2022 Fall Newsletter

The presentations were part of Native American Heritage Month and an educational outreach project the cousins have created called “The American Indian, The Story of Us.” During those presentations, the cousins talked only a lit tle about Baptiste Peoria, who they said was a government Indian agent who coerced chiefs into signing treaties and worked closely with the “white man.” “Baptiste Peoria had Indian skin and a white soul,” Jeanne said. Instead, the cousins focused on their great-great grandfa ther, who they said is lesser known because history is often viewed from the perspective of the “white man.” “Courage does not always roar,” Jeanne said. “Sometimes, courage is the quiet voice.” Christmas Dagenet was born on Christmas Day in 1799. He was half white, as his father was a French fur trader named Ambrose Dagenet, and his mother was a Wea Indi an named Mechinquamesha. Christmas was born near Terre Haute, Ind., where the Wea tribe originated and thrived along the Wabash River. The Wea tribe was a sub-tribe of the closely related Miami tribe. Christmas was an interpreter who spoke English, French and Spanish, and he became a leader of the Wea people. In 1819, Christmas married Mary Ann Isaacs, who would later become the wife of Baptiste Peoria after Christmas’ death. Jeanne said that as white settlers continued to expand west, Native American tribes were forced to make impossible de cisions about signing treaties that would move them to new land or face possible extinction. Jeanne said the treaties were “tools of coercion.” “Christmas Dagenet did what he had to do when nothing was left but courage,” Jeanne said. “He chose life over ex tinction.” In October of 1846, soldiers appeared with guns and bay onets telling the Wea people the day had come for them to leave. It took three trips via boats to move about 350 members of the Wea tribe down multiple rivers including the Wabash, Ohio, Mississippi and Missouri, before they arrived at Westport Landing near the current City Market in Kansas City, Mo. From there, Jeanne said many of the Wea tribe members had to walk all the way to their new home in present day Miami County. Christmas made all three trips with his people, and he was a leader throughout the process, Jeanne said.

The forced removal was a grueling process for the Wea peo ple, including Christmas, who lost the use of his arm during one of the trips. Christmas died from cholera just two years later in 1848, leaving the Wea people without their trusted leader. They were eventually included in the Confederated Tribes led by Baptiste Peoria. The Peoria and Kaskaskia tribes settled in the Paola area, and the Wea and Piankishaw tribes settled in the Louisburg area. Members of the Miami tribe settled farther south, even ex tending into Linn County. Jeanne pointed out that although Baptiste Peoria did give the land for Paola’s Park Square, it was originally Indian allot ment land. Jeanne said the Miami tribe, led by Chief Thomas Richard ville, chose not to join the Confederated Tribe despite the persuasive efforts of Baptiste Peoria in 1860. “He was the man who finally pulled the rug out from under Baptiste Peoria,” Jeanne said. The Miami people remained in Kansas until the Treaty of 1867 called for their removal again, this time to the Indian Territory, known today as Oklahoma. When Jeanne and Elaine shared the story of their ancestors at Paola Middle School, many of the students asked questions about the lives of Native American children who were sent to Indian boarding schools in an attempt to assimilate them into the society of the “white man.” The Indian children had to change their name and all dress alike. “It’s a form of genocide,” Jeanne said. “A good way to get rid of people is to take their culture away.” Elaine said there were more than 400 Indian boarding schools in the country, including 12 in Kansas. “It’s important that you understand what happened,” Elaine told the students. She then explained the importance of the colorful ribbon skirt she was wearing. “The ribbon skirt is a symbol that we survived cultural geno cide,” Elaine said. “It means empowerment. We did not go away. I wear mine with pride. I honor my ancestors.” More information about Jeanne and Elaine’s project can be found on Facebook at “The American Indian, The Story of Us.”

Page 15