History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 42

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

log house and made a raft or rafts and finally succeeded in crossing. While mak- ing preparations to cross the river, one night, after the Indians had all left, there came an Indian in the night and standing on a high point on the opposite side from our army, with a very powerful voice, which could be distinctly understood, said, "If the whites would let the Indians go they would go back to Iowa and remain quiet and peaceable." But our army was now anxious to punish them, and so has- tened across the river, took their trail, which brought them to the Mississippi. They found, at all the camping places of the Indians, skeletons of their horses, as they were now reduced to this kind of food, having no time to hunt, pressing with all their energy to reach the Mississippi before our army should overtake and de- stroy them. But after all their exertions, their great suffering from hunger and exhaustion, they were doomed to disappointment. They had succeeded in reach- ing the river and had safely crossed many of their women and children before our army came up. Here at the river was fought the second hard battle, killing 150 of the Indians and some of their women and children, they being huddled together in the high weeds and grass. One can get some idea of their great hunger from a little circumstance that happened there. It became necessary to amputate the arm of a little girl about ten years old. Some one gave her a biscuit which she contin- ued to eat during the operation. During the trouble with the Indians the govern- ment brought down a band of 150 Sioux who were the most dreaded enemy our Indians had, on account of their great numbers. They quartered them at Galena and tried to get them in the contest, but did not succeed, they being too cowardly to attack the Sauks and Foxes when they were armed, and they quietly slipped away in the night.

Now I have the most unpleasant part of my story to tell. After the Indians had crossed the river and were almost defenseless, having lost most all their guns and ammunition in crossing the river, our army put a band of these merciless Sioux on their trail who, knowing how perfectly helpless they were, were glad of the oppor- tunity to destroy them. I will give the account of this terrible massacre as given by a squaw, who had lived with a white man by the name of Nathan Smith. I knew them both well. She said her brother, by the name of Wishita, a fine looking man and a chief of considerable standing, was wounded while crossing the Missis- sippi, but he, with great exertion, reached the western shore. Here the bank being steep, she tried to get him out, but could not succeed, and was obliged to leave him behind her on account of her company, which was already in advance of her. She had crossed the river on a pony, carrying her child, about a year old, before her. They hurried on, fearing an attack of our army, or an attack of the Sioux, as they were now in their country. They had traveled that day and night and until the latter part of the next day, without food, when they succeeded in killing some game, and camped for the night. That night they, for the first time in many weary days and nights, had plenty to eat. They had camped in a valley and the morning was very foggy. They had eaten an early breakfast and were about starting on their journey, she just mounting her horse, when the Sioux with a great noise, whooping and yelling, broke into their camp, killing large numbers of them regardless of age or sex. She rode off as fast as her horse could possibly go, carrying her child before her. She said the motion of her horse was so hard on her child she thought for some time it was dead, and looked for some thick

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

bush or weeds that she could throw it in to hide it from the Sioux. She knew by keeping a southern course it would bring her to her friends. After traveling more than 200 miles without another human being save her child, without food and expecting hourly to be overtaken by her enemies, she at last found a trail where Keokuk had been out on a buffalo hunt. Following this trail it brought her to the Indian village on the Iowa river.

This last battle fought on the Mississippi was the noted battle of Bad Axe and Black Hawk, feeling that he and his people were thoroughly overcome did not cross the river but went up the river and gave himself up to the Winnebagoes, who brought him a prisoner to Prairie du Chien. Black Hawk's son, Seoskuk, Nea- pope, Pashpahaw, the stabbing chief, and several of the principal men, accom- panied him to prison. They were sent to Washington about the latter part of the summer, where they remained until the next spring, when they were set at liberty and started on their return home, passing through New York city. President Jackson and a party of friends happened to be with Black Hawk on their way to New York and General Jackson's friends complained that the Indians diverted the attention of the people too much from the president. There was a great demon- stration in New York at that time and the Indians received much attention. Many of the ladies kissed Seoskuk, which was a matter of little comment, as one rarely meets so fine a specimen of humanity in a life-time. The ladies took their rings off their fingers and gave them to the Indians. Black Hawk showed me some of the rings and said he had fifty just as fine. From New York they went by the canal to Buffalo, through the lake to Green Bay, up the Fox river, down the Wis- consin to its mouth and down the Mississippi to Rock Island. Here, fortu- nately, I happened to meet Black Hawk, and he was unusually talkative. He told me of their trip to Washington, of the crowds of people they saw in New York, and showed me some of the many presents he had received on the journey. He told me of the great wonder of seeing a man go up in a balloon. He said the man had a great knife in his hand (meaning a sword) which he waved back and forth and then he went up, up, up, and looking and pointing up, he said "Panoche ! Pan- oche !" meaning a great way off. He was in good spirits, expecting to reach his family the next day.

