History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 8

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340

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Charlevoix, writing in 1721, says : " Fifty years ago the Miamis were settled on the southern extremity of Lake Michigan, in a place called Chicago, from the name of a small river which runs into the lake, the source of which is not far distant from that of the river of the Illinois."

St. Cosme and his companions found Miamis at Chicago, in 1699-1700, and a mission established among them, in charge of two Jesuit Fathers-Pinet and Bine- tean. It is said by an early writer, that in 1;18, "the Weas had a village at Chicago, but being afraid of the canoe people* left it, and passed around the head of Lake Michigan, to be nearer their brethren farther to the east. Prior to this time-in 1702-DeCourtemanche, an agent of France, had visited the Miamis, both at St. Joseph River and Chicago, to induce them to cease their wars with the Iroquois, which prevented commani- cation between Canada and louisiana by way of the Illinois River. A council of the Algonquin tribes was appointed at Montreal, which was attended by Chichika- talo, then principal chief of the Miami nation, who made a speech in which he affirmed his friendship for the French, and desired to be guided by their wishes. The Foxes, from the vicinity of Green Bay. succeeded the Iroquois in their attacks upon the Illinois and Miam .. and during the first quarter of the eighteenth century had probably driven the latter from the vicinity of Chicago. From that time until the termination of P't ?- tiar's War and the final defeat and extermination of the

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Illinois at Starved Rock, when the Pottawatomies gained possession of the country. the region now Chicago was inhabited, if inhabited at all, by roving bands of northern Indians.

Major Thomas Forsyth, who lived a large portion of his life among the Indians of Illinois and Iowa, says* that in the first quarter of the eighteenth century, all the different bands of the Illinois Indians spoke the language of the Miamis, and the whole considered themselves as one people ; but from their local situation the language was broken up into different dialeets. " These Indians were attacked by a general confederacy of other nations, such as the Sauks and Foxes, who resided at Green Bay, and on the Ouisconsin ; the Sioux, whose frontiers extended south to the River Des Moines ; the Chippewas and Pettawatomies from the lakes ; and also the Cherokees and Choctaws from the south. The war continued many years, and until that great nation, the Minneways (Miamis or Illinois) was destroyed, except a few Miamis and Weas on the Wabash, and a few who were scattered among strangers."

That portion of the Miamis who were driven from Chicago, found a home with the rest of the tribe, on the St. Joseph, the Maumee and the Wabash. During the war of the Revolution, the tribe was hostile to the colonies, and even after the treaty of peace, consum- mated in the year 1783, their depredations upon the settlers on the Ohio and Maumee were continued until the final surrender of the northwestern lake posts in 1796. In 1790, peace negotiations were opened with the Miamis and other tribes, which proved unsuccessful, and General Harmer was sent with an army by General Washington to bring the tribes to submission. Battles were fought near Chillicothe, Ohio, and near Fort Wayne, Indiana, neither of which was very successful on the part of the Americans.

In 1791 two other expeditions were directed against the hostile Miamis, Shawanoes and others on the Miami and Wabash-one under command of General Charles Scott, and the other under General Wilkinson. In 1791 Governor Arthur St. Clair, of the Northwest Territory, marched with an army of fourteen hundred men to within fifteen miles of the Miami villages on the Great Miami, where on the 4th of November a sanguinary battle was fought. The Indians, led by Little Turtle, fought bravely, and finally defeated the Americans, who were compelled to retreat, abandoning their camp and artillery. in the precipitate flight the men threw down arms and accoutrements, and never halted until they reached Fort Jefferson, twenty-one miles distant. This success encouraged the Indians, and their depredations were only stopped by the decisive victory gained by General Anthony Wayne over the Western Confederacy of Indians, in August. 1794, which was followed by the treaty of Greenville. August 3. 1795-the first treaty with the United States, to which the Miamis were a party. It was at this treaty that Little Turtle. the prin- cipal chief of the nation, made his celebrated speech. defining the limits of his country. He said to General Wayne. " You have pointed out to us the boundary line between the Indian and the United States, I now take the liberty to inform you that the line cuts off from the indian a large portion of country which has been enjoyed by my forefathers from time immemorial, with- out question of dispute. The prints of my arestur- houses are everywhere to be seen in this region. It is well known by all my brothers present, that my fore- fathers kindled the first five at Detroit : from thence

extended their line to the head waters of the Scioto ; from thence to its mouth ; thence to Chicago, on Lake Michigan. These are the boundaries within which the prints of my ancestors' houses are everywhere to be . seen, "

