Y'know, I'd take that story about Logan and Mr and Mrs Greathouse with a big grain of salt, Rapaire. There are no less than 45 conflicting accounts of Tecumseh's death, let alone his life! They can't even get the date straight, although I think the truth is he died right here in Ontario, in 1813, near Chatham, in the "Battle of the Thames".

A few say his body was mutilated and skinned, which might be enough motive to utter a curse? But it seems more likely it was his brother, "The Prophet", who "cursed" the whites before he died at the Battle of Tippecanoe - even though even this account appears to have their names confused.

The Tecumseh curse story is retold by Donna Sands as follows: "After the historical battle of Tippecanoe in 1811, legend has it that the Shawnee Indian Chief, Tecumseh, sent General William Henry Harrison, via released prisoners, a message... a prophecy that history justifiably labelled, 'Tecumseh's Curse':

"'Harrison will not win this year to be the Great Chief. But he may win next year. If he does... He will not finish his term. He will die in his office.' 'No president has ever died in office,' declared a visitor. 'But Harrison will die I tell you. And when he dies you will remember my brother Tecumseh's death. You think that I have lost my powers. I who caused the sun to darken and Red Men to give up firewater. But I tell you Harrison will die. And after him every Great Chief chosen every 20 years thereafter will die. And when each one dies, let everyone remember the death of our people.'"


Well, there it is B - " .. and after him every Great Chief CHOSEN every 20 yrs thereafter will die". Maybe it doesn't matter how the 'Chief' was chosen - by the electorate or by machine.

I think freda's "curse" is alot more artistic though! Only problem is, freda, the curse is said to take effect only when Saturn conjuncts Jupiter, a planetary alignment that occurs every 20 years. So hold that thought .... for about 15 years ..... ;~)

And it looks like the Indians had a penchant for 'holy martyrs too' ...

Shawnee tradition states 'No white man knows, or ever will know, where we took the body of our beloved Tecumseh and buried him. Tecumseh will come again!'

"Morality is a fixed law, but each of us must be his own judge" - Pucksinwah, (Shawnee Chief, 1774)

Click here for alternative explanations of the 20-year 'Presidential death pattern' - all semi-convincing, except for the ballyhoo over the conjunction of Jupiter of Saturn. Some dispute this because a couple of the 'zero year' Presidents met their Maker a few months before or after the conjunction - BUT - anyone who's studied a bit of astrology knows that Jupiter and Saturn move so slowly that they come 'within orb of influence' (5 degrees) of one another many months before, and after, the conjunction is exact.