Early History of Lake Maxinkuckee - Chief Nees-wau-gee  

Nees-wau-gee was a ciehf over a village which was located a ew yards north of the present residence of Peter Spangler

The log cabin in which he lived was built in 1828 by Mr. M. H. Scott, late of -, Illinois, who owned a summer cottage on the east shore near the residence of Judge John Mitchell, and who died a year or so ago. It is fortunate that we are able to correctly locate this log house, the first dwelling erected on the lake. The field notes on file in the surveyor's office at Plymouth give the following information to regard of it:

Commencing at the southwest corner of section 22, township 32 north, range 1 east of second principal meridian, thence north 40 chains and 46 links, Nees-wau-gee house 5 chains east, and set quarter section corner which is in center of publice road running east and west.

Therefore, starting from the southeast corner of section 22 in the center of the Maxinkuckee road running east and west and measuring 20 rods east, then two rods north to the exact spot where Ness-wau-gee's cabin stood.
The place has been marked so that thos who may have curiosity in that direction my have no trouble finding it.


In 1836 Nees-wau-gee entered into a treaty cedeing his land west of the MIssouri river within two years. The residence which he occupied was an unpretentious log cabin, while his little band of about two hundred occcupied log cabins or wigwams built of poles and bark.

Nees-wau-gee was a quiet and peaceable citizen chief, and made friends with all the white settlers round about who had come in the year or two prior to his leaving. Before the time came for him to leave, he determined to go peaceable as he had agreed he would. The day before he started he sent word to all the white settles to come to his village as he wished to bid them farewell. A large number assembled, and trhough an interpreter he said substantially as follws:

"My white brethern - I have called you here to bid you farewell. Myself and my band start at sunrisse tomorrow to remove to an unknown country the Government of the United States has provided for us west of the MIssouri RIver. I have sold my lands to the Government and we have agreed to leave within two years. That time will soon expire, and according to the agrrement we have made we must leave you and the scenes near and dear to us all. The Government has treated us fairly, and it is our duty to live up to that contract by doing as we agreed, and so we must go. The white settlers here have been good and kind to us, and it leaving them it seems like severing the ties of our own kindred and firend. We go waya and may never return, but whatevever we may be, whereever in life our lot may be cast, we shall always remember you with feelings of respect and esteem. Farwell."

Yhe old chie was visibly affected and tears were seen to flow from his eyes. All the people present took him by the hand and bade him a final adieu, as well as most of the members of his band.

Early the next morning, with their personal effects packed on their ponies, they marched away in single file, following the Indiana trail along the east shore to the south end of Makinkuckee Lake, thence southward to Ke-wan-na, whre they joined the other bands and immediately proceeded on their long and wearisone journey.

Nees-wau-gee was a good indian, and Captain Crook is to be commended for perpetuating his memory for naming his new and elegant double-deck steamer in his honor.

It would be most approriate if the public road now known as Maxinkuckee road, leading down to the lake, on which his cabin and village were located, was called Nees-wau-gee avenue.