In 1840 what rew Miamis remained in the East were removed from the Wabash to a tract of land now comprised in Miami County, Kansas. They had in- creased in numbers during the preceding years of peace, and numbered about eleven hundred when they went to the Indian Territory. Homesickness soon reduced their ranks, and after remaining in the West a year, a large part of those surviving returned to Indiana. In 1854 the tribe ceded their land in Kansas to the United States, excepting a reservation for their own use and occupancy ; which, also, they ceded in 1867. Quite a number became citizens of Kansas, and the remainder were removed to the present Indian Territory, where they became confederated with the Peorias. The last of the Miamis in Kansas, numbering about one hun- dred and thirty, removed to the Indian Territory in 1871.

THE POTTAWATOMIES .- The Pottawatomies, Otta- was and Chippewas, whose language, manners and cus- toms are similar, are supposed to be the original people who lived at the "villages of the falls," at St. Mary's Strait, and on the northern bank of Lake Huron. These tribes belong to the great Algonquin family, and speak one of its rudest dialects. They were hunters and fishers, and by the Illinois Indians, who never made voyages on the water, were called the "canoe people," and held in dread, as they were warlike, and frequently in collision with neighboring tribes. The first mention of the Pottawatomies by the French Jesuits, is in the Relation of 1639, where it is said that John Nicolet had visited them at their islands of Green Bay, where they had been driven by the Iroquois. These islands were known as the Pottawatomie Islands, and were the residence of the tribe for many years. Before the expiration of the first quarter of the eighteenth century a large portion of the Pottawatomies had emigrated toward the south, one band making a home on the St. Joseph River. of Mich- igan, and another in the vicinity of Detroit. They were always intimately associated with other tribes-usually with the Ottawas or Chippewas, but sometimes with Miamis, Foxes or Winnebagoes. They were faithful allies of the French until after the death of Pontiac, and took part with that chieftain in his attack on Fort St. Joseph, in ' May, 1763, and the subsequent siege of Detroit.

A treaty was concluded between the English and the Western Confederacy in August, 1764. and of the nine- teen hundred and thirty warriors assembled at Niagara, as representatives of the various tribes, four hundred and fifty were Pottawatomies. Pontiac. disappointed at the result of his efforts to keep the hated Engash from the region of Detroit, came, it is said, to lutrois, and settled with a band of Ottawas, on the Last of the Kankakee. In 1;69 he was assassinated. and it was believed by the united tribes Ottawas asd Pottawato- mies that the Illinois Indians were acreat . the crime. In revenge for the death of their io .fe ! leader. war was waged by the Pottawatones and . he: North- Western tribes against the Illinois, until the Matter was exterminated, and the victory had p. u all northern Illinois. "Starved Kick." in La Winy the " Rock of St. Louis." of Lasalle ant Petr. was the scene of the final disaster which con cet's cam- hilated the once powerful nation which gave me -ile of Illinois its name. Driven from one piace . i reflexe

" Drake's " Life of Black Hawk. ' 1820.

1814946

ORIGINAL PROPRIETORS OF THE SOIL ..

to another, the last surviving remnant of the Illinois In- dians gathered on the summit of Starved Rock, where they were besieged by their enemies on every side ; and when, at last, compelled by the pangs of hunger and thirst, in desperation they attempted to force a path through the ranks of the enemy, nearly every one was slain. Scarcely enough escaped to teil the tale.

The Pottawatomies were now the dominant tribe in upper Illinois, although in many cases their villages were composed of United Pottawatomies, Ottawas and Chip- pewas .* Through the Revolution they were hostile to the Americans, but after the victory gained by General Wayne over the Western Confederates in the summer of 1794, at Presque Isle, on the Maumee River, the Pottawatomies joined the other tribes in suing for peace.

The nations, who with the Pottawatomies, formed the confederated Indian force led by Little Turtle and Blue Jacket, Ottawa and Shawnee chiefs, against General Wayne at this decisive battle, which eventuated in the treaty of Greenville, were the Miamis, Shawanoes, Del- awares, Chippewas and Ottawas.

