Lee County, Illinois - Chapter 1: The Indians, 1914

With the begiuuiiig uf civilization in Lee cuuut}', Ruck liver was the dividing line betvpeen the AVinnebagoes and the Pottawatomies, the former to the Avest of the river, the latter to the east, and southerly to the Illinois river. Down stream the Winnebagoes occupied the country as far as tlie prophet's village, now Prophetstown in Wliiteside county.

Farther down the Sacs and Foxes occupied the country and their village, about two miles from the mouth, was the largest Indian village in Northern Illinois and one of the largest in the state. Of course these four tribes intermingled and intermarried in a measure and to that extent dwelt together in harmony.

To state arbitrarily wliat Indians first occupied Lee county would subject the writer to ridicule. It will be my design therefore in looking backward after the earlier aliorigines to use the earliest written information: "Charlevoix,'' annotated by that eminent and accurate scholar, John Gilmary Shea ; "The Jesuit Relations," annotated by Reiiben Gold Thwaites; "Handbook of American Indians," by Frederick Webb Hodge; the "Wisc(msin Historical Collections"; "Schoolcraft," McKenney and Hall; Carver; Reports of Secretary of War; "The Indian Tribes of the Upper Mississippi Valley," hj Emma Helen Blair, and other works.

The Illinois or Illinois Confederation of Algonquin tribes, occupied the Rock river country in 1722. This confederation was composed of the Cahokias, Kaskaskias. Michigameas, (spelled in many ways), Peorias, and Tamaroas. Hodge has added the Moingwena tribes.

JJl\s Mcjines river, tlicuce iuto the Illiudi.s interior at least as far as the Illinois liwr and thence sonth and southwesterly into the ]iresent linnts of Jackson c(jnnt\'. The whites first came into actual contact with them (unless Nicollet visited them) at LaPointe (.Shaunawauniikony), where in 16iil Allouez met a party which Avas \isiting that jjoint for j^urposes of trade. In 1670 the same priest met a mun])er of them at the Maseoutin village on U2jper Fox ri\cr about nine miles from the present Portage City, Wis.; but at that time this l)and contemplated joining the Mississipiji river tribes.

It seems to be true that these tribes were I'ovei's. When in 3673, the Marquette party passed down the .Mississippi river, Marquette fomul the Peoria and Moing-wena tribes on the west side, near the nioufh of the Des Moines. Two months later he found them on the Illinois river near the present city of Peoria.

The I'eason perhaps for their many changes, was because they were harassed constantly by Sioux, Foxes and other northern ti'ibes and the ^lowei'ful Iroqu(jis from the East. The nuirder of Pontiac by a Kaslvaskia Indian provoked the Great Lakes tribes and thereafter with great rapidity, the Illini disappeared.

At about the yeai- 1722 whoi the Foxes besieged detachments at Peoria, and "The Kock" (on the Illinois river) the Illini of Northern Illinois consolidated with their ))rethren along the Mississip])i, just as the Kaskaskias in 1700 had left their large village on the Illinois, near where Ftica stands now, to settle in Jackson county where they founded the \illage of Kaskaskia. Innnediately upon leaving the Rock river country, tlie Winnebagoes from Wisct)nsin, and the Pottawatomies from the East, took possession of it and they were occupying Lee county when John Dixon took up his residence at the ferry.

John Dixon encountered no troidJe with the Indians. His patriarchal apjicarauee appealed to their eyes and his sturdy honesty and unselfish dealings with them ca]jtured their hearts. He trusted tliem implicitly and not a single Winnebago ever tried to cheat him. Owanico the best known to i-ule ovei' the Winnebagoes of these ])arts, was especially fond of Father Dixon.

in Illinois numbered (J,40U. J u the same year, the War Department reported 6,500 Pottawatomies in Michigan, Indiana and Illinois; "A considerable Ijand of them . . . reside in Illinois and another band upon the Eock river. In that same year the total of all the iSauks was reported 5,000 and of all the Foxes, 1,600 and of all the Winnebagoes 5,800 in Wisconsin and Illinois. At the same time Rock river was declared to be the eastern boundary of Winnebago teri'itory.

