Walking Priest (abt. 1852 - 1928)

Born about 1852 in near White Earth, Minnesota Territory, United States

Ancestors

Died 7 May 1928 in Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska, United States

Walking Priest was a Native American and member of the Ho-Chunk tribe.

Biography

Birth

Walking Priest was born in 1855 near White Earth in Minnesota Territory. (Jipson, 234) He was the son of Hųgᵋxų́nųga Little Priest.

Names

The name "Walking Priest" would be Hųgᵋmąnįga in Hocąk, but in the one case where a Hocąk name is given for him, he is called, Wank-shick-stock-hi-kaw, which is for Wąkšigᵋstokįga, "He Who Assembles the Men." This name is from wąkšik, "men, people, humans, Indians"; stokį, "to gather, assemble"; and -ga, a definite article suffix used in personal names. Since this is not likely a clan name, it is probably an honorific name. Like his father, Walking Priest belonged to the Bear Clan.

Marriages

The 1910 census records that at the time he had had four marriages. His known marriages are:

Big Winnebago Woman, b. 1854 (1896, 1897, 1898 censuses)

Lizzie Blackhawk, b. 1863 (1889, 1900 censuses)

Hinukago (for Hinųkąga), b. 1879, m. 1907 (1910 census)

Emma Blowsnake, (1917 census)

Residence

The 1910 census shows that he owned a farm in the township of Merry in Thurston County, Nebraska.

Death

He passed away on 7 May 1928, probably in Winnebago, Nebraska (1927-28 census), although Jipson says (234) that as of 1921 he had been living in Wisconsin. He is buried at the Winnebago Cemetery, Winnebago, Thurston County, Nebraska, USA. (Find a Grave)

Sources

• Linda W[aggoner], "Little Priest’s Wives and Children," Winnebago Indian News, 46, #14 (Saturday, July 28, 2018): 6c.
• 1889 Indian Census; Roll: M595_311; Page: 6; Line: 12; Agency: Winnebago. 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.
• 1896 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 17; Line: 12; Agency: Omaha And Winnebago. 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.
• 1897 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 17; Line: 12; Agency: Omaha & Winnebago. 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.
• 1898 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 14; Line: 17; Agency: Omaha & Winnebago. 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.
• 1900 Federal Census for Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska; Page: 15; Enumeration District: 0187; FHL microfilm: 1240941. Winnebago United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Twelfth Census of the United States, 1900. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1900. T623, 1854 rolls.
• 1902 Indian Census; Roll: M595_313; Page: 12; Line: 17; Agency: Omaha & Winnebago. ndian 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 Merry, Thurston, Nebraska; Roll: T624_857; Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 0205; FHL microfilm: 1374870. 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. For details on the contents of the film numbers, visit the following NARA web page: NARA.
• 1917 Indian census; Roll: M595_665; Page: 40; Line: 12; Agency: Winnebago. 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.
• Deaths Occurring between July 1, 1927 and June 30, 1928; Roll: M595_667; Line: 9; Agency: Winnebago. 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.
• Norton William Jipson, Story of the Winnebagoes (Chicago: The Chicago Historical Society, 1923). This is an unpublished typescript.
• Find A Grave, database and images (accessed 30 January 2020), memorial page for Walking Priest (1852–6 May 1928), Find A Grave Memorial no. 66586844, citing Winnebago Cemetery, Winnebago, Thurston County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by kmapp (contributor 46799577) .

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