Three Native American Chiefs Who Changed the World

Their stories and their decisions to make a difference in the lives of others.

On August 29, 1877, President Wilford Woodruff completed temple work for 85 Native American Chiefs whose lives changed the world. The following three chiefs are just a few among that group, but their stories will send chills through your soul.

Captain Joseph Brant – Merciful War Chief

As a member of the Mohawk nation, Joseph Brant’s early life is connected to Sir William Johnson who was one of the most powerful men alive during the American Revolution. Sir William had not only married Captain Brant’s sister but also received hundreds of thousands of acres of land in exchange for his kindness towards the Mohawk Indians. Captain Brant’s trust in Sir William’s recommendation to support the English in the war led to his being known as a powerful enemy of the revolution, but despite Captain Brant’s reputation of terror, he was one of the most merciful enemies the revolutionaries could have ever hoped for. He spared and even saved the lives of many American captains, families, and individuals. During one particular raid, Captain Brant saw a victim give a Masonic signal and exclaimed, “Brother! you shall not die. I am a Mason and will protect you.” After the war, Captain Brant went on to translate the Gospel of John into the Mohawk language and build the first church in Upper Canada. He was a Native American Chief who loved not only his own life but also the lives of his neighbors.

“No person among us desires any other reward for performing a brave and worthy action, but the consciousness of having served his nation.”

–        Joseph Brant

King Philip – Protector of the Wampanoags

Seventeen years after the first Thanksgiving celebration with the Puritans, Chief Massasoit brought his two little boys to the governor of Plymouth and requested that they be given English names. The older was named Alexander and the younger, Philip after the ancient king who conquered Illyria, Thrace, and Greece. Ironically, Massasoit’s young Philip would one day attempt to conquer the very people who gave him his fierce name. As a loyalist, King Philip wanted more than anything to sustain the peace that his father had made with the early pilgrims, but the time soon came when the Puritans were more of a threat than an ally to his people. The English were seizing Indian weapons without just cause, taking land for practically nothing, and selling liquor that caused many a hardship on unsuspecting partakers. Any attempt to bring a dishonest white man to justice ended in a court that favored its own Puritan people. King Philip saw that his nation would perish if he did not make a stand against the settlers. His war lead to the destruction of 13 towns and the death of 600 men on the side of the English, but the entirety of the resisting Wampanoag nation was either killed, sold into slavery, or driven to the far West. King Philip himself was beheaded and cut into pieces while his wife and son were sold into slavery. He was a man who loved his nation more than life itself and died trying to protect his Wampanoag family.

“We want trumpets that sound like thunder, and men to act as though they were going to war with those corrupt and degrading principles that rob one of all rights, merely because he is ignorant, and of a little different color. Let us have principles that will give every one his due; and then shall wars cease, and the weary find rest.”

–        William Apess, Eulogy on King Philip

Chief Tecumseh – The Noblest of Men

One day in Tecumseh’s mid-twenties, a few fellow Shawnee Indians challenged him to a hunting competition. Each competitor would have three days to kill as many deer as he could. Tecumseh responded, “I will return here within the period with twice as many deer as any of you.” The hunters returned at the end of the third day having killed 12 and 13 deer, but Tecumseh soon walked into the light of the evening campfire carrying 30 deerskins. The noble Shawnee was an ambitious young man and a friend to anyone he encountered including white settlers. Tecumseh’s life soon took a new path when his brother was directed by the Great Spirit to form a confederation and lead the remaining Native American tribes against the invading American settlers. Four years later, Tecumseh had united at least six tribes and recruited 1,600 warriors to aid the cause.  He initially tried to keep peace by negotiating the return of 60 acres of Native American land along the Wabash river, but after General Harrison denied the request, the negotiation ended with Tecumseh’s promise that his forces would neither capture women or children nor torture any men taken as prisoners of war. The new confederation saw some success, but most of its warriors were killed in an attack by General Harrison while Tecumseh was visiting another tribe. The two war leaders soon met again in the war of 1812. Tecumseh was now a Brigadier General for Great Britain and had a reputation for saving prisoners from harsh treatment and scorning even English generals for unjust conduct.  Tecumseh was courageous and noble to the very end when he was shot just after asking that his sword be given to his son who he loved so dearly. 

