That “Forgotten Mair—
Jean iVicolet ln^T^iWcf
I__^ I
Nicolet/s Meetinq with the Winnebaqoes at Green Baq
_ (After the Painting by E.W. Penning in the Wisconsin Historical Society)
: . e- in > /lima
Old Fo*-t Mackinac ,
on the "Hillof HiStorq"
By ELMO SCOTT WATSON
URING the last Presidential campaign
we heard a great deal about “the
Forgotten Man,” even though no one
seems to have known exactly who
he was and why he was forgotten.
This summer tardy honors are to be
paid to a real “forgotten man,” one
whose name and whc|se right to fame
have been allowed! to remain In
obscurity for a mattefe.of 300 years I
He was Jean Nlcolet, a French
courier de bols, Indian Interpreter
and explorer, the discoverer of Lake
Michigan and the first white man to visit the
present states of Michigan and Wisconsin. In
view of the latter fact. It would seem appro
priate If either or both of these states had
chosen to perpetuate his name In at least one
of Its towns, counties or rivers. But you will
search the gazetteer In vain for such a name.
It Is true that a Nlcolet tablet was dedicated
on Mackinac Island In Michigan by the Mackinac
Island State Park commission and the Michigan
Historical commission on July 13, 1015, and that
In the Wisconsin State Historical society at Mad
ison hangs a pnlntlng by Edwin Willard Demlng
depicting Nicolet’s meeting with the Wlnneba
goes on the shores of Green Bay. But aside from
these memorials he has been neglected by two
commonwealths who had the best reason for
remembering him.
However, July 1 of this year marks the begin
ning of the tercentennial celebration of the state
of Michigan and the week of July 1 to 8 will be
observed as "Nicolet Week" on Mackinac Island
■where a pageant, sponsored by the Michigan
Daughters of the American Revolution, Daugh
ters of 1812 and the Michigan Historical com
mission, will help bring his name out of the
obscurity Into which It has been lost for three
centuries and make It better known not only to
citizens of that state but to all Americans as
well.
Nicolet was born In Cherbourg, France, about
1508, and as a young man he Is described as
being “full of religious zeal and enthusiasm, and
possessed of a consuming desire for adventure."
This naturally led him to seek his fortune In
France’s dominions across the Atlantic and In
1618 he cast his lot with Champlain, the
“Founder of New France."
Champlain already had Instituted a policy of
sending promising young followers to the Indians
so that they could gain a knowledge of the lan
guages, customs, country and woodlore of the
red man.
Nicolet was sent to the Algonqulns on the Isle
des Allumettes In the Ottawa river. Here he
lived among the Indians as one of them and for
two years did not see a fellow countryman. Be
coming a trusted friend, he was made one of an
embassy of some 400 Algonqulns who Journeyed
to the Iroquois and negotiated a temporary peace
with that traditional enemy.
After his two years with the Algonqulns, Nico
let next took up residence with the Nlplsslngs,
near the lake which bears their name. He re
mained there for eight or nine years. He was
recalled by Champlain In 1633 and Instructed to
prepare for the trip Into the western wilderness
“to learn of those distant Western people, who
had neither hair nor beards, and who Journeyed
In great canoes.”
It was believed these people might be the Orl
©IX&C.
NAVIGATION CO.
| entnls Marco Tolo had written about several
centuries before and that In finding them, the
long-sought new route to China might be discov
ered. That was why Nlcolet carried with him “a
superb robe of Chinese damask, embroidered all
over with flowers and birds.” He was prepared
to make a proper appearance on meeting the
Chinese mandarins.
Nlcolet left Three Rivers, Que., July 1, 1634,
In company with three Jesuits, Fathers Brebeuf,
Daniel and Davost, who were accompanying a
band of Hurons on their way home from their
annual trading visit to Quebec. He traveled with
them to the Isles des Allumettes where he lin
gered for a time with his friends, the Algon
qulns. Later he Joined the Jesuits at Ihonatlrla,
where he assembled a party of seven Hurons
and embarked In a frail canoe for his Journey
Into the West.
Crossing Lake Huron, the party Journeyed up
8t Mary’s river to what Is now Sault Ste. Marie,
returned south, then proceeded west through the
Straits of Mackinac and paddled out Into Lake
Michigan, which was known then and for many
years afterward as the Lake of the Illinois. Con
tinuing southward Nlcolet and his Indian friends
entered Green bay and near the head of that
body of water he found the people he had been
sent to find—the Wlnnebagoes who had come to
blows with the Hurons, allies of the French, and
with whom he had been charged to negotiate a
peace.
"When he neared the Winnebago town, ne sent
a messenger ahead to announce his coming, and,
having put on his gorgeous robe, followed him
on the scene,” writes William Henry Johnson In
“French Pathfinders In North America.” “Never
did a circus, making Its grand entry Into a vil
lage In all the glory of gilded chariots and brass
band, Inspire deeper awe than this primitive am
bassador, with his flaming rebe and a pair of
pistols, which he fired continually. His pale face,
the first the Wlnnebagoea bad ever seen, gave
them a sense of something unearthly. The squaws
and children fled Into the woods, shrieking that
It was a manltou (spirit) armed with thunder
and lightning. The warriors, however, stood their
ground bravely and later entertained him with
a feast of one hundred and twenty beaver.
