Mercer County, Illinois - Chapter 2: Indian Affairs, 1914

At the time of the first white settlement in Mercer County the Sacs and Foxes, or Reynards, claimed ownership of this part of the state and were in actual possession. That tribe resided originally on Fox River near Green Bav in Wisconsin and was powerful and warlike. It was a branch of the Sioux nation and was almost continually at war with its neighbors, the Winnebagos, Menominees and Kickapoos, who also lived in the Green Bay region when the first French voyagers began to penetrate that section of the West. Almost from the start the Reynards began to oppose the exploration of the French Canadians through Wisconsin and farther westward, killing the explorers and taking possession of their equipments, weapons, etc. Finally an army of whites and friendlv Indians was sent against them with the result that they were completely crushed and driven westward to the Mississippi and down that stream where thev established permanent villages on the site of the present Dubuque, Rock Island, Keokuk and elsewhere. Here they were found when the first white settlers arrived in Mercer County. Other Green Bay tribes were driven westward and in turn drove to the south or west the Iowas and other nations residing along the river. But the Winnebagos, Pottawatomies, Menominees, Illinois, Kickapoos and others roamed at will over all this portion of the country, taking their chances of extermination bv the tribe having the greater right to the soil.

The location of Julian Dubuque at Dubuque in 1788 did much to establish peace between the Sacs and Foxes and the whites. At least once annually and many years oftener he passed down the river to St. Louis to dispose of his lead ore, furs and other native products and returned with his supplies for the Indian trade. In 1804-5 Lieut. Zebulon M. Pike went up the river from St. Louis to Minnesota on an exploring expedition for the Government. At this time the trade of St. Louis with the settlements on the upper Mississippi was large and continuous. Scarcely a week passed during the warm months that did not witness the passage of boats of the fur traders and explorers up or down the river. The expedition of Lewis and

Clarke up the Mississippi River occurred in 1804-5. Every important western branch of the river was peopled with Indians and each Indian village had present one or more white traders in the employ of the various fur companies. The almost daily passage of keel boats on the Mississippi and a little later of steamboats was the occasion for the establishment of the first settlement in Mercer County by the Denisons at New Boston in 1827 and by the Vannattas at Keithsburg a few days later.

How long the Indians had occupied what is now Mercer County is unknown, but must have been many centuries, because in all parts have been found since the earliest settlement many stone and flint implements, knives, scrapers, arrow and spear heads, pottery, discoidal stones, totems, stone and shell beads and bracelets, gorgets, pestles, rollers, smoothers, perforators, stone hammers, battle axes, anvils, leather dressers, fish sinkers, pipes, etc. Various materials were used by the natives in the construction of these implements and ornaments - granite, flint, greenstone, hornblende, cvanite, trap, quartzite, bone, shell, steatite, hematite, olivine, sandstone, catlinite, etc. It is clear that for many centuries the savages roamed and hunted over the county leaving behind their stone possessions which could not be destroyed.

On Pope Creek, on Edwards River and on many of the smaller streams have been found numerous arrow and spear heads and tomahawks or hatchets. Flint spear points have been found numerously along the Mississippi and the interior streams and particularly along the lakes and sloughs near Bay Island. The spear points found are usually notched or serrated and rendered capable of producing a terrible wound in either fish or land animal. The pottery is usually found on Pope Creek and Edwards River and is mainly fragmentarv. Near New Boston large quantities have been found, the material used being a clay mixed with fine sand or powdered shells. Often rude scroll-work is found on the pottery. The discoidal stones found are next to the pipes in value. They seem to have been intended for some sort of ceremonial observance and are often found buried in Indian graves. Occasionally hieroglyphics are found on the ceremonial stones, but the meaning has never been deciphered. Indian quoits and chuny-ke-stones are found here and there through the county. About thirty specimens of Indian pipes of various shapes and sizes have been discovered in the county. Several were found in Eliza and Abington townships. One is a tomahawk and pipe combined and is an amalgam of copper and steel, evidently made for the Indians by the French or English. It is probable that the most of these implements and ornaments were not made in this county, but were made at the large Indian villages elsewhere. This county did not contain within the knowledge of the whites any large permanent Indian town or village, but was the site of many temporary encampments not only along the Mississippi, but on Pope Creek, Edwards River, Camp Creek and their large branches. Over the prairies and through the groves wandered the deer and the buffalo, the wolf and the panther, the wildcat and the lvnx. Many skeletons of the buffalo were found scattered over the county by the first settlers. The abundance of wild game and fish were the magnets that brought here the numerous temporary Indian encampments.

