THE ENDIAN CHIEF SH ABBONA

B y Q L"THE R A 3 ATCH erintenden of Sch ools Late S u p t , l i i 39d I l no s . 1 .

19 15

P blis M x H atch D e Ka lb Illinois . u h r . e db s" L A . y , ,

THE INDIAN CHIEF SHABBONA

di a s HE In n have gone from Illinois, but there are m a ny people liv ing today who re mem ber h a v ing seen the last of this du s k y race as it disappeare d . With the m have m gone , never to re t urn , any of the primitive cond itions th a t once existed . It is with difficulty that the present generation reconstruct s in image form and scenes a nd cond itions t h at met t hose who first ca me to this landas explorers or founders of ho mes . Fortunately we have with us a few of the e arly pioneers fro m whose lips we may gather a few of the frag m ents of our early history . These should be collected a nd retain ed as a part of our n a tiona l heritage It will give us strength to loo k bac k upon thos e early d ays a nd t o recount the strug gles through which we h a ve co me . The con"icts which too k place betwee n 2 THE IND IA N C HIE F SHABBON A the red m a n a nd t he early whit e se t tl ers would m a ke a long s tory were a ll to l d . Were we to write this story the name o f

Shabbona would appear i n many pl aces . Were you t o re a d it you would come t o lov e the man and to respect him for the true m a nhood that he displayed on so many occasions . Were you to go to th e early settlers who knew Shabbona you would find the m a ll agreed as to the nobili ty of his character . He was known by t he m

” all as The Friend of the White Man . The writ er will te l l the story a s he gat here d it from those who knew him , and fro m other sources that will b e indicated at t he close of this article .

SHAB B O N A G "O V E " H O ME O F C HIE F

In the southern part of D eKa lb County in I llinois is found a sm a ll village that ha s been na med after S hab bona . Not far from this V illage is to b e found a grove known a s

Shabbona Grove . It was at this grove th at Shabbona and his p eople made their home for many years . Those who live at the grove

‘ ta ke pleas ure in pointing ou t the spot where h h W e pitc ed his igwam . It was a beautiful place in those early days nestled on the banks of a lit t le stream . It was a s ma l l clearing in the wood well protected from the storms that raged during the winter . THE IND IA N C HIE F SHABBONA 3 In the ea rly years of his stay at this grove it was the ho me of his whole tribe , which by the w a y never num bere d more tha n one hu ndred thirty souls . After the govern

me nt move d the Indians from Illinois, Shabbon e and his fa mily lived here for a A number of years . h o llow in the ground m arks th e place wh ere he had a sh a llow A well from which he o bt ained water . few mound s mark the resting place of a num ber

of his fa mily . "ou are to ld th a t a hous e wa s built for the ol d chief by the white se ttlers w h o ” thought they w o uld show their ap preciation ho e e for him in this wa y . This us was mad n s e of l ogs . He ever live d in it , so om

' k n him a 1n stea ds d t a who . ew s y , but u e i s a shel t er for his p o nies a nd a storehouse for

v n A his p r o 15 1o s. t times some of the of r d younger India n s the t ibe use this cabin a s a pl ace of shel ter but o ld S h abbona a nd

C o c o o ko f a a e e d t l e n , his wi e , lw ys pr f rre o iv

v ndrin i n the tent e e u g the cold est we a ther A i i h i n winter . s he vis te d h s w i te friends i t was a lmost i mpossible to get hi m to sleep over night in a heu s e . H e preferre d to rol l r d. up in his bl an k et andsleep out of oo s By his a sso cia tion with t he w h ites he a c quired m uch from the m but t h ere were m any I ndi a n trai ts a nd customs t ha t he i d re t aine d as long a s he l v e . 4 THE IND IA N C HIE F SHABBONA A t one tim e the grove a t which he m a de his h o me was one of the finest in t he state of

Illinois . It covered a n a re a of acres h a In it were found large w ite , bur , nd red oak . No better bl a c k walnut t rees were to be found anywh ere than were foun d here . O u t side of this grove ex tended great tracts of prairie land noted for their fertility S h a bo a t a urrounded by this , S b n , he Indi n chief, liv ed a nd rule d his little kingdom .

Plenty surround ed h im o n a ll sides . He a nd t t I a t his people visi ed o her ndi n settle me n s , of which there were many in northern Illi nois . O ther chiefs and their people visite d him and lived off his subst ance . His word had much weight in the councils with o ther chiefs . He was o ne of the great chiefs among t he chiefs .

WH O W AS SHA B B O N A ‘?

? Bu t you as k, Who w as this S h a bbo na He was a me m ber of t he O ttawa tri be of n Indians , born a s the b es t authorities thi k , i n O hio so m e where on t he Maumee River . He was the grand ne phew of the gre a t

Indian chief, Pontiac . He lived at the time of

Tecumseh and the Prophet . He knew t hem both and took severa l long j ourneys with the former . For a time he was a friend of Blac k k K . H haw e knew eokuk , Big Foot , Sauganash , B S nac hw ine Wa ba nsee a lack Partridge , , , nd Red J a c k e t . He probably kn ew Big Thun o tka P ot a w a tto m i der . S p , the t e chief, a a t d t a a a t ppreci e his wor h , nd s n indica ion of his apprecia tio n gave his d augh ter in

m arriage . T h e n a me of this chief w a s no t alw ays

e l l d t t a a sp e by wri ers in he s me w y . The

o il owin s a d" S a n a g pellings re foun h bbo ,

C a S h a u ben e S h a bone S h a u be n a h mblee , , , y h a ndS h abeh n e . S a to t y bbona see ms be he spel ling preferred . The o ldchief l i k e d to have his n a me pronouncedd as if there were but two syl l a bles t o it , an to pronounce it a o as if it were spel led S h ab ney , with the cent o u the first sylla ble . In appe arance he was a very stri kin g a char cter . He would be singled out from a m o ng a bo dy of Indians because of the i n a v d o h . a ti e gnity f t e man He w s five feet , n n n t a d i e i ches in heigh , bro d should ere , with a large head s u pported by a he avy neck .

o a a o a l . His hands , f r m n f his size , were sm l His bod y wa s long so tha t whe n he rode on h orseback he a ppe ared l arger tha n wh en on

t . fo ot . He was a well bui l ma n When a yo u ng ma n he exce l led in a l l k ind s of ath le ti se A a o a t c exerci s . s b y he w s he picture of he a l t h He was a l w ays la rge for his age .

