got up and walked some distance through the snow and wet and was delivered about 8 oc in the evening. She was soon after taken with chills and faintings and about 9 the chief came for me to go and see her. They had entirely exhausted in working with her Some little medicine and the attendance of some of the white woman insisting on giving her rest She revived. But the after birth was retained & no means the we employed would bring it away. She linger on until the sixth day when it came away and the next day she died. She is the same woman who two years ago was in such a dangerous situation who was saved by means of the ergot Whether her death was the result of imprudense or some diseased condition of the woman I do not know. The Lord has been pleased to take her away from a large family. She was the daughter of a notied Chief of the little Traverse who was friendly to the american people during the war with England He kept the American colors flying when almost all the rest had joined the British"
Source - Presbyterian Historical Society
copyright (c) 2025 Vicki WilsonNancy Shagonaby was said to be born 27 Mar 1889, the daughter of William Shagonaby and Katherine Halfday. Nancy's mother, Katherine Halfday, was said to be born 14 Aug 1868 in Canada. Her father died prior to 1880 and her mother was Mary. Nancy's father, William Shagonaby, was said to be born 25 Sep 1854 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan, the son of William Shagonaby Sr., and Elizabeth Kahwaykome.
Mother Katherine Halfday was first married to Eli/Alex Morsau, so Nancy joined half-sister Martha Morsau was said to be born on 15 Aug 1885.
Mother Katherina Halfday was married second to William Shagonaby, prior to 1890.
"When word came that there might be a payment made to the Pokagon Potawatomi, another petition representing the other Potawatomi who did not remove, or returned to Michigan after removal, was submitted to the Court of Claims. On November 5, 1890, this petition was filed in the Court by Phineas Pam-to-pee and 1,371 other Potawatomi and their attorney John B. Shipman of Coldwater, Michigan. They alleged that they were entitled to share in the annuities secured to the Potawatomi Indians and were not represented by the Pokagon petition. They also claimed the petition filed by the Pokagons only represented the ninety one members who signed the agreement with Critcher while their petition represented all the other Potawatomi Indians in Michigan and Indiana who did not remove west. The majority of the 1,371 Potawatomi in Pam-topee’s petition were from Michigan, with a few from Indiana, but one hundred and eighteen were living on Walpole Island, Canada, representing those who moved there to avoid removal. (See Appendix E for the list of these Potawatomi)."
#688 Sha go na by, Kate W., Bass River, Ottawa County, Michigan
#689 Sha go na by, Mother, Bass River, Ottawa County, Michigan
#690 Sha go na by, Nancy, Bass River, Ottawa County, Michigan
Transcription by Larry Wyckoff - found on academia.edu
Sister Eunice Shagonaby was said to be born 14 Jul 1892.
Brother Joshua Elliot Shagonaby was said to be born 17 Mar 1895 in Otsego county, Michigan
Katherine sent her children to the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School, in Mt. Pleasant, Isabella, Michigan
1896 Mt. Pleasant School Register - Martha Mosasaw, age 13, father is listed as both Wm Shagonaby and Alex Mosasaw. She was admitted to school on 2 Feb 1897.
1897 Mt. Pleasant School Register, Martha, age 14, father Aelx Mosasaw of Bass River.
Father William died 25 Feb 1898 in Heath, Allegan, Michigan.
1898 Mt. Pleasant School Register, Martha, age 15, daughter of Mrs. Kate Shagonaby of Hamilton.
1898 Mt. Pleasant School Register has Catherine Shagonaby, age 11 and Eunice Shagonaby, age 6, daughters of Mrs. Kate Shagonaby of Hamilton, admitted to school on 4 Nov 1898
1899 Mt. Pleasant School Register has Martha, age 18?, daughter of Kate Shagonaby
1899 Mt. Pleasant School Register has Catherine, age 11 and Eunice, age 7, daughters of Kate Shagonaby.
1901 Mt. Pleasant School register has Nancy Shagonaby (Catherine), age 13, and Eunice Shagonaby, age 8, daughters of Kate Shagonaby of Hamilton, were admitted 1 Jul 1900.
1901 Mt. Pleasant School register shows Nancy as 13, 4 foot 10 inches tall, 90 lbs, and Eunice as 9, 4 foot tall, 49 lbs.
1903 Mt. Pleasant School register has Eunice, age 9, and Nancy, as age 11 (instead of 14). They were withdrawn from school in July 1902 as time expired.
