1960.58

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Details

ID Number

1960.58

Category

Communication Artifacts

Sub-category

ceremonial artifact

Item Name

flag

Materials

TEXTILE, WOOL

Measurements

overall: 110 in x 55 in

Description

Main body - six narrow bands hand stitched full length except for Union Jack inset (upper left corner); British naval ensign; handspun

History

The design of this flag is the standard Red Ensign, a mercantile flag that has been in use throughout the British Commonwealth since 1801. The flag was acquired by this museum in 1960 from Mrs. Hoey, whose father Mr. P.W.A. Fitzsimmons, a resident of Tecumseh, Michigan, had acquired it from Mr. Joseph McCoonse. Joseph McCoonse is described by a lawyer in 1905 as a “Chippewa Indian of more than ordinary intelligence who bears the best of reputations.” Mr. Fitzsimmons had seen this flag on display in the Indian Territory building at the 1904 St. Louis’ World Fair. Mr. McCoonse’s father was Ash-ton-quat, chief of the Swan Creek Black-River Chippewa in the state of Michigan, and his grandfather was Supernau McCoonse, whose wife was Now-que-kesh-ko-que. Joseph McCoonse made an affidavit in 1905 as to the origins of the flag in which he related that his father had told him. “It’s an English flag we captured of Tecumseh at the time he was killed...Most of our Indians went in with the English except three tribes which came together and fought for the Americans, through the influence of my father who was then Chippewa Chief and his son, An-now-zic-kah, who was a great warrior. These three tribes were the Chippewas, the Ottawas, and the Pottawatomies...Our tribes had a council one night and the Chief asked, ‘who will kill Tecumseh tomorrow,’ and in answer three arose...They started out and when they came back they brought the body of Tecumseh and this flag and reported they had killed Tecumseh.” T

Collection Name

Museum Windsor

Subject (Fre)

Y

Subjects

British / Britannique subject

Indians / Indiens subject

Natives subject

Tecumseh person

War / Guerre subject