On the 3d. of August, ' 1795, the treaty of Green- ville was concluded at the fortified camp of General Wayne, called by that name. By this treaty the Indians ceded an im- mense tract of country, south of the lakes and west of the Ohio, to- gether with certain spe- cific tracts, including the sites of all the Northwest- ern posts.

The Pottawatomies were represented by the chiefs of the St. Joseph, Wabash and Huron-river bands (Pottawatomies of the Woods) and by the leading chiefs of the " Pottawato- mies of the Prairie "-the latter being those living in Illinois, The stipulations of this treaty remained un- broken until 1811, when the machinations of Tecum- seh and the Prophet sent General Harrison to the Wabash, and the battle of Tippecanoe followed.

By this treaty of Greenville the Indians ceded to the United States, " one piece of land six miles square, at the mouth of Chicago River, emptying into the south- west end of Lake Michigan, where a fort formerly stood." There was also a stipulation that the Indians should allow a free passage to the people of the United States . from the mouth of the Chicago to the com- mencement of the portage between that river and the Illinois, and down the Illinois River to the Mississippi."

The Pottawatomies joined in the treaty negotiated at Fort Wayne by General Harrison in 1803, and before 1809 had ceded considerable of their land to Govern- ment. In the War of 1812 a portion of the tribe joined the Enghsh, influenced by Tecunisch, and his brother the Prophet, and under the leadership of Suna-we- wo-nce, war-chief of the Prairie hands, made war upon the Americans, and participated in the massacre of the

* See " Portantomies in the War of ('12," further on in this history.

Fort Dearborni garrison. A treaty of peace was made with this band at Portage des Sioux in July, 1815, which was signed by Suna-we-wo-nee, and it is said the band never broke the pledge of friendship then made. In the following September, a general treaty with the Pot- tawatomies and other tribes was made at Detroit.

Portions of the country claimed by the " Pottawato- mies of the Woods," Chippewas and Ottawas, in what is now the State of Michigan, were ceded to the United States prior to 1820, by treaties at Spring Wells, St. Mary's and Saginaw. In 1821 it was proposed by Government to extinguish the Indian title to that por- tion of the country lying between the northern boun- dary line of Indiana and the Grand River of Michi- gan. It was believed that the Pottawatomies and kin- dred tribes-the United Tribes-numbered at this time in Michigan about four thousand.

STARVED ROCK.

A council to effect this object was appointed, to be held at Chicago, in August, 1821. Governor Lewis Cass, of Michigan Terri- tory, and Solomon Sibley, were appointed United States Commissioners, and Henry R. Schoolcraft was named as their Secretary. Mr. Schoolcraft, in his work entitled " Travels in the Central Portions of the Mississippi Valley," which was published in 1825, gives a full account of the proceedings of this council, and of the appearance of the country at that time. He says:

. ".On .- crossing the Des- plaines; we found the opposite shore thronged with Indians, whose loud and obtrusive saluta- tions caused us to make a few minutes' halt. From this point we were scarcely ever out of sight of straggling parties, all procceding to the same place. Most commonly they were mounted on horses, and apparelled in their best manner, and decorated with medals, silver bands and feathers. The gaudy and showy dresses of these troops of Indians, with the jingling caused by the striking of their ornaments, and their spirite ? manner of riding, created a scene as novel as it was interesting. Proceeding from all parts of a very extensive circle of country, like rays converging to a focus, the nearer we approached, the more compact and concentrated the body became, and we found our cavalcade rapidly augmented, and. consequently, the dust, confusion and noise increased at every by-path which intersected our way. After crossing the south fork of the Chi- cago, and emerging from the forest that skirts it, nearly the whole number of those who had preceded us appeared on the extensive and level plain that stretches along the shores of the lake, while the refreshing a'. J nolde appearance of the lake itself, with ' vast and sullen swell,' appeared beyond. We found, on reaching the post, that between two and three thousand Indians were assembled -chiefly l'ottavatomies, Ottawa- and Chippewa. Many arrived on the two following day -. Provisions were daily issued by the Indian Department, during the treaty, lo alunit three thousand."

The Council opened on the 17th and continued over a week. It was helt on the north bank of the Chicago River, prohab's between the present North State and Pine streets-the spare included between the house of John Kinzie and that of Dr. Wolcott. the Indian Agent. In the course of the proceedings Governor C'ass de- fined the limit- of the country then owned by the Pot- tawatomies, a- extending along both banks of the

HISTORY OF EARLY CHICAGO.

