Wednesday, August 18, 2021

Kay-te-naw-be-me / Peter Moses

 Peter Moses was said to be born about 1867 in Nahma, Delta, Michigan, the son of Kay te naw be me / Augustus Moses.

His family were members of the Beaver Island Band. 

"This band, at the time of the 1836 treaty, was located on the northern tip of Beaver Island. Before the treaty of 1855, this band moved their villages to High Island and Garden Island. The chief of this band in 1836 was Kin waw be kissee or Kay nwaw be kisse. The population of this band in 1836 was 105 individuals. By the time of the 1855 treaty the population nearly doubled to 205. He remained the chief of this band until 1856 when he was replaced by Pay zhick way we dung, who continued as chief into the 1870s. This band was paid under various groups: Mackinac, Little Traverse and Garden Island.

Kay nwaw be kisse and twelve of his band purchased lands on Garden Island prior to the 1855 treaty. The majority of this band took their allotments on Garden Island and High Island with fifteen families taking their land on the Little Traverse Reservation and a few taking lands in Mackinac County." [From Larry Wyckoff's The Ottawa and Chippewa Bands in Michigan and the Allotment of their Lands under the Treaty of July 31, 1855. Available on Academia.edu]


The first found record for the name Kay-te-naw-be-me, is the 1855 land allotment. Augustus Kay te naw be me, #60, received N1/2 of the SE1/4 of section 35, T40N R10W consisting of 80 acres.  Final land paper dated 19 Aug 1875. [This man would be Peter's grandfather]




No entry for Kay te naw be me (or Chief Pay shick way we dung) has been found in the 1857 annuity rolls.


1858 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Little Traverse Band

#48 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, six children, received $33.68



1859 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Little Traverse Band

#50 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, six children, received $39.76


1860 Federal Census - Garden Island, Manitou county

Getenabami, 40

Theresa, 30

Moses, 18

William, 12

Marian, 10

Joseph , 8

Lucy, 6

Michael, 4


[Moses also used the name Augustus Moses and Moses Augustus. If really age 30 Theresa would have been too young to be Moses' mother]


1861 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Beaver Island Band

#51 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, seven children, received $41.58




1865 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Garden Island Band

#6 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, four children, received $24.00


1866 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Mackinac Band

#7 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, four children, received $22.44



1867 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Mackinac Band

#8 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, five children, received $24.99



1868 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Mackinac Band

#10 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, three children, received $79.25



1870 Annuity roll - Chief Pay zhick way we dung - Little Traverse Band

#9 Kay te naw be me, one man, one woman, two children, received $61.20




1870 Federal Census - not yet found


Before 1880 Peter's father Augustus Moses married Mary, the daughter of Peter Beaver / Pawzhedawnawquot and Catherine Shedowin. [She is not the mother of Frank or Peter.]


1880 Federal Census - Nahma

Feather, Sarah, 30, keeping house

Thomas, 7, son

Joseph, 5, son

Auggust, 2, daughter

Moses, Peter, 17, boarder, laborer



Moses, Buffalo, 36, laborer

Mary, 32, keeping house

Frank, 15, at home

Susan, 8

Peter, 6

William, 1

[Buffalo was Augustus, Frank was Augustus' son by first wife, the Peter in this census was Mary's son by her first husband, William was the son of Augustus and Mary, not known which was Susan's parent]


On 21 May 1889 at Garden, Delta county, Peter, 21, laborer, son of Augustus Moses, married Mary Ann Marten, 18, daughter of Peter Marten. Ceremony performed by P. Girard, pastor. Witnesses were Benjamin Main of Nahma and Leon Lambert of Garden.

[Mary Ann was actually the daughter of Peter Beaver/Pawzhedawnawquot and Catherine Shedowin. Peter married his step-mother's sister]


Son Daniel was born 10 May 1891 [from his delayed birth certificate registered 14 Jan 1943]


Son Jacob was born 15 Nov 1892 [from his WWII draft registration]

Daughter Sophia was said to be born in 1894

Daughter Mary C. was born 20 Apr 1897 [From her tombstone. Her delayed birth certificate, registered 12 May 1954, mistakenly says she was born 20 Apr 1887.]


Son Isaac was said to be born in 1897

Son Moses was born 16 Oct 1898 in Nahma.


