Mackinac County MI Archives Photo Place.....Settlements Of Michillmackinac 1671-1705 October 21, 2007
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Betty Cogan longlakegranny@dishmail.net December 10, 2007, 7:18 pm

Source:             Location Of Gros Cap Cemetery
Photo can be seen at:
http://www.usgwarchives.net/mi/mackinac/photos/settleme131031gph.jpg
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Gros Cap Cemetery, Mackinac County, Michigan
by Mrs. Emerson (Margaret) Smith, St. Ignace, Michigan Summer 1961

Old Indian cemeteries are fairly common in Michigan's Upper Pewninsula.  They 
mark periods of local history  --  100 to 300 years old, when Christian 
influence changed burial practice by establishing special plots of hallowed 
ground for the remains of the faithful.  One such early cemetery was set up at 
the ancient Ottawa village on West US 2, on the Lake Michigan shore, about 
five miles from St. Ignace.  It is now know as the Gros Cap Cemetery.

Unlke the usual mysterious Indian burial plots, however, this cemetery was not 
abandoned.  Over the course of time its limits were confined and altered 
slightly and taken over by succeeding generations of natives until today it 
has become the resting place of practically every known race.  It has a long 
history which is interwoven with Michilimackinac, early fishing settlements 
and homesteading days.  The graves of the obscure are unmarked, unclaimed and 
usually only discovered accidentally.  Fify years ago (around 1910) some of 
these old graves had wooden crosses as markers with no identifying 
inscriptions, but these have disappeared along with the relatives who might 
have information and are "know only to God".  The grave digger regularly finds 
old skeletons, many times with beads and Indian relics.  He re-buries the 
bones, it not all of the possessions, to make room for those who have 
established legal rights.

The census of 1847 lists 92 Indians in the Anse Band located at Pts. Aux Chene 
whiich is about three or four miles from Gros Cap Cemetery.

Vallier, Senecal, Bezeau 
These names are on the list of owners of lots, and for others there is no 
record of ownership.  Perhaps these are some of the pioneer residents of Pte. 
Aux Chene, Pte. LaBarbe, and Gros Cap.  Information was obtained from the 
files of the Michilimackinac Historical Society about some of the unmarked 
graves.

Vallier - Samuel - died June 16 1892
          Margaret, wife of Samuel, b. 1829 - died 
October 20, 1894.  Note:  She was the daughter of Samuel Abbott who was active 
at Mackinac Island where he was a Justice of the Peace.  He bought land at St. 
Ignace in 1828.  Margaret Abbott was married first to Peter Kiwandaway 
(original spelling Keywoudwey) who was born at Penetanguishene, Ontario, 
Canada, the son of a Potawatomi Indian Chief. He also came to the title 
Chieftain, migrated to Mackinac County, Michigan sometime in 1840's.  Margaret 
was a pupil at the Mission School at Pt. St. Ignace in 1845.  The teacher was 
Sophia Bailly (Mrs. Henry Graveraet, Jr.)

Shampine  Also Champaign 
Moses died March 27, 1895.  The family dates from a marriage here in 1822 of 
Simon Shampine and  Margaret (Indian).

Shedawin  
George died April 22, 1886
Monedo died April 21, 1886
Joe died April 1889
Jouquack died March 27, 1880.  This was an Indian family, a member of the Anse 
tribe of Pte. Aux Chene; the name was originally Auto shedawin;  all of the 
family died of tuberculosis.

Muscoe 
Mrs. died February 10, 1886.  This family was also of the Anse Band and were 
famous makers of snow shoes.

Stone     
Charles Mom-o-nee-goo-boo, known as Charley Stone, died October 10, 1892 and 
is probably buried here.

Naqua-ga-bo 
Chief Naqua-ga-bo (Six Pense) died January 17, 1891.

Anse 
Antoine --  1845-1885.  He was killed at Pte. Aux Chene.  The story           
is that Antoine Anse came from St. Ignace to visit a cousin at Pte. Aux Chene, 
and thought he would frighten the cousin by hiding under a bear skin.  He cme 
to a window and made a noise to attract the cousin who, thinking it a "Bear 
Walker, or Werwolf," shot the thing.  The next morning he discovered he had 
shot his cousin.



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