The first settlers located at New Boston and Keithsburg to supply the steamboats on the river with wood. That was primarily the object which brought them to this county. Steamboats began to navigate the Mississippi in i S23. Indians were here in great numbers, but were friendly until the Black Hawk war. The Lower Yellow Banks were at Oquawka and the Upper Yellow Banks were at New Boston in Mercer County.

As early as July, 1827, trouble with the Indians began. Two keel boats on their way up the Mississippi with supplies for Fort Snelling were attacked bv Winnebagos and several of the crew were killed and others wounded. This occasioned great alarm by proving the hostile purposes of the Indians of various tribes. The perpetrators of this outrage were pursued and punished. Although the Densions, Vannattas and others had come to this county a few weeks before, they were not molested and the excitement soon subsided. However, trouble with the Sacs and Foxes soon occurred, though nothing serious happened until 1831 when Black Hawk crossed to the old home of his band on the east side of the Mississippi near Rock Island. Thev were driven back bv a large bodv of militia which marched northward from Beardstown in June, crossing Mercer County from south to north between Aledo and Toy along an old Indian trail. This ended the trouble for that year, but in 1832 the Sacs and Foxes, Winnebagos and members of other tribes again crossed the Mississippi and ascended Rock River to the home of the Winnebagos near its source. Again as before a large body of militia assembled at Beardstown and on April 27th started northward, marching first to Oquawka where they received supplies and then passing directly to Fort Armstrong, Rock Island, across Mercer Countv. Thev reached Fort Armstrong on May 7th. With this body of about two thousand troops was a company from Sangamon County commanded by Capt. Abraham Lincoln and attached to the Fourth

Regiment. They met Col. Zachary Taylor at Fort Armstrong. The army was strengthened, pursued the Indians and in the end completely defeated them at the battle of Bad Axe. After the war Black Hawk lived in Lee County, Iowa, but often came to New Boston near which he had a daughter buried. The following account is not intended as a history of the Black Hawk war, but only of the part borne in it bv Mercer County.

This war involved Mercer County in part. It was the result of the attempt to remove the Indians west of the Mississippi River in accordance with the provisions of the Treaty of November 3, 1804, between the chiefs and head men of the Sacs and Foxes and other tribes and William Henry Harrison, by which the Indians agreed to leave both sides of the Mississippi free to the settlement by whites, but afterward endeavored to repudiate their obligations and the treaty. By this treaty the Indians agreed to cede to the Government 15,000,000 acres lying between the Wisconsin River on the north, Fox River of Illinois on the east and southeast and the Mississippi River on the west for the insignificant annuity of $1,000 in perpetuity and $2,500 in goods. The immediate cause of the outbreak was the agreement in the treaty that the Indians should enjoy the privilege of living and hunting upon these lands until they were transferred to private owners, or as long as they remained in possession of the United States.

The Indians claimed that the attempt to remove them westward was a violation of this provision of the treaty. As a matter of fact the land had neither been surveyed nor placed upon the market, but here and there had been squatted upon by pioneers, who began to appear in considerable number by 1823 and take possession of the cultivated fields and the homes of the Indians, notably at the ancient village of the Sacs and Foxes, Saukenuk, on the bank of Rock River near its mouth. The squatters went so far in a few instances as to burn the Indian lodges, whip the women and children and drive them away in the absence of the braves. The few settlers in Mercer County were squatters who thus infringed upon the rights of the Indians - had no right to locate here until the land was duly surveyed, placed on the market, sold and occupied by white settlers. They were thus at the mercy of the savages when the climax came. At New Boston were William Denison and his married son John W. and their families, David S. Witter and wife, a Frenchman named Pentacosa who kept a store and a hired man named Twist. Other sons of William Denison were Erastus, James, Joseph, Ezra, Newton and Elmer, two or three of whom were young men at this time. At Keithsburg (not known by that name yet) were John and Benjamin Vannatta and their families. The above named persons were the only residents of the county at the time of the Black Hawk war, 1832.