Major Garland, of the army, under whose charge they had traveled, being in- structed to secure a kind reception for them from their nation, sent a messenger to advise Keokuk of their arrival. Keokuk was encamped on the Iowa shore of the river, about twenty miles below, and although Black Hawk and his party were his enemies, he determined to give them a respectful and cordial reception. A message was returned to that effect ; and at noon the following day the dull sound of the Indian drum proclaimed the approach of the chief. He, with his three wives, in two canoes lashed together with a canopy over them, followed by many of his braves, came up the river to the foot of the island and then landed on the right bank, where they remained painting and dressing themselves for some time. Keokuk, followed by his braves, crossed the river and before coming to Black Hawk's camp said to them: "The Great Spirit has sent our brothers back; let us shake hands in friendship." On reaching the spot where Black Hawk and his friends were encamped, they found them seated in front of their tent, silent and motionless-doubtful, perhaps, of the reception that would be given them. Keo-

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kuk extended his hand to Black Hawk and then to the rest of his party, without speaking, his followers imitating his example, and then the whole company seated themselves on the ground. No one spoke, each waiting until the chief should break the silence. After about fifteen minutes Keokuk asked Black Hawk how long he had been on the way, adding that he had been expecting him and was on his way to meet him when he heard of his arrival. The next day, in the council Black Hawk thanked Major Garland for his kindness. He said: "I and my son, and all our party, thank our Great Father for what he has done. He is old, I am old ; we shall soon go to the Great Spirit, and be at rest. He sent us through his great villages. We saw many white men and were kindly treated. We thank them-say to them we thank them. We thank you for traveling with us. Your path was long and crooked. We never saw so many white men before; but when with you we felt as safe as if among friends. When you come to the Mississippi again you shall come to my lodges; now I have none. On your road home you will pass where our village once was. No one lives there now-all are gone. I give you my hand; we may never meet again, but we shall remember you. The Great Spirit will be with you and your wives and children. I will shake hands with my brethren here and then I am done." Black Hawk thanked Keokuk and and his nation for their attention to his wife and children, as they had given them shelter when they had none, and had protected them while he was far away. He felt happy to have escaped with so slight punishment, as when he gave himself up he hardly knew what would be the result. It must have been quite humiliating to the old man to have to yield up all his rights as head of the nation to a young man like Keokuk. Sad must have been his heart when he said, "I will listen to Keokuk. I will soon be far away, where I shall have no village, no band-I shall be alone." Still we must admire the generous course Keokuk pursued with him, when, in after years, they took a trip together, taking in their course all the prin- cipal eastern cities. They, with other Indians, were sitting in council in the pres- ence of the secretary of war, when Keokuk arose and said: "There is one here who does not belong to the council, but he has been accustomed to sit with us at home and is our friend; we have brought him here with us and hope he will be welcome."

Black Hawk lived until the year 1838, when he died on the 3d of October at his village on the Des Moines river and his body was disposed of, at his special request, after the manner of the chiefs of his tribe. He was placed upon the ground, in a sitting posture, his hands grasping his cane. They usually made a shallow hole in the ground, setting the body in up to the waist, so the most of the body was above ground. The part above ground was then covered by a buffalo robe, and a trench about eight feet square was dug about the grave. In this trench they set picketing about eight feet high, which secured the grave against wild animals. Not long after Black Hawk died some one, more troubled with phrenol- ogy than reverence, took his head and carried it away, which so distressed his fam- ily that his sons came into Burlington to Governor Lucas, who was then governor of the territory of Iowa, to see if the government would not have it restored to them. But they did not succeed in getting it.

