USA > Indiana > Knox County > Vincennes > History of Old Vincennes and Knox County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 34
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*Wilson's History of Dubois County, p. 68.
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bank of the Wabash, the outlines of which are reflected in the mirrored depths of the river. For a time the Dubois homestead nestled at the foot of these hills, where Jesse K., the infant son, was kidnaped by a band of roving Indians, who held him for quite a while as hostage. Jesse K. Dubois later fell heir to this lovely country seat, and became quite prominent in Illinois politics, having been chosen by the voters to represent Lawrence county for several terms in the Illinois legislature. He was a man of commanding presence, tall and portly, with a Grecian cast of countenance, and frequently visited Vincennes. He lived well, and always had a retinue of servants, having inherited from his father a couple of black slaves, man and wife, who at one time lived in a house built high above the ground among the branches of an immense cotton-wood tree, located on the prem- ises. This estate subsequently passed into the hands of a Mr. Shuler, and, latterly, to Judge Joseph Bowman, one of the ablest lawyers in the state, and an eminent jurist. He disposed of the property to John Jackson and removed to this city. taking up his residence in a large frame house, yet standing on a lot at the northwest corner of Second and Seminary streets. He was afflicted with chronic rheumatism, which caused him intense suffering ; and, unable to withstand the tortures to which the disease subjected him, ended his misery by driving a large butcher knife to the hilt into his bosom, accomplishing the deed by placing the butt of the handle to the wall and pressing the full weight of his emaciated body against the blade, the act being committed while he was abed.
Mr. Jackson was a Hoosier by birth, and came here from Richmond at the outbreak of the civil war, taking possession of the "hills" immediately upon his arrival. In politics he was a democrat, with such strong party predilections that the more radical republicans classed him with the south- ern "fire eaters." He was a giant in stature and intellect, of jovial manner, and rapidly made friends with a prominent class of people, coming across the river every morning to exchange courtesies with acquaintances and incidentally talk politics. In 1864 he married Miss Nannie Chapman, eldest daughter of Dr. Chapman,* president of the university from 1855 to 1866;
*Dr. Chapman was an ordained Episcopal minister, as well as an educator, and for a number of years officiated as rector of St. James' church. As a teacher, he was practical and progressive, a stern disciplinarian, and imparted instruction to his pupils in such a way that they absorbed and retained that which they were taught. He was ably assisted in his educational work by Prof. McKenney, a very eccentric man, whose knowledge of chemistry and mathematics was profound. The fact that none of Dr. Chapman's pupils, who applied for admission to the military and naval acade- mies, respectively, at West Point and Annapolis, ever failed to pass the exacting and rigid examinations of these institutions, speaks volumes in favor of the university as an educational institution, and Dr. Chapman as an educator. Among the students of the university-pupils of Chapman and McKenney-who became prominent in pro- fessional, commercial and military life, are Noble Judah, Chicago, well known bar- rister ; John Judah, lawyer, Indianapolis, and Samuel Judah, this city; J. P. L. Weems, Richard J. Greenhow, Charles G. McCord, Vincennes: William C. Niblack, president
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and two or three years after her death, which occurred the same year as her wedding, he married the younger daughter, Miss Lillian Chapman. Both weddings were notable social events, and the elegant Jackson home, which became famed for the generous and unaffected hospitality of its host and hostess, was graced with the presence of the creme de la creme of Vin- cennes society. Among the more notable guests at the last wedding feast, was Lord Cavendish, an English nobleman, and "crony" of the Prince of Wales. Two years later, on a second visit to Vincennes, Lord Cavendish, who had married the celebrated American actress, Emily Thorne, brought his bride with him, and the couple remained for a protracted season as guests of the Jacksons. Cavendish was an ardent sportsman, and during his stay devoted considerable time in hunting big game in this section of country, principally deer and wild turkeys, which were quite plentiful here- abouts in those days. Mr. Jackson, who had become a widower for the sec- ond time, retained an interest in a piano factory at Richmond, and moved there in 1875, where he died several years later, his wife having preceded him to the grave eight years before. During his occupancy of them, and until Messrs. Robeson came into possession of the hills, early in the eighties, they were called "Jackson's Hills," when the name was changed to "Robe- son's Hills," by which appellation they are known today, and are the prop- erty of Messrs. Robert and William Robeson. There is also a legend con- nected with these hills, a weird, grewsome story-founded upon the facts of an actual occurrence-in which quite a few people formerly placed great credence. Between two of the most prominent of these miniature mountains is a deep, dark ravine, which the rays of the sun never penetrate. It has a luxuriant growth of vegetation, the verdure of which, ferns in endless variety intensify, and on the sultriest days of summer there issues from its mouth, which opens in full view of the river road, a delightfully cooling breeze, laden with a sweet and refreshing fragrance. The locality is known as Dark Hollow, and, on beholding it one can not fail to note the appropri- ateness of the name. Many years ago a lone traveler, who was making his way on horse back through the howling wilderness, was set upon in the night time, by a band of migrating Twightwee Indians, led a captive into the hol- low, and decapitated. Singularly, the Indians never scalped the prisoner nor
Chicago Trust Co., Richard K. Dawes, cashier First National Bank, Evansville; the late C. M. Allen, Jr., and Frank M. Ross, scions of illustrious sires, both of whom graduated with high honors from West Point, were students of the university under Dr. Chapman's tutelage. Commander Nathaniel P. Usher, U. S. N., and Commodore Francis L. Denny, U. S. N., who have rendered distinguished services to their coun- try, received instruction at this time-honored institution. Albert G. Caldwell, Indian- apolis, retired, and Francis E. Greene, deceased, both of whom attained high official rank in the United States navy, having entered the naval academy when mere boys, took preparatory instructions from Dr. Chapman.
