Soon after his return from Boston he removed his family and little band
farther West, on the Des Moines river, near the storehouse of an Indian
trader, where he had previously erected a good house for his future
home. His family embraced his wife, two sons, Nashashuk and Gamesett,
and an only daughter and her husband. As he had given up the chase
entirely--having sufficient means from the annuities--he now turned his
attention to the improvement of his grounds, and soon had everything
comfortably around him. Here he had frequent visits from the whites, who
came out in large numbers to look at the country, many of whom called
through curiosity to see the great war chief, but all were made welcome
and treated with great hospitality.
In 1838 Fort Madison had grown to be a little village, and its
inhabitants were not only enterprising and industrious, but patriotic
citizens. On the 4th of July of that year they had a celebration and
having known and respected Black Hawk while residing in that part of the
country, invited him to join them as a guest on that occasion.
In reply to a letter of B.F. Drake, Esq., of Cincinnati, asking for such
incidents in the life of Black Hawk as he knew, Hon. W. Henry Starr, of
Burlington, Iowa, whom we knew for many years as a highly honorable and
intelligent gentleman, gave the following account of the celebration in
his reply, dated March 21, 1839:
"On the 4th of July, 1838, Black Hawk was present by special invitation,
and was the most conspicuous guest of the citizens assembled in
commemoration of that day. Among the toasts called forth by the occasion
was the following:
"'Our illustrious guest, Black Hawk: May his declining years be as calm
and serene as his previous life has been boisterous and full of warlike
incidents. His attachment and great friendship to his white brethren,
fully entitle him to a seat at our festive board.'"
"So soon as this sentiment was drank, Black Hawk arose and delivered the
following speech, which was taken down at the time by two interpreted,
and by them furnished for publication:
"It has pleased the Great Spirit that I am here to-day. I have eaten
with my white friends. The earth is our mother--we are now on it--with
the Great Spirit above us--it is good. I hope we are all friends here.
A few summers ago I was fighting against you--I did wrong, perhaps; but
that is past--it is buried--let it be forgotten.
"Rock river was a beautiful country--liked my towns, my cornfields, and
the home of my people. I fought for it. It is now yours--keep it as we
did--it will produce you good crops.
"I thank the Great Spirit that I am now friendly with my white
brethren--we are here together--we have eaten together--we are
friends--it is his wish and mine. I thank you for your friendship.
"I was once a great warrior-I am now poor. Keokuk has been the cause of
my present situation--but do not attach blame to him. I am now old. I
have looked upon the Mississippi since I have been a child. I love the
Great river. I have dwelt upon its banks from the time I was an infant.
I look upon it now. I shake hands with you, and as it is my wish, I hope
you are my friends.'
"In the course of the day he was prevailed upon to drink several times,
and became somewhat intoxicated, an uncommon circumstance, as he was
generally temperate.
"In the autumn of 1837, he was at the house of an Indian trader, in the
vicinity of Burlington, when I became acquainted and frequently convened
with him in broken English, and through the medium of gestures and
pantomine. A deep seated melancholy was apparent in his countenance, and
conversation. He endeavored to make me comprehend, on one occasion,
his former greatness, and represented that he was once master of
the country, east, north, and south of us--that he had been a very
successful warrior-called himself, smiting his breast, 'big Captain
Black Hawk,' 'nesso Kaskaskias,' (killed the Kaskaskias,) 'nesso Sioux
a heap,' (killed a great number of Sioux). He then adverted to the
ingratitude of his tribe, in permitting Keokuk to supercede him, who, he
averred, excelled him in nothing but drinking whisky.
"Toward Keokuk he felt the most unrelenting hatred. Keokuk was, however,
beyond his influence, being recognized as chief of the tribe by the
government of the United States. He unquestionably possessed talents of
the first order, excelled as an orator, but his authority will probably
be short-lived, on account of his dissipation and his profligacy in
spending the money paid him for the benefit of his tribe, and which he
squanders upon himself and a few favorites, through whose influence he
seeks to maintain his authority.
"You inquire if Black Hawk was at the battle of the Thames? On one
occasion I mentioned Tecumthe to him and he expressed the greatest joy
that I had heard of him, and pointing away to the East, and making a
feint, as if aiming a gun, said, 'Chemocoman (white man) nesso,' (kill.)
From which I had no doubt of his being personally acquainted with
Tecumthe, and I have been since informed, on good authority, that he was
in the battle of the Thames and in several other engagements with that
distinguished chief."
