EARLY FAMILIES OF THE UPPER
GREAT LAKES
ARCHIVES &
FAMILY HISTORY
Oconto
County WIGenWeb Project
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Reminiscense by Mrs. Louise Coasn (Count) CHERRIER nee GAGNIER (GONYIER)
My father was Regeste GAGNIER (GONYIER) a French Canadian from Canada.
My mother was Theresa CHALEFAU of French Sioux blood. She was born in Prairie
du Chien. Her father came from Canada and her mother came from the Sioux
nation.
I was born in French Town above the present day Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin,
Crawford County, August 15, 1826. I had a brother, Frank, who was older
than I. My father, and a man by the name of LIPCAP were sitting in our
humble little home one day. I was standing with my hands on my father's
knee, mother was cooking a meal when Chief Little Sun and some more of
the Winnebagoes walked right into the house from out of nowhere. Mother
saw trouble at once, my brother ran for the woods, father asked them to
sit down but they wouldn't. Little Sun made for father's gun hanging over
the door. Father tried to get it and was knocked out, LIPCAP was killed
right there, Mother fan for help, I was scalped and kicked under the bed
for dead. Father died soon after help came. Julien, son of Julien LARRIVIER,
found me and put his handkerchief over my bleeding head and took me to
his father's home where some hours later, I was washed preparatory for
burial. Then it was discovered I was still alive and by careful nursing,
tender care and kind providence, I was again restored to health. Chief
Little Sun and my father had trouble one time over a Catholic Church procession,
Little Sun thinking he could march as he pleased. Father knocked him to
the ground and Little Sun said when he got up, "When I knock you down you
never get up," and he did just that. Little Sun had a horrible death, himself,
years after. Little Sun was a Winnebago Chief and a hard little man.
My first husband was MOREAUX. We had ten children, seven are living
(1884). My second husband was Count CHERRIER. We were married March 1,
1862, and have three children by this marriage, namely: Madaline, born
December 6, 1863; Felix, born October 7, 1865; and Louise, born February
29, 1869 (died in infancy).
My mother married again after father's death to a St. GERMAIN in
1831. They had two children, David and Hattie. My mother died in 1836 with
small pox and my step father died in January, 1882.
(Notation on Page 207, History of Crawford and Richland Counites, at
a treaty held in Prairie du Chien with the Winnebagoes in 1829, provision
was made for two sections of land to Theresa GAGNIER (GONYER) and her two
children, Francis (Frank) and Louise, for the United States to pay said
Theres GAGNIER the sum of $50 per annum for 15 years, to be deducted from
the annuity to said Indians and it is believed she received $2,000 beside
for the death of her husband at the hands of the Winnebagoes.)
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