USA > Indiana > St Joseph County > History of St. Joseph County, Indiana > Part 29
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPHI COUNTY.
chief of the tribe, sent an address in which he said: "We are very glad to hear from you, but sorry we cannot comply with your request. The situation of affairs in this country prevents us. We are every day threatened by the other Indians, that if we do not take a part with them against the Americans they will destroy our villages. This alone, my father, makes it necessary for all the chiefs to remain at home. *
* * My father: You tell us you are ignorant why the red people makes war on your white people. We are as ignorant of it as yon are; for ever since the beginning of the war, we have lain still in our villages, although we have repeatedly been invited to go to war; but, my father, the confidence we have in you has prevented ns from making war against you, and we hold you by the hand with a stronger grip than ever. My father: Keep up your spirits more than ever; for you have this year more red people to fight than you have had yet. * * * If I could give
you a hand I would do it; but I cannot, and I am glad if me and my people have a quiet life this summer. If I had been disposed to believe all the reports I have heard, I would have made your messengers prisoners; for we are told they are spies, and that you have an army coming against us; but I am deaf to every thing that comes from the Miamis. Every day we receive messengers from those people, but we have been deaf to them, and will remain so."
Various treaties having been made with the Indians by Gov- ernor Cass, then Governor of Michigan, and others, and their lands having been purchased at various times and places, they were removed in 1840-'43, per order of the general Government, into Iowa, under the conduct of Alexis Coquillard.
The Pottawatomies were a kind and peaceful people when not excited by liquor. Many of the old settlers of the county regretted their departure from the country, and the Indians seemed equally reluctant to go. In many instances they came to the cabins of the whites to bid them good-bye, while flowing tears showed the depth of their feelings on leaving the hunting grounds and graves of their fathers.
A writer in the South Bend Tribune in 1878 has this to say of the first inhabitants of this country: "Over a century ago the red men of the forest were the sole occupants of the northwestern part of our country. A number of different tribes were thus scat- tered over that portion which now forms the States of Michigan, Indiana and Illinois. As they occasionally visited each other during favorable seasons, when those who lived in Michigan desired to see their friends in Illinois, they would go down the St. Joseph river in their eanoes, being joined by others along the route who wished to accompany them, and proceed on their way to a point on the river now known as Pinhook, from a peculiar bend around a long, narrow peninsula of pin-like form, being about two miles below the present eity of South Bend, where they would land; and putting their Inggage, traps and other things into their canoes, one large Indian would shoulder the bow and another the stern of their
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
canoes, and in this way carry them across the high, rolling prairie, calling it Portage Prairie on account of the porterage across it. Some of them would take the trail to the headwaters of the Kan- kakee river, while others wonld cross over to Terre Coupee (signify- ing 'land cut off"), where the land was cut off by the water for many miles around, forming a large, shallow lake. Here they would build temporary huts and wait for the rest of the party to come up, in the meantime amusing themselves by rowing across and around the lake, fishing, trapping and hunting most of the time, until they were ready to start again, when they would cross the water in their canoes to the Grapevine creek, which was the outlet to this shallow lake; then down the Grapevine to the Kankakee river, and down the Kankakee, hunting, fishing and trapping on the way to the Illinois country, where they would spend some weeks visiting, enjoying themselves well, smoking their pipes of peace, and in due time re- turn by the same ronte, and in inch the same manner, to their homes in Michigan. These were happy days with them, being the true owners of all the forests and fields, natives to the manor born. The buffalo, the deer and the antelope, as well as the wild fowls and fish, all belonged to them for their sustenance and support. The wild beasts roamed over these lands unmolested, with the exception of an occasionally well-directed arrow from the red man's bow, killing one or two for his present need, carefully leaving the rest to increase and multiply for his future wants. These red men could roam over woodland and field without limit; the soil being all their own no one had a right to molest them in their enjoyments. Their principal occupations were hunting, fishing, trapping, raising a little common tobacco, smoking their pipes of peace, and visiting one another."
AREA OF THE COUNTY.
