| Birth: | 1759
Middleport
Ashland County
Wisconsin, USA | | Death: | Dec. 25, 1855
Middleport
Ashland County
Wisconsin, USA | 
Native American Chief, Apostle Islands, Chippewa Indians. Great Buffalo was faced with overwhelming expansion by Americans during his days as chief. It was a problem what to do with Indians and the solution was a treaty either forced upon them by war or trickery to banish them to a reservation on land not suitable for habitation. The Ojibwe were the original inhabitants of this Lake Superior area with their main village being Madeline Island, one of the Apostle group. President Zachary Taylor ordered the Indians removal. In the company of Ben Armstrong, a trapper-frontiersman who had married into the tribe while learning the language, the chief with six braves began a harrowing trip beginning in canoes to Washington in an attempt to countermand this edict. President Taylor died during the journey but upon arrival in Washington, President Fillmore agreed to meet with the party. The Chief, ninety one at the time, went into a lengthy oration translated by Armstrong. A treaty resulted giving the Ojibwes The Red Cliff Reservation on the shores of Lake Superior. He died at the age of ninety five on Madeline Island. Baptized a Catholic, a mass was celebrated and his casket was carried from his home to the burial site. Benjamin Armstrong ordered and placed a tombstone on his grave and it remains to this day. The Chief is remembered in the U.S. Capitol where two busts are on display. One of marble carved from life and another copied in bronze. The Red Cliff Reservation today is a favorite tourist attraction. It is home to Isle Casino which has stabilized the decline of the Ojibwe Indians both financially and culturally. (bio by: Donald Greyfield (inactive))
Family links:
Children:
Little Buffalo*
*Calculated relationship
Search Amazon for Great Buffalo | | | Burial:
La Pointe Indian Cemetery
La Pointe
Ashland County
Wisconsin, USA |
Maintained by: Find A Grave
Originally Created by: Donald Greyfield (inacti...
Record added: Apr 21, 2004
Find A Grave Memorial# 8661088 |
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