History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 3

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

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

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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 Peorias. The Illinois, Miamis and Delawares, were of the same stock. As early as 1670, the priest, Father Marquette, men- tions frequent visits made by individuals of this confederacy to the missionary station at St. Esprit, near the western extremity of Lake Superior. At that time they lived west of the Mississippi, in eight villages, whither they had been driven from the shores of Lake Michigan by the Iroquois. Shortly afterward, they began to return to their old hunt-

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

ing 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 discovery down the Mississippi. They were treated with the greatest hospitality by the principal chief. On their return voyage up the Illinois river, they stopped at the prin- cipal town of the confederacy, situated on the banks of the river, seven miles below the present town of Ottawa. It was then called Kaskaskia. Marquette returned to the village in 1675, and established the mission of the Immacu- late Conception, the oldest in Illinois. When, in 1679, LaSalle visited the town, it had greatly increased, numbering 460 lodges, and at the annual assembly of the different tribes, from 6,000 to 8,000 souls. In common with other western tribes, they became involved in the con- spiracy 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 deatlı, and almost annihilated them. Tradition states that a band of this tribe, in order to escape the general slaughter, took refuge upon the high rock on the Illi- nois 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 Illinois is seen as a land-

scape 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 disappears like a thread of light in the dim distance. On the summit of this rock, the Illinois were besieged by a su- perior force of the Pottawattamies, whom the great strength of their natural for- tress enabled them to keep at bay. Hun- ger and thirst, however, soon accomplish- ed 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 southwest, and in 1850 they were in the Indian·Ter- ritory, 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, intendant of Canada, for the pur- pose of inviting the Indians to a peace convention, to be held at Green Bay. The object of this convention was the formation 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 previously, but did not effect a settle- ment or explore the country any farther.

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

It remained as it was until the French determined 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 hostility might render disastrous. A plan was accordingly arranged,and Louis Joliet joined Father Jacques Marquette at the Jesuit Mission, on the strait of Mackinaw, and with five other French- men, 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 Michigan, they entered Green Bay, and passed thence up Fox river and Lake Winnebago, to a village of the Muscatines and Miamis, where great interest was taken in the expedition by the natives. With guides they proceeded down the river. Arriv- ing at the portage, 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 demons 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 destruction. They proceeded upon their journey, 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

hundred miles. Here Joliet and Mar- quette, leaving their canoes in charge of their men, went upon 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 Immacu- late 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 Crevecœur, 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

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

which there is any authentic account was commenced 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 Illinois, but in the valley of the Mississippi, was at Kaskaskia, six miles above its confluence with the Mississippi and Prairie du Rocher, near Fort Chartres. Fort Chartres was built under the direction of the Missis- sippi company in 1718, and was for a time the headquarters of the military commandants of the district of Illinois, and the most impregnable fortress in North America. It was also the center of wealth and fashion in the west. For about eighty years, the French retained peaceable possession of Illinois. Their amiable disposition and tact of ingrati- ating themselves with the Indians, en- abled them to escape almost entirely the broils which weakened and destroyed other colonies. Whether exploring re- mote rivers or traversing hunting grounds in pursuit of game, in the social circle or as participants in the religious exer- cises of the church, the red men became their associates, and were treated with the kindness and consideration 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 terminated, it was not caused by the conciliatory Frenchman, but by the blunt and sturdy Anglo-Saxon. During this century, or until the country was occupied by the English, no regular court was ever 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 val- ley of the Mississippi, and England the right to extend her possessions westward 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 Illinois, but in North America. The French evinced a determination to re- tain control of the territory 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, however, became ac- quainted with this beautiful and fertile portion of our country, they not only learned the value of the vast territory, but also resolved to set up a counter- claim to the soil. The French establish- ed numerous military and trading posts from the frontiers of Canada to New Orleans, and in order to establish also their claims to jurisdiction 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 explorations; and though neither party resorted to arms,

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

yet the conflict was gathering, and it was only a question of time when the storm should burst upon the frontier settle- ment. The French based their claims upon discoveries, the English on grants of territory extending from ocean to ocean, but neither party paid the slight- est attention to the prior claims of the Indians. From this position of affairs, it was evident that the actual collision between the contending parties would not much longer be deferred. The Eng- lish government, in anticipation of a war, urged the governor 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 possessions. The governor deter- mined 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 America most loves to honor, namely, George Washington. He was chosen, al- though not twenty-one years of age, as the one to perform this delicate and diffi- cult mission. With five companions he

set out, on November 10, 1753, and after a perilous journey, returned January 6, 1754. The struggle commenced, and con- tinued long, and was bloody and fierce; but on the 10th of October, 1765, the en- sign of France was replaced on the ram- parts 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 lib- erty and independence for the continent; and Washington, who led the expedition against the French for the English King, in less than ten years was commanding the forces opposed to the English 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 occu- pation of the French, their puny settle- ments slumbering quietly in colonial de- pendence 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

