Daniel E. Ma-To-Na-Pa "Bear Paw" Mitchell

   Cause of his death was Advanced age.

  General Notes:

Obituary
Daniel Mitchell, one of General Miles’ Scouts, dies suddenly after lingering illness. Daniel Mitchell, 76, passed away at the Atkinson Memorial Hospital here early Tuesday morning after an illness of several months. Advanced age was the cause of his death. Mr. Mitchell was one of the few remaining old Indian scouts in the northwest and one of the few that could boast of the fact that he served as a scout both in the United States army and in the royal mounted police of Canada. He serviced as a private in a company of Indian scouts in the U.S. army in the Dakota territories during 1894, being given an honorable discharge in November of the same year. After his discharge from the U.S. army he enlisted in the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, serving as a scout and interpreter, with Captain MacDonnell, at Wood Mountain, Saak. Cananda. His Indian name was Bear Paw. After being discharged from the U.S. Army, he came to the Fort Peck Indian reservation where he was chief of the Fort Peck Indian Police for a number of years. He later became an interpreter on the reservation. Mr. Mitchell retired from the Indian service in 1936 with petition. He was an honorary member of the American Legion. “Dan” will be greatly missed by both his Indian and white friends as he has been a familiar and well know figure on the Fort Peck reservation for many years. Daniel Mitchell was born February 28, 1864, at Winnepeg, Canada*, to the parents of David and Isabelle Mitchell. His grandfather was a high ranking officer in the United States army. In 1888 he was united in marriage to Lula Garfield at Wolf Point. To this union, eight children were born. Those surviving are Mrs. Alex Verdon of Poplar, Mrs. Vina Hawley of Spokane, Washington, Freddie Mitchell of Bapchule, Arizona, Mrs. Ursula Brophy of Hines Oregon and Teddie Mitchell of Poplar.

Obituary said he was born in Winnepeg, but the book "The Assiniboines" said he was born in White Earth, ND.

Lula his first wife is last listed as his wife in 1907 indian census before she dies. 1909 census says he's a widower. In the 1913 census, he is shown married to Winona Winn. Winona is last listed as his wife in a 1921 census - they were married a short time, and he's a widower once more. In a 1933 census he's shown married to Mary Dauphine, a non enrolled person. She's the last person he's married to, and she does not show up again.

I can't trace Assiniboine in his family tree. I can trace Chippewa and Cree Indian blood. He does claim coming from the Cree Speakers Band of Assiniboines, so maybe that was the connection.

In 1920 census shows him workign as an Interpreter for Indian Agency Service.

I found a couple places in historical documents of a Dan Mitchell operating a restaurant and pool business, but not sure if same Dan.

Daniel married Louisa or Lula Wa ya wa wi yan Garfield, daughter of Garfield and Eagle Wamndi, in 1888 in Wolf Point, Montana. (Louisa or Lula Wa ya wa wi yan Garfield was born on 30 May 1873 in Poplar, Montana Roosevelt County, died on 31 Dec 1907 and was buried in 1908 in Fort Peck, Montana.). The cause of her death was Pnuemonia, TB or asthma - lung related.

  Marriage Notes:

Marriage info according to Obituary. Eight children said to be born from this union.

Daniel next married Emma Poitras or Portra, daughter of Living and Living, on 22 Aug 1908 in Valley County, Montana. (Emma Poitras or Portra was born on 7 Jun 1893 in Turtle Mountain, ND.)

Daniel next married Winona Koon Winn Mitchell, daughter of John Koon and Mary No Eyes, on 8 Apr 1913 in Poplar, Montana Roosevelt County. (Winona Koon Winn Mitchell was born in Mar 1872 in Fort Buford, ND and died on 28 Apr 1923.)

Daniel next married Eliza Mitchell in 1910. (Eliza Mitchell was born in 1882.)

Daniel next married Mary or Elizabeth Dauphine or Dauphinia, daughter of Louis LaDuque? and Cila or Isabelle Moran, on 4 Oct 1923 in Poplar, Montana Roosevelt County. (Mary or Elizabeth Dauphine or Dauphinia was born 1883 or 1885 in North Dakota and died on 11 Apr 1938.)