Whe n young m a n b e weighe d two hun " dre d p ou nds an d before his d e at h he weighed t wo hu n dre d forty p ounds . A s ha s bee n THE IN D IA N C HIEF SHABB ONA intimate d he was very muscul a r andca pa

r a " b of e t a . t l le g endur nce n i his last illness ,

d t - u t which occurre in his eigh y fo r h ye ar , he d k at b O id not now wh it was to e sick . ne in “ a s a speaking of him says , He was strongds a buffa lo , a s swift of fo o t a s a de er a n a s gent le as a woma n . There are those who think th at S habbona , with his power to u n

r ta n dm en h is de s s , oundness of j udge ment in dealing with matters tha t pertained to his t race , his coolness in ime s of danger , his loyalty to princip les , migh t have become one of the gre a t m en of t he world had he had opportunities of educa tion . He pos sessed thos e ch ara cteristics th a t m a d e him a leader . People loved him , th ey believed in him , t hey a cte d upo n his sugges tions .

HIS FIRST V IS IT T O ILLIN O IS A ND HIS MA ""I AG E

t o th e In the autu mn , it was the cus om f Indians to go on extend e dhunts in ord er tha t food might be secured a nd prep ared for the winter . A t t his time of the ye ar ga me wa s in good condition and the fur of fur - be aring animals was at its best . Som etim es these hunts took the hunters a long distance from h their omes . The Indians of certain tribes came to feel that they owned certain hunt ing grounds and looked upon others who THE IND IAN CHIE F S HAB B ONA 7 might hunt upon th ese grounds as hostile to their interests . 0 0 In the autumn of 18 , a party of O t tawa hunters from the country around Lake Erie went on a hunting expedition into what is now kn own as Illinois . This h unt led them around the lower end of La k e Michigan to the pre sent site of Chicago . Here they fe l t a t home a s they were among their

d Pot t w attom ies. A frien s , the a mong those who went on this hunt w as a young man k nown a s Shab bona " the Sh a bbona a bou t

whom this article te lls . This was his first v i sit to Illinois . Wh en the hunt was ov er the India n s returned to t heir home s in the O o n t . Sh a n v d n t hio c u ry bbo a , howe er, id o t n h re ur , but spent the winter at t e home of o t ka h t P otta w a ttom ies S p , the c ief of he at

C hicago . As ha s bee n stated his stay wit h

’ this chief re s u lted in Sha bbona s receiving

’

S potk a s daughter in marriage . Sh a bbona w a s a lready a chief a mong the Ot tawas a n d this m a rriage to th e da ughter of a Potta w at o a w a ttom ie t mie chief made him a Pott , a ndl a t er he be c a me a P ott a w attom ie chief.

B y his s t erl ing qu a l ities he . wo n the resp ect of h is new bro t hers a nd a s ha s been i ndica te d beca me a chief a mong them . It is s a id th at at first th ey were inclined to fe e l somewhat je a lous of S h a bbon a a nd as a 8 THE IN D IA N C HIE F S HA B B ONA resul t s aid so me th ings of him th a t were not altoge ther good . So m e o f these re mar k s a t a I t a d c me to he ears of Sh bbona . m e him feel sad to hear these t hings for he had tried his best to please those with who m he lived . After thinking m atters over for a time h e decided that he could st and it no lo nger , so one morning he arose and a nno unce d to his

Coc on o ko h a t h squaw , , t e was going to go back to his people to live a mong th e m .

Bidding C oc onoko good " bye he mounted his pony and rode a wa y to th e e a s t wa rd . He rod e and thought a nd t he farther he go t

w h e a ay from his squaw the more t hough t . B efore night overtoo k him he turn ed his pony a bout a nd re t urned to C oc on o ko to live with her during the rem ainder of his life

- which closed fifty nin e years after this . While he wa s gone C oc o nok o t a lk e d to h er people ab out the injustice t ha t ha d be en A done Shabbon a . fter this there wa s nev er any more trou ble along this li n e for t hey soon came to appreciat e his worth . It was not long after this t ha t Shab bona selected Shabbon a Grove a s his home . From 18 0 0 to 18 0 7 S habbona tra v c l ed much a mong the Indians along th e Illi nois , Fox , and Rock Rivers . At times he went far th er to th e south , also up the

a nd . Mississippi , into Wisconsin The miss ionaries among the Indians oft en secure d THE IND IAN C HIEF SHABBONA 9 him to guide them as they wen t from tri b e to tribe . In this way he beca me very wel l acquainted wi th the lea d ing chiefs and wi th t v It a d the coun ry in which they li ed . is s i th at h e could mark out a trail or riv er s course in the and , indica ting a ll of the l and w marks, so th at it a s e asy for a stra ng e r not a cqu ainted wi th t he country to find his h way . T is knowledge of t he c ou n try a nd acqu aintance with the chiefs w a s a goo d pre " a ration p for the l at er life t ha t Sha bbona led.

