Piatt County, Illinois - Chapter 6: Illinois a Dependency of Canada, 1883

French were the first white people to lay claim to any of the soil of Illinois. As has been stated, Marquette's mission was founded in 1675, and the first military occupation was at Fort Creve-ccfiur in 1680. The first settlement was at Fort St. Louis on the Illinois river in 1682. The oldest permanent settlement in Illinois and in the valley of the Mississippi is Kaskaskia,* made about 1690.f

After the settlement at Kaskaskia others were made at Cahokia, Prairie du Roche, Prairie du Pont and Port Chartres. The Jesuit priests were the temporal as well as spiritual rulers of these missions. The quiet rule of these pious men gave to the early French settlers such feelings of justice, integrity and brotherly love, that for nearly a century they had no need of a law court. They lived peacefully by the side of the Indians, and some time elapsed before a local government was established.

l^-nr'ntce of Louix'xi IKI. - In 1711 the French settlements of the Mississippi valley were united, the province was named Louisiana, and Mobile was made the capital. This province included all the country lying north and south between Canada and Gulf of Mexico and east and west between the Alleghaiiy and Rocky Mountains. France conceived the idea that this could be made a great commercial country, and accordingly sent over one Crozat with a party of men to develop its resources. Although some advance was made in settlements, Crozat's expedition was counted a failure ; he had neglected agriculture, the best resource of the country. Crozat was recalled.

About the year 1716* Fort Rosalie was erected on the present site of Natchez. This is the oldest permanent settlement of the Mississippi valley south of Illinois.

Company of the West. - At the time of Louis XIY's death, and when the Duke of Orleans was made regent, France was greatly in debt. It was then that John Law, a gambling Scotchman from Edinburgh, first brought forward his scheme for liquidating debts. The regent listened with willing ear and it was not long until Law's bank was astonishing the people with its wonderful achievements. Law next brought forward his Mississippi scheme, and with a word from this irresistible man the imaginative French brain saw in the early future, upon the soil of distant Louisiana, immense commercial cities, vast fields of grain and fruit and exhaustless mineral mines. In 1717, under Law's direction, the western company was organized.

The eyes of the people were at last opened, investigations were made which resulted in the banks stopping payment. The company in the west, however, did not meet with quite such an inglorious failure as did the bank of France. Before much was accomplished the company was merged into the company of the Indies. From the expenses caused by the Spanish and Indian war, and as a partial result of Law's failure, the company became embarrassed and a surrender of their charter was granted.

French government again had Louisiana, was to conquer the Chickasaw Indians. Several victories were gained by the Chickasaws, but at last, in 1740, peace was concluded without bloodshed.

About 1750 the French colonists in the Mississippi valley began seriously to take part in the fierce controversy that had been taking place between France and England. The treaty oi peace between these countries had left undefined the boundaries between their possessions in America.

On October 30, 1753,* George Washington began his renowned journey across the forests to Ohio. In the next year was the English commencement and the French completion of Fort Du Quesiie, at the junction of the Monongahela and Alleghany rivers. Not long after, in the battle of Little Meadows, Washington was the first of the English to discharge his gun. "It was the signal gun, whose reverberations, following the flight of years, announced the revolution which banished from the new world the institutions of the middle ages, and -c.^cted upon their ruins a free government." A force from Fort Chartres soon repaired to Fort Du Quesue'and Washington fell back to Fort Necessity. At this place Washingto «- was compelled to capitulate, and this was a signal for the mother countries to take an interesting part in the contest. In 1755 occurred the terrible disaster known as Braddock's defeat. In 1758 the French retired west from Foit Du Quesne. The English were now gaining ground, and Ticonderoga, Crown Point and Niagara fell successively into their hands. Quebec fell in 1759, and the great contest was at an end. Illinois was no longer a French province.

I Hi noi$ a British J'/'or/iicc. : P<»iti(t<?s Conspiracy. - Although Quebec fell in 1759 it was not until 1765 that the English had actual possession of Illinois. Capt. Sterling was the first English commandant of Illinois.

