Member-only story
Dec 27, 2020
This fascinating photo is of John Smith — a Chippewa Indian who claimed to be 137 years old in the 1920’s. No one knew his age for certain, not even John.
The Chippewa people referred to Smith as Ga-Be-Nah-Gewn-Wonce — which means wrinkled meat.
His gravestone in Cass lists his birth and death as 1784–1922.