Illinois and all its tributaries. On the north it reached along the western shore of Lake Michigan to the Winnebagoes of Green Bay. On the east they claimed all the country beyond the St. Joseph to the head waters of the Maumee and Wabash, and on the west, to the territory of the Saes and Foxes on the Mississippi. The principal speakers on the part of the Pottawatomies were Topinebee,* chief the St. Joseph band, and Metea, of the Wabash band. The Ottawas and Chippewas also had their spokesman, and by each it was affirmed that the Pottawatomies, Ottawas and Chippewas were originally one nation, and still considered themselves as one people. t

A treaty was concluded after a long delay on the part of the Pottawatomies, and five million acres passed to the possession of the United States Government, the latter to pay to the Pottawatomies five thousand dollars annually for twenty years, and to appropriate one thou- sand annually for the support of a blacksmith and a teacher among them. The Ottawas and Chippewas received a smaller amount.

In 1827 the Pottawatomies refused to join the Win- nebagoes in their hostile demonstrations against the Americans, and again in 1832, although many of the younger warriors were in favor of joining Black Hawk, the councils of Shawbonee,t Robinson and the Sauga- nash prevailed, and the Pottawatomie chiefs not only prevented the tribe from taking part in the war, but did their utmost to serve and protect the whites.

The last treaty between these Indians and the United States, prior to their removal to the Indian Ter- ritory, was made at Chicago-being concluded Septem- ber 26, 1833. George B. Porter, Thomas F. V .. Owen, and William Weatherford were Commissioners on the part of the Government. A preliminary council was held with the principal chiefs more than a week before the formal council, which was on the 21st of September.

Charles Joseph Latrobe, an English author, traveling in the United States, was present at this treaty. Speak- ing of the scene at the time of his visit, he says :

" When within five miles of Chicago, we came to the first In- dian encampment. Five thousand Indians were said to be col- lected around this little upstart village for the prosecution of the treaty, by which they were in cede their lands in Michigan and Illi- nois. We found the village, on our arrival, crowded to excess; we procured, with great difficulty, a small apartment, comfortless and noisy from its close proximity to others, but quite as good as we could have hoped for. The Pottawatomies were encamped on all sides on the wide, leve! prairie beyond the scattered village, beneath the low wood, which chequered them, on the sides of the small river, or to the leaward of the sand hills near the beach of the lake."

At the informal council the Indians had informed the commissioners that they did not wish to sell their lands; they wished, on the contrary, to keep them; but, as the council was appointed, they were urged to take the mat- ter into consideration, which they did. Nearly a week elapsed before they could beagain induced to meet the commissioners, and in the meantime-

. The some chict who showed himsunt friendly to the inhabitants of Chi-

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" Cumpar'e- of old warrior- might be seen sitting smoking under every bush, arguing. palavering, or powwowing with great earnest- ness: but there seemed ou possibility of bringing them to another council in a hurry. # * The little village of Chicago was in an uproar from morning to night, and from night to morning: for during the hours of darkness, when the housed portion of the in- habitants of Chicago sought to obtain repose in the crowded plank editices of the village, the Indians howled. sang, wept, yelled and whooped in their various encampments. * The large body of Indians collected in the vicinity consisted not merely of chief- and warriors, but in fact the greater part of the whole tribe were present: for where the warrior was invited to feast at the expense of the Government, the squaw took care to accompany him; and where the squaw went the children or papooses, the ponies, and the innumerable dogs followed, and here they were living merrily at the cost of the Government. Not far from the river lay many groups of tents constructed of coarse canvas, blankets and mats, and sur- mounted by poles supporting meat, moccasins and rags. Their vicinity was always enlivened by various painted Indian figures, dressed in the most gaudy attire. * * Far and wide the grassy prairie teemed with figures-warriors mounted or on foot. squaws and horses. Here a race between three or four Indian ponies, each carrying a double rider, who were whooping and yell- ing like fiends; here a solitary horseman, with a long speer. turbaned like an Arab, seouring along at full speed; groups of hobbled horses; Indian dogs and children; or a grave conclave of grey chiefs seated on the grass in consultation."