1900 Federal Census - Nahma, Delta, Michigan

Moses, Peter, 35, married 12 years, farm laborer

Mary Ann, wife, 30, 6 children born, 6 children living

Daniel, son, 10

Jacob, son, 8

Isaac, son, 3

Sophia, daughter, 6

Mary daughter, 4

Moses, son, 2

Beaver, Katrine, mother-in-law, 70, 10 children born, 6 children living




Moses, Peter, 25, vessel loader [This Peter was Peter Tenesis/Tennyson]
William, 20, brother
Jennie, 18, sister
Lizzie, 16, sister
Katie, 15, sister
Ellen, 14, sister
Josie, 12, sister
Benjamin, 9, son




Daughter Marian was said to be born about 1902 [Age 5 on 1908 Durant Roll field notes; age 8 on 1910 Federal Census]

Daughter Angeline was born 30 Nov 1902 [from death certificate]

Brother Frank, 36, laborer, son of K. Moses and Angie Williams, married Sarah Shanoska, 19, daughter of George Shanoska and Mary Shenonoquet, 28 Dec 1903 at Burt Lake. Ceremony was performed by Rev. Marian Glahn, Catholic Priest. Witnesses were Albert and Eliza Shananquet. 


On 10 Sep 1904  several of Peter's children were admitted to the Mount Pleasant Indian Industrial Boarding School for a period of three years; Dan, age 14, Isaac, age 9, and Jacob (Jackey), age 12.




Daughter Elizabeth was born 22 Feb 1906


Sister Josie, 19, was married 17 Jan 1907 to Cyrus Ousley by Methodist Minister Frederich Spence. Josie's parents were given as Moses Augustus and Mary Beaver.


Son Frank was said to be born in Sep 1907

Half-sister Josie died 17 Sep 1908 in Nahma of tuberculosis.



1908 Durant Roll Field Notes

page 34 line 4 Peter Pawzhedawnawguot, dead; wife Catharine Penayseqyay, 80, Namah (sic).


child 2 - Mary Mashequeto, 50, Namah, 

    1st husband dead; children:

        Peter Tenesis or Tennyson, 35, Namah, single, has one eye, also known as Pete Moses #2. 

        Margaret, dead, husband, white, child Adolph Romer, 20, Mt. Pleasant School

        Mary, dead, husband Joe Kezhick Sr., 38, child Joe Kezhick, 12, Mt. Pleasant School

    2nd husband Augustus Moses, dead; children: 

        William Moses, 29, married Madeline Saganeck;

        Lizzie Lucia, 23, husband white, child Leo Lucia, born Nov 1907

        Ellen Oga, 21, husband, Edward Oga, 32, children: David, 2; Albert, 5, died Oct 1908; Amos, 3,             Stella, 2, George, born 20 Aug 1908

        Josephine, 19, died Sep 1908, no children; husband Cyrus Elsley, white, left his wife before her             death, pay share to mother

        Benjamin, 10

    3rd husband, Joe Mashequeto, 55

        Mary Mashequeto, Jr. 15, Mt. Pleasant School

        Catherine Mashequeto, 21, died Jun 1908 - daughter by Jos Mashequeto former wife


child 7 - Mary Ann Moses, 35, Namah (sic), husband Peter Moses, 39, see 9/34 - their children:

Dan, 19

Jacob, 17

Sophia, 15

Mary, 13

Isaac, 11

Moses, 9

Angeline, 7

Marian, 5

Elizabeth, 2

Frank, 1, born Sep 1907








page 34 line 9 Kay-te-naw-be-me, dead; wife dead.

Child 1 - Isabella Chingwashe, 45, Harbor Springs, see 1/62 and 12/60, married David Chingwashe, 58, Harbor Springs. [1/62 says she is dead and calls her stepdaughter of Kay-te-naw-be-me; 12/60 says she is dead and gives her father as Addison C. Shaw.]

Child 2 - Frank Shaw-way-ne-ge-zhick aka Frank Moses, 43, Allenville; married Sarah Shaw-naw-se-gay, 30 [8/31 gives her father as Aw-be-taw-ge-zhe, dead, wife dead, says Sarah lives at Pt. St. Ignace, son Francis Moses was born 28 Aug 1908.]