When I first came here there were quite a number of these high picketings still standing, where their chiefs had been buried, and the body of a chief was disposed

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HISTORY OF SCOTT COUNTY

of in this way while I lived near their village. The common mode of burial was to dig a shallow grave, wrap the body in a blanket, place it in the grave and fill it nearly full of dirt; then take split sticks about three feet long and stand them in the grave so that their tops would come together in the form of a roof ; then they filled in more earth so as to hold the sticks in place. I saw a father and mother start out alone to bury their child about a year old. They carried it by tying it up in a blanket, and putting a long stick through the blanket, each taking an end of the stick. I have also seen the dead bodies placed in trees. This is done by dig- ging a trough out of a log, placing the body in it and covering it. I have seen several bodies in one tree. I think when they are disposed of in this way it is by special request, as I knew of an Indian woman who lived with a white family, who desired her body placed in a tree, which was accordingly done. Doubtless there was some particular superstition attached to this mode, though I do not remember to have heard what it was.

Our nearest neighbor living fifty miles southeast from here, on the old mining road leading from Beardstown to Galena, where the road crossed Henderson river, was an old man by the name of Atwood, an Englishman by birth. I do not con- sider him a fair representative of an old settler, but as many who lived here in early times have come in contact with him I cannot forbear to give him a passing no- tice. He said he was a lord in England and when he took ship for America great crowds of people gathered to see him safely started. His fame had reached New York in advance of his arrival and large numbers were gathered kneeling on the shore to receive him. He told them to stand up, as he was only a man. Mr. At- wood's settlement there was a year or two before ours here, so we had occasion to do some trading with him in his farm products. After a few months' traffic with him he sent us word that he had all the paper money he could secrete, and as paper money was liable to be stolen or burned up, if we continued to trade with him we would have to bring either gold or silver, which he could bury in the ground. In stopping with him he told me of a remarkable cure he had performed upon a man where gangrene had set in. Among a great many eminent physicians who had visited this man and given him up as incurable, was Dr. Franklin. I said to him that I did not know that Dr. Franklin practiced medicine. His wife spoke up and said: "Yes he did, all through North Carolina, where I lived." I asked the old man how many hogs he had. He hesitated some time and began to make ex- cuses. His hogs "had strayed away and were lost-the Indians had killed a good many-and now he only had about 700 left." There were not 700 hogs within twenty miles of him. One of his neighbors by the name of McGee, a blacksmith, was at work in his shop at a very difficult job. Being a good deal plagued with his work, the old man came in and began telling some of his long yarns, when McGee stopped his work and addressed the old man in this way: "I make it a practice to believe some men because they tell the truth, others to accommodate them, but," bringing out an oath, said: "I won't believe you upon any considera- tion." He said he was not troubled again for a long time with the old man. His neighbors said they had calculated the time it would take to do the different things he had done and the different places he had lived, and the number of years he had stayed in each place, and ascertained he was over a thousand years old, being the oldest man we have any record of.

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I now feel it not only a duty but a great pleasure to make some mention of the old settlers of Rock Island county. I came to the state at such an early day and traveled over it so extensively, making my home at two different times in very new parts of the state, that I had a great opportunity of judging of frontier life and of frontier men. Of all my knowledge of the settlement of the state our old settlers were the most intelligent and best informed of any who came under my notice. There have been some statements made about us, which have had a large circulation, in regard to our abusing the Indians and whipping their women, which are basely false, or if not, never came under my notice. Our relation to the Indians, after the first summer, was very peculiar. We have had a good title to our lands from the government, felt that we were entitled to be protected in our rights, while the Indians claim the lands to be theirs with just as much assurance. Under such conflicting circumstances, losing the greater part of our crops, being compelled, a part of the time, to stay in the fort for safety, we lived almost three seasons together without any serious outbreak among us, which seems to me to be flattering to both whites and Indians. I feel that the old settlers of Rock Island county are very nearly related to me. Our privations and hardships brought us very near to each other, and I cannot but sympathize in the sorrows of each old settler, and rejoice in his well doing.

