The free internet encyclopedia Wikipedia has an entry for Henry Schoolcraft but not for Jane. It would be rather simple for us to provide our information for this site in order to spread more general access to information about Jane. At this time, our blog is the number 2 search item for Jane on google. Hooray! The Henry entry lies here:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Henry_Schoolcraft
Jane and her husband, while scribing the same tales passed down from Jane's familly were used to different ends. Jane's writings focus more on documenting the stories in order to pass them down, while Henry used the stories as a commentary on the Native Americans and their current situation, or plight in America at the time.
Schoolcraft, MI was founded in 1831, six years before Michigan became a state. It was named this because Lewis Cass, the Governer at the time, decided to commission a survey. He chose Henry Rowe Schoolcraft, Jane's husband, to accompany him because of his expertise in Mineralogy. The survey was such a success that it changed the public's view of Michigan and attracted many pioneers there. Louis Lyon, a settler and member of the Cass expidition, decided to name the town "Schoolcraft" in Henry Rowe's honor.
Here is another piece of literature by Schoolcraft.
This is an exept of a story by told by Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, of Native American Origin
Jane is able to convey the important theme in Native American culture of man and nature throughout her story "The Forsaken Brother". The theme of man and nature is quite pertinent to the time of Jane's writing considering the pioneers settling in for the first time with nature as their host.
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft acted as a scribe for the Native American tradition of storytelling.
Although to a certain extent a sedentary people, the Ojibwa were not agricultural, their country being too cold for profitable farming by the rude Indian method, but depended for subsistence upon fishing, hunting, and the gathering of wild rice.
The Objibwe called themselves Anishinabag, "original men", and on account of having formerly had their principal residence at Sault Sainte Marie, at the outlet of Lake Superior, they were known to the French as Saulteurs.
It is difficult to find either anything written on Jane Schoolcraft or her own works without associating her with her male relations.
The Chippewas has been known through the history for their strenght in a large parts of the North American lands.
Mason, Philip P. "Chippewas." The Literary Voyager. Michigan State University Press: 1962. (1).
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft also uses nature in her poetry, by writing with a romanic tone. In "To Sisters on a Walk in the Garden, after a Shower," she illustrates that there are hardships in life that must be overcome, just like the notion that after a storm, the sun will shine again.
Jane Johnston's mother, Oshauguscodawaqua, was a positive and powerful influence on Jane. Due to her "respected position as an advisor", and "skills in diplomacy", she "provided young Jane with a model of women's roles that [were] very different from the image of the quiescent and dependent housewife Henry Schoolcraft expected" (Stone-Gordon 26).
Jane Johnston Schoolcraft was taught both English, and Ojibwa languages, which enabled her to record the oral stories of her people. Today, all Ojibwa speak english, but only about a quarter speak their native Ojibwa language. Follow this link for a few audio samples of a man speaking ojibwa:
http://www.schoolnet.ca/aboriginal/audiosam/anish/anish-e.html
Source: http://www.geocities.com/bigorrin/chippewa_kids.htm