From the History of Buchanan County, Iowa
From the History of Buchanan County, Iowa, 1842
Published by Williams Brothers Publishers 1881
http://www.rootsweb.com/~iabuchan/chap1.htm
[page 14]
THE IOWAS.
This tribe is said to belong to the Dakota family, the principal
representatives of which have had their meeting-grounds west of the
Missouri. Unlike many of the other tribes, therefore, that have
inhabited this region, their migrations were from the west instead of
the east. They originally called themselves Pahucha, which
signifies "Dusty Nose" - though from what peculiarity they were thus
called, we are not informed. They were first mentioned by Father
Marquette, who, as early as 1673, speaks of them "as the Pahoutet,
back of the Des Moines." Some of the tribes called them Mascoutin
which name is said to signify "Prairie," and which is perhaps
perpetuated in the name of the county and city of Muscatine. They
were divided into eight clans, all named from different animals, of
which the eagle, wolf, bear, and buffalo still exist---the other
four, which were named the pigeon, elk, beaver, and snake, having
become extinct.
In 1675 their country was said to be twelve days' journey west of
Green Bay. In 1700 they were in what is now Southern Minnesota, and,
like the Sioux, were at war with all the western Algonquin tribes.
The celebrated Jesuit historian, Charlevoir, gives an account of them
at about this period of their history. He says that the great
pipestone quarry was then embraced in their territory, and speaks of
their celebrity throughout the west as pedestrians, alleging that
they were "able to
[page 15]
travel twenty-five or thirty leagues a day when alone." It is said
that many of their early chiefs had names indicative of their
remarkable endurance in walking, and of the pride which they took in
their acknowledged superiority in this respect. And one of their
later chiefs, who flourished as recently as 1825, was named Manehans,
or Great Walker. The name of their greatest warrior and chief,
Mahaska, or White Cloud, who flourished about the same time, has been
perpetuated in the name of the county of which Oskaloosa is the
county seat.
In early times the Iowas were powerful and warlike, and often came
into collision with those greatest of Indian warriors, the Sioux. At
the beginning of this century they numbered about fifteen hundred
souls; but, what with wars, smallpox and "fire water," their numbers
have been gradually reduced until 1872, when the last published
enumeration took place, the tribe consisted of only two hundred and
twenty-five. In 1803 they defeated the Osages, at that time a
powerful tribe, and this seems to have been about the last of their
military successes; although their hostility to the Sioux continued
as late as 1825, when Generals Clark and Cass made an attempt, only
partially successful, to establish peace between the two tribes.
Few of the northern Indians have shown greater aptitude for
civilization than the Iowas, although the evil influences surrounding
them have prevented this disposition from bearing very abundant
fruits. The first treaty of peace between them and the United States
was made in the year 1815 - Wyingwatha, or Hardheart, and some of the
subordinate chiefs acting on the part of the Indians. August 4, 1824,
another treaty was formed; General Clark acting for the United
States, and the great chief, Mahaskah, or White Cloud, and Manehana,
or Great Walker, representing the tribe. By this treaty all the lands
of the Iowas in what was then known as the Missouri territory, were
ceded to the government for five hundred dollars down, and the same
sum to be paid annually for ten years - the United States agreeing to
support a blacksmith at the headquarters of the tribe, and, to assist
them with agricultural implements, horses, cattle, etc. They had at
this time several villages on the Des Moines and Iowa rivers - a part
of the Sacs and Foxes being associated with them. As usual the
intrusion of the whites upon their lands led to trouble and
complaints; and the influence of liquors, following that of war and
disease, was fast reducing the numbers of this once powerful tribe.
By a treaty formed September 17, 1836, the remnant of the tribe, then
numbering nine hundred and ninety-two, was removed to a reservation
located on the west bank of the Missouri, above Wolf river. But a
part of them became discontented, and, the very next year, abandoned
the reservation and took up the life of vagrants, subsisting by
theft, or hunting upon the grounds of other tribes. Their numbers
dwindled year by year, the chiefs taking the lead in intemperance,
from the effects of which vice many died, and many others were killed
in the fatal quarrels to which it led. About the year 1835 the
Presbyterians established a mission and manual labor school among
these people, and kept it up with commendable zeal for more than
twenty years. Though much good was accomplished, the effort failed to
arrest the steady decay of the tribe. By 1846 they had become reduced
in numbers to seven hundred and six. At this time their territory was
bounded on the east by the Missouri, and on the north by the Great
Nemahaw.
On March 6, 1861, a treaty was made by which the tribe, then reduced
to three hundred and five in number, ceded to the United States all
their lands, except a reservation of sixteen thousand acres. In 1869
they informally agreed to sell this and remove south; but afterwards
retracted their agreement, but consented to give part of their lands
to the Sacs and Foxes, who had parted with their reservation.
About the time the Presbyterian mission was abandoned, the tribe was
placed under the care of the Quakers, under whose influence they have
made considerable advance in civilization, and have shown an
increasing disposition to become more sober and industrious. In 1872
their school numbered sixty-three pupils - more than one-fourth of
the entire tribe - and all clad in the garb of civilized life. They
had seven hundred acres of land under cultivation, thirteen framed
houses, and twenty built of logs. Their produce was estimated at two
thousand six hundred and eighty-five dollars, and their stock at
seven thousand nine hundred dollars. The Government of the United
States holds fifty-seven thousand five hundred dollars in trust for
the Iowas, the interest upon which is paid annually to the heads of
families; and the almost useless 'Indian goods" formerly furnished,
are now replaced by articles af intrinsic value.
It is a remarkable fact, and one well worthy of record, that in 1864,
when they numbered in all only two hundred and ninety-three, the
Iowas had forty-one men in the United States military service -
almost one-fourth of their entire population! What white community at
the north could show any such ratio of soldiers as that? It is said
that these forty-one men were much improved by our military
discipline, and that they all adopted civilized dress and customs. We
greatly regret our inability to give any personal incidents in the
military record of these men, or to trace their history since the
war. It is devoutly to be hoped that some of them, at least, received
the appropriate reward of citizenship in the nation which they helped
to defend.
A grammar of the Iowa language, composed by the Rev. S. M. Irvin and
Mr. William Hamilton, was published at the Iowa mission in 1848.
Return to top
Return to Ioway Virtual Library main page
|
