Belle Ahusojerawįga Blackhawk (1880 - 1930)

Born 1880 in Wisconsin, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Arthur Cassiman — married 1915 in Nebraska, United States

Died 2 Jun 1930 at about age 50 in Tomah, Monroe, Wisconsin, United States

Belle was Ho-Chunk.

Biography

Birth

Belle was born in 1880 in Wisconsin to James Wągᵋnaroskaga Blackhawk and Wihąnįka (Winneshiek) Blackhawk .

Name

The name given by Jipson (241) is Ahosojwaywinka, which is for Ahusojerawįga, "She Whose Feathers are Worn." The word ahu means "feathers"; -wį-, is an infix indicating feminine gender; and -ga, is a definite article suffix used in personal names. The remaining portion of the name, sojera, is only found embedded in the word sojeraíreną, "they became worn out" (sojera-íre-ną, where -ire is the third person plural suffix, and -ną, terminates a clause or sentence known to be true from the speaker's own experience). So Ahu-sojera-wį-ga means, "She Whose Feathers are Worn Out."

Lineage

“The sons of Wanknaroskaka or James Blackhawk were Nojumbka, meaning The thunder who strikes the tree or John Blackhawk and Wakjagohoyka, (Returning with victory), Albert Black hawk, died July 1912, at age 20. The daughters are Chimkananewinka (She who goes on the village) born 1875 married Edwin Greengrass; Ahosojwaywinka (She whose feathers are worn) born 1881, married Arthur Cas[i]man, and Wakanjapinwinka (The good thunder woman), born 1886, married Charles Greengrass and lives at Trempealeau, Wisconsin.” (Jipson, 241)

Death

Belle died June 2, 1930, of gallstones and inflamation of the bladder. At the time she was living at the Tomah Indian School Agency, Tomah, Wisconsin.

Sources

• Norton William Jipson, Story of the Winnebagoes (Chicago: The Chicago Historical Society, 1923). This is an unpublished typescript.
• 1910 Indian census; Roll: M595_671; Line: 5; Agency: Wittenberg. 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.
• 1910 Federal Census for Brockway, Jackson, Wisconsin; Roll: T624_1713; Page: 11A; Enumeration District: 0074; FHL microfilm: 1375726. 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.
• 1919 Indian census; Roll: M595_168; Page: 5; Line: 14; 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.
• 1929 To 1930 Death List; Roll: M595_571; Line: 16; Agency: Tomah Indian School, Tomah. 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.