Taken at Forty-ninth Annual Festival, August 30, 1905 PIONEER SETTLERS OF SCOTT COUNTY

CHAPTER XVI.

LOOKING BACKWARD.

J. M. D. BURROWS, MERCHANT, MILLER, PACKER, HANDLER OF PRODUCE, LOOKS BACK OVER HIS BUSY LIFE AND TELLS SOME INCIDENTS-DAVENPORT A HAMLET OF FIF- TEEN HOUSES-A REMARKABLE CAREER-HUMMER AND HIS BELL-REV. JOHN O. FOSTER TELLS OF BOYHOOD DAYS IN ROCKINGHAM-THE VIEW FROM THE DECKER HOME-A RELIC OF CREDIT ISLAND BATTLE.

On the 27th day of July, 1838, I was on board the magnificent steamer Brazil, Captain Orrin Smith, my destination being Stephenson, now Rock Island, Illi- nois. When I arose in the morning the steamer was just landing at Buffalo, Scott county, Wisconsin territory, now Iowa. The scene upon which I gazed enchanted me. The sloping lawns and wooded bluffs, with the sea of beautiful wild flowers, were a picture of loveliness such as I never had beheld before. The remainder of the trip I spent on the guards of the boat, enraptured with the beauty of the ever changing scenery.

We arrived early in the day at the village of Stephenson. Before night my · business was accomplished. My landlord, of the Rock Island House, informed me that I would not be able to get a boat until the return of the Brazil, some two days later. I will say here that the Rock Island House was a credit to the town and a much better hotel than I expected to find in this then new country. On the next day, after partaking of a good breakfast, I decided to cross the river and examine the lovely little hamlet of about a dozen houses, which looked so cozy, nestled under the bluff. 'At that time the ferry was run by that veteran, Captain John Wilson, and consisted of two steamboat yawls and a flat-boat. There were several passengers besides myself, and as soon as we left the shore, the old gentle- man began to collect his fares. I noticed that each passenger paid 25 cents. I tendered my quarter, when I was informed my fare was 50 cents. I demurred of course, and was surprised as well as somewhat amused to be told that for "citizens" the fare was 25 cents, but for strangers it was 50 cents. I replied, "Oh! that is the way you do here, is it? Where I came from, they treat strangers the best."

On landing I found a beautiful little hamlet of fifteen houses, with a popula- tion of about 150 persons. I did not expect to see any one that I had ever seen

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before, but I soon met a man whom I had known well in Cincinnati-a carpenter -B. F. Coates. He received me warmly and introduced me to D. C. Eldridge and several more Cincinnatians. The little town was settled mostly by people from Cincinnati. They all insisted that I should close up my business in Stephenson, and wait in Davenport until my boat returned, and they would spend the time in showing me the most beautiful country the sun ever shone upon. I consented and Mr. Coates took a horse and buggy and drove with me out some five or six miles in different directions.

It was just the time of year when the country showed to the best advantage. The prairies were covered with wild flowers and the beautiful landscape was un- surpassed. I said to myself, "This shall be my home."

On the return of the Brazil I left with the intention, if I possibly could, to emigrate. As soon as I returned to Cincinnati, I advertised my place for sale and in a few weeks found a purchaser. I then determined to return immediately and to make a more thorough examination of the country before taking such an important step. Both the Ohio and Mississippi rivers were at that time (October), very low and navigation tedious. I decided to make the trip by land, so purchased a horse and buggy and was making arrangements for the journey, when I was called upon by John Owens, whom I had never seen before. After introducing himself, he said he understood I intended to make a trip to Wisconsin territory, and he wanted to go along. He offered to take a half interest in the outfit. He was not quite ready to go, and I agreed to wait ten days for him. At last the day arrived, and lo! it was a Friday. Owens said he would not begin so important an enterprise on Friday and insisted that we should wait until Saturday, which I opposed, on the ground that it was too late in the week. We were both anxious to be off, so we agreed to start on Thursday evening, and go two or three miles, which we did, setting out about sundown and driving some three miles. We found the roads through Indiana very rough and tedious, a great share of them being what was called "corduroy;" but through Illinois they were excellent, al- though there was a great want of bridges and in fording streams we found it quite dangerous.

