William Hųgᵋmįnąka Decorah Jr. (1889 - 1942)

Born 5 Jul 1889 in Wisconsin, United States

Descendants

William Decorah Jr. was a Native American and member of the Ho-Chunk tribe.

Biography

William was born in 1889. He passed away in 1942.

Name

His Hocąk name was HoonkMeNukKah,which is for Hųgᵋmįnąka, which is from hųk, "chief"; mįną́k, "to sit, he sits, sitting"; and -ka-, a definite article suffix used in personal names. This may be translated as, "Sitting Chief," "Chief who is Seated." Compare the Bear Clan name, Miną́́ka, "He who is Seated." Hųgᵋmįnąka is a Thunderbird Clan name, as the Decoras belonged to that clan, and it is this clan that supplies the Peace Chief for a village.

Military Record

William Decorah served as a private in Co. D, 128th Infantry, 32nd Infantry Division in World War I. (Headstone Applications, Find a Grave) The 32nd Infantry was a Wisconsin unit and saw heavy action in France. (Garland)

Death

He died on 23 Nov 1942 (aged 52–53) and is buried in the Mauston Cemetery, Mauston, Juneau County, Wisconsin, USA; Row 7 E to W , Lot 55. (Headstone Applications, Find a Grave)

Sources

• "United States Census, 1930," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:X9SY-2GK : accessed 15 April 2019), William Decorah, Wittenberg, Shawano, Wisconsin, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) ED 40, sheet 7A, line 12, family 117, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 2612; FHL microfilm 2,342,346.
• United States, Applications for Headstones for U.S. military Veterans, roll 60, old roll 194 Dawson, Joseph – DeGorter, Samuel, 1941-1949.
• "Lt. Colonel Glenn W. Garlock, "An Afternoon of Grim Fighting: The Fate of Foster and Robert Decorah" in Richard Dieterle, The Encyclopedia of Hočąk (Winnebago) Mythology.
• Find a Grave, Memorial ID: 186593686.

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