PUTS ON HIS SHOES

---

From: [email protected]
To: [email protected]
Sent: 12/16/2011 8:10:02 P.M. Pacific Standard Time
Subj: PUTS ON HIS SHOES

 

PUTS ON HIS SHOES

 

He is known to the people of South Dakota

as Wilbur White Swan who was inducted

posthumously into the South Dakota Hall of

Fame about two years ago.

 

Putsy as we fondly called the old man, aquired

the name Puts On His Shoes when, as a scout

and messenger for General George Custer.

Putsy, it has been reported, always wore the

Indian moccasins, but the military kept after

him to wear regulation boots.  Putsy apparently

tried on the boots of dead soldiers until he found

a pair to his likeing, therefore the nick-name.

 

In thunderbutte.com at an earlier time I related

the story of the old man sitting his horse on

the Moreau River Ridge.  He looked the part of

the painting, "End of the Trail".

 

After watching the old man, from cover, for days

I finally approached him.   For a long time Putsy

spoke to me only in Lakota and sign language.

Then, apparently tiring of pulling my leg, he

began to talk to me in English.

 

Putsy and I became quite good friends---friends

between a boy of about 8 and an old Indian of

about 80.  He told me endless stories of the treks

of the Sioux from their grazing lands in Montana

to the Winter grounds in South Dakota.

 

Until more can be written of this famous man, I

will rest his name here.

 

----- John Crowley

REFERENCE:

 

 William Swan (Puts on his Shoes) and his wife Lucy Knife aka White Cow and ... of the Little Big Horn” as a messenger and scout for General Custer. ...
KNIFE

     Louis Knife (1826-1908) married White Cow/White Buffalo Woman (c.
1833-1910). Their children were: Otter (1852); Iron Cane (1856-1872);
Otter #Z/Nancy Knife (b. 1856); White Cow/Lucy (b. 1861); Ka sla sla/Cut
Hair/Edith/Slowly (b. 1868); Brings White Horse/Alice (b. 1872); and
Hard to Wound/Charles Knife (1856-1952).

     Nancy Knife married James Talks About Him and later, Thomas Swift
Bear. By Talks About Him, Nancy had four children (see Talks).

     Lucy Knife married Puts On His Shoes. They lived on Flint Rock
Creek and adopted a daughter, Sophie. Sophie had one son who was adopted
by Moses Eagle Man.

     Edith married Short Bull and lived along the Moreau River. She
later married Bull Eagle.

     Alice married Fred Allison and they also lived along the Moreau
River. They had no children.

[photo - White Swan/Puts On His Shoes, his wife, Lucy Knife/White Cow
and Edith Knife Short Bull Bull Eagle]

[photo - Darlene, Mary (Mrs. George Knife), Viola and Ted Knife]

[photo - Susie (Mrs. Phillip Knife), Fred and Rena Knife]

CHARLES KNIFE

     Around 1896, Charles Knife married He maza win/Nellie Yellow
Shield(d. 1945). They lived above the mouth of Flint Rock Creek and were
the parents of: Phillip Knife (1897-1945); Frances (1898-1941; Mrs.
Phillip Lone Eagle/ Kills Alive); Sophia (b. 1905); and George Knife(b.
1909).

     Phillip Knife had no children by his first wife and then married
Susie Hollow Horn Widow. They were the parents of Calvin (b. 1937); Fred
(b. 1939); and Rena (b. 1944) Knife.

     Sophia had a daughter and then married Ed Black Bear, a grandson of
Chief Crazy Horse. They had no children.

     George Knife married Mary Half red (1904-1976). They lived near Red
Scaffold and were the parents of Darlene (Mrs. Kenneth Young Bear); Ted
Knife of Red Scaffold; and Viola (Mrs. Brian Charging Cloud).

KNIFE

     Louis Knife (1826-1908) married White Cow/White Buffalo Woman (c.
1833-1910). Their children were: Otter (1852); Iron Cane (1856-1872);
Otter #Z/Nancy Knife (b. 1856); White Cow/Lucy (b. 1861); Ka sla sla/Cut
Hair/Edith/Slowly (b. 1868); Brings White Horse/Alice (b. 1872); and
Hard to Wound/Charles Knife (1856-1952).

     Nancy Knife married James Talks About Him and later, Thomas Swift
Bear. By Talks About Him, Nancy had four children (see Talks).

     Lucy Knife married Puts On His Shoes. They lived on Flint Rock
Creek and adopted a daughter, Sophie. Sophie had one son who was adopted
by Moses Eagle Man.

     Edith married Short Bull and lived along the Moreau River. She
later married Bull Eagle.

     Alice married Fred Allison and they also lived along the Moreau
River. They had no children.

[photo - White Swan/Puts On His Shoes, his wife, Lucy Knife/White Cow
and Edith Knife Short Bull Bull Eagle]

[photo - Darlene, Mary (Mrs. George Knife), Viola and Ted Knife]

[photo - Susie (Mrs. Phillip Knife), Fred and Rena Knife]

CHARLES KNIFE

     Around 1896, Charles Knife married He maza win/Nellie Yellow
Shield(d. 1945). They lived above the mouth of Flint Rock Creek and were
the parents of: Phillip Knife (1897-1945); Frances (1898-1941; Mrs.
Phillip Lone Eagle/ Kills Alive); Sophia (b. 1905); and George Knife(b.
1909).

     Phillip Knife had no children by his first wife and then married
Susie Hollow Horn Widow. They were the parents of Calvin (b. 1937); Fred
(b. 1939); and Rena (b. 1944) Knife.

     Sophia had a daughter and then married Ed Black Bear, a grandson of
Chief Crazy Horse. They had no children.

     George Knife married Mary Half red (1904-1976). They lived near Red
Scaffold and were the parents of Darlene (Mrs. Kenneth Young Bear); Ted
Knife of Red Scaffold; and Viola (Mrs. Brian Charging Cloud).

From Ziebach County News

The Knife Family

Reviews

[Tony]

Geneology gives me a headache, but that's a dang good story.
I love it when nicknames either have direct significance, or none at all....

Like when we used to call my cousin Rachel, 'Duke'....lol..

always a pleasure, my old friend.
I guess we're old friends... online it only takes five years or so....lol..

Hell, I read my first EagleCruagh ...back when I was livin over in LaBarca... yup, five years.
Good times.

[Greg the Bard]

The story is not for just South Dakato. This was a real American that gave a face to an nation lost. This is a great work that all should read for in every country no matter the age of that country has a Wilbur White Swan. Thanks for the slap on the back to remember our best people.