Mah-gade 'Maggie' Snow

Maggie was a Chippewa woman from the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Tribe (White Earth Reservation)
(Curator Note: The tribe does not appear to have had its own seal, thus the use of the White Earth Chippewa Seal for the reservation on which they resided)

Otter Tail Lake Chippewas, are really the Pillager Chippewas and Pembina Chippewas. Otter Tail Lake is within the northwestern part of the Otter Tail Lake Chippewa Reservation.

In 1873, White Earth agreed to allow the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Band to settle on the White Earth Reservation. The White Earth Nation is located in northwestern Minnesota and has its land base on the White Earth Indian Reservation. The Chippewa are of mixed blood, mostly Native, French, and English. Many live on reservations in Canada and the United States (Michigan, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Montana, and North Dakota). Historically, the Otter Tail Lake Chippewas have lived in the Otter Tail Lake region of Minnesota, since at least the early 16th century.

Otter Tail Lake Chippewas are a mixture of Minnesota Chippewas and Chippewas from Wisconsin, Iowa, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Many originally lived within the 5 million acre Chippewa Reservation located primarily in Iowa. The Otter Tail Lake Chippewas are really a group of Pillager and Little Shell Pembina Chippewas. They are more closely related to the Chippewas of Leech Lake Reservation. Wahpeton, North Dakota, and Red River are 40 miles to the west. Chief Sitting Bull told the whites he was born and raised among the Red River Chippewas (the Metis). The Otter Tail Lake Chippewas can also be a group of Pillager and Little Shell Pembina Chippewas.

“‎Bethany Lutheran Indian Mission. Wittenberg, Wisconsin - UWDC - UW-Madison Libraries.” Search.library.wisc.edu, search.library.wisc.edu/digital/AOJWFAE5T2AS7D8I. Accessed 12 Apr. 2024.

Biography:
(Curator Note: Chippewa names are in the older censuses handwritten and hard to decipher...spelling is likely incorrect.)
Born between 1186 and 1889, Mah-gade (Mah-gede aka Maggie) was the daughter of a Chippewa woman named Tah e zhe quay and an unknown father. Indian census reports are back and forth on siblings of Maggie which suggests possibly that the parents were separated but both still alive (although I've not been able to find the name of the father) and living intermittently with each causing the variance in the census reports (for example some children shown in alternate years). It appears that Maggie chose to live with her mother. Maggie has a Chippewa great-grandmother named Mah Je Ge Quay Wish. It is not known where the surname "Snow" comes from.

Maggie appears to be a Chippewa, from the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa band in Minnesota.

According to Carla Joinson in her book Vanished in Hiawatha, Maggie Snow was admitted to the Canton Asylum for Insane Indians on May 29, 1916 "around the age of 30, and diagnosed only as "weak-minded".

Ms. Joinson says in her book that Maggie died on July 7, 1929, however, in the letter dated February 17, 1934, Dr. L.L. Culp to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, it is stated that she died at the Canton Asylum on July 7, 1916, only 38 days after her admission, obviously something more than weak-minded was the cause. She was buried in the Canton Hiawatha Cemetery tier 6 plot 25.

There is a major inconsistency yet to be resolved. Per Dr. Culp, Maggie arrived from Wittenberg, Wisconsin, the location of the Wittenberg Indian School (aka the Bethany Lutheran Indian Mission. Wittenberg, Wisconsin), where, according to the 1900 federal census was a "boarder", and the 1910 federal census as an "inmate", but the Indian censuses for those years have her on the White Earth Reservation!

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

Research Notes:
-A review of all Chippewa census reports for 1900 showed a Maggie Snow ONLY as a member of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa band who resided on the White Earth Reservation.
-The Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Band is a historical band of Chippewa (Ojibwe) Indians.
-Note that she seems to be in Minnesota and Wisconsin simultaneously, which is not unusual in Indian censuses, she was recorded even though she had been sent elsewhere...
-Maggie is referred to only once as a wife before her first child, in all other Indian census reports she is a female ONLY. A husband's name, nor a father's name, is ever given.
-In the 1926 census see line 443 William Littlewolf b. 1907, at age 19 possible father of Maggie's children beginning with Mary?

Further Reading:
1. Jacobson, Axel. “Bethany Indian Mission, Wittenberg, Wisconsin (Winnebago, Ho-Chunk Native Americans).” Wigenweb.org, 16 Mar. 1920, wigenweb.org/shawano/BethanyIndianMission.html.
2. Wikipedia contributors. "Pillager Band of Chippewa Indians." Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia, 21 Sep. 2023. Web. 13 Apr. 2024.
3. Wilcox, Alvin H. “Pioneer History of Becker County, Chapter XIII - the First Inhabitants.” Becker.mngenweb.net, 10 Feb. 2018, becker.mngenweb.net/pioneerhistory/pioneer.htm. Accessed 13 Apr. 2024.

