Chief White Eagle

Basil Heath / Chief White Eagle was born March 18, 1917, on the Iroquois Reservation in Ontario, Canada, lived many years in Chicago, and spent the last 23 years of his life in Fulton County, Indiana. He had been a patient at Hickory Creek Nursing Home for the past six weeks, and died on a snowy night in the ambulance on its way to Woodlawn Hospital January 24, 2011. He entered our lives in 1984 when he and his wife, Bobbie Bear, came to the Trail of Courage for the first time. They came as speakers and traders (Bobbie makes Indian dolls and jewelry to sell) at every Trail since, except for 2010 when illness prevented them.

In 1985 The Trail of Courage was moved across the highway to 35 acres purchased by the Fulton County Historical Society. Chief White Eagle dedicated the land with a pipe ceremony, pictured on the front cover of the FCHS Quarterly no. 60. He also crowned two Cherokee princesses, Kathleen McClellan and Dawn Hall, for the local Cherokee band. State Representative Raymond Musselman, Peru, presented Chief White Eagle with a key to District 23, which includes Fulton County. Chief gave talks about Indian history and inside information on Indian courtship and how they went to war. He gave credit for his tribal knowledge to his grandfather, who lived to be 103, on the Grand River Reservation in Ontario. His grandfather taught him how to shoot with bow and arrow, how to track animals, how to recognize different tribes from their footprints, etc.

He also told how he made movies and how they make it look as if bullets are barely missing you, and how they make it look like a building is burning down. He was “killed” in many movies; sometimes he was killed twice or more in one movie. In his programs he told Indian legends, taught sign language, related customs and legends of the Indian people. He had an excellent voice, a deep “radio voice.” He was able to imitate a bullet, a bow snapping and an arrow hitting. He gave excellent imitations of actors Gabby Hayes, Tonto, Walter Brennan and others.

Chief “Baz” White Eagle appeared in many movies over the years. His first movie was in 1939, “Northwest Passage,” with Spencer Tracy. He worked with John Wayne in “Stage Coach,” “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon,” and “Red River.” In “Red River” Baz is the Indian who was killed by John Wayne in a fight in the river - this occurs about 10 minutes into the movie. He was in “Niagara” with Marilyn Monroe. He recalled sitting with Marilyn and sharing a basket of strawberries while waiting between shots. Other movies were “How the West was Won” in 1962.

Baz would never do anything that was derogatory to his people. In one scene he was to have his face pushed in the mud wearing the sacred eagle plumes. He said to the company, “I’ll never do this to degrade my people.” He was blacklisted in Hollywood for over a year until other companies took him up and he was back in movies again.

“For three months or six months, while I was making a film, I made a financial killing. Then while the rest of the actors were sitting around on their duffs waiting for another picture, I went back to iron work. My agent would keep in touch. A lot of kids ask me about getting into films. I tell them first take dramatic lessons, then get a good trade, so they have a second job to fall back into. Too many people fail and have to wash dishes for the rest of their lives.”

“Long after I am dust, I’ll be preserved on celluloid, and I’m proud of that.”

His television credits included appearing in “The Lone Ranger,” “Wagon Train” and “The Rifleman.” He appeared once in “Bonanza” as both a cavalry officer and as an Indian. He worked with many of the top motion picture and TV stars, among them: Robert Young, Lorne Green, Robert Mitchum, John Wayne, Mike Ansara, etc. He met and/or appeared with Lash Larue, Buck Owens, Tim McCoy, Arkie the Arkansas Woodchopper, and many other musicians and radio personalities.

Baz was a friend of Jay Silverheels, better known as Tonto with the Lone Ranger. Jay came from the same reservation, the Grand River near Brantford, Canada. Jay’s English name was Harold Smith. After Jay died in March 1980, Baz finished out the season with Clayton Moore in personal appearances of the Lone Ranger.

When television became widespread, he wrote and acted on the longest- running (1956-1963) popular children’s show in Chicago, on WTTW called “Totem Club.” He was nominated for an Emmy award for three years in the 1960s and won in 1964. He starred as an Indian Chief in the ABC series, “The Americans.”

He also hosted an ethnic radio show on WXFM, Chicago, for several years. In1982 he and Bobbie Bear were in “Camp Fort Defiance” on Chicago TV.