The great prairies of Illinois were a magnificent sight-one vast sea of grass and flowers and most of them as level as a floor. We passed very few farms. Fifty years ago there were not many settlements in Illinois. We crossed a num- ber of prairies, where, as might be said, we were out of sight of land-not a house or a tree to be seen. There was a great deal of sickness on our route. We had to attend our own horse, and most of the time, sleep on the floor, with a blanket and a pillow for our bed. Ten days and a half from the time we left Cincinnati, we forded Rock river and soon reached our future home. At that time Stephenson, on the Illinois side of the Mississippi, was a considerable town and a much older and more important place than Davenport. Rock island con- tained no inhabitants except Colonel George Davenport and his family. Old Fort Armstrong with its block houses, occupied the west end of the island.

Mr. Owens and myself spent some three weeks in thoroughly examining the country. One of the best settlements was in Pleasant Valley. The Hydes, Cap- tain Hawley, Moss & Bradley. Sam Hedges. C. Rowe. Adam Donaldson, the Henleys and Fennos were there. There was a small sawmill on Duck creek, and

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a grist mill, containing one small run of stone on Crow creek. Both these streams contained twice as much water then as now. We drove back to Allens Grove, also to Walnut and Hickory Groves, where we found John Dunn, L. Lathrop, Dennis R. Fuller and the Carters, all of whom were hard at work making them- selves homes. Below Rockingham, Enoch Mead, David Sullivan, Captain James Murray, Foster Campbell, James E. Burnsides, Lewis W. Clark, and others, were busily engaged in laying the foundation of Scott county's future prosperity.

After a thorough examination of the county and making the acquaintance of many of the settlers, we both determined to emigrate, and purchased the eighty acre tract west of and adjoining the town. It was a squatter's claim. We paid $450 for it and each wanted it, so we agreed to divide it and to draw cuts for the first choice. I won, and chose the half next to the town, for which I paid $250, Mr. Owens taking the other half at $200. We then concluded to lay claim to a section of land and selected section 17. We divided it north and south, and, each again wanting the half adjoining the town, we drew cuts as before. I won, and took the part I wanted. Fearing we would have trouble to find our claim, we hired Strong Burnell, who was breaking prairie in the vicinity, to plow three furrows around the whole section, for which we paid $30-$10 a furrow. We pro- posed to plant this strip of plowed ground with locust trees.

The next thing I did was to make arrangements to build a house on my forty acres. I found a man in Davenport, a settler of that year, who had bought a lot and erected a frame on it, but who had become discouraged and wished to return east. I bought the frame standing, paying $125 for it, and engaged B. F. Coates to take it to pieces and put it up on my land, leaving money with him with which to buy weather boarding, sheathing, etc., and it was agreed that I should bring the shingles, flooring, doors and windows with me in the spring from Cin- cinnati, which would be much cheaper and better.

About the Ist of March, 1839, I received letters at Cincinnati, saying the Mississippi was about to break up and at once I commenced making arrangements to return. Being anxious to add to the population of the little settlement in Iowa, I persuaded two brothers-in-law, Wheeler Crane, a carriage maker, and Joseph Beach, a painter, also my two brothers, Lewis and David, stout lads in those days, to accompany me. Our journey was without incident until we reached the lower rapids, where we had a tedious time, getting fast on the rocks and being nearly a week getting over.

At last, on the 4th day of April, we reached our future home, being put ashore on the bank of the river, about half way between Perry and Rock Island streets. I remember the day well. It was a gloomy day, the wind blew a perfect gale, and everything looked cheerless.

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History of Davenport and Scott County Iowa, Volume I, Part 42

Author: Downer, Harry E Publication date: 1910 Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke Number of Pages: 1042

Author: Downer, Harry E
Publication date: 1910
Publisher: Chicago : S. J. Clarke
Number of Pages: 1042