In 1836 the Sauks were reported to munber 1.800 ; the Foxes 1,600 ; the Winnebagoes 1,500, while the Pottawatomies of Michigan and Illinois mnnbered but 1,500. No Winnebago villages in Lee county have been known to exist east of Rock river. Any other Indian villages which may have existed in Lee county were Pottawatomie villages, the most important of which was that of Shab-o-na, and which b}" the bye was located just over the line into DeKalb county - Shab-o-na, an Ottawa, the chief of that tribe, while a famous rover, seldom visited Dixon or other Rock river points. During the Black Hawk invasion he came here many times and his inestimable services during that period endeared Mm to every white person. He belonged properly to DeKalb cormty. Wherefore, aside from the Black Hawk trouble. Lee county had little to do with Indians.

Besides the village in which Mack located, another \'illage was located in Wyoming towaiship called in the Prairie du Chien Treaty of 1829, "The As-sim-in-eh-kon, or Paw Paw grove." This village Avas located on the spot conveyed by the treaty to Pierre Leclerc, known to the Lee comity records as Leclere.

Along the river near Dixon, many Indian families dwelt, but so far as can be found, they lived in clum}is of three or four fauiilies or tires and not as a village. These two villages are the only ones I have been able to locate in Lee count}' and I am reasonably confident there were no others. Both were Pottawatomie villages. Sha-bo-na"s may have laj^ped over into Lee county, Init from its location in DeKalb county, I do uot see how it could.

It may be interesting to learn before leaving the Winnebagoes that their first title was the Ochangeas. The French nicknamed them Puants from the lialnt tliey had of drying fish in the fall, agaiust their tents, from which noisome smells arose ; thus, Puants, or Puans, or "Stinkers."

In 1832 the second Black Hawk campaign, bronght to Lee county, all of the Indian forces and at Dixon's Ferry the white trooi IS ]-endezvoused and at Dixon 's Ferry Gen. Henry Atkinson, of the United States army maintained liis headquarters. After concentrating at the mouth of Rock ri\er, the militia was sworn into the United States service hy General Atkinson. This disposes of the old and much believed tradition that Lieut. Jefferson Da\ds swore the troops, including C'apt. Abraham Lincoln, into the service at Dixon's Ferry. I have in my possession the original letter written by Brig.-Maj. Nathaniel Buekmaster, the day after the event, in which he states that Atkinson swore them in at the mouth of Rock river.

This Black Hawk was no chief; he was a brave and nothing more. Forsyth, the agent, took occasion to make this statement many times and if the reader will take the time to read the treaties with the Sacs (Sauks) he will notice that Black Hawk invariably signs with the braves, never with the chiefs, (jrov. John Reynolds, who had an intimate acquaintance with him takes the pains to explain that he was not a chief, sinqtly a leader of a few Indians, devoted to the British, who accepted Biitish pensions and annuities and who were styled the "British Band." He was a person of infinite daiing and ])rute courage, ])ut a man of no sort of capacity for military affairs. Led by a white man of genius and courage, Black Hawk was capable of executing small commissions, like the one under Captain Anderson at the ni(»uth of Rock river. But in larger affairs he either lacked a sense of honor (»r else tired easily and was Avhat is styled a "quitter," as for instance his escapade at the Battle of the Thames. AVith much |)omp and ceremony he enlisted with the British; marched t<) British headquarters in Wisconsin ; was dubbed "General Black Hawk" and was presented with a sword. AYith his l)aiid he iiuirchcd to the scene of action. When at the Battle of the Thames, he saw Tecumseh fall and learned that the Americans could fight, notwithstanding his many predictions to the contrai-y, he deliberately deserted and returned to his village back in Illinois. As an orator Black Hawk possessed undoubted ability. There was but one other Sac who could equal him iu eloquence and that was the matchless Keokuk and after Black Hawk had harangued the vast majority of his tribe into favoring his scheme of 1832, Keokuk it was who appeared on the scene and ai'giied the scheme into disfavor. Keokuk was the chief of Black Hawk's tribe, not Black Hawk, and instead of nauseating the pages of history by erecting at Oregon an heroic momunent to "Chief" Black Hawk, the autlKu- of the stupid project should have learned a little history aud directe(l his genius to the memory of "(Mid u|(l Slia-bo-iia. Ilie u'raiidest ol' all AYestcM'u Indians, or else to some other ludiau avIio had the right to overlook the Rock river country aroimd Oregon, hihiclc Hawk was a trespasser tlie moment he put liis foot into the country above the prophet's viUage in Whiteside county. Above that point it was Winnebago and Pottawatomie country and never Sac territory. The latter was contined in Illinois to a narrow strip along the bank of the Mississippi river.

