USA > Indiana > Tippecanoe County > Past and present of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, Volume I > Part 2
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48
This meeting was held on the day appointed, and delegates elected to confer with the state of Virginia as to the propriety of attaching the new country as a county to that state.
Many causes prevented a consummation of this object until 1778. Vir- ginia was favorable to the enterprise, but would not take action as a state. But Governor Henry and a few others assisted Colonel Clark all they could. Accordingly Clark organized an expedition. He took in stores at Pittsburg and Wheeling, and proceeded down the Ohio to the "falls," where he con- structed some light fortifications.
At this time Post Vincennes comprised about four hundred militia, and it was a daring undertaking for Colonel Clark with his small force of men to go up against it at Kaskaskia, as he had planned. Some of his men be- coming alarmed at the critical situation deserted him.
He conducted himself so as to gain the sympathy of the French, and through thein the Indians to some extent, as both were very bitter against the English, who had possession of the lake region.
He took Kaskaskia first, and succeeded by kindness in winning them to his standard. It was difficult, however, for him to induce the French to ac- cept his paper ( Continental money ) in payment for provisions. Colonel
2I
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
Vigo, a Frenchman who had a trading establishment there. came to the res- cue and prevailed on the people to accept this paper. Colonel Vigo sold coffee at one dollar per pound. and other goods in proportion.
The next post was Vincennes, defended by Fort Sackville, an all-im- portant possession to gain. Father Gibault, of Kaskaskia, who also had charge of the church at Vincennes, being friendly to the Americans, 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 had concluded treaties with several Indian tribes, and placed Capt. Leonard Helm, an American. in command at Vin- cennes. On learning the successful termination of Clark's expedition, the General Assembly of Virginia declared all the settlers west of the Ohio or- ganized into a county of that state, to be known as "Illinois" county; but before the provisions of the law could be made effective. Henry Hamilton. the British lieutenant governor of Detroit, collected an army of thirty regu- lars, fifty French volunteers and four hundred 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.
Upon hearing of the taking of Post Vincennes, Colonel Clark, who was still at Kaskaskia, determined to retake the place. He gathered together about one hundred and seventy men, and on February 5th started from Kas- kaskia, crossing the stream of the same name. The weather was wet and the low lands covered with water. He had to subsist on such game as he could shoot en route. He waded the water and shared all the hardships and privations with his men. They reached the Little Wabash on the 13th1. Two days were occupied in crossing the swollen stream. They found the roads no better, but marched on and reached the Big Wabash on the 17th of the month. The next two days were consumed in attempting to make a crossing of the angry waters of the stream. Finally canoes were constructed, and the entire force crossed the main stream, and then found much of the low land entirely under water and considerable ice had formed by the recent cold weather. His men refused to proceed. All of Clark's persuasions had no effect upon the half-starved men.
In one company was a small drummer-boy and also a sergeant who stood six feet and two inches high. He was friendly to Clark and the pro- posed expedition Clark mounted the drummer-boy on the shoulders of the tall, active sergeant, and ordered him to plunge into the water, half frozen as it was. He did so and the little boy, beating the charge from his lofty position, while Colonel Clark with sword in hand, followed them, giving the
22
PAST AND PRESENT
command, as he swept aside the ice with his sword, at the same time shouting "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 Clark halted his little band, and sent in a letter demanding a surrender, to which he received no reply. He next ordered Lieutenant Bayley with fourteen men to advance and fire on the fort, while the main body of men moved in another direction and took possession of the strongest portion of the town. Clark then demanded Ham- ilton's surrender immediately or he would be treated as a murderer. Hamil- ton 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 but an unconditional surrender would be accepted. In less than an hour Clark directed and dictated terms of surrender, on 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 could well be written. This expedition has never been surpassed if equalled in modern warfare, when we consider that by it the whole territory now included in Indiana, Illinois and Michigan was added to the Union, and so admitted by the Brit- ish Commissioners to the treaty of peace in 1783. But for the result of this expedition. our western boundary would have been the Ohio instead of the Mississippi. When we consider the vast area of territory, embracing three million people. the human mind is lost in the contemplation of its effects. We still wonder that a force of one hundred and seventy men under this superb leader. Colonel Clark, by this single action should have produced such far-reaching results.
Clark reinstated Captain Helm in command at Vincennes, with instruc- tions to subdue the marauding Indians, which he did, and soon comparative quiet prevailed on Indiana soil.
The whole credit of this great conquest belongs to Colonel Clark and Colonel Francis Vigo. The latter was a Sardinian by birth, and had served in the Spanish army, but left to trade among the Indians. He then devoted his time and talents in the aid of Clark in the interests of the United States.
GOVERNMENT OF THE NORTHWEST.
As has already been shown. Indiana was within the territory belonging to Virginia, through the Colonel Clark conquest.
