The pioneer history of Illinois, containing the discovery in 1673, and the history of the country to the year 1818, when the state government was organized

Front matter

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THE PIONEEJl

Introduction

My friends will think it strange that I have written a book, no matter how small or unpretending it may be. Havino- the control of my time and actions, it was a very pleasant occupa' tion to employ some of my leisure hours to write, in my huml)le manner, "The Pioneer History of Illinois." Time is rapidly sweeping off from the scene of action the pioneers of our country; and even the recollection of their actions will soon be forgotten, if no attempt is made to perpetuate the history of this worthy and noble race of men.

The pioneers suffered, without a murmur, all the privations and difficulties in the early settlement of the country; and by their energy, bravery, and sound practical sense, the country we now enjoy, with all the comforts and blessings of civilized life, they reclaimed from a wilderness infested with hostile savages and wild beasts.

It is a story of these pioneers, French, British, and Ame"*- icans, in their discovv-ry and early settlement of Illinois, that I now attempt to narrate. Moreover, I know of no work, of this character, that is confined solely to the discovery and early settlement of Illinois, but the present unpretending one, which is now presented to the public. This was some inducement to the task. I hope my humble performance may please and interest the reader, as it has done the writer.

Among the many authors I consulted on this subject, I obtained much valuable information from the works of my friend, the talented and Rev. Mr. Peck, of St. Clair County, 111. Many facts stated in the "Pioneer History," since the year 1800, came under my own personal observation, which may be relied on as true.

This humble attempt at history must speak for itself; and the only recommendation I can give it, is, I think it contains the truth.

JOHN REYNOLDS.

Belleville, III., 1852.

ILLUSTRATIONS.

Gov. John Reynolds, . - . . Frontispiece

Fort Chartres, Plan of ----- 46

Gen. George Rogers Clark, - - - - 83

Gen. John Edgar, - - - - - - 116

Rev. John Mason Peck, - - - - 253

Henry Gratiot, ------ 309

Gov. Shadrach Bond, - - - - - 323

Gov. N1NLA.N Edwards, - - - - - 3*^7

Hon. Daniel Pope Cook, _ - - - 395

Gov. Joseph Duncan, ----- 403

Col. Francois Vigo, - - - - - 423

CHAPTER I. The Indians of Illinois, - - - - - 17

CHAPTER H.

The Discovery and Settlement of Illinois, to the first Government ot the "Company of the West," in 1718, - - - 25

CHAPTER in.

Illinois under the French Government, - - - 46

CHAPTER IV.

lUinois under the British Government, - - - - 74

CHAPTER V.

Illinois under the Government of Virginia, - - 83

CHAPTER VI.

Ilhnois under the Government of the Northwest Territory, - 145

CHAPTER VIL

The Religion and Morals of Illinois prior to 1818, - 253;

CHAPTER VIII.

Illinois under the Government of Indiana Territory, - - 276.

CHAPTER IX.

Illinois under the Government of the Illinois Territory, - 365;

The pioneer History of Illinois

CHAPTER I.

The Indians of Illinois.

Tr is difficult to give to the history of the Indians of Illinois any thing hke authenticity. The information we obtain on this subject is frequently founded on Indian tradition, which is often destitute of truth.

The explorers of the country from Canada, in the year 1673, found certain Indians southwest of Lake Michigan, whose generic name was known as Illinois, or Illini, as Hennepin wrote it. Those Indians having that name, and residing on the banks of the river, gave that name to the Illinois River, and to the Avhole country, down to the mouth of the Ohio.

We are informed that Illini means, according to the Indian understanding of that word, "real men" or "superior men." The Delaware Indians attach the same meaning to Leiini, and indicates, in their language, "real, or superior men."

The writers on this subject state: that almost all the Indians of North America are of the Algonquin (race, except the Iroquois. We may therefore conclude that the Delaware name of Lenni, or Lenni-Lenape, is the same as the Illini, which gave the name of Illinois. If we take Indian tradition for our guide, we may conclude that the Delawares and the Illinois Indians are of the same family. Many of the western tribes call the Delawares their "Grandfathers."

