History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 3

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150

USA > Illinois > Greene County > History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois > Part 3

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river, and on the west from the St. Franeis to the Missouri. Iam perfectly satisfied that cities similar to those of ancient Mexico, of several hundred thousand souls, have existed in this country."

OTHER RACES.

Following the Mound-Builders as in- habitants of North America, were, as it is supposed, the people who reared the magnificent cities the ruins of which are found in Central America. This people was far more civilized and advanced in the arts than were the Mound-Builders. The cities built by them, judging from the ruins of broken columns, fallen arches and crumbling walls of temples, palaces and pyramids, which in some places for miles bestrew the ground, must have been of great extent, mag- nificent and very populous. When we consider the vast period of time neces- sary to erect such colossal structures, and, again, the time required to reduce them to their present ruined state, we can conceive something of their antiqu- ity. These cities must have been old when many of the ancient cities of the Orient were being built.

The third race inhabiting North Amer- ica distinct from the former two in every particular, is the present Indians. They were, when visited by the early discov- erers, without cultivation, refinement or literature, and far behind the Mound Builders in the knowledge of the arts. The question of their origin has long interested archæologists, and is the most difficult they have been called upon to answer. Of their predecessor, the In- dian tribes knew nothing; they even had no traditions respecting them. It is

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

quite certain that they were the succes- sors of a race that had entirely passed away ages before the discovery of the new world. One hypothesis is that the American Indians are an original race indigenous to the western hemisphere. Those who entertain this view think their peculiarities of physical structure preclude the possibility of a common parentage with the rest of mankind. Prominent among those distinctive traits is the hair, which in the red man is round, in the white man oval, and in the black man flat. A more common supposition, however, is that they are a derivative race, and sprang from one or more of the ancient peoples of Asia. This last is doubtless the true theory.

INDIANS.

When Christopher Columbus had finally succeeded in demonstrating the truth of his theory, that by sailing west from Europe land would be discovered, landing on the island of San Salvador he supposed that he had reached the East Indies. This was an error, but it led to the adoption of the name of "In- dians" for the inhabitants of the newly discovered country, by which name the red men of America have ever since been known. At the time of the discov- ery of America, the Algonquins, one of the most powerful tribes of Indians, or- cupied the seaboard, while the Iroquois, another great tribe, inhabited the coun- try almost surrounded by them. The Algonquins spread over vast territory, and various tribes of Algonquin lineage sprang up over the country, in time adopting distinct tribal customs and laws. An almost continuous warfare was carried on between tribes, but when

the white men came, a confederacy of Indian tribes was formed, and every foot of territory was fiercely disputed. The Algonquins formed the most extensive alliance to resist the encroachments of the whites, especially the English. Such was the nature of King Philip's war. This king, with his Algonquin braves, spread terror and desolation throughout New England. With the Algonquins as the controlling spirit, a confederacy of continental proportions was the result, embracing in its alliance the tribes of every name and lineage from the north- ern lakes to the gulf. Pontiac having breathed into them his implacable hate of the English intruders, ordered the conflict to commence, and all the British colonies trembled before the desolating fury of Indian vengeance.

ILLINOIS CONFEDERACY,

The Illinois confederacy, the various tribes of which comprised most of the Indians of Illinois at one time, was com- posed of five tribes; the Tamaroas, Mich- igans, Kaskaskias, Cahokias and Peo- rias. The Illinois, Miamis and Dela- wares were of the same stock. As early as 1670, the priest, Father Marquette, mentions frequent visits made by indi- viduals of this confederacy to the mis- sionary station at St. Esprit, near the western extremity of Lake Superior. At that time they lived west of the Mis- sissippi, in eight villages, whither they had been driven from the shores of Lake Michigan by the Iroquois. Shortly af- terward, they began to return to their old hunting grounds, and most of them finally settled in Illinois. Joliet and Marquette, in 1673, met with a band of them on their famous voyage of discov-

