Seventh generation XX. Henry h. 7 Vanderburgh

Strong circumstantial evidence points to the parentage of Louis. His father was definitely in the southwestern Montana region during the years preceeding Louis’ birth²²³ and it was common for fur traders to be on friendly terms with the Flathead. The Vanderburg surname has been continued through Louis’ descendants and the Indian tradition is strong that that his father had been "the" fur trader.²²⁴ William H. Vanderburgh may not have known that he ever had a son since he was killed in 1832, about the same time Louis was born. Louis may have been born at Bozeman, Montana,²²⁵ or Idaho.²²⁶ However, he undoubtedly grew up in Montana’s Bitterroot Valley, the traditional home of the Flatheads. Their territory once extended for some distance on either side of the mountain divide. However, they did not live in the mountains by choice. The Flatheads peaceful nature left them prey to other tribes so that they had been progressively driven there by the eastern Plains Indians and were ultimately confined to the Bitterroot Valley.²²⁷

Sometime in the 1820s, four Iroquois came to live among the Flatheads. One in particular, known as Big Ignace (or Ignace la Mousse), spoke at length about the Black Robes and the powers of Catholicism. As a result of this introduction to Christianity, the Flatheads developed an immense curiosity about the Black Robes. In 1831, 1835, 1837, and 1839, Flathead expeditions traveled from the Bitterroot to St. Louis. During this same period, the westward expanding fur trade brought permanent white man incursion to the Flathead territory. Included in this fur trapping group was Louis’ father. Such was the environment into which Louis was born.

Responding to the Flathead visits to St. Louis, Belgian Jesuit Pierre-Jean De Smet made his first trip to the Bitterroot Valley in 1840. In April 1841, he again left St. Louis accompanied by three lay brothers. They arrived in the Bitterroot Valley in September and founded St. Mary’s Mission. They emphasized agriculture, built gristmills and sawmills, and vaccinated the Flatheads against smallpox. This fostered a practical Christianity that the Flatheads at first embraced. But the tenents of one God, one wife, no alcohol, no punishment by whipping, and farming rather than hunting, all contradicted Indian traditions. These conflicts, combined with Father De Smet’s pursuit of a mission among the Flathead enemies, the Blackfeet, killed any hopes of a successful mission. By 1850, St. Mary’s demise was assured and De Smet sold the property for $250 to pioneer John Owen for a trading post. Owen enclosed the mission with a high wall and renamed it Fort Owen. From here, he conducted a trade in furs and became a friend and strong personal influence among the Flatheads. He planted crops and orchards and made his post the center of early settlement in western Montana.²²⁸

By the 1850s, Louis had reached manhood, steeped in an Indian lifestyle and Christian knowledge. Before the decade ended, Louis married in an Indian ceremony, MARY BEARTRACK. Mary was born in the Bitterroot Valley, the daughter of Soey-Te-Sum-’Hi, otherwise known as "Bear Tracks" or "Grizzly Bear Tracks," and by the christian name of "Alexander." Her mother’s name was Cul-Su-Sah. Bear Tracks was an important hunting shaman, with special powers to ensure buffalo hunts. He was a speaker at the Treaty Council on 13 Jul 1855 and later added his name to the Hell Gate Treaty.²²⁹

