The Bennington banner. [volume] (Bennington, Vt.) 1858-1894, 1894-02-02
CORRESPONDENCE.
OUR ILLINOIS LETTER.
PRAIRIE GROVE FARM, Jan. 20, '94

|
section of our country, l will give you a
short sketch:
The first exploration of Illinois was in
1873, by French missionaries and traders.
Louis Joliet, who was educated as a
Jesuit priest, but gave up his profession
for the more active life of exploration
and trade, was selected by the
French government to explore the Miss
issippi valley in 1872. He selected as his
companion, Father Marquette, because
of his familiarity with the Indians and
their language, and in company with five
other Frenchmen, they started from
| Michilimackinac in Michigan, May 18th,
1873. They assembled the Fox river from
! Green Bay, thence down the Wisconsin
to the Mississippi, which they supposed
emptied into the "Sea of California. -
! They continued down the river far
enough to satisfy themselves that IT
emptied into the Gulf of Mexico, then.
being somewhat afraid of the Spanish
| farther down the river, they turned back
soon after passing the mouth of the Ar
| kansas. On their return they followed
the Illinois river and thence to Lake
Michigan, having ira, eled $500 miles in
| their open boats. He lost all his maps
and papers in Lachine Rapids, but made
ne'v ones from memory. He soon after
ward retired to Government position in
! Quebec, and was superseded in the work
of exploration by Rene Robert Cavelier
Sieur De La Sale, who was born in
France in 1913, and educated Jesuit
and teacher, but in 1866 he went to
Canada as a trader. He conceived the
plan of reaching China by the trans
American route.
In 1869 LIZ Sale sold the estate given
him by the priests OF the Seminary of
st. Sulpice-feuda, Nners of the island
of Montreal--and with two of the priests.
who proposed to seek new missionary
fields. he started on his explorations. At
Lake Ontario the priests left him. but he
found other companions and explored
the lake. Continuing on down across
the country he discovered the Ohio river
in 1911, and followed it as far as the site
of Louisville, XIV. On second journey
he assembled Lake Michigan and decended
the Illinois river. In 1878 he was enobled
by his Government, rated a patent of
Fort FrontenaC and ad joining country
the site of the present city of Kingston
in Ontario.
In 1877 he went to France and was
granted authority to explore and occupy
the West. provided he did not put the
Government TO anv expense. He SOON
obtained what helm he needed fnr his ev-
pedition and returned to America. with
Cheyalier de Tonte and Lonis Hennenin
Tn November 1G7e. he soft ont from, Fnrt
Frontenac to settle colonies along tbe
Mississippi river At NIAGARA he LniIt n
small vessel which he called the Griffin
and in that tbev assembled the Ial,as tho
next summer TO Mackinaw then lake
Michigan ST Josenh,s river ,yncr, he
crossed to the Illinois river witch he da :.
scended tn a noint helow the sits re-
Peoria. and built his first fort Creme
Cnur. in 1850 While here he learned
that his creditors had taken nossession
of his prone .tv in Canada and leov;nr
the party under control of q de Unit
he made Journey Of over O0O miles nn
foot tn Fort Frnutenac He arramonJ
his husineSs aud with fresh snnnIios sat
ont nm his rntIrn tn tba IIIinnis cn,,,t,',,
He now learned that his fnllnwers III
rebelled and were on their wav to Lii
him. He met the rehelhor. nortv 49,,
Lake Outario and forced them tp submit
and reInrn with him to Ininoie EunD
then his troubles were NOT at an end fnr
no fonnd the ,omaining ,nen,hars ~ tba
marty had shared in n general n,oss,o,o
nv tEe Iriouois Indians ua n"w ,a
turned to Canada again for reinforce-
mems and af or much tronhle with bic
creditors he orranized a new nartv nf On
Frenchmen and hand of twe1ty In
dams and with them he cr"seed tha
Mississinni river which he deeoonGad -
the Gulf in 1890 He set nm tSo- sts,,J
ard uf France on the Gnlf rosSt c,iii,,,,
the country Louisiana in honor of To,,iSS
XIV Va '''''''
After beinC considerably barrossod h,,
fur traders and others no rot~rnod ~
France and was WARMLY sunnnr,aJ b w
fine Gnvernmeut In 1Gsi he 9et oI+ ~
the head of a coreiderahlo hody, &c oo, ~
nists 70 form n settlement on tTa Gle Gle
coast Of the Tnited States Iftnr an " mn NM
bannv vnvaGe dnring ,vbich tba ,,n % u'
lost fbev ancbored in MataaorJ %'' p CO.
Texas in 1695 and snant Two Uaars j.; i1% ~,
nnsnccessfnI search fnr the 49, III a" az
the Mississinni river II was dnr;n% tbot
weary wandering that no y,ao $50, o 10y
in 1877 hv one of his own mon oN
Jacnues GIames1 NSronatta u,,s hon,
in France in 1G37 and in IGee bo 800 Dtl -
Canada as a n,iss;onorv Ia mo %V tnn' W.
years Of TLrna PiuarS ,aan 0 pom I OG;oo
iangnages Tn 1egs he accom n Ia 3n ronan
INDIANS TO I,aLe SnnerioU a p%ni fn SUM-
the mission Of Salt e. NJ "lu i w. 'nzi
he went With bic Hnr"ns 70 ,ta ~ io,I
and bniIt a chanel thar TIA ia a,,n. INV
.AhN O'.hO Nh"pSi OhOlO' IHdb was MS