Black Hawk had signed many treaties, each one confirming a former one, until the first one of 1804, which was Black Plawk's first alleged cause for dispute with the whites, had been confirmed many times. This Indian would remain tranquil for a time, accept the bounty of the United States and of England at the same time, until his restless s]3irit demanded diversion, then the Treaty of 1804 and its subsequent confirmations would be denounced and later a disturbance would follow. Forsyth, the Sac agent, wrote the War Department to this fact so far back as the early '20s and therein named Black Hawk, "who is not a chief," as the disturbing agent.

In 1831 Black Hawk endeavored to cross over into Illinois f I'om his Iowa abode for purposes of war. Governor Reynolds sent a force of militia to act in conjimction with General Gaines in expelling him. By the time the militia had reached the mouth of Rock river. Black Hawk and his band, at the shoAv of such forces, returned to the lowa^ side without attempting a blow. At the request of General Gaines another treaty confirming the one of 1804, obviating all of Black Hawk's objections and engaging to remain jjeaceful thereafter, was signed by Black Hawk and the whites had every reason to believe he would remain on the west side of the Mississippi.

It has been urged that the Avhites aggravated him, ridiculed him, converted the lands of his tribe and so on. Black Hawk lacked the capacity of Keokuk to observe the gradual decrease in numbers of the Indians and the gradual advances of civilization which demanded lands the Indians were not actually using. Black Hawk lacked capacity. His morals were not of an order to insjjire a great following or father a great caiise. The whites may have quarreled with him, as with themselves. But it is noticeable that Black Hawk about this time, after agreeing to remain on his new lands in Iowa, seemed to delight in returinng to the Illinois side to have another quarrel and take perhaps some more aggravations, and even as has been claimed, a beating.