In 1855, the Flatheads were among several western tribes signing the Hell Gate Treaty with the United States government, agreeing to accept goods and shop, school, and hospital facilities in exchange for a reduction of land. The Flatheads gave up much land under this treaty, retaining some 1.25 million acres of their homeland in the Bitterroot Valley, but with an alternative clause which allowed the US president to determine whether it would be better in the long run for them to move to a new reservation at Flathead Lake and the Jocko River. Ultimately, the government failed in its promise to keep white farmers and ranchers out of the Bitterroot Valley. Settlers pushed the buffalo herds into Blackfoot country where, without federal protection, the Flatheads found hunting impossible. The whites in the Bitterroot now outnumbered the Flatheads three to one, and Montanans argued that their agricultural products were required to feed the territory’s growing population. When the Flatheads, under Chief Charlot, refused to move to the reservation, President Grant declared that the Jocko reservation was more suitable than the Bitterroot Valley and ordered them to move. Charlot still refused to leave. Grant sent Congressman James A. Garfield of Ohio to negotiate. In the summer of 1872, Garfield brought back a treaty, supposedly signed by Flathead chiefs, including Charlot, consenting to remove to the Jocko. Soon it became obvious that Charlot had not actually signed the treaty and had no intention of relocating with his faithful followers. However, Congress, by law, stipulated transfer of the Flatheads and threw open the Bitterroot Valley north of the Lolo Fork to settlers. A number of Flathead families did move to the Jocko lands. This small group under subchief Arlee was recognized as legitimate recipients of the annuity goods authorized by the 1855 Hell Gate Treaty. Meanwhile, Charlot’s band suffered. The buffalo vanished, hunting was sharply curtailed, and government aid was withdrawn.²³⁰ In an effort to reclaim some of their losses, Louis was among five members of his tribe who in 1884 went with Charlot and the Flathead Indian Agent, Major Peter Ronan, to Washington, DC as a council to secure tribal rights for the Flatheads.²³¹ Louis was the last survivor of this group,²³² and a picture of him among this group is found in the National Archives²³³ and at the Montana Historical Society Library at Helena, MT.²³⁴ The year following their visit, the first supplies in twelve years arrived.

Finally, in 1891-92, a bitter and dispirited Charlot led the rest of his people, including Louis and his family, onto the Jocko reservation, condemning the federal government as he did so. "You are liars," Charlot said. "I do not believe you. My young men have no place to hunt, they get whiskey, they are bad. My women and children are hungry; I will go."²³⁵

Two years after his arrival on the reservation, Louis’ wife, Mary, died in 1894.²³⁶

Louis remained a member of Charlot’s band on the reservation for the rest of his life.²³⁷ Louis died on 17 Aug 1923 at Arlee and was buried there three days later in the Jocko Cemetery.²³⁸ "The direct cause of his death is said to have been an accident three years ago when a horse he was riding slipped and fell on him, breaking a hip. Since that time, he had been bed-ridden till death came."

A "funeral feast" was held on 20 Aug 1823 near Arlee by members of his tribe in reverence to the memory of Louis as a patriarch of the Flatheads. Noted as a "venerable warrior," and "a historic figure" in western Montana, Louis outlived all other members of his tribe who witnessed the advent of Father DeSmet into the western Montana territory.

Louis was survived by six of his seven children, all of whom lived at Arlee in 1923:²³⁹
i. Pelesoway/Frances, b. 1858, m. 1879 Louie Pierre,

d. 13 Mar 1932.

ii. Martina, b. Jun 1862 at Stevensville, MT, m.(1) 3 Jun 1880 Louie

Wah-Co of the Nez-Perce, d. 17 Feb 1950.

+ iii. Moses, b. 1866, m.(1) Sophie ______, m.(2) 1891 Mary Lumpry,

m.(3) 26 Jan 1926 Sophie Michel, d. 19 Apr 1931.

+ iv. Victor, b. 1868, m.(1) 1885 Rosalie Marengo, m.(2) 1935 Sophie

Michel, d. 25 Jul 1939.

+ v. Charlo, b. 1872, m.(1) 1891 Lucy Use [Deepwater?], m.(2) 1895

Louisa Lumpry, d. 5 Feb 1934.

+ vi. Joseph, b. 1875, m. Cecile Magpie, d. 27 Jan 1933.

vii. Peter, d. at age of 12 years.

