Nodaway County, Missouri - Chapter 1: Missouri a Part of the Louisiana Purchase, 1910

Chapter 1: Missouri a Part of the Louisiana Purchase

Missouri was once a part of that immense domain covering the "Great West" and included the territory west of the Mississippi river, extending through Oregon to the Pacific coast, as well as south to the dominion of Mexico.

In 1763, one hundred and forty-seven years ago, that great region known as the "Louisiana Purchase" was ceded to Spain by France, but in 1800, by treated, it was ceded back to France. In October, 1803, by the payment of about fifteen million dollars, the United States government secured this ter¬ ritory from the French. On December 20, 1803. the star-spangled banner supplanted the tri-colored flag of France at New Orleans, where Generals Wilkinson and Claiborne had been commissioned to take formal possession of the domain for the United States. In 1804, Congress divided the vast ter¬ ritory into two parts, the "Territory of Orleans" and the "District of Lou¬ isiana," known as "Upper Louisiana." This district included all that portion of the old province north of "Hope Encampment," on the lower Mississippi, and embraced the present state of Missouri, all the western region of country to the Pacific ocean, and all below the forty-ninth degree of latitude not claimed by Spain.

On March 26, 1804, as a matter of convenience to the government, Missouri was placed within the jurisdiction of the government of the Terri¬ tory of Indiana, and its machinery, so to speak, put in operation by Gen. Wil¬ liam Henry Harrison, then governor of Indiana. In this he was ably assisted by Judges Griffin, Vanderburg and Davis, who established in St. Louis what were termed courts of common pleas. The district of Louisiana was reg¬ ularly organized into the territory of Louisiana by Congress, March 3, 1805, and President Thomas Jefferson appointed Gen. James \\ ilkinson governor and Frederick Bates secretary. The Legislature of the territory was formed by Governor Wilkinson and Judges R. J. Meigs and John B. C.' Lucas. In 1807, Governor Wilkinson was succeeded by Captain Meriwether Lewis, of the Clark and Lewis expedition up the Missouri and on to the far-off Pacific coast. Later Governor Lewis committed suicide and President James Mad¬ ison appointed Gen. Benjamin Howard, of Lexington, Kentucky, to fill his place. He resigned in 1810 to enter the war of 1812 and died in St. Louis in 1814. In 1810, Capt. William Clark, of the above named expedition, was appointed governor to succeed General Howard and remained in office until the admission of Missouri Territory as a state into the Union.

For the purpose of local government, Missouri was divided into four districts. Cape Girardeau, the first, embraced the territory between Ty wappity Bottom and Apple Creek ; Ste Genevieve, the second, embraced the ter¬ ritory from Apple Creek to the Meramee river ; St. Louis, the third, embraced the territory between the Meramee river and the Missouri river; St. Charles, the fourth, included the settled portion of the state between the Missouri and the Mississippi rivers. The total population of these districts at that date was eight thousand, six hundred and seventy, including slaves. The popu¬ lation of the district of Louisiana, when ceded to the United States, was ten thousand, one hundred and twenty.

Nodaway county being a portion of the territory originally included in the Platte Purchase, it will be well in this connection to give something of its history.

For several years before the acquisition of this purchase by the United States government, the people of Missouri desired its annexation. By re¬ moving the Indians and possessing the lands now constituting Platte, Andrew, Holt, Nodaway and Atchison counties, some of the best watered and most fertile soil of the entire state would be at once opened up. In pursuance of these objects, Hon. L. F. Linn, then a United States senator from Missouri, in January, 1835, addressed H. Ellsworth, Esq., the following communication :

"Sir: - It has long been desired by the people of Missouri to have an¬ nexed to the state that portion of the territory lying between her western boundary and the great river Missouri, for the purpose of preventing the location of an annoying Indian population, and for the purpose of having points on the river to receive their supplies and ship their productions, within a moderate distance from the homes of those inhabitants residing along the line of the frontier.

"The location of the Pottawatomies, by the treaty of Chicago, on this territory interpose a barrier to the attainment of these objects, so important to the welfare and tranquility of the inhabitants of the northern and western counties. \\ ill you be so good as to furnish me your opinion as to the pro¬ priety of ratifying that treaty, and the danger of collision between the two races, from placing the Indians between the white population and the river Missouri.