It is an Indian tradition, that the Indians inhabiting the country between Virginia and Canada were of two races — the Lcnni-Lenapc and the Mcn^wc. The Lenni-Lcnapc were the Delawares, and the Mengwe the Iroquois or Five Nations. The tradition states further, that the Lenni-Lcnapc emigrated from the Far-west, to the Nmnce-si-sipu — Mississippi or Fish River — 2 jg PIONEER HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

and there they found the Mengzve, who also came from the West and inhabited the country toward the sources of the Missisippi These migrating tribes found a great warhke nation, the Allewige, located in the country between the Mississippi and the Alleghany mountains. This nation gave the name of Allecrhany to the river and mountains of that name. The Delawar^'es and Iroquois united and conquered the country from the Allewige. This Indian story is fortified by the missionaries Heckewelder and Zeisberger. It is a fact, which is better than tradition, that the Iroquois conquered and drove out west the Delawares. The Delawares being relations of the western Indians and being forced out amongst their cousins, they may have given the name Illini to the Indians inhabiting the banks of the Illinois River.

The derivation of the name, Illinois, is not important, ihe State and country have the name, and the citizens feel proud of

' The Illinois Indians are of the Miami stock, as well as the Delaware, and in the year 1673, when the whites first visited the West, they occupied the country south of a line from about the lower rapids of the Mississippi to Ottawa, and down to the mouth of the Ohio. .

The Illinois confederacy embraced five tribes: the Feorias, Cahokias, Tammarais, Mitchagamies, and Kaskaskias. The Mitchagamies at first occupied the shores of Lake Michigan, and gave the name to that Lake. Afterwards, we find them located on the Mississippi near Fort Chartres, in the present county of Monroe, Illinois. They inhabited this tract of country before the year 1720. as the French Government reserved their lands from the whites h'om that date. Afterward they became extinct as a nation, and the remnants merged into the Kaskaskia tribe. The Peorias, Cahokias, and Kaskaskias occupied respectively the villages of Peoria, Cahokia, and Kaskaskia and the country adjacent. The French continued the names of these villacres, which they retain to this day. The Tammarais inhabited'"also the village of Cahokia, and the "country 'round about " They have left no name of any locality indicating their residence in Illinois, except, perhaps, the Twelve- Mile Prairie in St. Clair County. In olden times, this prairie was

PIONEER HISTORY OF ILLINOIS. Iq

called ^^ Prairie Tammaraisr The tribe may have had a village m or near this prairie; but it has been swept off by time so that their existence is only known in history

These were the confederated tribes of Illinois Indians who were gradually driven off by their enemies from the north to the south until, they took refuge amongst the whites, near the villages of Kaskaskia and Cahokia. They diminished for more than one hundred years, and left the country at last, bein- a remnant only of their former greatness.

A melancholy reflection forces itself on us: that the nearer the Indians reside to the white population, so much the worse I IS for the Indians; and all the attempts heretofore made by the most worthy and pious men to Christianize and civihze the nations have produced an injury rather than a blessing to them Ihere may be some exceptions to this statement; but thev are only exceptions which do not disprove the statement 'The policy of the United States to remove the Indians as far as possible from the white population is the only course to preserve their existence. And it is doubtful, even if this humane policy will secure them from annihilation.

The Piankeshaws inhabited the country on both sides of the Waoash toward its mouth, and between the sources of the Kaskaskia and Saline rivers, to the Ohio. They have left no name m the country they occupied.

The Shawnee Indians had a village, in ancient times, on the north bank of the Ohio River, and inhabited the adiacent counry. Ihe same site is now occupied by Shawneetown, in Gallatin County, Illinois.

^ The Miamis inhabited the northeastern section of the present State of Illinois; but their country mostly lav east of that

The Pottawatomie Indians occupied in modern times a lar^^e portion of the northeast section of Illinois. They were a branch ot the great Chippeway nation, and were also connected with the ancient M.amis. They extended their hunting and fishing almost the whole length of the Illinois River. But toward Chicago was their main residence. Branches of this nation exended to Wisconsin, Michigan, and Indiana. They were the largest nation of the West in modern times, and figured ferociously in the wars against the whites.

