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Final Update - June 27, 2007

Hau Koda (Hello Friend)

It is with much regret that I must say that I am no longer be able to to maintain this web page.   I find now in my 71st year in this world that I no longer possess the energy to spend the hours and hours of enjoyable research and discussion that I did just five years ago.   Perhaps there is enough information here to whet someone's appetite for further research and discussion on the Wapasha Dynasty, so I will not remove this web site from the Internet.

I heartedly recommend Wapasha researchers find their way to the "Oyate Research Center."   Click HERE and your browser will open a new window to this site.   The "Oyate Research Center" is more than a bulletin board, it is family.   It is administered by a small band of dedicated researchers and hundreds of people interested in furthering their knowledge of a truthful native history.

These past seven years I have met a lot of new relatives.   It has been a very enjoyable journey.

Pidamaya (Thank You)

PURPOSE

The purpose of this website was threefold; 1) to bring together descendents, researchers, and others around the world interested of the genealogy of the three Chief's Wapasha, 2) to compile and post Wapasha genealogical material and 3) to eventually develop a comprehensive Wapasha genealogy.   Time has run out on me to complete this project.   Hopefully, someone else can continue.

These three Chief's were variously identified as Wapasha, Wapahasha, Wahpashaw, Wabashaw, and Wabasha, who prior to 1862 with their Mdewakanton people, inhabited the region on this continent now identified as southeastern Minnesota.   There was no established written language for the people who lived, hunted and roamed this area in an earlier era.   Early writers coming upon this bountiful place spelled their names as the names sounded to them which resulted in various spellings.   Inasmuch as there are no recorded evidence of births, marriages and deaths of these early Mdewakanton Dakota people, one must rely on family lore and various other records to establish an approximate date of these three important family events.

Tanyan yahi (It is good that you've come)

BRIEF HISTORY
(1740 - 1876)

A very good brief history of the three chiefs can be found in a transcription of a Steve Kerns article in the Winona Sunday News dated November 14, 1976, entitled "Explorers found hills, valleys alive with Indians".

Click HERE and your browser will open a new window to this site.

OTAKUYE HDIHUNIPI
(All the relatives shall return home)

The Fourth Annual "Great Dakota Homecoming and Gathering" was held in Winona (Wapasha's Prairie), Minnesota on Saturday and Sunday, June 2 & 3, 2007.

To find the dates for future gatherings, enter the word "hdihunipi" in your favorite search engine.   Then mark your calendar and plan to attend.   You will enjoy.   You will also learn the truth about the history of native people of Wapasha Prairie, much of it hidden or unspoken for many years.

Mitakuye Owasin (We are all related).


This is the place to go if you are looking for authentic hand-made Native American art/crafts.   There are excellent images of all the products and the shipping is FREE.   Unless otherwise noted, everything on this site was made by Rod Steiner, a relative, a Mdewakanton and an enrolled member of the Santee Sioux Tribe of Nebraska.

Click HERE and your browser will open a new window to this site.


PHOTO GALLERY



Wapasha II
Source: History of Wabasha County (MN), page 1273



Wapasha II
Another rendition from a different history book
Source: Unreadable.



Wapasha III - 1858
Source: Minnesota State Historical Society



Dakota delegation
Washington, DC - 1858

Back Row (Left to Right)
Jos. R. Brown - Antoine Jos. Campbell
Whale (Chief Has A War Club)
Andrew Robertson - Red Owl
Thomas Robertson - Nathaniel Brown

Seated In Front (Left to Right)
Mankato - Wapasha III - Henry Bellard
Source: Minnesota State Historical Society



Wapasha III - 1867
Source: A. Zeno Shindler American Indian Photograph
Collection, American Philosophical Society



Wapasha III Headstone
Santee Reservation

Source: Photo taken by Shawn Chase
during 2002 Wabasha-Chase reunion



Wapahasha IV
Napoleon Wabasha
aka Hdakinyan(Crosswise)

Source: Photo image from Mark Diedrich's book The Chiefs Wapahasha [photo credit: courtesy of Rod Steiner]



DESCENDANTS OF THE CHIEFS WAPASHA
Abbreviated Family Histories linked to the Wapasha Dynasty

[None of the family histories listed here should be considered as absolute fact.   You must do further research on your own to ascertain if it is fact, family lore, or "hoped for" family information.]

