ADDRESS 01
Da.niel M�Dona.ld
of Plymouth
Delivered in the House of Representatives,
Indianapolis, Friday, February 3, 1905, on
The Bill to Erect a Monument to the Porta­
wattomie India.ns at Twin Lakes,
Marshall County
F
532
.M355
.M146A





A MONUMENT AT MENOMINEE VILLAGE,
r MARSHALL COUNTY.
The bill to erect a monument to the memory of the Pottawat­
tomie Indians at, Menominee village, in Marshall county, being
under consideration, Representative Daniel McDonald said:
Mr. Speaker and G-entlemen of the House of Representaiives-- ..
In order that a fair understanding may be had in regard to the
subject matter embraced in this bill, I desire to submit the follow­
ing:
The question of the extinguishment of the Indian titles to the
lands of the Pottawattomie Indians in Northern Indiana and
Southern Michigan, and their removal to a' reservation to be pro­
vided for them west of the Missouri river, was one of the most im­
portant and delicate questions the Government had to deal with in
the early settlement of this part of the Northwest Territory. Gen­
eral treaties Were made from 1820 to 1830 between the Government
agents and the chiefs and headmen of the Pottawattomles by which
large tracts of land were ceded to the Government, and numerous
reservations made to various bands of Pottawattomie Indians in
northern Indiana and southern .Michigan, Later these reservations
were ceded back by treaty by the Indians for a stipulated amount,
and in all the treaties it was provided that the Indians should re­
move to the reservation west of the Missouri River within two years
from the date thereof. The dates of these treaties Were about all
in the years 1835 and in 1836, the 'last date for removal expiring
about the first of August 1838.
The territory now included within the boundaries of Indiana,
Illinois and Michigan, which was the home of the Pottawattomie
Indians for many years prior to the time they were removed to the
(1)


6
determination to resist the Government officers in their evident
intention to remove them, peaceably if they could, forcibly if they
must. The consequence was the Indians became desperate, intoxi­
cating liquors were drank to excess; threats of violence were freely
made, and the white settlers in the immediate neighborhood became
greatly alarmed for the safety of themselves and families. In this
alarming condition of affairs, a number of white settlers of Mar­
shall Oounty, early in August, 1838� petitioned the Governor of
I ndiana for protection against what They believed would result in
the certain destruction of their lives and property, In his message
to the Legislature Dec. 4-, 1838, Governor David Wallace said:
"By the conditions of the late treaty with the Pottawattomie
Indians in Indiana, the time stipulated for their departure to the
west of the Missouri expired on the 6th of August last. As this
trying moment approached a strong disposition Was manifested by
many of the most influential among them tú disregard the treaty
entirely, and to cling to the homes and graves of their fathers at all
hazards. In consequence of such a determination on their part, a
collision of the most serious character was likely tú ensue between
them and the surrounding settlers. Apprehensive of such a result,
and with a view to prevent it, the citizens of Marshall Oounty, early
in the month of August, forwarded tú the executive a petition pray­
ing that an armed force might be immediately sent to their protec­
tion. On receipt of this petition I repaired as speedily as circum­
stances would permit to the scene of difficutly in order to satisfy
myself by a personal examination whether their fears were justifi­
able or not. On my return to Logansport a formal requisition
awaited me from the Indian agent, 001. A. O. Pepper, for one
hundred armed volunteers to be placed under the command of some
competent citizen of the State, whose duty it should be to preserve
the peace and to arrest the growing spirit of hostility displayed by
the Indians. The requisition was instantly granted. I appointed
the Ron. John Tipton to this command and gave him authority to
raise the necessary number of volunteers. He promptly and pa­
triotically accepted the appointment, and, although sickness and
disease prevailed tú an alarming extent throughout northern Indi­
ana, yet such was the spirit and patriotism of the people there that


