WALKING DAY, Sam 1891-1919

WALKINGDAY, WALKING DAY, THOMPSON, BLUEWING, RED HORN, WHITEWATER, HARRISSON

Posted By: S. Ferrall - IAGenWeb volunteer
Date: 12/8/2021 at 15:51:59

Sam Walking Day, a young Indian residing about five miles north of this city, with his half-sister, Mrs. John Thompson, was struck by the 1:05 p.m. train Monday, at the curve near the McKee schoolhouse, 4 miles north of here, and it is feared fatally injured.

He was walking on the track and being stone deaf, did not hear the approaching train. He was thrown into the fence at the right of way on the right side of the track and sustained a compound fracture of the left limb a bad scalp wound in the head, his left arm broken, sesides severe internal injuries.

Conductor Cutting was in charge of the train which was stopped within two car lengths of the man and he was taken aboard and brot to this city. Drs. J.H. and John W. Thornton rendered surgical and medical aid at the depot and he was taken to the Clark hospital at McGregor on the evening train.

He was conscious when picked up and most of the time while here but after getting to the hospital soon lapsed into unconsciousness and next morning his relatives were sent for and it was stated that he could not live.

The man was about twenty-two years of age and possessed of a fine physique and well educated.

~Lansing Journal, Wednesday, February 5, 1919; pg 2

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Sam Walking Day, an Indian who was well known in McGregor, was hit by passenger train No. 4, south of Lansing, Monday afternoon. He was walking on the railroad track when he was struck. The engineer sounded the whistle, but as the man was deaf, he never changed his walk and the engine struck him, inflicting terrible injuries.

For some reason he was not brought to McGregor until on the evening train. He was brought to the Clark hospital and all was done for him there that could be done, but it was all in vain. He died Tuesday night.

The remains were taken to Lansing Wednesday afternoon for burial, accompanied by a number of the members of his race from near Lansing and down by Sni Magill.

John* Walking Day was held in high regard here in McGregor by those who knew him.

~North Iowa Times, Thursday, February 6, 1919; pg 5

Note: Unknown if John Walking Day was a relative, or if the paper meant to say Sam instead of John.

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Sam Walking Day, the deaf Indian hit by the train last week died the day after being taken to the Clark hospital at McGregor and, being a Catholic, was brought here Wednesday and buried in Gethsemane cemetery, Dean Haxmeier officiating.

He was twenty-eight years old, had attended several Indian schools, Carlyle* and Haskell among others, and had but recently come here to visit his mother, Mary Crowe. His father, Charley Walking Day came from Nebraska the day after the funeral.

*Note: Carlisle Indian School

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Winnebagoes Keep Death Watch
It is customary, according to Indian tradition, to keep watch for four days after the death of one of the tribe. Accordingly the relatives and friends of Sam Walking Day, the Winnebago Indian killed by the train north of here last week, gathered on Wednesday, Thursday Friday and Saturday evenings at the home of his half-sister, Mrs. John Thompson, about five miles north of town, and strictly observed the custom, which consists of a sort of powwow all night, feasting at midnight with a place and plate reserved for the dead and at the conclusion of the watch on the morning of the fifth day whatever is left of the feast is put in a bowl or vessel and placed on the grave of deceased, the belief being that the spirits come and take it to the departed. Money is put up and cards played for the stake the last night.

Indians from near and far participated in the traditional observance, and the spirit of Sam Walking Day was given the proper send-off from the Aborigine point of view - on its way to the happy hunting grounds.

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Charley Walking Day and squaw and Frank Whitewater were ticketed for LaCrosse Monday. The former is father of the young Indian killed by the train near here last week and who came from his home in Nebraska on receipt of the sad news.

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Edward J. Roggensack, the monument man, reported the sale of a tombstone Monday morning to Charley Walking Day, of the Winnebago Reservation in Nebraska, for his son Sam. It is his first sale to an Indian.

~Allamakee Journal, February 12, 1919; pg 2 (different columns)

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Contributor's Notes:
- There is a military stake next to his gravestone - military service is unlikely due to his being deaf & having other impediments (see WWI draft registration below)

- 1910, U.S. Census, Thurston county, NE, Village of Winnebago, Winnebago Indian Reservation:
Household of William Harrisson, his wife Dora and 2 daughters:
Walking Day, Sam; son; Indian; age 20; married; born Wisconsin; father b. Minnesota, mother b. unkn

- WWI Draft Registration, Thurston co., NE (Nat'l Archives record, familysearch.org)
Sam Walking Day
Home address: Winnebago, Thurston County, Nebraska
DOB: April 22, 1890 ? in Wisconsin
Natural born
Ward of U.S. Government
Occupation: Farmer when able to work
Has mother. No dependents
Marital status: Divorced
Race: Indian
Prior military service: None
Exemption claims: Adenitis & pulmonary T.B.
Height: 5 ft 10 in; slender build, black eyes & hair
Is suffering from glandular & pulmonary tuberculosis
Dated: 6/5/1917

- Death Certificate (familysearch.org)
Sam Walkingday
Occupation: Trapper
DOB: "don't know", aged "abt 28 yrs", in Wisconsin
DOD: 2/4/1919 in McGregor, Clayton co. IA
Father: Charley Walkingday; born Nebraska
Mother: Mary Bluewing; born Wisconsin
Burial: Lansing, IA, 2/5/1919
Informant: George Red Horn

- Related news article from the Postville Review, 8/30/1918, pg 1: "Frank Decorah, a full blood Winnebago Indian, was among those whose names appeared in the daily papers casualty lists last Friday. Decorah was a corporal and was a cousin of Walkingday, a deaf Indian who has made this section his home for several months past. Decorah's home was a Chippewa Falls, Wis. Walkingday speaks and reads English quite well. He came here from Oklahoma and appears to be quite well educated. He has been hunting ginseng since coming to this place, the Lansing Mirror relates.