Information AboutFour Bears |
| CATEGORIES ABOUT MATO-TOPE | |
| 1795 births | |
| 1837 deaths | |
| cause of death disputed | |
| native american leaders | |
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Mato-tope (also known as Ma-to-toh-pe or Four Bears) (c.1795-1837) was a chief of the Mandan tribe. He became friends with artist Karl Bodmer in 1833, and became chief in the year 1836. Around that time, a Smallpox epidemic wiped out most of his tribe, leaving a mere 125 surivors out of a population of 1,600. He died on July 30, 1837. Many believed that he died of smallpox, but George Catlin claimed that he starved himself to death out of grief from the death of his family. SOURCE |
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