About a year before the conflict actually broke out, mutterings of discontent, anger and war came from the Indians, but were not regarded seriously by the whites. Finally friendly Indians of Keokuk's band warned the settlers at New Boston and Keithsburg to leave, or suffer barbarous tortures and deaths at the hands of the war parties if they remained. Black Hawk was the war chief of the Sacs and Foxes, but Keokuk was the peace chief and did what he could not only to prevent war but to protect the white settlers. He offered the Denisons a temporary home at his village on Iowa River until all danger was over; but as the whites believed the war would be avoided, or believed that they could find safety at the nearest white settlement, they concluded to remain. Finally the captain of a steamboat from Rock Island brought the news to New Boston and Keithsburg that an outbreak was certain to occur, whereupon all boarded the vessel and went down to the settlement at Nauvoo, and there remained about two months and then returned, the danger seemingly being over. This event occurred in the summer of 1831. Witter and Twist did not return, but took claims elsewhere. While the Denisons were absent nearly all of their movable possessions were carried off by the Indians - chairs, dishes, books, soap, chickens, etc. They complained to Chief Keokuk who saw that a portion of the damage done was repaired. It is probable that the Vannattas also left their home in 1831 until the danger was over.

The name Upper Yellow Banks was an Indian term applied to the yellow bluffs at New Boston. It was a conspicuous landmark along the river and as such had been used by the Indians as a rallying and landing point for many years. Upon the return of the Denisons (*and probably the Vannattas) they found their corn crop had been destroyed, so they resumed their occupation of getting out cord-wood for the steamboats; the price received was about three dollars per cord. The Indians were numerous, often stopped at the settlement, were friendly, but their manner showed that the trouble was not over. They were Sacs and Foxes, though occasionally a Winnebago and Pottawatomie was seen here. The Denisons spoke the Indian tongue fluently, but the Indians generally could not speak nor understand English. The winter of 183 1-2 passed with hundreds of natives present in the vicinity, but without any further danger or outbreak.

Early in 1832 Black Hawk, the War Chief, and his followers came down the Mississippi from Rock Island to hold a pow wow with Keokuk, the Peace Chief, who came with his followers down the Iowa River, New Boston or Upper Yellow Banks being the chosen point of conference. In all about three thousand Indians attended this meeting. Chief Keokuk counseled peace and depicted what the result of a war with the whites would mean to the Indians. While he was addressing the assemblage Black Hawk closed his ears with his fingers, refusing to listen to the plea for peace. When it came his turn to speak, he openly and boldly advocated war and gave a vivid description of the wrongs that had been indicted upon his band on Rock River. It at once became manifest that a large majority of the Indians present sided with Black Hawk and favored speedy hostilities. While it is true that Keokuk was a peace advocate he might have taken a different view if he and his band had lived on Rock River and had suffered the indignities that had been visited upon the band of Black Hawk, instead of living up Iowa River far from the aggressive and grasping squatters and pioneers. Circumstances alter cases. If Black Hawk and his band had lived on Iowa River and Keokuk and his band had lived on Rock River, the history of the Black Hawk war might have been altogether different, but it is doubtful. The records show that invariably the whites were welcomed and treated rovallv by the natives and were attacked and slaughtered only after they were guilty of swindling and other forms of wrong and injustice. The band of Keokuk placed under the same wrongs and outrages as the band of Black Hawk would no doubt have resented the injustice and taken up the tomahawk.

