I am my grandfather, William Elias Gladue
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| Me (standing) and my brother Charlie |
not 1925 like my daughter Martha, our Chippewa Princess
1945 like my grandson Thomas,
or in 1949 like his bride Julieann,
or 1980 like my great grandson Tyler,
or 1988 like my great grand daughter Samantha.
I am a Metis (mixed blood) Indian..."Chippewa" or "Ojibwa" and French.
According to the 1930 census my father was Metis.
My Mother was Chippewa.
My French ancestors worked for the Hudson's Bay fur company.
Many traveled south and married Chippewa.
I once lived on the White Earth reservation
In northwestern Minnesota.
I have a brother, Charlie.
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| My Bride Alice Dubois-Gladue |
I will spend much of my life living on the Turtle Mountain reservation in northern North Dakota.
There I will meet and marry another Metis, Alice.
We will have eleven children.
We will homestead in Froid, Montana
In the 1920's and 30's.
The Great Depression will drive us from the homestead.
We will settle in Seattle.
My children will grow, marry and find employment.
Many will work at the Boeing company.
Many will succumb to or suffer from alcohol addiction.
One of many ailments introduced to us by immigrants.
I will pass in the mid-1950's.
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| Our Family (My Mother, Martha top center) Seattle, circa 1940 |
Most of my children's children will scatter.
Most will lose contact with their cousins and their heritage.
This will mark the evolution of many original Americans.
It is not what I would have preferred.
2 comments:
A fine presentation, Sir Thomas! One thing family historical research has taught me as I read about our nation's history - I read it now from a different perspective. It's much more personal; so much more familial, because there's a direct connection. In short, it gives me "new eyes" to imagine - to see more clearly our own family in the flow of our nation's history. Both the good and the bad which has happened - our family has played their part. The research I've done has opened my eyes somewhat; but . . . . , I still can't know the pressures they experienced from every direction which prompted their actions. I can surmise, but I can't really know for certain "the why." And . . . . , I suspect "the why" would be much more fascinating.
That it would Cousin Phil. I wish I had asked more and listened more - to be on a homestead on the plains of eastern Montana in the 30's - thirteen of them - the family dinners alone must have been an amazing event!
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