“Show respect to all people, but grovel to none. When you rise in the morning, give thanks for the light, for your life, for your strength. Give thanks for your food and for the joy of living. If you see no reason to give thanks, the fault lies in yourself.”

–        Tecumseh

Fulfilling of the Lord’s Promise to His Covenant People

The Lord has promised that someday the Native Americans shall “know that they are of the house of Israel, and that they are the covenant people of the Lord; and then shall they know and come to the knowledge of their forefathers, and also to the knowledge of the gospel of their Redeemer… And then at that day will they not rejoice and give praise unto their everlasting God, their rock and their salvation?” (1 Nephi 15:14-15)

To create a visual aid that will help teach today’s Native Americans of the great chiefs who they are as members of the house of Israel, Michael Bedard is painting A Remnant of the House of Israel - 85 Native American Chiefs. The beautiful piece will depict 85 Six Nations Chiefs observing their baptismal temple work being done in the Saint George Temple; to complete the project, we are trying to raise $4,500 a month and finish before May of 2018. Every little bit makes a difference.

To view the painting and make a donation, please click HERE or call (801) 803-3415. Donations to the painting have already reached $6,000! Thank you so much for your support.

Sources

“Eulogy on King Philip Quotes by William Apess.” Goodreads,

     www.goodreads.com/work/quotes/344168-eulogy-on-king-philip. Accessed 24 Aug. 2017.

Johnston, Charles H. L. Famous Indian chiefs; their battles, treaties, sieges, and struggles with

     the whites for the possession of America. Boston, Page Co. Publishers, 1914.

“Quotes by Joseph Brant.” A-Z Quotes, www.azquotes.com/author/38514-Joseph_Brant.

     Accessed 24 Aug. 2017.

“Tecumseh Quotes.” BrainyQuote, Xplore,

     www.brainyquote.com/quotes/authors/t/tecumseh.html. Accessed 24 Aug. 2017.

The Mysteries of Joseph Smith Jr.

Ten Things You Didn’t Know About the Prophet Joseph Smith and His Family

1.      Entrepreneurial Grandfather

Joseph Smith’s grandfather Solomon Mack was an avid entrepreneur who ran a coasting trade between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, taught the art of making saltpeter for gunpowder, carted military bags during the French and Indian War, managed over a thousand acres of land, and owned a schooner (a large sailing ship with several masts).

2.      Meeting His Grandmother

Joseph met his ninety-two-year-old grandmother Mary Duty Smith in Kirtland, Ohio, after she expressed her desire to be baptized. Of her, he said, “She was the most honored woman on Earth.”  Mary told Lucy, “I am going to have your Joseph [Jr.] baptize me, and my Joseph [the patriarch] bless me.” Though she passed away before her wish was fulfilled, the Lord has promised, “All who have died without a knowledge of this gospel, who would have received it if they had been permitted to tarry, shall be heirs of the celestial kingdom of God.”

3.      The $1,000 Wedding Gift

When Lucy married Joseph Smith Sr. in 1796, she received $1,000 (over $14,000 in today’s time) as a wedding present from two of her brothers, but rather than spending it, she saved the money as a cash reserve for unexpected emergencies in the future. Unfortunately, the emergency came in 1803 when Joseph Smith Sr. was cheated out of his profits from a large investment made in the plant ginseng and had to give up the family farm in addition to Lucy’s wedding present to pay off debt from their store.

4.      Typhoid Fever and Death

The same typhoid fever that killed 6,400 people in the Connecticut Valley and led to little Joseph’s infamous leg surgery also brought his sister Sophronia close to death. Ninety days of illness left the girl limp and motionless, but after offering a final prayer of hope and love, Lucy held the child in her arms and paced the floor until, miraculously, the child began to sob and breathe again.