January, 1783, the general assembly of that state resolved to cede this territory to the general government of the United States. The proposition
23
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
made by Virginia was accepted by the United States, and the transfer con- firmed early in 1784. By the terms of the transfer, Virginia was to be reim- bursed for all expenditures incurred in exploring and protecting settlers in the territory; also that one hundred and fifty thousand acres of land should be granted to the soldiers who with Colonel Clark had made the famous ex- pedition and caused the annexation to be made to Virginia. After all these matters had been attended to, in the spring of 1784 the matter of governing this section of the West was referred to a committee of Messrs. Jefferson, of Virginia. Chase, of Maryland, and Howell. of Rhode Island, which com- mittee, 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. Much controversy has been indulged in as to who really is entitled to the credit of framing it. This undoubtedly belongs to Nathan Dane; and to Rufus King and Timothy Pickering belongs the credit of having inserted the anti-slavery clause which it contained.
Mr. Jefferson had vainly tried to secure a system of government for the Northwest Territory excluding slavery therefrom. The South invari- ably voted him down, however.
In July, 1787, an organizing act without the slavery clause was pending, which was supposed to secure its passage. Congress went into session in New York City. July 5th, Rev. Manasseh Cutler, of Massachusetts. came to New York in the interests of some land company or speculators in the Northwest Territory. He was a graduate of Yale College; had taken the degrees of the three learned professions-medicine, law and theology-and as a scientist in America his name stood second only to that of Franklin.
He was a courtly gentleman of the old school type and had got into the confidence of the Southern leaders. He wished to purchase five million, five hundred thousand acres of land in the new territory. Jefferson and his administration desired to make a record on the reduction of the public debt. and this was a rare opportunity. Massachusetts' representatives could not vote against Cutler's scheme, as many of their constituents were interested in the measure personally ; Southern members were almost committed. Thuis Cutler held the key to the situation, and dictated terms, which were as fol- lows :
I. The exclusion of slavery from the territory forever.
2. Providing one thirty-sixth of all the lands for public schools.
3. Be it forever remembered that this compact declares that religion. morality and knowledge being necessary to good government and the happi-
24
PAST AND PRESENT
ness of mankind, schools and the means of education shall always be en- couraged.
Dr. Cutler planted himself on this platform and would not yield, stating that unless they could procure these lands under desirable conditions and sur- roundings, that they did not care to purchase. July 13, 1787, the bill became a law. Thus the great states of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan and Wis- consin-a vast empire of themselves-were consecrated to freedom, intelli- gence and morality.
October 5. 1787, congress elected Gen. Arthur St. Clair governor of the Northwest Territory. He assumed his official duties at Marietta and at once proceeded to treat with the Indians and organize a territorial government. He first organized a court at Marietta, consisting of three judges, himself being president of the court.
The Governor with his judges then visited Kaskaskia, for the purpose of organizing a civil government, having previously instructed Major Ham- tramck, at Vincennes, to present the policy of the new administration to the several Indian tribes, and learn their feelings. They received the messenger with a cool indifference, which, when reported to the Governor, convinced him that nothing short of military force would command compliance with the civil government. He at once proceeded to Fort Washington, to consult with General Harmar as to future action. In the meantime, he entrusted the secretary of the territory. Winthrop Sargent. to the settlement of the disputed land claims, who found it a hard 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 but again proves that the "graft" of the twentieth century existed away back decades before this word had been coined.
The general court in 1790 passed stringent laws against the sale of intoxicating liquors to Indians, and also to soldiers within ten miles of any military post ; also prohibiting any games of chance within the territory.
The consultation between St. Clair and General Harmar ended in the decision to raise a large military force and thoroughly chastise the Indians about the head of the Wabash river. Accordingly. Virginia and Pennsyl- vania were called upon to muster eighteen hundred men. at Fort Steuben, and, with the garrison of that fort. join 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 one thousand four hundred and fifty men, marched from Fort Washington to the Maumee, and began punishing the
.
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
25
Indians, but with little success. The expedition left Fort Washington Sep- tember 30th, and returned to that place November 4th, having lost during that period one hundred and eighty-three men killed and thirty-one wounded.
General Harmar's defeat alarmed as well as aroused the citizens in the frontier counties of Virginia, thinking the Indians might invade that state.
The governor of Virginia called out the militia along the upper borders of that state; at the same time Charles Scott was appointed brigadier-general of the Kentucky militia now preparing to defend the frontiers of that state. This excited congress and a war board was appointed consisting of five members. March 9, 1791, General Knox, secretary of war, wrote to General Scott recommending an expedition against the Indians on the Wabash. (This affair is treated at length in another chapter.)
March 3, 1791, congress invested Governor St. Clair with the command of three thousand troops, and he was instructed by the secretary of war to march to the Miami village and establish a strong and permanent military post. After that was accomplished he was to seek the enemy with all his available forces and make them feel the effect of the superiority of the whites.
