Barge, William D.

William D. Barge papers.

ca. 225 items.

Memoranda and letters used in the preparation of Barge's history books, arranged according to subjects: John Connolly, Sub-agent of Indian Affairs at Galena, 1822-1832 (transcripts of letters); the beginnings of Illinois counties, place names, and boundaries; Illinois-Wisconsin boundary line and references to the Lemen family; American Indian affairs, especially at Chicago; the Jeffreon River, a treaty boundary in Missouri disputed by Black Hawk; early trader LaSallier; and early settler Stephen Mack at Pecatonica (Ill.).

William D. Barge, d. 1921, was a Chicago lawyer, attorney for the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad, who was also an Illinois historian, having written pamphlets concerning the "genesis" of all the Illinois counties, a history of Early Lee County, etc.

Topics:

1. CONNOLLY, JOHN, sub-agent of Indian Affairs at Galena, who gave the town its name. These are transcripts of Connolly's letters, 1822-1832, typed from documents of the Minnesota Historical Society which "may throw some light upon the causes of the disaffection of a portion of the Sauk Indians." He mentions his own affection for the Indians, and our unwarranted interference in their affairs. "this petty inglorious little war never would have been heard of had the proper person been there to have managed it." He also discusses the cost of travel for self and horse at that time.

2. ILLINOIS COUNTIES, History of - Notes concerning their beginnings and boundaries, used in Barge's booklets; more regarding Rock Island County than any other.

3. ILLINOIS-WISCONSIN BOUNDARY LINE - Chiefly excerpts from other sources; congressional records, the Illinois Constitution; the Jefferson-Lemen Compact by Willard C. McNaul; Ogle County, published by H. R. Boss, 1859; Ogle County, published by H. F. Kett and Co., 1878. There is much mention of Nathaniel Pope and Rev. James Lemen, some correspondence with Lemen's grandson Joseph B. Lemen. Strong sentiment for joining the State of Wisconsin, especially around Galena, is shown.

4. INDIAN AFFAIRS - especially Indian Affairs at Chicago - Made up of excerpts from the Journal of the American Congress, 1774-1788, and of many notes regarding Chicago Indian Agents and factories, the number of traders, the licenses issues, the Act of June 30 1834, providing that the Agency at Chicago should be closed Dec. 31st.

Jefferion River, its identity: a river in Missouri flowing into the Mississippi, one of the boundaries used in the description of land ceded to the U.S. by the Sauk and Fox Indians. Blackhawk contended that there was no such river. It was known under various names: Jefferion, Jauflione, Javelot, Geoffrion, etc. Probably it was either the Fabius or the North Two Rivers. Barge has many letters on the subject from George B. Smiley of Whiteside, Missouri, several also discussing old Fort Des Moines, and identifying its location as Montrose, Iowa.

6. LA SALLIER AND STEPHEN MACK: In this connection, the History of Rockton, by Edson I. Carr, is the subject of much correspondence. Stephen Mack's history, and the site of his home at Pecatonica, Illinois, is determined as accurately as possible.

With this collection were the following items that were transferred to the library of the Chicago Historical Society:

1. ILLINOIS PLACE NAMES. - 82 typewritten pages giving an alphabetical list of Illinois Place Names, their derivation, meaning, and authority for statement.

2. STATUTES AFFECTING Chicago - 3 typed booklets.

3. MISCELLANEOUS INDIAN FILES FROM U.S. PENSION OFFICE. (Wisconsin Historical Society) 2 typed booklets.

Note - see also:

AUTOGRAPH LETTER BOOKS, VOL. 59, p. 303; VOL. 66, p. 65; for two letters written 1885, 1886, to A. D. Hager and E. B. Washburne at the Chicago Historical Society.