5.      Juvenile Debate Club

Young Joseph was part of a juvenile debate club in Palmyra that discussed questions of morality, politics, and even the existence of God. In response to the question of a Supreme being, Joseph declared that the magnificent beauty of this created universe proclaims the undeniable existence of a loving Heavenly Father.

6.      Seeking Treasure

In 1825, Joseph and his father went to work for a man named Josiah Stowell who believed he had found a Spanish silver mine in Harmony, Pennsylvania. Joseph Jr. had developed a reputation for helping people find lost property and hidden things through the use of a peculiar stone. When Stowell caught news of this, he recruited the Smiths and offered them two-elevenths of the treasure they were to find.

7.      Eloping and Forgiveness

Joseph and Emma originally met when he boarded at the Hales’ home during the earlier treasure expeditions with Stowell. Emma’s father refused to let the two marry, but after they eloped, Joseph and Emma returned to get her things, and Joseph promised that he had quit treasure-seeking and intended to work hard for the family. Isaac Hale was contented and even offered to let the new couple live on the Hale property.

8.      Smitten Thrice Before Reviling

The early saints received much persecution, and in an effort to defend his people, Joseph organized what would become known as Zion’s Camp. However, as the military group was forming, a revelation was received informing the saints that they were to bear even physical persecution. Armed defense was justifiable only after they were smitten three times.

9.      First Woman to Receive the Endowment

Emma received her endowment from the Prophet Joseph Smith in September of 1843, becoming the first woman to receive the ordinance. She was then asked to officiate for other women and did so until just before the saints left Nauvoo.

10.  Presidential Candidacy

After being denied help by both major candidates in the 1844 presidential election, Joseph decided to run for president. Approximately 350 men volunteered to go around the country campaigning for him, and even before that, Joseph wrote, “When I look into the Eastern papers and see how popular I am, I am afraid I shall be president.” He was one of the only two men ever shot running for president, the other being Robert F. Kennedy.

If you enjoyed the article, please like and share it on Facebook by clicking here.

To view the artwork, click here.

Sources

Bushman, Richard Lyman., and Jed Woodworth. Joseph Smith: rough stone rolling. New York:

Vintage , 2007. Print.

Lloyd, R. Scott. "Scholar Discusses Joseph Smith's 1844 Presidential Election Campaign."

Church News and Events. N.p., 29 Sept. 2016. Web. 13 July 2017.

Ludlow, Daniel H. Encyclopedia of Mormonism. New York, NY: Macmillan Pub. Co., 1999.

Print.

A Brighter Future and the Arts

3 Reasons why you and your kids should be involved with the arts

     The world at present can sometimes make the scripture “men are that they might have joy” seem like a gray area because of the countless trials and empty pleasures we experience, but research has shown that through regular involvement in and development of artistic skills ranging from music to drawing or photography, both children and adults can experience more success and happiness in their lives.  Participation in the arts plants three primary seeds that will lead to a brighter future.

1.      Career success:  At first glance, art and future employment seem to be two highly uncorrelated nouns, but research done by Americans for the Arts found that creativity is one of the top three personality traits sought after by U.S. employers, yet eighty-five percent of employers cannot find the creative types they seek.  These findings are significant because everyone from PBS to the Washington Post agrees that art is extremely important in child development, especially in relation to creativity and innovational skills.  The catch is that one of the other top three traits sought after by employers is expertise in the field or industry of application, so participating in the arts will help you develop essential creativity and innovation skills, but obtaining knowledge in another field is also of vital importance.

2.      Overall well-being:  Part of having joy in this life is finding things that bring us wholesome pleasure and take us out of our daily routine to a place of excitement or delight for even ever so small a moment.  A survey done by Americans for the Arts showed that sixty-three percent of Americans experience pure pleasure when they are involved with art in a given day, and even more than that said the arts help to lift them up beyond everyday experiences.  Very few people can deny the joy they get from creating or even just witnessing beautiful art.  In fact, art is so beneficial to human well-being that it has been used to improve the medical condition of patients as far back as 1948.  National Endowment for the Arts summarizes a few of the different studies done in relation to art and patient improvement.  One such study found that premature infants in an intensive care unit were released an average of three days earlier than others when treated with sung and spoken lullabies.