His last movie was “The Best Man in Grass Creek” in 1996 in which he played Grandpa. This was the first time he allowed himself to be pictured bald without his wig of long black braids. This film was made in Fulton County and had its world premiere in 2001 at Times Theater in Rochester.

Chief White Eagle, whose English name was Basil “Baz” Heath, was born in 1917 on the Iroquois Grand River Reservation near Brantford, Ontario. He became a U.S. citizen in 1986.

He learned the skill of welding when a teenager. His professional career started out as an iron worker and welder, building bridges and skyscrapers across Canada and the United States including the Sears Tower in Chicago. His ability to walk on beams hundreds of feet up led him to work as a stunt man and action parts for film makers. He was given the title of chief because he was elected head of his Indian welding union. He took Chief White Eagle as his stage name, as White Eagle was his grandfather’s tribal name.

Asked why so many Indians were attracted to dangerous high-rise construction, he replied, “In the old days an Indian rode out on a horse, thrust his spear into the ground, and said, “I am a man,” Iron work is another way for him to asset his courage. He is saying, ‘Look at me: I am conquering the world.’”

Chief White Eagle appeared in numerous commercials, both regionally and nationwide. He was in demand to appear at county fairs, rodeos, sports shows and other events as a host and master of ceremonies. In 1946 he performed in a traveling tepee show with Chief Thunder Cloud for the Mohawk Carpet Company.

He was hired by Brunswick Corporation to travel and give bowling demonstration and teach many children how to bowl. He was the emblem for Devoe Paint, “the first American paint company,” and his picture appeared on billboards all across the U.S.

He attended McGill University, Montreal, Canada, and Oxford University in England. During World War II he served with the OWIUSA (Office of War Information USA) in the ETO (European Theater of Operations) as a Liaison Officer. He served in the British Army and later joined the American forces, 101^st Airborne. While in England he married an English girl and had two daughters. After the war, they came to America to live in Chicago but she did not like it and went back to England and got a divorce.

Baz and Bobbie were married in 1977. They lived in Tinley Park, Illinois, and were active with that historical society. They took an exchange visit to Tinley Park’s sister cities in Europe where they met the royal family of Germany and became life-long friends.

His tribe was Cayuga, one of the Iroquois Six Nations, formed of Mohawk, Seneca, Onondaga, Tuscarora, Cayuga, and Oneida. Since few people recognized Cayuga, he just said he was Mohawk or Iroquois. He told their history at the Trail of Courage. He told about Handsome Lake, a Mohawk who introduced the Great Peace Tree to get them to lay down their tomahawks and bring peace. Their symbol today is a pine tree and underneath the roots are buried two tomahawks. They created the first League of Nations. His people were called the Romans of the New World because they have a long history of law making. Benjamin Franklin borrowed their ideas when helping write the U.S. constitution in 1787.

In 1988 Chief White Eagle planted a Great Peace Tree, a white pine donated by Bob Kern of Rochester, placed on top of two crossed tomahawks. This was done at the Trail of Courage to commemorate the 150^th anniversary of the Potawatomi Trail of Death. Bill Wamego, who had ancestors on the Trail of Death, rode a horse-drawn jail wagon through Rochester and out to the Trail of Courage.

Baz’s wife Bobbie Bear was president of Indian Awareness Center, a branch of Fulton County Historical Society, from 1994-2003 when Baz joined her as co-president 2004-2005. They both helped with presenting programs and classes at the Fulton County Museum such as beadwork and Indian crafts and culture.

For Chief White Eagle’s 90^th birthday a party was held March 18, 2007 at the Fulton County Museum with 90 people attending. He told stories of being in World War II during the bombing of London. He was in the 101^st Airborne. He told of meeting Jack and Bobbie Kennedy when they were all young in the late 1930s, also in England.

He met three U.S. Presidents: Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Bill Clinton. He was also privileged to dine with numerous foreign dignitaries including the Royal Family of Germany. When hospitalized in Holy Cross - Parkview Hospital, Plymouth, Indiana, in 1989, his spirits were lifted by a visit from the German Princess Elizabeth.