For the residences of the United States Commission- ers, and other notables present at the treaty, a number of plank huts or cabins were erected on the north bank of the Chicago River. In the vicinity of these the council fire of the United Tribes was lighted under a spacious open shed standing on the green prairie, and on the afternoon of the 21st of September some twenty or thirty- chiefs assembled around it to commence pro- ceedings. The Indians were seated at the western end of the council room and the commissioners were oppo- site them. On the 26th the treaty was concluded; on the 27th certain supplementary articles added; and, to the shame of the whites he it said, the Indians sold their lands, not because they did not love it and wish to re- main upon it, but because they loved whisky better than everything else besides, and were allowed to drink until they cared for nothing else, but passively "put their hands to the quill " and signed away the land which they had conquered, and had claimed for three quarters of a century. The land ceded by this treaty contained about five million acres, and was, with the exception of some small reservations, all then claimed by the United Tribes in Illinois and Michigan.

They were granted a reservation which was theri a part of the. Indian Territory, but which by the " Platre Purchase " of 1836 became the northwestern portion of Missouri. In the summer of 1835, the Pottawatomies came for the last time to Chicago to receive their annu- ities, and to start thence for their Western reservation. The total number that assembled was about five thou- sand. While in the town of Chicago, at that time, the Indians performed their war-dance. as a sort of farewell to their old home and their remaining friends among the whites. They were removed by Government, under charge of the late Captain J. R. F. Russell, to the reser- vation assigned them, now in northwestern Missouri, and about two years later again removed to the present site of Counci Buffs lowa. In 1837. the Pottawatomies of Indiana were removed to a tract on the Osage River. now in Miami Co., Kans. In rags, the several bands disposed of their lands in Iowa and on the Chage for the sum of 8850.000 and removed to another reser- vation on the Kan-a- Kiver, where they were joined in is55 by the remnant still remaining in Michigan. I their Westers home, as here, they were divided into the Pottawatomie, of the Woods, the Mission band who were generally Catholics, docile, and easily civilized.,

ORIGIN OF THE WORD CHICAGO.

and the wild Prairie band. At the treaty made with the tribe in Kansas, November 15. 1862, the latter could not be induced to break up their tribal relations, and were allotted a portion of the reservation which they were to hold in common. The Band of the Woods and the Mission band elected to become citizens of the United States, and now hold their land in Kansas in severalty. The Prairie band numbered seven hundred and eighty at the time of the treaty, and was allotted a tract of about twelve miles square in what is now Jack- son Co., Kans., upon which they still live. There are now (1883) on the reservation about four hundred and fifty; two hundred and eighty are in Wisconsin, thirty in Iowa and twenty-four in the Indian Territory. Dr. H. C. Linn is the present agent of the Prairie Indians, and their present chief is Sough-nes-see. On the reser- vation the Indians have one hundred and five houses, some of which are very comfortable, and as many well cultivated fields, enclosed with good fences. The In- dian boarding-school was opened in 1875, which with its school building, boarding house. laundry, barn, etc., cost $12,000. A writer who visited them in 1882 says :*

"This prairie band of Indians are many of them resolutely cultivating the arts of peace. They are just and honest with the whites and themselves; they are developing the holy love of a per- sonal, permanent home; they are comprehending subjects of busi- ness presented to them; they are substituting, for the sixteen English letters they have heretofore used in their Indian language, all of the English alphabet found necessary to express vocal sounds; they are learning to acquire property: in fine they are making grad- ual progress, and their permanent location in Jackson County may bring mutual compensation to themselves and the 'superior race.'

ORIGIN OF THE WORD CHICAGO.

The first mention of the word Che-cau-gou, the Chicago of modern times, is in Hennepin's account of LaSalle's expedition to the Illinois River by way of the St. Joseph and Kankakee, in 1680. The title of one of his chapters has been translated, "An account of -the · building of a new fort on the river of the .Illinois, named. by the savages Che-cau-gou, and by us Fort Creveceur This is a very blind translation, and it is difficult to determine from it, exactly what Hennepin meant ; but. judging from other descriptions of the same expedition, . given by Membre and LaSalle, he probably intended

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History of Chicago. From the earliest period to the present time, Part 8

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas Number of Pages: 1340

Author: Andreas, Alfred Theodore
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago, A. T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 1340