20 PIONEER inSTOKY OF ILLINOIS.

The Winnebagoes, or Puants, as the French called them, from their unsavory and "ancient fishy smell," inhabited the country west of Green Bay. The old French maps often call this bay Le Baic dcs Puants, for these Indians.

These Indians occupied a section of the northern part of Illinois, on Rock River; but their country, for the most part, lay north and east of that in Illinois. They were a tolerably large nation; but dirty and savage in their habits. If we can say ajiything of the Indians — that they advanced in civilization — it will be nearer true to say: the Winnebagoes advanced backivard.

There is a tradition amongst the Winnebagoes, and other nations, that the Winnebagoes emigrated from the West, and settled near the lakes. They claim no connexion with the other Indians, nor do I think there is any. Their language is different from any other near them. Almost all the nations in the West have some affinity in their language, exCept the Puants. They speak a gutteral language, and it is very difficult to learn or speak it. An interpreter must be raised with them, to be able to speak or understand their language. They are stout, robust people, and about the copper color of their Indian neighbors. Their cheek bones are higher, and they are generally a degree more uncouth and savage than the other tribes near them. I presume, they are not connected with any of the other tribes in the West.

A small, but energetic tribe of Indians, the Kickapoos, resided on the east side of the State of Illinois, between the Illinois and Wabash Rivers, and including the Sangamon River and the country thereabout. Some lived in villages near the Elk- Heart Grove, and on the Mackinaw River. They claimed relationship with the Pottawatomies, and perhaps the Sauks and Foxes also. This nation was the most bitter enemy the whites ever had. It may be said in truth of this tribe, that they were the "first in a battle, and the last at a treaty with the Americans." They were more civilized, and possessed more energy and talents than the other Indians in their vicinity. They were also more industrious and cleanly. They were better armed for war or the chase. This energy, and their implacable enmity to the United States, caused them to be first and the most efficient in all the Indian battles with the whites in the Northwest. They bore a conspicuous part against Harmar, St. Clair, and Wayne; and at Tippecanoe they were first in all the bloody charges of that savage battle. The Kickapoos disliked the United States so much, that they decided that when they left Illinois, that they would not reside within the limits of our Government: but settle in Texas. What will they do now.^ Texas is annexed, and forms a part of the Union. The northern tribes of Indians waged a destructive war against the Illinois Indians for ages, and at last nearly exterminated them. The last hostile attack was made by the Kickapoos, in 1805, against the poor Kaskaskia Indian children. These children were gathering strawberries in the prairie above Kaskaskia, in this year, and their relentless enemy captured and carried away a considerable number of them. The Kaskaskias followed the Kickapoos, to recapture the children, a long distance; but failed to overtake them. The enemy escaped with the children to their towns, and thus ended this outrage.

Power in the hands of frail man — Indian or white — is apt to be abused. The Northern Indians destroyed the Illinois tribes, because they had the power; and then the white man destroys the Indian, and occupies his country because the civilized man has the power.

"Man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn."

The Sauks and Foxes emigrated from the lakes west, and occupied the country on both sides of the Mississippi, of whose residence Rock Island was about the centre. These Indians extended their hunting-ground toward Peoria, and to Galena and Wisconsin. They are a large, stout, well-made people, and not so dark as the southern Indians. It was a band of these natives, called the British, or Black- Hawk Band, that caused so much trouble and expense to the United States, in the years 183 1-2. Not only the expense, but many valuable lives were lost in this war, commonly known as the Black-Hawk W^ar.

The Sauks and P'oxes drove back the weaker nation — the lowas — and occupied the country wherein the State of Iowa is established.

In the year 1778, Julien Dubuque, a Canadian and a man of

22 nONEER HISTORY OF ILLINOIS.

talent and great enterprise, established a trading-post, near the present city of Dubuque, in Iowa. This trader was in fact a talented man, and was as such recognized by the Indians. All grave and important matters they submitted to his decision. The Indians, in a drunken frolic, caugiit a horse near the post of Dubuque — two got on the horse and run him throu' the prairie. The horse fell and killed one of the Indians. This homicide caused a bitter quarrel between tiie families of the two Indians. The family of the deceased insisted on revenge, and that was to be blood. The other side contended it was an accident, and blood should not be shed for it. The parties submitted the case to Dubuque, for his decision. After hearing the statements, Dubuque, in a grave and serious manner, pronounced judgment: that it was just and right to have blood for blood — that no man had a right to shed his brother's blood without having "blood shed for it. But Dubuque, in a most solemn and severe manner, also pronounced: that two Indians, one of each family, should mount the same horse, and run him throu' the prairie, until one or the other Indian be killed. This judgment reached the common-sense of the Indians and quieted the parties; and also raised Dubuque high in the estimation of the nation.