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

ery down the Mississippi. They were treated with the greatest hospitality by the principal chief. On their return voy- age up the Illinois river, they stopped at the principal town of the confederacy, situated on the banks of the river, seven miles below the present town of Ottawa. It was then called Kaskaskia. Mar- quette returned to the village in 1675, and established the mission of the Im- maculate Conception, the oldest in I]]- inois. When, in 1679, LaSalle visited the town, it had greatly increased, num- bering 460 lodges, and at the annual as- sembly of the different tribes, from 6,000 to 8,000 souls. In common with other western tribes, they became involved in the conspiracy of Pontiac, although displaying no very great warlike spirit. Pontiac lost his life by the hands of one of the braves of the Illinois tribe, which so enraged the nations that had followed him as their leader, that they fell upon the Illinois to avenge his death, and al- most annihilated them. Tradition states that a band of this tribe, in order to es- cape the general slaughter, took refuge upon the high rock on the Illinois river known as "Starved Rock." Nature has made this one of the most formidable military fortresses in the world. From the waters which wash its base, it rises to an altitude of 125 feet. Three of its sides it is impossible to scale, while the other may be climbed with difficulty . From its summit, almost as inaccessible as an eagle's nest, the valley of the Illi- nois is seen as a landscape of exquisite beauty. The river near by struggles between a number of wooded islands, while further below it quietly meanders through vast meadows until it disap- pears like a thread of light in the dim

distance. On the summit of this rock, the Illinois were besieged by a superior force of the Pottawattamies, whom the great strength of their natural fortress enabled them to keep at bay. Hunger and thirst, however, soon accomplished what the army was unable to effect. Surrounded by a relentless foe, without food or water, they took a last look at their beautiful hunting grounds, and with true Indian fortitude, laid down and died from starvation. Years after- ward, their bones were seen whitening in that place.

At the beginning of the present cen- tury, the remnants of this once powerful confederacy were forced into a smaller compass around Kaskaskia. A few years later they emigrated to the south- west, and in 1850 they were in the In- dian Territory, and numbered but 84 persons.

EARLY DISCOVERIES.

Nicholas Perrot, a Frenchman, was the first white man to visit the present great state of Illinois. In the year 1671, he was sent to Chicago by M. Talon, in- tendant of Canada, for the purpose of inviting the Indians to a peace conven- tion, to be held at Green Bay. The ob- jeet of this convention was the forma- tion of a plan for the exploration of the Mississippi river. De Soto, the Spanish explorer, had discovered the river nearly one hundred and fifty years pre- viously, but did not effeet a settlement or explore the country any farther. It remained as it was until the French de- termined to visit it, for which purpose it was deemed a wise policy, as far as possible, to secure the friendship and co-operation of the Indians, before ven- turing upon an enterprise which their

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

hostility might render disastrous. A plan was accordingly arranged, and Louis Joliet joined Father Jacques Mar- quette at the Jesuit Mission, on the strait of Mackinaw, and with five other Frenchmen, and a simple outfit, the daring explorers, on the 17th of May, 1673, set out on their perilous voyage to discover the Mississippi. Coasting along the northern shore of Lake Mich- igan, they entered Green Bay, and passed thence up Fox river and Lake Winnebago, to a village of the Musca- tines and Miamis, where great interest was taken in the expedition by the na- tives. With guides they proceeded down the river. Arriving at the port- age, they soon carried their eight canoes and scanty baggage to the Wisconsin, about three miles distant. Their guides now refused to accompany them further, and endeavored by reciting the dangers incident to the voyage, to induce them to return. They stated that huge de- mons dwelt in the great river, whose voices could be heard a long distance, and who engulfed in the raging waters all who came within their reach. They also stated that if any of them should escape the dangers of the river, fierce tribes of Indians dwelt upon its banks, ready to complete the work of destruc- tion. They proceeded upon their jour- ney, however, and on the 17th of June, pushed their frail barks upon the bosom of the stately Mississippi, down which they smoothly glided for nearly a hun- dred miles. Here Joliet and Marquette, leaving their canoes in charge of their men went up on the western shore, where they discovered an Indian village, and were kindly treated. They journeyed on down the unknown river, passing the

mouth of the Illinois, then running into the current of the muddy Missouri, and afterwards the waters of the Ohio joined with them on their journey southward. Near the mouth of the Arkansas they discovered Indians who showed signs of hostility; but when Marquette's mission of peace was made known to them, they were kindly received. After proceeding up the Arkansas a short distance, at the advice of the natives, they turned their faces northward to retrace their steps. After several weeks of hard toil, they reached the Illinois, up which they pro- ceeded to Lake Michigan. Following the western shore of the lake, they en- tered Green Bay the latter part of Sep- tember, having traveled a distance of 2,500 miles.