“But If Nlcolet did not succeed In opening
relations with Cathay and Clpango (China and
Japan), he did something else that entitles him
to be commemorated among the Pathfinders. He
ascended Fox river to Its headwaters, crossed
the little divide that separates the waters flowing
Into the Lakes from those that empty Into the
Gulf of Mexico, and launched his canoe on the
Wisconsin, first white man, so far as we know,
who floated on one of the upper tributaries of
the mighty river.”
Nlcolet made such a favorable Impreaslon on
the Wlnnebagoea that he was able to negotiate
a treaty with them by which they agreed to take
their furs to the French posts on the St Law
rence. He also won the friendship of the Mas
coutlns, spent the winter with them and returned
to Quebec In 1635 to report to Champlain of his
adventures In the west
Bight years after this historic Journey, Nlco
let met a tragic death In the St Lawrence river.
By this time he was the chief official of the
trading company at Quebec and his Influence
among the Indians was perhaps greater than
that of any other man of his time.
In 1642 word reached Quebec that a Sokokl
■ '
THcq All Helped Make Hisfcorq
at Mackinac
Indian was about to be put to death by tbs
Algonqulns. The Sokokls were allies of the Iro
quois and Nlcolet knew that if the Algonqulns
killed the captive that It meant a renewal of tha
bloody strife between the Algonqulns and the
Iroquois.
It was then late In October and Ice was
forming In the river. Nlcolet hastened aboard
a shallop, making for Slllery. A squall struck
the boat, overturning It and throwing Nlcolet, a
friend and the crew Into the Icy water. One b?
one they went down. Only Nlcolet and one othef
were left
Then, chilled by the bitter cold and exhausted
In his vain attempt to reach shore, Nlcolet called
to his friend: “Make for the shore, De Chavlgny;
you can swim. Bid good-by to my wife and chil
dren ; I am going to God.”
A moment later he disappeared forever.
“Nlcolet was not a great explorer like Cham
plain,” declared Father Campbell, who spoke at
the dedication of the Nlcolet tablet on the Island
In 1915, “not a picturesque governor like Fronts
nac; or even a successful discoverer like Mar
quette; nor a martyr like the devoted Jesuit
missionaries who followed the Nlcolet train lnts
the Northwest, Brebeuf, Jogues, Daniel and Gap
reau, since canonised by the Church of Rome.
“He was simply an Indian Interpreter and ex
plorer, unspoiled by selfish ambition or surround
lngs calculated to destroy every noble ambition,
who proved beneath so plain an exterior to be
a man whose virtues may be proposed to ths
youth of our country as an example and an In
spiration."
In his tribute to Nlcolet another great cnurcn
man, Right Rev. Bishop Frank A. O’Brien, has
said: “Under the banner of the Cross he went
forward. He led his chosen bands through wilds
unknown. Nlcolet was Intrepid, unafraid, majes
tic and courageous.”
Certainly suete-W person deserves a better fat*
than to be a£forgotten man" In American his
tory and oni of the purposes of the pageant
that Is beige given In northern Michigan Is to
pay him a richly deserved, though belated, trib
ute. But he la not the only historic flgure who
Is to be memorialised during the week, for the
whole thrilling story of the Straits settlgmrato—
Mackinac, Sault Ste. Marie and St IgnacsMflk to
be depicted by 300 costumed performers, ▼
Included In the episodes of the pagesn^bo
sldes the arrival of Nlcolet, are the comMc of
the Jesuit missionaries; the erg of the SBlorers
—Joliet La Salle and Tontl; the rule ft Cadil
lac at Michllllmackinac (the original name of
the place); the British regime and the famous
massacre there during Pontiac’s war; the con
test between the British and the Americans for
possession of this strategic spot during the
Revolution and again during the War of 1812|
and the beginning of the American fnr trade
under John Jacob Astor.
For all of these are links tn the chain of
Mackinac’s history which begfh on a July day
300 years ago with-the coming of that "forgot
ten man” who Is now being honored—Joan
Nlcolet, the Frenchman, “Intrepid, majestic, un
afraid.”
• by WMtara Nrw.unpor Union.
Scenes and Persons in the Current News
1—Part of the American fleet passing In a long line off Ambrose lightship, and, 2—President Roosevelt with
Secretary of the Navy Swanson, Josephus Daniels and Admiral Standley on board the Indianapolis reviewing
the naval parade. 3—Cavalcade, winner of the American derby at Chicago, with Jockey M. Garner up and
Mrs. Sloane, the horse’s owner.
Starting Place for Stratosphere Flight
This secluded bowl in the mountains eleven miles from Rapid City, 8. Dn was the place selected for the
■tart of the stratosphere balloon flight of Captain Stevens and Major Kepner.
MISS LOS ANGELES
/ Miss Mercedes McNutt was chosen
"Miss Los Angeles” In a contest
with more than 200 California beau
ties, and will be a candidate for the
title “Miss California” at the state
fair In September. Mercedes is
eighteen years old and weighs 115
pounds.
NAVY’S COMMANDER
Admiral Joseph Mason Beeves,
for years an outstanding naval air
man, has become the commander
of the American fleet, succeeding
Admiral Sellers.
Leviathan to Go Into Service Again
After several years of Idleness, the famous steamship Leviathan U
to be put tQ work again In the Atlantic service. She Is here seen docked
at the Boston navy yard for overhauling.
President’s Daughter Takes Prize
Mrs. Anns Roosevelt Dali, daughter of the President and Mrs. Rooso
velt, rode the first prise winner In the road hack class at the Fort Myea
horse show. She Is shown on True Love, receiving the prlso from Mm
Carey Langhorne of Uppervllle, Va. .