Born 1874 in Nebraska, United States

Ancestors

Husband of Kate (Whitespirit) Seymour — married 10 Sep 1907 (to 22 Jan 1909) in Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska, United States

Husband of Jeanette (Raymond) Baptiste — married 13 Oct 1914 (to 1915) in Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, United States

Died 1915 in Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska, United States [uncertain]

John Baptiste was a Native American and member of the Ho-Chunk tribe.

Biography

Birth

John was born about 1874.

Education

"THE Chicago Record, of June 27, says: 'John Baptiste visited Chicago yesterday. John is the only Indian printer known. He has just completed a course of nine months at General Armstrong's school, at Hampton, Virginia, and is returning to his home on the Winnebago reservation. He is twenty-one years old. He has attended the schools at Genoa, Nebraska, and was graduated from the Carlisle Indian School in 1893. He decided to learn the printers' trade, and went to Hampton for instruction last fall. He arrived in Chicago at 8 o'clock yesterday morning and left at 6 o'clock in the evening. He is a member of the Winnebago tribe, of which his father, George Baptiste, is counselor. He intends to work at his trade in either Sioux City or Omaha.' It takes from three to five years for a white man to obtain a satisfactory knowledge of the printers' art. Possibly this young man, being the 'only full-blooded Indian who has ever learned the printers' trade.' has felt the responsibility of his tribe resting upon him and has appreciated the importance of a 'rush job'." (Chicago Notes, 520)

Sports

"One of the Carlisle team's earliest stars, Baptiste itched and played infield for the 1891 and 1892 teams. He also played for Genoa Indian Agricultural and Industrial School and became a semipro legend in Nebraska. Guy W. Green wrote of him, 'Then there was John Baptiste, a full-blooded Winnebago, whose services were in demand all over Nebraska.' In this early report of a game against Franklin and Marshall in May of 1892, Baptiste starred as the Carlisle pitcher: 'the copper-colored little pitcher sent a ball across the plate with a speed that was remarkable, relieving many on strikes.' Baptiste graduated from Carlisle in 1893, returning to Nebraska to work and play ball." (Powers-Beck, 182, 194)

Religion

"Information provided by Howard McKee, Elder of the Native American Church: The Native American Church was organized under the following leadership: John Rave and his 12 “Disciples”: John Baptiste, Willie Bird, Late Rave, Harry Rave, Albert Hensley, Joe Brown, Lawrence Smith, Turner Rave, Peter Rave, Sr., Oliver LaMere, Jesse Clay, and Harme Chase. After a successful beginning, the Church was incorporated in 1921." (Winn. Ind. News, 10)

Academic Accomplishments

John Baptiste's chief claim to fame is that he was Paul Radin's chief translator during the first year or two of his 1908-1912 field work among the Winnebago. He played an important role in the translation of the Trickster tales used in Radin's book: "The initial translation was made by two younger Indians, John Baptiste and Oliver LaMere, both of whom knew English very well, particularly the former." (Radin, 112)

John Baptiste also contributed two stories contained in Radin's Notebooks: The Fox-Hočąk War (Version II), and Ghost Dance Origin Myth II. (Dieterle)

Death

John died in 1915 (aged 40–41) and is buried in Winnebago Cemetery, Winnebago, Thurston County, Nebraska, USA. (Find a Grave)

Sources

• 1892 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 5; Line: 8; Agency: Winnebago. 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.
• 1897 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 3; Line: 15; Agency: Omaha & Winnebago. 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.
• 1898 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 3; Line: 15; Agency: Omaha & Winnebago. 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.
• "United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (5 August 2014), Nebraska > Thurston > ED 187 Winnebago Precinct > image 36 of 51; citing NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
• 1904 Indian census; Roll: M595_663; Page: 5; Line: 9; Agency: Winnebago. 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 Indian census; Roll: M595_663; Line: 8; Agency: Winnebago. 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.
• 1906 Indian census; Roll: M595_663; Line: 13; Agency: Winnebago. 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.
• 1907 Indian census; Roll: M595_663; Line: 12; Agency: Winnebago. 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.
• "Chicago Notes," The Inland Printer, Volume 15, #5 (August, 1895): 518-520.
• Nebraska, Marriage Records, 1855-1908. State Library and Archives, Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, Nebraska. Marriage Record 252 (1907).
• Return of Marriages for the County of Woodbury, for the Fiscal Year Ending 30 June 1915, 97-1844. Iowa Department of Public Health. Iowa Marriage Records, 1880–1922. Textual Records. State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa. Iowa Department of Public Health. Iowa Marriage Records, 1923–37. Microfilm. Record Group 048. State Historical Society of Iowa, Des Moines, Iowa.
• 1909 Indian Census. "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QPKL-8YS1 : 1 November 2019), John Baptiste, Nebraska, United States; citing Census, NARA microfilm publication M595. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1967.
• Jeffrey P. Powers-Beck, The American Indian Integration of Baseball (Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2004).
• Paul Radin, The Trickster: A Study In American Indian Mythology (New York: Schocken Books, 1956).
• Winnebago Indian News, Saturday, September 29, 2012.
• Richard L. Dieterle, The Encyclopedia of Hočąk (Winnebago) Mythology, "Contributors".
• Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 07 January 2020), memorial page for John Baptiste (1874–1915), Find A Grave Memorial no. 91188040, citing Winnebago Cemetery, Winnebago, Thurston County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by David Goltry (contributor 47177571) .

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