XX. ABIGAIL⁷ VANDERBURG (James⁶, John W.⁵, William⁴, Henry³, Dirck², Lucas¹), daughter of James Vanderburg and Roby Knight, was born in Jun 1826,²⁴⁰ probably at Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY.²⁴¹ In 1850, she was living with her mother in Pierrepont, St. Lawrence Co., NY.²⁴² In 1855, she was living with her brother, Daniel, and sister, Mary, in Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY.²⁴³

Around 1859, Abigail married WILLIAM ALBRECHT who was born in Prussia/Germany in May 1828. He immigrated to the US in 1857 and soon changed his name to "ALBERTS."²⁴⁴

Abigail and William were living in a log house valued at $50 in Martinsburg in 1865. William was employed as a farmer.²⁴⁵ They were in West Martinsburg in 1870 where William was still farming with real estate valued at $1,450.²⁴⁶ They were in Martinsburg in 1874,²⁴⁷ and 1900.²⁴⁸ Abigail died after 1900 but before 1909. By 1909, William married, second, Louisa ______ who was born in Germany in 1834 and had been previously married. In 1910, William, now 82, and Louisa, 76, were still residing in Martinsburg.²⁴⁹

Abigail and William had one child:

i. Frederick D., b. Feb 1860, m. ca. 1895 Hannah E. Gowdy.²⁵⁰

He was living with his parents in 1865 and 1870.²⁵¹ In 1900

and 1910, he and his wife were living with her brother in

Martinsburg. They had no children.²⁵²

XX. JAMES⁷ VANDERBURG (James⁶, John W.⁵, William⁴, Henry³, Dirck², Lucas¹), son of James Vanderburg and Roby Knight, was born about 1828, probably in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY. In 1850, he was living with his mother in Pierrepont, St.

Lawrence Co., NY.²⁵³ He married about 1858 DIREXA F. ______, who was born about 1833.²⁵⁴

On 15 Nov 1856, James purchased 110 acres of land in Pierrepont from Frances D. Harison of New York City.²⁵⁵ On 29 Sep 1858, James and his wife sold half of that land to James’ brother, Charles.²⁵⁶

In 1860, James was a farmer who had his father living with him in Pierrepont.²⁵⁷

On 23 Feb 1864 Charles sold his parcel back to Direxa.²⁵⁸ Since James is not mentioned in this transaction, it is possible that he may have already died. This would place his death about 1863. Two years later on 17 Apr 1866, Direxa sold land in Pierrepont to Samson J. Crandall.²⁵⁹ This was the last of any recorded land transactions in St. Lawrence County for James and Direxa. Child:²⁶⁰

XX. DANIEL⁷ VANDERBURG (James⁶, John W.⁵, William⁴, Henry³, Dirck², Lucas¹), son of James Vanderburg and Roby Knight, was born on 2 Feb 1830²⁶¹ in Jefferson Co., New York. In 1850, he was living with his mother in Pierrepont, St. Lawrence Co., NY.²⁶² By 1854, he and his sisters, Mary and Abigail, had relocated to Martinsburg, Lewis Co., NY. They were still there in 1855 where Daniel was a farmer with assets valued at $300.²⁶³ After their mother’s death in 1853, they had probably moved to Lewis Co. to be near their mother’s Knight relatives.

On 17 Jul 1858, Daniel married ELIZA LOUCKS who was born in NY on 28 Dec 1834, the daughter of Daniel Loucks and Julia Ann Strader of Martinsburg.²⁶⁴ In 1860, Daniel and Eliza were living on a farm in Martinsburg. By that time, his sisters were no longer living with him.²⁶⁵ They were still farming in Martinsburg in 1865 with 16 year old Oliver Whitford living with them.²⁶⁶ In 1870, Daniel and Eliza were living on a farm in West Martinsburg.²⁶⁷ Daniel died on 27 May 1883 and is buried in the West Martinsburg Cemetery.