In general terms St. Joseph connty may be said to be twenty-four miles long from east to west, and twenty-one miles wide from north to south. From this is to be taken a strip from the west part of abont seventeen sections, and to which nine sections on the sonth- west part is to be attached, leaving as the area of the county four hundred and ninety-seven square miles, or sections, a total of 318,- 080 acres of land. From the table of assessments, on file in the Anditor's office, it is found there are 285,831 acres of land subject to taxation, leaving a balance of 32,267 acres not taxable, or that have been laid out into city, town and village plats and taxed as town lots. Of this total of 285,831, Olive township has 36,111 acres; Warren, 20,142; German, 12,350; Clay, 13,293; Harris, 13,329; Penn, 40,534; Portage, 14,148; Green, 21,969; Union, 27,278; Lib- erty, 27,558; Maison, 33,094; Lincoln, 13,395; town of Walker- ton, 135.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
TOPOGRAPHY OF THE COUNTY.
The surface of the county is pleasingly diversified, there being no long stretches of prairie which, in traveling over, becomes tire- some to the eye, nor impenetrable forests, nor mountainous ranges; but a pleasing variety of prairie, openings, and timber in alinost every part of the county. The principal prairies are Terre Coupee, the largest in the county, and which was at one time covered by water, lying in Olive township; Sumption's, in Green township; Portage, in German township; Harris, in Harris township, and Palmer's, in Center township. As one passes through the various townships of the county, he will notice the light, sandy soil of the original oak openings, the dark, sandy loam of the densely wooded regions, the decayed vegetable mold of the prairies, and the peat-beds of the marshes and natural meadows. There is a large percentage of silica in most of the soil, and wheat consequently has always been an abundant crop. Corn is excelled nowhere east of the Mississippi except in Illinois. Fruit is easily raised, and in large quantities, and of excellent quality.
Along the Kankakee river for quite a distance on either side is marsh land, but the marshes are becoming gradually dried each year, and one of the most extensive peat-beds in the State lias been discovered here. It is npward of sixty miles in length and about three miles in width, lying on both sides of the Kankakee, and is from ten to fifteen feet in depth. This will in time become inval- uable as fnel, and will also furnish an inexhaustible fountain for the manufacture of gas. On the north and south of Mishawaka are marsh lands which furnish an inexhaustible supply of bog ore, which was extensively used for some years.
THE WATER-SHED.
A line drawn from the east part of the county four miles south of the St. Joseph river, and extending due west to Bolin's lake (a little to the west of south from South Bend), thence a little to the west of north to the head waters of the Kankakee, thence nortlt- west to the northwest corner of Warren township, marks the water- shed of St. Joseph county. To the north and northeast from this line the streams flow into the St. Joseph river, and to Lake Michigan, reaching the Atlantic ocean through Lakes Huron, St. Clair, Erie, St. Lawrence river, and the Gulf of St. Lawrence; whereas, to the south and southwest they flow into the Kankakee, and down the Illinois and Mississippi, reaching the Atlantic through the Gulf of Mexico. A mill-race was once dug from the head waters of the Kankakee to the St. Joseph river at South Bend, and the waters of that river made to flow, by the assistance of art, in both directions from this fountain head, so level is the division line of the water- shed.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
RIVERS OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
The principal river in St. Joseph county is the St. Joseph, which takes its rise in Hillsdale county, Michigan, and by a winding, tor- tuous way enters the county on section 9, township 37 north of range 4 east, taking a westerly course passes through sections 9, 8, 7, of the same township and range, sections 12, 11, 10, 15, 16, 17, 18 of township 37 north, of range 3 east, whence it takes a north- arly course, through sections 12, 1 and 2, township 37, range 2 east, end sections 35, 26, 27, 23, 14 and 11, township 38 north, of range 2 east, into the State of Michigan, through which it wends its way to Lake Michigan, at the city of St. Joseph, in that State. The river was first called the " River of the Miamis," from the fact that' when discovered by the white men, it was in the country of the Miami Indians who lived principally upon its banks. After the Catholic missionaries established their missions here in the latter part of the seventeenth or the beginning of the eighteenth century, the name of the river was changed to the St. Joseph of Lake Mich- igan, by which name it is yet sometimes called, to distinguish it from the St. Joseph river that takes its rise in Ohio and enters Indiana in the northeastern part, emptying into the Maumee river near Fort Wayne.