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did they take his horse, the animal being discovered by a party of hunters, two weeks later, grazing near the headless body of his master. Of course, the hunt- ing party took the horse in charge leaving the mutilated and badly decom- posed corpse of the man to remain as a feast for the buzzards. And, so the legend goes, on every Thursday the nocturnal spectacle of a headless rider, on a fractious steed, is the phantom picture which the cavernous depths of Dark Hollow reveal. Whether in jest, or because their overwrought imaginations made such a vision as this possible, some people have solemnly declared that . they have been confronted with such an apparition.
Beautiful Fort Knox was also among the landed estates of Toussaint Dubois who, it appears, had a preference for altitudinal ground. It seems in acquiring these tracts, however, that Mr. D. made the beauty of the scenery the primary object of possession. At any rate, this locality can not boast of two spots that are more lovely, picturesque or romantic than Fort Knox and Robeson's Hills. They are studies in nature, inviting the thought of an artist's mind and invoking the magic touch of an artist's brush. While living remote from the more advanced centers of civilization, the commercial relations of Toussaint Dubois, with the merchants of St. Louis and Phila- delphia, frequently took him on long journeys to the west and east-when travel was both hazardous and uncomfortable-where he came in contact with progressive men and measures, and always brought back ideas bene- ficial to his neighbors. He was a component part of the social and com- mercial as well as the religious and educational life of the Old Post. He was an active member of the Catholic church and gave liberally of his funds for the maintenance of that institution. With Governor Harrison he served as a member of the board of trustees of the Vincennes university as early as 1806, and was of the committee who erected the first building of its character to be dedicated to educational purposes west of the Alleghany mountains. The dignitaries of the church held Mr. Dubois in high esteem as is attested by the provision in the will of the late Father Rivet. who named him as one of the executors. Father Rivet was pastor of St. Francis Xavier's cathedral and was a man of extraordinary talents and attainments, having filled a chair in the justly famous college at Limoges, France. There was a strong friendship existing between them, and the priest was a frequent visitor at the Dubois home, which, by the way, was said to contain the most elegant furniture, of massive pattern, and solid mahogany. The tableware of the Duboises, the silver, cut glass, and costly bric-a-bac, were the envy of all who were fortunate enough to be guests within the walls of their hospitable dwelling. Mr. Dubois was twice married, his first wife being a lovely French girl, of aristocratic parentage, with plenty of money, having a vivacious disposition. a pure, noble and generous heart. Her maiden name was Jeannette Bonneau, a native of Vincennes. Her death occurred on the 15th of November, 1800, and her remains were interred in the burial grounds of St. Francis Xavier's cathedral. Her last
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resting place is covered with a massive stone, on the surface of which is inscribed-
HERE LIES THE BODY OF JANNE BONNEAU THE WIFE OF TOUSSIANT DUBOIS WHO DEPARTED TILIS LIFE THE 15th NOVEMBER, 1800, Aged 28 Years.
