John Smith (Chippewa Indian) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
(Chief) John Smith
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Smith c. 1915
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| Born | between 1822 and 1826 |
| Died | (aged 96–100) |
| Nationality | Chippewa Indian |
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| Citizenship | Cass Lake, Minnesota, U.S. |
| Known for | Longevity claimant, Indian tribal chief |
Chief John Smith was an Ojibwe (Chippewa) Indian man. He lived near Cass Lake, Minnesota. He was likely born between 1822 and 1826 and died on February 6, 1922. Some people thought he was much older, even born in 1780. Two years before he passed away, in 1920, he was part of a special movie show. This show traveled across the United States and featured older Native Americans.
Life of Chief John Smith
Chief John Smith spent his whole life in the Cass Lake area of Minnesota. Many believed he was 137 years old when he died from pneumonia. Local white people called him "The Old Indian." He had eight wives but no children of his own. He did have an adopted son named Tom Smith.
Local photographers, like C.N. Christensen, often used him as a model. They created many pictures showing Ojibwe life. These photos were sold as cabinet photos and postcards. Smith would carry small photos of himself, called cartes de visite. He sold these to visitors. He was known to ride trains for free through the Reservation. On these trips, he sold his photos to passengers. This made him a bit of a local celebrity.
Around 1914, Smith became a Catholic. He is buried in the Catholic part of Pine Grove Cemetery in Cass Lake.
How Old Was Chief John Smith?
The exact age of Chief John Smith when he died is a topic of discussion. Ransom J. Powell, a government official, thought Smith was 88 years old. He believed Smith looked old because of illness, not just age.
Paul Buffalo, who met Smith as a child, remembered something important. He said Smith often mentioned being "seven or eight" or "ten years old" when the "stars fell." This refers to the Leonid meteor shower on November 13, 1833.
Local historian Carl Zapffe explained this way of figuring out ages. He said that for Native Americans in the 1800s, birth dates were often linked to this amazing event. The meteor shower lit up the American skies before dawn on November 13, 1833. It was so bright and scary that many people thought it was the end of the world. If Smith was around 10 years old during this event, it would mean he was just under 100 years old when he died.
See also
In Spanish: John Smith (indio Chippewa) para niños
