Antonine Barada facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Antonine Barada
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| Mo shi-no pazhi | |
Antoine Barada and wife, Elizabeth Robidoux; Mary Kihega, Lena Kihega
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| Born | August 22, 1807 |
| Died | March 30, 1885 (aged 77) |
| Nationality | Omaha-French |
| Other names | Antoine Barada |
| Occupation | Trader |
| Known for | Folk Hero, Legendary Strength |
Antonine Barada (born August 22, 1807 – died March 30, 1885) was an American folk hero from Nebraska. He was also known as Antoine Barada. His Omaha tribal name was Mo shi-no pazhi.
Barada was a real person, but many amazing stories were told about his incredible strength. These stories made him a legend in the area, much like other famous folk heroes such as Paul Bunyan. Some historians call these stories "fakelore" because they are exaggerated tales.
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Early Life of Antoine Barada
Antoine Barada was born in 1807 in a place called St. Marys, Iowa. This area was across the Missouri River from what is now Nemaha County, Nebraska.
His father, Michel Barada, was a French-American fur trapper and interpreter. His mother, Ta-ing-the-hae, or "Laughing Buffalo," was a full-blood Omaha woman. She was also the sister of an Omaha chief. Antoine's grandfather, Antoine Barada, Sr., was born in France and was one of the first people to settle in St. Louis, Missouri.
A Young Boy's Adventure
In 1813, when Antoine was young, the Lakota tribe took him. This happened while his family lived near Fort Lisa (Nebraska). Six months later, he was returned after his father paid a ransom of two ponies.
After this, his father sent Antoine to live with an aunt in St. Louis. When he was nine years old, Antoine returned to the Plains. He came back with a group of Native American hunters.
Settling in Nebraska
As a young man, Antoine Barada married Marcellite Vient, a French woman from St. Louis. In 1856, they moved back to Nebraska. They settled on the Nemaha Half-Breed Reservation. Because Antoine was part Omaha, he could get land from the U.S. government there.
He opened a trading post on the reservation. The town of Barada grew up around this trading post. Antoine and his wife made their home about 15 miles (24 km) northeast of Falls City, Nebraska.
The Legend of Barada
Antoine Barada's amazing stories are very well known in Nebraska. A famous writer named Mari Sandoz said that " 'Toine Barada stories were told as far as the upper Yellowstone." In the 1930s, Louise Pound collected many stories about Barada. Many of these tales are still told today.
Incredible Strength
Barada was known as a huge man. People often said he was almost 7 feet (2.1 m) tall. He was thought of as a giant because of his size and strength. His strength was legendary. People always asked him to help with barn raising. He could hold heavy wooden beams by himself while others fastened them.
When local farmers needed to load hogs for market, they would call Barada. Instead of using a loading ramp, Barada would simply pick up the hogs. He would then place them into the wagon. Whenever people in town needed someone strong, Barada was there to help.
Feats of Strength and Skill
In 1832, Barada was in St. Louis. Someone challenged him to prove his strength. He lifted a stone that weighed 1,700 pounds (771 kg)! After this, the date and weight were carved into the stone. People say the stone is still there today.
Barada was also known for his excellent marksmanship. Stories say he could shoot prairie chickens while riding a horse. He could also shoot two quail from every group of birds. He was known as a fair hunter, meaning he never shot a bird that was on the ground.
Amazing Tales
One story about Barada tells of him working with a lazy railroad crew in Nebraska. Barada became very angry. He grabbed a heavy drop hammer and threw it across the Missouri River. Where the hammer landed, the ground buckled and created the Missouri River breaks.
Still angry, Barada slammed his fist down on a pile. He drove it so far into the ground that it hit underground water. Legend says that all of Nebraska would have flooded from this hole. But Antoine Barada saved the day by sitting over it to plug it!
Antoine was also said to have helped with the Underground Railroad. He was called the "Lifeguard of the Missouri." Barada supposedly saved many enslaved people from drowning. He would personally carry them across the Missouri River from Missouri into Nebraska.
Half-Breed Tract
In 1856, Barada received land for 320 acres (1.3 km²) on the Nemaha Half-Breed Reservation. The town of Barada was started on this land soon after. Barada ran a fur-trading post there for at least 20 years. The town grew around him during this time.
Death
Antoine Barada died in 1885. He is buried next to his wife in the Catholic cemetery. This cemetery is just east of the village of Barada, which is named after him.
