Rensselaer Republican, Volume 25, Number 5, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 September 1892 — INDIANA'S EARLY DATS. [ARTICLE]

INDIANA'S EARLY DATS.

Chicago later Oeean. i-jV;, -_v-- . -a: The early history of Indiana, which was primarily embraced within the limits of “New France,” subsequently within the 11 ‘Northwest Territory,” furnishes some very interesting and entertaining events. It was originally traversed by French traders and Catholic missionaries. No doubt the first settlers were mostly, if not wholly, French saldiers-iromCanada attached to the army of Louis XIV. It is authentically recorded fthat Vinther in detail, was occupied as a French military post in 1716 and as a missionary station as early as 1766. For nearly a ceutury their descendants lived as a sort of isolated com munity, increasing slowly, and from their incessant and exclusive intercourse with the Indians, with whom they frequently intermarried, they imbibed a strong taste for savage life. In fact, because of this fraternization with the Indians they became degenerated as a civilized people. By, the terms of the treaty of peace in 1733, between France and Great Britain, all in French possession in this section became the property of Great Britain by transfer, thesettlers, however, still retaining their original rights. It was during the revolution that the French exhibited their hereditary hatred of the English, and m 1778 a Spanish resident communicated to Gen. Clark, of Virginia, such information touching the strength and position of the British force at Vincennes that he was enabled to obtain possession of it without much difficulty. In 1783 the territory comprised in the iipiits of Indiana came into the possession of the United States. Tire OLDEST TOWN IN THE STATE. Vincennes is the oldest town in the State. It is located on the left bank of the Wabash River, and is regularly laid out on a level, fertile prairie. It is the seat of a Catholic

Bishopric, and the site of alargeand commodious cathedral. It was settled by a colony of French emigrants from Canada, in 1735. Some of the historians affirm that it was a French post in 172(X It was not, however until 1735, that it received its pres-' ent name from one M. de Vincennes, a French officer, who was killed that year among the Chiekasaws. It was sometimes called St. Vincent. For quite a protracted period nothing of special import or interest seems to iiave occurred within the place. At the outset of the American revolution. a number of the old French trading posts were garrisoned by British troops who incited the Indian tribes in the vicinity to make hostile demonstrations against the Americans. In 1778, Colonel George Rogers Clarke, as indicated above, was despatched by the Legislature of Virginia to occupy the British posts ou the western frontier and by his diplomacy and address he succeeded in securing possession of Kashas ki a, Cahokia and Vincennes without bloodshed. In December of the year 1778, the British Governor Hamilton, came down from Detroit to Vincennes or St. Vincent with a large boidy of troops. At that juncture only two men garrisoned the station,oPe was named Captain Heim of Virginia, and the other Henry Helm being reluctant to surrender against any odds, loaded his single cannon and stood by it with a lighted match. As the British approached he actually demanded the terms of capitulation and the Governor equally unwilling to lose his time dr his men offered the accustomed honors of war. Imagine his chagrin and surprise when the menacing garrison turned out to bo an officer and a private. One year afterward Colonel Clark wrested it from a garrison of seventy-nine men under the command of Lieutenant Governor Hamilton, who by the by. obtained the sobriquet of the “Hair Buyer," from the circumstance of his offering the Indians a specified sum for each scalp they brought in. With the capturo of Vincennes and the British posts, Virginia acquired the country known as the North West Territory, which in 1789 she ceded to the general government. Vincennes remained the capital of the Indiana Territory from its organization in 1800 to 1813, when Corydon became the capita) of the Territory and in 1816 of the State, , until 1825, when Indianapolis,within what was called the new purchase, became the State capital. The Harrison house stands as a revered relite of the colonial past and is associated with the stirring episode of the celebrated interview between Tecumseb, the great Indian chief, and General William Heury Harrison. Thp council was held right in front memorable abode. It was erected by Harrison wheu Governor of the Territory trad stands on the banks of the Wabash.