3.      Impact on others:  Despite the fact that participating in the arts can be extremely beneficial to yourself, picking up an artistic skill such as music, painting or dance and using it to impact the lives of others is no doubt an even more rewarding benefit of participating in the arts.  Art is a special form of communication that uses more of the human senses and reaches individuals on a deeper emotional level than mere speaking and listening.  Almost any person can think of a time when art made their day better whether it be through listening to music, attending a galley or watching a dance competition, and if the opportunity existed, would each of those individuals not love to return the favor to someone else?  Simply put, art is an opportunity to give back, impact lives and change the world.

Written by Abraham Bedard – Director of Marketing at Bedard Fine Art

Works Cited

Lynch, Grace Hwang. "The Importance of Art in Child Development." PBS. Public Broadcasting Service, 25 May 2012. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

"Research Reports." Americans for the Arts. Americans for the Arts, 15 Feb. 2017. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Strauss, Valerie. "Top 10 skills children learn from the arts." The Washington Post. WP Company, 22 Jan. 2013. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Spring Sale! April 6-26 2016

Sarah Granger Kimball NEW Painting of a great Great Young Latter Day Saint woman

Kimball, Sarah Encyclopedia of Mormonism

Sarah Granger Kimball

See this page in the original 1992 publication.

Author: Richards, Mary Stovall

Sarah Melissa Granger Kimball (1818-1898) was founder of the Ladies' Society of Nauvoo, a suffragist, an advocate of women's rights, ward Relief Society president for forty years, and a strong presence in the history of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for much of the nineteenth century. Described by one of her associates as possessing "the courage to say what she thought," Sarah Kimball labored for the advancement of women, arguing that "education and agitation are our best weapons of warfare" (Woman's Exponent 20 [1 May 1892]:159 and 18 [15 Feb. 1890]:139, respectively). Such militancy was tempered, however, by her strong commitment to the Church and her loyalty to its leaders. Indeed, she saw little discrepancy between her devotion to the Church and her dedication to women's rights, since Joseph Smith's "turning of the key" of power to women in 1842 had, in her view, led to the beginnings of the national women's rights movement.

Close up of my original

I did the for this piece in front of Sarah Granger's home in Nauvoo  Illinois.
this was a prep for a larger piece I may do later.
The original is 11 by 14  inches oil on panel. price is $795. to purchase call 801-803-3415 or check out my web store at www.bedardfineart.com thank you





One story of Sarah Granger her and her seamstress margaret A. Cook to sew clothing for workers of the temple in 1842.  which would later lead to forming the oldest and best woman's organizations in the world.

Relief Society Seal
Motto	"Charity never faileth"
Formation	March 17, 1842
Type	Non-profit
Purpose	gospel instruction, women's/familial support, humanitarian aid
Headquarters	Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Membership	six million women in over 170 countries.[1]
General President	Linda K. Burton
Parent organization	The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Website	Official website

Gustoweh feather placement

Gustoweh feather placement is done according to each of the individual tribe to identify the particular   as demonstrated above.

Each male tribal member within the Confederacy is easy to spot by the way they have their gustoweh constructed. The gustoweh is formed with the wood frame and feathers, but each tribe has a different number of upright feathers.

The Mohawk will have three individual sockets, therefore, three distinct upright feathers. The Oneida’s gustoweh has three sockets, but two are for upright feathers, and the third at the back of the frame is laying down, so the large feather will be aimed at a downward slant, also called a side feather. The gustoweh of the Onondaga has two sockets, one is upright, the other is a side feather.

The Cayuga gustoweh has an angled socket, so the feather is not upright or laying down, but at a forty-five degree angle, off to the side. The Seneca gustoweh has one upright, and finally the Tuscarora has a smooth frame for just the wing and body feathers.

