Indian Creek Massacre  Captivity of the Hall Girls by Charles Scanlan (1915) is a detailed but biased account of the surprise attack by a band of Sauk and Potawatomi braves on the Davis settlement near Ottawa Il. in 1832 and the ordeal of two sisters living there, Sylvia and Rachel Hall. Sylvia was nineteen years old and Rachel was seventeen when they were kidnapped and ransomed by the braves after the girls witnessed the violent slaying of fifteen settlers, including their parents and eight year old sister. Scanlan's book was published around 80 years after these events, although he references numerous historical sources as well as his personal interviews of the Hall sisters' children and grandchildren. The author's style is dramatic and intended to keep the full attention of the readers through fear. After speculating about whether or not the sisters prayed, Scanlan concludes that "they prayed with an intense feeling from the bottom of their hearts and with all the power of their souls. Were their prayers answered? Were they? Read on, read on!" The author's description of a ceremony in which the girls' faces were painted right before the warriors danced around them with spears that held the scalps of family members and neighbors illustrates the potential dangers facing Illinois pioneers during the Settlement Era. Potawatomi chief Shabbona knew about the threat to the Davis settlement and warned the residents to flee before the attack occurred, but William Davis resisted this advice, which led to the deaths of most members of his settlement. The sisters were ransomed after being held captive for several weeks and returned to Illinois, where they both married and had children and eventually grandchildren. Scanlan provides insight into the resilience of Illinois settlers as well as the cultural differences that existed between the Native Americans and white settlers. His book is filled with details, many of which are entertaining but not historically relevant; it can be found online through https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.tz1vl6.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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Autobiography of Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak, or Black Hawk (by Black Hawk, 1767-1838) is the Sauk Chief's told story written by an interpreter about his life and his version of events in the 1832 uprising called the "Black Hawk War." He discusses why he was led to believe that the British would provide support for the Sauk as well as Ottawas, Chippewas, and Pottawatomies, who he hoped would join together in taking back land in Illinois (and other areas) from white settlers. In the Sauks' case, land had been sold to the government by members of the tribe who were not authorized to do so. Black Hawk explains how the subsequent relocation of his people to Iowa from Illinois led to food shortages and other problems. When he and his followers crossed back across the Mississippi River, their actions were viewed as hostile. Black Hawk assumes a somewhat defensive position in this work, and although readers are enlightened about certain aspects of the Sauks' difficult situation, other historical primary source accounts of the warrior's actions during the uprising portray a more fearsome and intense person than in his autobiography. Black Hawk was captured and taken on a tour of the East as a prisoner; he subsequently became a legendary figure and drew sympathy from many Americans. This 1833 work is at: https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/007652386.. 

Sue Devick, M.A.

