USA > Michigan > Saginaw County > History of Saginaw County, Michigan; historical, commercial, biographical, Volume II > Part 8
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The voyageur and farmer indulged in no dreams of the equality of man. and ambition never embittered his heart, while the land owner and merchant, jealous of no encroachment, was the indulgent and kind-hearted employer and patron. They were a gay, happy people, full of vivacity and graceful hilarity, honest among themselves, generous and hospitable. Surrounded by danger, they were of undoubted courage, but when the present peril had passed, their habitual gayety returned. Sorrow and suffering were soon for- gotten, and privations laughed at. or cheerfully endured. Simple and frugal in their habits, contented with their place in life, they renewed in their forest recesses of the new world, the life of the old.
Among the first of the hardy, adventurous traders to visit this valley was Jacob Smith, known to the natives as "Wah-be-sins," who for some years had followed the occupation of trapper. He came here, it is supposed, about 1810, to open trade with the Indians, leaving his family, composed of a white wife and several children, in Detroit. With the gain of a dollar ever before his eve, he traversed the tributaries of the Saginaw and entered recesses of the forest never before trod by civilized man, in quest of game and the Indian with furs to trade. That he found this broad valley a rich field for his labors is manifest by his having dwelt here the remainder of his life. By fair dealing and kind treatment of the Indians he soon won their lasting friendship, and for a long period was regarded by them, and especially their chiefs, as a brother. Ilis influence over them was very marked, and. as we shall soon see, he exerted his powers to the utmost to his own gain. But he was brave and valorous, as he was kind and generous, and never failed to protect the weak and helpless, as the following incident shows.
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THE ADVENT OF WHITE MEN
Soon after the first settlement was started on the Saginaw, the United States government appointed David Henderson to fill the office of Indian Agent for this portion of the territory, and in due time he arrived with his family. Scarcely had they become settled in their forest home when he found it necessary to go to Detroit on business. During his absence the vicious old chief, Kish-kau-kon, appeared at his cabin, terrified the inmates, took them captive, and announced his intention to kill them. Jacob Smith. who was then at the settlement on the Flint, where he made his headquarters, hearing of the capture came with all possible speed to Saginaw, hunted up the old besotted chief, and demanded what his designs were regarding the wife and children of Henderson.
"I am going to kill them," answered the blood-thirsty chief.
"What," said Smith, "will you kill these little children who have never done you or anyone harm?"
Nervously the chief replied, "Take them away, quick."
"But," protested the trader, "it is no use for me to take the woman and her children through the woods. I shall meet some other Indians and they will take them away from me and kill them. You must give me some men to go with me to Detroit."
Without further parley the chief gave Smith six of his braves to act as an escort of the party through the wilderness to civilization, and they arrived safely at Detroit. Here the Indians were made prisoners and confined in the fort, and only through the influence of Smith, their steadfast friend, were they at length released, supplied with rations, and sent in charge of a file of soldiers beyond the reach of danger from the settlers, who were then in- furiated by the recent Indian outrages.
Louis Campau, the First Settler
Another of the early fur traders on the Saginaw was Louis Campan, who came to its shores in 1816. He was an intelligent, shrewd, far-seeing oper- ator, a man who will be remembered by posterity as the first pioneer to break ground for the embryo settlement. On the west bank of the river on ground which is near the foot of Throop Street, he erected a massive two-story structure, of great strength and solidity. It was built of squared logs, and was evidently intended to subserve a double purpose - a pleasant residence overlooking the placid river, and a stronghold to afford protection to an armed and plucky family from an assault by the savages, and also as a ware- house for the storage of furs and of goods for trade. For many years this building was a somewhat cherished landmark, an ancient souvenir of the pioneer age. Long after it had been abandoned as a trading post, the resi- dence portion was occupied by an old Frenchman, J. Baptiste Desnovers, a relative of the Campau's and who was intelligent, voluble, communicative. and polite. Many of the early pioneers will readily recall the easy grace and refinement of manner with which he greeted them, proferring a pinch of Maccaboy from his well filled silver snuff box, and relating some tale of pioneer life, of Indian warfare, or of his experiences as trapper and trader. Shortly after the death of this antique French gentleman, which occurred early in the sixties, the old house fell a victim to the flames.
