Indiana's State Motto: The Crossroads of America - adopted in 1937
You Are Visitor Number
Indiana is Forever American
The Fall of Fort Sackville by Frederick C. Yohn
The British troops could not match the Kentucky Sharpshooter's accuracy and Hamilton surrendered Fort Sackville and his troops on February 15, 1779.
Clark had once again captured Indiana for the Americans only this time it would remain a part of America. Clark had troops patrolling the Buffalo Trace from Clarksville to Vincennes, a total of 142 miles, during the year 1779.
==# 1780 - Benjamin Franklin invents the bi-focal eyeglasses
==# 1783 - Joseph Michel Montgolfier and Jacques Etienne Montgolfier invent the hot-air balloon
Virginia Gives Indiana to the United States
Prior to March of 1784, Virginia claimed the area north-west of the Ohio River where Indiana is now. Virginia gave the land to the United States, who named it the North-west Territory. The US appointed General Arthur St. Clair as the first governor.
The Ordinance of 1785 made it possible for settlers to buy land in the North-west Territory, but first the US had to buy the land from the Indians.
The Piankashaw Indians were friendly with the French settlers who lived in Knox County and had given them a large parcel of land. The French gave each new settler 400 acres. By 1787 the French had given away about 40,000 acres to 100 settlers.
==# 1787 - Delaware, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey gain statehood.
In 1787 Congress passed the Ordinance of 1787 that established these laws in the North-west Territory: There would be a governor, 3 judges and a secretary; No man could own another man; People could worship in any kind of church; And any area with enough people living in it could become a state.
Little Turtle Claims Indiana
The Indians gave no value to the Ordinance of 1787. As settlers came to Kentucky and the North-west Territory, the Indians only became angrier. Miami Chief Little Turtle of the Indiana Indians had planned an attack at the tribal council the prior year; now he intended to carry it out.
During this time period, the Cherokee claimed the land south of the Ohio River in Kentucky. The Piankashaw claimed south-western Indiana, the Delaware claimed central and south-central Indiana, and the Shawnee claimed south-eastern Indiana. The Miami tribe claimed land north-east of Indianapolis. The Kickapoo and Wea were north-east of Terre Haute, and the Pottawatomie claimed north-western Indiana near Michigan Lake.
In the first 7 years after the American revolution, the Indians killed 1,500 Kentucky settlers (in the Cherokee Nation). Though President Washington warned them to stop the raids, they refused to stop until the settlers left. The Indians of Kentucky and Indiana were at war with the settlers.
The North-west Territory Governor, Arthur St. Clair, knew they would have to fight the Indians. He sent General Josiah Harmar and a small army to a Fort Wayne Indian village.
Little Turtle knew Harmar was coming and set a trap for him. He abandoned the village and when Harmar's men got there it was empty. They burned the village and the corn the Indians grew in the fields.
Four days later and after several village attacks, Little Turtle was ready along Eel River. At the next village attack, the Indians had once again abandoned the village. When the soldiers laid down their weapons to gather the spoils, the Miami sounded war cries and attacked them. The soldiers ran off in a hurry and the Indians killed every man who stayed to fight.
Little Turtle was a powerful man, commanding ten tribes in Indiana. Governor St. Clair decided to lead the attack on Little Turtle himself. When St. Clair's men camped out at Portland Indiana, they heard whooping war cries at dawn and found themselves being attacked by Little Turtle's men. St. Clair escaped, but about half of his men were killed. It became known as the St. Clair Massacre.
==# 1788 - South Carolina, Virginia, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Maryland, Georgia and Connecticut gain statehood
==# 1789 - North Carolina gains statehood
==# 1790 - Rhode Island gains statehood
==# 1791 - The bicycle is invented in Scotland. Vermont gains statehood
==# 1792 - Kentucky gains statehood
More Indiana History Pages : 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11
Visit our Book Store for More Indiana Reading!!
This information is the research of many people across the United States and may contain errors. It is presented as the best information to date. Like all of those whose work I have incorporated herein, my research is a work in progress and subject to change without notice. A special thanks to Marlene Ricci of CA, Dwayne Meyer of CA, Jacqueline Bean of TX, Debbie Dick of IN, Milus Miller of IL, Carol Hendricks Miller of IN, Clarence Miller of IN, and Harold Glen Miller of IN. There are numerous others too; many of which are unknown, but their findings and stories are still much appreciated. Much of this would not have been possible with out their information. Also this website includes historical facts gathered from Washington County History, Indiana History, Rowan County and Salisbury North Carolina Historical sources and other US Historical sources.
James A. Miller- Great -Great -Great -Great Grandson of Adam Miller and Hannah Sheets.
©2007 The Millers of Washington County
Visit our Book Store for More Indiana Reading!!
|
|
Last Updated 06/04/07 03:46:00 PM -0700