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Of Plimouth Plantation by William Bradford (1590-1657) is the primary source account of the Pilgrims' struggles as they pursued religious freedom against the powerful Church of England, first moving from England to the Netherlands before sailing to America in 1620 on the Mayflower. The Pilgrims were also known as Separatists, or Puritans, as they wanted to "purify" the church from within. In Bradford's words, they wanted "the trueth prevaile, and ye churches of God reverte to their anciente puritie... ." Bradford details life aboard the Mayflower, including the harrowing experience of John Howland, who fell overboard in a storm, but survived by holding on to a dangling rope until others could haul him back on deck. Bradford became governor of the new colony of Plymouth in Massachusetts, a position he held for 30 years. He documents events from the group's early days in England through almost thirty years of colonial life at Plymouth. The manuscript was written from 1630-1648, ending with a list of the passengers on the Mayflower and what became of them, recorded in 1651. The journal was left in the Old South Meeting House during the Revolutionary War, and disappeared; it subsequently was discovered in England around 1850. In 1897, the manuscript was returned to Massachusetts, and it is now at the State Library of Massachusetts in the State House in Boston. The work is historically significant because it documents life in Plymouth Colony and also reflects Bradford's ability to separate religious and secular matters. The book is found at: https://www.gutenberg.org/files/24950/24950-h/24950-h.htm.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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The Sauks and the Black Hawk War by P. A Armstrong (1823-1904) is a descriptive, colorful chronicle of Settlement Era northern Illinois that focuses on the Native American tribes and their relationships with white settlers. Armstrong was a young boy when the short-lived hostilities between the Sauk and the U.S. occurred (1832), which resulted in the "relocation" of indigenous people to territories west of the Mississippi River. The author's historical descriptions reflect insight and a deep understanding of contemporary events. Armstrong became a lawyer, and his writing illustrates an even-handedness while evaluating the background situations of Sauk Warrior Black Hawk and Potawatomi Chief Shabbona, who opposed Black Hawk's declaration of war on the white settlers. The author describes the tense meeting between the two chiefs followed by Shabbona's frantic horseback ride warning the settlers while traveling "over a hundred miles through a trackless prairie, threaded with deep, unbridged streams, and almost impassable swamps and sloughs." The author also demonstrates his educated opinions and Christian faith in his work, along with an extensive vocabulary. His chronicle is over 700 pages, and includes illustrations and descriptions of indigenous villages, burial mounds, farming practices, social customs (including ceremonial dances) and individual stories about events and historical figures. The book is at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark:/13960/t16m34x3g.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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Travels and adventures in Canada and the Indian territories, between the years of 1760 and 1776 by Alexander Henry (1739-1824), originally published in 1809, is a riveting first hand account of an English colonial trader's years in Canada and Michigan during an era when a fierce rivalry existed between the British and French for control of the North American fur trade. There are several editions of this book, including Alexander Henry's Travels and Adventures in the Years 1760-1776 edited by Milo Quaife and published in 1921. Alexander not only faced the challenges presented by a harsh environment, but survived life-threatening situations during an era when the local Native Americans supported the French rather than the British. He witnessed violent uprisings and endured harsh conditions living among the Ojibwa (also known as Chippewa) in the Michilimackinac and Sault Ste. Marie area of northern Michigan. He kept a journal which documents his tremendous insight into Native American culture during this time frame, along with his personal historical observations. He notes of Chief Minavavana, "He was six feet in height, and had in his countenance an indescribable mixture of good and evil." His tone is matter-of-fact, even when describing events such as the massacre of English settlers in 1763 at Michilimackinac, when only the French settlers were spared. He survived this attack by hiding in the home of a Frenchman, but was later captured; he was allowed to escape due to his friendship with a chief named Wawatam. Alexander Henry (also known as the elder, as his nephew had the same name) lived an exciting life filled with travel, adventure, success, and failure. His personal account is highly educational and action-packed. The 1921 edition edited by Milo Quaife can be found at: https://archive.org/details/alexanderhenryst01henr.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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Masters of Empire  Great Lakes Indians and the Making of America (Michael A. McDonnell, 2015) is a well-researched account of Native American life in the Northern Midwest, focusing on the Great Lakes region. McDonnell illustrates the importance of Michilimackinac (now Mackinaw City, MI) during the European fur trade era, and his content ties in with primary sources discussed above such as Juliette Kinzie's Wau-Bun and Alexander Henry's Travel and adventures in Canada and the Indian territories. McDonnell explores the rapid growth and development during the seventeenth and early eighteenth centuries as well as the important social and commercial interactions between the white settlers and the Native Americans. As McDonnell's geographic area of expertise is further north than that of scholar R. David Edmunds (author of The Potawatomis  Keepers of the Fire), the two books complement each other in a field of study that lacks sufficient indigenous primary source textual documentation. Interestingly, the author resides and teaches in Australia; his content, often in a first-person narrative, reflects a deep understanding of the Anishinaabe, the name used by Native tribes to identify themselves. McDonnell emphasizes the importance of the "pays d'en haut," or high country (the high land between Montreal and the Mississippi River) in America's settlement years. The author also demonstrates his insight into human interactions and their impact on history; for example, when discussing the expenses incurred by the British for gifts in order to maintain rapport with the Native Americans, McDonnell observes that they caused a subsequent need for higher taxes, and he remarks, "In this way the Odawa helped set the fuse that would ultimately ignite the American Revolution." The author's style is scholastic but casual, as if he were speaking in a college lecture hall. This book is available through libraries or book stores.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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The Underground Railroad by Pulitzer Prize winning author Colson Whitehead is a historic novel about a young female slave on a cotton plantation in Georgia who joins her male counterpart in escaping through an underground system of tunnels on their journey to freedom. Whitehead conveys the extremely harsh conditions endured by African slaves during their abduction, journey across the ocean, and forced labor on plantations in the American South. The author researched first-personal oral history of slaves' lives that had been recorded during the Federal Writers' Project in the 1930's, which resulted in 2,300 documented biographical accounts. While the author's reference to a large network of tracks beneath the ground is not historically based, his ability to capture the physical and emotional pain of the victims of slavery and their relationships is extraordinary. This book can be purchased in bookstores or other sources, and the oral histories of slaves studied by the author can be found at the Library of Congress online by searching "Federal Writers' Project" plus "slavery." 