8
latter part of August, marching alc-ig the Michigan road through
Rochester, across Tippecanoe River, and then along the old Indian
trail northwestward until they came to Menominee village at Twin
Lakes, five miles southwest from Plymouth. A great many of the
white settlers in the neighborhood turned out to welcome the sol­
diers and to. render such assistance as might be necessary. The
Indians were surrounded before they realized that the soldiers had
been sent to remove them. Such arms as they had were taken from
them and preparations at once commenced for the starting of the
caravan. Squads of soldiers were sent out in every direction for
the purpose of capturing the straggling bands encamped in various
places in the county, and such others as might be found hunting and
fishing in the neighborhood. Several days were occupied in getting
everything in readiness. The names of heads of families, an d other
Indians were registered, and when the list was completed it showed
a total of 859.
On the day prior to the exodus a meeting of the Indians was held
at the little graveyard, a short distance from the village, at which
a final farewell of the dead was taken by those who were to leave
the following morning, never to return. Addresses were made by
the chiefs present and several white settlers. (An address of some
length was delivered by Myron H. N orton of Laporte which was
afterwards printed, but unfortunately no copies of it can now be
found. ) The scene is said to have been affecting in the extreme.
Weeping and wailing, which was confined to a few at first, became
general, and until they were finally induced to disperse, it looked
as though a riot would surely ensue. In solemn reverence they
turned their weeping eyes from the sleeping dead never to look
upon the graves of their kindred again.
The Indian chapel which was used as General Tipton's head­
quarters while preparing for the removal was situated on the north
bank of the middle Twin Lake about twenty rods west of the Van­
dalia railroad. It was erected by Rev. Stephen Theodore Badin,
the first Oatholic priest ordained in the United States. He was


9
born at Orleans, France, in 1768, ordained May 23, 1793, and died
at Cincinnati, April19, 1853. The chapel was erected about 1830
and was built of hewn logs and covered with clapboards. It was
about 30 by 40 feet, the west half being two stories high. There
was a hallway through the center. The room for the missionary
was over the west end of the cha pel which was reached from below
by means of a rustic ladder. The furniture was of the most primi­
tive kind, and the food, corn, and wild meat and such fruits and
vegetables as were suitable to eat during the summer season. The
chapel Was torn down many years ago. Bishop Brute, of Vin­
cennes, under whose supervision this mission was established,
wri tes as follows in regard to the Indians, their village and chapel:
"A large number of their huts are built around their chapel,
which is constructed of logs wi th the bark on wi th a cross erected
behind and rising above it, and filled with rudely made benches.
The Indians begin and end their work without hammer, saw or
nails, the ax being their only implement, and bits of skin or bark
serving to fasten the pieces together. The room of the missionary
is over the cha pel, the floor of the one forming the ceiling of the
other. A ladder in the corner leads to it, and his furniture consists,
as did the prophets, of a table and chair, and a bed, or rather a
hammock swung on ropes. Around the room are his books, and the
trunks which contain the articles used in his chapel, as well as his
own apparel. He spends his life with his good people, sharing
their corn and meat, with water for his drink, and tea made from
the herbs of his little garden. He abjures all spirits, as all Catholic
Indians are forbidden to touch that which is the bane of their race
and he would encourage them with his example. I attended at the
evening catechism, prayers and canticles, and in the morning said
mass, at which a large number attended."
At the time the arrangements for the removal were being per­
fected, Father Benjamin Marie Petit was the missionary in charge
of the chapel. He was about twenty-five years old, and had been
horn and reared in France. This ardent youthful spirit evinced
an intense enthusiasm from first to last in the work of his chosen


10
field, and in an outburst of fervency he tells something of his feel­
ings and of his ministrations: "How I love these children of mine,
and what pleasure it is for me to find myself amongst them. There
are now from 1,000 to 1,200 Christians. Could you see the little
children when I enter a cabin crowding around me and climbing
on my knees-the father and mother making the sign of the cross
in pious recollection, and then coming with a confiding smile on
their faces to shake hands with me-you could not. but love them as
I do." Of the chapel exercises he gave the following interesting ac­
count: "At sunrise the first peal was rung; then you might see the
savages moving along the paths of the forest and the borders of the
lakes. When they were assembled the second peal was rung. The
catechist then, in an animated manner, gave the substance of the
sermon preached the evening before; a chapter of the catechism was
read and morning prayers were recited. I then said mass, the con­
gregation singing hymns the while, after which I preached, my
sermon being translated by a respectable French lady, seventy-two
years old, who had devoted herself to the missions in the capacity
of interpreter. The sermon was followed by a pater and ave; after
which the congregation sang a hymn to Our Lady, and quietly dis­
persed. The next thing was confession which lasted till evening,
and sometimes was resumed after supper. At sunset the natives
again assembled for catechism, followed by an exortation and even­
ing prayers which finished with a hymn to Our Lady. I then gave
them my benediction-the benediction of poor Benj amin. In the
first three weeks of my pastorate I baptised eighteen adults and
blessed nine marriages."
About this time officers and soldiers arrived at the chapel and
village to arrange for the departure of the Indians. Father Petit
again wrote as follows:
"One morning I said mass and immediately afterward we began
removing all the ornaments from my dear li ttle church. At the
moment of my departure I assembled all my children to speak to
them for the last time. I wept, and my auditors sobbed aloud. It
was indeed a heartrending sight, and over our dying mission we