Five children were born to Mr. and Mrs. Dubois, vìz: Toussaint, Jr., Henry, Charles, Emanuel L. and Susanne. Mr. George R. Wilson, in a beautifully-written publication, styled "Wilson's History of Dubois County," devotes many pages of his valuable book in tracing the genealogy of the Dubois family, and therefrom the following paragraph is taken :
"The daughter, Susanne, married William Jones, Esq., and of this union were born Edward, Elizabeth Ann, Susanna O., Mary Jane and Maria C. The daughter, Susanne O. Jones, mentioned above, married Robert Smyth, Esq., of Vincennes, in 1833. Mrs. Smyth died in 1888, aged seventy-five. Their son, Samuel Smyth, lived at Crawfordsville, Ind. The son, Edward, died in early manhood. The daughter, Elizabeth Ann, became the wife of William Binford, Esq., also of Craw- fordsville. She died September 19, 1897, aged eighty-five. Maria C. became the wife of Dr. W. P. Dunn, a son of Judge Williamson Dunn, a remarkable man in the early history of Indiana. Mrs. Maria C. Dunn resided at Frankfort, Clinton county, Ind. As the reader will observe, she is the granddaughter of Toussaint Dubois by his first wife. These children of Susanne Dubois Jones were baptized in the Catholic church at Vincennes. Their parents died young, and the orphans were reared by the relatives on the Jones' side of the family, who were Protestants. These children became Episcopalians. For his second wife, Captain Dubois took Miss Jane Baird from near Bloomington, Ind. Miss Baird was a Protestant. By this marriage three sons were born: Thomas, James and Jesse Kilgore Dubois. The latter was the youngest child, and as he grew up to manhood's years, became a warm personal friend of Abraham Lincoln. His son, Senator Fred Dubois, is perhaps the most widely known descendant of Captain Dubois. Senator Dubois was born in Craw- ford county, Ill., not far from Vincennes, in 1857. He was graduated from Yale in 1872, and became secretary of the board of railway and warehouse commissioners of Illinois in 1875. In 1880 he went to Idaho and engaged in business. He was United States marshal of Idaho for four years. He represented his district in the fiftieth and fifty-sixth congresses. He was United States senator from Idaho. His home is at Blackfoot, Idaho .. At his death, Jesse K. Dubois, youngest son of Captain Dubois, left a large mansion on sixty acres of ground, now within the limits of Springfield, Ill. This estate remained intact for many years. Finally the mansion and thirty acres were sold by the heirs of Jesse K. Dubois, to Catholic sisters, who now occupy the property as a convent. . . Senator Dubois is the youngest son of Captain Dubois, by the second marriage, as the reader will notice."
Mrs. McCarthy, wife of Peter R. McCarthy, this city, who was formerly Miss Ophelia Dubois, is a great-granddaughter of Capt. Dubois, by his first marriage. Relative to the tragic end of Capt. Dubois, Mr. Wilson, the author from which we quote above, says: "In the early days Capt. Dubois often had business to transact away from home. While returning from one
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of these trips, in March 11, 1816, Capt. Dubois met a tragic death. He was riding along the old 'Buffalo Trace,' accompanied by his colored servant. They attempted to swim their horses across the Little Wabash river, a small stream in Clay county, Ill., not far from Vincennes. Heavy rains had caused the streams to be greatly swollen. Capt. Dubois had with him a pair of saddle-bags, which contained a large amount of gold and silver money, and the weight of the money was the direct cause of the man and his horse being drawn down to rise no more." And, in commenting on the lamentable occurrence, the Western Sun of Saturday, March 16, 1816, says :
"On Monday last in attempting to cross the Little Wabash river, was drowned Major Toussaint Dubois. In him the poor have lost a benefactor, his country a friend. He was a kind husband, an indulgent father and an honest man."*
It is presumed the slave met with a similar fate. The body of Mr. Dubois was never recovered. At least, there is no record of it ever having been. And thus closed the earthly career of one of the pioneer citizens of Vincennes, whose bravery and patriotism, whose nobility of character, and whose true devotion to his country, his church and his friends, failed to receive even slight mention in historical annals until Mr. Wilson had written the history of Dubois county.
*The brevity displayed in noting the untimely death of a man of such promi- nence cannot fail to impress the average newspaper reader of today as peculiar. But it was not the custom in the early days for newspaper writers to be either verbose or sensational. Brief as this obituary notice is, there are volumes expressed in the few words penned by Mr. Stout, the editor, in taking cognizance of the departure from earthly scenes of one of his best and truest friends. What more could be said, in paying a meed of praise to the virtues of a worthy man, whose spirit had winged its flight to the great beyond than that he was a benefactor to the poor, loved well his country and friends, and was "a kind husband and indulgent father?" The au- thor is indebted to Mr. Demarcus Brown, the efficient and affable librarian of the Indiana State Library, for a verbatim copy of the obituary notice as it appeared in the paper. The Western Sun editions, printed while Mr. Stout was editor, were recently purchased for one thousand dollars per volume, and form an interesting col- lection in the Indiana State Library.
