Seventh Generation

2467. Charles Dee ACKLEY was born on 20 October 1858 in Ackley, Langlade , Wisconsin.^{5,1035,1206,1207,1214,1300,2115} 1870 census has birth as ca 1862
1900 WI census has birth year 1858
Beatrice Randall Piepenburg has year as 1850
1920 census has birth year as ca 1861
1930 census has birth year as ca 1857
U.S. Indian Census 1937 has birth year as 1869 On 3 June 1880 he was an a farmer in Ackley, Lincoln , Wisconsin.¹²⁰⁷ He was living in 1880 in Ackley, Lincoln , Wisconsin.¹²⁰⁷ living with parents 1880 Charles was living in 1900 in Upham, Langlade , Wisconsin.¹³⁰⁰ He was living in 1920 in Nashville, Forest, Wisconsin.¹²¹⁴ He was living in 1930 in Langlade, Langlade, Wisconsin.¹⁷⁴² living with unknown son in-law 1930 Charles appeared in the following News Article from the Antigo Daily Journal on 3 July 1933 in Antigo, Langlade, Wisconsin, United States²¹¹⁶ CHIEF WHITE EAGLE LIES IN AN UNMARKED GRAVE
Charles Ackley, Grandson, Says He Was Buried Near Bank of River
SAW HIM WHEN BOY
Headed Chippewa Band That Was To Have Reservation In This County
In an unmarked grave near the bank of the Eau Claire river west of Antigo
repose the bones of Chief Whit Eagle chief of the band of Chippewa whose
descendants live, for the most part in the vicinity of Mole Lake.
This statement is on the authority of Charles Ackley, a grandson of the

chief, who was the father of his mother, Mrs. W L Ackley. Charles who is
now 78 years of age, and lives with his daughter, Mrs. Lillian McDonald, at
Choate, remembers as a small boy waiting on his grandfather. He died when
he was eight or nine years old, which would be about seventy years ago.

Charles believes that he must have been over a hundred years old. He was an
Indian of the old school, spoke only in the Chippewa language, and wore the
Indian garb of breech clout, leggings, and blanket.
White Eagle, whose Indian name was Mac-gee-sic, was buried near the curve
of the river below the Ackley cabin. Several years ago, on account of the
wearing away of the bank near highway 64, it became necessary to relocate
the road. Charles Ackley heard that when this was done that some human
bones were found and reburied but he does not know where. He believes that
they were the bones of his grandfather, White Eagle.
How "Lost Tribe" Came to Be

Had the hopes of the band of Chippewa over whom White Eagle was chief been
realized they would not today be known as "The Lost Tribe" because having no
recognized tribal status. According to the tradition received by Charles
Ackley, a treaty was arrived at whereby the so-called Post Lake land was to
be given for a reservation a tract of land twelve miles square touching on
Post, Pelican, and Rice Lakes. But the treaty was never placed on record
in Washington and does not seem to have arrived there. One tradition is

that the person bearing the treaty went down with a vessel on the Great

Lakes, while en route to Washington.
Recollections of Father
Charles Ackley says that his father, first permanent settler in Langlade
county was born in Chenango county, New York in 1818. He drifted west to
Kelly, Wis., where he worked in the sawmill, then began logging for the

company along the Eau Claire river as far up the forks of the east and west
branches, and some distance up the east branch. He bought a yoke of cattle
to tote in his supplies. Very little money was received for the logs.
About all he received was sufficient supplies to last him through the
summer.
The first supplies had to be brought from Stevens Point.
Partner With Hagerty

W L Ackley and John Hogarty were partners in logging for some time. They
had a logging camp on the east branch as the government survey shows, on
what is now the Galuski farm, about where the road crosses the river north
of ( Heineman). This camp (antedated) the building of the cabin below
the forks of the stream. Charles remembers seeing the old buildings there.
He recalls hearing his father talk about helping with the government
surveys, and how after they were made he went to Wausau to prove up on his
100 acre homestead. Hagerty had a 100 acre claim too, but let it go back
and later took up land further down the river.

Oldest Building Standing

The Ackley log cabin that stood on the (exact) site of the frame house
on the Eugene Mullen farm was raised many, many years ago, but the old log
barn still stands, and it is perhaps the oldest building still standing in
the county. It is hoped that this may be preserved as a memento of the
county's first white settler. The logs used are all whip sawed elm except
the bottom ones, which are of white oak. Oxen were used to roll up the
logs. The roof boards are of whip sawed lumber. Charles, his brother,
DeWitt, their half-brother Missabe helped to erect this barn.