SHA BB O NA MEETS TEC"MSEH

1 0 In th e ye ar 8 7 , Sha bbona had th e l e good fortune , if ook d at in one way, and bad fortune if looked at in another light , to becom e acquainted with Tecumseh

Flying Panth er" the chief of the Shawnee a who w s m a n of Indi ns , a a many high qua l e n ities, impressiv ma ners, and wond erful w a natura l eloquence . Tecumseh s a little old er than Sha bbona but they were both a t t comparatively young men t his ime ,

e n - fiv e a neith r bei g over thirty ye rs of age . tw o e The chi fs h ad many councils together . Te c u mseh saw the evil in"uence of whi sky a n his e o h e t d t mo g p ple so prohibi e i s use . This and o ther t hings he did left their im

r ss a u p e u pon Sh bbona for good , a l th o gh in a la ter ye rs he im bi bed somewha t . 10 THE INDIAN " CHIEF B B ONA ' 1 10 In the y e ar 8 , G eneral Harrison m e t n Tecumse h o the Wa bash in council . After

’ t his co uncil Tecu mseh went to Sh a bbona s a e h bb n h "village nd persuad d S a o a to go wit him t o se e the Indians of north ern Ill1n0 1s and Wisconsin to get the m to j oin in concert ed action in driving back the whites who were p u shing their sett le ments forward into their hunting ground . These two chiefs Went from village to vi llage along t h e Illinois and

Fox "ivers . Then they went to the Winne n In i n bago and Menomi e e d a s to the north . Both of thdese tribes fought against the A mericans u ringt h e War of 18 12 . T ecum seh and Sha bbona th en moved to the south h e a long t Mississippi , visiting the Sauks and ee B H ndW Foxes , m ting lack awk a apello th e leading chiefs . At "oc k I sland th e two r e chiefs parted , Tecumseh going fa th r to th e south along th e Missis sippi andSh abbona to D K l C returning his home in e a b ounty . In the summer of 18 11 Tecumseh and Sha bbona me t G eneral H arrison again a t n V incen es in a second council . After a wordy conference Tecum seh withdrew an d with S ha bbona and two Shawnee chiefs se t o t th e re ks e u for sou th to visit the G e , C h r

o e C a . Wh l ke s, hoct ws and Seminole s i e absent his follo wers w e re defe a ted on the N 1 1 1 sevent h of ovem ber, 8 , in th e battle of

s Tip pecanoe by Genera l Harri on . THE IND IA N CHIEF SHABB O NA l ] M ASS AC RE AT FO RT DE AR B OR N

After the V isit to the south Sh abbo n a

re turn ed a ga in to the grove . It w as w h il e h ere th a t he hea rd of the d ecl aration o f w w ar w ith E ngl and . Th ere a s a p l an o n

fo o t to atta ck. and ca pture if possible Fort D e arborn before news could re a ch t h a t pl ace . Ru n ners c a meto S ha bb ona tel l ing him th a t the a tt a ck wa s to be m ad e a n d th at the P ott a w a tt o m ie s were a l l to ta k e part in the war . He d ecid ed th at he wo u l d not go to the attack on Fort D e arb orn as he w had m any friend s there a mo ng th e hites . ' Seeing the oth er ln dian s going he m ounte d

n a c h w in e his pony and we nt also . S ha d W planned a nd carrie d out the att a ck . hen Sh a bbona arrived he was shock e d to see

W hat had been done . Scat tered a long the beach of the lake lay the forty - two "s o m e say fifty " two"bodies of the victims of the a a a an d o m ss cre , sc lped mutilated , w m en ,

children and so ld iers ali k e . The body of

Captain Wells lay in o ne pl a ce , his head in another while his arms and legs were scat terad over th e prairie . The rem ains of C a ptain Wells were ga t her ed up by B l ac k P artridge a nd buri ed ne ar whe r e they were

o d l t o d V t f un , whi e he b ies of the other ic im s were l eft where they fell u n ti l the rebui l d ing of Fort De arborn i n 18 16 four years 12 THE IND IA N CHIEF SHABBONA

a a l a t er . Then their sc t t ere d bones th t h ad bee n ble achi ng in the su n were ga t hered u p and C a t a B ad buried by p in r ley .

’ The prisone rs were pl a ced in Kinzie s hou s e w here B l ack Pa r tridge an d S h a bbona

c trie d to pro t e t t h em wi th their bra ves . Parties o f S ha w n ee Indi ans a rrived fro m the

a a . t o d W b sh These were hirsting f r bloo . They expec t ed to a rriv e in time to t a ke k B part in the a tt ac . They rushed by l ack P artridge a nd Sh a bbo na t o ge t a t the pris nd a oners a h ad n o t S agu n a sh arri v e d ju s t as d t v o a v n t he di heir li es w uld h e be e aken . They wou l d hav e sh ared t he fate of th e o th ers . A s it was t hey were sav e d and we feel gra t eful for t he sh are th a t Sh a bbon a h a din t he s a ving of their liv es . They were made prisoners . P art of the m were ta k en to S t . O t J oseph a nd to C a n ad a . t hers were sca t e r eda mong t he different tribes of Po tt a w a tto m ie s bu t in tim e th ey were se nt t o

D et roi t a n d ranso med .

