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Moses Austin MO283
1761 ----- 1821 MARIA BROWN AUSTIN 1768 ----- 1824 Moses Austin came to Missouri in 1797 after receiving a 3 square mile Spanish Land Grant, which included a lead mine, called "Mine a Breton"; opened about 1773 by Francois Azor. Moses was granted by the Spanish Governor the right to colonize, and he brought Missouri's first settlers. Here, Moses sank the first mine shaft, he established "Potosi" and established it as the seat of Washington County. Moses also founded Herculaneum (Jefferson County) on the Mississippi river, as a lead depot and shipping point. His son, Stephen F. Austin, grew up in Washington County, was schooled here, developed his views on colonizing new lands, here. Moses and his wife, Maria, are buried in Potosi's Presbyterian Cemetery. Moses died (1821) soon after the Spanish Governor of Texas granted his petition to settle 300 families there. His son Stephen, now called the "Father of Texas", took up his fathers mantel, creating the "Colony of 300".
Native American Influence on St. Charles MO199
NATIVE AMERICAN INFLUENCE
Trail of Tears - White River Trace MO185
White River Trace portion of the The forced migration of the Cherokee Indians in 1837-1838 was a tragic episode in American history. As early as 1802, Thomas Jefferson proposed relocating southern tribes to land west of the Mississippi River, but it was not until the Indian Removal of 1830 that the plan became reality. The Cherokee Indians, who had established a newspaper, become prosperous merchants and farmers, and drafted their own constitution and laws, refused to sign a treaty agreeing to leave their native lands in northern Georgia. They won a decision from the Supreme Court that U.S. Government must provide protection for them and their property, but President Andrew Jackson refused to enforce the Courts ruling. During 1837 and 1838, soldiers forcibly moved the Cherokees...by land and water. Conditions on the 800 mile march were poor. G.S. Townsend, attending physician to a group of migrating Cherokee in 1837, wrote that "Nov. 25th, found the increasing number of cases (of fever) rendered in absolutely necessary....to discontinue in order that I might have some cl....to support with the formidable and overwhelming disease that seem...treat the party with destruction." It is estimated that 4,000 Cherokee perished on the march. [This marker is severely damaged, several bullet holes, which allowed weather under the plastic and damaged the written material.]
Lewis and Clark - Kaskaskia MO307
"Set out this morning of 8 oClock from the lower point of the horse Island, which Island is Situated opposite the mouth of Kaskaskie River..." On Nov.27,1803, Lewis and Clark camped near this point, which at that time was the lower portion of Horse Island. Horse Island was located just below the mouth of the Kaskaskia River at the beginning of a sharp bend in the Mississippi. As a result of changes in the course of the river, Horse Island has been absorbed into the Missouri shoreline in the vicinity of this marker, and the Mississippi River has shifted its course eastward, carrying away the original village of Kaskaskia. When the party reached Horse Island, Capt. Meriwether Lewis left his co-commander, William Clark, in charge of the keelboat and pirogues, while he was put ashore to walk the six-mile distance to Fort Kaskaskia. The fort was now an American Army post situated on the high ground on the east side of the Kaskaskia River opposite the village of Kaskaskia. Clark and the rest of the men, meanwhile, pushed their boats into the Mississippi and begin to work their way around a long and difficult bend, known as Coco Bend. Clark had wanted to make calculations of latitude with his sextant but a thick morning mist obscured the sun. The west side of Coco Bend hugged the Missouri shore and Clark observed a range of highlands next to the river. At 1 p.m., the party passed Joseph Donahoe's landing. Boats loaded salt from the salt works in Saline Creek at this place. Two hours later, Saline Creek itself was passed. In addition to the salt works on this creek, there was also a thriving settlement. The party rounded Coco Bend and pulled up to Kaskaskia Landing on the Illinois shore. On the opposite side of the river was the former west bank community of Old Ste. Genevieve, known locally as "misar" (phonetic for misère in French, or misery in English). This community was relocated after disastrous floods in the 1780s. Lewis and Clark remained at Fort Kaskaskia for several days. (The remains of this fort have been preserved as the Fort Kaskaskia State Historic Site). Their primary reason for stopping at the fort was to select suitable men for the Lewis and Clark Expedition. Captains Amos Stoddard and Russell Bissell, who were assigned to the fort, had been ordered by Secretary of War Henry Dearborn to aid Lewis in selecting suitable men from their companies to join the expedition. Among the 12 soldiers who joined them were John Ordway and Patrick Gass. Both of these men were destined to become sergeants in the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The addition of the men at Fort Kaskaskia enlarged the upstream bound party to between 21 and 23 men who would soon become members of the Pacific-bound Corps of Discovery.
