Fannie was Ho-Chunk.

Biography

Birth

Fannie was born about 1880, the daughter of Green Cloud.

Name

The censuses give her Hocąk name as Na-na-zhee-win-kaw, which is for Nąnąžį́wįga, from ną, "tree"; nąžį́, "standing"; -wį-, a feminine gender infix; and -ga, a definite article suffix used in personal names. So the name means, "Standing Tree." This is probably an Upper Moiety name.

Marriages

The 1922 census shows unambiguously that Henry Decorah had three wives simultaneously: Fannie (Green Cloud) Decorah, Mary S. Decorah and Louisa Decorah. In the censuses, all her children bear the surname "Decorah", except the last two who have the surname "Payer," indicating dual parentage. The 1922 census gives a nearly complete list of her children:

Sarah (Hīnū́gā) Decorah, b. 1899

Susie Decorah, b. 1906 (1910 census)

Agnes (Hīnū́gā) Decorah, b. 1908

Minnie Decorah, b. 1910

Ruth Payer, b. 1912

Henry Cloud Payer, b. 1915

Joseph Payer, b. 1916

Moses Payer, b. 1918

However, a land grant of property from Fannie's father Green Cloud lists two of these children with the surname "Payer". (Land Patent, 26-69-0002) The recipients of this inheritance were:

Samuel Thunderchief, jr.

Agnes Payer

Minnie Payer

Joseph Payer

Moses Payer

Harry Mason Blackhawk (son of Ruth Payer)

Susie Smith

Stacy Payer

Wilbert Backdeer

Benjamin Walker

Vincent Walker

LeRoy Walker

Elizabeth Jean Walker

It therefore transpires that all her children from Agnes on derived from an unidentified Payer, with whom she did not reside. Agnes, however, had a birth order name of Hīnū́gā, which is "First Daughter." Agnes' older sister Sarah was obviously the first daughter, which shows that Agnes was the first daughter of Payer, whereas Sarah was the only daughter Fannie had with Henry Decorah. Stacy Payer was the son of Lizzie Hawk and Barcley Payer.

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.
• 1910 Indian census; Roll: M595_671; Line: 6; 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.
• 1922 Indian census; Roll: M595_168; Page: 17; Line: 17; 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.
• United States. Bureau of Land Management, General Land Office Records. Automated Records Project; Federal Land Patents, State Volumes. http://www.glorecords.blm.gov/. Springfield, Virginia: Bureau of Land Management, Eastern States, 2007. Accession Nr: 26-69-0002