FIRST SETTLEMENTS.

On his way up the Illinois, Marquette visited the Kaskaskias, near what is now Utica, in LaSalle county. The follow- ing year he returned, and established among them the mission of the Immae- ulate Conception. This was the last act of his life. He died in Michigan, May 18, 1675. The town was named Kas- kaskia by Marquette.

The first military occupation of the country was at Fort Crevecoeur, erected in 1680; but there is no evidence that a settlement was commenced there, or at Peoria, on the lake above, at that early date. The first settlement of which there is any authentie account was com- meneed with the building of Fort St. Louis, on the Illinois river, in 1682; but this was soon abandoned. The oldest permanent settlement, not only in Illi- nois, but in the valley of the Mississippi, was at Kaskaskia, six miles above its

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

confluence with the Mississippi and the Prairie du Rocher, near Fort Chartres. Fort Chartres was built under the direc- tion of the Mississippi company in 1718, and was for a time the headquarters of the military commandants of the dis- triet of Illinois, and the most impreg- nable fortress in North America. It was also the center of wealth and fashion in west. For about eighty years, the French retained peaceable possession of llli- nois. Their amiable disposition and taet of ingratiating themselves with the Indians, enabled them to escape almost entirely the broils which weakened and destroyed other colonies. Whether ex- ploring remote rivers or traversing hunting grounds in pursuit of game, in the social circle or as participants in the religious exercises of the church, the red men became their associates, and were treated with the kindness and consid- eration of brothers. For more than a hundred years, peace between the white man and the red was unbroken, and when at last this reign of harmony ter- minated, it was not caused by the con- ciiatory Frenchman, but by the blunt and sturdy Anglo - Saxon. During this century, or until the country was occu- pied by the English, no regular court was over held. When, in 1765, the country passed into the hands of the English, many of the French, rather than submit to a change in their institutions, preferred to leave their homes and seek a new abode. There are, however, at the present time, a few remnants of the old French stock in the state, who still retain to a great extent, the ancient habits and customs of their fathers.

ENGLISH RULE. In 1750 France claimed the whole

valley of the Mississippi, and England the right to extend her possessions west- ward as far as she might desire. Through colonial controversies, the two mother countries were precipitated into a bloody war within the Northwestern Territory, George Washington firing the first gun of the military struggle which resulted in the overthrow of the French, not only in Hlinois, but in North America. The French evinced a deter- mination to retain control of the terri- tory bordering the Ohio and Mississippi, from Canada to the Gulf, and so long as the English colonies were confined to the sea-coast, there was little reason for controversy. As the English, how- over, became acquainted with this beau- tiful and fertile portion of our country, they not only learned the value of the vast territory, but also resolved to set up a counter-elaim to the soil. . The French established numerous military and trading posts from the frontiers of Canada to New Orleans, and in order to establish also their claims to jurisdic- tion over the country, they carved the lilies of France on the forest trees, or sank plates of metal in the ground. These measures did not, however, deter the English from going on with their ex- plorations; and though neither party resorted to arms, yet the conflict was gathering, and it was only a question of time when the storm should burst upon the frontier settlement. The French based their claims upon discoveries, the English on grants of territory ex- tending from ocean to ocean, but neither party paid the slightest attention to the prior claims of the Indians. From this position of affairs, it was evident that the actual collision between the con-