In 1900 and 1910, Eliza was living alone on a farm in Martinsburg.²⁶⁸ She died on 28 Mar 1915 and is buried with her husband. Daniel and Eliza had only two sons, born in NY:²⁶⁹

died on 11 Jun 1883 and is buried in the West Martinsburg

Cemetery.²⁷⁰

ii. Lamoine C., b. 5 Jul 1866. Living at home in 1870. He died on

23 May 1884.²⁷¹

XX. CHARLES⁷ VANDERBURG (James⁶, John W.⁵, William⁴, Henry³, Dirck², Lucas¹), son of James Vanderburg and Roby Knight, was born about 1833 in Jefferson Co., New York. In 1850, he is probably recorded in the census twice - once as living with his mother in Pierrepont, St. Lawrence Co., NY²⁷² and again as a farmer in the town of Hammond with Howard [O?]ssin and family.²⁷³

On 29 Sep 1858, Charles purchased 55 acres of land in Pierrepont from his brother, James and his wife, Direxa.²⁷⁴ On 23 Feb 1864 Charles sold his parcel back to Direxa. By this time, Charles had relocated to California.²⁷⁵

XX. FREDERICK⁷ VANDERBURG (James⁶, John W.⁵, William⁴, Henry³, Dirck², Lucas¹), son of James Vanderburg and Roby Knight, was born on 6 May 1836 in Antwerp, Jefferson Co., NY.²⁷⁶ The next year he moved to Pierrepont, St. Lawrence Co., NY with his parents.²⁷⁷ He was living there with his mother in 1850.²⁷⁸ In 1860, he was a single farmer living with the Gilbert E. Searles family on a farm in Lowville, Lewis Co., NY.²⁷⁹

In Pierrepont, Frederick married, first, on 16 Apr 1863 CATHERINE E. DANIELS. The marriage was performed by Rev. William Whitefield.²⁸⁰ Catherine was born in Pierrepont around 1836. After their marriage they returned to Lewis County and settled on a farm in Martinsburg next to Frederick's brother, Daniel. They were there in 1865 with 16 year old Luna Butts living with them.²⁸¹ By 1870, they had relocated to Pierrepont with a post office address of Ellsworth. Here, Frederick was a farmer with real estate valued at $7,000 and personal assets worth $1,765.²⁸² Catherine died in 1873 and is buried in the Pierrepont Hill Cemetery.²⁸³

Frederick married, second, probably around 1874, MARY JANE COON of Pierrepont.²⁸⁴ She was probably the daughter of John and Dorcus Coon who was born about 1846.²⁸⁵ Mary died on 11 Sep 1875 at the age of 29. She is buried in the Pierrepont Hill Cemetery.²⁸⁶

Frederick married, third, on 17 Dec 1876, JOSEPHINE HIBBARD. This marriage was also performed by Rev. Whitefield.²⁸⁷ Josephine was born in Vermont in Apr 1859. Her parents were from Ireland and had settled in Pierrepont.²⁸⁸ Josephine was 17 and Frederick was 40 at the time of their marriage.

In the 1890s, Frederick’s farm in Pierrepont consisted of 230 acres and 24 cows. He was a Democrat and as of 1894 had been a highway commissioner for four years.²⁸⁹ Frederick and his family were still living in Pierrepont in 1900.²⁹⁰ Frederick died on 23 Mar 1905. Josephine died in 1953. Both are buried in the Pierrepont Hill Cemetery.²⁹¹ Children, all born in NY:²⁹²

i. Flora, b. 11 Jul 1865, m. Leslie Lucius Lobdell.²⁹³

ii. Catharine L. (Kittie), b. ca. 1868.²⁹⁴ On 18 Jun 1891, she

married Frank Thomas Rexford. She died on 30 May 1920 at

Pierrepont and is buried in the Pierrepont Hill Cemetery.²⁹⁵

iii. Lucy Luella; b. 1869; d. at 2 years, 6 months, and 18 days; buried

in the Pierrepont Hill Cemetery.²⁹⁶
Children by Josephine Hibbard

iv. Ida or Ivy, b. Apr 1881. At home in 1900.

v. Julia, b. Apr 1883²⁹⁷ or 7 Aug 1882 at Pierrepont.²⁹⁸ At home

in 1900. She died on 11 Nov 1937 at Potsdam, NY and is buried

in the Pierrepont Hill Cemetery.²⁹⁹

vi. Melita, b. Aug 1889. At home in 1900. She died in 1910 and is

buried in the Pierrepont Hill Cemetery.³⁰⁰

vii. Fredrick F., b. Jan 1891. At home in 1900.

viii. Charles H., b. Aug 1893. At home in 1900.

