HISTORYOF THE OTTAWA AND CHIPPEWA INDIANSOF MICHIGAN;

A GRAMMAR OF THEIR LANGUAGE,AND PERSONAL AND FAMILY HISTORY OF THE AUTHOR,

BYANDREW J. BLACKBIRD,

LATE U.S. INTERPRETER, HARBOR SPRINGS, EMMET CO.,MICH.

INTRODUCTION

Andrew J. Blackbird, the author of this little book, is an educatedIndian, son of the Ottawa Chief. His Indian name is Mack-aw-de-be-nessy(Black Hawk), but he generally goes by the name of "Blackbird," takenfrom the interpretation of the French "L'Oiseau noir." Mr. Blackbird'swife is an educated and intelligent white woman of English descent, andthey have four children. He is a friend of the white people, as well asof his own people. Brought up as an Indian, with no opportunity forlearning during his boyhood, when he came to think for himself, hestarted out blindly for an education, without any means but his brainsand his hands.

He was loyal to the Government during the rebellion in the UnitedStates, for which cause he met much opposition by designing whitepeople, who had full sway among the Indians, and who tried to misleadthem and cause them to be disloyal; and he broke up one or tworebellious councils amongst his people during the progress of therebellion.

When Hon. D. C. Leach, of Traverse City, Mich., was Indian Agent, Mr.Blackbird was appointed United States Interpreter and continued in thisoffice with other subsequent Agents of the Department for many years.Before he was fairly out of this office, he was appointed postmaster ofLittle Traverse, now Harbor Springs, Mich., and faithfully dischargedhis duties as such for over eleven years with but very little salary.

He has also for several years looked after the soldiers' claims forwidows and orphans, both for the whites as well as for his own people,in many instances without the least compensation, not even his stampsand paper paid. He is now decrepit with old age and failing health, andunable to perform hard manual labor.

We therefore recommend this work of Mr. A. J. Blackbird as interestingand reliable.

JAMES L. MORRICE,
Treasurer of Emmet County.

C. P. NEWKIRK,
Principal Harbor Springs Public Schools.

CHARLES R. WRIGHT,
Ex-President Harbor Springs.

CHARLES W. INGALLS,
Notary Public for Emmet Co.

ALBERT L. HATHAWAY,
County Clerk, Emmet County.

WM. H. LEE,
Probate Clerk and Abstractor of Titles.

ARCH. D. METZ,
Deputy Register of Deeds.

WILLARD P. GIBSON,
Pastor Presbyterian Church.

WILLIAM H. MILLER, U.S.A.

PREFACE.

I deem it not improper to present the history of the

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