Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1891-10-29
They Are Believed to p ing In
a Potter's FieiL
Various Stories Concerning Their Final
Disposition Set Aside by
n Recently Told
Version

The Sac war chief Black Hawk has
been dead for more than half century.
His body has been buried, stolen and
recovered, and his bones have been
boiled and vanished and become the
property, successfully, of a governor, a
doctor, and the latter's surviving part
ner. Two or three stories of the fate
of Black Hawks bones have been told,
but the one most generally accredited
has consigned the relics to the flames
that consumed the quarters of the Des
Moines County Historical society in
1858, on the site of the present North
Main street, Burlington, Ia. Old res
idcntS are familiar with the tales of
Black Hawk and his bones, but white
haired and well-known citizen gave
new version.
In 1859, says the Chicago Journal,
Black Hawks grave in Davis county
was robbed and his body taken by a
DR.. Turner to Quincy, Ill It was re-
covered by special policemen sent by
Gov. Lucas and was brought to Burling-
ton to be identified and turned over to
the old chief S people. The bones had
been cleaned and vanished ready for
wiring, and were laid out in the old
Presbyterian church on Fourth street,
where Mrs. Black Hawk recognized
them by the teeth.
The Indians were so well pleased
with the polished condition of the bones
that they told Gov. Lucas to keep thcra.
The executive turned them over to Dr..
Enos Lowe, an early practitioner Of
Burlington, who on his death left tho
bones to his partner, DIR. McLaurens.
The latter resided on Third street, and
had his office in Il little building the
first door north. When the rooms OF
the County Historical society on Main
street were burned the story was told
and generally believed that the bones
were mingled with the ashes of the
burned building, which was the prop
crty of DR.. McLGurcns. j. Il. Patter-
sol's biography of Black Hawk makes
that disposition of the old chiefs bones.
The fact is declared to be that Black
Hawks bones lie in an unmarked grave
IN the potter's field in Aspen grove.
The story of their fat l. interesting.
They remained II DR.. McLauren's pos
session for about five years, resting I'M
disturbed in box in the physicians
private office. In the meantime, DR..
McLauren had taken n partner, who
continued in practice with him until
1851, when he removed to Chicago.
About this time DR.. McLauren missed
Black Hawks bones. The old box in his
back room had grown to be a familiar
Sight, and although he had no use for
the bones, he felt that in good faith to
their former and illustrious wearer
)thsiF identity should be preserved He
had not, since the historical society fire,
corrected to any extent the story that
they were burned, and few knew that
he had been their custodian. Among
these few DR.. McLaurcn made quiet in
duiries, thinking that perhaps some one
had borrowed the bones for an anatOm-
zeal study. 1t was ascertained that
there had been n set of bones in use by
a class under a transient medical lee
turer in the basement of the old Presby-
terrain church, but a search Of the
premises revealed no sign Of Black
Hawks vanished remains.
Fifteen years passed and DR.. Nc
Lauren had removed to California,
when one day workmen who were
tearing down the old church found
dusty box of vanished bones under the
stairway leading into the basement.
The bones were taken to the Office Of
George Ii. Lane, and parties who were
acquainted with the incident Of the dis
appearance of Black Hawks bones i'm
mediately set up theory that these
were the bones. No one connected with
either the disappearance from DR.. Nc
Lauren's office or the medical lectures
in the church basement could be found
to substantiate the theory, and DR..
Lane deputized man to consign the
bones to a grave at Aspen Grove. The
man buried them m the potter's field
and left the grave unmarked.
It was afterward learned that DR.. Nc
Lauren's partner, who went TO Chicago,
had nothing to do with the disappear
ance of the bones, as was for time
and the belief has always
existed among a few old-time inhabi-
tants that the dust Of the Mississippi
valleys most illustrious red man lies in
an unknown grave In the potter's field
1T Aspen Grove.