CHAPTER XIX. OLD VINCENNES BECOMES FIRST CAPITAL OF TERRITORY OF INDIANA.
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON APPOINTED FIRST GOVERNOR-OFFICERS, LAWS AND POPULATION OF TERRITORY-THE SENTIMENT ON SLAVERY-FIRST GENERAL ASSEMBLY-OLD LEGISLATIVE BUILDING-BENJAMIN PARKE- HARRISON TREATS WITII INDIANS-VALUE OF MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS IN 1810-ARRIVAL OF HARRISON AT VINCENNES-THE IIARRISON MAN- SION-EFFORTS TO PRESERVE IT-INDIAN COMPLAINTS NOT WITHOUT JUSTIFICATION-TIIE PROPHET AND TECUMSEII-TECUMSEH AND HARRI- SON IN COUNCIL-TIIE CELEBRATED POW-WOW-IIARRISON ADDRESSES A SPEECHI TO TIIE PROPHET AND TECUMSEII-SEAT OF GOVERNMENT CHANGED TO CORYDON-GOVERNOR POSEY ARRIVES-THE BATTLE OF TIP- PECANOE-NAMES OF VINCENNES MEN WIIO TOOK PART IN IT-GENERAL HARRISON BULLET PROOF-PEN PICTURE OF TECUMSEII-THE BATTLE OF THE TIIAMES-DEATII OF TECUMSEH-HARRISON ELECTED PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES-ILIS INAUGURATION AND SAD DEATII-IIIS TOMB AT NORTH BEND.
According to the first entry in the executive journal, the government of Indiana Territory commenced July 4, 1800. The congressional act, ap- proved by the President of the United States May 7, 1800, dividing the territory northwest of the Ohio river into two separate governments, ac- corded the inhabitants of Indiana Territory the same rights, privileges and advantages secured to the people of the Northwest Territory under the pro- visions of the ordinance of 1787.1 Old Vincennes became the seat of gov-
1 No attempt was made to reenact the laws of the Northwest Territory in Indiana Territory at any time, though the laws of the former, passed prior to the division, were always treated as in force in the latter. The theory adopted was that the division of the old Territory was merely for administrative purposes ; that the laws were as much in force in one division as in the other; and that there was no use in reenacting them in either. [This is perhaps the onl instance of such a construction in any country where the common law obtained. ] It was carried much farther by the territorial court in 1803, in a curious question concerning the law regulating prison bounds; for it was then held that a law passed in Northwest Territory after 1800 was still in force in Wayne county, which was added to Indiana Territory in 1802, notwithstanding that an entirely different law was in force in the remainder of Indiana. This construction was of vital importance to the infant Territory, for, having dropped back to the first
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GEN. WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON
GEN. GEORGE ROGERS CLARK
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ernment, William Henry Harrison was appointed governor, John Gibson secretary, Henry Vanderburg, William Clark and John Griffin, territorial judges.
In July, 1800, Secretary Gibson, who had preceded Governor Harrison to Vincennes, proceeded to make further appointments of territorial officers, and to provide for the administration of the laws. January 10, 1801, Gov- ernor Harrison, who had arrived in the meantime, issued a proclamation requiring the attendance of the judges at the seat of government, who ac- cordingly convened at Vincennes on Monday, January 12, 1801, and con- tinued in session until January 26th, when they adjourned, having adopted and published seven laws and three resolutions, relating mainly to the judi- ciary and county offices. The first session of the general court of the ter- ritory was held at Vincennes, beginning March 3, 1801.
The first grand jury to convene in Indiana territory was composed of the following named gentlemen: Luke Decker, Antoine Marchal, Joseph Baird, Patrick Simpson, Antoine Petit, Andre Montplaiseur, John Ochil- tree, Jonathan Marney, Jacob Tevebaugh, Alexander Varley, Francois Tur- pin, F. Compagnoitte, Charles Languedoc, Louis Severe, F. Languedoc, George Catt, John Bt. Barois, Abraham Decker and Philip Catt.