TEC"MSEH ’ S DEATH A ND SHA B B O NA ’ S V O W After the massacre of Fort Dearborn Shabbona re t urned t o his grove with his mi nd made up to t a ke no further part in W 18 12 th e a r . In the fall of emissaries from Tecumseh reached Shabbona ’ s village

a nd a sk bearing presents the wa mpum belt

14 THE INDIAN CHIEF S HAB B OAA

x e t e o h i i e p cted o scape fr m t e confl ct al ve . It is said tha t h e pra yedto the Great Spirit that if his life w a s s a v e d h e would ne ver k s a h ta e u p arm gain against t e white s. It was sav e d and fro m this time till his d e a th h e kept h is v o w For thi s sta nd he los t

s e I ds I h pre tig am ong the n ian . n d erision t ey “ ca lled him , Frie nd of t h e Whi te Man . The peop le of northern I llinois re m e m ber Sha bbona not fo r th e part th a t he took in the war of 18 12 but for what h e did after h " 18 4 9 D eKa lb t e war. ntil the grove in w s County a his hom e . True he came and w e nt bu t this was wh ere he livedwi th h is family a ndwhere thos e of his fa mily who had died were buried . Th e white set tlers didnot com e to I llinois in very large nu m n W bers, u til after th e Indians ere m oved we st of the Mississippi , after the Bl ack Hawk W a a s War . h en Chic go was laid ou t a town in 18 30 th ere w ere twelve fa milie s besides o u la th e garrison . Three years later the p p tion had increased to 5 5 0 . After the Wa r of 18 12 Sha bbona was alwa ys ready to pro a teet th e se ttlers in and a bout Chic go .

In th e fall of 18 2 3 Fort D earborn w a s va cated and troops did not occupy it again D u nti l the fall of 18 2 8 . uring this time the citizens of Chicago were unprotected e xcept ll w e by th e frie nd ly Indians . A nt well until th e Winnebago es took up the hatchet THE IN DIA N CHIEF S LI AB B O N A 5 i against the whites in 18 2 7 . At the t me Shab bona went to almost every vil l a ge of the P ottaw attom ies and persu ad e d th em t o in remain a t hom e , and not t a ke p art e H C a th a t war. e told the citizens of hic go he would station his braves there a nd d e fend them if they wished him to do so .

V ISITS BIG FO OT A N D SAV ES CHICAG O

The people of Chicago requ e st ed Sh ab bona a nd S a gu a n a s h to visi t the vil la ge o n

B t a a k va a d t r to ig Foo L ke "L e Gene ], n y persu ade Big Fo ot t o not go to w ar wi th th e whites . The two rode to the villa ge o n h orse

a a n a sh l ba ck . S gu did n o t en ter the v i la ge but too k a position so tha t he could see Shab bona as h e met Big Foot a nd his a braves . Th e meeting was not of friend w ly nature . Shabbona a s a ccused of being a friend of the white s a nd a n enemy of the

Indians . Shabbona tried to convince Big Foot tha t the war with the whi t es m e a n t dn the destruction of the In ia s . The war riors collecte d aroun d the chiefs as they carried on their conversa tion . Big Foo t be cam e enraged and too k out his to m aha wk and wa s a bout to ki l l Shabbona but wa s prevented from doing so by the w arriors who were sta nding abou t . The warriors t ’ " t a k ook away Shabbona s ri e , omah w , knife and blan ket and bound him with 15 THE IN DIA N CHIEF S ‘I AB B ON A b u c kstrin s t g thong , af er which he was led to an unoccupied t e n t a nd placed u nder the gua rd of two warriors . S a g u a n a sh s aw a l l t his from his hiding

l a r d p ace on the bluff t hdt ove loo k e the vil l a t S h a h age . When it looke s if the fa e of bo n a wa s sealed he mou nt ed his pony a n d rod e t o Chicago to tell the s tory of what h n h ad witnessedd . D u ri g th e nig h t the Win o s a s d nebag e hel a council a nd it w deci ed that it was not safe to retain Sh ab bon a a s a prisoner so he was re lea s ed a nd a ll oy. e d

ns to return to Fort Dearborn . This wa s agai t the wish of Big Foot . He releasedhim bu t secre t ly s et out on his tra il with a few of h is w arriors de t ermined to k ill him if possible . Sh a bbona suspected something o f the so r t and u rged his fle e t p o n y fo r w a rd a n dm a de n hi s esc a pe . Big Foo t fol low ed him for m a y miles but finally gave u p t he pursuit . This visit of Sh a bbon a l o the vill age of the Winne bagoes resulted in t heir remaining at ho me and C hicago was again s afe . 18 2 For several years preceding 3 , the Indians of northern Illinois ha d been com para tiv ely quiet as far as outward signs were S concerned , but there was a pirit of discon tent prevalent a mong the Sauks and Foxes . They could not get over feelin g th at the whites were aggressors and that slowly but surely th ey w ere losing their land and being THE INDIAN CHIEF SHABBONA 17 drive n into the West where they would h av e to o t d enc un er new enemies in ne w fiel s .

This wa s no t a ltogether to their liking . Whi l e the Indi a ns w andere d abou t from a t a t a a p l ce o p l ce , they , for the mos p rt, h d a h h W a home other t an t eir igw ms . They d isli k ed to le ave the place W here they were o b rn , especi a lly if there was a goo d pro sp ect

of t heir never seeing i t again . Of te n times there cen tered a bou t such a lo cali t y a his tory and a bod y of tra ditions t hat te n d ed to ma k e it we l l nigh sa cre d to them To t e

r v t a w e t d a d d i en from he pl ce her heir e , for

t n a d e n de a genera io s h b e buried , engen er d just h a tred for th e whit e s th a t h as n ot b e en m e asi l y blo tted fro their memories . In a l e t d a Illinois , s e sewh re . he In i ns and

d h h whites have no t mixe . T ey are to o u li k e in t heir m od es of liv elihoo d a ndin dis position to dwell in p a c e together . Where the whites se tt led the Indi ans gradu a lly disa ppeared . For the most p art t hey recog

niz ed a es . the superiority of their g gr sors O ccasionally we find a ch aracter li k e Sh a b a h t k n bon , w o , in a measure , oo o th e way s n of the whites and rem ai ed a m ong them , a t t t t t n t a t to w ch wi h in eres , he cha ges h i fo l l owe d t heir com ng . 18 THE INDIAN CHIEF SHABBONA