Many Indian Visitors

The Ackley cabin became quite a trading center, the Indians of this region
going there to trade furs for provisions, trinkets, tobacco, and alcohol.
The practice having been started generations before, the trader who
dispensed none of the last named commodity could not do business, it
appears.
Charles remembers seeing graves on the Stub Boyington clearing. These are
said to be the graves of his Chippewa wife and their two half-blood
children. He recalls a dog that "Bill Dad" Holbrock presented to his father
and which was an excellent cattle driving dog. Bill had a son, Martin who
went to Odanah, was married there and is said to have a son living.
Only Surviving Sons
Charles and his brother, DeWitt of Mole Lake, are the only sons of W L
Ackley surviving. DeWitt is the older. Their half-brother, Missabe, a
full-blooded Indian, died at Lac Vieaux Desert about three years ago. He was
nearly a hundred years old and was blind in his last years. He left some
descendants. A half-sister of Charles named Sarah, who was Hogarty's first
wife, died many years ago. Charles was the last to live on the old farm.
Later he lived on a forty across the river, then he lived for a period at
Antigo, Summit Lake, Crandon and Wabeno. He is well preserved and stands as
straight as an arrow, as his picture indicates.
Two children of Missabe Ackley, Charles says were buried on the Heineman
homestead near a grove of plum trees. He hopes to visit the familiar old
scenes some time this summer.
Mr. and Mrs. W L Ackley are buried in an unmarked grave in the Antigo
cemetery, the lot being the second south from the gate He was living in January 1937 in Wabeno, Forest, Wisconsin, United States.²¹¹⁷ He appeared in the census in 1937 in Lac du Flambeau, Vilas, Wisconsin, United States.²¹¹⁷ Charles died on 26 February 1952 at the age of 93 in Antigo, Langlade, Wisconsin, United States.^{839,1206,2118} His Obituary appeared in the Antigo Daily Journal on 27 February 1952 in Antigo, Langlade, Wisconsin, United States Charles Ackley, County's First White Baby, Dies

Charles Ackley, 101, the first white baby born in Langlade county, Langlade county's oldest resident, son of Langlade county's first permanent settler and grandson of Chief Great Eagle, a power in the Chippewa Indian tribe during the first 50 years of the of last century, died late yesterday.
The man who linked this area's pre-history period with the present died of the infirmities of advancing age at the Langlade County Memorial hospital where he had been a patient since Feb.15.
Charles Ackley was the son of William (Willard) Leroy Ackley, who was born in New York and drifted west to the Wisconsin river before 1850. He logged in the Eau Claire river area and built a cabin at the forks of the Eau Claire river three miles west of Antigo at the midway point of the (19th) century.
William Ackley traded with the Indians at his post and negotiated with Chief Great Eagle, whose French name was Gros Aigle. Great Eagle's daughter, Ma-dwa-ji-wan-no-quay, became Willaim Ackley's wife. In English her name meant "Maid of the Forest."
According to Charles Ackley's information from his father, he was born Oct. 20, 1850, at the Ackley place on the banks of the Eau Claire.
At age 15, Charles Ackley joined his father and older brother, Missabe (Ed Ackley) in logging and making drives down the Eau Claire to sawmills downstream. He knew all the squawmen on the Eau Claire, including John Hogarty, and on the Wolf river, including Ludwig Motzfeldt, Hi Polar, Bill Johnson, and Henry Strauss.
Charles Ackley was the last of the family to live on the old homestead in the town of Ackley, which was named for his father.
William L. Ackley died Nov. 24, 1894, and his wife died Mar. 9, 1899. They are buried in the Antigo cemetery, the first lot south of the main entrance.
De Witt Ackley, a brother of Charles Ackley, died at Mole Lake about 10 years ago. The brother Missabe died at Lac View Desert. A half-sister, Sarah, was John Hogarty's first wife.
Charles Ackley is survived by one daughter, Mrs. Gladys Pireaux of Lily. He also had two sons and another daughter. The daughter, Mrs. Lillian McDonald, is buried in the Antigo cemetery with her grandparents.
After leaving the old home, Charles Ackley lived for a time on a clearing across the Eau Claire river and later in Antigo, Summit Lake and Wabeno. He logged in Jennings for 15 years. He then lived in Antigo for a long time, spending the summers with his niece, Alice Ackley Randall, and her husband, George Randall at Mole Lake. Alice is the daughter of the late De Witt Ackley.
The last regular employment Mr. Ackley had is as bartender 10 years ago at a tavern just a mile east of his birthplace. The tavern was at that time operated by a relative at Woodcock's corner.
Mr. Ackley also leaves two grandsons, Stuart Ackley of Gary, Ind., and Melville C. McDonald of Minneapolis, and a great—grandchild.
Funeral services have been tentatively set for Friday. However, final arrangements are awaiting a meeting of relatives and an Indian council gathering He was buried in Antigo Cemetery, Antigo, Langlade, Wisconsin.^51,2118 During the chieftainship of the Great Martin, "Ki-chi-waw-be-sha-shi", the
Post Lake band numbered 700 Chippewa. Great Martin, a signer of the first
treaty between the United States and the Chippewa of this area, was the

