Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black HawkBlack Hawk, Sauk chief
History
Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk
Black Hawk, Sauk chief
Black Hawk War, 1832; Black Hawk, Sauk chief, 1767-1838; Sauk Indians -- Biography
Tama's village, located on South Henderson, half a mile below the farm
of Mr. John T. Cook, at Gladstone, was always noted as being the abode
of friendly Indians. In the fall of 1829, some write men came in and
made improvements on the land in the vicinity, and at the advice of Mr.
Phelps, Tama crossed the river and made a new town at the mouth of Flint
river on the Mississippi, and at the time of Black Hawk's raid into
Illinois, it was the rendezvous of many young men who had been persuaded
by Tama not to join Black Hawk. But when the news reached them of the
indignities offered to their good old chief, they secretly determined to
go upon the war path, and soon after four young Foxes started to cross
the river and avenge the insult. On going up Henderson creek they espied
Mr. William Martin while in the act of mowing, at a point near Little
York, whom they shot and killed, and for fear of detection, immediately
took to the brush. It being late when they got through the woods, they
made a fire and camped just at the edge of the prairie.
Some time after the shooting, friends of Mr. Martin discovered his
lifeless body and after removing it to the home, started on the trail of
his murderers, and followed it some distance through the underbrush, but
wisely concluded, as it was growing late, to return and give the alarm.
An express was sent to Capt. Butler during the night, who started out
with his company early in the morning, and on emerging into the prairie
discovered the camp fire of the Indians, add followed their trail to a
slough in the Mississippi two miles below Keithsburgh. Here the Indians
embarked in their canoes and were probably on the other side of the
river by this time. A demand was immediately made upon Keokuk for the
murderers, as they belonged to his band of Foxes, who surrendered two
men to the commanding officer at Rock Island.
These Indians soon afterwards made their escape, and before the time
fixed for their trial, Keokuk delivered four young men to Maj. Phelps,
then sheriff of Warren county, to be tried for the offence. Maj. P.
and his deputy, Mr. James Ryason, took them to Monmouth jail, where the
following proceedings were had before the Circuit Court (for a copy of
which we are indebted to George C. Rankin, Esq., now Circuit Clerk):
WARREN COUNTY CIRCUIT COURT.
William Martin was shot and scalped by two Indians, near Little York,
Warren county, August 9th, 1832. In their report at the October term of
the Warren Circuit Court, the Grand jurors say:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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