Mother Katherine Halfday was married third to Charles Rossell/Russett/Rosette
1904 Taggart Roll
"We the undersigned Pottawatomie Indians of Michigan whose names are set forth in Schedule A annexed to claimant’s request for findings of fact, as stated and found by the Court of Claims in finding fact in the case of Phineas Pamptopee and others against the United States, reported in the Thirty-sixth Court of Claims Reports at page four hundred and thirty; hereby acknowledge the receipt from Samuel L. Taggart, Special Indian Agent, acting for and in behalf of the United States, of our award portion of the $75,329.25 appropriated by the Act of Congress approved April 21, 1904 (33 Stat. 210), for payment to the persons mentioned in the said schedule. The amount paid to and receipted for by us are taken and accepted by each and every one of us as full settlement of any claims we may have under and by virtue of the treaty and articles supplementary thereto, made with the Pottawatomie Indians September twenty-sixth and twenty-seventh, eighteen hundred and thirty-three and duly proclaimed February twenty-first, eighteen hundred and thirty-five."
181 Kate Rosoet (nee Sha-gon-na-by), 43, resides Hamilton, Michigan, received $287.98
182 Martha Taylor (nee Sha-go-na-by) daughter of 181, resides 85 Siverson St., Detroit, Michigan, received $287.98
183 Nancy, daughter of 181, minor, guardian/administrator Abeul Bulthuis, Guard, resides Hamilton, Michigan, received $287.97
184 Eunice, daughter of 181, minor, guardian/administrator Abeul Bulthuis, Guard, resides Hamilton, Michigan, received $287.97
185 Joshua, son of 181, minor, guardian/administrator Abeul Bulthuis, Guard, resides Hamilton, Michigan, received $287.97
186 Angeline, daughter of 181, minor, guardian/administrator Abeul Bulthuis, Guard, resides Hamilton, Michigan, received $287.97
"I have No. 182 (Martha Taylor nee Shagonaby) was not paid is returned to the Treasury. Evidence proves that she is not entitled to this payment having been paid by Spl. Agt. Shelby in 1896 as #131 on his roll under the name of Martha Mawsa age 13 to her then guardian M.D. Jones of Dowgiac, Mich. Her mother Kate Shagonaby admits this."
Transcriptions by Larry Wyckoff - found on academia.edu
Half sister Clara Ethel Rosette was born 12 Jun 1905 in Hartford, Van Buren, Michigan
1905 Mt. Pleasant School Register has Eunice, age 9, daughter of Kate Shagonaby of Hamilton, admitted Sep 1904. There was an Angeline Shabonaby, age 6, but as daughter of Joseph Shagonaby of Hamilton.
1905 Mt. Pleasant School Register has Joshua Shagonaby, age 9, admitted Sep 1904, son of Joseph Shagonaby of Hamilton.
1906 Mt. Pleasant School Register has Joshua Shagonaby, age 9, son of Kate Shagonaby of Hamilton, admitted Sep 1904.
1906 Mt. Pleasant School Register has Eunice, 11, and Angeline, 6, daughters of Kate Shagonaby of Hamilton, admitted 3 Sep 1904.
..
Nancy married Louis Trevan on 1 May 1906 in Detroit. While Charles Rossell was given as her father, he was actually her step-father.
Durant Roll Field Notes - 1908
#2 page 54
William Shay-go-naybe, age 92, resides Hart, Michigan; wife 1 dead, wife 2 dead
By 1st wife -
child 1 Joe Shagonaybe, 60, Hamilton, Michigan
child 2 William on 1870 roll as 11/61; wife dead
1. Nancy Trevan, 20, resides Detroit Mich - 730 Medburg Ave, husband a Negro, no child
2. Eunice Shagonaybe, 17, at Haskell Inst. Lawrence, Kansas
3. Joshua [Shagonaybe], 14, at Haskell
4. Angeline [Shagonaybe], 11, at Haskell
child 3 Louis Shaygonaybe, 58, Hart, Mcihgian
child 4 William (or Francis) Shaygonaybe - 52, Freesoil, note: the father says he had two sons by name of William
child 5 John Shaygonaybe, 45, Millerton, Mich
child 6 Moses Shaygonaybe, 47, Walkerville
child 7 Lizzie (Shaygonaybe) Medahko, 46, Millerton
child 8 Pete Shagonaybe, 34, Walkerville
1910 Federal Census - Heath, Allegan, Michigan - 12 May 1910
Russett, Charles, head, 40, married once, married 7 years, born Michigan, parents born Michigan, laborer at woodcraft
Kate, wife, 42, married three times, married 7 years, 7 children born, 6 children living, born in Canada French, parents born Michigan
Clara, daughter, 4, born in Michigan, father born in Michigan, mother born in Canada French
Shagonaby, Unis, stepdaughter, 18, born in Michigan, father born in Michigan, mother born in Canada French
Josua, stepson, 15, born in Michigan, father born in Michigan, mother born in Canada French
Angeline, stepdaughter, 12, born in Michigan, father born in Michigan, mother born in Canada French
Failer, Martha, stepdaughter, 25, married once, married 5 years, 2 children born, no children living, born in Michigan, father born in Michigan, mother born in Canada French
Green, Paul, nephew, 29, widowed, born Michigan, parents born Michigan.
