Piankashaw Locations (ca. 1805-ca.1832)(Part 3, pp. 237-246)
/pg. 237/
Graham, on January 12, 1824, wrote to inquire if the contract made by Pose with the Piankashaws had been deposited in the War Department. He did not know the date of it but thought it must have been made before 1810. He had already learned that there was no copy in the State Department. This treaty seems to have been the one ceding their two mile reserve near the Wabash. If so, it had been done in 1818. It had not been ratified, and it seems obvious that no one had paid much attention to it, since no one could inform Graham about its contents, validity, or import for the Piankashaws in his agency. (Ibid., Dft. Ex, A-217)
Again in January of 1824 the Secretary of War mentioned Piankashaws and included them in an agency which was to include, in addition, Delawares, Kickapoos, Shawnees, Weas, and Peorias settled on White River in the State of Missouri and in Arkansas Territory. These groups were estimated jointly to number about 8,000 and to be increasing by emigration from remnants of their tribes still living east of the Mississippi River. (Calhoun, Dft. Ex. A-25, p. 591)
Toward the end of January 1824 Graham submitted the argument for the Piankashaw claim to lands ceded by "Kickapoos of the vermillion" in the treaty made at Fort Harrison in August of 1819. The gist of the argument was the fact that the Piankashaws had never ceded any rights to the lands they had lived on and occupied north of the boundary established in the Treaty of December 1805 (see map sent with letter for areas involved) and that the United States had implicitly recognized in the Treaty of December 30, 1805 their rights to some of these lands. (Graham, Dft. Ex. A-218 and ibid., Dft. Ex. A-211) As has been shown in previous pages of this report, Piankashaws certainly had lived in areas ceded by the Kickapoos and had not ceded them, though they had moved away from some of them because of fear of being attacked by Indians /pg. 238/ acting in the interests of the British or of the Shawnee Prophet on the one hand, and by Americans in revenge for other Indian attacks on the other. Graham states
The tenure by which they held these lands was by occupation and cultivation their different villages were situated on the head waters of the Embarras, mill creek, and vermillion all tributary streams of the Wabash, and taking their sources in the same plains, with the waters of the Illinois and the Mississippi; their residence at those places, and the right to the lands were acknowledged to me by the Delawares, Weas, and Shawnees. There long residence, the cultivation of the ground, and the right to do so, acknowledged by the surrounding nations of Indians invested a title in them, which by the customs and usages of the Indians no other tribes had a right to dispose of. How far this claim is acknowledged by the United States, is found in the treaty of vincennes of the 27th August 1804, by that treaty there is an express acknowledgement of their claim to the lands east of the dividing ridge of the Mississippi and Wabash rivers. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-218)
and that the United States had, in the Treaty of December 30, 1805, received rights to some of these lands only, those
south of a line to be drawn from the north west corner of the Vincennes tract, seventy eight degrees west, until it intersects the boundary line which has heretofore separated the lands of the Piankeshaws from the said tract ceded by the Kaskaskia tribe [i.e., the dividing ridge separating the waters of the Mississippi and Wabash rivers]. (7 Stat: 100)
No-tack-shin-qa, called by Graham "the principal Chief of the Piankashaw tribe of Indians" apparently was the prime mover in urging this claim. (Graham, Dft. Ex. A-218) August 1824, a Piankashaw Chief "Non-dah-ka-chinga (water god)" who is probably the same man and "Mah-yon-jah (Rapid Thunder)" another Piankashaw chief were part of a group of Indians, Agents, and Sub-agents who visited Washington. It is not certain that this is the same person, however, since the /pg. 239/ other Indians in the delegation were Fox, Sacs, Sioux, Menominees, Iowas, and Chippewas, who were not living in the same area as Piankashaws in southern Missouri Territory. A possible reason for these Indians going at the same time, in addition to the fact that all were in the Superintendency of William Clark, is that there were problems to be settled with each of these groups. Calhoun helps to confirm the fact that it is the same Piankashaw chief by his reply to their claim for some compensation for the cession of lands by Vermilion Kickapoos in 1819. (Calhoun, Dft. Ex. A-129) Calhoun informed the Piankashaws that they would be given ten square miles of land which would be marked for them by Clark next to the Delawares and $1,000 in money, though he specifically stated that this was "not to be understood as deciding whether the title be good or not." (Idem; see also McKenney, Dft. Ex. A-255) The Indians' request for more annuities, however, received short shrift. (Calhoun, Dft. Ex. A-129)
In September of 1824 what are apparently the same two Piankashaw Chiefs (spelled this time "Natacoushinger" and "Minsoncha") signed a quit-claim for the lands ceded by the Kickapoos of the Vermilion in a receipt for the $1,000 and ten-square mile reservation. (Natacoushinger and Minsoncha, Dft.Ex. A-278; see also Menard, Dft. Ex. A-270)
Any claim for substitution or additional compensation for the two-mile reserve, unless it was understood to be included in the new ten-mile reserve, apparently was abandoned after this time.
