A

COMPLETE

HISTORY OF ILLINOIS

FROM

1673 TO 1873;

EMBRACING

THE PHYSICAL FEATURES OF THE COUNTRY; ITS
EARLY EXPLORATIONS; ABORIGINAL INHABITANTS;
FRENCH AND BRITISH OCCUPATION; CONQUEST
BY VIRGINIA; TERRITORIAL CONDITION AND
THE SUBSEQUENT CIVIL, MILITARY AND
POLITICAL EVENTS OF THE STATE.

BY

ALEXANDER DAVIDSON AND BERNARD STUVÉ.

SPRINGFIELD:

D. L. FHILLIPS, PUBLISHER,

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1873, by
ALEXANDER DAVIDSON AND BERNARD STUVÉ,
In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington.

TABLE OF CONTENTS.

CHAPTER.

I. GEOLOGY OF ILLINOIS....

II. TOPOGRAPHY, RIVERS, SOIL AND CLIMATOLOGY.

Origin of the Prairies; Table of Temperature and Rainfall..........

III. ILLINOIS ANTIQUITIES; THE MOUND BUILDERS........

IV. THE INDIANS OF ILLINOIS.

Algonquins and Iroquois; Illinois Confederacy; Sacs and Foxes: Kickapoos;

Mascoutins; Plankishaws; Pottowatamies; Art of Hunting; General Coun-

cils; Constitution of the Indian Family; Methods of Sepulture; Belief

in a Future State; Why the Red Race should give way to the White.... 30

V. OPERATIONS OF THE MISSIONARIES-EXTENT OF THEIR OPERATIONS

UP TO 1673-The French on the St. Lawrence; LaSalle Discovers the Ohio 53

VI. EXPLORATIONS BY JOLIET AND MARQUETTE—1673-1675...........

VII. EXPLORATIONS BY LA SALLE.

The Griffin; Fort Creve Coeur..

VIII. TONTI'S ENCOUNTER WITH THE IROQUOIS...

59

67

70

IX. FURTHER EXPLORATIONS BY LA SALLE.

His Indian Colony on the Illinois; Discovers the Mouth of the Mississippi and

takes possession of all the Country in the name of the King of France;

Builds Fort St. Louis on Starved Rock; His Colony in Texas.....

91

X. 1700-1719-ILLINOIS A DEPENCY OF CANADA AND PART OF LOUISIANA.

The Government a Theocracy; Operations of Crozat........

108

XI. 1717-1633-ILLINOIS AND LOUISIANA UNDER THE COMPANY OF THE WEST.

John Law-His Banking Operations; The Mississippi Scheme; Founding of

New Orleans; Mining for the Precious Metals in Illinois; The Spaniards via

Santa Fe seek the Conquest of Illinois; They are met and overwhelmed by

the Missouris; Fort Chartres built; Extermination of the Natchez; Opera-

tions of the Company of the West in Illinois.................

......

XII. 1732-1759-ILLINOIS AND LOUISIANA UNDER THE ROYAL GOVERNORS.

War with the Chickasaws; Death of Gov. D'Artaguette; Commerce of Illi-

nois; Manners and customs of the French; Common Field; Common; Inter-

course with the Indians; Avocation and Costume of the People; Mode of

Administering the Law Opérations of the Ohic Company: Fort DuQuesne;

M. DeVilliers of Fort Chartres defeats the Virginiahs at the Great Meadows;

War between the French and English Colonists.......

115

124