Stone Pillar of Chief Yellow Thunder and His Squaw, Situated a Few
Miles North of Baraboo
Passing the Baraboo Cemetery and continuing for a distance of five
miles north of Baraboo, Yellow Thunder's Pillar is situated where two
roads cross. The stone monument stands but a short distance from where
the old chief traversed an Indian trail and not far from where he died
and was buried. On one side appears the following inscription:
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
* YELLOW THUNDER *
* Chief of the Winnebago *
* Born 1774--Died 1874 *
* ---- *
* And His Squaw *
* Died 1868 *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Yellow Thunder, a noted warrior and chief of the Winnebago, was "to the
manor born." With his tribe he probably took part, on the side of the
British, in the War of 1812.
He was buried three days after he had passed to the happy hunting
grounds, his body laid in a box in a horizontal position with face to
the west, and his pipe and various trinkets around. His squaw was
interred in similar fashion except that the body was placed in a
sitting position. The ceremonies in both instances were conducted by
Indians, white neighbors assisting only in bearing the bodies to the
graves.
Yellow Thunder is said to have been a "man of great respectability
among his people, and an able councilor in all their public affairs. He
was a zealous Catholic."
In an interview, (see Wisconsin Historical Collections) Moses Paquette
said of him that he was a fine looking Indian, tall, straight, and
stately, but had an overweening love for firewater. This was his only
vice.
Forcibly Removed
[Illustration: YELLOW THUNDER]
In 1840 the Indians from this section were forcibly removed by United
States troops under the command of Colonel Worth, down the Wisconsin
River in boats and canoes to lands west of the Mississippi river.
Yellow Thunder and others were invited to Portage to obtain provisions,
but instead of that, according to John T. de la Ronde, "were put into
the guardhouse, with ball and chain, which hurt the feelings of the
Indians very much, as they had done no harm to the government." It is
said Yellow Thunder felt the disgrace so keenly he wept. They were
afterwards released and taken down the river.
Yellow Thunder, his squaw, and others, however, soon returned, walking
some 50 miles and arriving amid familiar scenes before the troops that
had taken them away came back. The chief secured forty acres in the
town of Fairfield from the government and there he spent much of his
time until his death in 1874.
After the demise of his squaw in 1868, Yellow Thunder lived but little
in the log house which stood about three-fourths of a mile northeast of
the pillar. A few weeks before his death in November, he located his
tent on the bank of the Wisconsin river about a mile north of his land
in the woods. Here the neighbors ministered to his simple wants, death
resulting from an injury to one of his knees, followed by blood poison.
Pillar Erected
In 1909, it was decided by members of the Sauk County Historical
Society to remove the remains of Yellow Thunder and his squaw to a new
location, fearing that by clearing and cultivating the land the graves
would become obliterated. An excavation was made, the bones were placed
in a large vitrified tile, and the cairn erected, the earthen
receptacle becoming a part of the boulder-made ossuary. Here, near a
familiar trail, not far from the white neighbors with whom the Indians
often mingled and sometimes ate, the remains rest in this enduring
sepulcher.
From Waubun
The following incidents taken from Wau-Bun, a narrative of the early
days at Fort Winnebago, by Mrs. J. H. Kinzie, show some of the
characteristics of the squaw of Yellow Thunder.
Among the women with whom I early made acquaintance was the wife of
Wau-kaun-zee-kah, the Yellow Thunder. She had accompanied her husband,
who was one of the deputation to visit the President, and from that
time forth she had been known as "the Washington woman." She had a
pleasant, old-acquaintance sort of air in greeting me, as much as to
say, "You and I have seen something of the world." No expression of
surprise or admiration escaped her lips, as her companions, with
childlike laughing simplicity, exclaimed and clapped their hands at the
different wonderful objects I showed them. Her deportment said plainly,
"Yes, yes, my children, I have seen all these things before." It was
not until I put to her ear a tropical shell of which I had a little
cabinet, and she heard its murmuring sound, that she laid aside her
apathy of manner. She poked her finger into the opening to get at the
animal within, shook it violently, then raised it to her ear again, and
finally burst into a hearty laugh, and laid it down, acknowledging by
her looks, that this was beyond her comprehension.
I had one shell of peculiar beauty--my favorite in the whole
collection--a small conch, covered with rich, dark veins. Each of the
visitors successively took up this shell, and by words and gestures
expressed her admiration, evidently showing that she had an eye for
beauty--this was on the occasion of the parting visit of my red
daughters.
Shortly after the payment had been completed and the Indians had left,
I discovered that my valued shell was missing from the collection.
Could it be that one of the squaws had stolen it? It was possible--they
would occasionally, though rarely do such things under the influence of
strong temptation. I tried to recollect which among the party, looked
most likely to have been the culprit. It could not have been the
Washington woman--she was partly civilized and knew better.
A few weeks afterward Mrs. Yellow Thunder again made her appearance and
carefully unfolding a gay colored chintz shawl, which she carried
rolled up in her hand, she produced the shell, and laid it on the table
before me. I did not know whether to show by my countenance displeasure
at the trick she had played me, or joy at receiving my treasure back
again, but at last decided it was the best policy to manifest no
emotion whatever.
She prolonged her visit until my husband's return, and he then
questioned her about the matter.
"She had taken the shell to her village, to show to some of her people,
who did not come to the payment."
"Why had she not asked her mother's leave before carrying it away?"
"Because she saw that her mother liked the shell, and she was afraid
she would say, No."
This was not the first instance in which Madame Washington had
displayed the shrewdness which was a predominant trait in her
character. During the visit of the Indians to the Eastern cities, they
were taken to various exhibitions, museums, menageries, theatres, etc.
It did not escape their observation that some silver was always paid
before entrance and they inquired the reason. It was explained to them.
The woman brightened up as if struck with an idea.
"How much do you pay for each one?"
Her father told her.
"How do you say that in English?"
"Two shillings."
"Two shinnin----humph" (good).
The next day, when as usual, visitors began to flock to the rooms where
the Indians were sojourning, the woman and a young Indian, her
confederate, took their station by the door, which they kept closed.
When any one knocked, the door was cautiously opened, and the woman,
extending her hand exclaimed--"Two shinnin."
This was readily paid in each instance, and the game went on, until
she had accumulated a considerable sum. But this did not satisfy her.
At the first attempt of a visitor to leave the room, the door was held
close, as before, the hand was extended, and "two shinnin" again met
his ear. He tried to explain that, having paid for his entrance, he
must go out free. With an innocent shake of the head, "Two shinnin" was
all the English she could understand.
The agent, who had entered a short time before, and who overhearing the
dialogue, sat laughing behind his newspaper, waiting to see how it
would all end, now came forward and interfered, and the guests were
permitted to go forth without further contribution.