Lewis Ketchum

Fully three generations ago there was born in the state of Ohio the subject of the above engraving. The old man died at his home southeast of town last week, at the age of one hundred years or more, as near as can be calculated. He was a Delaware Indian and had a remarkable career. Seventy-five years ago he was a scout on the plains and an Indian fighter, fighting the wild Indians of the plains. In his younger days he was an athlete, and knew all about the wild, free life of a plainsman of that time. When Jefferson made the Louisiana purchase from Napoleon, Uncle Lewis Ketchum was on earth, and later was a prominent figure in its development. He came to Kansas in the turbulent days, long before John Brown was ever heard of. He went through all the hardships of frontier life. He came to the Indian Territory with the second immigration of Delaware Indians and was admitted to citizenship in the Cherokee Nation as a Delaware, and had lived quietly on his farm ever since. In the early days he was a "mighty hunter," supplying himself and family with wild game in plenty. He was a kindhearted, honest Christian gentleman. With his life goes out the last of the old-time Indians. He leaves two children, Mrs. Joe Thatcher of this city and Soloman Ketchum, who lives on the old farm near town.

from the Indian Chieftain, April 1, 1904

KETCHUM, Louis or Lewis--Louis Ketchum was born 1808 near Sandusky, Ohio. (1862 census and tombstone data from James Tyler and Alice T. Timmons, Our People and Where They Rest n.p., 1969), p. 54 covering the Ketchum Cemetery) According to the 1875 Kansas State Census, Wyandotte County Quindaro Township, Family No. 224 , he was born in Indiana. His name is also used and cited as Lewis. He died on 28 March 1904 and was buried in the privately-owned Ketchum Cemetery that he established in Craig County, Indian Territory (SE-NE-NE of Section 10, Township 24, Range 20). His father was George Ketchum, Lenape name Kakeewha. His mother was Nancy, family name not known.

article from http://cfhahn.freeyellow.com/lenapemirror/bioalpha3.htm (link broken)

Photograph of Lewis/Louis Ketchum from the Vinita (Oklahoma) Indian Chieftain, 1 April 1904. We obtained this image from the Craig County, Oklahoma Genealogical Society, which had made a copy of the photo from a microfilm from the Vinita, Oklahoma Public Library.