Kaskaskia Trail IL262
The Kaskaskia Trail was an early pioneer trail that played an important part in the history and development of Saline County. The trail extended from Shawneetown on the Ohio River, past the Salt Works near Equality and on to Kaskaskia, the capital of the Illinois Territory, on the Mississippi River. Salt from the salt works was hauled to Kaskaskia via the trail, which was also used by a steady stream of Pioneers migrating from the east and southeast. Many of them settled in Saline County. A portion of the original trail is still evident in Wolf Creek Cemetery, now just a depression in the hill near the cannon and flagpole.
Marquette-Jolliet WI189
Here in June, 1673, an expedition headed by Jesuit priest Jacques Marquette and his companion Louis Jolliet departed from St. Francis Xavier Mission to find and explore the upper Mississippi River. In September they returned here to record their discoveries in their journals. The next spring Jolliet left for Quebec but the ailing Marquette remained at the mission until October. The mission stood on the bank of Fox River directly west of this spot.
Lewis and Clark - Grand Towers IL217
1803 - 1806 Grand Towers Captain William Boone, the nephew of the famous Daniel Boone, is thought to have been the first white settler in Jackson County, having arrived shortly after Lewis and Clark discovered Tower Rock. William Boone's son, Benningen was the first white child born in Jackson County. Other early white settlers included Colonel James Gill, who resided with his family and slaves near Devil's Bake Oven. He was a farmer and owned and operated a ferry boat, which established the area as an important Mississippi River crossing point.
The American Bottom IL214
The American Bottom is that six mile long strip of lowland lying between the bluffs and the east bank of the Mississippi River. Its earliest recorded history is written in the annals of France, England and Spain. In the wars these nations fought against each other and against Native Indian Tribes for dominion of the New World. Following the discoveries of Joliet and Marquette in 1673 and the exploration of La Salle in 1682. France claimed possession of the entire Mississippi Valley, extending from the Appalachian Mountains in the east to the Spanish Empire in the west. Here in the center of this vast expanse known as the Illinois Country. Louis XIV erected a fort and settlers from Canada and France established the village of Cahokia in 1699 and the villages of St. Philippe, Fort Chartres, Prairie Du Rocher, and Kaskaskia early in the eighteenth century. During Englands occupation of the Illinois Country, 1765-1778, she retained the American Bottom as the center of Administration for the area renamed the Illinois province of Quebec. Virginia, likewise established the American Bottom as headquarters for her Illinois Country, 1778-1781. When George Rogers Clark drove the British from the area. The American Bottom part of the old North West Territory, gained recognition under the government of the United States by being named the site of the first county established in Illinois in 1790. The Capital of the Illinois Territory, 1809, 1818 and the home of the first State capital.
Four Flags over Fort Massac IL197
FOUR FLAGS OVER FORT MASSAC [Blank space with smudges on plaque; is actually the same information written in braille.]
Illinois in the American Revolution IL179
George Rogers Clark arrived at Fort Massac on June 30, 1778, with about 175 men, under orders from Virginia to capture the British outposts in Illinois. British failure to regarrison the old French Fort here enabled Clark to enter the Illinois country without opposition. The British at Kaskaskia expected an attack from the Mississippi River. By marching overland Clark surprised them. He arrived at Kaskaskia on the night of July 4-5, and quickly secured the Fort without resistance. Display # 31 - 40 of 128 |