Child 3 - Peter Kay-to-naw-be-me aka Peter Moses, 38, Nahma, wife Mary Ann, 35. See 4/34

Child 4 - Wm Moses or Wm Kay-to-naw-be-me, no age given

Child 5 - Ben Moses or Ben Kay-to-naw-be-me, no age given




Peter's children admitted to the Mount Pleasant Boarding School on 1 Oct 1908 were Moses, age 8, Jakey, age 16, Isaac, age 10 (circled and 12 written), and Mary, age 12




Unnamed daughter was said to be born in 1909. [Age 5/12 in 1910 census]/


Dan Moses and an unidentified man



1910 Federal Census - Nahma, Delta, Michigan

Moses, Peter, 39, laborer in lumber yard

Mary Ann, wife, 40

Daniel, son, 21

Sophia, daughter, 17

John, son, 19

Mary, daughter, 15

Isaac, son, 13

Moses, son, 11

Mary Ann, daughter, 8

Angeline, daughter, 6

Frank, son, 2

Elizabeth, daughter, 5

unnamed daughter, 5/12


Next door was the family of Joseph Mashaqulto, 55, married twice married for 10 years; and his wife Mary, 57, married twice married for 10 years, 11 children born, 5 children living. Listed as Joseph's stepchildren are: William Moses, 30 (with wife Madeline); Ellen Oga, 27 (with her 4 children) and Benjamin Moses, 28. 

[Mary was the sister of Peter's wife Marian/Mary Ann. Mary was married three times, her second husband being Augustus Moses, the father of Peter Moses. Her children with Augustus (William, Lizzie, Ellen, Josephine and Benjamin) are Peter's half-siblings.]




The Escanaba Daily Press announced that a marriage license had been obtained by son Daniel.




Son Daniel, 22, was married on 17 Jul 1910 in Nahma to Charlotte Jane Rickley, 17, daughter of Louis Rickley and Janet Foster by W. F. Gaginer. Witnesses werer Jacob Moses of Indian Point and Ethel Ricley of Nahma



1910 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Jakey, 17, Moses, 9, and Mary 13



1911 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Jakey, 19, Moses, 10, Mary 14




Admitted to the Mount Pleasant Boarding School on  15 Sep 1911 for 3 years were Jakey, 19; Moses, 12; Mary, 15; and Marian 11




1912-1913 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Jakey, 20, went home 30 Sep 1912; Moses, 13, Mary, 16 and Marian, 12.




Escanaba Daily Press - 20 Mar 1913 tells of Jacob and Isaac being involved in an assault.


1913-1914 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Mary, age 17; Marian, age 12, went home 31 Oct 1913.


1914-1915 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Mary, 18, admitted 1 Jul 1914


1915-1916 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Mary, age 18; Mary Ann, age 14, admitted 1 Sep 1915



Sault Ste Marie Evening News - 19 Oct 1916, tells of the death of Isaac Moses of Nahma three weeks earlier. [Unknown if this is the same Isaac as the son of Peter.]




1916-1917 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Mary, age 19 and Marian, age 14



Daughter Sophia accidentally drowned on 7 Sep 1917 in Schoolcraft county. 


1917-1918 Mount Pleasant Boarding School register 

Marian, age 14, withdrawn 1 Jun 1918


Son Daniel registered for the draft on 5 Jun 1919 in Nahma. He gave his birth as 30 Jul 1889, employer as Bay de Naquet Co., married, 2 children. Daniel was described as tall, medium build, black hair and eyes.



Daughter-in-law Charlotte died after May 1919, but before Apr 1920, leaving Daniel with three small children, Emily born 1912, Irene born 1915, and Thomas said to be born in May 1919. 


Daughter Mary, age 22, was married on 27 Oct 1919 in Petoskey, to Noah Jacko, 32, common labor, son of John Jacko and Susan Lossa, by Wmm. R. Montgomery, Justice of the Peace. Witnesses were Moses Gibson and Celia Obenaw, both of Petoskey.



1920 Federal Census - Nahma, Delta, Michigan

Moses, Peter, 47, laborer at general labor

Mary A., wife, 42

Jacob, son, 28, laborer at general labor

Daniel, son, 30, widowed, laborer at general labor

Moses, son, 21, laborer at general labor

Angeline, daughter, 10

Elizabeth, daughter, 14

Emily, granddaughter, 7

Irene, granddaughter, 5

Thomas, grandson, 11/12



Escanaba Daily Press - 15 Mar 1924, tells of Peter going to jail because of killing deer out of season.



On 2 Jun 1924 son Jake, 34, took out a license to marry Mary Zack nee Langiscna, 33, born Bird Lake [Burt Lake]. The part for the ceremony was not filled in.


The Escanaba Daily News - 6 Jun 1924, tells of the marriage license




Grandson Isaac, son of Jacob, died 8 Mar 1925 at the age of 1 year, 1 month, 23 days. 