In 1708 the commandant, Lieut. -Col. Wilkins, established a civil court. This was held December 6, 1768, and was the first jurisdiction by common law ever held within the present boundaries of Illinois. The court was not popular, and in 1774 the old government was in part resumed.

It was about this time that the English colonists began seriously to be antagonistic to the home rule. England succeeded during the first years of the war in enlisting the French with her.

While this struggle was going on the Indians revived their ever-ready feelings of jealousy to the whites who advanced toward their lands. The western frontiers were again the scenes of horrifying Indian warfare. To put a stop to such dire disaster the Americans thought to send a company westward toward the Mississippi. George Hogers Clark was intrusted with the command of this expedition. This man was found to be equal to all emergencies. His penetrating eyes were the first to realize the great advantage to the colonists subsequent to the acquisition of the French settlements in Illinois to their own territory. Upon stating his views to Gov. Patrick, Henry Clark, with his men, was ordered to proceed westward in great haste and with all possible secrecy. His men even for some time did not know the object of the expedition. It was on July 4, 1778, that Clark and his 160 men reached the hills east of Kaskaskia. Clark so successfully manoeuvered that he, with some of his men, entered the fort, while the others simultaneously entered the village. The people were so thoroughly surprised that in less than three hours the invaders had control of the vil- ]age._,.]^r^eveirJ da\ .-< r<1.'"ik stayed in and about Kaskaskia, keeping the people in the most abject icar. After sufficiently frightening them he explained the cause of his sudden appearance before them and offered such magnanimous terms that their former fear gave place to sudden joy and thanksgiving. Clark, in his own peculiar way, subdued all the French provinces in Illinois, as well as St. Vincent, or Vincennes, in Indiana, in an original manner with the Indians. .Not one drop of blood was shed.

Clark's later success in taking St. Vincent, which had been retaken by Hamilton, is well known. This bold and hazardous enterprise on the part of Clark settled the ownership of the beautiful country along the Wabash and Mississippi rivers. It has ever since belonged to the Americans.

Clark died in 1818, and his body rests near Louisville, Kentucky. This country certainly owes a debt of gratitude to him. In looking over the strong points of his character it seems that he surely belongs to that rare class of men of whom our Washington is the type. Illinois would do well to erect a monument in honor of George Rogers Clark's noble work.

Illinois a County. - In October, 1778, the country lying northwest of the Ohio river was made into a county of Virginia, and was called Illinois county. Virginia claimed it by right of private conquest. In 1784 Virginia ceded the country to the Continental Congress.

Northwestern T<'i'i'it<>rij. - By the ordinance of 1787 the whole of the country northwest of the Ohio was considered as one district for temporaiy government. For the good of the original states and of the future states six articles were drawn up which were to constitute a perpetual contract between the people of the territory and those of the original states. According to these articles, there was to be religious tolerance in the territory ; trial by jury ; education was to be encouraged ; the territory was always to be a part of the United States, and there was to be no slavery tolerated. This compact, thus partially quoted, has exerted from then till no.w an influence in this country which could scarcely have been anticipated by the originators of the articles.

Maj. Gen. Arthur St. Clair was elected the first governor of the Northwestern territory. St. Clair was a Scotchman and came to America in 1755. He served in the French and Indian war, and later was president of the congress of the United States. In 1788 St. Clair county was organized, which included all of the present State of Illinois south of the mouth of Little Mackinaw creek on the Illinois river. Three judicial districts were made and a court of common pleas was established. John Edgar, John B. Barbeau and J. D. Moulin were appointed judges to hold courts in their respective districts. Justices of the peace were appointed throughout the country. Cahokia was made the county seat. Thus began the existence of United States law in the territory. John Rice Jones was the first man who practiced law in Illinois. He was a very energetic lawyer and a fluent speaker. At the time of his death in 1824 he was judge of the supreme court of Missouri.*

About the year 1790 a series of misfortunes arose which soon caused the French settlements to decline. These misfortunes were of various kinds, such as inundations of the Mississippi, severity of the seasons, and supplies granted to troops with no requital. Besides these causes, the cheerful, free and passive nature of the Frenchmen was not. altogether congenial with the stern, sturdy, active natures of the, Puritans who now thronged in great numbers, and French immigration was fast ceasing.

