History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens., Part 58

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1156

USA > Missouri > Platte County > History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 58
USA > Missouri > Clay County > History of Clay and Platte Counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of their townships, towns, and villages, together with a condensed history of Missouri; a reliable and detailed history of Clay and Platte Counties --their pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens. > Part 58

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The treatment these pioneer settlers received was certainly a great hardship, not to say outrage, especially when it is considered that in less than a year afterwards the country was opened for settlement. A little less haste and less officiousness on the part of the authorities, under the circumstances, would have been much more becoming in them - having already waited as long as they had, and knowing, as they did, that negotiations were even then nearly completed for the extinguishment of the Indian title to the land.

OTHER PIONEERS.

In his letter of August 10, 1835, to the Secretary of the State, which is copied in full in the next chapter, Hon. L. F. Linn, then a United States Senator from this State, stated that there were between 200 and 300 families (or from 1,000 to 1,500 people) in the Platte reserve, and as is well known, at least nine-tenths of them were in the lower part of it, in what are now Platte, Buchanan and Andrew coun- ties principally.8 All, however, were expelled without favor or cere-

1 List taken in part from statement of Nathaniel Boydston to W. M. Paxton and in part from article of W. M. Paxton in Landmark.

2 Mr. Todd, however, was afterwards permitted to move down three miles west of Platte City where he improved a farm and subsequently resided.

3 This confirms the statement of Mr. Bernard that there was a large number of settlers at that time in what is now Platte county.

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

mony, except a few having contracts with post agents or others con- nected with the Government, and an occasional ferryman at crossings of steamers on Government trails, who were permitted to remain.

Of the few who remained under special permits, the names of only the following are now recalled : Zadoc Martin and family, at the falls of the Platte ; Joseph Todd, near the falls of the Platte ; Rob- ert Cain and family, at or near the crossing of the Missouri, opposite Fort Leavenworth ; Wilson Williams and family, at the Issue House, and William Brown, near the Issue House.

Among those who were expelled, the names of but few are now ob- tainable, aside from those of the Second creek settlement already mentioned. Many of them moved away entirely - never returned ; and those who did come back after the Purchase was completed, came ' in with the general rush of immigrants, so that their identity has been lost - at least to all inquiries thus far made .. The names of only Jno. Grooms, who lived in the south quarter of what is now the Rixby farm ; William Sharp, who came in as the partner of Zadoc Martin, but was not joined with Martin in the ferry permit; and Andrew Wilkerson, who had located on a piece of land near Rialto, have been obtained.

THE LIBERTY-FT. LEAVENWORTH TRAIL.

The trail or road from Liberty to Ft. Leavenworth was opened in 1828, nearly nine years before the Platte purchase was made. It crossed the Platte at the falls, now the site of Platte City, and it was to keep the ferry at this crossing that Zadoc Martin was permitted to settle here and remain. After Ft. Leavenworth was established (in 1827), and the trail opened from Liberty to that place by way of the Platte Falls, a profitable trade to the settlers of Clay county sprang up between them and the authorities at the Fort. The farmers of Clay county supplied the troops with nearly all their grain and other farm products, and the merchants at Liberty took contracts of the Fort for supplies of flour, groceries, provisions, etc., from which they generally made good profits. The Platte Falls, being at the crossing of the Platte river, where all this trade passed, early became a well known point throughout all this part of the country.

THE APPROACHING CHANGE.

Platte county generally, however, was perhaps more of a wilderness than it had ever been before - since Lewis and Clark's Expedition found it in May, 1804, clothed in the green of its ancient forests, and

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

with the silence unbroken unless by the wild whoop of an Indian, the murmuring of its streams or the rustling of the leaves stirred by a frightened deer or fanned by a morning breeze. Thus the new year 1837 found it, a veritable wild, the home of the red man of the forest and the abiding place of the deer, the wolf, the panther, the bear.

But before another year came it had entered upon a change, a change mighty in scope, the beginning of which we know but whose close no earthly prescience can reckon.

CHAPTER III.

THE PLATTE PURCHASE - INDIAN TITLE EXTINGUISHED - 1835- .. 1836.

Preliminary Steps-The Platte Country Correspondence in Reference Thereto - Meeting at Liberty, Mo. - Its Object - Memorial - Efforts of Benton and Linn - Treaty with the Iowas, Sacs and Fox Indians.

