Ke-o-soht

Keosoht was a Prairie Band Potawatomi

Originating in the Great Lakes region,

in November 1861, a treaty signed by the U.S. government and Potawatomi tribal members officially established the Native Americans as a politically distinct tribe. They weren’t forced into signing the treaty or leaving the reservation, but the Potawatomi people faced a difficult decision. Two-thirds of those on the reservation opted to sign the treaty.

Map depicts Potawatomi displacement west of the Mississippi over time
Those people became the Citizen Band and were able to negotiate how much land each tribal member received. Meanwhile, those who opted not to become American citizens became known as the Prairie Band and continued to hold their land communally. “They were being told by their Indian agent that the government couldn’t promise that they would be able to stay on that reservation if they weren’t willing to sign and become land owners." those who did sign were told, "they would have rights and more control of their futures if they negotiated the treaty."

After the treaty was signed, the U.S. government failed to follow through with many of the promises which were in the document, that they would first have a census, survey the land and allow tribal members to choose which plot they wanted. Tribal members were supposed to receive money to buy seed and farming equipment to have two full seasons of crop production as a means of income. After those two years, the government would determine who was worthy and eligible to be U.S. citizens, and those ready for citizenship would be taxed.

But, that’s not how it played out. They were taxed almost immediately, but had no source of income and therefore couldn’t pay. The federal government took the land of those people who failed to pay their taxes.

Six years later, Citizen Potowatomi Nation negotiated the Treaty of 1867, which allowed tribal members to return their allotments to the federal government, which were then sold to the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company.

The proceeds were used to purchase CPN’s land in Indian Territory and the migration of tribal members to present-day Oklahoma began (again) in the 1870s.

There are today seven (7) Federally recognized Potawatomi tribes in the United States:

• Forest County Potawatomi Community, Wisconsin;
• Hannahville Indian Community, Michigan;
• Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi (also known as the Gun Lake tribe), based in Dorr in Allegan County, Michigan;
• Nottawaseppi Huron Band of Potawatomi, based in Calhoun County, Michigan;
• Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Michigan and Indiana; and
• Prairie Band of Potawatomi Nation, Kansas (and since 2024 Illinois).
• Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Oklahoma

Biography:
His full name is Cum-mow-tow Ke-o-soht Ko-zee was known as Ke-o-soht. His mother was named Cum-mow-tow. Presumably, his father was Ko-zee. Ke-o-soht's father is not identified in census reports, although the continued birth of children named after his mother Cum-mow-tow suggests that his father was living as late as 1900.

Ke-o-soht was born c. 1885 probably on the Potawatomi Reservation

His profile is part of the https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Space:Canton_Asylum.

Research Notes:
-Keoshot is NOT included in the 1926 nor 1927 Canton male censuses, suggesting that he died, but he is reported as being an escapee on May 1, 1926, which would justify not including him as an inmate on June 30. He was never returned to Canton nor was he again shown in annual census reports, suggesting perhaps, that he did not want to be found.
-The 1907 census shows Ke-o-soht's two younger siblings living with their grand-parents
_________
Sources:

1891 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n22/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 23/614, line 324 (age 7), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1892 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n66/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 67/614, line 330 (age 8), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1893 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n120/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 121/614, line 331 (age 9), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1895 Sep 4 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n176/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 177/614, line 345 (age 11), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1896 Aug 1 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n250/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 251/614, line 343 (age 12), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1897 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n375/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 286/614, line 343 (age 13), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1898 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n375/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 376/614, line 343 (age 14), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1899 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n401/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 402/614, line 351 (age 15), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1900 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n486/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 487/614, line 352 (age 16, son of do=Cum-mow-ton), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1901 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n527/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 528/614, line 353 (age 16), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi and GR. Nemaha Agency, Kansas

1902 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll392unit/page/n576/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 577/614, line 350 (age 18), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

(Curator Note: shown as (F)emale)

1903 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n22/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 23/694, line 339 (age 19), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1904 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n54/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 55/694, line 333 (age 20), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1905 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n84/mode/1.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 85/694, line 336 (age 21), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Hoyt, Kansas

