This is a tough one to crack, but I have been trying. Charles Chandonne, son of Andre Chandonne (1720-1790)and Charlotte Frechet (1722-1799) was also known as Charles Chesaugan Shissahecon Agacouchin Chadonne. His Father Andre was also known as "Chief Anaquiba" Chandonne. I can find NO evidence that Anaquiba had any Indian blood as his parents, Sargen Charles Chandonnet and Elizabeth Bouget appear to be 100% French. It is possible that andre was kidnapped and raised as an Indian, and took his Indian name and became a Chief. Several of his offspring became famous/infamous leaders. [Andre Anaquiba is my 5th great grandfather] Antiquiba had two wives, Charlotte Frechet (m.1742) and "Straits Chart" Katabwe (m. 1742). Between the two of them, there were 19 children. The Children of Katabwe all have Indian names plus the Chandonne in some cases, not all.
One son, Topinabee Ko-K-Jub-Ii (1758-1826) was the last of the great Pottawatomie Chief, was aligned with the British in the War of 1812, was a brave and good leader, but like many who were fed whisky to get their native lands away, he fell off his horse drunk in 1826 and died from the injuries.
From the same mother, Topinabee had a brother, Charles Chesaugan Sissahecon Agacouchin (1763-before 1799), better known as Agacouchin. From his stepmother, Charlotte Frechet, he had another brother Charles Francois Chandonne (1763-1813) (note, born the same year).
Interestingly Agacouchin and Francois married sisters who were 50% Indian (Mother was "Otter" Neskeet).
Agacouchin married Marguerite Marcot (1771-1843) in 1792 and had 7 children with her before he died sometime before 1799. His oldest was Jean Baptiste Chandonnai [my Ancestor] but was not yet 10 when his Dad died, leaving Marguerite Chi-Pe-Wa-Qua Marcot Chandonne with a big brood to raise. I have not tracked them down, Names: Jean Baptiste, Louis Joseph, Charlotte, Kesis Poskow, Hortense, and Lewis.
Well the story continues...Agacouchin's brother, Charles Francois Chandonne, married to Charlot Marcot did not have any children 5-7 years into their marriage and they took Jean Baptiste into their home and raised him as a son, teaching him trapping and the fur business around Mackinc Island. Francois was also aligned with the British.
Jean Baptiste as a young man (18-20?) went to work for a real wheeler dealer John Kinzie, who was everything from a Justice of the Peace to a murder, and mostly a trader. Kinzie was aligned with the Americans in the War of 1812. The two had British arrest warrants on their heads and a big reward. Kinzie was caught and almost shipped to England, but escaped and returned. JB spent some time in British irons, bet not only escaped, he helped rescue some an Ameerican in charge of Fort Dearborn (with he new bride).
The sad part of JB's story is that in 1813 his "adopted" father in another confrontation tried to capture JB to take him in to the British...JB drew a line in the ground and said not to cross. Charles Francois crossed and was shot dead by his nephew/son.
JB went on to follow in his grandfather, Anaquiba's footsteps and kept, simultaneously, an Indian wife (4 children) and a French wife, 3 children. One of the French children is my 2nd great grandmother. It is real hard to figure out what her % Indian is but, at last I think I am 1.58% Pottawatomie.
The real fun, sometime, will be to see about the kidnapping possibility of Anaquiba In my "other" side of my family, the Rices from England, some of the Rice boys were kidnapped and raised as Indians in Canada, but we have reunited with some of their descendants! Some, when they were attempted to be rescued..refused to leave their tribe.
Hope this isn't too inaccurate...I glean what I can from the internet. Robbie Gries,