Escanaba Daily Press - 14 Mar 1925 tells of  baby Isaac's funeral



Daughter Angeline, age 23, was married to Jacob Peaine, 29, lumberman, son of Jim Peaine and Agnes, by C. W. Hecox, Justice of the Peace at St. Ignace, Mackinac, Michigan. Witnesses were Mrs. Jeanettte Shedowin and Mr. Jake Moses of Nahma. License is dated 4 Sep 1926 while the marriage took place 20 Sep 1928. 



Son Mose, age 29, was married to Susie McKenny, 21, daughter of Pete McKenny and Rosie Anthony on 15 Nov 1929 at St. James, Beaver Island, Charlevoix county. Ceremony was performed by Rev. Aubert Keuter, Catholic Indian Mission Priest. Witnesses were Amos and Eva Anthony.


Prior to 1930, son Daniel has married Nancy.


1930 Federal Census - Nahma, Delta, Michigan

Moses, Peter, 63, first marriage at 24, cutting logs at lumber woods

Mary Ann, wife, 57, first marriage at 18

Emily, granddaughter, 18

Irene, granddaughter, 17

Baby, granddaughter, 0/12

Daniel, son, 38, first marriage at 21, top loader at wood camp

Nancy, daughter-in-law, 25, first married at 17


Peaine, Jacob, son-in-law head, 35, first marriage at 24, piece marker at lumber woods

Angeline daughter wife, 27, first married at 22




Moses, Jacob, 38, first marriage at 28, laborer at odd jobs

Mary, wife, 34, first marriage at 24

Liza, daughter, 10

Lena, daughter, 4

Jonas, son, 11/12




Daughter Elizabeth, 23, was married on 2 Oct 1930 in Escanaba, Delta county to Stanley Sochay, son of John Sochay and Josephine. Ceremony was performed by James S. Doherty, Justice of the Peace, with Levi M. Feathers and Emily Florence Moses, both of Nahma, as witnesses.



1931 postcard 


Granddaughter Emily, daughter of Daniel, married Marcell Boully, son of Edward Boully and Catherine Foster, on 6 Jan 1931 in Nahma. License was dated 13 Apr 1929.


Grandson Thomas Jacko, son of daughter Mary, died 8 Aug 1931 of cholera. His birth was given as 18 Dec 1929.


Granddaughter Irene, 18, daughter of Daniel, was married 4 Jun 1933 in St. James, Charlevoix county to Edmond Antouine, 22, son of John Antouine and Mary Blackbird. License dated 21 Oct 1931.




Grandson Dennis Jacko, son of daughter Mary, died 15 Sep 1933 of diarrhea and enteritis caused by bronchial pneumonia. His birth was given as 29 Aug 1931 [three weeks after his brother's death]






Daughter-in-law Mary (wife of Jacob) died 9 Feb 1935 from pneumonia.


Escanaba Daily News 12 Feb 1935



Daughter Angeline Peaine died 12 Feb 1941 in Nahma. 


Angeline was buried at Indian Point Cemetery in Nahma.




Escanaba Daily News 14 Feb 1941




Son Daniel registered for the draft on 27 Apr 1942 in Escanaba. He gave his birth as 10 May 1891. He was described as 5' 10", 200 lbs, brown eyes, brown hair, dark brown complexion. Daniel was employed by the Bay de Noc Lumber Company.



On the same day son Jacob registered in St. Ignace. He gave his birth as 15 Nov 1892, employer as C.C. Eby. Jacob was described as 5' 11", 219 lbs, brown eyes, black hair, dark brown complexion.




Escanaba Daily Press 11 Feb 1945






Escanaba Daily Press 26 Sep 1945 tells of visitors



The marriage of granddaughter Lena (daughter of Jacob) to Charles W. McGrath was announced in the Escanaba Daily News of 1 Mar 1946


 Photo of Peter Moses, date unknown



Peter died in  6 Jul 1946 in Pentland, Luce county and was buried at Indian Point Cemetery.



Escanaba Daily Press - 9 Jul 1946 - While the obituary gives Peter's birth as 4 Jan 1857, his age in the 1900, 1910, 1920 and 1930 census puts his birth as 1865-1871.



Escanaba Daily Press - 11 Jul 1946 - tells of Peter's funeral.



Escanaba Daily News - 11 Oct 1946. Jacob plead guilty of having a fawn carcass.





Wife Maryann died 8 Nov 1946 in Delta county at age 72. She was buried at Indian Point Cemetery in Nahma. 

Escanaba Daily News


Escanaba Daily Press - 12 Nov 1946




Escanaba Daily News - 6 Dec 1946 regarding Marion Moses (Mrs. Peter Moses) estate.