TecumseKs Conspiracy : Indians again on the war-path.^ - It must be remembered that France made no extensive purchases of the Indians ; consequently in the treaty of Paris only small portions of land were transferred to the English. The English then had but little to transfer to America, save what she had received from France. Con- gress felt that as the Indians had adhered mostly to the English they were conquered too. Congress felt that the land of the Indian was rightfully won, and settlements were made accordingly. At the same time efforts were being put forward to establish certain peace. Treaties with various tribes were made in 1784, 1785 and in 1789. With all these precautions it was found that most of the tribes in the west were not bound by agreement to yield land north of the Ohio. The Indian confederacy had sullenly determined that the Ohio should form a perpetual boundary between the Indians and the whites, and accordingly organized and began a war against the Americans.

The main theater of- this war was within the present limits of Ohio and Indiana, while Illinois had little part in it save in resisting the Indian hostilities on the frontier. The Kickapoo Indians seemingly were the most hostile and early began their depredations. All through the years from 1778 to 1794 Illinois was the theater where many barbarous murders were enacted.

For six years the war raged, when finally, through the efforts of Gen. Wayne, a treaty was drawn up and signed by all the principal men of the Indian confederacy. In this treaty various tracts of land in the Northwest were ceded to the Indians. In Illinois there was one at the mouths of the Chicago and Illinois rivers and one at the Peoria's fort.

The first regularly organized Protestant church in Illinois was that organized in 1796 at New Design, by David Badgley. The first school for American settlers in this state was taught by Samuel Seely in 1783.

In 1796 the white population of Ohio was over 5000, and according to the ordinance of 1787 the country was entitled to another grade of government. In the latter part of 1799 the new order of government was in full working order.

dividing the Northwestern territory ; and the Indiana territory was formed. In this territory the present states of Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan, and almost all of Indiana, were included. The government was to be somewhat similar to that of the h'rst grade of government.

On May 13, 1800, William II. Harrison was appointed governor of the Indiana territory. By March of 1801 it was in full working order. By the act of congress March 26, 1804, Louisiana was annexed to the Indiana territory. In the previous year, through the efforts of some of America's deep-thinking men, Louisiana had been purchased of France. Before a year had passed after its admission to Indiana territory Louisiana was made into a separate territory. Ohio was admitted to the Union as a state in 1802.

In 1803, 1804 and 1805 treaties were maxle with various Indian tribes by which the greater part of Illinois was divested of its Indian title, and the land, even in the Indian's wavering judgment, was a part of the United States. Some of the Indians, however, were loth to fulfill their promises and retire from their old hunting-grounds, and it was some time before Indian depredations ceased.

According to the laws adopted by the territory of Indiana only the will of a majority of the freeholders was necessary for changing the government from the first to that of the second grade of territorial government. The change of government was made in 1805. Part of the old laws were re-enacted, while some new ones were made.

Territory of Illinois. - Michigan had been erected into a separate territory in 1805, and the people of Illinois as well desired a separation from the Indiana territory.

By the act of congress February 3, 1809, all of the present Illinois and Wisconsin was to constitute the new territory of Illinois. Hon. Ninian Edwards was appointed the first governor and Nathaniel Pope secretary of the territory. The seat of government was fixed at Kaskaskia.

At the time of the organization of the territory the population was about 9,000. In 1810 there were over 12,000. The immigration, it will be seen, was steadily on the increase. But soon there was to be a check in the growth of the settlements. Already in the dark forests might be heard the war-whoop of the secret friends of the English. After the treaty of peace between England and America, the Indians had desisted in their warfare only when they had no further hope of aid from the English. They were ready then and quickly interpreted the signs of ill-feeling between the United States and Great Britain, just previous to the war of 1812. In 1810 Tecumseh, chief of the Shawnees, took measures which placed the nature of his future actions beyond a doubt. The immediate cause of Tecumseh's excitement was the treaty of Fort Wayne, in 1809. He was not at the council and claimed that a part of his land had been illegally sold. His theory was that the lands of the Indians could not be disposed of without the consent of all the tribes. His plan was to substantiate this principle by uniting all the western tribes and, if necessary, force the United States to give back the land ceded at Fort Wayne. This conspiracy of Tecumseh had only been excelled by that of Pontiac.

