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THE

HISTORY OF INDIANA,

FROM ITS

EARLIEST EXPLORATION BY EUROPEANS,

то THE

CLOSE OF THE TERRITORIAL GOVERNMENT IN 1816:

WITH AN INTRODUCTION CONTAINING

HISTORICAL NOTES

OF THE

DISCOVERY AND SETTLEMENT

OF THE

TERRITORY OF THE UNITED STATES NORTHWEST OF THE RIVER OHIO.

BY JOHN B. DILLON.

VOLUME I.

INDIANAPOLIS, IA.

PUBLISHED BY WM. SHEETS & CO.

FOR J. B. DILLON AND STANISLAUS LASSELLE.

1843.

Entered according to act of Congress, in the year 1843, by John B. Dillon, in the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the District of Indiana.

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ly History of Indiana.-John B. Dillon, of Logansport, is the gent eman to whom allusion was some time since made in the public journals, as being engaged in writing the "Early History of Indiana." Much of his time, for several years past, as we learn, has been devoted to this arduous undertaking—and it is gratifying to know that his indefatigable and persevering efforts have resulted already in the accumulation of a vast amount of interesting and valuable data, from which, aided by such additional facts as will be comparatively easy of access, it will be in his power to produce a work possessing high claims to public approval and patronage. Mr. D. passed through this place some two weeks since, on his way to Vincennes, Corydon, Louisville, Ky., and other points, with the view of seeing as many of the pioneers of the West as possible, and of drawing from such other sources as he may be able, 1 what may be wanting to complete the groundwork.

The manuscripts of correspondence of a distinguished citizen, now no more, whose history is intimately connected with that of the Territory and State of Indiana, from the year 1810, have, we believe, mostly fallen into the hands of Mr. Dillon, and he will doubtless draw from them much interesting matter connected with the secret history of the West during the late war with England.

In his collection we saw several specimens of the paper currency used among the French traders on the Wabash in the 18th century— all of which were redeemable in peltries and furs. But the most interesting relic, to us, was the first treaty ever made between the crown of Great Britain and the Miami Nation of Indians, which appears to have been preserved with great care for nearly a century, bearing date as it does in the year 1748. This treaty is written out on parchment, indented according to the English form, and besides the signatures and seals of the English Commissioners, and the names and seals of the principal Chiets, it contains the marks of the latter, each in Turtle-rather in the form and similitude of clumsily drawn, it is true, but presenting very much the appearance of the animal with his head elevated and his feet spread at the moment he is about to plunge beneath the wave at the approach of man.--Lafayette Free h Press.

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PREFACE.

AMONG the Historical Notes which constitute the introduction to this History of Indiana, I have inserted many official documents relating to the early affairs, civil and military, of the vast region which was formerly called the Territory of the United States northwest of the river Ohio. From a very great number of printed authorities, and from many thousand pages of old manuscript records and letters, I have selected only those statements which appear to be well authenticated, and connected, either directly or remotely, with the origin and progress of civilization in that large domain. With a sincere desire to cast from my mind those popular prejudices which have had their origin in ambitious contentions between distinguished individuals, or in national partialities and antipathies, or in improbable narratives and fanciful conjectures, or in conflicting political systems, or in different creeds of religion, I have labored for several years, with constant and careful perseverance, to find out and to perpetuate all the important facts which properly belong to an impartial history of Indiana from its earliest exploration by Europeans to the close of the Territorial Government in 1816.

Many interesting particulars concerning the discovery and settlement of the northwestern territory have been gleaned from the voluminous writings of divers Catholic missionaries, and French travellers, who visited the valley of the Mississippi at different periods in the course of the eighteenth century: and here it is proper to say that my thanks are especially due

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