Last Sachem of the Chippewas Has Gone
Chief Santiago and his wife. He is said to have been 108 years old.
Author’s note: The headline above says it all. I found this obituary in a 1911 copy of the Detroit Free Press. I was fascinated by the writeup of his life. I’ve reprinted this in its entirety.
“St. Ignace, Mich., Sept. 28 – With the death of Chief Santiago, passed away the most noted and historic personage in northern Michigan. From Chief Santiago the poet Longfellow gleaned much material for “Hiawatha.” In the lodge of Chief Santiago the poet spent much of his time more than a half century ago when in this north country in search of material.
The last chief of the St. Ignace Ojibwa, Santigo AKA Santiago.
“Santiago was a devout Roman Catholic, his ancestors being converted by Father Marquette. The most cherished event of his life was the fact that he was present when the remains of the great missionary and discoverer were disinterred from the ruins of the old mission church by Father Jacker. From his chieftain father he often heard of the wonderful cortege of 30 canoes that bore Marquette’s body up Lake Michigan to the mission here.”
His full name was Chief Joseph Misetiago, called Santiago. It is said he was born January 1, 1812, but back then records were highly inaccurate particularly towards Native Americans. His descendants are many as it is said his grandchildren were too numerous to count.
Author’s Note: About the last paragraph of the Quoted Paper above, It says that Santago was 108 years old in 1911. That makes his birth year 1803. Most records have his birth at 1812, Father Marquette’s bones were returned to St. Ignace in 1677. It was impossible that SaNtiago was an actual witness to this as the obituary implies.
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