USA > Indiana > Jay County > Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana : containing portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. > Part 11
USA > Indiana > Blackford County > Biographical and historical record of Jay and Blackford Counties, Indiana : containing portraits and biographies of some of the prominent men of the state : engravings of prominent citizens in Jay and Blackford Counties, with personal histories of many of the leading families and a concise history of Jay and Blackford Counties and their cities and villages. > Part 11
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The post at Vincennes, defended by Fort Sackville, was the next and all-important position to possess. Father Gibault, of Kas- kaskia, who also had charge of the church at Vincennes, being friendly to the Amer- icans, used his influence with the people of the garrison, and won them to Clark's stand-
ard. They took the oath of allegiance to Virginia, and became citizens of the United States. Colonel Clark here concluded treaties with the several Indian tribes, and placed Captain Leonard Helm, an American, in command of Vincennes. On learning the successful termination of Clark's expedition, the General Assembly of Virginia declared all the settlers west of the Ohio organized into a county of that State, to be known as " Illinois " County; but before the provisions of the law could be made effective, Henry Ilamilton, the British Lieutenant-Governor of Detroit, collected an army of thirty regu- lars, fifty French volunteers and 400 Indians, and moved upon and took Post Vincennes in December, 1778. Captain Helm and a man named Henry were the only Americans at the fort, the only members of the garrison. Captain Helm was taken prisoner, and the French disarmed.
Colonel Clark was at Kaskaskia when lie learned of the capture of Vincennes, and de- termined to retake the place. He gathered together what force he could (170 inen), and on the 5th of February started from Kas- kaskia, and crossed the river of that name. The weather was wet, and the lowlands cov- ered with water. He had to resort to shoot- ing such game as chanced to be found to furnish provisions, and use all the ingenuity and skill he possessed to nerve his little force to press forward. He waded the water and shared all the hardships and privations with his men. They reached the Little Wabash on the 13th. The river was overflowing the lowlands from recent rains. Two days were here consumed in crossing the stream. The succeeding days they marched through water much of the time, reaching the Big Wabash on the night of the 17th. The 18th and 19th were consumed trying to cross the river. Finally canoes were constructed, and the -
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entire force crossed the main stream, but to find the lowlands under water and consider- able ice formed from recent cold. His men mutinied and refused to proceed. All the persuasions of Clark had no effect upon the half-starved, and half-frozen, soldiers.
In one company was a small drummer boy, and also a Sergeant who stood six feet two inches in socks, and stout and athletic. He was devoted to Clark. The General mounted the little drummer on the shoulders of the Sergeant, and ordered him to plunge into the water, half-frozen as it was. He did so, the little boy beating the cliarge from his lofty position, while Clark, sword in hand, fol- lowed them, giving the command as he threw aside the floating ice, " Forward." The effect was electrical; the men hoisted their guns above their heads, and plunged into the water and followed their determined leader. On arriving within two miles of the fort, General Clark halted his little band, and sent in a letter demanding a surrender, to which he received no reply. He next ordered Lieu- tenant Bayley with fourteen men to advance and fire on the fort, while the main body moved in another direction and took posses- sion of the strongest portion of the town. Clark then demanded Hamilton's surrender immediately or he would be treated as a murderer. Hamilton made reply, indignantly refusing to surrender. After one hour more of fighting, Hamilton proposed a truce of three days. Clark's reply was, that nothing would be accepted but an unconditional sur- render of Hamilton and the garrison. In less than an hour Clark dictated the terms of surrender, February 24, 1779.
Of this expedition, of its results, of its importance, as well as of the skill and bravery of those engaged in it, a volume would not suffice for the details.
This expedition and its gigantic results
has never been surpassed, if equalled, in modern times, when we consider that by it the whole territory now included in the three great States of Indiana, Illinois and Michigan was added to the Union, and so admitted by the British Commissioners to the treaty of peace in 1783. But for the results of this expedition, our western bound- ary would have been the Ohio instead of the Mississippi. When we consider the vast area of territory embracing 2,000,000 people, the human mind is lost in the contemplation of its effects; and we can but wonder that a force of 170 men, the whole number of Clark's troops, should by this single action have pro- duced such important results.
General Clark reinstated Captain Helm in command of Vincennes, with instructions to subdue the marauding Indians, which he did, and soon comparative quiet was restored on Indiana soil.
