MATTHEW BRAYTON'S NARRATIVE.
Return to St. Paul -- Sick at Chicago -- Sets out in search
of his Parents -- Reaches Cleveland -- Gets his Story Printed
-- Visits Warren, O. -- Attends Camp Meeting -- Experiences
Religion -- Reaches Sugar Grove.
The snows of winter had begun to fall when our party set out on the
route I had so recently traveled. The present company was placed under
command of a son of the principal chief, he being also the brother of
my wife. There is no reason for again describing the route, as we
traveled in the same trail that we pursued with the former party, and
this time there were no incidents of consequence to diversify the
monotony of the progress. About the beginning of April, 1859, we
reached our camping ground near St. Anthony, and on the 10th of that
month I arrived with a detachment of the tribe at St. Paul. We
remained here a few days, making inquiries of the Siouxs and Chippewas
that occasionally came in to trade, and from them I obtained a clue to
farther discoveries.
On the 16th of April I obtained leave from the chief to set out on
investigations, promising faithfully to return to St. Paul in July,
when the train would be ready to return.
To aid me in my researches I was accompanied part of the way by the
chief himself and some members of the tribe, and our party was
furnished with three ponies and five dogs. In pursuance to the
information obtained from the Sioux and Chippewas, we proceeded in
search of a party of Winnebagoes said to be located in Northern
Wisconsin. After traveling some days we reached the Wisconsin river,
and following it towards its source came on the Winnebagoes, who were
making sugar in the woods. From them I obtained the particulars of my
purchase by them from the Paw Paws, and was directed to a family yet
living in Michigan who could probably give me some farther
information.
Filled with hope I started, in company with my brother-in-law and the
other Indians, for Chicago. We traveled through the woods and across
the country, I acting as interpreter, being now able to speak English
with tolerable proficiency. Before reaching that city I was taken
sick, and on arriving there I fell into the hands of some sympathizing
persons who placed me under medical care. My escort, finding that I
had become so sick that I could neither prosecute my researches for
some time nor return with them, quitted me and returned to St. Paul,
leaving me only my faithful dog, Nawah.
I was very sick and do not remember much for two or three weeks, when
I found myself in a hospital, with my long hair cut off close to my
head and the paint scrubbed from my skin. To get it off they had used
hot water, soap and sand, and in the process had transformed me from
an Indian to a white man. I remained in the hospital for more than
five weeks, and then I was discharged as cured, though still very
weak.
On letting me go they gave me a suit of white men's clothing instead
of my Indian costume, leaving me nothing but my stone pipe and my
scalping knife. Nawah and I at once set out on our adventures, and my
steps were directed towards the place where the Paw Paw family was
said to reside. I found them after walking for two days, and then was
directed to a small village of Pottawottomies in Branch county,
Michigan. I walked to the place described, sleeping in the woods at
night as had been customary with me, but I soon found that I could no
longer do so with safety. With my long hair cut off and without my
blanket and furs, I was unprepared for camping out. The result was
that I caught a severe inflammation in my eyes that increased to an
extent threatening my sight. I could no longer bear the light and had
to walk with my head down.
On reaching the Pottawottomies I found they consisted of four families
and their chief, Mr. Macgwagor. They had settled down to civilized
life and were living as farmers. Mr. Macgwagor remembered the whole
transaction in relation to my purchase from the Canadian Indians, he
having been present at the transfer. He said the Canadian Indians had
stated at the time that they had taken me from the south side of Lake
Erie, and that, from their description, the party had probably brought
me from Ohio, as they spoke of having crossed the Sandusky river
during the journey on which they fell in with me.
On learning this I set out for Detroit and crossed over into Canada,
but without obtaining much farther information among the few
semi-civilized Indians and half-breeds that I met with there. All I
could gather was that I had probably been taken from somewhere in the
vicinity of Cleveland.
I now retraced my steps to Detroit and proceeded into Ohio, telling my
story as I went and requesting information. At Fremont I fell in with
a man who listened to my story with attention and remarked that he had
formerly heard of a family named Todd, who had lost a little boy from
the neighborhood of Cleveland a number of years ago. Acting under his
suggestions, on the following day I got on the railroad train and came
to Cleveland, where I arrived in the latter part of August.
I was in Cleveland about one day, making inquiries relative to the
Todd family and telling my story, but without getting any information
that was of use. The Todd family had removed many years since, and
I could not learn their whereabouts. I had begun to despair of ever
finding traces of my parents when a friendly colored man who had
met me and learned my story, took me to the office of the Cleveland
_Daily Herald_ for the purpose of telling my story to the editors. We
succeeded in finding one of them, Mr. J. H. A. Bone, in the office,
together with another gentleman. I told my story to them and was
cross-questioned by them very closely. In the end I was directed to an
old citizen of the place for the purpose of making inquiries, and was
told to call again and tell the result.
