Dora (Chepinchaywinkah) Greensnake Sr. (abt. 1874 - bef. 1916)

Born about 1874 in Wisconsin, United States

Wife of Martin Kīmį̄ną́ka Greensnake — married about 1905 (to before 30 Jun 1916) in Wisconsin, United States

Descendants

Died before 30 Jun 1916 before about age 42 in Wisconsin, United States

Dora was Ho-Chunk.

Biography

Birth

Dora was born about 1874.

Marriage

Dora's first marriage was with a man whose surname was "Wallace". They had the following children (1905 census):

Nelly (b. 1894)

John M. (b. 1896)

Dora Lucy, Jr. (b. 1899)

Marcia Greensnake (b. 27 September 1913) (1914 census)

Her granddaughter Marcia appears to have died in infancy.

Her second husband was Martin Greensnake (Kīmį̄ną́ka). She had the following children:

Wilbur (b. 1909)

James = Joe (b. 25 August 1911) (1913 census)

Wilbur was present in the 1910 census, but missing thereafter, leading to the conclusion that he died in 1910 or 1911. In the 1911 and 1912 censuses, Dora Sr. is described as "des-wf" (deserted wife).

Name

The 1905 census gives her name as Chepinchaywinkah, which has some phonetic ambiguity. In the phonetic orthography of the census takers, che can represent either ce or cī. The former usually means "buffalo, bovine", the latter means, "lodge, house, building; to live". The syllable pin (for pį) is clear: it means, "good, beautiful, etc.". The syllable chay unambiguously represents cē, a word of many meanings: "to alternate, cross, every other; to be selfish, difficult, costly, vicious, wild; revenge; to break, crack, or tear a soft substance; to chop, divide; to increase, overdo; more." The name is probably Cīpįcēwiga, "She Improves a Good Lodge". The remainder of the name is rather pro forma: -wį- is a feminine gender infix, and -ga is a definite article suffix used in personal names.

Death

After 1915, neither Dora nor Martin are mentioned in the censuses, and their children in 1916 and 1917 have been adopted by George Greensnake, a presumed paternal uncle. It seems likely, therefore, that in 1915 or 1916, both Dora and her husband Martin died.

Sources

• 1905 Indian census; Roll: M595_671; Line: 11. 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 Indian census; Roll: M595_671; Line: 2; 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.
• 1911 Indian census; Roll: M595_570; Line: 3; Agency: Tomah Indian Ind'l School. 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.
• 1912 Indian census; Roll: M595_570; Line: 3; Agency: Tomah Indian School. 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.
• 1913 Indian census; Roll: M595_570; Line: 2; Agency: Tomah Ind School. 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.
• 1914 Indian census; Roll: M595_570; Line: 2; Agency: Tomah Ind School. 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.
• 1916 Indian census; Roll: M595_168; 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.
• 1917 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.