This action apparently did end any further claim by Piankashaws of interest in lands east of the Mississippi River, though it seems that /pg. 240/ a few Piankashaws may still have been in Illinois, to judge from one of Clark's letters to Calhoun in which he states
Major Graham is instructed to visit Peoria and the remnant of the Tribes of Kickapoos Delawares, Shawanees and Miami in the State of Illinois with the view of inducing them to move and join their Tribes on the West of the Mississippi without delay. (Clark, Dft. Ex. A-144)
Graham mentioned no Miamis in Illinois in his report to Clark, but did mention that the Kickapoos and Delawares told him that Miamis had been committing depredations on the Wabash, outside of Clark's Superintendency. (Graham, Dft. Ex. A-219) What "Miamis" these were is not certain.
From this time Piankashaws are mentioned as residing west of the Mississippi only, but in several locations, and the information presented here from this time on is much less complete than for the earlier periods of their history. In a report prepared by McKenney, dated January 10, 1825, 27 Piankashaws were said to reside in the state of Louisiana where the Indians were said to be "all hunters, and reside principally in Red River," and 207 Piankashaws were said to reside in Missouri and Arkansas Territory, with "no information" available as to their lands. (Schoolcraft, Dft. Ex. A-100, p. 585)
In May of 1825 two Piankashaw chiefs, "No-tah-koo-Shing-ha and No-tah-koo-Shing-ha or Black Dog's Son," one of whom was one of the chiefs who signed the quit-claim for their lands in Illinois, in a recital of their former lands and rights, asked the Government to pay them the salt annuity arranged by the treaty of June 7, 1803 which had not been given them since 1812. They mentioned that they were in reduced circumstances and numbered "about 400 Soles residing on White /pg. 241/ River in the State of Missouri. (No-tah-koo-Shing~ha, and No-takkoo-Shing-ha or Black Dog's Son, Dft. Ex. A-280) McKenny immediately ordered Clark to take care of the matter and exhorted the Indians to be industrious. (McKenney, Dft. Ex. A-256; ibid., Dft. Ex. A-257)
In August 1825 the several Piankashaw, Wea and Peoria Indians who planned to remain on Red River were urged to return to their own villages in the spring, or at least to move where they had lands, north of the Arkansas River. (Menard, Dft. Ex. A-271) Piankashaws are also mentioned as one of a number of "roving tribes from Missouri and White River" who amounted to "perhaps" twelve thousand persons altogether. (Bean and Barkman, Dft. Ex. A-26, p. 165)
In January of 1826 a military officer in recommending the establishment of a post high up the Arkansas River to keep the Indians under control reported that
A number of Indians: Piankashaws, Kickapoos, Delawares, Shawanese & Cherokees, are forming new settlements on Red river, about forty to one hundred miles above this post. they are generally the lawless & disaffected part of their tribe & are the more likely to create trouble on the frontier; (Cummings, Dft. Ex. A-26, p. 185)
in addition there were a number of other Indians in the area.