It doesn’t not have a socket for an upright feather.

The gustoweh is a fitted hat that men construct and wear. Since the Haudenosaunee are matrilineal, any Haudenosaunee man wishing to wear a gustoweh should wear one according to his mother’s tribe.

Gustoweh (ga-STOH-weh) The first chief set apart by the Great Peace Maker

more to come on this tomorrow!



Haudenosaunee men wear gustowehs. It is a fitted hat that is decorated with hawk pheasant or turkey feathers. some art decorated with silver animal hide, and hair.

The Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee), complete with a constitution known as the Gayanashagowa (or "Great Law of Peace"), was established prior to major European contact. The exact date of its establishment is not known, although it has existed continuously existed since at least the fourteenth or fifteenth century.

Oral tradition tells of how the Seneca, Cayuga, Onondaga, Oneida, and Mohawk people had been warring against each other causing great bloodshed. To address this, the Creator sent a messenger to remind the people of the true lifestyle so that they could live in peace. The two spiritual leaders, Ayonwentah (generally called Hiawatha due to the Longfellow poem) and Deganawidah, "The Great Peacemaker," brought the message of peace to the five tribes. In their travels to find the leaders of the five peoples, they came upon a woman who gave them shelter. She accepted their message and the Peacemaker set aside a special duty for women, the "Clan Mother."

According to legend, an evil Onondaga chieftain named Tadadaho was the last to be converted to the ways of peace. Tadadaho was said to be so evil that his body was twisted and snakes grew from his head. Hiawatha and the Great Peacemaker "combed the snakes" from Tadadaho's hair and he accepted the message, becoming the spiritual leader of the Haudenosaunee. This event is said to have occurred at Onondaga Lake near Syracuse, New York. The title, Tadadaho, is still used for the league's spiritual leader, the fiftieth chief, who sits with the Onondaga in council.

The combined leadership of the Nations is known as the Haudenosaunee, which means "People of the Long House." The term is said to have been introduced by the Great Peacemaker at the time of the formation of the Confederacy. It implies that the Nations of the confederacy should live together as families in the same long house. Being centrally located with the Cayuga and Seneca to their west and the Oneida and Mohawk to their east, the Onondaga were charged with keeping the flame of the Council Fire burning in the council longhouse where the council of the confederacy met. Thus they were known as the "Keepers of the Fire," Kayečisnakweˀnì•yuˀ (Rudes 1999). A sixth tribe, the Tuscarora, joined after the original five nations were formed.

Sketch by Samuel de Champlain of his attack on an Onondaga village.

Once they ceased most infighting, the Confederacy rapidly became one of the strongest forces in seventeenth and eighteenth century northeastern North America. The Haudenosaunee engaged in a series of wars against the French and their Iroquoian-speaking Wyandot ("Huron") allies, another Iroquoian people but a historic foe of the Confederacy. In 1615, Samuel de Champlain was escorted through the Peterborough area by a group of Hurons. He used the ancient portage between Chemong Lake and Little Lake (now Chemong Road). The party passed Lake Ontario at its eastern tip where they hid their canoes and continued their journey by land. They followed the Oneida River until they found themselves at an Onondaga fort. Pressured by the Hurons to attack prematurely, the assault failed and they were forced to flee.

By 1677, the Iroquois formed an alliance with the English through an agreement known as the Covenant Chain. Together, they battled the French and their Huron allies.

In the American Revolutionary War, the Onondaga were at first officially neutral, although individual Onondaga warriors were involved in at least one raid on American settlements. After an American attack on their main village on April 20, 1779, the Onondaga later sided with the majority of the Haudenosaunee and fought against the United States in alliance with the British. Thereafter, many Onondaga followed Joseph Brant to Six Nations, Ontario, after the United States was accorded independence.

On November 11, 1794, the Onondaga Nation, along with the other Haudenosaunee nations, signed the Treaty of Canandaigua with the United States, in which their right to their homeland was acknowledged by the United States in article II of the treaty.

 copied from New World Encyclopedia