Chief White Eagle was a member of the Screen Actors Guild, Shriners, Kiwanis, Boy Scouts of America, and Fulton County Historical Society at Rochester, Indiana. His was honored with many recognitions, including receiving the keys to many cities across the United States, bestowed upon the title of Honorary Commissioner of Illinois, induction into the Living History Hall of Fame at Galveston, Indiana, in 1992; chosen one of Indiana’s 20^th century “Famous Icons” by the South Bend Tribune in September 1999, and was honored in 2005 as “Living Legend of Fulton County” at the Fulton County Historical Society annual banquet.

In his spare time he enjoyed making walking canes and badges and collecting baseball caps and Indian arts and artifacts.

Bobbie Bear & Chief White Eagle

On June 29, 1977, in the Grand River Reservation, Canada, he married Roberta Bear, who is of Ottawa descent, and they spent their wedding night in a teepee. In 2004 they received word from Canada that a tribal marriage was not acceptable for Social Security and they should have a “legal” marriage. So they got married on June 13, 2004, at Winamac in the home of attorney Dale Starke. Bobbie made her own white wedding gown, saying she wore a buckskin dress for an Indian wedding the first time but this time it was going to be a modern American wedding. They renewed their vows during the Trail of Courage that fall at the feast for Don Perrot’s bestowing Potawatomi names on Shirley and Bill Willard. The feast and program were in the museum in the evening, with about 120 people attending. Their pledge of eternal love was so touching and sweet that it brought tears to the eyes of all attending.

Baz and Bobbie moved to Fulton County, Indiana, in 1987, where they lived in a farmhouse near Leiters Ford. On July 1, 1989, they moved to a different farmhouse a couple of miles west on the same road. They moved to a cottage on the Tippecanoe River in Riverwood Acres west of Rochester in 2005.

Chief White Eagle touched many lives during his many years as an actor and speaker all over the U.S. He died January 24, 2011, at age 93. It was his request that he be cremated and his ashes scattered under the Great Peace Tree. This was done June 25, 2011, in a private funeral, conducted by Joan McClellan. Taps were played. About a dozen friends attended.

A memorial service for Chief White Eagle was held Sept. 17 at the Trail of Courage. Kenny Lone Eagle and Shirley Willard spoke. George Godfrey did the traditional tobacco blessing to the four sacred directions. Marsha Glassburn read a tribute she wrote. Bobbie Bear was ill and unable to attend.

Basil F. “Chief White Eagle” Heath, 93, 3161 N. Evergreen St., passed away at 2:35 a.m. Jan. 24, 2011, at Woodlawn Hospital, Rochester.

He was born on March 18, 1917, at the Iroquois Indian Grand River Reservation in Ontario, Canada, the son of Andrew Cleve and Amelina (Da Amorin) Heath. Survivors include his wife, Roberta “Bobbie Bear” Heath, Rochester; daughter Eunice Madeline Heath Collard, North Chichester; granddaughter Laura Marie West, Dagenham; great-grandchildren, Connor Ben West and Kai Porter West, Dagenham, all of Essex, England; sister Mildred Burgemeyer, Converse, Texas; and several nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his daughter, Lauraine Heath; and sisters, Sylvia Schroeder and Valerie Peterson, and several tribally adopted brothers and sisters.

Fulton County Historical Society, Inc. 37 E. 375 N., Rochester, IN 46975 Telephone 574-223-4436 Museum open Monday - Saturday from 9 to 5, closed holidays PTDA website: www.potawatomi-tda.org FCHS website: www.fultoncountyhistory.org Editor’s email: Museum email:

Sept. 17, 2011

This is a picture of the memorial for Chief Pretty Eagle in Montana. The memorial for Chief White Eagle will be similar to this and will be in front of the Fulton County Museum, Rochester, Indiana. (Photo: St. Labre Indian School, Ashland, MT.)

Donations in memory of Chief White Eagle will be used to erect a permanent marker in front of the Fulton County Museum. It will be a metal teepee with flag stones and a gravestone for Basil Heath - Chief White Eagle under it. On the legs of the teepee will be plaques for Thomas Griffin 1928-1993, William Wamego 1919-1993, Tom Hamilton 1929-2010, Leon Stewart 1925-2010.

Donor: __________________________________________________________________________

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Make check to Potawatomi TDA and mail to Fulton County Historical Society, 47 E 375 N, Rochester IN 46975.