Josephine DeCouteau

Josephine was a Chippewa woman (Turtle Mountain Band)

Chippewa Land Cessions in North Dakota. Adapted from Schneider, 1994.

The Turtle Mountain Reservation is located in the Turtle Mountains near the Canadian border. A treaty was signed in 1863 that established the Turtle Mountain Reservation. The U.S. government had not counted the Métis as part of the Chippewa population at that time, so the reservation was much too small. In Canada, the Métis are considered a separate tribe, but in North Dakota, they are part of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa. Through the years, many of the Métis developed their lifestyles which blended parts of both the Indian and the French cultures. The only town on the Turtle Mountain Reservation is Belcourt

The Sweet Corn Treaty (1858) was the first to designate particular pieces of land for the Chippewa bands. The Sweet Corn Treaty was an agreement between the Chippewas and the Dakotas. SHSND MSS 0084
Transcribed as follows:
We Ojoupay (Sweet Corn) son of Ojoupay second chief of the Sissseton and Yankton tribes of Dacotahs; and Wahnahtah (he who rushes on) son of Wahnahtah first chief of the Sisseton and Yankton tribes of Dacotahs; do hereby declare that we intend to abide by the Articles of the treaty entered into by our fathers represented by Chief Emay das kah (flat mouth) at Priaire du Chien about thirty three years ago by which treaty the boundary line dividing the lands of the two nations (the Chippeways and Dacotahs) was established and agreed upon.

We furthermore declare that it is within our recollection that after the above treaty was agreed upon the boundary line has ever been known by us and our people to have been as follows:

Commencing at the mouth of the river Wahtab, thence ascending its course and running through Lake Wahtab: from thence taking a westerly course and passing through the fork of the Sauk River: thence running in a northerly direction through Otter Tail Lake and striking the Red River at the mouth of Buffalo River: thence following the course of the Red River down to the mouth of Goose River: thence ascending the course of Goose River up to its source: after leaving the Lake, continuing its western course to Maison du Chien: from thence taking a northwesterly direction to its terminus at a point on the Missouri River within gunshot sound of Little Knife River.

In the treaty between the Chippewa and Dakota, they agreed to abide by the boundaries, as well as allowing each other, in a neighborly manner, to hunt on each other's land if game was scarce on either side. They also agreed that depredations by members of each tribe, such as stealing horses, needed to be dealt with, either by return of property or repayment for damages. These articles were agreed upon 33 years earlier by the forefathers of these two tribes, Chief Waanatan (He Who Rushes On) for the Dakota, and Chief Emay das kah (Flat Mouth) for the Chippewa. To bind the treaty, oral history states that there was an exchange of tribal members. “We will not make war against our grandchildren” was a statement made by the treaty signers.

Turtle Mountain Chippewa; 1885; J. Harold Waugh photographs from the Spirit Lake Reservation (Devil's Lake Reservation), NMAI.AC.143; National Museum of the American Indian Archives Center, Smithsonian Institution

Biography:
Born either November 13 or December 14, 1905, to father Norbert DeCouteau (Indian) and mother LaRosa NN, both born in North Dakota, Josephine was admitted to the Canton Asylum for Insane Indians by 1921 (actual date unknown) by the Turtle Mountain Agency, Belcourt, North Dakota. There is no record of her diagnosis. Josephine was the youngest of seven siblings born from 1895-1907.

Her surname Decoteau is an altered form of the French Canadian surname Descoteaux. The surname is common among Native Americans in North Dakota, including the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, and would suggest that both parents descended from French Canadian Indians.

Josephine is not in the 1920 federal census for the Canton Asylum, nor is she included in the 1921 asylum female census. She is included in the June 30, 1922 asylum female census on line 10. This would suggest that she was admitted between June 30, 1921, and June 30, 1922. Factor into that a marriage sometime before June 30, 1922.

At some point before June 30, 1922, she married Daniel Amyotte, a Chippewa Indian, according to the June 30, 1922 census. And according to Carla Joinson in her book Vanished in Hiawatha, Josephine died in the asylum on April 5, 1923, at the age of 18.

According to the February 23, 1934 letter from Dr. L.L. Culp to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Josephine was buried in the Canton Hiawatha Cemetery, tier 6 plot 44.