Of other early trappers and fur traders along the Saginaw and its trib- utaries, Ilenry Conner, Whitmore Knaggs. G. Godfroy, Archie Lyons, and John Harson were the most prominent. All of these hardy, intrepid borderers, by adopting the wild life and habits of the savages, had ingratiated them- selves into their favor, won their confidence, and by kindness and friendly good will opened the way for the first treaty for the grant of Indian lands, which was soon to follow.
Lust. p.
CHAPTER IV. THE TREATY OF SAGINAW
The Territory of Michigan -- Treaty of Detroit - Building the Council House at Saginaw - Opening the Council - Oge-maw-ke-ke-to Speaks - The Influence of Wah- be-sins - Transcript of the Treaty - Military occupation - Hardships of Frontier Life - The Deviltry of Kish-kau-kou - The Second Treaty of Saginaw - The Treaty of 1838 and 1855.
B Y the ordinance of 1787 the civil authority of the United States was extended over the Northwest Territory ; and in January, 1805, a part was set off by Congress as the Territory of Michigan. This was the first designation of a political division by the name of Michigan, and it embraced the southern peninsula, the eastern end of the northern penin- sula, and a strip of land now contained in Ohio and Indiana. The old North- west Territory was then known as Indiana Territory. In 1809 the Territory of Illinois was formed, which included a portion of the upper peninsula west of the meridian which ran near the present city of Menominee. This left the part situated between this meridian and the meridian of Mackinac as Indiana Territory, and the northern peninsula belonging to three ter- ritories.
The State of Indiana was admitted in 1816, and the State of Illinois, with its present northern boundary, two years later. By an enabling act of Congress the remainder of the old Northwest Territory was made a part of Michigan Territory, which then included the present States of Michigan, Wisconsin, the part of Minnesota lying cast of the Mississippi, and a narrow strip of Northern Ohio. In 1834 Michigan Territory reached its greatest extent, embracing all the territory of the United States west of the Missis- sippi as far as the Missouri and White Earth River, and from the State of Missouri to the British Possessions. This extension included the present States of Minnesota, Iowa, and the eastern portion of the Dakotas.
The Treaty of Detroit
The first treaty of importance which was made for the extinguishment of Indian title to the soil of this territory was entered into by William Hull, then Governor of the territory and Superintendent of Indian affairs, in 1807. This treaty gave the United States a possessory title to the southeastern portion of the State of Michigan, as at present constituted. The northern line of this grant was a trifle north of the southern boundaries of what are now Lapeer and Genesee Counties, thus leaving the valley of the Saginaw and its affluents in possession of the Indians, with the rights of the natives intact and unaffected. Although a few fur traders had come among them as the scouts or advanced guard of civilization, their favorite hunting grounds were left to them undespoiled until the Treaty of Saginaw. which was made in 1819.
General Cass, who had won renown in the War of 1812, in the vigor of manhood and with a laudable ambition to achieve a national reputation, was commissioned to negotiate a treaty which would secure to the United States a most important addition to its territory. In this treaty we are
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IHISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
particularly interested, since the cession of lands then made by the natives, with the reservations therein provided for, include the rich and prosperous valley of the Saginaw and its tributaries.
With his staff of interpreters and aids, the General set out from Detroit early in September, 1819, journed the whole way to Flint River through the unbroken wilderness on horseback, and thence down the stream to the little settlement on the Saginaw. The land along the Flint was an Indian reserva- tion of Pe-won-ny-go-wingh -the tribal home of Chief Ne-ome and his successor Tone-dok-ane.
Building the Council House at Saginaw
One of the earliest white settlers to establish trade with the Indians on the Saginaw was Louis Campau, who came to the wilderness in 1816. lte was a fine representative of the better class of French pioneers, a liberal, public spirited, and worthy citizen. To him General Cass entrusted the building of a suitable Council House, and the making of all arrangements for the reception of the Commissioner and his numerous company. At the same time the General despatched two government vessels, laden with stores for the subsistence of the party, around the lakes St. Clair and Huron and up the Saginaw to the frontier post in the wilderness. On one of these vessels was a company of United States soldiery. under the command of Captain Cass, a brother of the General, which had been ordered to the place of meet- ing for the protection of those in attendance.