On this river are some very fine water-powers, the best being at South Bend, where it is used to run a large number of mannfac- tories of various kinds. The river is abont 250 miles in length, and is the most beautiful and picturesque stream in the State.
The Kankakee river takes its rise about one mile west of the city of South Bend, on section 9, township 37 north of range 2 east. Taking a southwesterly course it passes through sections 16, 20, 19 and 30 of the same town and range where it takes its rise, thence through sections 25, 26, 35, 34, 33, township 37 north of range 1 east sections 4, 5, 6, 7, township 36 north of range 1 east, and sections 12 and 13, township 36 north of range 1 west, into La Porte county, whence it passes on to the Illinois river, into which it empties.
FIRST ENTRIES OF LAND.
The lands in St. Joseph county, although ceded to the United States Government some years previous by the Pottawatomie Indians, did not come into inarket until the spring of 1830. The first entries made were on the 19th day of April, of the same year. John Johnston entered the southwest quarter of the southeast quar- ter of section 11, township 38 north, of range 3 east, and Samuel Bell entered the southeast quarter of the southwest quarter of the same section, township and range. Other entries rapidly followed these, so that during the first year a large quantity of the most valnable land in the county was taken up.
339
HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
FIRST ROAD.
For several years after the settlement of this county by the whites, the only roads over which there were any travel were the Indian trails, or the blazed path of the white men through the timbers.
The first regularly located road was made in 1830, under the supervision of Judge Polk, of Logansport, Indiana, by order of the State, and is known as the Michigan road. This road was run from Madison, Indiana, on the Ohio river to the mouth of Trail creek, where has since been located Michigan City, on Lake Mich- igan. The road first struck this countyin township 35 north, of range 2 east, and taking a northerly course, was run to South Bend, and thence west, leaving the county on section 34, township 38 north, of range 1 west, where since has been located the town of New Carlisle. The reason the road was run to the present city of South Bend, instead of going in a direct course to its terminus was to avoid the Kankakee marsh.
CHAPTER II.
NATURAL HISTORY- QUADRUPEDS-BIRDS-REPTILES -- FISHESP -- LANTS.
Of the species of native quadrupeds that once roamed the flowery prairies and wild forests of this county, but few of the smaller remain, and none of the larger. Of the latter we cannot even find a specimen preserved in taxidermy. The buffalo which grazed upon the verdant prairies has been driven westward. With or be- fore it went the beaver, elk, badger, panther, black wolf and black bear. Some animals that were quite numerous have become very rare, such as the gray fox, the catamount, otter, lynx, the beautiful Virginia deer, the opossum, raccoon, mink, muskrat, the common weasel, the small brown weasel, skunk, woodchuck, or Maryland marmot, prairie mole, common shrew mole, meadow and deer mouse, and the gray rabbit. Of squirrels there are the gray tim- ber squirrel, the fox, chipmunk, the large gray prairie squirrel, the striped and the spotted prairie squirrel, and the beautiful flying squirrel. The dark-brown and the reddish bat are common. Other small animals have been found here which have strayed from other localities.
BIRDS.
Of the 5,000 existing species of birds many have sojourned in this connty, some temporarily and others for a considerable time. Many migratory species come only at long intervals, and therefore but little is known of them. Most species seen here are migratory between the North and the South.
There is not a more fascinating study than that afforded by our feathered friends. Their free movements through seemingly bound- less space, the joyous songs of many, and the characteristic tones of all, their brilliant colors, their lively manners, and their wonderful ยท instincts, have from earliest ages made a strong impression on the minds of men, and in the infancy of intellect gave rise to many peculiar and mysterious associations. Hence the flight of birds was made the foundation of a peculiar art of divination. Religion borrowed many symbols from them, and poetry many of its orna- ments. Birds avail themselves of their powers of wing to seek sit- uations adapted for them in respect to temperature and supply of food. The arrival of summer birds is always a welcome sign of advancing spring, and is associated with all that is cheerful and delightful. Some birds come almost at the same date annually; others are more influenced by the character of the season, as mild or severe.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
The following list is as nearly correct as can be compiled from the available information upon the subject.
