Ozhaguscodaywayquay facts for kids
Ozhaguscodaywayquay (pronounced Oh-zha-gus-coh-day-way-kway), whose name means "Woman of the Green Glade," was an important leader in the Great Lakes region. She was also known as Neengay ("My mother") or Susan Johnston. Born around 1775, she played a big role in the fur trade before the War of 1812. She married John Johnston, a British fur trader who worked for the North West Company.
Ozhaguscodaywayquay and John Johnston were very important people in the community of Sault Ste. Marie, Michigan. They welcomed many famous visitors and helped shape the area before 1830. Their daughter, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, is known as the first Native American writer in the United States.
Early Life and Vision Quest
Ozhaguscodaywayquay was born into an Ojibwe family in a place called Chequameqon, near what is now La Pointe, Wisconsin. Her father was a respected war chief named Waubojeeg (The White Fisher). He was a strong leader when he was young and later became a civil chief in his community.
When Ozhaguscodaywayquay was about 13, she went on a special journey called a "vision quest." This was a time for her to fast and be alone to find her guardian spirit. She stayed in a lodge painted black on a high hill. During her quest, she had important dreams.
She often dreamed of a kind white man who offered her food. He was always with a dog that seemed to know her. She also dreamed of being on a high hill surrounded by water, where many canoes full of Native Americans came to honor her. Then, she felt like she was lifted into the sky. Looking down, she saw the Earth on fire and worried about her family. But a voice, which she knew was a spirit, told her they would be safe. She fasted for ten days, only drinking water. When she felt she had found her guardian spirit in the white stranger from her dreams, she returned home.
Ozhaguscodaywayquay was known for being very strong and skilled. As a young woman, she was an excellent hunter, which was unusual for women in her tribe. She was considered the best shot and fastest runner among the women.
Marriage and Family Life
In 1790, a Scots-Irish fur trader named John Johnston traveled to Chequamegon. He asked Ozhaguscodaywayquay's father, Waubojeeg, for permission to marry his daughter. Waubojeeg was careful because he had seen other white traders leave their Native wives. He told Johnston to return in the spring, and if he came back, he would consider the marriage. Johnston returned, and Waubojeeg agreed.
Ozhaguscodaywayquay married John Johnston in 1793. At first, she was not happy about the marriage and ran away to her grandfather. However, her father brought her back to Johnston. It's not clear why her father insisted, as Ojibwe marriages usually allowed partners to leave if they wished. Ozhaguscodaywayquay seemed worried about the European idea of marriage "until death."
After their marriage, she was baptized as Susan. Despite the difficult start, their marriage became a happy one. Ozhaguscodaywayquay eventually believed that Johnston was the kind white man she had seen in her vision quest, and that it was her destiny to marry him.
Later in 1793, they moved to Sault Ste. Marie, which was then part of Canada. They built the largest log home in the area. The community was a mix of Ojibwe, Ottawa, and Métis people, along with European immigrants. It was a busy trading post for the North West Company and an important center for politics and trade among Europeans, Americans, and Native Americans.
John Johnston was a "wintering partner" for the North West Company, meaning he traded directly with trappers, who were often Native American. He was a wealthy man who invested in the fur trade. Both he and Ozhaguscodaywayquay were very influential in trade and relations between the Ojibwe, Canadians, Europeans, and Americans. They hosted many important visitors, including explorers, politicians, scholars, Native chiefs, and military officers. They were seen as leaders in both Native and European communities.
Johnston's success was largely due to Ozhaguscodaywayquay's skills, influence, and connections to her important Ojibwe family. She taught him and their eight children the Ojibwe language and customs. While she understood English, she only spoke Ojibwe. John taught their children to speak, read, and write English, and they had a large library.
Their oldest daughter, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, married the American writer Henry Rowe Schoolcraft in 1823. Henry was a U.S. Indian agent and became known for his work on the Ojibwe, helped by Jane's knowledge of the language and culture. Jane Johnston is recognized as the first Native American literary writer and poet in the United States. In 2008, she was honored in the Michigan Women's Hall of Fame.
Two other Johnston daughters also married important white men in the region. One married Henry R. Schoolcraft's younger brother, James. Their son, George Johnston, helped Schoolcraft as a U.S. Indian agent. The youngest son, John McDougall Johnston, became the last official Indian Agent in the area.
Later Life and Leadership
The Treaty of Ghent, which ended the War of 1812, changed things. It stopped British traders from moving freely across the border between the U.S. and British Canada. John Johnston's fur trade business struggled after this.
The family faced challenges after the war. John Johnston had fought with the British during the war. Even though he continued to live in the United States, he remained a British subject. He never became an American citizen. He continued in the fur trade through his sons, who were American citizens because they were born in the U.S. His oldest son, Lewis, fought with the Royal Navy against the U.S. and later moved to Canada.
Ozhaguscodaywayquay's influence grew even more after the War of 1812. For example, in 1820, she and her son George convinced Ojibwe leaders not to attack a group of treaty negotiators led by Michigan Territory Governor Lewis Cass. This showed her strong leadership and diplomatic skills.
Susan Johnston became a widow in 1828 when her husband died. After his death, she took over managing the family's fur trading business. She also started a successful business making maple sugar and fishing. She ran these businesses with the help of her children for several years.
Ozhaguscodaywayquay was known for being very active. She caught and preserved local whitefish, regularly paddled her canoe across the wide St. Marys River (Michigan–Ontario), and spent time each year in the woods making large amounts of maple sugar. Sometimes she would return with as much as two tons of sugar! She also became active in the Presbyterian Church (USA). Throughout her life, she was a vital part of her family and community as a businesswoman and a respected leader.