12
should remove to the west. His worst fears were fully realized.
The $14,080 the Government paid them to sign the treaty had all
been squandered for spirituous liquors and trinkets of one kind or
another purchased at enormous prices. from the white traders that
gathered about them like crows about a dead carcass until their
money was all gone. Menominee dec lined to sign the treaty, and
never did sign it, but there was at no time any danger of an upris­
ing. The Pottawattomies as a tribe were always friendly with the
white settlers, and in northern Indiana never caused any disturb­
ance except in individual cases where they were driven into it by
white traders and other designing persons who sold and gave them
whiskey for the purpose of getting them drunk and robbing them of
their lands and annuities paid them by the Government.
At the time of the removal none of these Indians were armed for
defense or warfare, and only had a few rifles that they had pur­
chased from the white traders at exorbitant prices, the bows and
arrows for killing game for food. Menominee, the head of the
band was a religious man, and an exhorter. He taught his follow­
ers to avoid the use of intoxicating liquors; not to cheat, or murder,
or lie, or steal, or quarrel with themselves, or the white settlers, al­
though they might have ample provocation, but to live in peace with
all men. They were completely under his control, and of their
priest, Father Petit. No trouble ever occurred between them and
the whites except that related by General Tipton in his report to
Governor Wallace, as follows:
"On the 5th of last month, the day on which the Indians were to
have left the reservation, the whites demanded possession which
they-the Indians-absolutely refused. Quarrels ensued and be­
tween the 15th and 20th the Indians chopped the door of one of the
settlers-v-Mr. Watters-and threatened his life. This was followed
by the burning of ten or twelve Indian cabins which produced a
state of feeling bordering on hostilities."
Having made a thorough and exhaustive investigation of this
subject a few years ago when many of the settlers were still living
and several who were there at the time and participated in the re-


13
moval and knew all about the circumstances leading up to the re­
moval, it is but; the truth to say that the origin of the trcuble was
not with the Indians, but with Mr. W etters, who had settled in the
reservation, without authority, a few months previous, and desired
the Indians to leave so he could preempt 160 acres of the reserva­
tion under the laws of Congress passed in June of that year. He
was the disturbing element, and set about deliherately to work up
the disturbance so that the Governor would be compelled to re­
move them. The information on which Governor Wallace based
his action was that received from Mr. Watters and a few other
white settlers in the vicinity that allowed him to be the spokesman.
The Indians were not consulted and had no say in the matter.
Further along in his report General Ti pton, speaking of the
Indians, said:
"Most of them appeared willing to go. Three of their prin­
cipal men, however, expressed a wish to be governed by the ad­
vice of their priest (Mr. Petit, a Oatholic gentleman), who had
resided with them up to the time of the commencement of the
quarrel between the Indians and the whites, when he left Twin
Lakes and retired to South Bend. I addressed a letter inviting him
to join the emigration and go west. He accepted the invitation
and I am happy to inform you that he joined us two days, ago and
is going west with the Indians. It is but. justice, to him to say
that he has both by example and precept, produced a very favorable
change in the morals and industry of the Indians; that his un­
tiring zeal in the cause of civilization has been and will continue
to be eventually beneficial to these unfortunate Pottawattomies,
when they reach their new abode."
On the 16th of September Father Petit rejoined his flock near
Danville, Illinois. He found them moving onward, enveloped in
clouds of dust, and surrounded by the soldiers who hurried on their
march. Behind came the wagons in which were crowded together
the sick, the women and the children. The scene as described by
Father Petit Was one of the most mournful description; the chil­
dren overcome by heat were reduced to a wretched state of languor
and exhaustion. By this time General Tipton had begun to under-


14
stand something of Father Petit's worth, and treated him with
marked respect. The chiefs who had hitherto been treated as
prisoners of war were released at the priest's request and took
their places with the rest of the tribe. First went the flag of the
Uni ted Sta tes borne by a dragoon; after which came the baggage;
then the vehicle occupied by the native chiefs; next followed the
main body of the emigrants, men, women and children, mounted on
horses, marching in file after Indian fashion, while all along the
flanks of the multitude might be SEen dragoons and volunteers
urging on unwilling stragglers, often with the most violent words
and gestures. The sick were in their wagons under an awning of
canvas, which, however, far from protecting them from the stifling
heat and dust, only deprived them of air. The interior was like an
oven, and many consequently died. Six miles from Danville,
Illinois, there was a halt for two days. "When we quitted the
spot," Father Petit. said, "vve: left six graves under the shadow
of the cross." Order had been so thoroughly restored through the
presence of the good priest that the troops now retired and Father
Petit was left with the civil authorities to conduct the emigrants
to their destination. Having seen the emigrants safely landed on
their reservation on the Osage river southwest of the Missouri
river, such as had not died and escaped on the way, Father Petit
started on the return trip. At St. Louis he was taken sick from
fatigue and malarial fever and died. His remains were afterward
removed to Notre Dame, Indiana, whore they lie buried in the
Oatholic cemetery at that place.
Of the onward journey after leaving Sandusky Point, Illinois,
where the caravan was placed in charge of Judge Polke, we have
only the general statement that 150 persons were lost on the whole
way by death and desertion. What amount of suffering fell to the
lot of these poor Indians every day on this horrible journey, no
tongue can tell. Hundreds of them were daily burning with the
terrible malarial fever so universally prevalent during the Warm
part of 1838. These hundreds were crowded into common rough
wagons and compelled to bear the downpouring rays of a sultry


15
sun, and the only beverage to quench the prevailing thirst was
dipped from some mud stream just drying up. The food was
composed of beef and :flour cooked as might be while encamped for
the night. Alas, how these poor little dusky infants must have
suffered. N o wonder that their little graves marked the daily
Journey.
In the southern part of Indiana, the legislature two years ago
authorized the erection of a monument to the memory of the pio­
neers of that section of the State who we're massacred by the
Shawnee Indians during the period of the War of 1812 with
England. The massacre was cruel and inhuman anel without ex­
cuse, but in the history of that most deplorable event, the Indian
side of the question that lead up to the culmination of the dispute
has never been written. The monumorît at Pigeon Roost, while it
commemorates the memory of the murdered dead, also perpetuates
the worst feature in the Indian character.
On the other hand the State, through its Legislature, is asked to
authorize the erection of a monument to mark the dawn of civiliza­
tion in northern Indiana; the rebuilding of the first house of Ohris­
tian worship in the entire great northwest, east of the Pacific coast,
and to perpetuate the memory of the Pottawattomie Indians, the
owners and first inhabitants of the country North of the Wabash
river, and south of the lakes, whose written history is entirely the
work of the white people, the Government agents, traders, and
schemers who wrote from the white man's selfish and prejudiced
standpoint. I stand here to-day, in this magnificent presence) to
plead for the Pottawattomie Indians; to give their side of the story
which has never before been told. As I stand here today I wish
you to imagine that the spirit of the good Indian Menominee has
come back after nearly three quarters of a century to tell you the
truth in regard to the cruel and inhuman manner in which he and
his tribe W81'e treated by the Government agents who dispossessed
him of his property against his will, without compensation, and
forced him and his people into captivity beyond the great Missouri,


where he was never heard of again and where he undoubtedly died
of a broken heart.
They are now all gûne-nût one is left to tell the story. But
whether the legislature authorizes the erection of this monument
or not the Pûtta:vattomie Indians will not be forgotten. Their
memory has, been preserved, and will continue to be perpetuated for
all time to. come in the rivers, lakes and various localities bearing
their names. Aubenaube and Kewanna, and Tiosa, in Fulton
county, perpetuate the names of noted Indian ehiefs ; and the
beautiful 'I'ippecanoe, with its rippling waters of blue; and the
picturesque Mani tou, and the lovely .Maxinkuekee; �th� St, J oseph,
•• _ -cl" ••
and especially the famous W abash, where
" 'Rûund my Indiana homestead waves the cornfields,
In the distance looms the woodlands clear and cool ;
It was there I spent my days of early childhood-e-
It was there I learned the love of nature's school.
I can hear my mother's voice call from the doorway
As she stood there years ago and watched for me;
I can hear the birds sing sweetly in the spring-time,
On the banks of the Wabash, far away.
Oh, the moon is fair tonight along the Wabash,
From the fields there comes the breath of new-mown hay,
Through the sycamores the candle-lights are gleaming
On the banks of the Wabash, far away."
All these names will perpetuate for all time to come the memory
of the Pottawattomie Indians, the first owners and inhabitants of '
all the beautiful country north of the vVabash River and south of
the great lakes.
"The Indians all have passed away,
That noble race and brave,
Their light canoes have vanished
From off the crested wave.
Amid the forest where they roamed
There rings no hunter's shout­
But their name is on your waters­
You can not wash it out."