The whole credit of this conquest belongs to General Clark and Colonel Francis Vigo. The latter was a Sardinian by birth. He served for a time in the Spanish army, but left the army and engaged in trading with the Indians, and attained to great popularity and influence among them, as well as making considerable money. He devoted his time, influence and means in aid of the Clark expedition and the cause of the United States.
GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTIIWEST.
Colonel John Todd, Lieutenant for the County of Illinois, visited Vincennes and Kaskaskia in the spring of 1779, and organ- ized temporary civil government. He also proceeded to adjust the disputed land claim. With this view he organized a court of civil and criminal jurisdiction at Vincennes. This court was composed of several magistrates, and presided over by Colonel J. M. P. Legras, who was then commander of the post.
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This court, from precedent, began to grant lands to the French and American inhabitants. Forty-eight thousand acres had been disposed of in this manner up to 1787, when the prac- tice was prohibited by General Harmar.
In the fall of 1780 La Balma, a French- man, made an attempt to capture the British garrison of Detroit by leading an expedition against it from Kaskaskia.
He marched with his sinall force to the British trading-post at the head of the Mau- mee, where Fort Wayne now stands, plun- dered the British traders and Indians, and retired. While in camp on his retreat, he was attacked by a band of Miamis; a number of his men were killed, and the expedition was ruined. In this manner war continued between the Americans and their enemies until 1783, when the treaty of Paris was concluded, resulting in the establishment of the independence of the United States.
Up to this time the Indiana territory be- longed by conquest to the State of Virginia.
In January, 1783, the General Assembly of that State resolved to cede the territory to the United States. The proposition made by Virginia was accepted by the United States, and the transfer confirmed early in 1784. The conditions of the transfer of the territory to the United States were, that the State of Virginia should be reimbursed for all expen- ditures incurred in exploring and protecting settlers in the territory; that 150,000 acres of land should be granted to General Clark and his band of soldiers, who conquered the French and British and annexed the terri- tory to Virginia.
After the above deed of cession had been accepted by Congress, in the spring of 1784, the matter of the future government of the territory was referred to a committee con- sisting of Messrs. Jefferson, of Virginia; Chase, of Maryland; and Howell, of Rhode
Island; which committee, among other things, reported an ordinance prohibiting slavery in the territory after 1800, but this article of the ordinance was rejected.
The ordinance of 1787 has an interesting history. Considerable controversy has been indulged in as to who is entitled to the credit of framing it. This undoubtedly belongs to Nathan Dane; and to Rufus King and Timothy Pickering belongs the credit for the clause prohibiting slavery contained in it.
Mr. Jefferson had vainly tried to secure a system of government for the Northwestern Territory excluding slavery therefrom. The South invariably voted him down.
In July, 1787, an organizing act withont the slavery clause was pending, which was supposed would secure its passage. Congress was in session in New York. July 5 Rev. Manasseh Cutler, of Massachusetts, came to New York in the interest of some land spec- ulators in the Northwest Territory. He was a graduate of Yale; had taken the degrees of the three learned professions-medicine, law and divinity. As a scientist, in America his name stood second only to that of Franklin.
He was a courtly gentleman of the old style. He readily ingratiated himself into the confidence of Southern leaders. He wished to purchase 5,500,000 acres of land in the new Territory. Jefferson and his ad- ministration desired to make a record on the reduction of the public debt, and this was a rare opportunity. Massachusetts representa- tives could not vote against Cutler's scheine, as many of their constituents were interested in the measure; Southern members were already committed. Thus Cutler held the key to the situation, and dictated terms, which were as follows:
1. The exclusion of slavery from the Territory forever.
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2. Providing one-thirty-sixth of all the land for public schools.
3. Be it forever remembered that this compact declares that religion, morality and knowledge being necessary to good govern- ment and the happiness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall always be encouraged.
Dr. Cutler planted himself on this plat- form, and would not yield, stating that unless they could procure the lands under desirable conditions and surroundings, they did not want it. July 13, 1787, the bill became a law. Thus the great States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wis- consin-a vast empire-were consecrated to freedom, intelligence and morality.
October 5, 1787, Congress elected General Arthur St. Clair Governor of the North- western Territory. He assumed his official duties at Marietta, and at once proceeded to treat with the Indians, and organize a Terri- torial government. He first organized a court at Marietta, consisting of three judges, himself being president of the court.
