Kay-She-Ah-Bow

Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow was a Chippewa woman (White Earth Band)

"Suffice to say that in the old days, each Indian had a personal name not transmitted to the children, and the family relationships were couched in terms of kinship names and a gens system rather in our system of patrilineal family names."
Ritzenthaler, Robert. “The Acquisition of Surnames by the Chippewa Indians.” American Anthropologist, vol. 47, no. 1, 1945, pp. 175–77. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/663224. Accessed 16 Jan. 2024.
(Curator Note: the reason this quote is included is that the name Kay She Ah Bow may or may not be a reflection of her husband's name or her children's names, all of which could be different from one another, but of her place in her own family. This makes genealogy much much more difficult!)

The White Earth Reservation was established in 1867 by a treaty between the United States and the Mississippi Band of Chippewa Indians. The reservation is located in north-central Minnesota and includes all of Mahnomen County and parts of Becker and Clearwater Counties.

The White Earth Reservation is located in Becker, Clearwater, and Mahnomen counties in north-central Minnesota. Created in 1867 by a treaty between the United States and the Mississippi Band of Chippewa Indians, it is one of seven Chippewa reservations in Minnesota. Before entering the treaty process with the United States, the Mississippi Chippewa consisted of the following sub-bands:

Cedar Lake, Minnesota Band
Crow Wing, Minnesota Band
Gull Lake, Minnesota Band
Mille Lacs, Minnesota Band
Pelican Lake, Minnesota Band
Pokegama Lake, Minnesota Band
Rabbit Lake, Minnesota Band
Rice Lake, Minnesota Band
Sandy Lake, Minnesota Band
Snake River Band
Swan River Band
Trout Lake, Minnesota Band
White Oak Point, Minnesota Band

The Mississippi River Band of Chippewa Indians (Ojibwe: Gichi-ziibiwininiwag) or simply the Mississippi Chippewa, are a historical Ojibwa Band inhabiting the headwaters of the Mississippi River and its tributaries in present-day Minnesota.

Kay-She-Ah-Bow may be Mille Lac Chippewa...The Mille Lacs Indians were encouraged to relocate to the White Earth Indian Reservation when it was established in 1872–1936. The Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe resisted the pressure to move, but many members moved to White Earth in 1902 after discovering that the Nelson Act promises of allotments at Mille Lacs had been broken.
Wikipedia contributors. "Mississippi River Band of Chippewa Indians." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 16 Dec. 2023. Web. 14 Jan. 2024.

Biography:

Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow was born to unknown parents, although the 1910 census says they were born in Minnesota.

According to "Vanished in Hiawatha" by Carla Joinson, Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow was admitted to the Canton Asylum from the White Earth Reservation of Chippewa on May 21, 1903. She was at that time 98 years of age and when admitted diagnosed with senile dementia. At various times during her stay from 1903 to 1912, she was reported as 101 or 102 years of age. These ages seem suspect if the 1900 and 1910 censuses are correct with a November 1829 birth date.

(Curator Note: There is quite a disparity regarding her age. If age 98 at admission in 1903, b. = 1805. IF age 101 in the 1910 census b. = 1809. If 95 years at her death in 1910, then b. = 1815. In the 1910 White Earth Reservation census she is 70 b. = 1829 and widowed then (theory: married around 17, widowed at 18 means earliest b. = 1809)

Additionally, in the 1910 May 13 - "United States Census, 1910", Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow is not listed even though this census was taken before her date of death. On line 7 there is an entry for Francis, Maggie age 101 from Minnesota, and some, including Carla Joinson in her book, conclude that this is the same person, presumably based on the age. However, I've found NO documents that suggest that Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow was also known as Maggie Francis. There are a total of 69 persons listed as "Inmate" in this census, referring to their incarceration in the Canton Asylum this one NOT prepared by Harry Hummer, but there are no asylum census records for the dates 1902 - 1910 under the superintendency of Oscar Gifford. While it is possible therefore that Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow was aka Maggie Francis, there are no records to confirm this. It is also possible that she was known as Maggie Francis ONLY at the asylum. There are some records for Maggie Francis born in Minnesota between 1849 and 1877.

Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow died at the Canton Asylum on June 28, 1910, reported then to be 95! According to the letter dated February 17, 1934, by Dr. L.L. Culp at the closing of the asylum, she was buried in tier 5 plot 19 of the Hiawatha Cemetery at the Canton Asylum.