"Sir: - Yours of the 23d instant, requesting my opinion as to the pro¬ priety of ratifying the Chicago treaty, and the danger of collision that will probably arise from placing the Indians between the white population and the river Missouri, and the northwest section of the state. In reply, I hasten to observe that the small strip of land lying between the Missouri river and the state of Missouri is, compared with the country lying north of the state line, an unfavorable location for the Indian tribes.

"In the fall of 1833, I held a council with the Ioways and the little band of Sacs and Foxes living on the strip, who complained of the great difficulty attending their present condition, on account of the contiguity and encroach¬ ments of white men in the state, and all the chiefs desired me to make a treaty for their removal to land lying north of the state line. Not being authorized to make this treaty, I did not attempt it, but have recommended the subject to the favorable consideration of the government.

"I have understood that the Pottawatomies are willing to receive other land, in equal amount, for that lying south of the north line of Missouri extended. If this can be done, I have no doubt it would be advantageous to all the parties concerned. The government would realize the value of the land, but more especially the Pottawatomies would have an excellent loca¬ tion, one far less likely to be interrupted by the encroachments of white neigh¬ bors. The state of Missouri might hereafter be accommodated with a good, natural boundary, several excellent water privileges and additional landings on the navigable waters of the Missouri for one hundred and forty miles. The ratification of this Chicago treaty will prevent the future disposal of this narrow strip to Missouri. Hence I conceive it highly important that the Pottawatomies should make an exchange of part of the lands embraced within the original treaty. It may be proper to state that from the current testimony of all persons residing on the Missouri, as well as from the per¬ sonal view from the opposite side of the river, the location of the Pottawat-

"It ought to be noticed that the general expectation that the Chicago treaty would he modified has emboldened many squatters to enter upon the lands in question, in hopes of fixing their future residence. I have, therefore, no hesitancy in giving an opinion as to the expediency of altering the Chicago treaty, so as to confine the Pottawatomies north of the little strip now wanted bv the state of Missouri.

"Having given my opinion, permit me to say that I believe it practicable, with little expense or delay, to remove the Indians now on this strip of land and to extinguish any remaining right in the red men for hunting or other privileges, and this removal and extinguishment I would respectfully recom¬ mend before the state jurisdiction is extended to the waters of the Missouri.

At the same time Senator Linn wrote to Major John Dougherty, Indian agent, for information concerning the geography and topography of the country embraced in the "Platte Purchase," and in three days received the following reply :

"Sir: - Your communication of the 23d instant, containing certain en¬ quiries touching the strip of land lying between the western boundary line of the state of Missouri and the Missouri river has been received.

"I assure you it will afford me great pleasure to furnish the answers called for. and in the order in which you have proposed them in question form.

"First. The length of the strip of land referred to is, on its east line, one hundred miles long; the west line, following the meanders of the Missouri river, is about one hundred and fifty miles in length, to a point on said river due west from the northwest corner of the state, the average breadth being about fifteen miles.

"Second. I feel no hesitation in stating (and this without the fear of contradiction) that the location of Indians upon this territory would be at¬ tended with the most ruinous effects; it would be alike injurious to the In¬ dians and whites. Take, for example, the Iowavs, who now reside upon the upper end of this strip - they are poor and drunken, miserable beings, dwind¬ ling away to nothing, quarreling among themselves, killing each other, and in constant broils with their white neighbors. Those evils would be greatly increased were the Indians located all the way down this strip of land, be- tween the white settlements and the Missouri river to the mouth of the Kan¬ sas river, where it becomes narrow and the white people are more densely populated.

"Third. The inconvenience to our people would be incalculable, if those along the western line of the state were compelled to transport thir produc¬ tions to the mouth of the Kansas river for shipment; some of them, residing within eight or ten miles of steamboats passing every day, would be obliged to haul everything for market over a new country one hundred miles.

"Fourth. There is a great deficiency of water power and springs in the northern counties of the state of Missouri, whilst the strip of land you have reference to abounds with numerous flush running springs and creeks, with great falls, well calculated for mills or other water works.

"Fifth. The country north of the state of Missouri, reaching from the Mississippi to the Missouri river, and extending north between four and five hundred miles, is well timbered, interspersed with fine rich prairies and abounds with numerous large, bold, running streams, coming in from the high lands between these two great rivers ; in short, the whole country is well adapted to agricultural purposes, with a fine climate, and exceedingly healthy.

"In reply to your sixth question, I deem it sufficient to refer to the answer under the second inquiry. The peace and tranquility of both whites and Indians require that this long strip of land should be attached to the state of Missouri ; and I cannot suppose that any gentleman as well acquainted with its locality as I am, would entertain a different opinion or dissent from the views herein expressed.

