Family History
This is Sandy’s parents Woody Swallow and Ethel Mills. Both born on the Pine Ridge reservation and grew up about 40 miles from each other. They met for the first time is Oregon during World War II. He had been at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed by the Japanese. She went to Oregon to help the war effort by riveting on ships. They met at a bar that was frequented by South Dakota people. They were married in Chadron NE when he was on leave from the Navy.
This is a picture of Sandy’s grandfather Oliver Swallow Oglala Lakota or Sioux. He was sent away to be schooled at the Lincoln Institute in PA as at that time the government wanted to see if they could educate the American Indians. He was in PA from the age of 11 to 17. He looks to be about 17 in this picture and was on the “Indian” baseball team. In later years he went to Washington DC to be an interpreter for the Oglala’s. His mother was Lizzia Iote Lakota and his father was Eli Swallow a Frenchman. His father Eli was galvanized soldier from Louisiana. He was a confederate soldier and was captured by the Union Army. He was then given the choice of staying in the Union Prison or going to the Dakotas to fight the Sioux.
Betty Gillispie-Swallow Sandy's paternal Grandmother was Northern Cheyenne. Bands of the tribe migrated from the Great Lakes area then settling in Montana. The Tribe refers to themselves as Tsis Tsis Tas which means the beautiful people.
Betty was born to David T. Gillispie ( an Irishman) and Sara Long Chin. In the late 1800’s. She was become the wife of Oliver Swallow Oglala Lakota.
When they married they settled at Oelrichs SD and the Pine Ridge Reservation. To this marriage eight children were born. Sandy's Dad Woodrow was the youngest.
Sally Bush Mills is Sandy’s maternal great grandmother. Who was Oglala Lakota. She married Benjamin Buchner Mills. It is believed that he came from England.
They were both present at the signing of the Ft. Laramie treaty in 1868. They had close ties with Red Cloud as he requested that Ben Mills be made the Superintendent over what was to be known as the Pine Ridge reservation. She was widowed at a young age.
Later She was among the band when Crazy Horse surrendered at Ft. Robinson. (Crazy Horse Surrender Ledger, P. 34, 64, 129, and Page 142) Sally and her family eventually ended up at the Pine Ridge Reservation.
Deer Woman was my maternal great grandmother. Deer Woman also known as "Tache Win" was born in 1850 She is holding Patsy her daughter.. She came from the Southern Cheyenne Tribe That originally lived in Minnesota in the 1500's.
Some Cheyenne bands migrated Westward in the 1700's to North and South Dakota. Then to Oklahoma in the 1800's.
Some relatives still reside in Oklahoma.
Deer Woman also known as Emily Adams married Alex Adams a Oglala Lakota from Pine Ridge, SD
Susie Adams was born to this union was Sandy's Grandmother.
Victoria Adams was Sandy’s maternal great great grandmother. She was Oglala Lakota from Pine Ridge reservation. She married David Adams an early day fur trader. Her Indian name was Cedar Woman and her Mother was Chief Red Clouds older Sister.
One of her other sons was Chief Painted Horse who participated in the Battle of Little Bighorn.
If you notice she was in her best regalia with a beautiful ribbon dress and beaded moccasins. I think this photograph was taken in the late 1800's.
My Great grandfather Alex Adams, is standing behind his grand children Ethel, Sidney, and Marcella Mills. he is wearing a traditional Buffalo Hat. He was a fierce Warrior in many battles. His Indian name was "Charging Crow".
He was born to David Adams " a White Fur trader and Victoria Adams also known as Cedar Woman". She was a niece of Chief Red Cloud. My Mother told me she helped take care of him in his old age. He would only speak Lakota to her. This photography was taken in the 1920's.
Sara Long Chin (Ikhu Hanska) a Northern Cheyenne was Sandy’s paternal great grandmother. She married an Irishman David Talon Gillispie. Her Grandson (Uncle John Swallow) stated she never learned English but understood it. She was with Crazy Horse’s band when he came into Ft. Robinson in 1877. Sara became an enrolled member of the Oglala Tribe when her family moved to the Pine Ridge Reservation. Death: May 1929.