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

Research Notes:
-I find NO documents that say Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow aka Maggie Francis. To date, the only reference to Maggie Francis is a Canton Asylum census referring to a person of the same advanced age
-Kay-zhe-ah-bow was possibly of the Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi or White Oak Point Chippewa see ;"United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W2FC-HHW2 : Tue Oct 03 05:10:04 UTC 2023), Entry for , 1906, pg, 240/872, line 169, census of the Removal of the Mille Lac Mississippi Chippewa: The third group forming the Mille Lacs Indians was the Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi Chippewa, a band associated with the powerful Mississippi Chippewa. Mille Lacs Band of Mississippi Chippewa lived primarily along Nokasippi River, Cedar River and Ripple River (all located north and northwest of Mille Lacs Lake), the portage ways connecting these three rivers to Mille Lacs Lake, and along the northwestern and northern shores of Mille Lacs Lake.
-Kay Zhe Bow Ay is a male name (reverse the last two syllables)
-Another noted possible discrepancy, or missing documents, is that census reports for the most part identify her as a Widow, but no census report shows her as wife to a Head, all tend to show her as a Head, yet there are no marriage records for either a 1st or a 2nd marriage, no children...
-the White Earth Reservation sold to Kay She Ah Bo 80 acres of land AFTER she had been committed to the Canton Asylum (subject to a right of way to the St. V M&M RR (Saint Paul, Minneapolis & Manitoba Railroad), which was approved 9/27/1897 and relinquished on 5/21/1926 @ https://www.abandonedrails.com/saint-paul-minneapolis-and-manitoba-... ?)

-In 1907, the town of Callaway was founded on the White Earth Indian Reservation. Uncle Henry and his in-laws also opened a store in the town. In 1907, the Canton Asylum for Insane Indians also began inspecting homes on the reservation.
-The 1910 census Kay She Koy We Gah Bow is a 69-year-old M with a 57-year-old wife and 59-year-old border (ie similarity of names Chippewa entomology)
-(Curator Note: Why are land purchases being made in the name of Kay-She-Ah-Bo in 1901 when she is 98 and 1907 when she is 104 and already in the Canton Asylum? The BLM Tract Books do NOT indicate a purchase by a guardian, and both properties are patented by the Government.)
__________
Sources:

1900 Jun 19-20 - "United States Census, 1900", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSTZ-9PN : Fri Oct 06 04:34:53 UTC 2023), Entry for Kay Zhe Ah Bo, 1900, pg. 1058/1123, line 15, census of the White Earth Indian Reservation, Becker County, Minnesota

1901 Feb 28 - "United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6KX4-3FFM : 16 June 2023), Kay She Ah Bo, 1901, pg, 79/250, United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books pg. 74, purchased 79.71 acres patented by the secretary ltr. 1901-32928

1907 Sep 13 - "United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:6245-15VD : 26 July 2023), Kay She Ah Bo, 1907, pg. 131/512, line 4, United States Bureau of Land Management Tract Books, 1800-c. 1955 Minnesota Vol 3 (purchased 80 acres, patented by the White Earth Reservation)


Township 146 North, Range 38 West 5th Principal Meridian Minnesota

1910 May 13 - "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MPFS-XD1 : Wed Oct 04 15:46:55 UTC 2023), Entry for Maggie Frances, 1910, pg. 81/1082, line 7, United States Indian Insane Asylum, Canton Township, Lincoln County, South Dakota

1910 Aug 12 - 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=674, Table 7, line 15, Annual report for fiscal year 1910, Asylum for Insane Indians, Canton, SD

1911 Jun 28 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/3:1:3QSQ-G9WZ-F9Z3-Y?cc=2761958 : 22 June 2023), > image 1 of 1; citing (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1967), pg. 505/522, line 44 (partial), F=101 Widow

1911 Jul 3 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:68Z5-J9HR : Fri Oct 06 00:11:35 UTC 2023), Entry for , 1911, pg. 506/522, line 25, annual census of the Asylum for Insane Indians, Canton SD

1912 Jun 22 - "South Dakota, Grave Registration Records, 1940-1941", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CY86-6M2M : Fri Dec 15 07:02:58 UTC 2023), Entry for Kay-She-Ah-Low.

1912 Jun 22 - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14491718/kaz-zhe_ah-bow: accessed 13 January 2024), memorial page for Kaz Zhe Ah Bow (unknown–22 Jun 1912), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14491718, citing Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery, Canton, Lincoln County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Graveaddiction (contributor 46528400).

1998 Jan 9 - United States, Congress, National Park Service, and Megan Dobbs Eades. NATIONAL REGISTER OF HISTORIC PLACE REGISTRATION FORM: Canton Asylum for American Indians Cemetery Aka Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery, National Park Service, 1995, pp. 1–21. @ https://npgallery.nps.gov/GetAsset/0cdb76b4-c077-421a-a4aa-109496f1..., pg. 16/21 shows Kay-Zhe-Ah-Bow date of death 6/22/12 and buried in the Hiawatha Cemetery under application

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

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