The person to whom I was directed was out of town, and I learned
nothing farther that night. Several persons took considerable interest
in my story and wished me well in my journeyings. Next morning I was
on the street when I saw some furs and other articles of Esquimaux
dress at the door of a building, and was told that a panorama of the
Arctic regions was on exhibition, and that one of the men belonging to
it--Thomas Hickey--had been in the far North. I went up to see him,
and to him and the proprietor, Mr. La Rue, told my story.
I then accompanied Mr. La Rue to the office of the _Herald_, and there
I again met Mr. Bone, who made me repeat my story and then printed it
with a request that any person possessing information of probable use
to the "Indian Captive" would at once furnish it.
The interest taken in my story by the editors of the Cleveland
_Herald_ has been the means of my return to my relatives.
I remained in Cleveland several days and my story excited much
interest. Some persons furnished me with portions of clothing of which
I stood in need, and I was furnished with food and sleeping room at
one of the hotels. The people at the house were surprised at my
refusal to sleep in a bed and to eat cooked meat or anything that had
salt in it, but I could not endure the method of eating or sleeping
used by civilized white people.
In a few days I learned that some persons in Warren, O., could
probably give me some information, and thither I went, the Cleveland
and Mahoning Railroad Company taking me without my paying fare. On
arriving there I found that the people to whom I was directed had gone
out of town to attend a camp meeting in Mahoning county. Some persons
going to the meeting invited me to accompany them, and in their
company I arrived at the camp meeting.
A short time sufficed to convince me that I had got on the wrong track
and that I was not the missing son of Joseph Todd. Great interest was,
however, occasioned by my story, and many questions were put to me. I
showed the Presiding Elder papers given me in proof of my belonging to
the Indian tribe and related my adventures. Finally I showed them my
dog, scalping knife and pipe. The Presiding Elder, Mr. Anson Brazee,
was so much interested in my story that he got me to repeat it to the
whole meeting. I remained with these people throughout the meeting,
and before it broke up I became thoroughly convinced of the truth of
the Christian religion and joined the church of the United Brethren.
In token that I had forever abandoned the bloody practices of
heathenism I broke my scalping knife in two, giving the handle and
part of the blade to Elder Brazee, and the other part of the blade to
a circuit preacher, the Rev. William Mclntyre. When the camp broke up
I accompanied the elder and some of the ministers to a conference in
Stark county, and from thence went to Williamsfield, Ashtabula county,
where I stayed with some farmers belonging to the church of the United
Brethren.
After staying with these good people about a fortnight I went to
Monroe, Ashtabula county, in search of some information that I
expected to get there, but failed to obtain anything of use. I then
accepted the invitation of Elder Brazee and went to his house in
Pierpont, Ashtabula county, where I stayed a short time. From there I
went to Conneautville, thence to Clark's Corners and to Connorsville.
From that place the minister sent a letter to Cleveland stating that I
had gone into Pennsylvania, and giving directions where I probably
could be heard of.
I continued to wander from place to place, wherever the faintest hope
existed of my getting any information, and in this way I visited Erie,
Waterford, Wattsburgh, and finally reached Warren, Pa., where the Rev.
William McIntyre was stationed. I remained with him a short time and
then retraced my steps to Ashtabula county, after which I again
returned to Mr. Mclntyre's and from thence went to Columbus, Pa.
My hopes of finding my relatives had now almost died out. Nearly six
months had passed, but I seemed no nearer the object of my search than
I was when I left St. Paul. Wearied out with fruitless efforts, I had
resolved to make one more attempt, and if that failed, to abandon the
search for ever and return to my tribe on the approach of spring. My
eyes remained very bad, and I therefore labored under great
disadvantages, having to be careful lest the inflammation should
increase and destroy my sight. I had gone to school for a few days in
Pennsylvania, but the state of my eyes compelled me reluctantly to
abandon the idea for the present, at least.
From Columbus I went to Sugar Grove, Warren county, Pa., close to the
New York State line. My intention was to remain there a day or two,
and then set out for the Cattaraugus Indian Reservation where I
intended making my last effort at obtaining information. If I failed
there I meant either to return to the Rev. Mr. Mclntyre's residence
and attend school for the winter, or go into Canada and remain with
the Indians until spring, when it would be time to return to St. Paul.
On the 18th of November I was at Sugar Grove when Mr. W. T. Smith, a
farmer living in New York State, just across the line, drove up with
his wagon early in the morning to take me to his house, where I was to
stay a few days previous to leaving for the Cattaraugus Reservation. I
little dreamed, when I arrived at the house, that the end of my
journeyings was so near, and that the object of the search which I had
almost abandoned in despair was already within a few hours of
attainment.