The Governor with the judges thien visited Kaskaskia, for the purpose of organizing civil government, having previously instructed Ma- jor Hamtramck, at Vincennes, to present the policy of the new administration to the sev- eral Indian tribes, and ascertain their feelings in regard to acquiescing in the new order of things. They received the messenger with cool indifference, which, when reported to the Governor, convinced him that nothing short of military force would command compliance with the civil law. He at once proceeded to Fort Washington, to consult with General Harmar as to future action. In the mean- time he intrusted to the Secretary of the Territory, Winthrop Sargent, the settlement of the disputed land claims, who found it an arduous task, and in his report states that
he found the records had been so falsified, vouchers destroyed, and other crookedness, as to make it impossible to get at a just settlement, which proves that the abuse of public trust is not a very recent discovery.
The General Court in 1790, acting Gov- ernor Sargent presiding, passed stringent laws prohibiting the sale of intoxicating liq- uors to Indians, and also to soldiers within ten miles of any military post; also prohib- iting any games of chance within the Terri- tory.
Winthrop Sargent's administration was highly eulogized by tlie citizens. He had succeeded in settling the disputed land ques- tion satisfactory to all concerned, had estab- lished in good order the machinery of a free, wise and good government. In the same ad- dress Major Hamtramck also received a fair share of praise for his judicious management of public affairs.
The consultation of Governor St. Clair and General Harmar, at Fort Washington, ended in deciding to raise a large military force and thoroughly chastise the Indians about the head of the Wabash. Accordingly Vir- ginia and Pennsylvania were called upon for troops, and 1,800 men were mustered at Fort Steuben, and, with the garrison of that fort, joined the forces at Vincennes under Major Hamtramck, who proceeded up the Wabash as far as the Vermillion River, destroying villages, but without finding an enemy to oppose him.
General Harmar, with 1,450 men, marclied from Fort Washington to the Maumee, and began punishing the Indians, but with little success. The expedition marched from Fort Washington September 30, and returned to that place November 4, having lost during the expedition 183 men killed and thirty- one wounded.
General Harmar's defeat alarmed as well
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as aroused the citizens in the frontier counties of Virginia. They reasoned that the sav- ages' success would invite an invasion of frontier Virginia.
A memorial to this effect was presented before the State General Assembly. This memorial caused the Legislature to authorize the Governor to use such means as he might deem necessary for defensive operations.
The Governor called upon the western counties of Virginia for militia; at the same time Charles Scott was appointed Brigadier- General of the Kentucky militia, now pre- paring for defending their frontier.
The proceedings of the Virginia Legisla- ture reaching Congress, that body at once constituted a board of war consisting of five men. March 9, 1791, General Knox, Secre- tary of War, wrote to General Scott recom- mending an expedition against the Indians on the Wabash.
General Scott moved into the Indian set- tlements, reached the Wabash; the Indians principally fled before his forces. He de- stroyed many villages, killed thirty-two war- riors and took fifty-eight prisoners; the wretched condition of liis horses prevented further pursuit.
Marclı 3, 1791, Congress invested Govern- or St. Clair with the command of 3,000 troops, and he was instructed by the Secretary of War to march to the Miami village and es- tablish a strong and permanent military post there. The Secretary of War gave him strict orders, that after establishing a permanent base at the Miami village, he seek the enemy with all his available force and make them feel the effects of the superiority of the whites.
Previous to marching a strong force to the Miami town, Governor St. Clair, June 25, 1791, authorized General Wilkinson, with 500 mounted men, to move against the In- dians on the Wabash. General Wilkinson
reported the results of this expedition as fol- lows: "I have destroyed the chief town of the Ouiatenon nation, and have made prisoners of the sons and sisters of the King; I liave burned a Kickapoo village, and cut down 400 acres of corn in the milk."
EXPEDITIONS OF ST. CLAIR AND WAYNE.
The Indians had been seriously damaged by Harmar, Scott and Wilkinson, but were far from subdued. The British along the Canada frontier gave them much encourage- inent to continue the warfare.
In September, 1791, St. Clair moved from Fort Washington with a force of 2,000 men and a number of pieces of artillery, and No- vember 3 he reached the headwaters of the Wabash, where Fort Recovery was afterward erected, and here the army camped, consist- ing of 1,400 effective men; on the morning of November 4 the army advanced and en- gaged the Indians 1,200 strong.