father of Mee-gee-see, the Great Eagle. Mee-gee-see was intimately
connected with the history of Langlade County. His daughter,
Madwa-jiwan-no-quay, "Maid of the Forest," married Willard Leroy Ackley,
Antigo's first white settler. Two sons were born to this marriage, Charles
and DeWitt. In 1947, Charles Ackley declared that his
grandfather, Chief Meegee-see, had stated that the Mole Lake band had been
promised a tract of land twelve miles square touching on Post, Pelican and
Mole Lakes.
Charles Ackley was prominently connected with Langlade County activities
for many years. In 1947, Ackley claimed that he was 95 years of age. He

based this claim on his recollection of the year that his father told him
he had reached manhood. Langlade County, however, records his birth date as
October 20, 1857. If the record was correct, Ackley was 90 years of age

instead of 95. Mr. Ackley died in 1952. The following account of his
funeral appeared in the Antigo Daily Journal.
With a rite never before performed in such a setting, and which Antigo
probably will never see again, Charles Ackley, centenarian resident of
Langlade County, son of its first permanent white settler, and grandson of
Chippewa Chief Great Eagle was accorded the burial honors of the ancient
Medawe ceremonial.
William Mericle, an elder member of the Mole Lake Band of Chippewa, took
his position beside the casket, and gave an address in the language of his
people, making from time to time, the gestures appropriate. Chief Willard
Ackley then took his place to give a free English version of what had been
said by Mericle, who is the religious spokesman of the band, and leads the
tribal dances that form part of their religious expression.
The previous speaker, Chief Ackley said, had addressed the spirit of the
departed, telling him that he was going into the presence of his Creator to
be accorded a place at his right hand. He had lived well while he was with
us, and he was entering the "happy hunting ground" where would be found all
that is good on earth. In the joys before him he would not feel the want of
his relatives on earth, and he was urged to go forward, entering into all
of his privileges.
After summarizing the address by Mericle, Chief Ackley gave a short review
of the history of his band, telling of Great Martin, the great-grandfather
of Charles, of his grandfather, Great Eagle, his daughter, Maid of the
Forest, the mother of Charles, and his white father, W.L. Ackley.
References were also made to his later elder brothers, Ed (Missabe) and

DeWitt, one living to the age of 90 and the other to the age of 85.
With a prayer in Chippewa, Chief Ackley completed his part. The service

closed with a Chippewa burial chant by Charles VanZile while all present stood.
While the curtains were drawn, the newly-made moccasins for the heavenward
journey were placed on his feet. Also buried with the body were a small

buckskin containing a key, a pipe and three matches, two for his pipe, and
one for light should he lose his way.
He appeared in the census 1870, 1880, 1900, 1920 & 1930 in Wisconsin. Charles is Native American^{1207,1742,2117} 1/2

Charles Dee ACKLEY and Josephine "Jessie" SMITH were married about 1890.^{5,1206,1300,2119} Josephine "Jessie" SMITH, daughter of Charles W SMITH and Mary A. DEUTSCH, was born on 5 March 1870 in Freeport, Stephenson, Illinois.^{1206,1300,2119} She appeared in the census in 1900 in Wisconsin. She died about 1910 at the age of 40.²¹¹⁹

Charles Dee ACKLEY-8680 and Josephine "Jessie" SMITH-8729 had the following children: