Governor Houston at His Trading Post on the Verdigris

Surrender of Santa Anna

In February, 1828, the vanguard of Creek immigrants arrived at the Creek Agency on the Verdigris, in charge of Colonel Brearley, and they and the following members of the McIntosh party were located on a section of land that the Government promised in the treaty of 1826 to purchase for them. By the treaty of May 6, 1828, the Government assigned the Cherokee a great tract of land, to which they at once began to remove from their homes in Arkansas. The movement had been under way for some months when there appeared among the Indians the remarkable figure of Samuel Houston. The biographers of Houston have told the world next to nothing of his sojourn of three or four years in the Indian country, an interesting period when he was changing the entire course of his life and preparing for the part he was to play in the drama of Texas.

Establishment of Fort Gibson in 1824

Fort Gibson in 1875

By Act of Congress of March 2, 1819, Arkansas Territory was established July 4, embracing substantially all of what are now the states of Arkansas and Oklahoma; though the civil government of Arkansas Territory was limited to that section lying east of the Osage line, divided into counties, and embracing approximately the present state of Arkansas. That west of the Osage line was the Indian country, and in later years became known as Indian Territory. James Miller of New Hampshire was appointed the first Governor of Arkansas Territory, and among the duties of his office was that of supervision of … Read more

Use Of Tobacco Among North American Indians

Pawnee Priests Making a Smoke Offering

Tobacco has been one of the most important gifts from the New World to the Old. In spite of the attempts of various authors to prove its Old World origin there can be no doubt that it was introduced into both Europe and Africa from America. Most species of Nicotiana are native to the New World, and there are only a few species which are undoubtedly extra- American. The custom of smoking is also characteristic of America. It was thoroughly established throughout eastern North and South America at the time of the discovery; and the early explorers, from Columbus on, speak of it as a strange and novel practice which they often find it hard to describe. It played an important part in many religious ceremonies, and the beliefs and observances connected with it are in themselves proof of its antiquity. Hundreds of pipes have been found in the pre-Columbian mounds and village sites of the eastern United States and, although these remains cannot be dated, some of them must be of considerable age. In the southwestern United States the Basket Makers, an ancient people whose remains are found below those of the prehistoric Cliff Dwellers, were smoking pipes at a time which could not have been much later than the beginning of our era.

Black Hawk’s War – Indian Wars

Black Hawk

We have now to record the events of a war “which brought one of the noblest of Indians to the notice and admiration of the people of the United States. Black Hawk was an able and patriotic chief. With the intelligence and power to plan a great project, and to execute it, he united the lofty spirit which secures the respect and confidence of a people. He was born about the year 1767, on Rock river, Illinois. At the age of fifteen he took a scalp from the enemy, and was in consequence promoted by his tribe to the rank of a brave.

House Document 64

To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: The undersigned, chiefs, braves, warriors, and hunters, of the Sac and Fox tribes of Indians, beg leave respectfully to represent to your honorable body, that, under the existing law of Congress, regulating the payment of the annuities to our nation, by which they are to be paid to the chiefs, or to some person designated by them, they have been deprived of their just rights as individuals of those tribes, as they verily believe that it was the intention of Congress that every person … Read more

House Document 63

To the honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States in Congress assembled: The undersigned, chiefs, braves, warriors, and hunters, of the Fox tribe of Indians, beg leave respectfully to represent to your honorable body, that, under the existing regulations respecting the payment of our annuities, we have again been deprived of our just rights as members of the Sac and Fox nation. And in as much as our tribe have always been on terms of peace and friendship with the Government and people of the United States, we make this appeal to your honorable body, in … Read more

Treaty of September 28, 1836

Articles of a treaty made and entered into at the treaty ground on the right bank of the Mississippi river in the county of Debuque and Territory of Wisconsin opposite Rock island, on the twenty-eighth day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, between Henry Dodge commissioner on the part of the United States, of the one part, and the confederated tribes of Sac and Fox Indians represented in general council by the undersigned chiefs, headmen and warriors of the said tribes, of the other part: Whereas by the second article of the treaty made between the United States … Read more

Treaty of October 21, 1837

Land Cession 244

Treaty between the United States and the Sac and Fox tribes in which the tribes ceded 1,250,000 acres of land to the United States for $270,000 or 21.6 cents an acre.

Treaty of September 28, 1836 – 2

Articles of a treaty made and entered into at the treaty ground on the right bank of the Mississippi river in the county of Debuque and Territory of Wisconsin opposite Rock island, on the twenty-eighth day of September one thousand eight hundred and thirty-six, between Henry Dodge commissioner on the part of the United States, of the one part, and the confederated tribes of Sac and Fox Indians represented in general council by the undersigned chiefs headmen and warriors of the said tribes, of the other part. Whereas by the second article of the treaty made between the United States … Read more

Treaty of September 21, 1832

Articles of a Treaty of Peace, Friendship and Cession, concluded at Fort Armstrong, Rock Island, Illinois, between the United States of America, by their Commissioners, Major General Winfield Scott, of the United States Army, and his Excellency John Reynolds, Governor of the State of Illinois, and the confederated tribes of Sac and Fox Indians, represented, in general Council, by the undersigned Chiefs, Headmen and Warriors. Whereas, under certain lawless and desperate leaders, a formidable band, constituting a large portion of the Sac and Fox nation, left their country in April last, and, in violation of treaties, commenced an unprovoked war … Read more

Treaty of July 15, 1830

Articles of a treaty made and concluded by William Clark Superintendent of Indian Affairs and Willoughby Morgan, Col. of the United States 1st Regt. Infantry, Commissioners on behalf of the United States on the one part, and the undersigned Deputations of the Confederated Tribes of the Sacs and Foxes; the Medawah-Kanton, Wahpacoota, Wahpeton and Sissetong Bands or Tribes of Sioux; the Omahas, Ioways, Ottoes and Missourias on the other part. The said Tribes being anxious to remove all causes which may hereafter create any unfriendly feeling between them, and being also anxious to provide other sources for supplying their wants … Read more

Treaty of February 18, 1867

Articles of agreement made and concluded this eighteenth day of February, one thousand eight hundred and sixty-seven, between the United States, represented by Lewis V. Bogy, Commissioner of Indian Affairs; William H. Watson, special commissioner; Thomas Murphy, superintendent of Indian Affairs for Kansas; and Henry W. Martin, United States Indian agent, duly authorized, and the tribes of Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi, represented by Keokuk, Che-kus-kuk, Uc-quaw-ho-ko, Mut-tut-tah, and Man-ah-to-wah, chiefs of said tribes. Article 1.The Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi cede to the Government of the United States all the lands, with the improvements thereon, contained in … Read more

Treaty of March 6, 1861

Articles of agreement and convention made and concluded at the office of the Great Nemaha agency, Nebraska Territory, on the sixth day of March, A. D. one thousand eight hundred and sixty-one, by and between Daniel Vanderslice, U. S. Indian agent, on the part of the United States, and the following-named delegates of the Sacs and Foxes of Missouri, viz: Pe-ta-ok-a-ma, Ne-sour-quoit, Mo-less, and Se-se-ah-kee; and the following-named delegates of the Iowa tribe, riz: No-heart, Nag-ga-rash, Mah-hee, To-hee, Tah-ra-kee, Thur-o-mony, and White Horse; they being duly authorized thereto by their respective tribes. Article I.The Sacs and Foxes of Missouri hereby … Read more