Sue Devick, M.A.

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Autobiography of Henry W. Blodgett (by Henry W. Blodgett, 1821-1905), University of Illinois, Champaign, 1906 is

the life story about a pioneer who had unique experiences and adventures in nineteenth century Illinois. Henry personally knew Abraham Lincoln and other leaders who shaped his desire to become a district judge in northern Illinois. Henry was the son of Israel and Avis Blodgett, who settled west of Chicago in 1831, when Henry was eleven. Henry writes of the family's genuine affection for a Potawatomi chief named Aptakisic, who awakened the Blodgett family with a whoop late one night in May, 1832. Aptakisic , also known as Half Day, warned them to take immediate shelter at Fort Dearborn in Chicago in order to avoid Black Hawk and his band of Sak warriors, who declared war on the white settlers ignorer to recover land that had been formerly occupied by Native Americans. Henry states that Aptakisic, who had often been at their home, accompanied the family and other settlers until they were in sight of the fort, then "waived us goodbye with his hand, turned his horse, and then disappeared." Henry developed compassion for both Native Americans and enslaved African Americans, as he had observed his parents' sympathy toward enslaved Africans before the Civil War. Henry studied law, as health problems prevented him from pursuing farming and other professions that required physical strength. He became a highly effective attorney before the Civil War broke out; he visited active battlefields during the war and cared for his injured brother after a battle in Tennessee, bringing him home to Illinois. Henry subsequently became District Judge of the of the Northern District of Illinois from 1869-1893. Henry's work ethic and his moral character are inspirational, and his unusual experiences contribute to his interesting autobiography. This can be found at: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=uiuo.ark:/13960/t3rv1642p.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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The Wisdom of the Native Americans (edited by Kent Nerburn, Ph.D) is a compilation of notable quotes and speeches by Native American chiefs and spiritual leaders. The editor organizes his subject matter into three parts, "The Ways of the Native Americans," "The Soul of an Indian," and "The Wisdom of the Great Chiefs." Each part has several chapters, which include topics such as land, learning, leading, believing, and numerous other aspects of life. Nerburn also demonstrates his broad knowledge about Native American history by including quotes by tribal members who lived from coast to coast and from different eras. While Nerburn allows the powerful words of numerous indigenous leaders to project their own message (without comment), he discusses the intense effort by the highly educated Sioux Ohiyesa to reconcile the clashing cultures of Indian and non-Indians in the nineteenth and early twentieth century. Nerburn's empathy toward Native Americans is reflected in his own quote, "The spirit of the Native people, the first people, has never died. It lives in the rocks and the forests, the rivers and the mountains. It murmurs in the brooks and whispers in the trees. The hearts of these people were formed of the earth that we now walk, and their voice can never be silenced." This historically relevant book can be obtained through library loan or by purchase, perhaps most easily through internet sources.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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Rising Up from Indian Country  The Battle of Fort Dearborn and the Birth of Chicago by Dr. Ann Durkin Keating is a meticulously researched book about the 1812 "battle" that occurred between the local Native Americans (mostly Potawatomi) and the white soldiers stationed at Ft. Dearborn. Dr. Keating is a local professor who relates historical facts about nineteenth-century Chicago with accuracy and clarity. While the brutality of the events at Ft. Dearborn in 1812 is well documented, Dr. Keating delivers relevant historical information in a straightforward manner. Each chapter of her book includes valuable reference notes and sources. Native Americans committed atrocities against the white soldiers and settlers in Chicago, including women and children. Dr. Keating writes about these incidents without judgment; for example, she writes that Potawatomi Chief Black Partridge helped the Heald and Kinzie families while Ft. Dearborn was under attack, and also claimed a woman (Martha Leigh) and her two surviving daughters, one of whom was "severely wounded and in great pain. Following tradition, Black Partridge killed her because she could not travel back to his village. Black Partridge later said that it was the hardest thing he ever had to do. He brought Martha and her baby back to his village, where they were treated as family members." One reference map in this work entitled "Indian Settlement Pattern in the Chicago Region circa 1830" required clarification from the author, and Dr. Keating generously expressed her opinion about the Native American heritage of Chicago, stating, "We erase this history, which is unfortunate because it offers a fuller, richer understanding of our past." This book can be obtained through internet purchase or book stores.