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

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 indiscrimi- nate slaughter, arising from these causes, 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 throughout the northwest, and under- stood their whole plan; he also knew the Indians were not unanimously in ac- cord with the English, and therefore was convinced 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 secret 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 direct 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 af- fected, and the whole current of our his- tory 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-

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

ing in dimensions the whole of Great Britian 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 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- ernment of the Northwestern Territory. No man can study the secret history of this ordinance and not feel that Provi- dence was guiding with sleepless eye, 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 govern-

ment for the Northwestern Territory. He was an emancipationist, and favored the exclusion of slavery from the terri- tory, and in this he was opposed by al- most the entire south. 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 specula- tion. Thus Cutler, making friends in the south, 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 com- pact and finished documents of wise statesmanship that has ever adorned any human law book. He borrowed from Jefferson the term "Articles of Compact,"

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

which, preceding the federal constitution, rose into most sacred character. He then followed very closely the constitution of Massachusetts, adopted three years be- fore. 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 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 adopt- ion 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 buggy and 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, Illinois, Michigan and Wisconsin, 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.

General Arthur St. Clair was, by con- gress, elected governor of this vast ter- ritory.

ILLINOIS TERRITORY.

After the division of the Northwest- ern Territory, Illinois became one of the counties of the territory of Indiana, from which it was separated by an act of congress, February 3, 1809, forming the territory of Illinois, with a population estimated at 9,000, and then including the present state of Wisconsin. It was divided, at the time, into two counties -- St. Clair and Randolph. John Boyle, of Kentucky, was appointed governor by the president, James Madison, but declining, Ninian Edwards, of the same state, was then appointed, and served with distinction; and after the organiza- tion of Illinois as a state, he served in that capacity, being its third governor.

During Governor Edwards' adminis- tration, the war of 1812 commenced, and the few whites in the state had to con- tend against a savage foe incited on to deeds of violence by the British officers sent out for that purpose. The massa- cre at Fort Dearborn, of helpless pris- oners, by the infuriated Indians, forms a black page in Illinois history. Several expeditions were put on foot by Gover- nor Edwards against the Indians, and in the various campaigns the governor bore an honorable and heroic part. Peace came at last, the Indian depreda- tions ceased, and the territory of Illinois was again on the road to prosperity.

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

CHAPTER III.

STATE ORGANIZATION.

In January of 1818 the territorial leg- islature forwarded to Nathaniel Pope, delegate in congress from Illinois, a petition praying for admission into the national union as a state. On April 18 of the same year, congress passed the enabling act, and December 3, after the state government had been organized, and Governor Bond had signed the con- stitution, congress, by a resolution, de- clared Illinois to be one of the "United States of America, and admitted into the union on an equal footing with the original states in every respect."

FIRST CONSTITUTION.

In July and August of 1818, a con- vention was held at Kaskaskia for the purpose of drafting a constitution. This constitution was not submitted to a vote of the people for their approval or rejec- tion, it being well known that they would approve it. It was about the first or- ganic law of any state in the union to abolish imprisonment for debt. The first election under the constitution was held on the first Thursday and the two succeeding days in September, 1818. Shadrach Bond was elected governor, and Pierre Menard lieutenant-governor. Their term of office extended four years. At this time the state was divided into 15 counties, the population being about 40,000. Of this number, by far the

larger portion were from the southern states. The salary of the governor was $1,000, while that of the treasurer was $500. The legislature re-enacted, ver- batim, the territorial code, the penalties of which were unnecessarily severe. Whipping, stocks and pillory were used for minor offenses, and for arson, rape, horse-stealing, etc., death by hanging was the penalty. These laws, however, were modified in 1821.

The legislature first convened at Kas- kaskia, the ancient seat of empire for more than one hundred and fifty years, both for the French and Americans. Provisions were made, however, for the removal of the seat of government by this legislature. A place in the wilder- ness on the Kaskaskia river was selected, and named Vandalia. From Vandalia it was removed to Springfield in the year 1839.

THE WINNEBAGO WAR.

The Indians, who for some years were on peaceful terms with the whites, be- came troublesome in 1827. The Win- nebagoes, Sacs and Foxes and other tribes had been at war more than a hun- dred years. In the summer of 1827 a war party of the Winnebagoes surprised a party of Chippewas, and killed eight of them. Four of the murderers were arrested, and delivered to the Chippe-

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History of McDonough County, Illinois, together with sketches of the towns, villages and townships, educational, civil, military and political history; portraits of prominent individuals, and biographies of the representative citizens, Part 3

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

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