In January, 1835, the Hon. L. F. Linn, then a United States Senator from the State of Missouri, addressed H. Ellsworth, Esq., the follow- ing letter : -

WASHINGTON, January 23, 1835.

SIR: It has long been desired by the people of Missouri to have annexed to the State that portion of territory lying between her west- ern boundary and the great river, Missouri, for the purpose of pre- venting the location of an annoying Indian population, and for the purpose of having points on the river to receive their supplies and ship their productions, within a moderate distance from the homes of those inhabitants residing along that line of the frontier.

The location of the Pottawatomies, by the treaty of Chicago, on this territory, interposes a barrier to the attainment of these objects, so important to the welfare and tranquility of the inhabitants of the northeastern and western counties. Will you be so good as to furnish me your opinion as to the propriety of ratifying that treaty, and the danger of collision between the two races, from placing the Indians between the white population and the river Missouri.

Very respectfully,

L. F. LINN.

H. ELLSWORTH, ESQ.

The following is the answer of Mr. Ellsworth : -

WASHINGTON, January 27, 1835.

SIR : Yours of the 23d instant, requesting my opinion as to the propriety of ratifying the Chicago treaty, and the danger of collision that will probably arise from placing the Indians between the white population and the river Missouri, at the northwest section of the State, was received this morning. In reply, I hasten to observe that the small strip of land lying between the Missouri river and the State of Missouri, is, compared with the country lying north of the State line, an unfavorable location for the Indian tribes.

In the fall of 1833 I held a council with the Iowas and the little band of Sacs and Foxes living on this strip, who complained of the

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

great difficulty attending their present situation, on account of the con- tiguity and encroachments of white men in the State, and all the chiefs desired me to make a treaty for their removal to land lying north of the State line. Not being authorized to make this treaty, I did not attempt it, but have recommended the subject to the favorable consid- eration of the Government.

I have understood that the Pottawatomies are willing to receive other land, in equal amount, for that lying south of the north line of Mis- souri extended. If this can be done I have no doubt it would be advantageous to all the parties concerned. The Government would realize the value of land, but more especially the Pottawatomies would have an excellent location, one far less likely to be interrupted by the encroachments of white neighbors. The State of Missouri might hereafter be accommodated with a good natural boundary, several excellent water privileges, and additional landings on the navigable waters of Missouri for 140 miles. The ratification of the Chicago treaty will prevent the future disposal of this narrow strip to Mis- souri. Hence I conceive it highly important that the Pottawatomies should make an exchange of part of the lands embraced within the original treaty. It may be proper to state that, from the concurrent testimony of all persons residing on the Missouri, as well as from a personal view from the opposite side of the river, the location of the Pottawatomies north of the land in question will give them a rich and fertile tract, equal to that of any tribe already migrated.

It ought to be noticed that the general expectation that the Chicago treaty would be modified, has emboldened many squatters to enter the lands in question, in hopes of fixing their future residence. I have, therefore, no hesitation in giving an opinion as to the expediency of altering the Chicago treaty, so as to confine the Pottawatomies north of the little strip now wanted by the State of Missouri.

Having given this opinion, permit me to say that I believe it prac- ticable, with little expense or delay, to remove the Indians now on this strip of land, and to extinguish any remaining right in the red men for hunting or other privileges, and this removal and extinguishment I would respectfully recommend before the State jurisdiction is extended to the waters of the Missouri.

Yours most respectfully, HENRY ELLSWORTH.

HON. L. F. LINN, Senator.

At the same time the Hon. L. F. Linn wrote to Maj. John Dough- erty, Indian agent, for information concerning the geography and topography of the country embraced in the " Platte Purchase," and in three days thereafter received the following answer : -

WASHINGTON, January 26, 1835.

SIR: Your communication of the 23d instant, containing certain queries touching the slip of land lying between the western boundary

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

line of the State of Missouri and the Missouri river has been re- ceived.

I assure you it will afford me great pleasure to furnish the answers called for, and in the order in which you have proposed the ques- tions : -

1st. The length of the strip of land referred to is, on its east line, 100 miles long ; the west line, following the meanders of the Missouri river, is about 150 miles in length, to a point on said river due west from the northwest corner of the State, the average breadth being about 15 miles.

