Note: If you're interested in seeing photos of the Rinehart tombstone, feel free to tune into: http://lucascountyan.blogspot.com/ JOHN RINEHART The story of John Rinehart, perhaps "Indian chief," perhaps not, is one of countless intriguing yarns that occupants of the Chariton Cemetery might tell --- if only they could. The stone that marks his grave and that of his unnamed wife is located immediately south of the cemetery's main gateway, embraced by its fieldstone curve. When I visited the old boy Monday, spirea planted against the wall was in full bloom and a robin was perched atop the tombstone. Hot on the trail of an outstanding photo opportunity, I tripped over an inconveniently planted Hickman and sent the bird flying. So much for that. John Rinehart's death was reported as follows in The Chariton Patriot of Wednesday, Jan. 12, 1881, under the heading "From Wednesday's Daily," suggesting that it might originally have been published a week earlier in another newspaper, long vanished: "For two months past, five families of Cherokee Indians, some 30 persons in all, have been camped on the Chariton river, a couple of miles from this city. On Monday, one of their number, Rinehart by name, a man of 40 years or more, succumbed to the fell destroyer and his spirit joined its kindred in the happy hunting grounds beyond the clouds. The party of which the deceased red man was a member, left the Indian Territory two years ago and had traveled through Kansas, Nebraska, Dakota, Minnesota and thus far through Iowa on their way back home. They stopped here on account of the illness of Rinehart, whose poor health was the cause of the long trip undertaken by the company. Several days ago Rinehart realized the approach of death and sent for Rev. J. S. Reed who visited the camp and gave the dying man religious consolation. On yesterday afternoon the funeral took place from the Presbyterian Church, to the Chariton Cemetery where his companions had brought a lot and the red man was laid away to rest after this long wanderings. The party will remain in their present camp until warm weather." By many accounts, John Rinehart's grave became a regular stopping place for members of his extended family as the years passed and the group he once had headed continued to move about the plains and upper Mississippi valley. As many as three more family members may have been buried on the Rinehart lot, but I've been able to find an account only of the burial of John Rinehart's wife, published as follows in The Patriot of Oct. 28, 1897: "The remains of Mrs. John Rhinehart (sic), wife of the Cherokee Indian Chief buried in our cemetery, were brought yesterday from Wheeling, Missouri, and reinterred. Mrs. Rhinehart died at Wheeling, August 30, 1897, at the advanced age of 104 years. Rev. Ormond read the Christian burial service at the grave, and in behalf of her friends, thanked the people gathered there for the sympathy shown in attending the last sad rites of one of their people when she was laid in the last resting place by the side of her husband." A clipping from The Chariton Herald, dated only 1902, sheds a little more light on the background of John Rinehart and his companions, in a somewhat irritating and patronizing way: INDIANS VISIT GRAVE Annual Visit of Red Men to the Grave of Their Chief in Chariton Cemetery "A few of the Indians who have visited Chariton annually for the past fifteen years, to hold services over the grave of their chief, Rhinehart (sic), were camped near Chariton on their annual visit last Friday and Saturday, but omitted the customary grave ceremony, perhaps because they are growing to civilized to believe in it any longer. They departed on Saturday on their way to Minneapolis, where they will spend the summer in a cooler climate. "In is generally believed that the principal one of the four Indian graves just south of the main gate, in the Chariton cemetery, is that of a noted Indian chief, but it is not so. The man was called a chief, and was named Rhinehart, but he was not an Indian. He was a Frenchman who married a full-blooded Indian squaw, probably the widow of a minor chief, and thereby became the chief of the little tribe. Fifteen years ago Rhinehart's band was camped on the Chariton river, two or three miles from town, when he took sick and died. His family bought a lot in the Chariton cemetery and buried him here, and each year since then some of his Indians have come back to see that the grave is kept in proper condition. There are now three or four graves on the Indian lot, the newer ones being younger members of Rhinehart's family or tribe, and it is said that his squaw is also buried here. The other day when they were here, one of his daughters, a half breed who is almost white, was negotiating for a head stone for the grave of one of the children buried on the lot. "The Indians who were here look fully as much like Gypsies as Indians, but they attend to their own respectable business, which Gypsies do not. Rhinehart's daughter is an intelligent woman, and is a member of the Rebekahs, while many of her tribe belong to the Independent Order of Odd Fellows." And that's where the Rinehart story stands for now, but I'd certainly like to know more. If a headstone were erected to mark the grave of a child on the lot, it has long since vanished. Only the main stone, inscribed only with information about John, and headstones marking his grave and that of his wife remain. Note that the initial account of Rinehart's death was taken from Darlene Arnold's wonderful transcriptions of Patriot local news, 1870's through 1890, available at the Lucas County Genealogical Society's library in the Chariton Public Library. The clipping dated "1902" was found in a notebook at the library.

