(pg. 59-61)
By the treaty of September 26, 1833, the Chippewa, Ottawa and Potawatomi ceded to the United States all of their land along the western shore of Lake Michigan. The tract extended from a short distance north of Chicago into Wisconsin where the Milwaukee River formed the north boundary.
The region was densely inhabited, particularly in its northern half, during the entire historic period and by many different tribes. The city of Milwaukee and the river on which it is located forms a definite point that can be located through time and well illustrates the shifting occupation of the region.
A letter of Beauharnois to the French Minister, dated September 18, 1743, states that ten cabins of the Fox were to be found at Chicago and two at Milwaukee (Wis. His. Colls., 17, 437). Since this was following the close of the war between the French and the Fox, it doubtless represents refugee groups who had taken up residence among the local Indians. Milwaukee is next mentioned in a journal kept by Lieut. James Gorrell when under the date of June 5th, 1762, he gives the Indian population of various regions. He states that 100 Ottawas, etc., were to be found at Little Detroit and Milwaukee. (Wis. Hist. Colls., 1, 322). A journal kept by Samuel Roberts during a voyage on Lake Michigan in 1779 states that Milwaukee "is a mixed Tribe of different nations." (Wis. Hist. Colls., 11, 210). That this condition of mixed tribal units was not confined to this early period, is indicated in a letter dated August 12, 1817, from John Bowyer, Indian Agent, to Governor Lewis Cass:
"The Indians in the vicinity of Milwaukee are composed of Renigadoes from all the tribes around them (viz). The Sacques, foxes, Chippewas, Minominies, Ottawas, Winebagoes, and Potawatamies, Estimated at Three Hundred Warriors" (Wis. Hist. Colls., 19, 471).
Similarly, a census of Wisconsin Indians prepared in 1824 by Hy. B. Brevcort, Indian Agent, and transmitted to Thomas L. Mc Kenney gives for "Milwackey-North side River Ottaw, Chipp. and the Indians in its vicinity Putawatimies"- 300 warriors (Wis. Hist. Colls., 20, p. 350). Nevertheless, Milwaukee was predominantly a Potawatomi village and known as such. The foregoing quotations and citations are simply designed to indicate that it was not exclusively Potawatomi.
Potawatomi villages that existed in the area under consideration are as follows:
Waukesha County
Waubekeetschuk, located at Mukwonago.(Royce indicates that this as
"maquanago Village" on his Wisconsin 1 map. Lawson (1920, p. 65)
state that the village located at Mukwonago was that Waubekeetschuk, a
Potawatomi chief. It appears to have been occupied as early as 1804 and
persisted until after the treaty negotiations.)
Waukesha- village located on bluff's south of Carroll College. (Lawson (1920, p. 65) states a Potawatomi village was located for a mile along the bluffs south of Carroll college in Waukesha (1827). This village, too, may have been in existence in 1804.)
Racine County
Skunk Grove (Lawson, 1920, p. 67).
Burlington (Ibid.)
Walworth County
Big Foot's Village (Gros Pied or Maumk-suck)-located at head of Lake
Geneva.(Lawson, 1920, p. 68.)
Rock County
Village on Otter Creek (SE 1/4 Sec. 12 and NE 1/4 Sec. 12). (Ibid.)
This area of predominantly Potawatomi occupation bordered upon Winnebago territory to the west. In fact, Winnebago villages are to be found on the border of the tract. A Winnebago village existed in the vicinity of Watertown and immediately to the southeast was Iron Walker's Village, also Winnebago. Lake Koshkonong, also on the border of the cession was the site of two Winnebago villages: Little Priest's Village in 1832 and Whirling Thunder's village in 1836. Farther to the south, the town of Beloit at the Wisconsin-Illinois border on Rock River was the site of Karraymaunee's village in 1832.(The documentation on the Winnebago sites is presented in Publius V. Lawson, The Winnebago Tribe, Wisconsin Archeologist, 6 (3), 77-162, 1907.
The presence of this large series of Winnebago sites on the western margin of the tract tends to indicate that for hunting and trapping purposes a substantial portion of the area was exploited by this tribe. To the east, the territory appears to have been dominated by the Potawatomi.