Early History of Lake Maxinkuckee - Removal of the Indians  

Mr. Moses H. Scott, whose cottage was on the east shore of the lake, in a conversation a year or more ago, waid that he had the contract for the building of the cabins for Nees-wau-gee and Quash-qua, and that they were erected in 1828-32.

He also participated in the removal of the lage bands of Indians that were taken away in 1837. In peaking of he said:

"The party who removed the Indians consisted of Col. Abel C. Pepper, of RIsing SUn, Indiana, Louis H. Sands, John B. Duret and myself. We went from Logansport to the Indian village near South Bend, where we collected the. There were about 500 removed, most of whom were under Chief Top-in-e-bee. We wished to remove Chief Po-ka-gon and his tribe also, but he refused to go and obtained permission from the Government to remove his tribe to Saginaw, Michigan. We took the 500 Indians to Chicago. Our instructions were to get them to Kansas if possible; otherwise to Council Bluffs. At a cons ultation held at Chicago 200 agredd to go to Kansas, and I took them there. Sands took the others to Council Bluffs. We had no military organization whatever."

The largest removal of Indians from this part of the country that occured during the removal period took place from Me-no-mi-nee village, five miles north of Maxinkuckee, at Twin Lakes, September 2, 1838. A dispute having arisen in regard to the terms of the treaty, the indians refused to go.

Under authoroity of the Government Gen. John Topton, of Logansport, recurited a company of soldiers and marched to the village. They were a few days gatherinf in the stragglers from the surrounding villiages and making preparations for the jounrey.

When all was ready the caravan consisted of 859 Indians, squaws, papooses, etc., the old and the young, the lame, the lakt and the blind. It was a sorry procession, the details of which it were better to leave untold, stating only that 150 persons were lost on the whole way, 102 by death.

What amount of suffering fell to the lot of these poor Indians every day on this horrible journey it is well never will be known. HUndreds of them were daily burning with terrible malarious fever so universally prevealent during the warm part of 1838. These hundred were crowded into common rough wagons and compelled to bear the downpouring rays of a sultry sun and the only beverage to quench the prevailing thiest dipped from some mud stream just drying up. The food was composed of beef and flour cooked as might be while encamped for the night.

Alas, how these poor little dusky infants must have suffered> No wonder that their graves marked the dail journeys. This was the only removal in the United States where force was used by the Government, and mention of it is made here because it occured in sight of the beautiful lake.