John Kinzie died at Chicago in 1828, aged 64 years; he came to this
part of the Country when a boy and was in the Indian trade during the
greater part of his life. He went to Chicago, Illinois, in 1803--was
Sutler for the United States troops for several years, and was the
first to take from Detroit the news of the declaration of War, to
Captain Heald then commanding the Fort at that place.[121] On the eve
of the massacre at Chicago, Mr. Kinzie with two friendly Indian
Chiefs, called at Captain Heald’s quarters, and advised him not to
abandon the Fort as was contemplated the next morning, but to remain
as long as possible; for if he left it he would certainly be attacked
by the Indians, who had collected to the number of five hundred
warriors.--Captain Heald persisted in going--said he had orders from
Genl. Hull to evacuate the post, and to proceed with his command to
Fort Wayne. Captain Heald then requested Mr. Kinzie to accompany him,
which he did, leaving his family with but three men to protect them on
their way to St. Joseph (distant by water 100 miles). Mr. Kinzie’s
family were taken prisoners a few hours previous to the massacre. Mr.
Kinzie was in the battle, as well as one daughter, the wife of
Lieutenant Helm, whose horse was shot from under her. She received a
wound in the foot from the ball which killed her horse. Mr. Kinzie was
taken prisoner with the surviving command of Captain Heald. Having
been long a principal trader among these Indians, and much esteemed by
them, he was next day by a Council held by the Chiefs, liberated, and
his family restored to him.
He then prevailed upon the Indians to surrender to him Captain Heald
and family, whom he furnished with conveyance to Mackinac.[122] Mrs.
Heald now residing at St. Louis can prove all these facts.--Having
lost all his property to a very considerable amount (it being a
wholesale establishment) consisting of merchandise, furs and peltries
and horses, etc., taken by the Indians, he went to Detroit. His
influence while there was directed toward affecting a change in the
views and feelings of the Indians at that time unfriendly to the
American Government. This influence with the different tribes of
Indians was very considerable and as a proof of it General Proctor
commanding the British force in Detroit and its vicinity sent for Mr.
Kinzie, and when he went to see him General Proctor immediately
confined him as he said “for daring to prejudice the Indians against
his Majesty’s subjects or forces, and would send him where he would
not see an Indian in a hurry.”--Mr. Kinzie was twice rescued by
several Indian Chiefs, and once in the presence of General Proctor
himself. Mr. Kinzie was again taken by General Proctor and _closely
confined in irons_ at Fort Malden (as also a Mr. Jean Bte Chandonnois
who subsequently made his escape and is now living in the St. Joseph
country) and kept there for months. He was finally, to conceal him
from the Indians, sent off in the night in irons--was treated in the
most brutal manner by his guard, and was shipped for England for
trial--Fortunately for him, the Ship lost her rudder, and she was
obliged to put into Halifax, having on board a great number of
American prisoners.--He thence made his escape in a crowd of paroled
prisoners, and returned to his family in Detroit, after it had been
taken possession of by General Harrison’s Army. Mr. Kinzie had not
been long at home before he was called upon by Colonel Croghan, and
accompaned the expedition under him to Mackinac, and was Captain of a
party of Militia at the battle fought on the Island of Dousman’s Farm.
Mr. Kinzie, after the close of the War, held the appointment of Sub
Indian Agent for many years at Chicago.--He was well known to Generals
Harrison, Macomb, Gratiot, and Col. Croghan.--During the time of
hostilities, his energies were always devoted to the American cause.
Robert A. Forsyth was long and extensively engaged in the Indian
trade.--His residence was at Detroit and his trading establishments in
different places in the Indian Country. He not only enjoyed the
confidence of the Indians but that of his fellow citizens. Every
honest man then resident of Detroit can attest to his bravery during
the late War. Such had been his conduct that, on the surrender of
Detroit, he was marked as a fit subject for British vengeance.--He was
torn from his family and with his only son, the present Major Forsyth,
then a boy of about fourteen years, put on board the British vessels
and carried off; his several infant daughters being left without a
protector; their father’s house occupied by the British troops; and
all his valuable property pillaged and carried away. Being landed on
parol at Erie, Penn., the father and son soon afterwards found their
way to General Harrison’s Army. This gentleman can attest to the many
valuable services which they rendered. The father died in the year
1813, in the service of his country, without having been permitted to
return to his family:--Being early enured to the hardships of trading
among the Indians and being naturally active and brave the son
frequently performed duties, from undertaking which others were
deterred by their severity and danger. For the history of the son, the
hardships he encountered, his important services before, and his
gallant conduct during the war, I refer you to the Honourable Lewis
Cass, who is familiar with its details.
