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In march 1860, Chief Bemidji married a Leech Lake Pillager Indian woman
and they had eight children. Three of the boys died at early ages. Four daughters and one
son grew and lived to older ages. In 1882, Chief Bemidji’s wife died near Cass
Lake. Saddened by her death, Chief Bemidji loaded all his possessions and his children in
his birch bark canoe in 1883 and paddled up the Mississippi River. He settled on the
south shore of Lake Bemidji, east of the Mississippi River inlet, to become the first
permanent settler of Bemidji, then unnamed. He was the first to greet the white people and
early settlers when they arrived in 1888.
Chief Bemidji was a soft-spoken, friendly and well-liked Indian. He was
the leader of about fifty Indian people who had settled in this area early before the
whites; so that is why they referred to him as "Chief’. Actually, he was the
"Chief Indian" or spokesman for the group and was respected by all.
Shay-now-ish-kung purchased the first bill of lumber sold in Bemidji, for
flooring in his bark house, from the Joe Steidle mill and paid for it with moose meat.
In 1893, Chief Bemidji’s youngest daughter, Mary, was married to
M. E. Carson, one of the first white people to settle here. Carson
established what is known as
Carson’s Trading Post in 1888. They later had two daughters. It was in 1893 that
Chief Bemidji and his family were invited to Carson’s Trading Post and, with about
eight white people, celebrated the first real Christmas in Bemidji. Presents were
exchanged by those gathered around the first Christmas tree.
In 1898, the first statue of Chief Bemidji was carved out of boards
nailed together, by a man named Gustav Hinsch. He was a Dane, a  good harness-maker,
painter and a naturalist. The statue was moved around to many places. Finally it was
donated to the City and placed in Library Park in Bemidji. A new one has replaced the
original statue, and can still be seen in the park.
The U.S. issued Shay-now-ish-kung an allotment dated November 19, 1900
on the W 1/2 SE 1/4 Sec. 30-147-30, 80 acres. William H. Taft, President, signed the
allotment. This allotment is between Kitchie and Rice Lakes.
On April 20, 1904, Chief Bemidji died at his shack some distance north
of Cass Lake. A large public funeral was held for him in Bemidji and a large monument
was erected in his memory in the Greenwood Cemetery. His burial is still in question, but the
best information is that he was buried in the Mission area near Cass Lake.
Chief Bemidji will always be remembered as one of the most loved and
respected citizens of Bemidji by both the Indians and white people because of his
gentleness, friendliness, and fairness to all the people in the early days.
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