James Gabriel Godfroy (1777 - 1854)

Born 1777 in Kaskaskia Township, Fayette, Illinois, United States

Husband of Nancy (Hunter) Godfroy — married 1 Jan 1816 in Village of Weauteno or Piqua Ohio

Descendants

Died 1854 at about age 77 in Chester Township, Wells, Indiana, United States

Problems/Questions Profile managers: Katherine Godfrey [send private message] and Misty Mccullough [send private message]

Biography

James was Wea.

Wea Indian Principal Chief

Also Known As: Jacques Gabriel Jacco Tackeketchah Godfroy

Nationality: Nation of Wea (Waayaahtanwa)

Jacco's Wea Indian name was spelled several different ways.... Tack-ke-ke-tah Tac-kee-kee-Quah Tac-kee-kee-kan Jack-ke-ke-kan Whichever the case, his Indian name meant; the Tall Oak Tree or Tall Oak.

Per Dr. Stewart Rafert: About Jacco's Indian name. Metekekekah = Tall Oak. Tekwa = Oak. Mehtehki ah Kihkwa = Wooden Drum. Rafert also says that Jacco came from the Wea who were in the Kankakee marsh area where the sandhills were covered with oak stands, or islands.

His mothers people were said to have come from the Village of Kawiakiungi "Place of Thorns" Thorntown, Boone Co., Indiana, and that his mother’s peoples village before that was the Old Wea Village now called Oakhill Danville, Illinois.

Jacco Godfroy and his sister Mary live at the Wea Village of Weauteno, Rising Sun, AKA Orchard Town, Terre Haute, Vigo Co., Indiana. (aka The Lower Wea Village). They lived here prior to the beginning of Indiana Territory.

Jacco's principle village was called Weauteno, Rising Sun (aka Old Orchard Town of Wea's and Jacco’s Towne) located on the Wabash River, at present day Terre Haute,Vigo Co., Indiana. Jacco still resided in Weauteno in 1791. After 1818 he moved his people up the Wabash River to a secondary Wea village at the mouth of Sugar Creek. This was Wea War Chief Stone Eater's village. They remained here until sometime after 1825.

Jacco and his family lived on his 1/2 brothers, Miami War Chief Francis Polonzwah Godfroy, Reservation land, the Salamonie Reserve, in Blackford Co., Indiana, South of Wells Co. They lived there between 1826 - 1836, after 1836 they moved to Henry Co. Indiana, and after 1846 they moved to Wells Co. Indiana.

Chief Jacco enjoyed introducing himself to the "White Man' using the last name Godfrey. This is how the alternate spelling was introduced.

Sources

1. ↑ A source for this information is needed.

• The Godfroy's : Wea & Miami Indians & their French families, a history and genealogy throughout time. Volume II HISTORY Author - Brenda K. Haffner-Lindley
• THE GODFROY’S WEA & MIAMI INDIANS & THEIR FRENCH FAMILIES A History & Genealogy Throughout Time VOLUME – I GENEALOGY