1906 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n113/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 114/694, line 352 (age 22), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1907 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n143/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 144/694, line 346 (age 23), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi tribe of Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1908 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n174/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 175/694, line 354 (age 24), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi tribe of Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1909 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n204/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 205/694, line 343 (age 24), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi tribe of Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1910 Jul 22 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n235/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 236/694, line 372 (age 25), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Nadeau, Kansas

1911 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n273/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 274/694, line 378 (age 26), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1912 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n317/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 318/694, line 386 (age 27), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1913 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n362/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 363/694, line 393 (age 28), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1914 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n418/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 419/694, line 406 (age 29), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1915 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WMNV-4NN2 : Sat Mar 09 21:43:03 UTC 2024), Entry for Ke-O-Soht, pg. 476/697, line 400 (b=1885), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1916 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WMJP-C6W2 : Sun Mar 10 14:40:47 UTC 2024), Entry for Ke-O-Soht, pg. 512/697, line 199 (b=1885), census of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1917 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7ZMN-L7T2 : Sat Mar 09 03:59:27 UTC 2024), Entry for Ke-O Soht, pg. 651/697, line 197 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1918 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:WMNP-C32M : Sat Mar 09 20:52:54 UTC 2024), Entry for Ke-O-Soht, pg. 611/697, line 192 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

(Curator Note: it is unclear in the census but Ke-o-soht is listed with a F Ka-che b=1856 who could be his mother and a M Kish-ko who could be his brother previously reported as NN b=1891)

1919 Jun 30 - “Indian Census Rolls, 1885-1940 [Microform].” Internet Archive, Washington : National Archives and Records Service, 1965, https://archive.org/details/indiancensusroll393unit/page/n649/mode/.... Accessed 29 Feb. 2024, pg. 650/694 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1920 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q5GK-9SW2 : Mon Mar 11 00:56:37 UTC 2024), Entry for Ke-O-Soht Cum-Mow-Tow Ko-Zee, pg. 481/516, line 225 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1921 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7NXP-SQZM : Mon Mar 11 01:27:07 UTC 2024), Entry for Cum-Mow-Tow Ke-O-Soht, from 1900 to 1999, pg. 21/590, line 227 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1922 Jun 30 - Camp Verde School: 1910-27; Canton Insane Asylum: 1910-22, Series: Superintendents' Annual Narrative and Statistical Reports, Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408 @ https://catalog.archives.gov/id/155854182?objectPage=1041, line 17, male census Canton Asylum

1923 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7NXL-P23Z : Sat Mar 09 08:29:21 UTC 2024), Entry for Cum-Mow-Tow Ke-O-Soht Ko-Zee, pg. 216/590, line 225 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency

1923 Jun 30 - Canton Insane Asylum: 1923-33; Cantonment School, pg. 370/1140: 1910-27, Series: Superintendents' Annual Narrative and Statistical Reports 1910 – 1935, Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408 @ https://catalog.archives.gov/id/155855298?object Page=31, Line 19, male census Canton Asylum

1924 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:7NF7-WZ2M : Sat Mar 09 02:06:11 UTC 2024), Entry for Ko-Zee, pg. 315/590, line 227 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency

1924 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:688Q-XGKJ : Sun Mar 10 17:03:51 UTC 2024), Entry for Keosoht, 1924, pg. 515/522, line 23, male census Canton Asylum

1925 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QGGQ-TSNR : Mon Jan 13 05:15:33 UTC 2025), Entry for Ko-Zee, 1925, pg. 416/590, line 227 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas

1925 Jun 30 - Canton Insane Asylum: 1923-33; Cantonment School, pg. 370/1140: 1910-27, Series: Superintendents' Annual Narrative and Statistical Reports 1910 – 1935, Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, 7th and Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC, 20408 @ https://catalog.archives.gov/id/155855298?object Page=116, Line 23, male census Canton Asylum

1926 Jun 30 - "United States, Native American, Census Rolls, 1885-1940", , FamilySearch (https://www.familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QP7W-RMPJ : Fri Jan 17 09:21:33 UTC 2025), Entry for Ko-Zee, 1926, pg. 555/590, line 224 (b=1885), census of the Potawatomi Indians, Potawatomi Agency, Kansas