Wapahasha I to Wapahasha VII
Genealogical notes taken from Mark Diedrich's book,
"The Chiefs Wapahasha, Three Generations of Dakota Leadership, 1740-1876"
published 2004

George Earlwin Wabasha
Direct Descendant

A scanned U. S. Army biographical document on
Sergeant George Earlwin Wabashaw
who was killed in action during World War II.

Dale Ebersold
Descendant through the Rocque family

- ADDED 8 Jul 2004 -

Michael Gunter
Descendant through the Monjeau-McCoy-Gunter families

- ADDED 16 Jul 2004 -

Michael Oker
Descendant through the Rocque-LaPointe-St.Jacque-Hamilton-Oker families

- ADDED 26 Jul 2004 -

Kevin Prouty
Descendant through the Rocque-LaPointe-St.Jacque-Prouty families

- ADDED 19 Feb 2005 -

CAROL FRIEMEL, Wapasha I descendant
through his daughter and granddaughter both named Marpiyahotanka (Grey Cloud Woman)
and the Aird - Anderson - Robertson - Renville - Kirk - Friemel families

- ADDED 9 Mar 2005 -

SHARON CISSELL, Wapasha I descendant
through his daughter and granddaughter both named Marpiyahotanka (Grey Cloud Woman)
and the Aird - Anderson - Robertson - Lessert - Payne families

- ADDED 19 Mar 2005 -

Lori Dollevoet
Descendant through the Dubois-Gauthier-Brunette-LaRoque-Bibeau-Londre-Blahnik-Spillman-Dollevoet families

- ADDED 22 Mar 2005 -

Ellen Applegate
Descendant through the Wapasha - LaBatt - Vaillant - Morrow(Moreau) - Francisco families

- ADDED 22 Mar 2005 -

BETTY JO KIRK, Wapasha I descendant
through his daughter and granddaughter both named Marpiyahotanka (Grey Cloud Woman)
and the Aird - Anderson - Robertson - Renville - Kirk families

- ADDED 21 Aug 2005 -

Harley L. Zephier
Descendant through the Wapasha-Ange-Angie-Zephier families

- ADDED 2 Sep 2005 -

Sherwyn B. Zephier
Descendant through the Wapahasha-Wabashaw-Blacksmith-Zephier families

- ADDED 2 Sep 2005 -

MARK DeFORGE, Wapasha I descendant
through his daughter and granddaughter both named Marpiyahotanka (Grey Cloud Woman)
and the Aird - Mooers - Brown - Shemeld - Fulkerson - Moore - De Forge families

- ADDED 28 Oct 2006 -

SHELLY SKWIRA, Wapasha I descendant
through his daughter and granddaughter both named Marpiyahotanka (Grey Cloud Woman)
and the Aird - Mooers - Brown - McCollum - Boyden families

- ADDED 7 Jan 2007 -

No further ancrestral lines will be added.


 


I recently purchased this book and found it to be the best cumulation of history and lore of the three Chiefs Wapahasha I have ever found.   This is the first book ever written that asked for input and insight from the Wabasha family.   Mark has done an excellent job of "setting the record straight" for the three Chiefs Wapahasha and their descendents.   It was published in time for the Dakota Homecoming, Winona, Minnesota, June 26-27, 2004.

I receive no commission for promulgating information on this book, it's my way of heaping praise on an excellent publication that was long overdue.

You can purchase the book for $26.95 + $2.00 shipping and handling charges from:

Coyote Books
3818 14th Ave., NW
Rochester, MN 55901

Make your check out for $28.95 and payable to Coyote Books, then mail it to the address above.


OTHER WAPASHA RELATED WEBSITES

When you click on the links below
your browser will open a new window to the site

RootsWeb.Com Surname Message Board WAPASHA
Messages posted here are also sent to subscribers of the WAPASHA-L mailing list.

RootsWeb.Com Mailing List - WAPASHA-L
To subscribe, type Wapasha in the Surname? block, and press the Search button.

USS WAPASHA (YTB-737)
This official Navy site was found and reported by Chris Miller.

MNGenWeb Wabasha County Pages with references to the Chiefs Wapasha
Wonderful genealogical website coordinated by Barbara Timm.

Biographies & Histories of Traders / Merchants / Chiefs / Officers / Voyageurs
Although Dale Nelson renumbers the Chiefs Wapasha on this site,
it still contains excellent genealogical and historical information.

© 2001-2007 All rights reserved by Dale Ebersold

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