Sue Devick, M.A.

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Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene (2021) is a contemporary collection of short biographies of "50 indigenous leaders, dreamers, and change makers from past and present," as stated on the book's cover. The author, a citizen of the Cherokee Nation, advocates change as she addresses difficult topics through essays that are placed between the biographical sketches of indigenous people. For example, after inquiring, "Whose Land Are You On," she asks her readers if they know who inhabited the neighborhood before the "colonization" of their current home, work site, vacation destination, or school, etc... . She suggests sources of information that enable her audience to explore her well-found questions. She also points out the "land acknowledgement" ceremonies that are occurring in various places that honor the relationship between the land and the indigenous people who once lived there. Her integrity is enhanced by her advice to Native Americans not living on their homeland to establish a relationship with the residing indigenous community and to learn about their local issues. While this suggestion is feasible, her thoughts in "Settler Colonialism 101" about returning land to indigenous stewardship under a process of decolonization raise logical questions such as how this could be accomplished in our country, where Native American populations migrated, intermingled, or were displaced by other indigenous people (such as the Iroquois during the Beaver or Iroquois Wars). While the Great Lakes area could have had more attention, Keene's focus is broad, and her scholarly points are worthy of our consideration, discussion, and action. This book is available in bookstores and through online purchase. 

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Sue Devick, M.A.

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Killers of the Flower Moon by journalist David Grann (2017) is a riveting true story of the contractual murders of at least twenty members of the Osage Native American tribe in Oklahoma during the 1920's. The tribal members were very wealthy due to oil rights that had been discovered on their land after their tribe's relocation to Kansas and then Oklahoma. A powerful rancher named William Hale was behind the systematic killings, which were designed to enrich and empower those related to the oil business, including Hale. The complex relationships between the Osage and various white opportunists formed a tangled network that showed the power of white male authority over wealth. For example, the Osage were subject to a federally imposed program of financial guardianship which dictated how they could spend their money. The main protagonist in the story is Mollie Burkhart, an Osage woman who had been forced as a child to attend the St. Louis Catholic missionary school, where her tribal customs were forbidden. Mollie's family was a target of the organized killings, as several close relatives were slain, leaving her with their old rights, She also had been given medication for diabetes (that she did not have), endangering her life. Mollie was married to Ernest Burkhart, the nephew of William Hale, demonstrating the complicated nature of the Osage community. The book also tells the story of the origins of the FBI, tracing J. Edgar Hoover's ascent to power as he attempted to solve the mysterious conspiracy behind the Osage murders, assisted by agent Tom White, who relied on his instincts when criminal evidence was limited or nonexistent. Grann writes this incredibly important story with a methodical approach that includes his careful research and documentation, adding credibility and integrity to his book, which is available at bookstores and through online purchase. 

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Sue Devick, M.A.

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