Tecumseh boldly avowed, at a council meeting called by Gov. Harrison, at Vincennes, his intention to retain the land. He was ordered to leave the village, and ere long Gov. Harrison began preparations to resist hostilities.

Gov. Harrison started north with his army. When near Prophetstown "he told the Indians he had no hostile intentions, provided they adhered to their treaties. Encampment was made for the night, but ere daylight dawned the Indians attacked the camp. Thus began the famous battle of TipJDecanoe. The end was not what the Prophet anticipated, for the surprise was not a complete one. With but a moment's warning the Governor's army fought valiantly, and the Indians were repulsed with a loss equal to that of the Americans.

Tecumseh was in the south at the time of this, and upon his return he, in dismay, saw his grand conspiracy dashed to the ground, and finally departed for Canada, where he joined the British standard. While such a crisis had been reached in Indiana hostilities were growing more manifest in Illinois. Preparations for defense began to be made throughout the state. Forts, blockhouses and stockades were soon built. Fort Russell, a little northwest of Edwardsville, was established by Gov. Edwards, and was the strongest stockade fort in Illinois.

During the winter of 1811-12 the British in the east kept up their insulting actions toward the Americans, and the result was that on the 19th of June, 1812, the United States declared war against Great Britain.

Thus the English arid their allies were in possession of the entire Northwest, with the exception of one or two forts. Every citizen in the pioneer states seemed thrilled with one desire - to wipe out the disgraces of the year and to protect the people from the horrors of savage supremacy. . Gov. Edwards organized and started an expedition against the Indians on the Illinois river. They at least succeeded in frightening the Indians, who retreated upon their approach. After thirteen days absence Gov. Edwards' army, without loss, returned to Fort Chartres.

At the beginning of 1813 everything was gloomy in the west. Stronger preparations were made to resist the wily foe. Ranging companies wrere formed, but in spite of all precautions the savages continued to perform some terrible deeds. In the summer of 1813 a joint force from Illinois and Missouri was sent up the Mississippi river. Quite an exten1|pf country was gone over and the army reached Camp Russell in October, 1813. During this entire campaign not a battle was fought; no foe was seen. This campaign, however, served to show the strength of the whites and the result was that the settlers were not molested by the Indians during the entire winter.

In 1812 the government of the Illinois territory was changed to the second grade of government for territories. By a proclamation of the governor the members of the first legislature of Illinois convened in Kaskaskia, the seat of government, November 25, 1812. f The place of meeting was in the upper room of an old stone building that had been used as headquarters of the French commandant after Fort Chartres was abandoned. What a comparison that old building with steep roof and unpainted board gables presents to the magnificent structure in "which the legislature of to-day assembles !

On December 13, 1812, some of the old laws were re-enacted, while some new ones were made. Under the authority of Nathaniel Pope the territorial laws were revised, and they were printed in 1815. To an inhabitant of Illinois to-day it seems almost incredible that not eighty years ago the punishments for crime frequently were whipping on the bare back, standing in the pillory, confinement in stocks and

After the close of the war of 1812 Illinois seemed to begin a new growth. The tide of immigration, which had been retarded for a time, set in with redoubled force. New settlements were made in every direction. Agriculture still continued to be. the leading occupation. Owing to the difficulties to be met with in transportation there was but little commerce in the early times of Illinois. Articles from the eastern states came in wagons over the mountains, then down the river in flatboats. Keelboats passed slowly to and fro between St. Louis and New Orleans, carrying needful articles to both cities. But this was not long to last, for steamboats soon came into use. A