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

tending parties would not much longer be deferred. The English government, in anticipation of a war, urged the gov- ernor of Virginia to lose no time in building two forts, which were equipped by arms from England, The French anticipated the English, and gathered a considerable force to defend their pos- sessions. The governor determined to send a messenger to the nearest French post, and demand an explanation. This resolution of the governor brought into the history of our country for the first time the man of all others whom Amer- iea most loves to honor, namely, George Washington. He was chosen, although not twenty-one years of age, as the one to perform this delicate and difficult mission. With five compan- ions he set out, on November 10, 1753, and after a perilous journey, returned January 6, 1754. The struggle com- menced, and continued long, and was bloody and fierce; but on the 10th of October, 1765, the ensign of France was

replaced on the ramparts of Fort Chartres, by the flag of Great Britain. This fort was the depot of supplies, and the place of rendezvous for the united forces of the French. At this time the colonies of the Atlantic sea-board were assembled in preliminary congress at New York, dreaming of liberty and in- dependence for the continent; and Washington, who led the expedition against the French for the English King, in less than ten years was com- manding the forees opposed to the Eng- lish tyrant. Illinois, besides being constructively a part of Florida for over one hundred years, during which time no Spaniard set foot upon her soil or rested his eyes upon her beautiful plains, for nearly ninety years had been in the actual occupation of the French, their puny settlements slumbering quietly in colonial dependenee on the distant waters of the Kaskaskia, Illinois and Wabash.

CHAPTER II.

COUNTY AND TERRITORY OF ILLINOIS.

The Northwest Territory was now en- tirely under English rule, and on the breaking out of the Revolutionary war, the British held every post of impor- tance in the west. While the colonists of the East were maintaining a fierce struggle with the armies of England, their western frontiers were ravaged by

the merciless butcheries of Indian war- fare. The jealousy of the savage was aroused to action by the rapid extension of American settlement westward, and the improper influence exerted by a number of military posts, garrisoned by British troops. To prevent indiserimi- nate slaughter, arising from these causes,

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

Illinois became the theatre of some of the most daring exploits connected with American history. The hero of the achievements by which this beautiful land was snatched as a gem from the British crown, was George Rogers Clark, of Virginia. He had closely watched the movements of the British through- out the northwest, and understood their whole plan; he also knew the Indians were not unanimously in accord with the English, and therefore was con- vinced that if the British could be de- feated and expelled from the northwest, the natives could be easily awed into neutrality. Having convinced himself that the enterprise against the Illinois settlement might easily succeed, he re- paired to the capital of Virginia, arriv- ing November 5, 1777. While he was on his way, fortunately, Burgoyne was defeated (October 17), and the spirits of the colonists were thereby greatly en- couraged. Patrick Henry was governor of Virginia, and at once entered heart- ily into Clark's plans. After satisfying the Virginia leaders of the feasibility of his project, he received two sets of in- structions-one secret, the other open. The latter authorized him to enlist seven companies to go to Kentucky, and serve three months after their arrival in the west. The seeret order authorized him to arm these troops, to procure his pow- der and lead of General Hand, at Pitts- burg, and to proceed at once to subju- gate the country.

With these instructions Colonel Clark repaired to Pittsburg, choosing rather to raise his men west of the mountains, as he well knew all were needed in the col- onies for the conflict there. Enlisting his men, he at once proceeded to carry

out his instructions. His plan was to go by water as far as Fort Massac, and thence march direet to Kaskaskia. Here he intended to surprise the garri- son, and after its capture go to Cahokia, then to Vincennes, and lastly to Detroit. Each of these posts were, in turn cap- tured.

The services of Clark proved of es- sential advantage to his countrymen. They disconcerted the plans of Hamil- ton, the governor of Detroit, who was intending to make a vigorous and con- certed attack upon the frontier, and not only saved the western frontier from depredations by the savages, but also greatly cooled the ardor of the Indians, for carrying on a contest in which they were not likely to be the gainers. Had it not been for this small army, a union of all the tribes from Maine to Georgia against the colonies might have been ef- freted, and the whole current of our history changed.

COUNTY OF ILLINOIS.

In October, 1778, after the successful campaign of Colonel Clark, the assem- bly of Virginia erected the conquered country, embracing all the territory northwest of the Ohio river, into the county of Illinois, which was doubtless the largest county in the world, exceed- ing in dimensions the whole of Great Britain and Ireland. To speak more definitely, it contained the territory now embraced in the great states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin and Mich- igan. On the 12th of December, 1778, John Todd was appointed lieutenant commandant of this county by Patrick Henry, then governor of Virginia, and

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS,

accordingly, also, the first of Illinois county.

