Ho-poe-kaw (Glory of the Morning) Last Known Female Ho-Chunk Chief. She was chosen to lead her people around 1727, when she was 18. She was the first woman ever described in the written history of Wisconsin.[1][2][3] She was either the sister or daughter of a chief, and succeeded him as as leader of the largest village of the Winnebagoes, the Thunderbird Clan, east of Lake Winnebago. She led for decades, through epidemics, economic instability, and conflict with explorers, traders, and settlers.[2][3]
In 1728/9, Ho-poe-kaw married Sabrevoir Descaris, a French officer who resigned his commission to become a fur trader.[1] After seven or eight years, during which time two sons and a daughter were born to him, he left her, taking with him the daughter.[4] Ho-poe-kaw refused to join Sabrevoir, and remained with her village along with her two sons. Their son Chou-ke-ka, born in 1730, was known to the whites as Spoon De Kaury. He became hereditary chief of the tribe. [5] Hopokoekau was the mother of a celebrated line of chiefs, all of whom, well known to border history, bore in some form the name Decorah. [4][6][3]
"On Sept 25, 1766, Jonathan Carver, ascending the Fox River... arrived at Doty Island... reported, 'Here the Queen who resides over this Winnibago tribe instead of a sachem, received me with great civility, and entertained me in a very distinguished manner... we know her as Ho-po-koe-kaw, mistranslated as 'Glory of the Morning', a Winnebago woman who married the French officer Sabrevoie de Carrie and started the distinguished Decorah family... De Carrie was killed in battle against the British in Quebec, September 13, 1759, but his name, in the form Decorra, Decorah, Dekorra, etc., is still prominent among the Winnebago...'" [7]
Juliette Kinzie wrote that the ancient chiefess was still living at Portage in 1832. She would have been over 120 years old.
↑ 2.02.1 McBride, Genevieve G., "Women's Wisconsin: from native matriarchies to the new millenium,"on Wisconsin History. Wisconsin Historical Society, 2006.
"Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Local History & Biography: reprint of 'Stories of Wisconsin No. 19 Glory of the Morning', by M.M. Quaiffe, ed.; Wisconsin Historical Society; August 15, 1925 Newspaper item. [1]
"Wisconsin Historical Society. Wisconsin Local History & Biography Articles; reprint of "The Madison Democrat (2-21-1912): 'Glory of the Morning and the Decorah Family', by Louise Phelps Kellogg, PhD. (State Hiostorical Society)[2]
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