Campau and his workmen thereupon set about to construct the Council House, which was to be a spacious though rough edifice with open sides and ends, extending for several hundred feet along the bank of the river. It was situated on a slight knoll - a very commanding and pleasant place, a little east of what is now Michigan Avenue and north of Clinton Street. Trees conveniently situated furnished the columns of the house, while their boughs thickly interlaced above with other branches, and bark and moss, formed the simple roof covering. A platform made of hewed logs, and elevated a foot above the ground, to hold rustic benches for the accommodation of the Com- missioner and his aids, occupied the center of the room. Huge logs in their natural roughness were then rolled in upon the remaining space to serve as seats for the native lords of the wild domain, when in solemn council. The bordering woods were dotted with wigwams and cabins hastily set up by the Indians for the comfort of themselves and families during the pending nego- tiations.
Temporary yet convenient additions to his trading post were made by Campan, to afford space for a good-sized dining room for the officials, and also comfortable quarters for the distinguished Commissioner, who arrived with his company on the tenth of September. It was said the number of Indians present at that time was not large, although messengers had been sent among the different tribes, some quite remote from the place of meeting, to notify them of the council. When it was apparent that some tribes were not represented, runners were sent out in all directions to urge their coming.
Opening the Council
The negotiations were pending for ten or twelve days, and three councils were held. The number of Indians in attendance at the third council, which was the fullest held, was variously estimated from fifteen hundred to two thousand. At each formal council the chiefs, warriors, head-men and braves were called and admitted into the Council Ilouse. The sides and ends of the honse being open the squaws and young warriors gathered in timid groups
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THE TREATY OF SAGINAW
close by as interested spectators of the solemn proceedings within. The negotiations involved no less than a full and final surrender of the ancient hunting grounds of their people, the fair and beautiful heritage of forest and corn fields, lake and river, and the burial places of their fathers; and also provided for their removal beyond the Mississippi.
The eloquent appeal of General Cass, made known to the natives through experienced interpreters, failed to make a favorable impression on the native chiefs. He urged them to keep in mind the paternal regard which their Great Father at Washington held for them and their welfare, and expressed the hope that the peaceful relations which had existed between them since the war should be rendered perpetual. He reminded them of their condition as a people, the swelling of the wave of civilization toward their hunting grounds, the growing scarcity of game, the importance and necessity of turning their attention more to agriculture, and relinquishing the more uncertain mode of living by the chase, and the better condition they would ultimately be in by confining themselves to reservations, ample for the pur- poses of agriculture, to be provided for them in the proposed treaty ; and the cession of the residue of the territory then occupied by those who were there represented. upon such terms and guarantees as their condition required, including therein stipulated annuities.
He was answered by their chief speakers with a gravity and eloquence peculiar to Indian councils. Three chiefs of wide influence, Mis-hene-na- none-quet, Oge-maw-ke-ke-to, and Kish-kau-kou were particularly vehement in the treaty negotiations. The latter, however, was an Indian of violent temper, and in the excitement of drink was reckless in the commission of outrage. At the close of the first day of the council he had put himself out of condition for parley, and it was found that he was less dangerous in his wigwam quietly drunk than in the Council House tolerably sober. So he remained in a state quite unpresentable as a speaker for his tribe until the last day of the negotiations, when he was present merely to affix his totem to the treaty, after it had been engrossed for execution.
Oge-maw-ke-ke-to Speaks
The chief speaker, Oge-maw-ke-ke-to, opposed the treaty provisions with indignation, and it was said his speech was a model of Indian eloquence. He was then quite young, being scarcely twenty-five years of age, but was above the average height, and in his bearing was graceful and handsome. His band lived at the forks of the Tittabawassee; and like the famous Seneca chief, Sago-gewa-tha, he wore upon his breast a superb medal, which had been given him by the United States government.