The Denisons, Pentacosa and probably the Vannattas were present at this conference and at once realized from the temper of the natives that war was a certainty and that they should adopt immediate measures for their own safety. The friendly Indians warned them to depart at once. Chief Keokuk, large and fine in person, noble in bearing and dressed in broadcloth like a white man, promised them protection if they would come and live with him. Black Hawk, short, heavy, muscular, threatening in appearance and robed in a blanket, was given command of the war movement. An Indian known as Captain Pepo urged the whites to depart, declaring that the young warriors would barbarously slaughter them if they remained, and stated further, when the settlers announced that they would not leave, that he and his friends would come and kill them decently rather than see them abused, tortured and butchered by the uncontrollable young braves. Apparently this statement settled the matter, because the Denisons prepared at once to leave for Pence's Fort which consisted of several blockhouses and a stockade and was situated about three miles northeast of Oquawka. The stockade enclosed about seven hundred square yards of land and was made of split logs about twelve feet long planted upright and close together in the ground. This fort and the one at Monmouth were the refuge sought by the white settlers of this whole region in this emergency. Though urged to depart at once the Denisons delayed going for several days, not wishing to experience again the losses of the previous year - ruined crops, stolen household goods and no positive necessity for leaving. Their numerous friends among the Indians became so urgent that they finally concluded to depart when told that to remain longer meant their early and certain deaths. Evidences of enmity among the war advocates here added to the conclusion of the Denisons to go without further delay. They lived at the old woodyard about half a mile down the river from the conference grounds. They left one morning taking as much of their goods with them as possible and going direct to Pence's Fort. At this time they had on hand about one hundred and fifty cords of wood ready for the steamboats. They had worked hard to prepare this wood for the spring vessels and were willing to sacrifice considerable rather than lose it, as the cutting was worth about four hundred and fifty dollars, a large sum for that day. It was finally concluded that two of the sons of the father William - Erastus and James - should remain to cord up what was not piled and sell as much as they could to the steamboat captains before the storm of war should break forth. After the departure of the Denisons the two young men went up to remain with Pentacosa, but during the first night the trading house was attacked by a band of hostiles, though the inmates succeeded in making their escape out of the back way. They moved cautiously down to the river and followed its banks southward, but were followed by the whooping savages. They ran rapidly to the Edwards River which they forded near its mouth and then struck for a footbridge over Pope Creek about five miles away. Here they were overtaken by an Indian dog which was shot by Erastus Denison. The Indians who could be heard about a quarter of a mile back now abandoned the pursuit and were heard of no more. The whites continued their rapid flight, but owing to Pentacosa's giving out, the young men were obliged to secrete him in the tall grass and continue their journey alone. They reached Pence's Fort about 2 o'clock in the morning, having covered sixteen miles since nightfall. At daybreak a band of men at the fort went back and brought in the

Frenchman and then all went up the river in boats and returned with all the goods of the trading post. At the building were found two squaws who had been stationed there by the friendly Indians to prevent the store from being sacked. After a few days the Denisons went to Monmouth and there John Denison bought a house and remained through the summer. In the fall they all returned to New Boston in time to put up wild hay, the war having ended. Before the end a party of seven hostile Indians killed a young man named Martin near Little York. A company of rangers raised at Monmouth scoured the country from that point to New Boston and pursued the hostile band so closely that they fled across the Mississippi and gave no more trouble.

It is probable, as before stated, that the Vannattas went with the Denisons down to Nauvoo during the Indian scare in 183 1 and returned when all danger was over. In 1832 they refused to leave when the Denisons did, but instead went out secretly and hid in a low place on the prairie and the following day cautiously advanced to Pence's Fort where they found a number of refugees from over a wide section of country. After the danger was over the Vannattas returned to what is now Keithsburg where Benjamin Vannatta had a preemption claim to the southeast quarter of Section 22, Township 13 north, Range 5 west, or where that town in part now stands.

The Indian trail over which the army marched extended across Ohio Grove, Abington, Millersburg and Perrytown townships, touching also the northwest corner of Mercer Township. In Perryville Township it extended across Section 31 ; thence ran along the divide to Camp Creek and crossed that stream at a ford .on Section 19; thence along the ridge through Sections 20 and 17 and diagonally through the north half of Section 9 and diagonally through Sections 4 and 3. In early times the trail was plain in the other townships, particularly in Sections 5, 6 and 7 in Ohio Grove Township. It seems to have followed quite closely the line dividing Ranges 3 and 4, touching all six of the townships in this county separated by that line. Other Indian trails ran along the ridges dividing the principal streams and occasionally wound along the creek and river bank. The remains of their old camps were to be seen in early times on every considerable stream. For ten or fifteen years after the Black Hawk war bands of Indians wandered over the county, begging of the settlers, hunting and fishing, and camping on the old familiar spots near the stream banks.

ship, many years ago. Another large one was in Eliza Township. They were from three to six feet high and on several of them grew large trees. When opened these mounds were found to contain human skeletons, arrow heads, stone tomahawks, etc. It is not believed that they were built by the real Mound Builders who were related to the Aztecs, Toltecs, Cliff Dwellers- and Peruvians, but were built by Indian tribes that imitated the burial customs of the ancient inhabitants.