XX. JOHN SOUTHWORTH⁷ VANDERBURGH (Richard⁶, John W.⁵, William⁴, Henry³, Dirck², Lucas¹), son of Richard Vanderburgh and Eunice Southworth, was born in New York State in Feb 1825.³⁰¹ At the age of five, he was living with his parents in Alexandria, Jefferson Co., NY.³⁰² After his father died in 1837, he was living with his mother and stepfather, Joseph Hind, in Alexandria in 1840.³⁰³

John married on 1 Jan 1849, LUCRETIA SUITS, who was born in New York State in Aug 1822. The marriage took place at Plessis in Jefferson County. The Rev. S.B. Padden performed the wedding ceremony.³⁰⁴

In 1850, they were living at Hammond, St. Lawrence Co., NY.³⁰⁵ By 1860, John and Lucretia had relocated back to Alexandria. Their post office address was Plessis. John was a farmer with real estate valued at $7,000 and personal property worth $1,625.³⁰⁶

"... [A]t the beginning of the [Civil] war, he was commissioned to raise a company of one hundred and fifty men, of which he was made captain. This became a part [Company "F"]of the Tenth New York Artillery, which was organized as light and afterward changed to heavy artillery. Joining the main army at Cold Harbor, they went to the attack on Petersburg, where they lay for two months, under daily fire. When Early made his raid they were sent to Washington, and there joined Sheridan and were engaged at Cedar Creek. Thence they guarded Winchester, going to Bermuda Hundred, the last of 1864, and finally, upon the evacuation of Petersburg, they were engaged in provost duty."³⁰⁷

John served from 11 Sep 1862 until his discharge on 23 Jun 1865.³⁰⁸ After the war, John returned to Plessis where, in 1870, he was a dry goods merchant with real estate valued at $13,300 and personal assets of $8,406.³⁰⁹ John and his family were probably still in Plessis in 1876 when their daughter died.³¹⁰ In June 1880, John and Lucretia were living in the town of Theresa in Jefferson County, where John was still selling dry goods. At that time they were living next door to their son, Preston.³¹¹

John and Lucretia subsequently moved to South Dakota, in "1881 locating on land in Beadle county, in Theresa township, which was named by him."³¹² From here, John filed for a Civil War pension.³¹³ In 1890, they were still residing in Huron, Beadle Co., SD where John was collecting a disability pension for malarial poisoning contracted during the Civil War.³¹⁴

In 1900, John age 75, and Lucretia age 78, were still living in Huron where they resided at 638 Nebraska St. At this time, John was a Justice of the Peace.³¹⁵

John revisited his relatives in Jefferson Co., NY in Aug 1900 when he attended the 50th wedding anniversary of his sister, Mary Ann.³¹⁶

John died on 5 Feb 1901 at Huron. Lucretia died there on 18 Nov 1908.³¹⁷ Children:

ii. Sarah A., b. ca. 1853, d. 14 Aug 1876 at age 23, bur. in Plessis

Cemetery, Jefferson Co., NY next to her grandfather, Richard

Vanderburgh.³¹⁸

XX. MARY ANN⁷ VANDERBURGH (Richard⁶, John W.⁵, William⁴, Henry³, Dirck², Lucas¹), daughter of Richard Vanderburgh and Eunice Southworth, was born in New York State on 20 May 1827.³¹⁹ In 1850, she was living in Jefferson Co., NY where she was either residing in Rutland with Henry Cross and family,³²⁰ or in Alexandria with Joseph Hind and her mother.³²¹

