Chief Nissowaquet: Odawa Leader and War Chief

 

Chief Nissowaquet (also spelled Nosawaguet, Sosawaket, or known by his French name La Fourche, meaning "Fork")(1715-1797) (brother-in-law of our 7th great-granduncle Daniel Amiot) was a campprominent Odawa (Ottawa) leader and war chief during the 18th century, renowned for his strategic alliances with colonial powers, military prowess, and efforts to protect his people's interests amid shifting European control in the Great Lakes region. His life exemplified the complex navigation of Indigenous diplomacy during the French and Indian War, Pontiac's War, and the American Revolution. Below is a structured overview of his life, drawn from historical accounts.

Early Life and Background

Nissowaquet was born around 1715 into the Nassauaketon band of the Odawa people, one of four main Odawa bands whose name derives from "Nassauaketon," meaning "forked river."  The band originally resided in a village adjacent to Fort Michilimackinac (present-day Mackinaw City, Michigan), a key French trading post at the straits between Lakes Huron and Michigan. By 1741, soil depletion from intensive corn cultivation prompted the band's relocation about 20 miles southwest to L’Arbre Croche (now Cross Village, Michigan), along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.  This seasonal settlement supported around 180 warriors and focused on agriculture (corn for subsistence and trade with the French), fur hunting in winter along rivers like the St. Joseph, and maple sugar production in spring.  Nissowaquet came from a lineage of warriors dedicated to defending Odawa lands, and he rose to become the most powerful Odawa chief of his era. 

Family and Personal Connections

Little is documented about Nissowaquet's immediate family, but he had significant ties through his sister, Domitilde Oukabé (also known as Kapiouapnokoué or Nepveuouikabe dit La Fourche, born around 1690 and died 1782). Domitilde, an Odawa woman, married French voyageur Daniel Joseph Amiot dit Villeneuve in 1709 in Montréal, with whom she had at least 10 children, establishing early Métis lines in the Great Lakes region. After Amiot's death around 1725, she partnered with French trader Augustin Mouet de Langlade around 1728, giving birth to their son, Charles-Michel Mouet de Langlade (1729–1801), Nissowaquet's nephew.  This nephew, a Métis fur trader and military leader educated by Jesuits, became a key ally in Nissowaquet's campaigns, fighting alongside him for the French and later the British. Nissowaquet's close bond with Charles fostered strong relationships with French settlers and officials, influencing his diplomatic strategies.  No direct descendants are detailed in primary sources, though his influence extended through family-integrated fur trade networks. Nissowaquet's father reportedly established a fur trading post in present-day Wisconsin, hinting at a family legacy in commerce. 

Leadership Roles and Key Historical Events

Nissowaquet emerged as a war chief in the 1730s, leading raids and expeditions while adapting to European technologies like rifles and the fur trade's economic shifts.  His career was marked by pragmatic alliances, first with the French and later the British, to safeguard Odawa autonomy.

• Alliance with the French (1730s–1750s): In 1739, at around age 24, Nissowaquet served as a war chief in a French expedition against the Chickasaw in the lower Mississippi Valley, led by Pierre-Joseph Céloron de Blainville.  Inspired by a dream foretelling victory if he brought his 10-year-old nephew Charles along, the party succeeded where previous efforts had failed, marking the start of Charles's military path and cementing Nissowaquet's reputation as a mentor and visionary leader.  During the 1740s, amid unrest in the pays d’en haut (upper country), he and his band remained loyal to the French, reportedly alerting commander Paul-Joseph Le Moyne de Longueuil to a potential western Indian uprising in 1744.  In the 1750s, during the French and Indian War (1754–1763), he allied Odawa and Ojibwe (Ojibwa) forces with the French against the British. In August 1757, he led 70 warriors to assist Louis-Joseph de Montcalm in capturing Fort William Henry (near Lake George, New York).  Tragically, returning warriors spread smallpox, devastating L’Arbre Croche—lodges were abandoned, and many families perished, adhering to Odawa customs of leaving sites of death. 
• Transition to British Alliance (1760s): After the British occupied Fort Michilimackinac in 1761 following France's defeat, Nissowaquet and his band, including nephew Charles, pragmatically accepted the new regime.  During Pontiac's War in June 1763, when Ojibwe leader Minweweh captured the fort in a surprise attack (disguised as a Baggatiway/lacrosse game), Nissowaquet's Odawa band rescued most surviving British soldiers and traders.  They sheltered them at L’Arbre Croche for over a month, ransomed captives from the Ojibwe using trade goods (including a personal slave for Nissowaquet), and escorted refugees to Montréal, assuring General Thomas Gage of ongoing friendship.  In 1764, at Sir William Johnson’s peace conference near Niagara (Youngstown, New York), Nissowaquet pledged allegiance to the British, receiving a chief’s commission, a medal, and later gifts like rum, tobacco, clothing, and tool repairs from commandants such as Robert Rogers.  Indian agent Benjamin Roberts described him as “the richest Indian I ever Saw” in the mid-1760s.  However, a 1767 house fire destroyed his wealth, commission, and a wampum belt from Gage; he promptly sought replacements.  In winter 1767–1768, while on the Grand River (Michigan), rumors suggested he might aid the imprisoned Rogers (charged with treason), but upon returning with 40 warriors, he expressed concerns peacefully and departed.  At an August 1768 conference, titled “Great Chief of the Ottawas,” he promised to protect the British garrison and report threats from other nations. 
• Later Years and American Revolution (1770s–1790s): During the American Revolution (1775–1783), Nissowaquet sided with the British, dispatching his warriors on expeditions while maintaining control over fur trade routes.  By the 1780s, his active military role diminished, earning him the Odawa title "akiwaz" (one long on the earth), reflecting his longevity and wisdom.  He remained the preeminent chief at L’Arbre Croche, visiting Michilimackinac annually (1791–1793) for British presents, blacksmith services, and diplomatic engagements. 

Death and Legacy

Nissowaquet died in 1797 at L’Arbre Croche, around age 82.  His legacy endures as a defender of Odawa sovereignty, skillfully balancing alliances to mitigate colonial impacts. He adapted to European influences—incorporating new tools, controlling trade, and fostering mixed-heritage families—while preserving cultural practices like dream-guided decisions.  Through his sister Domitilde's marriages, his family intertwined with French colonial society, contributing to Métis communities in Michigan and beyond. Historical markers, such as one in Cross Village, commemorate his role as a warrior, brother, and leader.  Primary sources include the Dictionary of Canadian Biography, colonial archives (e.g., Thomas Gage papers), and Odawa oral histories.

Essay courtesy of Grok xAI. Thank you.