Two years before the removal of the Indians - 1834-35 - the narrow strip of land in question, lying between the boundary of the state and he Missouri river, began to be settled by white men. and so numerous were thev that the United States government sent a military force from Ft. Leavenworth to remove them. What proportion of these daring frontiers¬ men had located in this territory cannot now be learned, but the number must have been quite large, as will be seen from the following letter from Hon. L. F. Linn to Hon. John Forsyth, secretary of state :

"Sir: - I take the liberty of enclosing you a copy (perhaps imperfect from having mislaid the original) of a letter, dated May 14th. to the secretary of war, on a subject of much interest to the people of this state. To this communication no answer has been received. May I tax your kindness by asking that you read the letter, and give the subject your friendly attention in any way you may deem advisable. I feel that there is a propriety In en¬ deavoring to obtain your assistance, knowing the state you so long represented in Congress, with such distinguished credit, has been greatly annoyed by an Indian population. I hear an order has come from the war department to remove the families who have settled on the Indian lands lying between our western boundary and the Missouri river, by military force.

"You know the independent and daring character of our frontier pop¬ ulation, and knowing, you will easily believe that this step is not to be ac¬ complished without violence and much distress, as the families are two or three hundred in number. The accompanying diagram will, at a glance, show you what we want, and at the same time the utter uselessness of this portion of country for Indian purposes.

"The long absence of Governor Cass, and multiplicity of business since his return, may have caused him to delay or lose sight of my letter. His order has caused much sensation in the northern part of the state, and for the present ought to be suspended.

In the summer of 1835, in Clay county, Missouri, near the town of Lib¬ erty at the Dale farm, was held a regimental militia muster. After the morning parade, and during the recess for dinner, a mass meeting was held by the citizens present and the same was addressed, among others, by Gen. Andrew S. Hughes, who came to Clay from Montgomery county, Kentucky, in 1828, and who was soon afterward appointed Indian agent by President John Quincy Adams. At this meeting he proposed the acquisition of the Platte country, and the measure met with such hearty approval that a com¬ mittee was at once appointed to make an effort to accomplish it. The com¬ mittee was composed of William T. Wood, later a judge of the Lexington circuit; David R. Atchison, an ex-United States senator; A. W. Doniphan, a distinguished lawyer and hero of the Mexican war; Peter H. Burnett, aft¬ erwards one of the supreme judges of California, and Edward M. Samuel, later president of the Commercial Bank of St. Louis, all then residents of Clay county. Subsequently, an able memorial to Congress was drafted by Judge Wood, embracing the facts and considerations in behalf of the measure,

Following the prayer of this memorial, in 1836, a bill was introduced in Congress by Thomas H. Benton, and zealously supported by his colleague, Senator Linn, which provided for the extension of the then existing boundary of the state, which was to include the triangle between the existing line and the Missouri river, then a part of the Indian Territory, but now comprising the counties of Atchison, Holt, Andrew, Buchanan, Platte and Nodaway. The difficulties encountered were three-fold: First, to make still larger a state which was already one of the largest in the Union ; second, to remove Indians from a possession which had just been assigned them in perpetuity ; third, to alter the Missouri Compromise line in relation to slave territory, and thereby convert free soil into slave soil. Notwithstanding these barriers, the two first mentioned serious and the last formidable, the act was passed and the treaties negotiated and in 1837 the Indians removed west of the Miss¬ issippi river, thus adding to the state a large body of the richest land in the world.

During the autumn of 1835, after the meeting held at the regimental muster above mentioned, Gen. Andrew S. Hughes wrote to Hon. L. F. Linn in reference to a treaty with the Ioways and Sacs of his agency. His letter read as follows :

''Sir : - I have written a hasty scrawl to you. It might be well to publish , your letter to show the people what you are doing. I send this to St. Gene¬ vieve, not knowing exactly where to find you. I give you liberty to do just as you may think proper with my letter.

"All letters addressed to me I wish directed to the 'Elm Grove Postoffice, Clay county, Missouri.' This is most convenient to me. When I hear from you 1 will write again. I desire to see you before you go East.

"A treaty can be made with the Ioways of my agency and Sacs, with¬ out expense to the government, or any other unnecessary pomp and parade, as has heretofore been the case. Colonel Dodge could make treaty with the Indians as a part of his official duties. They are near his post, and I should have no objection to render any assistance that might be asked for of me. Be¬ lieve me your sincere friend,

"This was made at Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri river, between William Clark, superintendent of Indian affairs, on the part of the United States, of the one part, and the undersigned chiefs, warriors and counsellors of the Ioway tribe, and the band of Sacs and Foxes of the Missouri (resid¬ ing west of the state of Missouri), in behalf of their respective tribes, of the other part.