Stories told by Lena Moses McGrath from "Giishkiboojigeng" (logging). [This book was made possible by the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Native Americans, and a match by the Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians.]



"I think most of my memories are around my grandmother and grandfather. In the 30's they worked for this Bay DeNoc lumber camp. They employed over 30 Indians and they had some Chimookamon who were qualified to do some of the things the Anishinaabe couldn't do. He had his own blacksmith shop and cook tent. They had a loading dock where they took care of the lumber. It was a little town in itself. They did everything themselves. Because of whom they worked for, they got their supplies there. They must have gotten their horses from somewhere because that was their power to move the logs and work in the woods. This was during the depression and they made it. The men stayed there and, if they had room, the families lived there too. My family was only my brother and I. My older sister stayed behind so she could go to school and we went with my dad and grandparents. It was kind of simple. It's not like it is today. I don't know if we could have coped with that.

My mother was Chippewa. She came from Burt Lake. When my dad brought her home to his mother and dad's family they were kind of standoffish with her because she was from a different Indian tribe. She was already in the family so it took them a while to get used to her. I remember a story when my mother was young and came from down here, she was healthy and energetic. She always was. She came into my dad's family just in time to help with his relatives. A lot more of them were down than were able to help themselves. They had whatever went around at that time, a sickness, and the families were dying from that sickness. My mother, not being from there, took care of them as much as she could. She went to homes where she would keep fires, bring water, help to keep it clean for them. She really outdid herself, this I heard from other people. I do remember hearing this talk about my mother. I was so proud she was able to do that. She was healthy and strong and able to help my dad's family. When she died, she died in the same camp, but she had pneumonia. The way they tell it, she was sweating from trying to clean out a watering place where they had clean, pure water. I guess the horses used to be taken to that well. It was covered with leaves and all kinds of stuff you get in the woods and she was cleaning that water. By herself, she had to work fast because she had her own home to take care of too. She passed away in February, so it might have been January and February when she was doing this. She caught pneumonia, then she got well and she wouldn't rest. That water was on her mind and she was doing that and caught that pneumonia again. She wasn't well enough to go back and do that, so that's what took her. She was alone. Apparently, no one was around to come and help her. There was only my brother and me in the house. My dad, again, would leave early in the morning and we wouldn't see him until late at night. He would be working all that time in the woods. All of the family helped the grandparents run this camp. There was always a lot of work to do and that went on from fall till spring. That was our life in the camp, and our mother was alone when she died.

My father would leave early in the morning and we would see him late at night. He always worked in the woods.

That's another thing, even though I was under 7, one time I remember sitting at the kitchen table window and I had a tablet and pencil. I can still see that tablet. It was rough when you touched it, a rough texture, and as soon as I did I knew I had to write. I don't remember going to school before that. I must have. I sat down and wrote a letter to my sister. She was in Pine River with my half-sister who was adopted out when she was born. I wrote, "Dear Sister, come home, our mother is dying." I remember that so clear. I remember signing my name, folding it and putting it in an envelope. I had a stamp. I wish I could remember how much stamps were at that time. There was a stamp there and I put it on the envelope and probably put our name "Moses" then. I tied it on the end of a willow stick (the willow that grows so tall). I tied the letter on there because I saw this being done at the camp. It had some string and tied it on the end of that pole and brought it down to the railroad that brought our supplies and brought our mail, and things from Nahma - from the town. I held it up to the Engineer of the supply train. He was going slow enough. I waved to him when I was going down there so he knew I had something. I held it up and he grabbed it while the train was just barely going along. That's how my letter got mailed. It got down to Pine River. That's all I wrote on the letter. There was no house number or road. I know it was Pine River, Michigan and where we were, Nahma, Camp 5. We weren't in Camp 5, we were in Camp 4, but my sister knew. They somehow got her up there just in time. I think she came the day of my mother's passing away. She got there that morning and my mother was gone in the afternoon some time. Then, she had two or three people getting her ready to take her down to Nahma, itself. Me and my brother remember that so clearly. There was nothing said about her afterwards until I got older and heard that story about her helping others when she first joined the family. Still, I wish I knew more about it, what happened to her farm. I heard it went back to the State when the lands were all being taken back. They had to pay taxes. I remember $2 or $3 a year and we didn't have that, but we didn't know we had to. I wish I could remember more. 

—Lena McGrath"


Traverse City Record-Eagle 1 Jan 2010





copyright (c) 2021 Vicki Wilson

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