The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1873-10-06
LEAF OF EARLY HISTORY.
The First white sstslsmen, in IlllnOis.

From the Alton Telegraph.
The generally received opinion Is that
Kaskaskia and Cahogia, founded by the |
French, were the first white settlements in
Illinois. Such is the information given IN
many histories and Biographies, and such
the tradition held By the present inhabit-
ants of those localities. But from late
somewhat painstaking examination of the
early history Of Illinois we are inclined to
the belief that another section of the State
is entitled 10 the honor. We refer 10 the
country in the immediate vicinity of the
present beautiful and prosperous city of
/ Peoria OF course the history of the early
period when illinois first became known is
confused and contradictory. 1t is difficult
TO separate history from tradition but
| from the best authorities we can obtain, it
seems positive that the vicinity Of Peoria
was settled by the French under LaSalle,
in 1850 and kaskaskia and Cahokia in
] 1852 or 49, by other parties Of French,
also under LaSalle, returning from explor-
4 atoms of the lower Mississippi Our au
thority for this belief we give below Gov.
John Reynolds, in his valuable history.
called, My Own Times says, in regard
10 the early settlement of the State:
Peoria is the most ancient settlement
west of the Alleghanies On the lake east
3 of the present city of Peoria, LaSalle, with
( his party made small fort in l6SO-and
, from his hardships called it and the lake
> Creve Cnur in English, Broken Heart "
Indian traders aud others engaged mostly
Z in that commerce, resided at the ''oldtort,
!. as it was called, from the time LaSalle
, erected the fort in 1850 down 10 the year
+ 1881, when John Baptist Nlaillet made a
II new location and village, about one mile
and half west of the old village, at the
!. outlet of the lake. This was called La va,
o de MaiUet that is, Maillet City In
5, 1881 the Indians, under British influence
. drove off the inhabitants from Peoria, bu
y at the peace of 1888 they returned again
nd In 1872 Captain Craig lof the Illinois mi
o. Etia-Ed. TEL wantonly destroyed tn,
.u, village. but the city of Peoria at presen
CT occupies the site Of the village of Nlaillet
aud bids fair to become one of the larges
~ cities in Illinois
G a In regard to the destruction of Peorl
.ool by Capt. Craig, Reynolds, elsewhere in hi
history, says:
ate while the army were in the neighbol
ZEN hood of Peoria, Capt. Craig had his hos
Pc living in the lake adjacent To Peoria. Ii
~ was attacked several times by the Indians
but received no injury. The captain SUI
posing the few inhabitants OF Peoria tavo
ed the Indians, burnt the village. Til
XII was considered by every one a useless ac
IN He placed the inhabitants of Peoria, a
g he could capture, on board his boat an
VI land d them ON the bank of the river b.
OF low the present site of Alton.
are Jno NJ Peck, in his history of lllinoi
RI after detailing the discovery of the Missi
sippi and Illinois rivers, in 1873, by Pc
u Marquette and Joliet, speaks Of the SUI
alb sequent exploring expedition Of LaSalle, wi
ent left France in los, reached the prese
mo site of Chicago in November 1919, and
,, the December following, or in Januar
A'' 1850 same date as given by Reynolds
the reached the Illinois river and descendt
ON until his supplies gave out, when he w
erv compelled to land and build a fort, whit
old he called Creve Occur Peck locates til
be Continued on third page