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Sources:

1890 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll650unit/page/n181/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 182/819, line 375 (Mahgade 4, mother 36, sister 11 and Louisa 3), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1891 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll650unit/page/n474/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 475/819, line 387 (Mahgade 5, mother 37, sister 12 and Frank 3), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1892 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll650unit/page/n696/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 697/819, line 362 (Mahgade 5, mother 38, sister 13 and Louiza 1, add GGM age 80), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1894 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll651unit/page/n230/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 231/567, line 244 (Mah-quah 8, mother 40, sister 15 and Louisa 3), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1895 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll651unit/page/n384/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 385/567, line 244 (Mah-quah15, mother 34, sister 13 and brother 4), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1896 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll652unit/page/n270/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 271/735, line 249 (Mah-gade16, mother 35, add sister and brother), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1897 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll652unit/page/n550/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 551/735, line 250 (Mah-gade17, mother 35, add sister and brother), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1898 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll653unit/page/n187/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 188/727, line 402 (Mah-gade12, mother Tah ee zhe o quay age 44, add sister Louisa), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1899 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll653unit/page/n362/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 363/727, line 409 (Mah-gade12, mother Tah ee zhe o quay age 44, add twin brothers), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1900 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll653unit/page/n678/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 679/727, line 414 (Mah-gade14, mother Tah ee zhe o quay age 46, add twin brothers), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1900 Jun 1- "United States Census, 1900", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MSTX-V87 : Thu Apr 11 20:13:52 UTC 2024), Entry for Maggie Snow, 1900, pg. 795/924, line 33 (boarder), census of United States Indian School, Village of Wittenberg, Shawano County, Wisconsin

1901 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll654unit/page/n172/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 173/725, line 421 (Mah-gade15, mother Tah ee zhe o quay age 47), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1902 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll654unit/page/n298/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 299/725, line 394 (Mah-gade16, mother Tah ee zhe o quay age 48), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1903 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll654unit/page/n474/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 475/725, line 389 (Mah-gade17, mother Tah ee zhe o quay age 49), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1904 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll654unit/page/n570/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 521/725, line 400 (Mah-gade18), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1905 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll655unit/page/n107/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 108/869, line 412 (age 19, named Mah-gade, wife no husband listed), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1905 Jun 1 - "Wisconsin State Census, 1905", database with images, FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MM74-YCH : 5 March 2022), Maggie Snow, 1905, pg. 5/12, line 97 (inmate age 16 = b. 1889), census of the Village of Wittenberg, Shawano, Wisconsin

1906 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:W2VG-N4MM : Fri Mar 08 20:31:26 UTC 2024), Entry for Maggie Snow, 1906, pg. 202/872, line 399 9age 20), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1907 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll655unit/page/n361/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 362/869, line 399 (age 21), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1908 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll655unit/page/n507/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 508/869, line 400 (age 22), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1909 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll655unit/page/n671/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 672/869, line 414 (age 23, new daughter Jessie), census of the Otter Tail Pillegar Chippewa Tribe, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1910 May 27 - "United States Census, 1910", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MP2G-WK5 : Sun Mar 10 17:25:12 UTC 2024), Entry for Almeda Quinney and Nina Roulette, 1910, pg. 102/1294, line 5 (inmate), census of the Government Indian School (aka Bethany Indian Mission), Wittenberg Village, Shawano County, Wisconsin

1910 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll656unit/page/n192/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 193/731, line 411, census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1911 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll656unit/page/n450/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 451/731, line 497, census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1912 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll657unit/page/n75/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 76/718, line 420 (age 26), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1913 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll657unit/page/n416/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 417/718, line 431 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1914 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll658unit/page/n83/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 84/871, line 436 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1915 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll658unit/page/n651/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 652/871, line 443 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1916 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll659unit/page/n83/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 84/845, line 451 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1916 - "South Dakota, Grave Registration Records, 1940-1941", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:CY84-NZW2 : Sat Mar 09 13:53:01 UTC 2024), Entry for Maggie Snow, no image

1916 Jul 9 - Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/14491732/maggie-snow: accessed April 12, 2024), memorial page for Maggie Snow (unknown–9 Jul 1916), Find a Grave Memorial ID 14491732, citing Hiawatha Asylum Cemetery, Canton, Lincoln County, South Dakota, USA; Maintained by Graveaddiction (contributor 46528400).

1916 Jul 10 - 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

Dasue 5-20-16 · Maggie Snow 7-10-16 · Lupe Maria 10-27-16

1917 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll659unit/page/n545/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 546/845, line 730 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1918 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll660unit/page/n102/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 103/857, line 746 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1919 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll660unit/page/n528/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 529/857, line 762 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1920 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll661unit/page/n108/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 109/956, line 754 (born 1886, daughter Lizzie died), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1921 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll661unit/page/n770/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 771/956, line 757 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1922 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll662unit/page/n369/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 370/538, line 757 (born 1886), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Chippewa Indians, White Earth Agency, Minnesota

1923 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll057unit/page/n776/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 777/1020, line 440 (as Maggie Littlewolf, the remainder of the family under "Snow")), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Indians, Consolidated Chippewa Indian Agency

1924 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll058unit/page/n427/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 428/1051, line 443 (as Maggie Littlewolf, new son Bishop, the remainder of the family under "Snow")), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Indians, Consolidated Chippewa Indian Agency

1925 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll059unit/page/n443/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 444/1028, line 440 (as Maggie Littlewolf, the remainder of the family under "Snow")), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Indians, Consolidated Chippewa Indian Agency

1926 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll060unit/page/n645/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 646/1107, line 440 (as Maggie Littlewolf, the remainder of the family under "Snow")), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Indians, Consolidated Chippewa Indian Agency

1927 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll059unit/page/n443/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 268/1139, line 440 (as Maggie Littlewolf, son Robert born 1926 the remainder of the family under "Snow")), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Indians, Consolidated Chippewa Indian Agency

1928 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll062unit/page/n661/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 662/1027, line 462 (as Maggie Littlewolf, son William's born 1926 the remainder of the family under "Snow")), census of the Otter Tail Pillager Indians, Consolidated Chippewa Indian Agency

1929 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll063unit/page/n172/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 173/1058, (page 84) line xx (Maggie is gone (dead), Jessie line 816 is head, Alma, Laverne & Margaret living together), census of the Chippewa Tribe, Otter Tail Pillager Reservation, Consolidated Chippewa Agency