Chief Blackhoof

Our Namesake

Blackhoof, His name is literally Black + hoof (m'kateewi 'it is black' + -kasha 'fingernail, toenail, hoof' = M'kateewikashe), but it is commonly spelled Catahecassa" (among other forms such as Cutewecusa, Cutthewekasaw, Cutaweskesha, Gateweekesa, Quaskey, etc.).

Born in Florida (or maybe near Lexington, Ky the Shawnee hunting ground) circa 1722, and  died shortly after the ceding of the Shawnee’s last lands in Ohio at the advanced age of 109 years in 1832..

Chief Blackhoof was one of the most respected Chiefs of the Shawnee Indian Nation and was the Chief of the Shawnees at Wapakoneta. During his life time the Shawnee Indian Tribes, being nomadic, were located in South Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio. The Shawnee, which meant Southerners, were also known as the Shawano, Savannuca, and Savannah. Chief Blackhoof bathed in the Salt-Water of the Florida beaches. The Shawnee were separated into subdivisions due to the Indian wars, Chief Blackhoof, the leader at that time, from 1795 to approximately 1811, kept the majority of the tribe friendly towards the settlers. He established his last camp on the summit of one of the hills at what is now the site of the village of St. Johns, Ohio (est. 1832), 4 miles east of Wapakoneta, Ohio also called Old Blackhoof Town, his council house and the chief village of the Shawnees became the acknowledged center of the tribe. Chief Blackhoof spent his last days and is buried there. There is a monument at the corner of St. Rt 65 and US Rt. 33 in St. Johns.