The Americans were disastrously defeated, having thirty-nine officers and 539 men killed and missing, twenty-two officers and 232 men wounded. Several pieces of artil- lery and all their provisions fell into the hands of the Indians; estimated loss in prop- erty, $32,000.
Although no particular blame was attached to Governor St. Clair for the loss in his ex- pedition, yet he resigned the office of Major- General, and was succeeded by Anthony Wayne, a distinguished officer of the Revo- lutionary war.
General Wayne organized his forces at Pittsburg, and in October, 1793, moved west- ward from that point at the head of an army of 3,600 men.
He proposed an offensive campaign. The Indians, instigated by the British, insisted that, the Ohio River should be the boundary between their lands and the lands of the
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HISTORY OF INDIANA.
133
United States, and were sure they could maintain that line.
General Scott, of Kentucky, joined General Wayne with 1,600 mounted men. They erected Fort Defiance at the mouth of the Auglaize River. August 15 the army moved toward the British fort, near the rapids of the Maumee, where, on the moru- ing of August 20, they defeated 2,000 Indians and British almost within range of the guns of the fort. About 900 American troops were actually engaged. The Ameri- cans lost thirty-three killed and 100 wound- ed, the enemy's loss being more than double. Wayne remained in that region for three days, destroying villages and crops, then re- turned to Fort Defiance, destroying every- thing pertaining to Indian subsistence for many miles on each side of his route.
September 14, 1794, General Wayne moved his army in the direction of the de- serted Miami villages at the confluence of St. Joseph's and St. Mary's rivers, arriving October 17, and on the following day the site of Fort Wayne was selected. The fort was completed November 22, and garrisoned by a strong detachment of infantry and artillery commanded by Colonel Jolin F. Hantramck, who gave to the new fort the name of Fort Wayne. General Wayne soon after con- cluded a treaty of peace with the Indians at Greenville, in 1795.
ORGANIZATION OF INDIANA TERRITORY.
On the final success of American arms and diplomacy in 1796, the principal town within the present State of Indiana was Vincennes, which comprised fifty houses, presenting a thrifty appearance. Besides Vincennes there was a small settlement near where Law- renceburg now stands. There were several other sınall settlements and trading-posts in the present limits of Indiana, and the num-
ber of civilized inhabitants in the Territory was estimated at 4,875.
The Territory of Indiana was organized by act of Congress, May 7, 1800, the material features of the ordinance of 1787 remaining in force, and the inhabitants were invested with all the rights and advantages granted and secured by that ordinance.
The seat of government was fixed at Vin- cennes. May 13, 1800, William Henry Har- rison, a native of Virginia, was appointed Governor, and John Gibson, of Pennsylvania, Secretary of the Territory; soon after Will- iam Clark, Henry Vanderburg and John Griffin were appointed Territorial Judges.
Governor Harrison arrived at Vincennes January 10, 1801, when he called together the Judges of the Territory to pass such laws as were deemed necessary for the new govern- ment. This session began March 3, 1801.
From this time to 1810, the principal sub- jects which attracted the citizens of Indiana were land speculations, the question of Afri- can slavery, and the hostile views and pro- ceedings of the Shawnee chief, Tecumseh, and his brother, the Prophet.
Up to this time the Sixth Article of the ordinance of 1787, prohibiting slavery, had been somewhat neglected, and many French settlers still held slaves; many slaves were removed to the slave-holding States. A ses- sion of delegates, elected by a popular vote, petitioned Congress to revoke the Sixth Ar- ticle of the ordinance of 1787. Congress failed to grant this, as well as many other similar petitious. When it appeared from the resultof a popular vote in the Territory, that a majority of 138 were in favor of organizing a General Assembly, Governor Harrison, Sep- tember 11, 1804, issued a proclamation, and called for an election to be held in the several counties of the Territory, Jannary 3, 1805, to choose members of a House of Represent-
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atives, who should meet at Vincennes Feb- rnary 1. The delegates were elected, and assembled at the place and date named, and perfected plans for Territorial organization, and selected five mnen who should constitute the Legislative Council of the Territory.