I have now, Sir, I believe, with one exception, gone over the whole
ground. That exception relates to the furnishing of goods by Mr.
Kercheval and Mr. Kinzie, and as it has no connection with the Treaty
of Chicago, being in fulfilment of the stipulations of previous
treaties, and in the making of which I had no agency, and concerns
myself exclusively, I shall make it the subject of a communication to
accompany this.
The question so insidiously put, of whether “the Governor does not
secretly reap a share of the plunder” I cannot, consistently with the
respect due myself, answer.--Whether I have forgotten principle and
character, and everything dear to an honourable mind, to defile my
hands with the contamination of a bribe, is a question others must
settle for me.--
In conclusion, I have only to add that, to the issue I have here made
up, I commit without shadow of fear of the result, what is dearer to
me than all else--my reputation and good name.
[G. B. PORTER.]
[112] The State Historical Society of Wisconsin has under
preparation a volume devoted to those Indian treaties which
are of more direct interest to Wisconsin.
[113] Daniel Jackson belonged to the firm of Suydam, Jackson
and Company of New York, large importers of goods for the
fur trade. Robert Stuart was manager at Mackinac for the
American Fur Company. Porter’s appeal to these men is not
entirely convincing, since they were important
representatives of the fur trade merchants who, as a class,
profited most largely by the gratuities and allowances
concerning which complaint was being made.
[114] Richard J. Hamilton came to Chicago in 1831 as first
clerk of the circuit court of Cook County. During the next
few years he held a large number of local offices of a legal
or fiscal nature, much of the time holding several at the
same time. He had much to do with the establishment and
early administration of the public school system of Chicago.
[115] Robert A. Forsythe of Ohio was an early trader at
Maumee City in Lucas County. He was probably the son of
James Forsythe, an early merchant and tavern keeper of
Detroit. He was one of the founders of the lower Maumee
Valley.
[116] The pronouncement of Meriwether Lewis to President
Jefferson on this point, given in a case which involved the
same principle as the one here involved, is not without
interest in this connection: “I am confident that, if the
United States should never confirm the lands to the present
claimants, it will not prove a source of disquiet on the
part of the Osages; and should they be ever countenanced or
receive confirmation, on the ground of their being Indian
donations, it would introduce a policy of the most ruinous
tendency to the interests of the United States; in effect it
would be, the Government corrupting its own agents; for, I
will venture to assert, that, if the Indians are permitted
to bestow lands on such individuals as they may think
proper, the meanest interpreter in our employment will soon
acquire a princely fortune at the expense of the United
States.” _American State Papers, Indian Affairs_, I, 767.
[117] Billy Caldwell and Alexander Robinson, halfbreeds, who
were influential with the Potawatomi and the Ottawa.
[118] Unfortunately for Porter’s justification in this
particular instance, the investigations of students have
revealed much that is of questionable propriety in
connection with Johnson’s conduct of his Indian school.
[119] Joseph Loranger was a fur trader in the River Raisin
and before the War of 1812 had a store in partnership with
Lafontaine. In 1817 he platted the town of Monroe, Michigan,
of which place his descendants were prominent citizens.
[120] The correctness of this narrative is not above
question in all respects. In general it may be noted that
Porter was bent on presenting a favorable account of
Kinzie’s career, and that he evidently drew his information
from friendly sources. Nevertheless, it constitutes an
interesting addition to our sources of information
concerning Kinzie, the reputed “father of Chicago.”
[121] Kinzie removed to Chicago in 1804, the year following
the establishment of Fort Dearborn. The statement that he
brought the news of war to Fort Dearborn is incorrect.
[122] This statement is in contradiction with our other
sources of information on the subject.