Treaty of October 1, 1859

Articles of agreement and convention made and concluded at the Sac and Fox agency, in the Territory of Kansas, on the first day of October, in the year of our Lord one thousand eight hundred and fifty-nine, by and between Alfred B. Greenwood, commissioner on the part of the United States, and the following-named chiefs and delegates, representing the confederated tribes of Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi, viz: Ke-o-kuk, Mack-a-sah-pee, Sha-bah-caw-kah, Mat-tah-tah, My-ah-pit, Kaw-ah-kee, Kah-sha-moh-mee, Maw-mee-won-e-kah, and Che-ko-skuk, they being thereto duly authorized by said confederated tribes. Article 1. The Sacs and Foxes of the Mississippi having now more … Read more

Treaty of October 21, 1837-2

Articles of a treaty made at the City of Washington, between Carey A. Harris, thereto specially authorized by the President of the United States, and the Sacs and Foxes of Missouri, by their Chiefs and Delegates. Article 1. The Missouri Sac and Fox Indians make the following cessions to the United States: First. Of all right or interest in the country between the Missouri and Mississippi rivers and the boundary line between the Sac and Fox and the Sioux Indians, described in the second article of the treaty made with these and other tribes on the 19th of August 1825, … Read more

Treaty of September 27, 1836

In a convention held this twenty-seventh day of September 1836, between Henry Dodge Superintendent of Indian Affairs, and the chiefs, braves, and principal men of the Sac and Fox tribe of Indians, it has been represented, that according to the stipulations of the first article of the treaty of Prairie du Chien, of the 15th July 1830, the country thereby ceded, is “to be assigned and allotted under the direction of the President of the United States, to the tribes now living thereon, or to such other tribes as the President may locate thereon for hunting and other purposes.” And, … Read more

Treaty of May 18, 1854

Articles of agreement and convention made and concluded at the city of Washington this eighteenth 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 of the Sacs and foxes of Missouri, viz: Pe-to-o-ke-mah, or Hard Fish; Mo-less or Wah-pe-nem-mah, or Sturgeon; Ne-son-quoit, or Bear; Mo-ko- ho-ko, or Jumping Fish; and No-ko-what, or Fox; they being thereto duly authorized by the said Sac and Fox Indians. Article 1. The Sacs and Foxes of Missouri hereby cede, relinquish and convey to the United States all their … Read more

Sauk Indians

Sauk Indians. From Osā’kiwŭg, meaning “people of the outlet, or people of the yellow earth.” Also called: Hotǐ’nestakon’, Onondaga name. Satoeronnon, Huron name. Quatokeronon, Huron name. Za’-ke, Santee and Yankton Dakota name. Sauk Connections. The Sauk belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock and the same subdivision as that embracing the Foxes and Kickapoo. Sauk Location. On the upper part of Green Bay and lower course of Fox River. (See also Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, and Oklahoma.) Sauk History. The earliest known home of the Sauk was about Saginaw Bay, Michigan, which still bears their name. Shortly before appearance … Read more

Treaty of August 19, 1825

Treaty with the Sioux and Chippewa, Sacs and Fox, Menominie, Ioway, Winnebago, and a portion of the Ottawa, and Potawattomie Tribes. The United States of America have seen with much regret, that wars have for many years been carried on between the Sioux and the Chippewas, and more recently between the confederated tribes of Sacs and Foxes, and the Sioux; and also between the Ioways and Sioux; which, if not terminated, may extend to the other tribes, and involve the Indians upon the Missouri, the Mississippi, and the Lakes, in general hostilities. In order, therefore, to promote peace among these … Read more

Treaty of August 25, 1828

Articles of agreement with the Winnebago Tribe and the United Tribes of Potawatamie, Chippewa and Ottawa Indians. The Government of the United States having appointed Commissioners to treat with the Sac, Fox, Winebago, Potawatamie, Ottawa, and Chippewa, tribes of Indians, for the purpose of extinguishing their title to land within the State of Illinois, and the Territory of Michigan, situated between the Illinois river and the Lead Mines on Fever River, and in the vicinity of said Lead Mines, and for other purposes; and it having been found impracticable, in consequence of the lateness of the period when the instructions … Read more