The first General Assembly, or Legisla- ture, met at Vincennes July 29, 1805. The members constituting this body were Jesse B. Thomas, of Dearborn County; Davis Floyd, of Clark County; Benjamin Park and John Johnson, of Knox County; Shad- rach Bond and William Biggs, of St. Clair County, and George Fisher, of Randolph County.
July 30 the Governor delivered his first message to the Council and House of Repre- sentatives. Benjamin Park, who came from New Jersey to Indiana in 1801, was the first delegate elected to Congress.
The Western Sun was the first newspaper published in Indiana, first issued at Vin- cennes in 1803, by Elihu Stout, of Kentucky, and first called the Indiana Gazette, and changed to the Sun July 4, 1804.
The total population of Indiana in 1810 was 24,520. There were 33 grist-mills, 14 saw-mills, 3 horse-mills, 18 tanneries, 28 distilleries, 3 powder-inills, 1,256 looms, 1,350 spinning wheels. Value of woolen, cotton, hemp and flaxen cloths, $159,052; of cotton and woolen spun in mills, $150,000; of nails, 30,000 pounds, $4,000; of leather, tanned, $9,300; of distillery products, 35,950 gallons, $16,230; of gunpowder, 3,600 pounds, $1,800; of wine from grapes, 96 barrels, $6,000, and 50,000 pounds of maple sugar.
During the year 1810, a commission was engaged straightening out the confused con- dition of land titles. In making their report they, as did the previous commissioners, made complaints of frauds and abuses by officials connected with the land department.
The Territory of Indiana was divided in 1809, when the Territory of Illinois was erected, to comprise all that part of Indiana Territory west of the Wabash River, and a direct line drawn from that river and Vin- cennes due north to the territorial line be- tween the United States and Canada. For the first half century from the settlement of Vincennes the place grew slowly.
The commandants and priests governed with almost absolute power; the whites lived in peace with the Indians.
The necessaries . of life were easily pro- cured; there was nothing to stimulate energy or progress. In such a state of society there was no demand for learning and science; few could read, and still fewer could write; they were void of public spirit, enterprise or ingenuity.
GOVERNOR HARRISON AND THE INDIANS.
Immediately after the organization of In- diana Territory, Governor Harrison directed his attention to settling the land claims of Indians. He entered into several treaties with the Indians, whereby, at the close of 1805, the United States had obtained 46,000 square miles of territory.
In 1807 the Territorial statutes were re- vised. Under the new code, the crimes of treason, murder, arson and horse-stealing were made punishable by death; burglary, robbery, log-stealing and bigamy were punish- able by whipping, fine and imprisonment.
The Governor, in his message to the Leg- islature in 1806, expressed himself as believ- ing the peace then existing between the whites and the Indians was permanent. At the same time he alluded to the probability of a disturbance in consequence of enforce- ment of law as applying to the Indians.
Although treaties with the Indians defined boundary lines, the whites did not strictly
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observe them. They trespassed on the In- dian's reserved rights, and thus gave him just grounds for his continuous complaints from 1805 to 1810. This agitated feeling of the Indians was utilized by Law-le-was-i-kaw, a brother of Tecumseh, of the Shawnee tribe.
He was a warrior of great renown, as well as an orator, and had an unlimited influence among the several Indian tribes.
He used all means to concentrate the com- bined Indian strength to annihilate the whites. Governor Harrison, realizing the progress this Prophet was making toward opening hostilities, and hoping by. timely action to check the movement, he, early in 1808, sent a speech to the Shawnees in which he advised the people against being led into danger and destruction by the Prophet, and informed them that warlike demonstrations must be stopped.
Governor Harrison, Tecumseh and the Prophet held several meetings, tlie Governor charging them as being friends of the British, they denying the charge and protesting against the further appropriation of their lands.
Governor Harrison, in direct opposition to their protest, continued to extinguish Indian titles to lands.
While the Indians were combining to pre- vent any further transfer of lands to the whites, the British were actively preparing to use them in a war against the Americans.
Governor Harrison, anticipating their de- signs, invited Tecumseh to a council, to talk over grievances and try to settle all differ- ences without resort to arms.
Accordingly, August 12, 1810, Tecumseh, with seventy warriors, marched to the Gov- ernor's house, where several days were spent without any satisfactory settlement. On the 20th, Tecumseh delivered his celebrated speech, in which he gave the Governor the
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