The city of Dubuque is called for this man, whose grave is situated near it. For years after Dubuque's death, the Indians kept a lamp burning at his grave every night, in honor of his memory. He was much esteemed by the whites as well as by the Indians.

It is impossible to ascertain- the precise dates of Indian migrations. There are no records kept of the movements of Indians. Not long after the first whites came to the country, in 1673, the Illinois Indians were started south by their enemies, and in 1720 the Mitchagamia band was located on the Mississippi near Fort Chartres. Before the year 1730, the most of the Illinois Indians were forced south from the Illinois River. Kaskaskia was the last place of refuge for the whole of the Illinois confederacy, united into the Kaskaskia band, and from this place the tribe migrated west. About the year 1800, the whole confederated tribes amounted to about one hundred and fifty warriors.

At this time the Kaskaskia tribe had for their chief, Ducoign,

•who was a cunning man, and had considerable talents. He was a half-breed, and was well qualified to take charge of his nation in their present condition. He boasted of never — he or his nation — shedding white blood. This no doubt was true; but the reason was that he and nation depended on the whites for support and protection. He had visited President Washington at Philadelphia, arid wore a medal received from his great father, as he called the President. He had two sons, Louis and Jefferson Ducoign, who were drunken, worthless men.

A Peoria Indian, being bribed by the British, stabbed to death, in the streets of Cahokia, the celebrated Pontiac, the greatest Indian warrior, perhaps, that ever existed. This was one main reason the northern Indians were so bitter against those of Illinois.

These Kaskaskia Indians were afraid to venture out far from the white settlements, on account of the hostility of the other Indians. This almost forced them to starvation. Their spirit and national character were destroyed; and they became a degenerate people, always drunk, when they could obtain the liquor. By these means, they diminished,' not only in numbers, but also in standing or character, until a few years ago the remnants of them moved to the Southwest.

Although it may seem hard, to force the Indians from their own cotmtry to accommodate the white population, yet it is the only wise^imd humane policy that can be adopted. The two classes of people can not live in peace together. The tide of white population is flowing on, and the Indians must recede from it. It is a heart-rending sight to see the poor natives driven from their own country. Their tears and lamentations on leaving Illinois would pierce a heart of stone.

We must submit to the decrees of Providence. It is quite possible, that these same tribes drove off the peaceable occupants of the country, and then took possession of it by force, as we have done. Moreover, I think Providence will be best pleased in having a greater number of the human family in ■existence than a few. A white population can sustain more numbers on the same territory than the Indian mode of living will permit. Nevertheless, it is difficult to find good reasons for the expulsion of the Indians from their own country. But, with, or without reason, the Indians must emigrate, leaving IIHnois — the finest country on earth, for the peaceable occupation of the white man.

There is another etimology of the name of Illinois. It is said, it is derived from Isle au Noix, the "Island of Nuts," in English. It is well known, that when the French first discovered the country, they were excited and enchanted with its fertility, climate, products, grapes, etc., etc.; and no doubt it was also blessed with nuts. And as the country was almost surrounded with rivers — the Mississippi, the Ohio, Wabash, Illinois, and Lake Michigan on the northeast — the country, in fact, was nearly an Island; so that it was not so unreasonable that the country should be called Isle au Noix. The sound of Isleaii-noix in French, is almost similar to that of Illinois.

Chapter II

The Discovery and Settlement of Illinois, to the first Government of the "Company of the West," in 1718.

James Marquette, a Jesuit missionary, first conceived the idea to explore the Mississippi, and suggested it to M. Talon, the intendant of Canada. At length the governor of Canada, M. Talon, assisted Father Marquette in this laudable expedition, and joined with him M. Joliet, a merchant of Quebec.