In June of 1826 Piankashaws complained to Clark that they still had not received their salt annuity and would like to have it as soon as possible, and to have the future deliveries of it made at the same time as their annuity payments. (Piankashaw Chief, Dft. Ex. A-296) The Piankashaws also protested that they would not have returned from Red River but that their agent had told them it was Clark's wish that they return and that Clark was "going to give us a home where we should /pg. 242/ be settled forever and our children." (Idem) A further problem had now arisen from the fact that they had unknowingly purchased Delaware lands to live on and the Piankeshaws now wanted Clark
to try to get our money back which we paid for the land we now live on we did not no it was on Dellaware land when we bought it. (Idem)
What this purchasing consisted of has not been gone into here, but the Piankashaws claimed that their agent could explain the matter
to Clark, as could Menard, who had helped them to buy it. (Idem) In July of 1826 a report from the army headquarters at Cantonment Gibson in Arkansas Territory stated that about thirty "White-River-Indians" had stolen a number of horses from Whites "near the Upper Saline" of Grand River, and that the Indians were "principally Piankashaws." (Arbuckle, Dft. Ex. A-26, p. 276) The same report included a statement that the author was
advised that there are at present settled on the Red-River & the Sulphur-fork of that river, four or five hundred Indian warriors from the tribes on white River and the Cherokees of this River, some Choctaws, Creeks &c, who are without an agent or any one to regulate their conduct. (Idem)
These Indians from White River probably included some of the horse-stealing Piankashaws, mentioned above.
In October of 1826 Piankashws were one of a group of Indians to make a treaty of friendship with the Great and Little Osages which was expected to make the Arkansas frontier more peaceful. (Atkinson, Dft. Ex. A-26, p. 294)
Peter Chouteau was granted a trading license by Clark in September 1827 for the "Shawnees, Kickapoos, Delawares, Weas, Piankashaws, & Senecas, of White River," (McKenney, Dft. Ex. A-154) indicating their presence in that /pg. 243/ region still.
In August of 1828 Clark reported that the
principle Chiefs of the Tribes of Piankeshaws and the Peorias of White River in behalf of their Tribes, have requested of me assistance to enable them to move west of this State (on the tract of land asaigned to the Piankeshaws of ten miles Square) and prorisions to Sustain them until they could help themselve's. The Peorias requested to exchange the lands which they claim for a tract adjoining the Piankeshaws [illeg.] they could have a resting place for themselves and Children. -- I have agreed that they might Settle adjoining the Piankeshaws & I have promised to aid both tribes in Agricultural tools. Some Corn, and Little meat. and have by their particular request advanced them on account of their annuities $200 to the Piankeshaws, and $150 to the Peorias to enable them to procure horses to assist in moving, which they are determined to do immediately after gathering their corn. (Clark, Dft. Ex. A-145)
Clark urged that additional annuities be granted to them for at least a few years as they requested in their speech and that other help be given them to make easier their move further west. (Idem and Piankashaw Indians, Dft. Ex. A-297)
A listing of McKenney of February 1829 on United States Indian agents and sub-agents and their assignments locates Piankashaws in what may be two regions and two agents: Piankashaws are mentioned with some Delawares, Shawnees, Kickapoos, Weas, Peorias, and others as being under Agent Richard Graham who was near St. Louis part of the time and among the Indians of his Agency part of the time; they were also listed with Weas and Peorias under Sub-agent John Campbell at the mouth of "Kanzas river" attached to the Agency for the Delawares, Shawnees, and others, and acting under the direction "of the Agent" (McKenney, /pg. 244/ Dft. Ex. A-155, pp. 6, 7)
In July of 1830 a group of Piankashaws, Weas, and Peorias who had moved to Kansas asked Clark to help them become established, to keep the Kansas Indians from making trouble for them, and to allow some of them to come to St. Louis to make a claim for some lost property. (Piankashaw, Wea, and Peoria Indians, Dft. Ex. A-298) In September Clark reported to the Secretary of War that
Small parties [of Indians] are moving west, and the Tribes of Weas, Piankashaws and Peorias request assistance in provisions, Stock &c.(Clark, Dft. Ex. A-146)
