Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1906-08-23
or Council Bluffs. leaving the Sac and
Foxes in possession of the valley.

or Council Bluffs. leaving the Sac and
Foxes in possession of the valley.
Hold Council With the lowas.
Long after this, in 1888, Blackhawk
invited the Iowas to council on the
prairie at Mr. Jordan's. They attended
and Black Hawk after making friend
ly terms with them presented the chief
with three hundred horses. one thous-
and blankets and some other things,
which they Immediately took back to
Snake Ridge"
Black Hawk lived whiting three rods
of Mr.. Jordan's. In September, 1888, he
took sick and sent for Mr. Jordan,
who went to see him. He said that he
that the Indian doctor could not cure
him.
He requested Mr. Jordan to go to
Fort Edwards, now Warsaw, for a
white doctor. Mr.. Jordan told him
that he had to go to Rock Island to a
treaty and would bid him farewell.
Black Hawk presented him with his
sword, bowie knife and whip, and said
he wished to be buried in the full dress
of warrior chief in the grove near
where he lay He died soon after,
leaving a wife and family of two sons
and two daughters, who buried him as
requested, in full dress, blue cloth re-
gimentals, military hat with ostrich
feathers, gold epaulets on shoulders,
sword belted on, sword cane in hand,
and three silver medals on his neck.
lace. One of these medals was given
him by the British, with blankets to
the value of five thousand dollars, in
order that he should join them in their
war with the United States.
Joins British.
He did join them, but finding he
would have to fight under the com
mand of British officers, he returned
home with his warriors. The second
medal was presented to him by Presi.
dent Madison as a token of friendship,
The third by General Jackson, when
Black Hawk was a prisoner at Wash
/ ington, after the Black Hawk war with
the United States troops. Jackson also
presented him with the military suit
in which he was buried and the Ameri
can flag which was hoisted over his
grave and remained there until 1t wore
out.
Bones Were Wired.
1 About year after his death DR.
/ Turner, from Bonaparte, stole his re
mains and the valuables that were
buried with him. He took the bones
to Alton, ILL.,, to doctor to have them
wired" Black Hawks wife and chill
dren were very much aggravated al
4 the action of Turner, and had Mr.. Jor
i do TO 10 hn 0f eff a
informing him of the facts. The two
doctors disputed about the price Of
wiring and the Alton doctor inform
ed Governor Lucas that he had the re
mains of Black Hawk, and would sent
them to him. The governor received
them and wrote to Jordan that Blacl
Hawks family might go to his Office il
Burlington and get them. Black Hawks
two sons went and saw the skeleton Of
their father; they concluded as the
bones were hung in a nice dry place
they would leave them there till they
would be ready to move to Fall River
/ Kansas, on the reservation. The gov
errors Office was burned down before
I they moved. and the skeleton was lost
In 1S44-5 the Indians all left here fol
Des Moines, prior to their moving t.
the Kansas reservation.
Il Before the treaty with the Indians
John B. Grower, an honest, good
hearted German, settled here ant
cleaned the land where Eldon is now
built.
He thought this was in the "Olt
Purchase but finding that the line dit
not come farther than Iowayille, h
left until after the New Purchase,
when he returned and claimed the
sams land He built near where thu
roundhQuse now stands and livad ther,
three years, when he died. He wal
buried, with two Of his children, pea
where John Drake now lives, and with
in few yards Of where we now stant
at this celebration. The Chicago, Rocl
Island & Pacific railroad was surveyed
over his grave and tho graders, LITTLE
knowing or caring that he was the frs
settler here, dug up his bones ant
threw them out with the excavatet
earth.
/, James II. Jordan.
James H. Jordan, the gentleman t.
whom l am indebted for this informa
; ton of the early history of this place
was born in Mercer county, Kentucky
on the 18th of September, 1906, wher,
his parents lived and died. AS 1 hav,
stated he came to this valley in 1928
as an Indian trader, and built small
house near the site of the fine dwell
ing that he and his family now occu
py In 1888 he married Miss Frances
Williams Of Boone Co., Missouri,
lady of more than ordinary refinement
He has two sons, II. c. and Victor P
and one daughter, Sarah, wife of Abra
ham Hinkle, Esq. The Indians Offered
him ten miles square Of this valley
but he did not take it. He had, how
ever, to content himself afterwards
with three or four thousand acres.
}, In June, 1887, William Betterton al
rived in this valley from Elkhar
county, Ind. He bought claim that i
now known as the 'Haigler farm from
Peter Avery for $3.50 in gold, and livet
on it only four years when the govern
ment troops, under the command o
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