Thomas Miller

Thomas Miller was born in what is now Grand Traverse county, the son of Kah-gee and Sebequa.

Earliest records of Sebequa and Kah-gee are found in the records of Rev. Peter Dougherty's Old Mission church.

Sebequa, named Abby Dodd, baptized 3 Jun 1843. Notes state she removed to her brothers on the Little Traverse in the Spring of 1851.

Kah gee, named Henry, baptized 4 Jan 1844. Notes state suspended.

Gegee, Henry, suspended Jun 1846. Notes state "for drinking restored on confession."

Naishkaze or Moses Allen had baptized Wahsuhgonabe, named Walter Lowie, 25 Jun 1843, age 6. Notes state he died but give no other information.

Sebequa or Abby Dodd had baptized Wahsaahnoqua, named Hannah 25 Jun 1843, age 7. Notes state "Shot in the house with her brother by Wasogonabe – probably unintentional"

Sebequa or Abby Dodd had baptized Shahwuhnahba, named Joseph, 25 Jun 1843, age 5. Notes state "Shot in the house with his sister by Wasogonabe – probably unintentional"

Kah gee and Sebequa had two more children.

Abby Dodd had baptized named Isabella 18 May 1845. Note states "adopted" but gave no additional information.

Kahgee & Sebequa called Henry and Abby Dodd, had baptized Thomas, Jun 1846.

From “The First Protestant Mission In the Grand Traverse Region” by Ruth Craker, page 69

“In the early days at Old Mission, a tragedy brought sorrow and bitterness to the Henry Kagee family. They lived near the Mission. The Kagee children were cousins of George and Susan Naish-kaze. It was sugar making time in the spring. Both the Kagee and Naish-kaze families were spending the day at their camps, boiling maple sap. The children of each family attended the Mission school. Their homes were near enough to the schoolhouse so that the children might go home for dinner. George’s mother prepared his dinner, and left it for him upon the table before she left for camp. She cautioned him to build no fire in the house in the absence of the family. When George came home for his dinner, his two cousins, the Kagee children came with him. Their names were unknown to Mrs. Pequongay, who told this story, but one child was a boy and the other a girl. After they had eaten their dinner, they decided o play soldier. An old rusty musket which was hanging on the wall, attracted their attention. George took the old weapon down from its place, examined it and decided to play with it. The Kagee children stood in front of him and shouted “shoot, shoot!” George pointed the gun toward them, and the treacherous musket, loaded to full capacity, discharged in the direction of the helpless children. He shot and killed both of them on the spot. One child was shot through the head and the other through the heart. When the families returned in the evening, they found the murdered children. The floor of the cabin was stained with their blood. This terrible accident caused not only much sorrow, but intense bitterness between the two families, which lasted for many years.”

Since Mrs. Craker knew Susan Naish-kaze/Allen Pequongay and George Naish-kaze/Allen she misunderstood that George was part of this story. Susan was born in 1852 and George in 1857 in Omena. It was actually their brother Walter Wahsuhgonabe/Wasogonabe) who was involved. The story of the shooting was still being told in the 1950s.

Land Allotment - 1855. Henry Kaw gee chose the E1/2 of the NE1/4 of section 21, T34N, R7W, 80 acres, under Chief Aw ko we say. 

1855 Annuity Roll

#57 She be gay, 0 men, 1 woman, 2 children, received $24.96 under Chief Ah kay o say.

#

1857 Annuity Roll

#66 Se be quay, 0 men, 1 woman, 1 child, received $10.12 under Chief Aw ko we say.

#25 Harry? Kaw kee, 1 man, no woman, 1 child, received $10.12 under Chief Aw ko we say.

1858 Annuity Roll

#14 Se be quay, 0 men, 1 woman, 1 child, received $8.42 under Chief Shaw bwaw sung

#26 Kaw ke 1 man, 0 women, 1 child, received $8.42 under Chief Aw ko we say

1859 Annuity

#14 Se be quay, 0 men, 1 woman, 1 child, received $9.94 under Chief Shaw bwaw sung

#26 Kaw ge, 1 man, 1 woman, no children, received $9.94 under Chief Aw ko we say

1861 Annuity Roll - neither parent found

Thomas, who used the name Miller, enlisted in Company K, 1st Michigan sharpshooters on 13 Jun 1863 at Northport for 3 years, age 19, Mustered 22 Jun 1863.

Medical card for Thos Miller Co. K. Regimental Hospital 1st Michigan Sharpshooters, 18 Apr 1864 pres [present]

Thomas is next sent to Division No 1 U.S.A. Gen'l Hosp. Annapolis, Md on 22 Apr 1864 diagnosis is Catarrh. (From the Merriam Webster dictionary - inflammation of a mucous membrane; especially :  one chronically affecting the human nose and air passages)

He is returned to duty on 2 May 1864.

On 11 May 1864 Thomas is admitted to Augur U.S.A. General Hospital near Alexandria, VA with a diagnosis of bronchitis.

From there he is transferred to the Carver U. S. A. General Hospital in Washington D.C., where he is admitted on 21 May 1864 with pneumonia. On the same day he is transferred to the General Hospital in Philadelphia.

On 1 Jun 1864 Thomas is admitted to Mower U.S.A. General Hospital at Chestnut Hill near Philadelphia, Pa. Diagnosis is now phthius (From Merriam Webster dictionary a progressively wasting or consumptive condition; especially :  pulmonary tuberculosis) Note that he is now listed as age 20 instead of the 19 as on the previous records.

Thomas is listed as deserted 6 Jan 1865, however he died 15 Oct 1864 (date from pension records) and is buried in the Presbyterian Church Cemetery in Omena. 

 The 1868 annuity roll, Tay-baw-se-ke-zhick's band [Milton township, Antrim County] lists both  Se-be-quay, #43, 0 men, 1 woman, 0 children, receiving $15.85 and Kaw gee #35, 1 man, 1 woman, 0 children, receiving $31.70

Henry Kahgee applied for a pension based on Thomas' service 14 Jun 1870.

Henry Kaw-ge is living in Charlevoix township, Charlevoix county in the 1870 Federal census. He is age 70, a farmer, with real estate valued at $400. With him is Teressa, age 66.

On the 1870 annuity roll Kaw kee is #38, (Chief Shaw waw day se's band) 1 man, 1 woman and 1 child, receiving $45.90

Sebequa is living in Milton township, Antrim county in the 1870 Federal census. Her age is listed as 70. Living with her are Megegua, (female) age 23 and Petwayvdin (male) age 2. No relationship is given.

She is listed as Se-bee-quay, on the 1870 annuity roll, #29 on page 46, Tay-baw-se-ke-zhick's band. Family consists of no men, one woman, no children and she received $15.30 

By the time of the Durant Roll Field Notes (1908), Se-bee-quay was listed as dead, no heirs.

Kawkee was also deceased, but was listed as having a daughter, Mary Ann Key way cush cum or Tabasash.

The Durant Roll Field Notes page 6-23 lists her as age 45, mother of William Key was cush cum or William Mitchell, age 22 and Thomas Mitchell age 10.

Henry/Kahge (Kawkee) tried unsuccessfully to obtain a pension based on Thomas' service. [Pension records here.] However it was shown that Henry left the family when Thomas was a child, therefore Thomas was never his father's sole support.

Copyright (C) 2017 Vicki Wilson