Early History of Lake Maxinkuckee
Chief Au-be-nau-be  

The most of Au-be-nau-be's reserve was in F ulton county, and that noted chief never lived on that part of his reservation on the lake or in Marshall county.

He lived in a village bearing his name in F ulton county, but was frequently seen in and about the lalke. As he is the only Indian whose name has heretofore been perpetuated at the lake by the use of his name, as few words as to who and what he was may be of some interest in this connection.

His reservation covered thrity off sections of land, and he presided as chief over his band numbering twoo or three hunred men, women and children. Polygamy was permitted amoung the Indianas, and Au-be-nau-be provided himself with five or six wives. He was very fond of spiritous liquors, and was generally pretty f ull, and when in that condition was very quarrelsome, which res ulted in may fights and knockdowns.

Of one of these occasions, whe he was more than ordinarily drunk, he got into a fracus with one of his wives and in the melee killed her. A council of his tribe was called, as the story goes, to deliberate as to what his punishment should be. This council, following an acient custom, decided that a sone of the merderer should be the avenger of the murder and slay his father. The sentence of death was pronounced, and the son was given a certain number of moons to carry it into execution. The father had the right to defend himself, and if he could keep oput of the way and escape the infliction of the penalty untill the time expired he was to be considered a free man.

His son kept watch of him, and, as he wanted the old man out of the way so he could suceed him as chief of the band, he was really in earnest in wanting to kill him. FInally the ppportunity presented itself. One day the old man drank to excess, sat down in a log cabin west of the Michigan road, just over the line in F ulton county, about eight miles southeast of this lake, and went to sleep. His son having followed him, stole innnn upon him, p ulled his tomahawk from his belt, and, with a terrific blow, thrust it into his head up to the handle. The blood spurted to the low ceiling above, and with a single froan and struggle, the noted chief, Au-be-nau-be, fell over on the floor.