TREATING WITH TKCCMSEII. The grove in which Tecumseh the council is immediately in front of the house, two trees of wbiohl visible on the left, are the only ones remaining. As typical of the progress of civilization and the rapid strides our country has made in its onward march along the lines of science and general improvement and development, the foreground shows the trucks cf a railroad enterprise ftbo Ohio and Mississippi Railroad). it was here that a scene was enaetctr than which u more animated and excited one was never possibly presented. A picture for the genius of art to portray, and yet, strungo to say, there is not, as fur as we know, a single sketch of this dramatic event extant. When General Huh-ison told Te/umseh in that renowned conference that their Great Father, the President of the United States, wanted him to meet the government emissaries in council, his council, his answer, his attitude, and hit subsequent, action furnished a theme for the pen or the historiun aud the pencil of the artist, the very eloquence of which would hove touched either la Inspiration. In a little village in Posey County in that portiot of Indiana called the ‘ Pocket," o* the Wabash River, about ono hundred miles from its mouth, and toUowWg the stream in ita meandering*, fifteen mile* dia-

Vernon, jn the' ites. The place hast acquired an extended reputation from two Socialistic experiments, the flatessayed by George Rapp, of Germany, and the other by Robert Owen, of Scotland. The Rappites originated from Wirtemburg in Germany about the year 1803, having left their country, as they claim, on account of - the persecution of their religioub tenents, and built a town in Western Pennsylvania which they called Harmony. Having at heart the cultivation of the grape, which did not seem to flourish as they desired, they sold out their establishment at Harmony, moving to the Wabash under the leadership of their pastor, the Rev. George Rapp, in 1814. Here they supposed the climate to bo more congenial to the cultivation of the fruit, and building the beautiful village of New Harmony, they cleared the land, planted orchards and vineyards, and erected mills and factories of various kinds.

THE INDUSTRIAL SYSTEM. According to their system all property was possessed in common, there being no such thing as individual ownership. After sojourning here, for about eight or ten years, they discovered the unbealtbiness of the climate, and returned to Pennsylvania, where, selecting a site on the Ohio, contiguous to Pittsburg, they reared the handsome town of Economy. It became a prosperous community, and in 1826 was visited by the Duke of Saxe Weimer. Rapp’s method is almost synonomous with that of Owens’ community of goods, each working together for the common interest. Rapp’s society is banded together and kept united by a religious tie, which is' entirely absent from that of Owens. It has always been a matter of wonder, that a man as plain as Rapp could successfully keep together a society of about 700 persons, who, in a measure, regard and honor him as a prophet. Finding the association growing too numerous, the members agreed to live with their wives as sisters. Marriage is interdicted, and yet such is the overpowering spell of human nature that marriages constantly occur, and children are born every year, for whom a school and a teacher are provided. In 1824 the village of the Rappites, including 20,000 acres of land, was purchased by Mr. Robert Owen,of New Lanark, Scotland, who, after a very successful experiment in ameliorating the physical and moral condition of the laboring class in what was then a manufacturing village, determined to test New Harmony as a suitable place for the operation of his social system, as defined above, in connec- ' tion with that of the Rappites. The experiment proved a failure so far as rts pecuniary;sustaining power was concerned, but many of the older inhabitants still revert to that period and its system os one promotive of benevolent and unselfish sentiment. THE FAMOUS FIELD OF TIPPECANOE.

Returning to the celebrated incident of the council between Tecumseh and General Harrison, it may not be inapposite to refer to the battle field of Tippecanoe, where, on November 7,1811, just before the gray of the morning’s dawn, the Governor of the Territory of Indiana, at the head of 900 men, composed chiefly of militia and volunteers, defeated’ an equal number of Indians, led by the Tensklvautawa, a brother of Tecuraseh. The town of the prophet, Kethtipecanunk, perverted or corrupted by the license of modern orthography to Tippecanoe, stood over a mile distant on the Wabash. The details of this fierce encounter, which established the reputation of General William Henry Harrison as one of the bravest and coolest men that ever stood on a battle field, are common history and familiar, from their revival with the political vicissitudes of the hour, which have seated in the presidential chair a worthy lineal descendant of a gallant ancestor, to almost every schoolboy. Dashing down to the deadliest point of the attack, he asked, “Where is the captain of this company?” Ensign Tipton replied, “Dead." “Whereare the lieutenants?” “Dead.” “Where is the ensign?” Tipton: “I am here.” “Stand fast, my brave fellow, and I will relieve you in a minute.” In a grove of white oak trees, perforated by balls, standing near the center of the inclosed grounds, is the common grave of the brave men who went down in that terrible battle.