"Article i. By the first article of the treaty of Prairie Du Chien, held the 15th day of July, 1830, with the confederate tribes of the Sacs and Foxes, Toways, Omahaws, Missourias, Ottoes and Sioux, the country ceded to the United States by that treaty is to be 'assigned and allotted, under the President of the United States, to the tribes living thereon, or to such tribes as the President may locate thereon for hunting and other purposes.' And whereas, it is further represented to us, the chiefs, warriors and counsellors of the Ioways and Sacs and Foxes named aforesaid, to be desirable that the lands lying between the state of Missouri and the river Missouri should be attached and to become a part of the said state, and the Indian title thereto should be extinguished ; but that, notwithstanding, as these lands compose part of the country embraced by the provision of said first article of the treaty aforesaid, the stipulations thereof will be strictly observed, until the assent of the Indians interested is given to the proposed measure.

"Now, we, the chiefs, warriors and counsellors of the Ioways and Mis¬ souri bands of Sacs and Foxes, fully understanding the subject, and well satisfied from the local position of the lands in question, that they can never be made available for Indian purposes, and that an attempt to place the Indian population on them must inevitably lead to collision with the citizens of the United States; and further, believing that the extension of the state line in the direction indicated, would have a happy effect, by presenting a natural boundary between the whites and the Indians ; and willing, moreover, to give the United States a renewed evidence of our attachment and friend¬ ship, do hereby, for ourselves and on behalf of our respective tribes (having full power and authority to this effect), forever cede, relinquish and quit claim to the United States all our right, title and interest of whatever nature in and to the land lying between the state of Missouri and the Missouri river, and do freely and fully exonerate the United States from any guarantee, condition or limitation, expressed or implied, under the treaty of Prairie du Chien, aforesaid or otherwise, as to the entire and absolute disposition of the

"As a proof of the continued friendship and liberality of the United States towards the Iowavs and band of Sacs and Foxes of the Missourias. and, as an evidence of the same entertained for the good will manifested by said tribes to the citizens and government of the United States, as evinced in the preceding cession or relinquishment, the undersigned, William Clark, agrees, on behalf of the United States, to pay as a present to the said Iowavs and bands of Sacs and Foxes, seven thousand, five hundred dollars in money, the receipt of which the}' hereby acknowledge.

"Article 2. As the said tribes of Ioways and Sacs and Foxes have applied for a small piece of land south of the Missouri river for a permanent home, on which they can settle, and request the assistance of the government of the United States to place them on the land, in a situation at least equal to that they now enjoy on the lands ceded by them. Therefore. I, William Clark, superintendent of Indian affairs, do further agree on behalf of the United States, to assign to the low ay tribes and Missouri band of Sacs and Foxes the small strip of land on the south side of the Missouri river, lying between the Kickapoo northern boundary line and the Grand Nemaha river, and extending from the Missouri back and westw'ardly with the said Kicka¬ poo line and the Grand Nemaha, making four hundred sections, to be divided between the said Ioways and the Missouri band of Sacs and Foxes, the lower half to the Sacs and Foxes and the upper half to the Iowrays.

"Article 3. The Ioways and Missouri bands of the Sacs and Foxes further agree that they will move and settle on the lands assigned them in the above article as soon as arrangements can be made, and the undersigned, William Clark, in behalf of the United States, agrees that, as soon as the above tribes have selected a site for a village, and places for their fields, and moved to them, to erect for the Ioways, five comfortable houses; to enclose and break up for them two hundred acres of ground ; to furnish them wfith a farmer, blacksmith, schoolmaster and an interpreter as long as the Pres¬ ident of the United States deems proper; to furnish them with agricultural implements as may be necessary, for five years ; to furnish them with rations for one year, commencing at the time of their arrival at their new home ; to furnish them with one new ferry-boat; to furnish them with one hundred cows and calves, and five bulls, and one hundred stock hogs, when they re¬ quire them; to furnish them with a mill, and assist in removing them, to the extent of five hundred dollars.

