Kaskaskia

Indians about Prairie du Rocher Illinois

By the time the early French arrived, the Mississippi had laid layer upon layer of rich silt on the land for decades. They copied the Indian way of planting corn in the spring, forgetting about it, and harvesting it in the fall. Since there was no need to till the soil, the populace had leisure time. Why the Indians did not build a great culture can be explained partially through the humid climate. The American Bottom is humid and moist which produces a lassitude and inertia that hangs heavy over the valley. Consequently, creative work is to a large extent … Read more

Moravian Massacre at Gnadenbrutten

George Rogers Clark

In the early part of the year 1763 two Moravian missionaries, Post and Heckewelder, established a mission among the Tuscarawa Indians, and in a few years they had three nourishing missionary stations, viz: Shoenbrun, Gnadenbrutten and Salem, which were about five miles apart and fifty miles west of the present town of Steubenville, Ohio. During our Revolutionary War their position being midway between the hostile Indians (allies of the British) on the Sandusky River, and our frontier settlements, and therefore on the direct route of the war parties of both the British Indian allies and the frontier settlers, they were … Read more

Early Indian Wars in Florida

Narvaez in Florida

Previous to the permanent establishment of the English in North America, the French and Spaniards made many attempts to get possession of various parts of the country. The coasts were carefully explored, and colonies planted, but they were soon given up as expensive, and involving too much hardship and danger. The first expedition to the coast of Florida was made in 1512, by Juan Ponce de Leon, renowned for his courage and warlike abilities. Ponce de Leon, becoming governor of Porto Rico (Puerto Rico), and hearing from the Indians that there existed a beautiful and fertile country to the northward, … Read more

Treaty of May 30, 1854

Articles of agreement and convention made and concluded at the city of Washington, this thirtieth day of May, one thousand eight hundred and fifty-four, by George W. Manypenny, commissioner on the part of the United States, and the following-named delegates representing the united tribes of Kaskaskia and Peoria, Piankeshaw and Wea Indians, viz: Kio-kaw-mo-zan, David Lykins; Sa-wa-ne-ke-ah, or Wilson; Sha-cah-quah, or Andrew Chick; Ta-ko-nah, or Mitchel; Che-swa-wa, or Rogers; and Yellow Beaver, they being duly authorized thereto by the said Indians. Article 1. The tribes of Kaskaskia and Peoria Indians, and of Piankeshaw and Wea Indians, parties to the two … Read more

Treaty of September 25, 1818 – Peoria

A treaty made and concluded by, and between, Ninian Edwards and Auguste Chouteau, Commissioners on the part and behalf of the United States of America, of the one part, and the undersigned, principal chiefs and warriors of the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Mitchigamia, Cahokia, and Tamarois, tribes of the Illinois nation of Indians, on the part and behalf of the said tribes, of the other part. Whereas, by the treaty made at Vincennes, on the thirteenth day of August, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and three, between the United States, of the one part, and the head … Read more

Treaty of August 13, 1803

A treaty between the United States of America and the Kaskaskia Tribe of Indians. Articles of a treaty made at Vincennes in the Indiana territory, between William Henry Harrison, governor of the said territory, superintendent of Indian affairs and commissioner plenipotentiary of the United States for concluding any treaty or treaties which may be found necessary with any of the Indian tribes north west of the river Ohio of the one part, and the head chiefs and warriors of the Kaskaskia tribe of Indians so called, but which tribe is the remains and rightfully represent all the tribes of the … Read more

Treaty of August 7, 1803

At a council holden at Vincennes on the seventh day of August, one thousand eight hundred and three, under the direction of William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana territory, superintendent of Indian affairs, and commissioner plenipotentiary of the United States for concluding any treaty or treaties which may be found necessary with any of the Indian nations north west of the river Ohio, at which were present the chiefs and warriors of the Eel River, Wyandot, Piankashaw and Kaskaskia nations, and also the tribe of the Kikapoes, by their representatives, the chiefs of the Eel River nation. The fourth … Read more

Treaty of October 27, 1832 – Kaskaskia

Articles of a treaty made and entered into at Castor Hill, in the county of St. Louis in the State of Missouri, this twenty-seventh day of October, one thousand eight hundred and thirty-two, between William Clark, Frank J. Allen and Nathan Kouns, Commissioners on the part of the United States, of the one part; and the Kaskaskia and Peoria tribes, which, with the Michigamia, Cahokia and Tamarois bands, now united with the two first named tribes, formerly composed the Illinois nation of Indians, of the other part. Whereas, the Kaskaskia tribe of Indians and the bands aforesaid united therewith, are … Read more

Treaty of February 23, 1867

Articles of agreement, concluded at Washington, D. C., the twenty-third day of February, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, between the United States, represented by Lewis V. Bogy, Commissioner of Indian Affairs, W. H. Watson, special commissioner, Thomas Murphy, superintendent of Indian Affairs, George C. Snow, and G. A. Colton, U. S. Indian agents, duly authorized, and the Senecas, represented by George Spicer and John Mush; the Mixed Senecas and Shawnees, by John Whitetree, John Young, and Lewis Davis; the Quapaws, by S. G. Vallier and Ka-zhe-cah; the Confederated Peorias, Kaskaskias, Weas, and Piankeshaws, by Baptiste Peoria, John Mitchell, and … Read more

Treaty of June 7, 1803

Articles of a treaty between the United States of America, and the Delaware, Shawanoe, Putawatimie, Miamie, Eel River, Weea, Kickapoo, Piankashaw, and Kaskaskia nations of Indians. Articles of a treaty made at Fort Wayne on the Miami of the Lake, between William Henry Harrison, governor of the Indiana territory, superintendent of Indian affairs and commissioner plenipotentiary of the United States for concluding any treaty or treaties which may be found necessary with any of the Indian tribes north west of the Ohio, of the one part, and the tribes of Indians called the Delawares, Shawanoe, Putawatimie, Miami and Kickapoo, by … Read more

Kaskaskia Tribe

Kaskaskia Indians (perhaps akin to kāskāskahamwa, ‘ he scrapes it off by means of a tool.’ The Foxes have always held the Peoria in low esteem, and in their traditions claim to have destroyed most of them on a rocky island in a river. – Wm. Jones). Once the leading tribe of the Illinois confederacy, and perhaps rightly to be considered as the elder brother of the group. Although the first knowledge of this confederacy obtained by the whites related, in all probability, to the Peoria while they yet resided on the Mississippi, it is probable that the references to … Read more

Medicine Bag of my Forefathers

I now fell heir to the great medicine bag of my forefathers, which had belonged to my father. I took it, buried our dead, and returned with my party, sad and sorrowful, to our village, in consequence of the loss of my father. Owing to this misfortune I blacked my face, fasted and prayed to the Great Spirit for five years, during which time I remained in a civil capacity, hunting and fishing. The Osages having again commenced aggressions on our people, and the Great Spirit having taken pity on me, I took a small party and went against them. I … Read more