REMINISCENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY~ IN TWO PARTS, WITH ILLUSTRATIONS. Bv N. MATSON. PRINCETON, ILLINOIS: REPl,TJJLICAN BOOK AND JOB OFFICE. 1872. Entered according to an act of Congress, in the year lb"T:?, by N. :MATSON, In the Clerk's office of the District Conrt of the United States, in and for Northern District of Illinois. -:---.:::--------- ~---------·· FLIGHT OF SET'l'LEUS, INTRODUCTION TO PART FIRST. The writer ot the following story came to Bureau soon after the settlement had been commenced, and experienced some of the inconveniences common to the settlement of a new country. At that time, the prairies of this county were in a state of nature, without roads, fields, or dwellings, a part of which had not yet been surveyed. The only marks of civilization to be seen were a few log cabins, built here and there in the edge of the timber, and throughout the county there was scarcely a school, or meeting house; not one surveyed road, nor one stream bridged. Indian trail1.-­ were still to be seen, and traveled both by whites and Indians. The writer was .well acquainted with the first settlers. and from them much of this story was obtained. He also had frequent interviews with Indians, who had spent their youthful days on ~ureau, and from them many important facts were gathered. There are some incidents narrated in this story, which were unknown to the early settlers, but the most of them were well known, and will be confirmed by persons still living. Efforts were made to harmonize the early traditions of this county, as well as the state­ ments of Indians, with well established facts, and with a few exceptions it has been successful. In historical sketches, discrepancies in narratives will occasionally appear, which must necessarily be supplied by inference of the writer, and this story is not an exception to the rule. Neither money nor emulation induced the writer to offer these pages to the public; the necessarily limited circulation would prevent the former, and the criticisms common to local publications the latter. But another motive more laudable in its nature, and more useful in its effects, caused this work to appear, that is the great desire to preserve the early history of the county. The testimony of many of the early settlers, who are now in their graves, as well as of Indians that have long since passed away, was alone in possession of the writer, and justice required that it should be given to the public. The labors of the writer may not at present be appreciated, but the time will come when these facts, although crudely expressed, will be regarded of great importance, forming as they do the connecting link of history between the past, present and future. N. M. Pm:NCETON, Marcl,, 1872. CON1~ENTS. CHAPTER I. PAGK. The Missionary and the Outlaw-The Indian Feast-Black Hawk's Appeal to the Pottawatamie Warriors-Speech of Senachwine-Senachwine's Death and Burial-Visit to hi.Cl Grave, . 15 CHAPTER II. American Fur Company-Mike Girty, the Outlaw-The In- dian Village-Gen. Cass in Council, . 25 CHAPTER III. Bureau County in a State of Nature-Pioneers-Religion Among the Pioneers, CHAPTER IY. Rev. James Sample Preaching to Sinners-The Parson Turns Horse Jockey-Job May, the Hunter, and his Beautiful Daughter-Misfortune of Old Blind Bob, . ~7 CHAPTER V. Thomas Hartzell, the Indian Trader-Conspiracy to liurder the Settlers-The :Murderers Detected, and the Lives of the Settlers Saved, . 44 CHAPTER VI. An Old Land Mark-Murder of Simmons-The Disputed Claim, . 49 CHAPTER vn. A Search for a Lead Mine-Patlick O'Lear and his Wonderful Revelation-False Alarm and Flight of the Settlers-Pat O'Lear Killed, Scalped, but comes to Life ...\gain-Escape of Dave Jones and Family, CHAPTER VIII. The Great Indian Council-Indians Leave Bureau-Indians at the Graves of their Fathers, . 66 CHAPTER IX. Dad Joe-Flightened by the Indians-Indians Approach the Grove-The Lone Traveler-Approach of Stillman's Army -Camp Attacked-A Joke of Capt. Hackleton, . 74 CHAPTER X. Commencement of Hostilities-Flight of the Settlers-Lieut. Jones~ Wonderful Account of Stillman's Defeat, • 82 CHAPTER XI. Rev ..James Sample and Wife-Flight and Capture-The Ex­ ecution, . CHAPTER XII. Bu Ibona-The Fair .Maiden and her Two Lovers-The 1\i.,. ed­ ding-The Wedding- Dinner-Four Travelers Arrive-The . Dance and Tragedy, . 104 CHAPTER XIII. Military Forces Organized-Fort Thomas-Scare at Hennepin and Search for In<Hans-Fort vVilbum and Ayres' Black- smith Shop, . 1 Hi CHAPTER XIV. Explanation-Shaubena-Adventure of Shaube.na at Chicago, 124 CHAPTER XV. Indian Creek Settlerr..ent-Indians Leave Bureau-The :Massa­ cre-Fifteen Persons Killed and Two Girls -Captured­ Sheriff Walker'i; Two Indian Prisoners, CHAPTER XVI. Captivity of Sylvia and Rachel Hall, . 