In 1832 his restless spirit incited his last act of warfare. He got a few followers to agree to a raid. He came yevj close to success in his efforts to enlist a large following: but Keokuk, ever watchful for material adxantages for his people, by a speech of matchless eloqueuce, took from Black Hawk almost his last recruit. With the rag-tag, therefore, of the Rock river Sacs, Black Hawk recrossed tlie Mississi^ipi, under pretense to the whites of making com with his friends, the Winnebagoes, l)ut with the avowed purpose to his followers of annihilating the whites. His apologists insist he did not mean war because he took with him his women. The apology demonstrates his stujjidity. Keokuk in his speech won back the Sacs by drawdug a picture of the very consequences which befell Black Hawk. Keokuk insisted that war mth the great numbers of wdiites in the country meant annihilation. Black Haw'k could not see it and did not see it until he was taken in a grand tour all over the East. All too late Black Hawk saw and believed and ever after he lived a model life and whatever of commendation he secured, he derived it after that fruitful tour. Once more Goveruoi- Reynolds sent forward a large body of militia to meet the regular ti-oops at the mouth of Rock ri\er. There they were sworn into the service and immediately they marched up the river to Dixon's Ferry. At that point two l^attalions of mounted infantry under Majors Stilhnan and Bailey, numl^ering a])out two hundred and seventy-five men from the Illinois river country w^ere met, and John Dixon reported that Black Hawk and his following of something like six oi' eight liuiidicd had moved up the river to a point near Old Man's creek. Stilhnan demanded that he be permitted to ])ursue and annihilate the Indians. Governor Reynolds, who desired always tn make himself solid pnlitieally, against wdser counsel consented, and on the morning of May 13, 1832, tile Stillman and Bailey l)attalions joined by Colonel Strode and others desirous of sccui'ing fame, followed. A furious rainstorm compelled a lialt oA-er-night when but a few" miles out and the soldiers did not reach Old Man's creek until about dark of tile 1 nil. Tlicy had (lismiumtcd and wrvr jireparing sup])er when a jiarty n\' three, bearing a flag oT tnicc rnmi I)hi('k Hawk, ai)peared on a liill. Instead of i-es]>eeting it. a sijuad of soldiers mounted liastily, sliot the tiagliearei', took another of the party prisoner and lielhiiel!. liair the army t'ullnwed the tleeing third Indian. When lie and i'>lack llawk's live pirket'^ nv \-('dettes. sent to dbserve the i'cc('|iji(iii III' the Hag. i-nmc tumbling into Black Hawk's c.anqi. r.lai-k Ilawk liecanie enraged and turning with a mere liandful of rdilowers |ilnngi'd intu the uiK-cmiing whites, with the furv and noise of a lliiindcr storni. 'IMk' IVii;iitcnrd whites at onec^ turned in Her, rriulitciiing in tlicir lli^lit. all tlici^c wIim behind them, had been pursuers. By the time this tleeing mass of f righteued humanity reached eamp on Old Man's creelv, fright liad become so contagious that most of the men liad become positiA'ely insane. A few only retained their composure. They remained and attempted to stop the stampede and stop tlie adA-anee of the Indians. These were Capt. John G. Adams of Tazewell county, David Kreeps, Zadock Mendinall and Isaac Perkins of his company; James Milton; Tyrus M. Childs, Joseph B. Farris, Bird W. Ellis, John Walters, Joseph Draper, and James Doty of other companies. On the side of the hill leading from the highland to the creek, these men stood their groiuul and were killed, most of them outright, two Imdly wounded who crawled, one Hve miles south of the scene and one two and a half miles soTith, where they died and were buried.

All that night stragglers came tuml)ling into Dixon's Fen-y. Through the laAvlessness of the troops, l)ut one day's provisions remained ; the rest had been left behind after burning the lU'ophet's village so that a forced march might Ite made to Dixon.

Governor Reynolds called his officei's to his tent and after a consultation, it was decided to call out additional forces. The troops had begun to murmur about neglected crops back home. Reynolds sent his messengers liack into the southern part of the state with his proclamation. Meantime on the 15th the army nuu'ched to the scene, Iniried the dead, camped over night and returned next day to Dixon's Ferry.

By this time Gen. Henry Atkinson witli the regulars had reached Dixon's Ferry, and here he established his headquarters. It was ordered at once that the uiilitia under Reynolds and Gen. Samuel AVhiteside and the regulars under Iit.-< 'ol. Zachary Taylor proceed up-stream and overtake Black Hawk. That wiley Indian, however, had disposed his forces artfully. The women and old men he sent up into the Rock river swanips of Wisconsin, while he remained near to pounce upon detachments and harass the whites wherever he might.

At a point over i]i DeKall) count}', the troops murmured so loudly for a discharge that a discluu'ge was ordered and marching to the mouth of the Fox river, they were mustered out.

AVhile at Dixon, Aln-aham Lincoln was a captain of one of the militia com])anies. Lieut. Jefferson Davis was aid and adjutant to Taylor, Lieut. Robert Anderson, Lieut. Albert Sidney Johnston, Gen. Henry Dodge, Go]. William S. Hamilton. an<l uiany other nota])le men and soldiei-s were uuuibered iu that little frontier army at Di\'o]i.

Pending the fonnatiou of the new army, two companies from Fry's new battalion were ordered to nuircli from Ottawa to Galena to protect the frontier, then the scene of se\'eral murders. Oapt. Elijah lies was captain of one company and Abraham Lincoln was a i)rivate in it. The other company was connnauded by Capt. Adam A^^ 8nyder. They marched l)ack to Dixon's F'erry, lies' comi)any tirst. Tliis conii)any from Dixon's Ferry was piloted to Galena hy John Dixon. After i-esting a l)rief period it marched back without event to Dixon's Feri-y, thence onto Fort Wilbourn the new point (tf concentration, where it was mustered out. Captain Snyder's company was designated for the more perilous duty of establishing a base of supplies between Dixon's FY^rry and Galena. At Dixon's Ferry two companies of regulai's midcr Major Bennet Riley, were detailed to escort Snyder's company. After performing his duty and encoimtering two engagements near Kellogg's grove, Snyder's company returned to Dixon's FY'rry and was mustered out.