Sister Eunice died 11 Oct 1914 in Heath, Allegan, Michigan. Her birth was given as 14 Jul 1892, daughter of William Shagonaby and Kate Halfaday; cause of death was pulmonary tuberculosis; informant was Kate Rosette; burial in Hamilton.
Son Lorenzo was born 7 Mar 1915 in Romulus, Wayne, Michigan
Grandfather William Shagonaybe died 11 Mar 1916 in Elbridge, Oceana, Michigan. His age is given as 102 years, 2 months; father as Joseph Tashnwum; cause of death as acute broncliutis; burial in Sayles Cemetery.
Brother Joshua registered for the draft on 5 Jun 1917 in Muskegon. He gave his birth date as 17 Mar 1895. He was single, unemployed, medium height and build, dark brown eyes, black hair.
Son Albert Calvin Trevan was born 15 Sep 1918 in Hamilton.
Nancy died 7 May 1919 in Holland, Ottawa, Michigan. Her birth was given as 27 Mar 1889, parents as Wm Shagonaby and Katherine Halfday; cause of death pulmonary tuberculosis; burial in Hamilton; informant was Louis Trevan.
Sister Angeline, 22, daughter of William Shagonby and Katherine Halfday, married Silas Bush, 26, son of Joseph Bush and Mary Mase, on 4 Oct 1919 in Saugatuck, Michigan.
Sister Angeline died 14 Feb 1920 in Holland, Ottawa, Michigan. Her birth was given as 14 Sep 1899; husband as Silas Bush; parents as Wm Shagonaby and Katherine Halfaday; cause of death lobar pneumonia, pregnant with __ ____, miscarriage ___ hemorrhage; burial at Hamilton Cemetery.
Brother Joshua married Ida Lewis, daughter of James Lewis and Mary Alexis on 5 May 1920 in Allegan, Michigan.
Half sister Clara married William White Pigeon, 3 Mar 1923 in Hamilton, Allegan, Michigan
Half sister Clara married Pascal Benoit
Mother Katherine died 4 Oct 1944. Her birth was given as 14 Aug 1868; parents not known; husband as Charley Rossette dead; cause of death as stroke; burial at Hamilton cemetery.
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Brother Joshua, 46, son of William Shagonaby and Katherine Halfday, married Voila Van Buren, 32, daughter of Stillman Van Buren and Bertha McClintic on 13 Aug 1945 in Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan.
Half sister Clara died 2 Feb 1970 in Traverse City, Grand Traverse, Michigan. She was buried in Riverside Cemetery, Hamilton, Allegan, Michigan
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Daughter Iola V. Trevan married 1) Gerhard C. Cornelissen; 2) West. She died 9 Jul 1987 and was buried at Pilgrim Home Cemetery in Holland.
Iola's children:
Gordon Wayne Cornelissen 31 Aug 1932-28 May 2005. Buried at Pilgrim Home Cemetery in Holland
Warren Cornelissen 3 Oct 1936-16 Dec 2014. Buried at Danville National Cemetery in Danville, Illinois
Perry B. Cornelissen died 15 Nov 2009. Obituary from Find-a-Grave - no source newspaper given.
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Daughter Goldie
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Son Lorenzo Trevan died 31 Oct 1982 in Holland, Ottawa, Michigan and was buried at Riverside Cemetery in Hamilton.
Lorenzo's children:
Kenichi
Virginia
Donna
Judy
Goldie
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Son Albert Calvin Trevan died 22 Sep 1986 in Holand, Ottawa, Michigan and was buried at Riverside cemetery in Hamilton.
Albert's children:
Donald