Perchers .- This order of birds is by far the most numerous, and includes nearly all those which are attractive either in plumage or in song. The ruby-throated humming-bird, with its exquisite plumage and almost ethereal existence, is at the head of the list. This is the humming-bird which is always the delight of the chil- dren, and the only one found in this State. The chimney swallow, easily, known from other swallows by its very long wings and forked tail, and which is a true swift, is quite numerous. Of the Whip- poorwill family there are two representatives,-the whippoorwill proper, whose note enlivens the forest at night, and the night-hawk. The belted king-fisher, so well known to the school boy, is the only member of its family in this region. At the head of the fly-catchers is the king-bird, the erested fly-catcher and the wood pewee.
Of the Thrush family are the robin, the wood thrush, Wilson's thrush, the blue-bird, the ruby-crowned and the golden-crested wren, tit-lark, the black and the white ereeper, blne yellow-backed warbler, yellow-breasted chat, worm-eating warbler, blue-winged yellow warbler, Tennessee warbler, and golden-erowned thrush. The Shrike family is represented by the great northern shrike, red-eyed fly-catcher, white-eyed fly-catcher, the blue-headed and the yellow-throated fly-catcher. The Swallow family of birds are very numerous in this country. Among them are the barn swal- low, white-bellied swallow, bank swallow, eliff swallow and purple martin. The cedar-bird is the representative of the wax-wing family in America. The genera of the Mocking-bird family are the cat-bird, brown thrush, the house and winter wren. Of the Finch and Sparrow family, the snow bunting and Smith's bunting appear only in winter. The purple finch, the yellow-bird and the lark finch inhabit this county. Of the Passerine genus of this family are the savannah sparrow, the field and the chipping spar- row, the black snow-bird, the tree sparrow, the song sparrow, the swamp and the fox-colored sparrow, the black-throated bunting, the rose-breasted gros-beak and the ground robin. The Titmouse family is represented by the chickadee and the tufted titmonse. There are two species of the Creeper family-the white bellied nut-liateh and the American creeper. The melodious family of Skylarks is rep- resented here by only the common skylark of the prairie. Of the Black-bird family, the rusty black-bird, the crow black-bird, the cow-bird, the red-winged black-bird, the meadow lark, the orchard and the Baltimore oriole, are the most beautiful and brilliant that inhabit this region. The blue-jay and the common crow comprise the species of the Crow family.
Birds of Prey .- This order of birds comprises all those, with few exceptions, which pursue and capture birds and other animals for food. They are mostly of large size, the females are larger than the males, they live in pairs, and choose their mates for life. Most raptorial birds have disappeared. Among them are the golden
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
eagle, which was always rare but now no longer seen here; the bald eagle, or properly the white-headed eagle, once quite common, now scarce. Some well-preserved specimens of this genus are in the county. This eagle enjoys the honor of standing as our national emblem. Benjamin Franklin lamented the selection of this bird as emblematical of the Union, for its great cowardice. It has the ability of ascending in circular sweeps without any apparent mo- tion of the wings or the tail, and it often rises in this manner until it disappears from view, when at an immense height, and as if ob- serving an object on the ground, it sometimes eloses its wings and glides toward the earth with such velocity that the eye can scarcely follow it, causing a loud rustling sound like a violent gust of wind among the branches of the forest. The Hawk family has, eight or nine species, some but seldom seen, others common. The turkey- buzzard has almost, if not quite, disappeared. It is still abundant further south. Of the Owl genera are several species, though all are but seldom seen because of their nocturnal habits. Among them are the barn owl, the screech owl, the long and the short eared owl, the barred owl, and the snowy owl, the latter being the rarest.
Climbers .- But few of this order remain in the county, the most common of which are the woodpeckers. Of the various kinds of these are the golden-winged, the pileated, the hairy, the downy, the yellow-bellied, red-bellied and the red-headed. The yellow billed cuckoo is occasionally seen; the black-billed cuekoo is rare.
