On August 11, 1820, Commissioners led by Benjamin Parke finalized a treaty with the Wea tribe, whereby the tribe ceded their lands from a previous treaty for compensation of $5,000 in money and goods. The Wea chiefs also agreed to relocate, with annuities promised to be paid in Illinois. The treaty required ratification by the U.S. President and Senate to take effect. Several Wea leaders marked the document alongside Parke, confirming the agreement’s legitimacy.
George Rogers Clarke’s campaign aimed to secure Kentucky from British-supported attacks during the Revolutionary War. By June 1778, he led 153 men to successfully capture Kaskaskia and Cahokia without resistance, later recapturing Vincennes in February 1779. Despite this, Indian hostilities persisted, culminating in various skirmishes until the treaty of peace was finalized in 1782. Clarke’s decisive 1780 expedition into Indian territory effectively ended the significant threats to Kentucky, paving the way for safer settlement in the region.