The first white men that saw the Mississippi were DeSoto and his iwmy in the year 1541. They crossed the Mississippi about the site of the present city of Memphis, Tennessee. The next were Marquette and Joliet, Frenchmen from Canada, in the year 1673. The Mississippi lay quiet from the time DeSoto explored the lower Mississippi, until the indefatigable Jesuit, Marquette, entered it at the mouth of the Wisconsin.

In early times, two passions entered deep into the breasts of the people of Europe: one the Christianization of the North American Indians; and the other, a northwest passage to the East Indies and China. Both of these popular enterprises sank deep into the heart of Marquette; but particularly the conversion of the Indians to the Christian faith. M. Joliet was a merchant of Quebec, and no doubt possessed the common mania ofthat day, for the Indian trade if nothing higher or better.

I am sorry I can not find much material for the history of Marquette. He was, so far as I can discover, the Napoleon, the ne plus ultra of all the Indian missionaries in the Northwest. He was a Recollect monk and Jesuit, and was fired with all the zeal and enthusiasm of that order of religionists. He followed the footsteps of Layola, his illustrious predecessor, in all religious duties, so far as he had the ability to act. He had abandoned the Old World, and the common comforts and enjoyments of life, for the sole object of Christianizing the Indians in the wilds of America. He gave himself up entirely to the most severe and dangerous services — to uncommon hardships and perils, and almost starvation itself, amongst the wildest savages of North America. All these dangers and perils did he perform and endure, with the greatest pleasure; because his conscience assured him he was doing the will of God Among all the devout and benevolent Indian missionaries, Marquette, for his true piety, holiness of purpose, and grand enterprises he performed, stands unrivalled in the West. He at last ended his days, as he had lived them, in the actual service of God.

The Jesuits, at this time, were the most energetic order of Christians in Europe. There was no country on the globe but the Jesuits visited and administered to the spiritual wants of the people. Such was the case in the northwest of America. No Indian nation was too far oiT, or too wild, to deter these Jesuit missionaries from visiting. And Marquette was always first to do good in these missions.

In the year 1669, he had been out west of Green Bay, or Lc Bale du Piiants, as the French sometimes called it, preparing the Indians for his great enterprise West, and obtaining an Indian of the remote region of the Mississippi, for an interpreter.

These preparations being made, he and Joliet left Mackinac, the mission-station of Marquette, on the 13th May, 1673, for Green Bay. Father Marquette had been all thro' this region of country, and had acquired an excellent character amongst all the nations, for his piety and kindness to the Indians.

In two canoes, with five men, Marquette and Joliet left the missionary-station of Green Bay, on the lOth June, 1673, for the far-West. The Indians gave a terrible history of the monsters in the great river — that would swallow them up and their canoes. The Maneto at the Piasa was represented as devouring all passengers. This was to deter Marquette from his voyage; but he had the same fearless courage that Martin Luther possessed, when his friends persuaded him not to make a certain journey in Germany.

The explorers passed over the portage between Fox River and the Wisconsin, and down the latter to the . Mississippi. They saw the Mississippi for the first time, June 17th, 1673, and "entered it," Marquette says in his journal, "with a joy I can not express." No doubt the hearts of these enthusiastic

French bounded with joy at the sight of this noble and majestic river.

They floated down the river about one hundred miles, and on the west side they discovered Indians. To use the pious language of Marquette, "they commended themselves to God, and approached the village." They remained with this tribe for six days, and "in full council" Marquette "proclaimed to them the one true God, the Creator." The journal of Marquette reports that "they passed the most beautiful confluence of rivers in the world," where the Missouri, called by the Indians Peckitanoni, mingles its muddy waters with the Mississippi. They mention the painted rock* — the Piasa — near the present city of Alton. They saw also the great rock, the grand Tower, in the Mississippi, and came to the mouth of the Ohio, which they mistook for the Wabash River.

It is well-authenticated history, that the hostility of the Iroquois Indians kept the French from any knowledge of the Ohio River for many years after the voyage of Marquette and Joliet to the West ; and for a long time, the Ohio River was called the Wabash from the mouth of the Wabash down to the junction of the Ohio with the Mississippi.

