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 Wilson
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