2d. I feel no hesitation in stating ( and this without the fear of con- tradiction ) that the location of Indians upon this territory would be attended with the most ruinous effects ; it would alike be injurious to the Indians and whites; take, for example, the Iowas, who now reside upon the upper end of this strip - they are a poor, drunken,- miserable set of beings, dwindling away to nothing, quarreling among themselves, killing each other, and in constant broils with their white neighbors. Those evils would be greatly increased were the Indians located all the way down this strip of land, between the white settle- ments and the Missouri river to the mouth of the Kansas river, where it becomes narrow and the white population more dense.

3d. The inconvenience of our citizens would be incalculable if those along the western line of the State were compelled to transport their productions to the mouth of the Kansas river for shipment ; some of them residing within eight or ten miles of steamboats passing every day would be obliged to haul everything for market over a new country 100 miles.

4th. There is a great deficiency of water power and springs in the northern counties of the State of Missouri, whilst the strip of land you have reference to abounds with numerous flush running springs and creeks, with great falls, well calculated for mills or other water works.

5th. The country north of the State of Missouri, reaching from the Mississippi to the Missouri river, and extending north between 400 and 500 miles, is well timbered, interspersed with fine, rich prairies, and abounds with numerous large, bold running streams, coming in from the highlands between these two great rivers ; in short, the whole country is well adapted to agricultural purposes, with a fine climate, and exceedingly healthy.

In reply to your 6th question, I deem it sufficient to refer to the answer under the second query. The peace and tranquility of both whites and Indians require that this long strip of land should be attached to the State of Missouri ; and I can not suppose that any gentleman, as well acquainted with its locality as I am, would enter- tain a different opinion, or dissent from the views herein expressed.

With great respect, I have the honor to be, Your obedient servant,

Hon. L. F. LINN, Senate, U. S.

JNO. DOUGHERTY, Indian Agent.

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

For some years before the removal of the Indians, the narrow strip of land between the western boundary of the State and the Missouri river began to be settled by white men. So numerous were these settlers that the United States Government sent a military force from Fort Leavenworth to remove them. What proportion of these daring frontiersmen had located in the territory of what is now Buchanan county we can not determine, but the number must have been consid- erable, as will be seen from the following letter from Hon. L. F. Linn to Hon. John Forsyth, Secretary of State.

SAINT GENEVIEVE, August 10, 1835.

SIR : I take the liberty of enclosing you a copy (perhaps imperfect, from having mislaid the original) of a letter dated May 14, to the Sec- retary of War, on a subject of much interest to the people of this State. To this communication no answer has been received. May I tax your kindness by asking that you will read the letter, and give the subject your friendly attention in any way you may deem advisable. I feel that there is a propriety in endeavoring to obtain your assistance, knowing the state you so long represented in Congress, with such distinguished credit, has been greatly annoyed by an Indian population. I hear an order has come from the War Department to remove the families who have settled on the Indian lands lying between our western boundary and the Missouri river, by military force.

You know the independent and daring character of our frontier population, and knowing, you will easily believe that this step is not to be accomplished without violence and much distress, as the families are two or three hundred in number. The accompanying diagram will at a glance show you what we want, and at the same time the utter uselessness of this portion of country for Indian purposes.

The long absence of Governor Cass, and multiplicity of business since his return, may have caused him to lose sight of my letter. His order has caused much sensation in the northern part of the State, and for the present ought to be suspended.

Yours truly, 1

L. F. LINN.

HON. JOHN FORSYTH, Secretary of State.

In the summer of 1835 there was held a regimental militia muster at Dale's farm, three miles from the town of Liberty, in Clay county. After the morning parade, and during the recess for dinner, a mass meeting of the citizens present was addressed, among others, by Gen. Andrew S. Hughes, who came to Clay from Montgomery county, Ky., in 1828, and who soon afterward was appointed Indian agent by President John Quincy Adams. At this meeting he proposed the acquisition of the Platte country, and the measure met with such hearty approval that a committee was at once appointed to make an effort to

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

accomplish it. The committee was composed of William T. Wood, now judge of the Lexington circuit; David R. Atchison, ex-United States Senator ; A. W. Doniphan, a distinguished lawyer and hero of the Mexican War ; Peter H. Burnett, afterward one of the Supreme Judges of California, and Edward M. Samuel, afterward President of the Commercial Bank in St. Louis-all of them at that time residents of Clay county. Subsequently an able memorial to Congress was drafted by Judge Wood, embracing the facts and considerations in be- half of the measure, which, after being signed by the committee, was forwarded to the Senators and Representatives at Washington from Missouri.