He addressed the Commissioner as follows :
"You do not know our wishes. Our people wonder what has brought you so far from your homes. Your young men have invited us to come and light the council fire. We are here to smoke the pipe of peace. but not to sell our lands. Our American Father wants them, our English Father treats us better. Ile has never asked for them. Your people trespass upon our hunting grounds. You flock to our shores. Our waters grow warm. Our land melts away like a cake of ice. Our pos- sessions grow smaller and smaller. The warm wave of the white man rolls in upon us and melts us away. Our women reproach us. Our children want homes. Shall we sell from under them the spot where they spread their blankets? We have not called you here. We smoke with you the pipe of peace."
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
To this clear recital of their opposition the Commissioner replied with earnestness, reproving the speaker for arrogant assumption ; that their Great Father at Washington had just closed a war in which he had whipped their Father, the English King, and the Indians too; that their lands were forfeited in fact by the rules of war, but that he did not propose to take their posses- sions without rendering back an equivalent, notwithstanding their late act of hostility : that their women and children should have secured to them ample tribal reservations, on which they might live unmolested by their white neighbors, where they could spread their blankets and be aided by agriculture.
The council for the day closed, and the Commissioner and his staff of earnest and devoted aids, distinguished in Indian councils, retired to their lodgings disappointed and anxious. There were Henry Conner, known to the Indians as "Wah-be-sken-dip." Whitmore Knaggs, known as "Oke-day- ben-don," and beloved by them. Colonel Beaufait. G. Godfroy and John Harson, all with influence with the Chippewas. The chiefs and head-men of the natives retired to their wigwams in sullen dignity, unapproachable and unappeased. It was certainly an unpropitious opening of the great and im- portant undertaking and trust which General Cass had in hand. The juncture was a critical one, and, for a full appreciation of it. a brief allusion to the relative status of the contracting parties to the treaty, but whose minds had not yet met, is necessary.
The proposition for a cession of the Indian title came from the Amer- icans, not from the Indians. Their possessory control by American recogni- tion and action was as yet perfect. For any lawless or vindictive act upon the treaty grounds there would have been immunity from immediate punish- ment, and probably ultimate escape. The whites, comparatively, were few in number. The military company on board the schooner, anchored in the stream, was quite inadequate to successful resistance against an organized and general outbreak. Sufficient time had not yet elapsed to wash out the bitter memories of border fueds, of fancied or real wrong. Foot-prints were yet fresh upon the war-path ; indeed, only the fifth summer had passed since that war had closed which had laid low many Chippewa warriors. The Com- missioner and his staff of aids had placed themselves voluntarily within their stronghold upon the Saginaw, into which no pale-face had penetrated through- out the war, unless as a pinioned captive, with the exception of a single memorable instance wherein a daring trader had rescued from captivity the children of the Boyer family.
Here, within a half-dozen summers, the Indians had trained themselves to war-like feats and prepared for those deadly incursions into the frontier settlements, and for those more formidable engagements when disciplined valor met their wild charge. After each bloody raid they looked to this valley as to a fastness, and to it returned with their captives and streaming trophies. And here, too, had been for generations their simple altar in the forests; their festivals where thanks went up to the Great Spirit for the yearly return of the successive blessings of a fruitful season, following to its source with direct purpose and thankful hearts the warm ray which perfected their slender harvest.
Ne-ome, the chief of one of the largest bands of the Chippewas, occupied and assumed to control the most southerly portion of their then national domain. This portion lay along the Flint River and its northerly affluents which, by the treaty line of 1807, were left in full Indian possession. The river was called by the natives "Pe-won-o-go-wink, meaning literally the river of Flint. and by the early French traders, La Pierre. Trails upon the Flint and its tributaries, reaching to their head waters, all converging to the main
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THE TREATY OF SAGINAW
stream as a center, formed a net-work of communication which gave the Chippewas access by land, as well as by canoes upon the rivers, to the Com- missioner in council. The advancing wave of white settlement had already approached, and in some instances had, without authority, encroached upon the southerly border of their net-work of trails upon the Flint. In point of location geographically Ne-ome and his powerful band stood at the door, the very threshold, of the large body of land which our Government, through its faithful and earnest Commissioner, wanted. Unless well disposed toward the treaty, Ne-ome, holding the beautiful belt of land lying westerly of the River St. Clair and Lake Huron, stood a lion in the path.
