Thomas Little Shell

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Portrait of Little Shell, c. 1892

Thomas Little Shell III (c.1830-1901) (Anishinaabemowin Esens ("Little Shell" or "Little Clam") and recorded as Ase-anse or Es-sence), he was also known as Ayabe-Way-We-Tung Thomas (Peter Cochelle) Wenis, Long Voice, Egec (Apitwewitu), Little Shell III was a chief of a band of the Ojibwa (Chippewa) tribe in the second half of the nineteenth century, when the Anishinaabeg (Ojibwa peoples) had a vast territory ranging from southwestern Canada into the northern tier of the United States, from the Dakotas and into Montana. He is the son of The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief Weesh-e-damo Tacgitcit Split Rump, Little Shell II. His grandfather was The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief La Petite Coquille Little Shell I Corbeau (Aisaince) who was the son of The Great Sioux Nation & The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Wazhazha Mdewakanton Grand Chief Little Crow I Petit Corbeau Red Wing I

Negotiations[]

See also: History of North Dakota, History of Minnesota, and History of Montana

1850s to 1870s[]

During the 1850s, the United States (US) began to negotiate with the Anishinaabeg of North Dakota to get them to cede their land in exchange for payment and settlement on a reservation.

Much earlier, probably during the mid or early 18th century, the Anishinaabeg had begun to migrate into the Great Plains of Canada and the United States from their historic territory around the Great Lakes, partly in response to encroachment by Europeans and Americans. By the time Canadian and United States immigrants made their first permanent settlements in the Pembina and Saulteaux lands on the plains, the Ojibwe territory had advanced to southeastern Alberta and much of present-day Montana.

Little Shell was one of the Anishinaabe signatories of the 1863 Treaty of Old Crossing, which ceded Anishinaabe land in Minnesota and North Dakota. In 1864 he refused to negotiate with the United States further about ceding more land. For almost another 30 years, Little Shell refused to negotiate with the United States over land. Together the Anishinaabeg occupied an area of over 63,000,000 acres (250,000 km2). Much of that land was in North Dakota and South Dakota, but also included Pembina land in Montana, which may have reached all the way to the Rocky Mountains.

1880 to 1901[]

Around 1880, Little Shell moved his band from southern Canada to the Turtle Mountains of north-central North Dakota, where he protested encroachment by Americans and the government's lack of concern for Chippewa land title.[1] Because of persistent food shortages, he and his band hunted buffalo as far as Montana and southern Saskatchewan during the late 1880s. When they returned to the Turtle Mountains in the early 1890s, they faced a series of events that led to the exile of Little Shell's and other Chippewa people from the Dakotas.[1]

In 1892 Little Shell met with American representatives and attempted to reach an agreement about ceding his people's remaining land. European-American immigrants did not wait for treaties but squatted on Native American lands in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota.[citation needed]

Little Shell attempted to sell his remaining lands for $1.00 per acre and be allowed to have at least 10,000,000 acres (40,000 km2) of remaining lands in Montana, North Dakota and South Dakota set aside as a Reservation. The Americans offered to pay 10 cents an acre (which became known as the infamous "Ten-Cent Treaty"[1]) and refused to set aside the 10,000,000 acres (40,000 km2) reservation. No agreement was reached. The United States agent brought in 32 other Chippewa leaders who signed the treaty.[citation needed]

Little Shell's Montana lands started at the Missouri River on the Montana-North Dakota border, then followed the Yellowstone river to its beginning, and probably included the Big Belt Mountains and Little Belt Mountains, and may have reached to the Rocky Mountains near Augusta. Of course, the plains Anishinaabeg shared their Montana lands with the Assiniboine and probably the Gros Ventre, as well. The Little Shell leadership has maintained their identity under Federal Recognition of the 1863 Old Crossing Treaty as The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation [www.pembinachippewa.org][citation needed]

The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Leaders (non-Little Shell descendants not recognized for leadership)

Current Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief - 1974-present: Little Shell VII, Head Chief Karyence Ronald Delorme, son of Little Shell VI Louis Delorme, grandson of Little Shell III Council member Karyence Delorme; lineal grandson of Little Shell Chief Gay Tay Menomin “Old Wild Rice”

1. 1970-1974: Little Shell VI, Head Chief Louis Delorme, son of Little Shell III Grand Council member Karyence Delorme who was the son of the Little Shell II Grand Council member Aug-uhk-qway, who was son of Little Shell I Grand Council member Captain Joseph Amable Fafard dit Delorme. Lineal grandson of Little Shell Chief Gay Tay Menomin “Old Wild Rice”

2. 1965-1970: Little Shell V, Head Chief Frank Lenoir, son of Little Shell III Grand Council member and Grand Council President Paydway waish kum or Louis Lenoir who was son of Little Shell II Grand Council member Muhkudaybudtees.

3. The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief Thomas Little Shell IV Kiyon (1903-1965)

4. The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief Ayabe-Way-We-Tung Thomas (Peter Cochelle) Wenis, Long Voice, Egec, Little Shell III (1872-1903)

5. The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief Weesh-e-damo Tacgitcit Split Rump, Little Shell II (1813-1872)

6. The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief Black Duck Makadeshib Lerat (1811-1813)

7. The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief Tabashaw/Tabasnawa Joseph Little Shell II Le Plus Bas, (Lenau/L’Hereaux), The Lower (1790-1804)

8. The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Grand Chief La Petite Coquille Little Shell I Corbeau

9. Pembina Grand Chief Gay Tay Menomin Mdewakanton Chief Cetanwakanmani Petit Corbeau Little Crow I, Red Wing Vieux Folle Avoine, Old Wild Rice

10. The Great Sioux Nation & The Great Pembina Chippewa Nation Wazhazha Mdewakanton Grand Chief Little Crow I Petit Corbeau Red Wing I

11. Wazhazha Mdewakanton Dakota Grand Chief Delonais Wakute Wazican Red Leaf I Wáȟpe šá I (Wáȟpe šá) Wabasha I, Wakute Wazican /Pine Shooter

12. Chief Kadawibida No-Ka Gaa-dawaabide Broken Tooth

13. Chief Bajasswa Bayaaswaa Biauswah II

14. Chief Jos O'Jibway, Reindeer Dynasty


See also[]

References[]

  1. ^ Jump up to: a b c Miller, David, et al. (2008). The History of the Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Fort Peck Indian Reservation, Montana, 1800—2000, pp. 178-79. Poplar, Montana: Fort Peck Community College.
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