Ira Gristoe

Ira was a son of the Menominee Indian Tribe of Wisconsin

Biography:
Ira was a young Menominee born between 1902 and 1906 to father Joseph "Joe" Gristoe and his wife Rachel (NN). His birth surname seems to be Gristoe but he is also known as Ira Girsteau and Ira Gristean.

According to Carla Joinson in her book Vanished in Hiawatha, Ira was admitted to the Canton Asylum but both the date and the diagnosis are unknown. Ira is not included in the June 30, 1917 asylum census but he is included in the June 30, 1918 asylum census, provided a range for commitment, beginning at age 12!

Ira died at the age of 14!, in the Canton Asylum on March 24, 1920, and was buried in the Canton Hiawatha Cemetery tier 1 plot 76 on March 27, 1920. (Curator Note: Why was a child so young committed to an Insane Asylum?)

His profile is part of the The Canton Asylum One Place Study.

Research Notes:
-Carla Joinson says he was 14 when he died, indicating a preference for the 1906 date of birth. The 1910 federal census says he was 10 years old in 1910.
-he does NOT show in the 1921 Indian census
__________
Sources:

1910 Apr 30 - "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MP2L-WYD : Tue Oct 03 07:39:07 UTC 2023), Entry for Joseph Gristean and Racheal Gristean, 1910, pg. 177/1294, line 24 (age 10), census of the Menominee Indian Reservation, Shawano County, Wisconsin

1911 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, archive.org/details/indiancensusroll200unit/mode/2up. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 258/589, line 402 (Joe, Rachel, Joseph Jr. Marcella, Ester, Ira), census of the Menominee Indian School, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1912 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, archive.org/details/indiancensusroll200unit/mode/2up. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 319/589, line 416 (Joe, Marcella, Ester, Ira, daughter Rachel), census of the Menominee Indian School, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1913 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, archive.org/details/indiancensusroll200unit/mode/2up. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 415/589, line 430 (Joe, Marcella, Ester, Ira, daughter Rachel), census of the Menominee Indian School, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1914 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, archive.org/details/indiancensusroll200unit/mode/2up. Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 511/589, line 430, census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1915 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll201unit/page/n31/mode/1.... Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 32/619, line 431, census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1916 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll201unit/page/n31/mode/1.... Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 150/619, line 431, census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1917 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll201unit/page/n31/mode/1.... Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 316/619, line 430, census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1918 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll201unit/page/n31/mode/1.... Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 424/619, line 448, census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1918 Jun 30 -Camp Verde School: 1910-27; Canton Insane Asylum: 1910-22, Series: Superintendents' Annual Narrative and Statistical Reports, Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408 @ https://catalog.archives.gov/id/155854182?objectPage=886

1919 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll201unit/page/n31/mode/1.... Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 534/619, line 452, census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1920 Jun 30 - United States. National Archives and Records Service, and Allen County Public Library Genealogy Center. “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll202unit/page/n32/mode/1.... Accessed 19 Feb. 2024, pg 33/810, line 452 ("Died March 24, 1920"), census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1920 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5RG-Z2ZM : Fri Oct 06 16:35:43 UTC 2023), Entry for Ira Gristoe, pg. 35/813, line 452 (Died March 24, 1920), census of the Menominee Indians, Keshena Agency, Wisconsin

1920 Jan 30 - "United States Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:M6J7-FFS : Fri Dec 22 19:50:40 UTC 2023), Entry for Ira Gristeau, 1920, pg. 651/1130, line 35 (age 14), census of the Asylum for Indians, Canton Township, Lincoln County, South Dakota

1920 Mar 27 - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14494272/ira-girstean: accessed February 19, 2024), memorial page for Ira Girstean (unknown–27 Mar 1920), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14494272, citing Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery, Canton, Lincoln County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Graveaddiction (contributor 46528400).
(Curator Note: Mar 27 was the date of burial and the date of death was Mar 24 confirmed by census records)

Hilton, M. (Ed.). (2023, July 10). Hiawatha Asylum for Insane Indians Historical Marker. Historical Marker. https://www.hmdb.org/m.asp?m=183486 Photo by Ruth VanSteenwyk, July 10, 2023, courtesy of HMdb.org

James Hathorn 11-29-19 · Ira Girsteau 3-27-20 · Edward Hedges 5-21-20