But this chief was honest and simple minded, evincing but little of the craft and cunning of his race. Ile was sincere in his nature, by no means astute, was firm in his friendships, easy to be persuaded by any benefactor who should appeal to his Indian sense of gratitude; and was harmless, generous, and kind. In stature he was short and heavily moulded. He was a chief of patriarchal goodness, and his name was never mentioned by any of the members of his band, even at a remote day, except with a certain tradi- tionary sorrow, more impressive in its mournful simplicity than a labored epitaph.
The Influence of Wah-be-sins
But there was a power behind the throne of native chieftains, which was greater than the throne itself. That power rested in the hands of a white trader with the Indians, who was known to them by the name of Wah-be-sins (meaning a young swan), and to the border settlers as Jacob Smith. So far as known he was one of the first white traders to penetrate the wilderness of the Saginaw. It was supposed that he came to the valley about 1810, for he had traded with the natives there before the War of 1812, and for a long time after. Ilis principal trading post, which he afterward made his perma- ment one, was at the Grand Traverse, or fording place, of the Flint, in the first ward of the present city of that name.
By long residence among the native tribe he had assimilated by degrees their habits and customs, and even adopted their mode of dress. He spoke their language fluently and with powerful impressiveness, and was generous, warm hearted, and kind. Though small of stature and light in weight, he was powerful as well as agile; and was intrepid of spirit. Skilled in wood- craft, sagacious and adroit, it was said he equalled, if not exceeded, the natives in many of those qualities which, as forest heroes, they most admired. Like most white men living upon the Indian frontier, he had become the father of a half-breed family, of which one was a daughter, named Mok-itch- en-o-qua.
Brought into almost daily contact and intercourse with the band of Chippewas upon the Saginaw and its tributaries, he ingratiated himself into the confidence of their chief, Ne-ome; and it is probable that of the one hundred and fourteen chiefs and head-men of the Chippewa nation, who were present at the council, there was not one with whom he had not at some time dealt, and to whom he had extended some act of friendship, either in dispensing the simple hospitality of the wilderness, or in substantial advances to them of bread or of blankets, as their necessities may have re- quired. By kindness and fair dealing he had intrenched himself into their lasting friendship, and. at the time of the treaty negotiations, so closely had he identified himself with the good old chief, Ne-ome, that each hailed the other as "brother." Even at a much later day, Sa-gas-e-wa-qua. daughter of Ne-ome, and others of his descendants, when speaking of Smith and the old chieftain, invariably brought their hands together pressing the two index
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HISTORY OF SAGINAW COUNTY
fingers closely to each other, as the Indian symbol of brotherhood and warm attachment. Upon the treaty ground the two friends, the white trader and the swarthy son of the forest, acted unitedly and in perfect unison.
Although Smith was personally known to General Cass, he evidently looked with distrust upon the hardy borderer, as no position as aid to the negotiations, either as interpreter or agent, was accorded him. For days the most active and influential interpreters for the Government were in- effectual in conciliating Ne-ome, Oge-maw-ke-ke-to, and the other chiefs. Not a step of progress was made until Knaggs and other agents assumed. but with what authority is doubtful, to speak for the Government outside the Council House, had promised the faithful Ne-ome that, in addition to various and ample reservations for the different bands, of several thousand acres each, there should be reserved as requested by Wah-be-sins (Smith ), eleven sections of land of six hundred and forty acres each, to be located at or near the Grand Traverse of the Flint. Eleven names as such reservees, all Indian, were passed to Knaggs on a slip of paper in his tent.
Such progress having been made in the parley, due to surrender to craftiness of the white trader with the Indians, another council was called and was more fully attended by the chiefs and warriors, Many points of difficulty had been smoothed over, and the storm which at first threatened to overwhelm the best efforts of the Commissioner and his aids had passed. In its place a calm and open discussion ensued on terms and basis which a just and honorable treaty should be concluded.
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