B L ACK HA WK W A" AN D SHA B B ONA ’ S W A RNIN G In 18 32 B lack Hawk and t he Proph et ma de a despera te effort to i nduce the Potta w atta m ies and O ttawas to join with the Sauks and Foxes in a w ar against the 18 2 whi tes . It wa s Februa ry of 3 that a a u x great council of the S s, Foxes , Winn e b egoes and P otta w atta m ie s was h eld at

Indian Town . Many chiefs were present , h h bb n a t t among t e m S a o a , wh o this ime was

- v e fifty se en years of age . The council la st d n t for many days a nd nights . Eloque a ppe a ls were m a de by B lack Ha wk to i nduce t he other tribe s to unite in a final att empt t o w e drive th e hite ma n from th e fronti r . I t was evident th a t if such an a t t e m pt w ere not made in a sh ort time the whites woul d b ecome so nu merous th a t all hopes to driv e th em b ack would be fru itless A ll of the

P o t m ies b b t a w atta , ut one tri e , j oined Shab bona in opposing the union of the tribes an d the council finally broke up without effect in g a union . At this tim e B lack Partridge a nd S na c h h h S h a h wine , t e p e ace c iefs , were dead and bona stood next in power a mong the Po tt w a a ttom ie chiefs . Ever since Shabbon a had se en his friend Tecu mseh fall in battle at t h h h b e s n h e T ames , e ad e n a mi sio ary for THE INDIAN CHIEF SHABBONA 19

pea ce among the Indians . He had become thoroughly convinced that it was useless for the India n to ta ke up arms against the whites . When B lack H awk saw that he cou l d no t t t t n w t a k t h get he ribes o joi , he en b c o is wa tch tower at the mouth of Rock River det ermined on war a t any cost . He then went across the Mississippi into Iowa . Here A 1 32 he rem ained until pril , 8 , when he again crosse d into Illinois a nd move d up the

Ro ck River v a ll ey with his warriors . He move d on until he came to a point about twe n ty - fiv e miles above Dixon Ferry and from there he went east t o a grove of tim ber

’ w hich h a s since b e en kn own a s Stillman s

Run . At this p oint Blac k Haw k did not m ee t w m the arriors he ha d expecte d to eet , so he f se n t or Sha b bo na . He went a s did ot hers to mee t in c o uncil wit h Bl ack H awk for the

s I t la t time . was here t ha t the last war d a n to o k l a B l a k k to ce p ce . c Haw tried hard ge t Sh a bbon a to j oin with him for he knew tha t if he secure d Sh a bbo n a , practically the w h o l e of the P ott aw attom ies Would be in favor of the u nio n a nd woul d t a ke part in t a a n o t Pott a w atta m ies . he w r M y f . he were d oubtles s w a iting for a cha nce to kill off so me of t heir white enemies . A war wo uld furnish such a ch ance . Shabbona 20 THE INDIA N CHIEF SHABBO N A was convinced that B lack Hawk was det er mine d upon war and could not be turned “ fro m his purp o s e . The Ha wk s aid , If we unite our forces we will have an army like the trees of the forest and will drive t he palefa ces before us li k e autu mn leaves be fore an a ngry wind . Sha bbona re plied , “ The ar my of the palefaces wil l be like t h e leaves on the trees an dwill sweep you in t o

' i the o cean beyond the se tti ng su . Then we h ave the s tory of how h e st o l e away from t he council in the nigh t , wi th

r f h s son and nephe w , t o wa rn t he whi t es o

I n i h s h e their imminen t d anger . d o ng t i too k his life in his h and , for , t o fa ll across th e path of Black Ha wk mea nt de a t h , for h e h ad refused to join wi t h him i n war and had gone over to give assist a nce i n e very way to the enemy . This meant that S habbona h ad lost caste with many of the Indian tri be s . He could never again m eet with th e m in coun cil . He m ust be a lert lest he be taken by k his ene my , for he was loo ed upon a s a traitor by th e Hawk and his p eopl e . He must loo k for protection from the whites . It was a perilous undertaking to warn th e settlers but in it lay their onl y safety . Shabbona ’ s son and neph ew warned th e settlers along the Fox "iver and at Holder

’ man s Grove . Th e settl ers w ere warned as

22 THE JAE /A A C HI EF S H AB B O /V A e ast into India na t o ge t t hem aw a y from A t he reach of B l a c k Haw k . fter the war they re turned t o t he gro ve in De Ka lb

County . "o u are fa miliar wit h the story of B lack H t t i a t a t awk af er h s , his ttem pt o esc pe o the n ort h andhis ca pture by t he troops who were g u ide di n th eir s earch by S hab

‘ a r bon . With his cap tu e and the removal of th e Indians t o re serv a tion s w est of the Mississippi River t he terror o fdIndian massa cres in Illinois ca me to a n en There so o n poured into this rich prairie st a te a host of pioneers to lay u n der subj ectio n the rasour ces of the wi lderness in the buildi ng of their homes . It must have been a picturesque ga ther

18 35 Pottaw a tta m ie s ing in , as to t he nu m ber of asse mbled for the last time a t

Chicago . They had co me d ecked with all t th eir mos showy ornam ents , to d raw t heir pay fro m the govern ment . P a th etic indeed h a was it to see them in t eir l st dance , dis did playing as they , all th e s avagery of sav

I age s . O n t hat August day the pe o ple of Chicago saw th e last of a race as it took its departure , worsted in th e struggle for exist e fl nce , baf ed at every point , and made to retire before the progress of the white man . To u s the story of t he red man in Illinois see ms a long way in the past bu t th ere are THE I NDTAN CHIEF SHABBON A 23 men liv ing today who witnessed his depart ure .

