John Fredson

John Fredson, also known as "Zhoh Gwatsan" (Wolf Smeller), was a Neetsaii Gwich'in (American Indian tribe in the Na-Dene Language family), and was born near Table Mountain in the Sheenjek River watershed in 1896.

Historical significance

He was the first Alaska Native to graduate from a university, Sewanee, The University of the South, and was the primary founder of the Venetie Indian Reserve, the largest reservation in Alaska. The Reserve was established in 1941 and was approximately 1.4 million acres (5,700 km²) at the time of its establishment. John Fredson was also part of the climbing party of Archdeacon Hudson Stuck, who led the party which ascended Denali, the highest peak in North America. Fredson was 14 at the time of the ascent and was the base camp manager. His role is documented in the book about the 1913 climb, "Ascent of Denali".cite book |last=Stuck |first=Hudson |title=Ascent of Denali |authorlink=Hudson Stuck |isbn=097326831X |date=2005-05-01 |publisher=Wolf Creek Press] He stayed at base camp for 31 days by himself, hunting caribou and Dall sheep, while awaiting the return of the climbing party. He saved his ration of sugar for their return.

Life's work

In his later years, Fredson built a solarium for tuberculosis patients at a hospital in Fort Yukon, Alaska. The hospital was the only one in the far north, and was often over whelmed by Alaska Native patients, primarily Gwich%E2%80%99in, needing treatment for epidemics which they had no immunity to. John worked at the hospital upon his return from Sewanee, and after service in the U.S. Military. He then established the community of Venetie, with the help of the many Neetsaii Gwich'in in the Chandalar River watershed. He also had the assistance of Chief Johnny Frank, a notable medicine man and storyteller among the Gwich'in whose own life exploits are detailed in the book "".cite book |title=Neerihiinjik: We Traveled from Place to Place: Johnny Sarah Haa Googwandak: The Gwich'in Stories of Johnny and Sarah Frank |last=Frank |first=Sarah |coauthors=Craig Mishler (ed.), and Judy Erick (trans.) |isbn=1555000541 |publisher=Alaska Native Language Center, 2nd ed., 2001] Fredson also worked with the famed linguist Edward Sapir while at Sewanee, and helped to place Gwich'in within the Na-Dene language family. This work is documented in the book "John Fredson Edward Sapir Ha'a Googwandak".cite book |title=John Fredson Edward Sapir Ha'a Googwandak: Stories Told by John Fredson to Edward Sapir |last=Sapir |first=Edward |authorlink=Edward Sapir |isbn=0933769024 |publisher=Alaska Native Language Center, 1982] His work on communicating Gwich'in concepts of space and time may have also impacted Sapir's later work that established the Sapir%E2%80%93Whorf_hypothesis.

Family life

John Fredson married Jean Ribaloff. Ribaloff was a nurse at the hospital in Fort Yukon when Fredson was working there.cite book |title=Wolf Smeller: A Biography of John Fredson, Native Alaskan |first=Clara Childs |last=Mackenzie |isbn=0935094091 |publisher=Alaska Pacific University Press] He died of pneumonia on August 22, 1945.

References