Mary (Redhorn) Hunker (abt. 1860 - abt. 1922)

Born about 1860 in Wisconsin, United States

Wife of A. White — married about 1880 in Wisconsin, United States

Descendants

Died about 1922 at about age 62 in Grand Rapids, Wood, Wisconsin, United States [uncertain]

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Mary was Ho-Chunk.

Biography

Birth

Mary was born about 1860 in Wisconsin. (1910 Fed. census)

Name

The 1905 and 1910 censuses gives her Hocąk name as We-ha-nee-kah, which is for Wīhąnįkā, "Little Second Daughter", from Wīhą́, "Second Daughter"; nįk, "little, small"; and -ka, a definite article suffix used in personal names. The addition of "little" (nįk) to the birth order name Wīhą́gā, leads to some ambiguity: is it the name of the Third Daughter, or is the diminutive just descriptive or affectionate?

Her married name "Hunker" is a corruption of Hųka, "Chief", from hųk, "chief", and -ka, a definite article suffix used in personal names.

Marriages

Her first marriage was to A[lexander ?] White, with whom she had at least two children:

Frank White (d. 1954)

Ella Yellow Thunder (b. 1881) (Obit of F. White)

Her second marriage was to a Hunker, almost certainly James Hunker (b. 1856), who was her neighbor or her children's neighbor in every census in which he is listed. (cp. 1905, 1910)

In the 1920 Indian census, Mary is said to have the following children:

Fred White Eagle (b. 1905)

Jesse (Gessie) White Eagle (b. 1908)

Clarence Blackhawk (b. 1911)

However, these were actually the children of Minnie H. Decorah and her husband George White Eagle. When Clarence was born, George deserted his wife (a de facto divorce). By 1920 Minnie had a great many children with various surnames, and "farmed out" her three eldest sons, who in that year boarded with Sandborn White Eagle, who lived about three doors down from Mary Hunker. Sometime during that year, she adopted them. After her death, they were watched after by her son Thomas J. Hunker.

Children

Mary had at least the following children:

Ella White (b. 1881)

Fred White (d. 1954)

Thomas J. Hunker (b. 1889)

May Hunker (b. 1893)

Anna Mae Hunker (b. 1896)

Death

Mary died sometime between June 1921 and June 1922, as shown by the censuses of those years, where she is absent in 1922 and her children are listed as orphans.

Sources

• 1905 Indian census; Roll: M595_671; Line: 5. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1905 Wisconsin State Census. Township or Location: Wittenberg. Microfilm, 44 reels. Wisconsin Historical Society, Madison, Wisconsin.
• 1910 Federal Census for La Grange, Monroe, Wisconsin; Roll: T624_1729; Page: 18A; Enumeration District: 0132; FHL microfilm: 1375742. Thirteenth Census of the United States, 1910 (NARA microfilm publication T624, 1,178 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1920 Indian census; Roll: M595_168; Page: 29; Line: 16; Agency: Grand Rapids. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1920 Federal Census for Seven Mile Creek, Juneau, Wisconsin; Roll: T625_1990; Page: 5B; Enumeration District: 0078, Seven Mile Creek town. Fourteenth Census of the United States, 1920. (NARA microfilm publication T625, 2076 rolls). Records of the Bureau of the Census, Record Group 29. National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1921 Indian census; Roll: M595_168; Page: 30; Line: 15; Agency: Grand Rapids. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1922 Indian census; Roll: M595_168; Page: 29; Line: 15; Agency: Grand Rapids. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• Obit (Frank White) — Wisconsin Rapids Daily Tribune (Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin) Saturday, 3 July 1954, page 8.

Acknowledgements

Thank you Richard Dieterle for the initial research into and creation of this profile.