ST. CLAIR AND WAYNE EXPEDITIONS.
The Indians had been seriously damaged by Harmar, Scott and Wil- kinson, but were far from subdued. The English along the Canadian frontier gave them much encouragement.
In September, 1791, St. Clair moved from Ft. Washington with a force of two thousand men and a number of pieces of artillery. November 3d he reached the headwaters of the Wabash, where Fort Recovery was later built, and here the army camped, consisting of one thousand four hundred effective men. The following morning the army advanced and engaged a force of twelve hundred Indians. Here the American army was disastrously defeated, having thirty-nine officers and five hundred and thirty-nine men killed and missing, twenty-two officers and two hundred and thirty-two men wounded. Several pieces of artillery and all their provisions were taken from them. The property loss was estimated at thirty-two thousand dollars.
There has always been some disposition to blame General St. Clair for this awful defeat, but his recent biographer, John Newton Boucher, of Greensburg, Pennsylvania, proves conclusively that he was not to blame for such defeat. But be that as it may, he resigned his commission after that battle and the work was taken up by Gen. Anthony Wayne, of Revolutionary fame, who organized his forces at Pittsburg, Pennsylvania. and in October,
26
PAST AND PRESENT
1793, moved westward at the head of an army of three thousand six hundred men. He proposed an offensive campaign. The Indians still held that the Ohio river should be the boundary line between the United States and their lands.
General Scott, of Kentucky, joined General Wayne with sixteen hun- dred men. They erected Fort Defiance at the mouth of the Auglaize river. August 15th the army moved toward the British fort, near the rapids of the Maumee, where on the morning of August 20th they defeated two thou- sand Indians and British almost within range of the guns of the fort. About nine hundred American troops were actually engaged. The Americans lost in killed thirty-three and wounded one hundred, the loss of the enemy being fully double this amount. Wayne remained in that region three days, de- stroying crops and villages, then returned to Fort Defiance, destroying every- thing pertaining to Indians for many miles around and on either side of his route.
September 14. 1794, General Wayne moved his army in the direction of the deserted Miami villages, at the junction of St. Joseph and St. Mary's rivers, arriving October 17th, and on the following day the site of Fort Wayne was selected. The fort was completed November 22d and garrisoned by a strong detachment of infantry and artillery. It was in command of Col. John F. Hamtramck, who named the place "Ft. Wayne." It was not long after this that General Wayne concluded a treaty of peace with the In- dians at Greenville, Ohio, in 1795.
ORGANIZATION OF INDIANA TERRITORY.
Upon the final victory of the American army in 1796. the principal town within what is now the state of Indiana was Vincennes, which comprised only fifty houses, but presented a thrifty appearance. There was also a small settlement where now stands Lawrenceburg, and several smaller settlements about trading posts, and the total number of civilized inhabitants in the territory was estimated at four thousand eight hundred and seventy-five.
Indiana Territory was organized by act of Congress, May 7, 1800, the material features of the ordinance of 1787 remaining in force, and the people were invested with all the rights and advantages granted and secured by that ordinance.
The seat of government was fixed at Vincennes. May 13, 1800, Wil- liam Henry Harrison, a native of Virginia, was appointed governor, and John Gibson, of Pennsylvania, was made secretary of the territory. General
27
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
Harrison called together the first territorial legislature or council, March 3, ISOI.
From this time to ISto the chief questions under discussion were land speculators. African slavery, and hostile views of the Shawnee chief, Te- cumseh, and his brother the wily Prophet.
Up to this time the sixth article of the ordinance of 1787, prohibiting slavery, had been somewhat neglected, and many French settlers held slaves ; many slaves had been removed to slave-holding states. A session of dele- gates, elected by a popular vote in the new territory. petitioned congress to revoke the sixth article of the old ordinance. Congress failed to grant this. as well as many other similar petitions. When it appeared from a popular vote in the territory that a majority of one hundred and thirty-eight were in favor of organizing a general assembly. Governor Harrison, on September II, 1804, issued a proclamation, and called for an election to be held in the several counties of the territory, January 3. 1805, to choose members of the house of representatives, who should meet at Vincennes February Ist. The delegates were duly elected, and assembled as ordered. and they perfected plans for territorial organization, and selected five men who should consti- tute the legislative council of the territory.
The first general assembly or legislature of the territory met at Vin- cennes July 29, 1805.
July 30th the Governor delivered his first message to the council and house of representatives. Benjamin Park, who came from New Jersey in 1801, was the first delegate elected to congress.
The first newspaper published within the territory of Indiana was the Western Sun, first issued at Vincennes in 1803, by Elihu Stout, of Kentucky, and first named the Indiana Gasette, but changed to the Sun July 4, 1804.