NORTHWESTERN TERRITORY.

Illinois continued to form a part of Virginia until March 1, 1784, when that state ceded all the territory north of the Ohio to the United States. Immedi- ately the general government proceeded to establish a form of government for the settlers in the territories thus ceded. This form continued until the passage of the ordinance of 1787, for the gov- ernnient of the Northwestern Territory. No man can study the secret history of this ordinance and not feel that Provi- dence was gniding with sleepless oye the destinies of these unborn states. American legislation has never achieved anything more admirable, for its inter- nal government than this comprehen- sive ordinance. Its provisions concern- ing the distribution of property, the principles of civil and religious liberty which it laid at the foundation of the communities since established, and the efficient and simple organization by which it created the first machinery of civil society, are worthy of all the praise that has ever been given them.

ORDINANCE OF 1787.

For some years Thomas Jefferson had vainly tried to secure a system of gov- ernment for the Northwestern Territory. He was an emaneipationist, and favored the exclusion of slavery from the terri- tory, and in this he was opposed by almost the entire sonth. In July, 1787, Manasseh Cutler appeared in New York to lobby on the question of organization of the Northwestern Territory. He was a country gentleman of the old style, a

man of commanding presence and of in- viting face. He came representing a Massachusetts company that desired to purchase a tract of land, now included in Ohio, for the purpose of planting a colony. This company, together with certain speculators in New York, enabled him to represent a demand for 5,500,000 acres. The amount thus received from the sale of this land would apply towards reducing the national debt, which Jeffer- son was anxious should be paid as soon . as possible.

Massachusetts then owned the terri- tory of Maine, which she was crowding on the market. She was opposed to opening the northwestern region. This fired the zeal of Virginia. The south caught the inspiration, and all exalted Dr. Cutler. The entire south rallied around him. Massachusetts could not vote against him, because many of the constituents of her members were inter- ested personally in the western specu- lation. Thus Cutler, making friends in the sonth, and doubtless using all the arts of the lobby, was enabled to com- mand the situation. True to deeper con- victions, he dictated one of the most con- pact and finished doeuments of wise statesmanship that has ever adorned any human law book. He borrowed from Jef- ferson the term "Articles of Compact," which, preceding the federal constitu- tion, rose into most sacred character. He then followed very closely the con- stitution of Massachusetts, adopted three years before. Its prominent points were :

1. The exclusion of slavery from the territory forever.

2. Provision for public schools, giv- ing one township for a seminary, and

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

every section numbered 16 in each town- ship; that is, one-thirty-sixth of all the land for public schools.

3. A provision prohibiting the adop- tion of any constitution or the enactment of any law that should nullify pre-ex- isting contracts.

Be it forever remembered that this compact declared that " religion, moral- ity and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of edu- cation shall always be encouraged." Dr. Cutler planted himself on this platform, and would not yield. Giving his un- qualified declaration that it was that or nothing,-that unless they could make the land desirable they did not want it, -- he took his horse and buggyand started for the constitutional convention at Phil- adelphia. On July 13, 1787, the bill was put upon its passage, and was unani- mously adopted. Thus the great states of Ohio, Indiana, Ilinois, Michigan and Wiseonsin, a vast empire, were conse- crated to freedom, intelligence and mor- ality. Thus the great heart of the na- tion was prepared to save the union of states, for it was this act that was the salvation of the republic and the destruc- tion of slavery. Soon the south saw their great blunder, and tried to have the com- pact repealed. In 1803 congress referred it to a committee, of which John Ran- dolph was chairman. He reported that this ordinance was a compact, and op- posed repeal. There it stood, a rock in the way of the on-rushing sea of slavery.

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History of Greene and Jersey Counties, Illinois : together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military, and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of representative men, History of Illinois, Part 3

Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical Number of Pages: 1150

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: Springfield, Ill. : Continental Historical
Number of Pages: 1150