Following the prayer of this memorial, in 1836, a bill was intro- duced in Congress by Thomas H. Benton, and zealously supported by his colleague, Senator Linn, which provided for the extension of the then existing boundary of the State, so as to include the triangle be- tween the existing line and the Missouri river, then a part of the Indian Territory, now comprising the counties of Atchison, Andrew, Buchanan, Holt, Nodaway and Platte. The difficulties to encounter were three fold: 1. To make still larger a State which was already one of the largest in the Union. 2. To remove Indians from a posses- sion which had just been assigned to them in perpetuity. 3. To alter the Missouri Compromise line in relation to slave territory, and thereby convert free soil into slave soil. Notwithstanding these difficulties, the two first mentioned serious and the last formidable, the act was passed and the treaties negotiated, and in 1837 the Indians removed west of the Missouri river, thus adding to the State a large body of the richest land in the world.

During the fall of 1835, after the meeting held at the regimental muster above referred to, Gen. Andrew S. Hughes wrote to Hon. L. F. Linn in reference to a treaty with the Ioways and Sacs of his agency. His letter is as follows : -

IOWAY SUB-AGENCY, September 3, 1835.

SIR : I have written a hasty scrawl to you. It might be well to publish your letter to show to the people what you were doing. I send this to Ste. Genevieve, not exactly knowing where to find you. I give you liberty to do just as you may think proper with my letter.

All letters addressed to me, I wish directed to the " Elm Grove Post-office, Clay County, Missouri." This is most convenient to me. When I hear from you I will write again. I desire to see you before you go on East.

A treaty can be made with the Ioways of my agency and Sacs, with- out expense to the Government, or any other unnecessary pomp and

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

parade, as has heretofore been the case. Colonel Dodge could make treaty with the Indians as a part of his official duty. They are near his post, and I should have no objections to render any assistance that might be asked of me.

Believe me, your sincere friend, AND. S. HUGHES.

To HON. LEWIS F. LINN.

THE TREATY.

The treaty which was negotiated with the Sac and Fox Indians, whereby Missouri extended her western boundary line, is as follows :

Articles of a treaty made and concluded at Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri river, between William Clark, Superintendent of Indian Affairs, on the part of the United States, of the one part, and the undersigned chiefs, warriors and counselors of the Ioway tribe, and the band of Sacs and Foxes of the Missouri (residing west of the State of Missouri) in behalf of their respective tribes, of the other part.

ARTICLE 1. By the first article of the treaty of Prairie du Chien, held the 15th of July, 1830, with the confederated tribes of the Sacs and Foxes, Ioways, Omahaws, Missouris, Ottoes and Sioux, the country ceded to the United States by that treaty is to be " assigned and allotted, under the President of the United States, to the tribes living thereon, or to such other tribes as the President may locate thereon for hunting and other purposes." And whereas, it is further represented to us, the chiefs, warriors and counselors of the Ioways and Sacs and Fox band aforesaid, to be desirable that the lands lying between the State of Missouri and the Missouri river should be at- tached to and become a part of the said State, and the Indian title thereto should be extinguished ; but that, notwithstanding, as these lands compose a part of the country embraced by the provision of said first article of the treaty aforesaid, the stipulations thereof will be strictly observed, until the assent of the Indians interested is given to the proposed measure.