After a few days' delay at the junction of the Ohio, Marquette and Joliet passed down the river to the Arkansas Indians, in latitude '^'^ degrees north. At this point, the party narrowly escaped destruction by the Arkansas Indians.

The pious-hearted Marquette says, "they resolutely presented the peace-pipe to the warriors, and God softened their hearts;" so the explorers escaped unhurt. They descended no further. This party reached somewhere on the river, about the place that DeSoto crossed it in the year 1541.

'■' I saw what was called the picture sixty years since, long before it was marred by quarrymen or the tooth of time, and I never saw anything that would have impressed my mind that it was intended to represent a bird. I saw daubs of coloring matter that I supposed exuded from the rocks that might, to very impressible people, bear some resemblance to a bird or a dragon, after they were told to look at it in that light, just as we fancy in certain arrangements of the stars we see animals, etc., in the constellations. I did see the marks of the bullets shot by the Indians against the rocks in the vicinity of that so-called picture. Their object in shooting at this place I never could comprehend. I do not think the story had its origin among the Indians or was one of their superstitions, but was introduced to the literary world by John Russell of Bluff Dale, 111., who wrote a beautiful story about it. — ^J. Gillespie, Jan. 25, 1883.

Marquette, being a little shocked by the warriors of the Arkansas, and also hearing it was a long voyage yet to the ocean, determined to return to the lakes. But after the reconciliation with the Indians, they feasted on corn and dogs. This tribe cooked in and eat out of earthen-ware, and were at last kind and loving to their French friends.

On the 17th July, 1673, Marquette and company commenced to ascend the river. At the mouth of the Illinois, the Indians informed the explorers, that to ascend that river it was shorter to the lakes than by the route of the Wisconsin. The party ascended the Illinois, and entered the lake at the present city of Chicago; and in September they reached Green Bay in safety, not, during their voyage, losing a man. or receiving any hurt or injury whatever. Marquette writes that, "no where did we see such grounds, meadows, woods, stags, buffaloes, deer, wildcats, bustards, swans, paroquets, and even beavers, as on the Illinois River."

It is true, as Marquette \states, that there are "no grounds" on earth superior in fertility '^nd productiveness, than are found for many miles on each side of the Illinois River.

After the i^eturn of Marquette and Joliet to Green Bay, the latter proceeded to Quebec, while our pious Christian quietly returned to his Indian charge, laboring night and day to save the heathen from destruction.

Joliet, on his way to Canada, lost his papers, and nearly his life, by the upsetting of his canoe. By this misfortune the narrative of the discovery of the great Father of Waters was lost. Marquette cared not so much for the discovery of the country, as the discovery of Indians, so they might be converted to God from savage paganism. Therefore he kept a very limited journal of their voyage; but it is recognized by all authors as correct and true. Thus it is, that we find very little in detail of this discovery of a country, the valley of the Mississippi, which is not equalled for fertility of soil, climate, extent, and beautiful surface, on the globe. This valley extends from the Alleghany to the Rocky Mountains, a distance of nearly three thousand miles, and from the Gulf of Mexico to the sources of the Mississippi, with a climate of the temperate zone, congenial to the culture of almost all the produce of the earth. This valley is without mountains and without swamps, intersected with large navigable rivers, and possessing a surface adapted to the construction of railroads in every direction; so that, in fact, Marquette saw "a terrestial paradise," as the French called it, when he entered this valley, in 1673.

It appears, from the journal of Marquette, that they were astonished at the magnitude of their discoveries — the soil, the products, the rivers, buffaloes, etc.; but if they could have seen thro' the future to this time — 1852 — they would be still more amazed and astonished. The improvements of the country — the cities on the margins of the rivers they sailed on, and the large steamboats passing their bark canoes, would cause these Frenchmen to believe, that Omnipotent power alone could effect this extraordinary change. Almost the same conclusion will be forced upon all rational men: that the unparalleled growth of the United States is fostered by Divine Providence. Our free institutions, in the hands of Deity, are the foundation of our growth and prosperity. The Constitution of the United States presents to the world the perfection of human wisdom. Our national greatness and grandeur rest upon this glorious instrument. It binds us together in patriotic love, from ocean to ocean, and from the tropics to the frozen North; and may God bless it and preserve it eternal.