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

Research Notes:
-There is an extensive listing of Decoteau family members on the internet, Josephine was NOT a member of that New England family. there was a very large DeCouteau family in North Dakota at Turtle Mountain at this time, it appears that father Norbert could have several siblings according to the June 30, 1917, Indian census
-possible tree based on age from the 1906 Indian census at Turtle Mountain may include:
Parents: John B (63) and wife Margaret (63), Louis Jr (67) possible brother of John B,
Siblings: Alexander (33), Andre (30), Daniel (34), Ezaer (41), Frank (38), James (35), Joseph (39), La Rose (29) with husband Tousant, Louis (38), Moses (56) may be the older generation, Norbert (60) may be the older generation, Joseph (22), Patrice (36), St Pierre (30), William (22)

Further or Recommended Reading:
1. “Turtle Mountain.” North Dakota Studies, State Historical Society of North Dakota, www.ndstudies.gov/curriculum/high-school/turtle-mountain. Accessed 10 Feb. 2024.

__________
Sources:
***indicates sources attached to Joshphie DeCouteau b. 1905 that appear to be for other persons with the same name, indexed incorrectly on FamilySearch, and are here erroneous. Across many generations and families of the name DeCouteau, Chippewa Indians, this is a common name.

• **1903 Jul 1 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:DW4M-W6PZ : Fri Oct 06 04:02:13 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, 1903, pg.65/675, line 3, census of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, Devils Lake Agency, No. Dakota

(Curator Note: This census identifies Josephine b = 1903 with what appear to be parents James (26) and Emily (22). This is an error, we know from many other sources that (this) Josephine was born in 1905)

1906 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66GW-424G : Tue Oct 03 15:29:14 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, 1906, pg. 120/896, line 799, census of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Devils Lake Agency, North Dakota

Curator Note: in this census over several pages, it can be seen that Josephine, among other names, was common and used across families with the surname DeCouteau. Caution is advised

1907 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66P8-L43P : Fri Oct 06 13:52:52 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, 1907, pg. 303/869, line 815, census of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Devils Lake Agency, North Dakota

1908 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66LX-9QG6 : Thu Oct 05 07:16:23 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, 1908, pg. 515/869, line 846, census of the Chippewa Indians, Devils Lake Agency, N.D.

1909 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:66PS-GM8R : Tue Oct 03 12:14:05 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, 1909, pg. 757/869, line 877, census of the Chippewa Indians, Devils Lake Agency, N.D.

1910 May 11 - "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MLGD-V7C : Fri Oct 06 03:31:02 UTC 2023), Entry for Norbert Deconteau and Emerise Deconteau, 1910, pg. 299/814, line 31, census of the Turtle Mountain Reservation, Township 162, Range 70 & 71, Rolette County, North Dakota

1914 Aug 29 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4LBY-7CT2 : Wed Oct 04 11:45:38 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, pg. 302/686, line 944, census of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa, Turtle Mountain Indian School, Belcourt, North Dakota

1917 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W2QY-VMMM : Thu Oct 05 21:32:12 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, pg. 315/685, line 972,

1918 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP3M-9HFK : Thu Oct 05 06:11:34 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, pg. 546/685, line 990, census of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, Turtle Mountain Agency, N. Dak.

1919 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4G9N-9L2M : Wed Oct 04 16:21:05 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, pg. 71/617, line 988, census of the Turtle Mountain Chippewa, Turtle Mountain Agency

1920 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:4G39-P96Z : Wed Oct 04 08:42:36 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau, 1920, pg. 270/617, line 1008, census of the Chippewa Indians, Turtle Mountain Agency

• **1920 - "United States Census, 1920", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MC8D-YGF : Fri Dec 08 01:23:10 UTC 2023), Entry for Dan Decouteau and Josie Decouteau, 1920, pg. 838/1129, line ?, census of Devils Lake City, Ramsey County, North Dakota

(Curator Note: this source appears incorrect, the Josephine b.=1916 here is the granddaughter of Dan DeCouteau b.=1872 and his wife Josie)

1922 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W5B2-B73Z : Wed Oct 04 17:25:08 UTC 2023), Entry for Josephine Decouteau Amyott, 1922, pg. 22/820, line 257 (wife of Daniel Amyott b. 1889), census of the Chippewa Indians, turtle Mountain Agency, N.D.

1922 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=1042, line 10, asylum female census June 30, 1922

1923 Apr 9 - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14493732/josephine-de_couteau: accessed February 10, 2024), memorial page for Josephine De Couteau (–), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14493732, citing Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery, Canton, Lincoln County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Graveaddiction (contributor 46528400).

1923 Apr 9 - 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

Kayzo (Kayso) 3-27-23 · Josephine DeCouteau 4-9-23 · Jessie Hallock 6-12-23