Wisconsin Historical Collections, Volume XIV (1898)

              l8o2 early days on mackinac island 1 7 reminiscences of early days on mackinac island by elizabeth therese baird.1 to live among the indians and not to fear them would scarcely seem possible to many a reader yet this was true of the writer whose childhood was passed among them to know we had indian blood in our veins was in one re spect a safeguard in another a great risk each tribe was ever at enmity with the others no one could foretell what might happen when by chance two or more tribes should meet or encamp at any one place at the same time this however would be of rare occurrence unless on the war-path indians keep by themselves many of their habits were startling it was their custom while in towns to saunter about the streets in a very indif ferent manner and if they chose to take a look at the inte 1 the author of these reminiscences was born at prairie du chien wis april 24 1810 the daughter of henry munro fisher a prominent fur trader of scotch ancestry in the employ of the american pur co her mother was marienne lasaliere a daughter of madame therese schindler wife of george schindler by her first husband pierre lasaliere madame schindler s mother was migisan although called by the french marie the daughter of an ottawa chief kewinaquot returning cloud in 1824 when but fourteen years of age miss fisher was married at mack inac island where she had spent the greater portion of her youth to henry s baird then a young green bay lawyer mr and mrs baird removed at once to green bay where mr baird born in 1800 died in 1876 and mrs baird november 5 1890 mrs baird was a woman of charming personality and excellent education proud of her trace of indian blood and had a wide acquaintance with the principal men and women of early wis consin having traveled and seen much in pioneer days and being gifted 2