G OV ’ T RESERV ATI ON FO R SH A B BO NA We will now turn our attention to the reservation tha t Shabbona and his people owned for a time . In a treaty made at Prai rie D u Chien in 18 2 9, the Pottawattamie Indians ced ed th eir land in northern Illino is to the "nited S tates . At this tim e two sec tions were reser v ed as a home for Shabbona and his fa mily This tract of land includ ed S o n 2 3 d h 2 5 ecti , an the west a lf of Section , 2 6 3 a nd t he east h alf of Section , in town 8 , a n a e r ge 3. e st o f the Third Principal M ridian n in a t Paw Pa w Grove . The tract of la d clude d a cres o f most excellent land in a very good loca lity . In O cto ber 18 32 these la nds were again reserved for Shabb o na in a treaty which 18 3 wa s m a de at Tippecanoe . In 8 it was provid ed th at Sh abbona might sell his land e e if he fe l t s o i n clined , bu t for som r ason in

18 34 t his privilege wa s taken from hi m .

’ This left Sh a bbo n a s l and as a regular re s er va tio n to be used by him until the govern m en t sa w fit to ta ke i t from him . At any rate this is the w a y the m a tter culminated

fina lly . Whe n the Indians were re moved by t he government to reservations west of the 24 THE INDIA N C H IE F SHA BBONA Mississip pi River the Indians of Sha bbona ’ s tribe ou tside of his relative s were m a de to

to go also . This w a s a ha rd blow for Sh ab

bona . He lo ved his grove and the graves of

his dead . He lo ve d his people a nd they

loved him . Whe n they went he went with ha t t l them to see t hey were we l located . From 18 35 until 18 49 Shabbona did

not make the grove his perm anen t home . He went to th e west se vera l times to visit his friends a nd in a fe w in sta n c e s m a de a extended visits , but he lw ays returned to

Illinois andto his res ervat ion . The p eo ple were for th e m o st pa rt gl a d to h a ve him n a return a nd visit am ong them . His ge i l

disposition and the me mory . of what h e had done for th em mad e th e people re s e rv e

a warm affection for Shabb ona .

S A LE O F THE O L D HO ME 4“ About 18 4 5 Shabbona sold part of his

‘ land to the G a tes bro t hers . He wa s not aware of the fact that the right to d ispose “ ' 611 1s reservation had been taken from him . ” ‘ " Theestés broth ers soon sold th e l and that 1 ' ' 11165? 11511 fiécfuiriedto settlers who bough t ’ 9 ‘ fi , 1 1111111 patéheé firifi cipauy for the wood . "? tfiéée séttlers lived on the prairie

i ' ‘ ‘ 11 1 iavotfd617618 of much value to them .

’ It I S said that duri ng Shabbona s absent e ’ ' ‘ ‘ t V t ‘ s i' ii din e fi he grove h e u r o fi g s ttlers

’ 9111 10 J e . 111 THE IN DIA N CHIEF SHABBONA 25 would cut the best ti mber that he had and h aul i t to their ho mes . In 18 4 9 while Shabbona was away t h e f com rm ssm n er s of the general office decided th at Sh a bbon a h a d forfeited his right to hi s l a n d by leaving it a nd th at it should be sold . The men who purchased the land from t he G ate s brothers were no w in trouble .

’ All of S h a bbo na s reservation w a s to be sold T he at Dixon . govern ment would sell it for an acr It ha d been improved and was in so me cases worth m any times this

T e f amount . h p eo p le o Sh a bbona Grove t a M a selected two of heir citizens , Willi m rks

a h e u oen A l n to bid . nd l e , in the land The o thers went a long to see th a t these men h ad a t no o t chance o mo p lize he bidding . There were 15 0 eter m inedmen in t he p arty re ad y t o use torce to carry their point if n eces s ary . T h ere w ere a few o thers there re ad y to bid in th e l and but they had no ch ance to do so and the me n from S h a b bon a Grove b ough t t he lan dfor a n a cre .

N t a a t of ou r t ow comes he s d p r s ory . S ha bbo n a h a dbee n in the West o n a n e x

. H e n t ende d visit returned , expecti g to r e c eiv e t h e rem aind er of the p ay me n ts du e fr om th e G ates brot her s a ndto receive the rent du e him fro m his ow n land t h a t h ad n " e t a n d 4 bee n e This h pp e e in 18 9. It 25 THE INDIAN CH IEF SHABBONA

was nigh t when h e came to his grove , tired

his Wi h h from long journey . t him were is e a 5 peopl e nu m bering som thing less th n 2 . Th ey camped where they had been wont to f e cam p , gath ered a ew poles for th ir tents r a nd a few faggots for a fi e . I magine their th e m n surprise in or ing when the man , or be tt er brute , who owned th e land ord ered him with curses to l eave . The man wa s br u t a l in his tre a t m ent of Shabbona and his l O p eop e . ne writer in s pea king of his treat “ ments says , Here he had lived for ma ny bu ye ars , and here were ried his b eautifu l twin boy s, whose graves had been torn by t t l a h t h e ru h e s s plowsh re of is be rayers .

’ his Pain ting face black , he fel l prone o er th e

e n lit tle gra v s, ca lling upo the great spiri t for s trengt h a ndpa tience to endure his great a fflictio n"living for a season on bit terness fe d , he a te no t. slep t not , but cons ta ntly bea t his bre a st , weeping a nd wailing until he grew w a n a nd we ary , t hen his powerfu l intellect

e wav ered , t o tter d and fe ll , and h e wandered forth wi thou t obj ect o r aim an dwas fou nd lyi ng upon the gro und awa y up o n Rock K Cree k , in endall County , in a d is tracted a nd s tarving condition a nd was brough t ba ck to l ife and reason by so me good Samaritan .