146 CHAPTER XVII. Girty's Band Visit Fox River Settlement-Adam Paine. the Missionary-Murder of Rev. Adam Paine, . 154 CHAPTER XVIII. Bearer of the Governor's Dispatch-Girty and His Band Re­ turn to Bureau-Indians on a Scout-Flight of General Atkinson's Party, . 162 CHAPTER XIX. Boyd's Grove-Org-J.Dizing the Militia-Arrival of the Potato Birgade-Peculiarities of Old Ben-The Atfack and Re- pulse-Failure of an Indian Raid, . 172 CHAPTER XX. Settlers Return to Look After Their Cattle-Phillips Killed, and Ament's Cabin Attacked-Flight of the Indians and Pursuit by the Rangers, . 18 4 CHAPTER XXI. Gen. Scott's Army Passes Through Bureau County-The Captive's Return-Retribution, 195 CHAPTER XXII. Girty's Arrival at Princeton-Two Great Paper Cities-The Last of Girty, . 200 Contents of Part Second. See Page, . 217 ILLUSTRATIONS. PAGE. PORTRAIT OF MICH.A.EL KITTERMAN, - o,""'/"'r FLIGHT OF SETTLERS, - 87 EXECUTION OF SAMPLE ~D WIFJIJ, - 101 PORTRAIT OF SHAUBENA, 127 FLIGHT OF GEN. ATKINSON, - 167 .KILLING OF PHILLIPS, 187 G1RTY's ARRIVAL AT PRINCETON, - 201 PORTRAIT OF JOHN H. BRYANT, 213 " ",. ABRAM STRATTON, - 255 " w ILLIAM HOSKINS, 285 " " SYLVESTER BRIGHAM, - 305 " " CYRUS LANGWORTHY, 337 °ELI SMITH, - - 359 ,," ,," JOEL DOOLITTLE, 377 u " J .AMES G. FoRRISTALL, - 389 CHAPTER I. THE lUSSIOB'ABY AND THE OUTLAW. On the morning of the 25th of June, 1830, two men were see~ riding across the prairie between East and Main Bureau, one of whom was a large, portly man, with a high forehead, black, piercing eyes, and whose black beard hung in waving clusters over his breast. This man was Adam Paine, a missionary among the Indians, who was well known by many of the early settlers of the northwest. The appearance of his trav­ eling companion was the opposite in almost every particular, being a large, broad-shouldered, heavy-set man, with high cheek bones, a flat pug nose, black eagle like eyes, and whose general appearance indicated a low savage character. The reader will recognize in this description Mike Girty, a half-breed Indian, and an outlaw. The travelers, at the time we· introduce them, were returning from a -tour among the Indians on the Kankakee river-Paine as a preacher, and Girty as an interpreter- and they were now on their way to 16 REMINISOENCES OF BUREAU COUNTY. Bureau creek to attend an Indian feast. After having swam their horses across the Illinois river, they ,vere slowly pursuing their way across the prairie, and over the very spot the city of Princeton now stands. Instead of a populous town, surrounded by well cultivated farn1s, with fine buildings and thriving orchards, as we now see it, forty years ago it was in a state of nature, ,vhere the deer and the wolf roan1ed undisturbed by hun1an habitation. No whistling of steam engines~ clattering of machinery, nor 1nusical notes of schoo] or church bells were then heard in this wild region. The beautiful rolling prairie at that ti1ne, covered with flowers of every hue, extending to the northeast as far as the eye could reach; ,vhile to the soutlnvest, the view was ob~tructed by a large grove of tiinber, not yet dis­ figured by the wood111an' s axe. THE INDIAN FEAST. On Main Bureau creek, near the 1nouth of Epperson\, run, were collected a large body of Indians for the purpose of holding their annual feast, and to attend this feast our travelers were bound. A number of chiefs from a distance were here; among them were Black Hawk, Senachwine, Shaubena, W aba, and many other distinguished chiefs and ,varriors from the sur­ rounding tribes. The principal object this large dele­ gation of chiefs and warriors had in attending this THE INDIAN FE.AST. 17 feast, was to unite the different tribes of the west in a war against the whites. This union was intended by them to be inaugurated under religious influences, and thereby cause the warriors to believe that they were acting in accordance with the will of the Great Spirit. The Indians had killed a number of their favorite dogs~ and roasted them whole, on which they were feasting. In the midst of their encan1pment, an altar was erected, on which were burning sacrifices, that had been offered up to the Great Spirit to appease his wra,th, and thereby insure their success in war, hunting, :fishing, etc. Skins, war implements, and various kinds of trinkets ~ere burned on the altar while the Indians danced around it, yelling at the top of their voices. A number of priests, dressed in long robes, faces powdered, and their head ornamented with turkey feathers, were directing the exercises. With uplifted hands, and their eyes turned heavenwards, they invoked the blessing of the Great Spirit on the assembled multitude.