Indiana Territory

The Indiana Territory, established by the United States Congress on May 7, 1800, was a pivotal region in the westward expansion of the United States. Carved from the vast wilderness of the Northwest Territory following the passage of the Northwest Ordinance in 1787, its formation was a direct response to the need for effective administration and governance over the rapidly growing population and settlements in the western lands. The territory’s initial boundaries encompassed a vast area that included present-day Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, and parts of Minnesota. William Henry Harrison, who would later become the ninth President of the United States, served as the first Governor of the Indiana Territory, playing a significant role in its development and in negotiations with Native American tribes. The capital was initially established in Vincennes, later moving to Corydon as the territory evolved and paved the way for statehood. The Indiana Territory was instrumental in the expansion of the United States, providing a legal and governmental framework for the settlement and incorporation of new states into the Union. It ultimately led to the establishment of the state of Indiana on December 11, 1816, marking a significant milestone in the nation’s westward growth and development.

Treaty of September 8, 1815

A Treaty between the United States of America and the Wyandot, Delaware, Seneca, Shawanoe, Miami, Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatimie Tribes of Indians, residing within the limits of the State of Ohio, and the Territories of Indiana and Michigan. Whereas the Chippewa, Ottawa, and Potawatimie, tribes of Indians, together with certain bands of the Wyandot, Delaware, Seneca, Shawanoe, and Miami tribes, were associated with Great Britain in the late war between the United States and that power, and have manifested a disposition to be restored to the relations of peace and amity with the said States; and the President of the … Read more

Treaty of June 4, 1816

Articles of a treaty made and entered into at Fort Harrison, in the Indiana Territory between Benjamin Parke, specially authorized thereto by the president of the United States, of the one part, and the tribes of Indians called the Weas and Kickapoos, by their chiefs and head men, of the other part. Article I. The Weas and Kickapoos again acknowledge themselves in peace and friendship with the United States. Article II.The said tribes acknowledge the validity of, and declare their determination to adhere to, the treaty of Greenville, made in the year seventeen hundred and ninety-five, and all subsequent treaties … Read more

Elder James Martin of the District of Orangeburg South Carolina

Elder James Martin and his brother Simon Martin title page

Steve Malone’s work, “Elder James Martin of the Districts of Orangeburg, Lower Ninety-Six, Edgefield and Barnwell, South Carolina; Warren County, Kentucky; and Knox, Gibson, Posey and Vanderburgh Counties, Indiana Territory/Indiana, and his brother, Simon Martin of the Same Districts in South Carolina,” offers a meticulous exploration into the life of an individual whose existence paints a vivid picture of the American frontier during its formative years. Free to read or download.