This leaves S habbona withou t a hom e . It is said th at h e never again we nt bac k to

his grove . It is said that onc e a year the THE INDIAN CHIEF SHABB ONA 2 7 squaws used to return a nd silently find their way to the pl ace where their dead were buried and there a fe w days were spent in mourning, a s it were for their de t part ed . They had very li t le to do with the people who lived at th e grove except to ask for a little water or food . When their se ason of mourning had p assed t hey too k their d e parture a s sile n t ly a s t hey had come and went back to th eir p eople . For seven yea rs following his return to Il linois he spent his time visiting those of his tri be who ha d

w s ndhis f nd mov ed to the e t a roe s in Illi w n fi nois . It a s duri g t his time that the g ure of Sha bbona riding his p ony became a familiar sigh t in northern lllin ois especia lly i n and a bout C hicago and to the south a s far as and even beyond the Illinois River . a o d d a h He was go rider , an usu lly rode in is d t t ol age , for we mus rem em ber hat Shah 7 a bona wa s 5 ye rs of age , when he was

h is driven from h o me in the grove . He d id no t c are m uch for the roa d s of the whites but would t a k e the trail s tha t le d a cross fields a ndthrough the timber if these were shorter . The se t tlers loo ke d for him every in t a lf d Spring and he F ll . he id not pass they wo uld fe e l t hat som ething had been missed . 2 8 THE INDIAN CHIEF SHABB-ONA

SH AB BO N A ’ S LAST "EA"S

Some times Shabbona trav eled alone and his again h e traveled with a p art , or all , of

H i s family . squaw always rode in a de mo crat wagon , sitting in the bottom of th e box . re filling it from side to side , for we must me mber tha t she weighed in the neighbor h Of 40 0 d h i ood poun s . She was so fat t at t was with difficulty that she could get up h a " a k a lone if s e l y a t on h er b c . She would get into the wagon by mounting a chair and rolling over int o the box . Her children or grandchildren usu a lly went along and drove the ponies . O thers follow ed on foot or rode

their ponies . If Sha bbona happened to reach the hom e of a white friend late at night he was a lways very careful lest h e migh t disturb them . In the morning they wo uld discover his presence by seeing his a t n h ponies gr zing a bou , or by fi ding im roll ed u p in hi s bl a n k et on the porch or in so me other well pro t e cte d pl ace . Late in the fa ll of the year when the w eather was cold Shabbona rolled up in his blanket a nd see me d unmindful of the weather as

he slept . Some times he would stop for sev eral

a a t a a . d ys pl ce , visiting his white friends His n ephews and boys on these occasions

30 THE INDIAN CHIEF S HAHB ONA I n di ans were very fond of th e cooking of the whites . It was not an unco m mon thing for C oc onok e t o gather up all that w a s left on

‘ t he tabl e in - her apron and store it away to rn be eat en on their j ou ey later . Th e bread

‘ l in s n . nda was very appetizi g to them The liked th e wa y that the whit es coo ked meats Frequently they would take a deer t hat had ok Th e been killed to the whites to b e co ed . whites were gl ad tb do this to please them and to receive a portion of the venis on , or w f r . ha t ever it might be , o their trouble Th e

‘ i ian s al fondbf t h e nd s were e p eci ly gravy i‘ tha t ea t w ith th e meat as it was returned to th em . A s Sh abbona traveled about a m ong the white s he took a great interest in what they w er e l doing . He like d t o watch th em to see did ho w they things a nd in this way he learned to do many th ings as t h e whites did the m . At his home in th e Grove he had

' a dar t o is h w as fences roun p f h ground t at , c u liv a te dto ke ep his po nies from destroying his crops . e h ad learne d t o cu lirvia te corn i n very much the same way as the whites

dat . idthat tim e H e was always busy tink H as ot ering around at someth ing . e w n a

a . h i l zy Indian What e . did m g ht have a m ou n ted to m ore than i t did but for an I a c ndi n he did very well . The whites respe t THE JN D I AN CH EI F S H AB B ONA 3]

ed his industry . They liked to have him question th em a s to their ways of doin g th w t a t t o ings and ere glad , for the mos p r , h r w help im to acqui e their a ys .

Shabbona was quite a hand a t doctor a ing The whites ofte n cal led upon him to r help them with thei sic k . Snake bites a nd wounds th at would not heal he knew how to cure . He went to the woods and o n the

e prairie a nd t h re ga th ered his medicine s . His o wn good heal th an d the good he a lth of his fa mi ly wa s pre tty go od pro of of his abi l ity a l o ng this lin e . Pe o ple may wonder how Sha bbo n a and his pe o ple ma n a ge d to l ive aft er th e y were driven fro m their Grove . He wa s a good

e in hunter a nd gain d much in this way . t he Fa ll of the ye ar he w ent to Chicago and his friend s found ou t w ha t he lacked in the way of clothing and food for the wint er and among themselves supplied his wants . The people who knew him in many parts of Il li nois gave him things a s he visited them , but in spite of a ll this"Shabbona and his b people were bad ly neglected y the whites , n considering what he h a d do e for them . After Shabbona ’ s de a th those who remained for a num ber of ye ars lived as paupers and beggars a nd at ti me s their conditions were pitiable . 32 THE I N D IAN CHI EF S HA B B ONA

W e are told that Sh abbona was quit e anxious that one of his daughters should marry a whit e m a n and it is said that h e offered to give a goodly sum of money to any good resp ectable white m aa who would marry one of them . No one seeme d to be inclined to ta ke up his offer as the daught er he had in mind wa s built on th e same plan