The population of the territory at this time was given as four thousand, eight hundred and seventy-five souls, who were living in scattered settle- ments separated by great distances.2 At Mackinaw, the extreme northern settlement, were two hundred and fifty-one citizens. The fur traders, ply- ing their vocations along the borders of the lakes, numbered about three hundred. The Green Bay settlement had fifty people. At Prairie du Chien, on the upper Mississippi, were sixty-five. Farther down the Mississippi the settlements were more extensive. In and about Cahokia were seven hun- dred and ninety people. Just below in Belle Fontaine township, were two hundred and eighty-six. In L'Aigle, the southernmost township of St. Clair county, were two hundred and fifty. At and about Kaskaskia were four hundred and sixty-seven. At and about Prairie du Rocher were two hundred and twelve. In Mitchell township were three hundred and thirty- four. Around on the Ohio were ninety souls at Fort Massac. Farther up, in Clark's grant, were nine hundred and twenty-nine. In the interior was nothing that could be called a settlement, except Vincennes, which had seven hundred and fourteen inhabitants, while in its immediate vicinity were eight hundred and nineteen more. There were, however, fifty-five fur traders
stage, under the Ordinance, it could adopt only laws of the original states, which, as had been demonstrated in Northwest Territory, were inadequate to the needs of the people; whereas, the laws of Northwest Territory as revised and extended by the last legislature were very satisfactory .- J. P. Dunn, Indiana, Commonwealth's Series, pp. 294-295.
2 J. P. Dunn, Indiana, pp. 295-296-297-298-299-300.
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scattered along the Wabash, and about one hundred at "Opee."3 In what is now Indiana, the population was 2,500; the exact number, says Dunn, cannot be given, because a part of those reported as in the neighborhood of Vincennes were west of the Wabash. Continuing, Mr. Dunn says, that in what is now Illinois were a little more than 2,500, nearly all of them in the region about Kaskaskia and Cahokia, which was commonly called the Illi- nois country. Of the total population, one hundred and sixty-three were reported free negroes, and one hundred and thirty-five slaves. "But this is erroneous," says Mr. Dunn, "as forty-two negroes and no slaves were reported from Cahokia, where there were certainly a number of slaves. The number reported from that place in 1810 was forty, and there must have been near that number ten years earlier; hence we may estimate the slaves in Indiana territory in 1800 at one hundred and seventy-five, and the free negroes at one hundred and twenty-three. Of the slaves reported, twenty-eight were about Vincennes and on the Wabash, and the remainder were in Randolph County.
"The only pure American settlement was in Clark's grant, though there were Americans scattered all through the French settlements, and a large number of them at Vincennes. The French were largely in the majority in the territory, and most of the American politicians conformed to their ideas for evident reasons. These people were nearly all federalistic in their sym- pathies. Monarchical institutions had no terrors for them, and political denunciations of a tendency of the government toward such institutions fell lightly on their ears. Their leaders had been favored by the federal executives, both national and territorial, to such an extent that they held nearly all the offices; and the mere holding of an office added much to the dignity and influence of a man among the French settlers. But American politicians had little weight with them as compared with their local welfare, and the one thing which they considered essential to their welfare was the introduction of slaves. Their views were natural. Emigrants who objected to slavery usually stopped in Ohio; those who wanted slavery, went to Ken- tucky, or the Spanish possessions beyond the Mississippi. Their neigh- bors who had crossed the river for fear of losing their slaves could not re- turn, and all on account of this absurd American law. The French settlers and their American allies wanted this law changed, and, inasmuch as a ma- jority of the inhabitants of the territory were of that mind, they were in hopes that congress would relent. Before the organization of the territory was completed, the Illinois people prepared a memorial to congress making known their wants and supplicating relief. The ingenuity of that portion of it which refers to the question of slavery will best be seen in the fol- lowing extract : 'The mode your petitioners wish and pray you to adopt is
3 Peoria, i. e., au Peorias. This is an example of that compound of French abbre- viation with American orthography from which such results as Okas for Kaskaskia, Cahos, Cos, or Okos for Cahokia, and Opost for Post Vincennes were obtained .- Dunn.
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to permit of the introduction into the territory of any of those who are slaves in any of the United States, who, when admitted, shall continue in a state of servitude during their natural lives, but that all their children born in the territory shall serve, the males until thirty-one and the females until twenty-eight, at which time they are to be absolutely free. To the adoption of such a modification of slavery, your petitioners cannot conceive any well-founded objections will be made. It cannot but meet with the support of those who are friends to a gradual abolition of slavery, and your petitioners cannot entertain the idea that any will be found to oppose a measure which in the course of a very few years will in all human prob- ability rescue from the vilest state of bondage a number, and without doubt a considerable number of souls yet unborn. Your petitioners do not want to increase the number of slaves in the United States by the introduction of any from foreign dominions; their wishes, on the contrary, tend con- siderably to diminish the number by emanicpating those who, whether born in the states where their parents reside, or removed into the Spanish do- ininions, would otherwise be born slaves.'
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