"And to erect for the Sacs and Foxes, three comfortable houses ; to en¬ close and break up for them tw^o hundred acres of land ; to furnish them with a farmer, blacksmith, schoolmaster and interpreter, as long as the President of the United States shall deem proper ; to furnish them with such agricul¬ tural implements as may be necessary, for five years; to furnish them with rations for one year, commencing at the time of 'their arrival at their new home ; to furnish them with one ferry-boat ; to furnish them with one hundred cows and five bulls; one hundred stock hogs, when they shall require them; to furnish them with a mill, and to assist them in moving to the extent of four hundred dollars.

"Article 4. This treaty shall be obligatory on the tribes, parties hereto, from and after the date hereof, and on the United States, from and after its ratification by the government thereof.

"Done, and signed and sealed at Fort Leavenworth on the Missouri, this seventeenth day of September, eighteen hundred and thirty-six, and of the independence of the United States, the sixty-first.

The Indians who signed for the various tribes to this treaty were as follows, and their Indian names as well as their English meaning are here given :

The Ioways

Mohoska . ( White Cloud) . Nau-che-ning (No Heart). Wa-che-mo-ne (The Orator). Man-omone (Pumpkin). Neo-mo-ne (Raining Cloud). Wau-thaw-ca-be-chu (Rat Eater).

And Foxes

When Nodaway county was first settled, the Indian title had been ex¬ tinguished only about three years, and many families still roamed at will over their once happy hunting grounds. By all accounts at hand, no section of the United States was more rich in game of almost all kinds than was north¬ western Missouri. Droves of deer bounded over hill and dale and on the prairies and sought shelter and shade beneath the forest trees making up the skirtings of timber along every running stream. Immense flocks of wild turkey roamed through the deep tangled underbrush, and the whirr of the grouse and pigeon was heard on every side. In the winter of 1810-11 the first expedition was sent out by John Jacob Astor, that enterprising New Yorker, to found the Northwest Fur Company, and they encamped near the mouth of the Naduet river, or, as now known, the Nodaway river, for four months, on account of the excellent hunting found here and to the north into what is now Page county, Iowa. This attracted, too, the famous old hunter of Kentucky, Daniel Boone, who also made an exploring and hunting trip to this part of the state. He was then eighty-two years of age, but greatly enjoyed the chase for game in this section.

The Indian Tribes

What is known now as the Platte Purchase was then occupied by several Indian tribes and up to 1836, when it was, by treated, ceded to Missouri. The principal tribes found here were the Crees, Gros Ventres, Iowas, Ottoes. Pawnees, Pottawatomies, Sauks and Shawnees. Parts of tribes of these In¬ dians continued here as late as 1856. The last of the red men to remain here were the lazy, shiftless, drunken Pottawatomies. Although the law of the land made it a grave crime to sell liquor to these Indians, yet they got it and used it to their downfall.

Interesting Indian Incidents

From a biographical sketch of Napoleon B. Lamar, a son of one of the first settlers in Lincoln township, the following is learned concerning the habits and customs of the Indians who were here when white men first came to Nodaway county.

Mr. Lamar, then but a youth of about thirteen years, accompanied his father to the county in 1842 and he in manhood's days used to relate many amusing, interesting incidents, including how he used to visit the Indian camps and witness their fun and frolics. He got well acquainted with some of the chiefs, including old Powsheik, of the Mosquacha tribe, and Black Turkey, of the Pottawatomie tribe. He says that whenever the Indians were going on a spree some of their number w ere detailed to keep sober and watch the balance. Before the spree began, all tomahawks and knives and arrows were hid away. This was done that the Indians wTho drank whisky might not kill or wound one another. At one of these sprees one of the Indians was killed. It appears he was choked to death, as finger prints could be seen about his throat and neck. When he was buried he was set up against a tree, and then a little pen was built around him which they daubed over with clay until it was hidden from sight. They buried pipe and tobacco with him, that he might smoke on his way to the happy hunting ground (the Indians' heaven). A certain Indian, whom they called Malisha, was suspected as being the one who choked the Indian to death. Mr. Lamar said he heard that Malisha cvas tried for the crime after the Indians had removed the camp to another place, but he never learned the result. He was tried in this wav : Some herbs were given him, and if they should have a certain effect he was guilty, and would be put to death; if the herbs did not produce that effect he was innocent, and his life was to be spared.

In another instance, where a squaw died, she was buried with a kettle of soup, and a ladle was placed in it that she might use the soup on her dark journey to the happy hunting grounds.

Again, the Indians w^ould not kill a wrolf. They carried a tradition w ith them that the wolf was the dog of their ancestors, and they protected him as if he w^as sacred to them.