In September, 1838, he started with the head men of his little band to
go to Rock Island, the place designated by the Agent, to receive their
annuities, but was taken sick on the way and had to return to his
home. He was confined to his bed about two weeks, and on the 3d day of
October, 1838, he was called away by the Great Spirit to take up his
abode in the happy grounds of the future, at the age of seventy-one
years. His devoted wife and family were his only and constant attendants
during his last sickness, and when brought home sick, she had a
premonition that he would soon be called away.
The following account of his death and burial we take from the
Burlington Hawk-Eye, and as we knew the writer as a reliable gentleman,
many years ago, we have no doubt of it being strictly correct.
Captain James H. Jordan, a trader among the Sacs and Foxes before Black
Hawk's death, was present at his burial, and is now residing on the
very spot where he died. In reply to a letter of inquiry he writes as
follows:
ELDON, Iowa, July 15, 1881.
Black Hawk was buried on the northeast quarter of the southeast quarter
of section 2, township 70, range 12, Davis county, Iowa, near the
northeast corner of the county, on the Des Moines river bottom, about
ninety rods from where he lived when he died, and the north side of the
river. I have the ground on which he lived for a door yard, it being
between my house and the river. The only mound over the gave was some
puncheons split out and set over his grave and then sodded over with
blue gross, making a ridge about four feet high. A flag-staff, some
twenty feet high, was planted at the head, on which was a silk flag,
which hung there until the wind wore it out. My house and his were only
about four rods apart when he died. He was sick only about fourteen
days. He was buried right where he sat the year before, when in council
with Iowa Indians, and was buried in a suit of military clothes, made to
order and given to him when in Washington City by General Jackson, with
hat, sword, gold epaulets, etc., etc.
The Annals of Iowa of 1863 and 1864 state that the old chief was buried
by laying his body on a board, his feet fifteen inches below the surface
of the ground, and his head raised three feet above the ground. He was
dressed in a military uniform, said to have been presented to him by a
member of General Jackson's cabinet, with a cap on his head ornamented
with feathers. On his left side was a sword presented him by General
Jackson; on his right side a cane presented to him by Henry Clay, and
one given to him by a British officer, and other trophies. Three medals
hung about his neck from President Jackson, ex-President John Quincy
Adams and the city of Boston, respectively. The body was covered with
boards on each side, the length of the body, which formed a ridge, with
an open space below; the gables being closed by boards, and the whole
was covered with sod. At the head was a flag-staff thirty-five feet high
which bore an American flag worn out by exposure, and near by was
the usual hewn post inscribed with Indian characters representing his
war-like exploits, etc. Enclosing all was a strong circular picket fence
twelve feet high. His body remained here until July, 1839, when it was
carried off by a certain Dr. Turner, then living at Lexington, Van Buren
county, Iowa. Captain Horn says the bones were carried to Alton, Ills.,
to be mounted with wire. Mr. Barrows says they were taken to Warsaw,
Ills. Black Hawk's sons, when they heard of this desecration of their
father's grave, were very indignant, and complained of it to Governor
Lucas of Iowa Territory, and his excellency caused the bones to be
brought back to Burlington in the fall of 1839, or the spring of 1840.
When the sons came to take possession of them, finding them safely
stored "in a good dry place" they left them there. The bones were
subsequently placed in the collection of the Burlington Geological and
Historical Society, and it is certain that they perished in the fire
which destroyed the building and all the society's collections in 1855;
though the editor of the Annals, (April, 1865, p. 478) says there is
good reason to believe that the bones were not destroyed by the fire,
and he is "creditably informed that they are now at the residence of a
former officer of said society and thus escaped that catastrophe."
Another account, however, and probably a more reliable one, states that
the last remains of Black Hawk were consumed as stated, in the burning
building containing the collections and properties of the Burlington
Geological and Historical Society.
In closing this narrative of the life of this noble old chief it may be
but just to speak briefly of his personal traits. He was an Indian, and
from that standpoint we must judge him. The make-up of his character
comprised those elements in a marked degree which constitutes a noble
nature. In all the social relations of life he was kind and affable. In
his house he was the affectionate husband and father. He was free
from the many vices that others of his race had contracted from their
associations with the white people, never using intoxicating beverages
to excess. As a warrior he knew no fear, and on the field of battle his
feats of personal prowess stamped him as the "bravest of the brave."
But it was rather as a speaker and counsellor that he was distinguished.
His patriotism, his love of his country, his home, his lands and the
rights of his people to their wide domain, moved his great soul to take
up arms to protect the rights of his people. Revenge and conquest formed
no part of his purpose. _Right_ was all that he demanded, and for _that_
he waged the unequal contests with the whites. With his tribe he had
great personal influence and his young men received his counsel and
advice, and yielded ready acquiescence in his admonitions. With other
tribes he was held in high esteem, as well as by English and American
soldiers, who had witnessed his prowess on the field of battle.