- that her moth er was . S ha bbona was quite a pub lic character and on all great occasions h e was mad e m uch of. He was always th e center of H attraction at the fairs . e and his fami ly H were sure to attend . e appreciated very much th e honor th at was confer red upon

s s of him on uch occasion . O n the Fo u rth 7 o J uly , 18 5 , there was a great ce lebrati n O at ttawa and Sha bbona , his squaw , grand n h childre , and children were there . T ey led th e pro ces sion . In th e evening th ere was given a great bal‘ l which Sh a bbona and A his people attended . t this ball the belles of the town came out in their finest . Th ere was a desire to know who of the m excel led in beauty and grace . Shabbona was made j udge and in the m ost critical manner ex a m in edeach l a dy in th e contest who passed h im i before for nspection . He was called up on t o give his decisio n . Here he show ed n i h i h his se se of hum or , his ins g t nto uman u f nat re , an d his a ppreciation of his wi e . THE IIV D IAN CH IEF SHABBONA 33

oc n ok Turning to C o e, his squaw, he brought his hand down upon her well - ro unded sh o ul “ der and said , Much , heap , big , prettiest

” squ aw . During th e politica l cam p ain of 18 5 8 Sh abbona was present on th e platform with D a t t L i ncoln , ouglas and Lovej oy he famous debate betwe en Lincoln and Douglas at O A 8 3 ttawa . t this time h e was ye ars of age .

Sh a bbona travel ed much . On on e oc casio n he went to Wa shington and wh il e th er e met C o l. J ohnson and the two t al ked over the battle of the Th a mes and th e death of Tecu m s eh . When they parte d J oh n son gave Shabbona a gold ring t h a t he w ore during the rem aind er of his life . O a ion na n one occ s Shabbo , with a white ma n whose complexio n wa s almo st as dar k as that of a n India n , was intro duced to Gen er . 1 Scot t . General Scott to o k the white a d m a n t o be Shabbona n in his pompo u s m a nner began to tell him h ow much he ap e d t h w pre c ia t what he h ad d one fo r e h it f s I n th e B la e lt a w k a in llinois duri g H w r . Shabbona stood it a s long a s he c o u l d a nd then pointing to himself sa id to Ge nera l

“ Scott Me Shabbona . The India n in Shabbona displa yed it self on one occasion at Morris , Illinois . At this point there was a toll bridge acro ss the n river . O ne of the citize s of Morri s had 34 THE IND IAN CHIEF SHABB ONA ta k en it up on hi m self to pay toll for Shab bona and his people whenever they w anted

cr s to os th e bridge . The toll keeper kept account of th e times Shabbona crossed and int erfered with his crossing in no way . O n one occasion there was a new toll ke eper who didn ot know of this arra ngement . Sh a bbona appeared with his tribe and want e d to go over . Th e toll keeper wou ld not let him cro ss with o ut paying . Sha bbona turned about and we n t to th e man wh o wa s look in a to h g fter his ll , secured a note from im ,

e dd H o r turne an was allowed to pass . e cr ss

t h b , e d o the end of t e bridge , turned a out

a v e a h a nd e t g w oop , cross d and recrossed he bridge se veral tim es to show the toll ke ep er

e d h o wha t cou ld . Afte r S h a ht on a w a s driv e n from his 7 e Grove h e had no hom e until 18 5 , wh n people w ho were i nterested in h im rai s ed a sum of money and purchased a home for him 2 0 6 of acres in Section 2 0 , town 33, range , in

No a dC I . the town of rm n , Grun y ounty , llinois Here th ey built a house for him and tried to provide for him . He lived here until his J 2 7 dea t h u ly , 18 5 9. He lived to be eighty four years of a ge . He was b urried in a lo t in Evergreen ce metery near Morris, Illinois . This lo t w a s don ated by t h e cemetery asso i tio c a n . His wife lies hu rriedin th e s a me lot .

She died Nove mber 30 , 18 6 4 . Her d eat h THE IND IA N CHIE F SHABBONA

was pathetic . While crossing Mazon Cre ek in her democrat wagon with a little grand child in her arms the wagon was upse t and she was drowned , although t he wa ter was but a few inches de ep . Th e child was found

. d h beneath her It wa s also e a d . T ere are also buried in t he lot his fa v oite d augh ter

- h O Mary , and his gra nd da ug ters, Mary k on

- h i ks w to, and Met wetch , a nd his niece s . C c a

’ and Soco . A ll of S habbona s pe o ple wh o re ed- d o w a t t d at main move ut est , f er he e h of

Coc ono ke . O O 2 190 n Frid ay ctober 3, 3, about fifty p eople ga thered in Evergree n cemetery to witness th e dedication of a monu m ent to

Shabbona . This co nsists of a huge bould er “ b t e n b earing he simpl inscriptio , Shab ona , 17 7 5 - 18 5 9 a fit ting ma r k for the resting

’ pl ace o f one of Illinois no ble men . Shahbo na wanted no thing to mar k his gra ve for he said th at the life he lived sho uld be his only la l m onument . It was re g y through t he

instrumentality of P . A . Stone of Morris ,

Illinois, and a body of wor kers tha t this

monum ent w a s erected . REFEREN CE S

bena Memories of Sh au , N . Matson

His t ory ot D e Kalb County , H . I . Boise

o f D K C t A b History e al b oun y , l u m , C hapman Brothers

The Saux and B lack Hawk War , A A t Perry . rms rong

The Northwest and Chicago, "ufu s B lanchard

s K Hi tory of D e a lb County , Clinton Ro set t e l History of La Sa le County, Baldwin Wa t a Th Historic erw ys , w aties

The Pr airie S chooner,

Wm E . B a rton S r e o i a a to i s f llinois , M r L . Pratt t o o i l His ry f l inois , D avidson and Stuve B a The l ck Hawk War ,

Frank E . Stevens a E M ny arly Settlers .