Now we, the chiefs, warriors and counselors of the Ioways and Mis- souri band of Sacs and Foxes, fully understanding the subject, and well satisfied from the local position of the lands in question that they can never be made available for Indian purposes, and that an at- tempt to place an Indian population on them must inevitably lead to collision with the citizens of the United States, and further believing that the extension of the State line in the direction indicated would have a happy effect, by presenting a natural boundary between the whites and the Indians; and willing, moreover, to give the United States a renewed evidence of our attachment and friendship, do here- by, for ourselves and on behalf of our respective tribes (having full power and authority to this effect), forever cede, relinquish and quit claim to the United States, all our right, title and interest, of whatever nature, in and to the land lying between the State of Mis-

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HISTORY OF PLATTE COUNTY.

souri and the Missouri river, and do freely and fully exonerate the United States from any guarantee, condition or limitation, expressed or implied, under the treaty of Prairie du Chien aforesaid or other- wise, as to the entire and absolute disposition of the said lands ; fully authorizing the United States to do with the same whatever shall seem expedient or necessary.

As a proof of the continued friendship and liberality of the United States towards the Ioways and band of Sacs and Foxes of the Mis- souris, and as an evidence of the same entertained for the good will manifested by said tribes to the citizens and Government of the United States, as evinced in the preceding cession or relinquishment, the undersigned, William Clark, agrees on behalf of the United States, to pay as a present to the said Ioways and band of Sacs and Foxes, $7,500 in money, the receipt of which they hereby acknowl- edge.

ARTICLE 2. As the said tribes of Ioways and Sacs and Foxes have applied for a small piece of land south of the Missouri for a permanent home, on which they can settle, and request the assistance of the Gov- ernment of the United States to place them on the land, in a situation at least equal to that they now enjoy on the lands ceded by them ; therefore, I, William Clark, Superintendent of the Indian Affairs, do further agree on behalf of the United States, to assign to the Ioway . tribes and Missouri band of Sacs and Foxes, the small strip of land on the south side of the Missouri river, lying between the Kickapoo northern boundary line and the Grand Nemaha river, and extending from the Missouri back and westwardly with the said Kickapoo line and the Grand Nemaha, making four hundred sections, to be divided between the said Ioways and Missouri band of Sacs and Foxes, the lower half to be the Sacs and Foxes, and the upper half to the Ioways.

ARTICLE 3. The Ioways and Missouri band of Sacs and Foxes fur- ther agree that they will move and settle on the lands assigned them in the above article as soon as arrangements can be made, and the undersigned William Clark, in behalf of the United States, agrees that, as soon as the above tribes have selected a site for their villages, and places for their fields, and moved to them, to erect for the Ioways five comfortable houses ; to enclose and break up for them 200 acres of ground ; to furnish them with a farmer, blacksmith, schoolmaster and interpreter, as long as the President of the United States deems proper ; to furnish them with such agricultural implements as may be necessary, for five years ; to furnish them with rations for one year, commencing at the time of their arrival at their new home; to furnish them with one ferryboat; to furnish them with 100 cows and calves, and five bulls, and 100 stock hogs, when they require them ; to furnish them with a mill, and assist in removing them to the extent of $500.

And to erect for the Sacs and Foxes three comfortable houses ; to enclose and break up for them 200 acres of land; to furnish them with a farmer, blacksmith, schoolmaster and interpreter, as long as the President of the United States shall deem proper ; to furnish them with

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such agricultural implements as may be necessary, for five years ; to fur- nish them with rations for one year, commencing at the time of their ar- rival at their new home; to furnish them with one ferryboat; to furnish them with 100 cows and calves, and five bulls ; 100 stock hogs, when they require them ; to furnish them with a mill, and to assist in removing them to the extent of $400.

ARTICLE 4. This treaty shall be obligatory on the tribes, parties hereto, from and after the date hereof, and on the United States, from and after its ratification by the Government thereof.

Done, and signed and sealed at Fort Leavenworth, on the Missouri, this 17th day of September, 1836, and of the Independence of the United States the sixty-first.

WILLIAM CLARK, Superintendent of Indian Affairs.

IOWAYS.

MO-HOS-CA (or White Cloud ), NAU-CHE-NING ( or No Heart),

WA-CHE-MO-NE (or the Orator ), NE-O-MO-NE ( or Raining Cloud), MAN-O-MO-NE (or Pumpkin ),

CON-GU (or Plumb),

WAU-THAW-CA-BE-CHU (one that eats rats ),

NE-WAN-THAW-CHU (Hair Shed- der ),

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Author: Publication date: 1885 Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co. Number of Pages: 1156

Author:
Publication date: 1885
Publisher: St. Louis : National Historical Co.
Number of Pages: 1156