Marguerite Ellen Nį-amą́nįwįga (Rave) Renfer (1875 - 1934)

Born 21 Nov 1875 in Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska, United States

Ancestors

Wife of Fred Renfer — married 3 Jun 1901 (to 14 Dec 1934) in Pender, Thurston, Nebraska, United States

Descendants

Died 14 Dec 1934 at age 59 in Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska, United States

Problems/Questions Profile manager: Kecia Alaniz [send private message]

Marguerite was Ho-Chunk.

Biography

Birth

She was born on 21 Nov 1875, on the Winnebago Reservation in Thurston County, Nebraska. (Mapp, Mar. Rec.) She was the second daughter of Henry Rave and Mary LaMere. (1900, 1902 censuses)

Name

She had the birth order name Wīhą́gā, "Second Daughter". (1902 census)

Her clan name was Nea-mone-win-kaw (1898 census), which is for Nį-amą́nįwįga, "She Walks on Water", an attested Waterspirit Clan name. However, the Bear Clan origin myth says that the ursine founders of the clan initially walked across the waters to reach the land where the other clan progenitors had gathered. So this may also be a Bear Clan name. It derives from nį, "water"; hamąnį́, "to walk on top of something, to walk over something (as a carpet or a can), to run over (as in a vehicle), to ride over"; -wį-, a feminine gender infix; and -ga, a definite article suffix used in personal names.

Additionally, according to her granddaughter (Thomas-48320), "Walks on Water" is a Peyote name denoting tribal members who were associated with the Native American Church. Members of the NAC and their descendants are buried in the James Rave Cemetery. The Rave family brought the NAC beliefs to the Winnebago from Oklahoma.

Marriage

She married Fred Renfer, a white man from Pennsylvania, on 3 June 1901 in Thurston County, Nebraska.

Children

With Fred Renfer she had the following children:

Death

She died in the Winnebago Hospital, Thurston County, Nebraska on 14 December 1934. (Mapp, 1934 census) She is interred at the James Rave Cemetery, Winnebago, Thurston County, Nebraska. (Find a Grave)

Sources

• Personal Recollection of Kecia (Alesiz) Mapp, 23 Dec 2020.
• 1889 Indian census; Roll: M595_311; Page: 15; 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.
• 1898 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 14; Line: 14; 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: 26; Enumeration District: 0187; Description: Winnebago Precinct; FHL microfilm: 1240941. 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.
• Nebraska, Marriage Records, 1855-1908. State Library and Archives, Nebraska State Historical Society, Lincoln, Nebraska. Thurston County, Nebraska, Record #353, 4 June 1901, p. 519.
• 1902 Indian census; Roll: M595_313; Page: 12; Line: 26; 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.
• 1910 Federal Census for Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska; Roll: T624_857; Page: 22B; Enumeration District: 0207; 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.
• 1912 Indian census; Roll: M595_664; Page: 32; Line: 5; 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.
• 1913 Indian census; Roll: M595_664; 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.
• 1926 Indian census; Roll: M595_666; Page: 45; Line: 16; 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.
• 1930 Federal Census Place: Winnebago, Thurston, Nebraska; Page: 1B; Enumeration District: 0017 WINNEBAGO PRECINCT EXCLUDING WINNEBAGO VILLAGE; FHL microfilm: 2341029. United States of America, Bureau of the Census. Fifteenth Census of the United States, 1930. Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1930. T626, 2,667 rolls.
• 1934 Indian census; Roll: M595_669; Page: 71; Line: 1; 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.
• Find a Grave, database and images (accessed 16 January 2021), memorial page for Marguerite Ellen Rave Renfer (21 Nov 1878–12 Dec 1934), Find a Grave Memorial no. 11489839, citing James Rave Cemetery, Winnebago, Thurston County, Nebraska, USA ; Maintained by kmapp (contributor 46799577) .