Charles English Sr. (abt. 1830 - abt. 1896)

Born about 1830 in Wisconsin, Michigan Territory, United States

Descendants

Died about 1896 at about age 66 in Nebraska, United States

Charles was Ho-Chunk.

Biography

Birth

Charles was born about 1830 in Wisconsin, in what was then Michigan Territory.

Lineage

In the Hocąk village at Lake Waubesa in 1832, there was a man named Zaganąšiga. (Kinzie) This name means, "English" or "Does English", from Zaganąš, "English"; hi, "to do, to cause, to make"; and -ga, a definite article suffix used in personal names. To say of someone that they "do" English could simply mean that they speak English. There was a famous individual known as "Speaks English" who lived in Wisconsin and was familiar to the Kinzies, Juliette having mentioned him more than once in her book Wau Bun. The name was recorded as Saug-ay-nosh-ee-kaw, which is somewhat distorted. "Speaks English", properly rendered, ought to have been Zaganąšit’ega, and it is likely enough that the syllable /t’e/ was omitted in the transcription, it being all too common for native names to be greatly distorted by the clerks who recorded them. It seems quite likely that the surname "English" came from the man Zaganąšiga, and that he was one and the same as Speaks English. Zaganąšiga is recorded in the census role for the Waubesa village as having in his lodge two other men, two women, and two children. (Kinzie) One of these children may have been one year old Charles.

Death

Charles Sr. probably died in 1895 or ’96. He fails to appear in censuses after 1895, and in 1896, his second wife, Rain Woman, is listed alone.

Sources

• "Heads of Families and Individuals: 13. Four Lakes, No. 3 (Waubesa)," Winnebago Village List, by John H. Kinzie, in Richard Dieterle, The Encyclopedia of Hočąk (Winnebago) Mythology.
• 1889 Indian census; Roll: M595_311; Page: 40; Line: 7; Agency: Winnebago. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1891 Indian census; Roll: M595_311; Page: 51; Line: 2; Agency: Winnebago. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1895 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 40; Line: 14; Agency: Omaha And Winnebago. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.
• 1896 Indian census; Roll: M595_312; Page: 40; Line: 24; Agency: Omaha And Winnebago. Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940; (National Archives Microfilm Publication M595, 692 rolls); Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75; National Archives, Washington, D.C.