Black Hawk War

The Osage Massacre

Kiowa Calender

When the treaty council with the Osage at Fort Gibson broke up in disagreement on April 2, 1833, three hundred Osage warriors under the leadership of Clermont departed for the west to attack the Kiowa. It was Clermont’s boast that he never made war on the whites and never made peace with his Indian enemies. At the Salt Plains where the Indians obtained their salt, within what is now Woodward County, Oklahoma, they fell upon the trail of a large party of Kiowa warriors going northeast toward the Osage towns above Clermont’s. The Osage immediately adapted their course to that pursued by their enemies following it back to what they knew would be the defenseless village of women, children, and old men left behind by the warriors. The objects of their cruel vengeance were camped at the mouth of Rainy-Mountain Creek, a southern tributary of the Washita, within the present limits of the reservation at Fort Sill.

Peace Attempts with Western Prairie Indians, 1833

General Henry Leavenworth

What was known as the Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek was entered into in Mississippi with the Choctaw Indians September 27, 1830; pursuant to the terms of the treaty, in 1832 the movement of the Choctaw to their new home between the Canadian and Red rivers was under way but they were in danger from incursions of the Comanche and Pani Picts or Wichita, and the Kiowa tribe, who came east as far as the Washita and Blue rivers; these Indians had also evinced a hostile attitude toward white citizens and had attacked and plundered Santa Fe traders, trappers, and … Read more

Washington Irving at Fort Gibson, 1832

Irving Washington

The McIntosh Creeks had been located along Arkansas River near the Verdigris on fertile timbered land which they began at once to clear, cultivate, and transform into productive farms. The treaty of 1828 with the Cherokee gave the latter a great tract of land on both sides of Arkansas River embracing that on which the Creeks were located. This was accomplished by a blunder of the Government officials, in the language of the Secretary of War, “when we had not a correct knowledge of the location of the Creek Indians nor of the features of the country.” This situation produced … Read more

Biography of James Fulkerson

Fulkerson (This name in the native tongue, was Volkerson, but after the removal of the family to America they began to spell it as it is pronounced.) James Fulkerson, of Germany, came to America at an early date and settled in North Carolina. There he became acquainted with and married Mary VanHook, and subsequently removed to Washington Co., Va. The names of their children were Peter, James, John, Thomas, Abraham, Jacob, Isaac, William, Polly, Catharine, Hannah, and Mary. Peter married Margaret Craig, and they had Polly, Robert C., James, Benjamin F., Jacob, Peter, Jr., John W., Margaret, Rachel, David C., … Read more

Biography of Victor Craig

Victor Craig, of England, came to America in 1760, and settled in Maryland. He had four sons, William, James, Robert, and Samuel. William and James lived in Albemarle County Va. Samuel was drowned in the Susquehanna River. Robert was a soldier of the revolutionary war. He was married first to Susan Carter, of Virginia, who was afterward killed by the Indians. She lived nine days after having been scalped. Mr. Craig was married the second time to Sarah Ellington, of New Jersey, by whom he had-John, David, Victor, Jonathan, Jacob, Cynthia, Nancy, and Sally. Mr. Craig settled in Montgomery County … Read more

Biography of James Sidney Rollins

James Sidney Rollins, lawyer and statesman, distinguished for extraordinary public services, was born April 19, 1812, at Richmond, Kentucky, and died at Columbia, Missouri, January 9, 1888, in the seventy-sixth year of his age. His parents were Anthony Wayne and Sallie Harris (Rodes) Rollins. The father was a native of Pennsylvania, a graduate of Jefferson College in that state and an eminent physician. He was a son of Henry Rollins, who was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, emigrated to America during the Revolutionary war, enlisted in the Continental army and fought in the battle of Brandywine. The mother, a lady … Read more

Biographical Sketch of William Wrightsell

William Wrightsell, farmer; P. O. Turner’s Point; was born in Jefferson Co., Tenn., Oct. 9, 1811; came to this State and settled in Coles Co., in 1856. He was married to Miss Permelia White Oct. 31, 1844; she was born in Jefferson Co., Tenn., Nov. 15, 1825; they have four children, viz., Sarah J., James M., Louisa E., and Margaret Ann. The farm of Mr. Wrightsell consists of sixty acres valued at $1,800. He was a participant in the Black Hawk war, and is quite an early settler in the western part of Coles Co.

Black Hawk Indian War

On the 12th of April, 1832, soon after our arrival at Rock Island on a visit to relatives, (the family of Col. Geo. Davenport) a steamboat came down from Galena with officers to Fort Armstrong, for the purpose of laying in supplies and medical stores for a brigade then being formed at that place. One regiment, composed principally of miners, who had abandoned their mines and came in to offer their services as soldiers in the field, were unanimous in the election of Henry Dodge as Colonel. They had long known him as a worthy, brave and accomplished gentleman, the … Read more