Scratchers .- This order contains but few genera in this county. The wild turkey, the choicest of game, has almost entirely disap- peared, and was the only one of its family that ever sojourned here. In an early day they were in abundance. The chiefest among the Grouse family is the prairie chicken, which, if not carefully protected, must ere long follow the wild turkey, never to return. The ruffled grouse, wrongfully called " pheasant," has of late made its appearance. When frightened it takes to flight with a smothered, drum-like noise. It is quite fond of cultivated fields, and, if properly protected and encouraged until it becomes fairly settled, will make a fine addition to the game, and fill the place of the prairie chicken. Partridge family .- The fate of that excellent bird, the quail, is only a question of a short time. The Dove family .- The wild pigeons continue to make their semi-annual visits, but not in such vast numbers as years ago. Acres of forest were so often filled at night with these birds that the breaking of boughs and the flying of pigeons inade a noise that could be heard for miles, and the shot of a sportsman's gun could not be heard at a distance of ten feet. Highly interesting is the description by Andu- bon of the enormous flights which he observed on the Ohio in the fall of 1813; they obseured the daylight and lasted three days with- ont interruption. According to a very moderate estimate of his, each flight contained the stupendous number of one billion, one hundred and fifteen thousand million, one hundred and thirty-six thousand pigeons. These flights caused a general commotion
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
among the entire rural population. Desirons of booty, and anxious lest their crops should be spoiled, the farmers, arming themselves with rifles, clubs, poles, torches and iron pots filled with sulphur, proceed to the resting places of the birds. The work of slaughter being accomplished, everybody sat down among mountains of dead pigeons, plucking and salting the birds which they selected, aban- doning the rest to the foxes, wolves, raccoons, opossums and hogs, whole herds of which were driven to the battle-field. The plaintive notes of the Carolina dove, commonly known as the turtle-dove, are still heard.
Swimmers .- This order of birds, which formerly frequented this county in large numbers, have almost disappeared. They are migratory, and in their usual season would appear coming from the north or south, as winter passes into summer or summer into winter. Of the Diver family, the great northern diver, or loon, sometimes visits this section, but inhabits the frigid zone .. Of the Gull family are Wilson's tern and silvery gull .- The ronghed-billed pelican was the only genus of the Pelican family that ever stopped in this county, and it has now altogether ceased to make its visits here. Of the Cormorant family, the double-crested cormorant, or sea- raven, has been seen here. Duck family .- This family of migratory birds visited the ponds and streams of this county in large numbers before it became so thickly settled, both on their northern and southern passage, but now mostly confine themselves to the wilder places, where large numbers are found. This family furnishes most game for sportsmen and for the table. There are the wood-duck, the big black-headed duck, the ring-necked duck, the red-head, the canvas-back, the dipper, the shell-drake or goosander, the fish-duck, the red-breasted, and the hooded merganser, the mallard and the pintail, the green-winged and the blue-winged teal, the spoonbill and the gadwall, the baldpate, the American swan, the trumpeter swan and the white-fronted goose.
Waders .- Probably less is known of this order of birds than of any other, because of their shyness and solitary habits. They fre- quented the marshes, but cultivation has drained their favorite haunts. Of the Crane family, the whooping crane, always rare, is now never seen. The sand-hill cranes stop on their journeys north and south. Of the Heron family, the great blue heron or crane, least bittern, the green heron, night heron and the American bittern visit this region. Of the Ibis family, the glossy ibis has been seen here. Of the Plover family, the golden plover, the kildeer and the king plover comprise this family known here. Of the Phalarope family, the Wilson's and the red phalarope have frequented the swamps of this county. Various birds of the Snipe family have been common in and around the swamps of this county. Among them were Wilson's snipe, grey or red-breasted snipe, the least and the semi-palmated sandpiper, the willet, the tell-tale, the yellow-leg, the solitary sandpiper, the spotted sandpiper, the field plover, long-billed curlew, the common rail, the clapper rail or mud hen, and the coot.
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HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH COUNTY.
Reptiles .- All of the species of this class that ever inhabited this region are still to be found here except mnost of the poisonous snakes. The rattlesnake is of a yellowish-brown color, and has a series of horny joints at the end of the tail, which make a rattling sound. These were the most venomous of all snakes found here, and were numerous in the early settlement. There are two kinds, the bandy, or striped, and the prairie rattlesnake, the latter being still occasionally found. The copperhead was always rare. Among the harmless snakes are the water-snake, the garter-snake, the bull-snake, the milk-snake, the black-suake, and the blue racer.
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