On June ISth, in order to make haste to cover the frontier between Dixon and ( ialena, still ravaged by the Indians who were nnirdering the whites, General Atkinson ordered Maj. John Dement forward with his battalion tirst to hunt for the murderers of Phillips in the Bureau woods, then to re})ort to Colonel Taylor at Dixon's Ferry. At the latter point Dement was ordered forward to maintain the roads to Galena which iNIajor Riley had opened.

At Kellogg's grove. Major Dement fought the hrst Ijattle in which Black Llawk received a check. It was a furious fight in which the soldiers were disposed to act exactly as they did at Stillman's, and that too would have l)cen a rout had it not been for Major Dement "s personal bra\-er\-. lie inspired his men and after checking Black Hawk's advance, retired to the buildings improvised as a fort. From this ]ioint lilack ILnvk finding himself unal)le longer to cope with the heavy odds, retired to join his women and old men in the fastnesses of the Rock river swanijis near Lake Floricon.

By this time General Atkinson had disposed his army into three divisions to move forward from Dixon's Fei'rv, one mider Alexander to move northwesterly to cut off a ])ossil)le retreat; another under Posey to join (ien. lleni-y Dodge at Fort Hamilton, a middle ground, and the otliei- under (ieii. .lames D. llenrv, up the east baid'C (d' Rock ri\'er. h'roin this inonieiit, Dixon's FerrA* had no [larl in the war in(Uc than to liecoine a resei-\'e point tor a small force and also the objective point of Gen. Wintiekl Scott, wlio witli Ms staff, which inclndecl Gen. Joseph E. Johnston, reached Dixon, switched his army down stream to Fort Armstrong and then with his staff moved on to Galena and then Fort Crawford. Black Hawk's cajDture, the treaties at F'ort Armstrong followed, and Dixon's F^erry, no longer the central point of the nation's attention, subsided into the quiet routine of a little far-awa_y fi'ontier post. During this period, John Dixon had been an active factor as guide and commissariat for the arni_v. He led it clear through to the affair at the Bad Axe and returned home to trade with the Indians and ferry passengers over the river. Years afterwards, Robert Anderson sent him messages recalling the exciting da3^s of 1832 and years afterwards, Jeff'erson Davis, a powerful United States Senator, on the floor of the Senate appealed to the associations of those days and with John Dixon, to secure passage of a bill giving John Dixon relief in the nature of a land warrant for KiO acres of land.

The following year a Winnebago outbreak was feared, by Mr. Dixon and the few settlers of the coTmtry. Preparations were made to concentrate at Galena, but fortunately nothing came of it, and with the Indians of Northern Illinois, moved to their reservations, a short while thei'eafter, the Indians ceased to be factors in Lee county.

Until the year 1836, when they were finally paid off' in full, many bands of Indians loitered around Dixon, Inlet and Paw Paw ; but they all were very civil and when paid off, they left.

It was my intention at first to begin with the Treaty of St. Louis, in 1804 and notice each one which affected Lee county, but aside from the two Prairie du Ghien Treaties of 1829, which disposed of the Lee county allotments, with the exception of the Ogee, Shabo-na and LeClere sections, they were of such minor importance as to carry no particular interest. The first of the two Prairie du Chien Treaties with the Chi]ipewa, Ottawa and Pottawatomie tribes conveyed the lands south and oast of Rock river and was concluded July 29, 1829, l)y John McNeil, Pierre Menard and Caleb Atwater: the other with the Wiimebagoes, conveying all north and west of the river, was concluded Aug. 1, 3829, by the same commissioners. The Ogee and LeClere sections were in Wvoming township.