On 8 Jan 1851, she married JOSEPH WILLIAM RUNDLET, born in 1825, the son of Charles Rundlet and Polly Newman.³²² The Rev. J. Fletcher Brown a Methodist Episcopal Minister performed the wedding ceremony in the old Vanderburgh home.³²³

After their marriage, they lived in South Hammond, St. Lawrence Co., NY where they had purchased a small farm. They occupied this farm for about eight years. Then they sold it and returned to Alexandria Bay in Jefferson County where they made their permanent home.³²⁴ Both joined the Plessis Presbyterian Church in 1860.³²⁵ In 1870, they were living in the town of Alexandria, Jefferson Co., NY with a post office address of Alexandria Bay. Here, Joseph was a farmer with real estate valued at $3,780 and personal assets of $2,570.³²⁶ In 1880, they were still farming in the town of Alexandria,³²⁷ as well as in 1900.³²⁸

On 8 Aug 1900, Mary Ann and Joseph celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary. The celebration occurred five months before their true anniversary so that visitors from afar could make the journey in the Summer as opposed to January. Mary Ann’s brother, John S. Vanderburgh, came from South Dakota. Others came from Iowa and Michigan. Many attendees had been present at the wedding 50 years ago.³²⁹

Mary Ann died on 25 Aug 1908 and Joseph on 18 Aug 1913.³³⁰ Both are buried in the Plessis Cemetery, Alexandria.³³¹ Children:³³²
(RUNDLET surname)

i. Ella Marian; b. 19 Nov 1851 at Hammond, St. Lawrence Co., NY;

m. 7 Jan 1873 Abner Halsey McOmber at Plessis, NY; d. 21 May

1938. Children:

i. Malcom Eugene, b. 28 Dec 1879, m. 4 Jan 1907

Hazel Miller.

ii. Myron Hermon; b. 7 Jul 1885 at Depauville, NY;

m. 4 Jan 1907 Amelia Frances Waring at Florence,

WI.

Margaret Anderson at South Boston, MA.

iv. Florence Ruth; b. 3 Oct 1893 at Depauville, NY;

m. 12 Jan 1916 Joel Earl Halliday at Lowville,

NY. Joel was b. 12 Feb 1892 at Clayton, NY.
ii. Harriet Susan; b. 11 Sep 1854 at Hammond, St. Lawrence Co.,

NY; m. 19 Sep 1883 John Henry Ash at Arbela, Tuscola Co., MI.

Children:
(ASH surname)

i. Hugh; b. 27 Oct 1887 at Arbela, MI; d. 8 Jul 1905.

ii. Esther; b. 24 Oct 1895 at Arbela, MI; m. 8 May

1918 Floyd Melvin Brand at Flint, MI. Floyd was

b. 4 Feb 1896 at Wood Co., OH.
iii. John Theadore, b. 24 Jan 1857 at Hammond, St. Lawrence Co.,

NY. A farm laborer at home in 1870. He m.(1) 27 Aug 1880

Mary Jane Rapple in IA. John m.(2) 4 May 1927 or 1937 Anna

Metland Budd who was b. 28 Aug 1872. Child by Mary Jane

Rapple:
(RUNDLET surname)

i. Robert William, b. 23 Apr 1882, m. 23 Dec 1908

Erma Lucile Pugh at Ashland, WI.
iv. Abby May, b. 25 May 1861 at Alexandria, Jefferson Co., NY. At

home in 1870-1900. She m. 5 Apr 1928 Truman Smith Rowell at

Philadelphia, NY.

+ v. Mary Elizabeth, b. 6 Apr 1863, m. 25 Sep 1888 Charles Alden

Wilson.

vi. George Arthur, b. 29 Jul 1866 at Alexandria Bay, NY. At home in

vii. Bennie Delay, b. 7 Mar 1871. He d. 19 Dec 1890 at Alexandria

Bay and is buried with his parents in the Plessis Cemetery.

According to the 1880 census, he was "idiotic."

XX.