though Clark had received no funds to be used for assisting the movement he did need money for that purpose, and in January of 1831 he asked funds for specific groups that needed help to move, including "The Shawanees (late of Cape Girardeau) Piankashaws Weas & Peorias" who wanted help to move to their lands on Kansas River. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-147)
A statement of annuities in 1830 and 1831 drawn up for the information of the House of Representatives stated that in 1830 $800 in specie was paid by George Vashon to "Five Piankashaw] chiefs, warriors, counsellors, &c." and receipted for by their marks and "several subscribing witnesses," and in 1831 $800 in specie was paid to Piankashaw "Chiefs, warriors, heads of families, and individuals without families" by R. W. Cummins and acknowledged by receipts from four chiefs and four witnesses. (U. S. Cong. Doc. Series 121, Document 242, Dft. Ex. A-153, pp. 4-5, 10-11)
In January of 1832 Clark wrote Cummins, in whose agency the /pg. 245/ "Weas, Peorias, & Peankeshaws" were, that he was reluctant to license a trader to go to their villages if that would encourage them to continue hunting and incur possible conflicts with other tribes rather than settling down to farming as was desired by the government. (Clark, Dft. Ex. A-148)
In April of 1832 Clark, in response to a number of problems that had arisen in his Superintendency, recommended to the Secretary of War that a final and conclusive
Council be held with the Kickapoos, Delawares, Shawanoes, Piankeshaws, Peorias, Weas & Kaskaskias for the extinguishment of all their claims, and they be compelled to go on the Lands assigned them with the rest of their respective tribes on the west of this State. (Ibid., Dft. Ex. A-149)
The logic of his suggestion was apparently quickly seen and in July Cass submitted to the President the appointments of
William Clark, Francis J. Allen & Nathan Kouns to be Commissioners to carry into effect the Act of Congress, approved July 14, 1832, entitled "an Act to provide for the extinguishment of the Indian title to lands lying in the States of Missouri & Illinois." (Cass, Dft. Ex. A-134)
These appointments were agreed to by the Senate the same day, (U. S. Senate, Dft. Ex. A-338) and a letter of instructions sent them and a Secretary appointed. (Cass, Dft. Ex. A-132 and ibid., Dft. Ex. A-133)
Clark acknowledged receipt of the instructions and informed the acting Secretary of War in September of 1832 that the treaty would be held shortly a few miles away from St. Louis because of cholera in the near vicinity of the town. (Clark, Dft. Ex. A-150)
The treaty was held seriatim; the one involving the Piankashaws /pg. 246/ and Weas was signed October 29, 1832 and was to be valid when ratified, which was done February 12, 1833. (Schoolcraft, Dft. Ex. A-l01, p. 499) In this treaty three Wea Chiefs and two Piankashaws (Mah-son-shau or Thunder, and Nah-he-comma or To do right)
for themselves and their said tribes, for and in consideration of the stipulations hereinafter made, do hereby cede and relinquish to the United States forever, all their right, title and interest to and in lands within the States of Missouri and Illinois -- hereby confirming all treaties heretofore made between their respective tribes and the United States, and relinquishing to them all claim to every portion of their lands which may have been ceded by any portion of their said tribes. (7 Stat: 410)
In exchange for this reaffirmation of their quit claim to any lands in Illinois and their relinquishment of assigned lands in Missouri the United States ceded
to the Piankashaw and Wea tribes, for their permanent residence, two hundred and fifty sections of land within the limits of the survey of the lands set apart for the Piankeshaws, Weas, and Peorias, -- bounded east by the western boundary of the State of Missouri for fifteen miles; north by the southern boundary of the lands assigned to the Shawanoes; west by lands assigned to the Peorias and Kaskaskias, and south by the southern line of the original tract surveyed for the Piankeshaws, Weas, and Peorias, -- said tract being intended to include the present villages of the said Piankeshaws and Weas. (7 Stat. 410)
The locations of these reservations and villages in 1830 are shown in a map probably drawn and surveyed by Isaac McCoy, a Baptist missionary who demonstrated much concern and expended much effort on behalf of Indians being removed to the west. (See Tucker, Dft. Ex. A-106, pl. 5 and text to this plate)
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