Greetings Lucas Co. Listers: I found the story about John Rinehart/Rhinehart intrigueing. Did a little research. Found a couple of ideas to check out, but it requires more time than I am going to have, so perhaps after this, someone can pick up the ball and run with it awhile? : Based upon the obits & article, John was abt. 40y or more when he d. in 1881, that would put him at being b. abt. 1841. Did a search in Ancestry.com to find someone fitting that profile. Found a John Rhinehart & family living in 1880 at West, Montgomery Co., Iowa [straight west of Lucas Co. & not far from the Nebraska border. Were roads close to Hwy34 the Old Mormon Trail ? ]. They were born in Penns. in abt 1831 for John,, 49y, & in abt 1837 for wf, Susanah, 43y . Their children were Emma J., 22; Miles E., 19; and Amanda E. 18, all b. Penn. [it may go on, census page ends] [It does not fit that this Susanah would have been ag 104 in 1897. ] However, there was a Charles Rhineheart, who d. Dec. 4, 1903, at age 104y [born about 1793] buried at Chariton Cemetery, Section J, Row 13, #11. [*1] Could the story have been a tad mixed up, or is it mere coincidence that both this Charles and John's wife were 104 y of age at death?? Was it Charles' grave that the Cherokee tribal members came to revere? Probably. There was buried a John Rinehart, d. Jan. 2, 1881, ag 66y 2m 17d, at Chariton Cemetery, Lucas Co., IA, Section K, Row 1 N-S, #1. [not far from Charles? ] This is likely the John being discussed in the obit/article, since he d. in 1881 as described. However, he would have been old enough to be the West, Montg. Co. John's father at that point in 1881. So, perhaps, the West, Mont. Co., John is his son and part of the kindred gathered at the Chariton River? Was Charles the Chief who led his tribe from Penn. at the order of the US Govt.? Was John, Sr. and John, Jr. Chief's by right of passage? One scenario anyway. :-) Is it shear coincidence that a major Iowa Indian Chief was: Iowa Indian Chiefs and Leaders [Note Heart as part of name] "Nacheninga ('No-heart-of-fear'). The name of at least two prominent Iowa chiefs, commonly called No Heart, both noted for their sterling qualities and highly regarded by both their tribesmen and the whites. Nacheninga the elder died a short time before Catlin's visit to the tribe in 1832, when he was succeeded by his son, who, however, was regarded as subordinate to Mahaskah the younger. The junior Nacheninga has been described as a fine specimen of his race physically, and as "the faithful husband of one wife." His portrait was painted by Catlin in 1832. In behalf of the Iowa he signed the treaty of St Louis, Nov. 23, 1837..." http://www.accessgenealogy.com/native/tribes/iowa/iowachiefs.htm Then...searched Cherokee Indians - Pennsy. : Found a couple of entries in Google.com that require more research but arepotentially relevant as to why these Cherokees were gathering at Chariton burial grounds. In a search about Cherokee Indians from Pennsy., found: "John Ellis Wool Papers, 1810-1869 - Finding Aid (NYSL) ... the controversial treaty of 1835 that mandated Cherokee Indian resettlement ... Pennsylvania, September 1840. E.) Fort Wood, New York, September 1840. ... www.nysl.nysed.gov/msscfa/sc15361.htm - 93k - Cached - Similar pages" "Chickamauga Cherokee Indians - Chickamauga Cherokee Nation Indian ... ... The Cherokee Indians once inhabited great expanses of lands on the American ... forces at Bushy Run in western Pennsylvania, ending the hostilities. ... www.comanchelodge.com/chickamauga-cherokee.html - 101k - May 9, 2005 -" Bibliography of Cherokee & General Books on SE Indians: http://www.si.edu/resource/faq/nmai/cherokee.htm Does anyone have a record of the Rebekahs' in that time period that show Rhinehart's ?? [To check out the statement that they were members of Rebekah and who all belonged.] *1 Lucas Co., IA Cemetery Records, 1981 ed. , p. 127 ** ditto, p. 128 Well, enough "play" with this for now. Happy hunting, Mary Beth in Wisconsin Response based upon .... On 11.05.2005 at 10:49:53, Frank Myers <fmyers@netconx.net> wrote: > Note: If you're interested in seeing photos of the Rinehart > tombstone, feel > free to tune into: http://lucascountyan.blogspot.com/ > > JOHN RINEHART > > The story of John Rinehart, perhaps "Indian chief," perhaps not, is > one of countless intriguing yarns ..."

ohn Rinehart?= MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1 Greetings again, Just notice the math on Charles Rhineheart ... should be 1903-104y = 1799 [not 1793] Sorry for any inconvenience. Also, checked on John a little more: History of Lucas Co. IA, LCHS, p. 100 Under the discussion of Lucas Co. Cemeteries: "The Chariton Cemetery makes no distinction between races, color, religion or stations in life. The same courtesy is given to all. Among the interesting bits of Indian lore is the burial of John Rinehart [sic]. Considerable legend has been attached to the peculiar type [no image shown] of monument that stands at the head [as of 1978] of his grave just within the gates at the cemetery. In the pioneer days of Lucas County, even before our county was organized, a band of Indians, probably Sacs, had their home in this part of Iowa and John Rinehart was one of the chieftans. When he died, his tribe brought his remains to Chariton. He is buried just south of the main gate. Years ago, the tombstone on Rinehart's grave had swung to the right. The Local Order of Improved Red Men took the monument down, renewed it and re-erected it and also fixed the area around the grave." // Happy Trails to You, Mary Beth in Wisconsin