In ISIo the total population of Indiana was twenty-four thousand five hundred and twenty. There were then reported thirty-three grist-mills, four- teen saw-mills. three horse-mills, eighteen tanneries, twenty-eight distilleries, three powder mills. one thousand two hundred and fifty-six looms, one thousand three hundred and fifty spinning wheels, value of woolen, cotton, hemp and flax cloths one hundred and fifty thousand and fifty-nine dollars ; of nails, thirty thousand pounds; of wine from grapes, ninety-six barrels and fifty thousand pounds of maple sugar.
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 Vincennes, due north to the territorial line between the United States and Canada. For the first half century from the settlement Vincennes grew slowly.
28
PAST AND PRESENT
The commandants and priests governed with almost absolute power ; the whites lived in peace with the Indians.
The necessaries of life were easily procured ; there was nothing to stimu- late energy or progress. In such a state of society there was no demand for learning and science; few could read, and fewer still could write their own name; they were void of public spirit, enterprise or ingenuity.
Not until the close of the war of IS12-14 did Indiana take on her vigorous growth and since then she has kept pace with her sister states. In ISI5 the total white population was sixty-three thousand eight hundred and ninety-seven.
February 13, 18.13, the legislature in session at Vincennes changed the seat of government to Corydon. The same year Governor Posey was ap- pointed to take Governor Harrison's place, for he was engaged in subduing the enemies of this country.
Up to 1811 a man must own at least fifty acres of land before he was entitled to cast his vote. To become a member of the council he must possess five hundred acres of land, and each member of the legislature must needs own two hundred acres. This change was made by an act of congress and is still in practice.
In 1814 the territory was divided into three judicial districts. The gov- ernor appointed the judges and the compensation was fixed at seven hun- dred dollars per annum.
The same year two banks were authorized-the Mechanics' Bank of Madison, with seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, and the Bank of Vincennes with a capital of five hundred thousand dollars.
ORGANIZED AS A STATE 1816.
The last territorial legislature convened at Corydon in December, 1815. and petitioned congress for authority to adopt a state constitution and main- tain a state government. The President approved the bill and Indiana was made a state. The following May an election was held for the election of delegates to a constitutional convention. That body met at Corydon June 15th to 29th. John Jennings presiding, and William Hendricks acting as secretary.
The representatives in the constitutional convention were able men. The constitution they there formed for Indiana in 1816 was in no wise in- ferior to that of any other commonwealth in the Union, up to that date.
20
TIPPECANOE COUNTY, IND.
The first state election was held the first Monday in August, 1816, and Jonathan Jennings was elected governor. Christopher Harrison, lieutenant governor, and William Hendricks, representative to congress.
The close of the war of 1812-14 was followed by a great rush of immi- grants to the new state and in 1820 the state had more than doubled its population, having at this time one hundred forty-seven thousand one hun- dred and seventy-eight. From 1825 to 1830 was one of prosperity in Indi- ana. Immigration continued to come in rapidly, the crops were excellent, and the hopes of the people raised higher than ever before.
THE LAST OF THE RED MEN.
In 1830 there still remained on Indiana soil two tribes of Indians-the Miamis and the Pottawatomies. These were much opposed to moving to territory farther toward the west. This condition of unrest was used by the celebrated warrior, Black Hawk, who, hoping to receive aid from the discon- tented tribes, invaded the frontier and slaughtered the settlers. Others fled from their homes and a vast amount of property was destroyed. This was in 1832 and was known as the "Black Hawk war." The invaders were driven away with severe punishment, and when those who had abandoned their homes were assured that the Miamis and Pottawatomies did not con- template joining the invaders. they returned and again took up their peaceful vocations.
In 1837-38 the Indians were all removed to a country west of the Mis- sissippi, and very soon land speculations assumed large proportions.
STATE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS.
The matter of making public improvements in Indiana began to be freely talked of as early as 1818, and continued in favor until 1830, when the people became much excited over the question of railroads.
In 1832 work on public roads and canals was really commenced. the Wabash and Erie canal being the greatest of such undertakings. Thirty- two miles of this canal were completed during that year.
During 1836 many other projected works were started, and in 1837, when the governor took the executive chair, he found a reaction among the people in regard to the gigantic plans for public improvements. The people feared that a state debt was being saddled onto their shoulders which they could never free themselves from. The state had borrowed three million
.
30
PAST AND PRESENT
eight hundred and twenty thousand dollars for internal works, of which one million three hundred thousand dollars was for the construction of the Wa- bash and Erie canal. The state to pay annually two hundred thousand dol- lars' interest on her public debt, and the revenue derived which could be thus applied amounted to only forty-five thousand dollars in 1838.
In 1839 all work ceased on these improvements, with one or two excep- tions, and the contracts surrendered to the state in consequence of the act of the legislature providing for the compensation of contractors by the issue of treasury notes.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.