Stephen Mack's Role

[Greg Carter]

I was once told that Stephen Mack, the first white settler in Winnebago County, Illinois was a scout for General Atkinson during the Sauk War.

Edson Carr's account of the history of Rockton, published in 1898, makes a point to discuss this rumor.

Mr. Carr's account states that when a plot to take Mr. Mack's life was discovered, he was secreted on an uninhabited island at the intersection of the Pecatonica and Rock Rivers by his Indian wife Ho-No-Ne-Gah (not far from present-day Rockton) and he hid there for thd duration of the conflict.

He did not serve the military forces in any capacity.

GMC

[[e-mail]]

In Whitney's Vol II ,Page1050-1051,The Blackhawk War, The letter from Gideon Low to Winfield Scott a mention of a Mr Mack is made. And on Page 583 is an extract from a letter to his sister stating that he has come back from an expedition against the Sauk Indians. The letter dated Chicago, June 13,1832. It is true he was not with Gen. Atkinson at the time but he states he may leave with Gen. J.R. Williams who is at Chicago during this time. He is also listed as a Sergeant in the company roll of Captain John S. C. Hogan that was mustered in at Fort Dearborn.

[howitzer]

I noticed while reading through my copy of Atkinson's biography that a reference was made about Stephen Mack being involved in the campaign around the Wisconsin River. Mention was made by Dodge that Mr. Mack was also married to a relative of Whirling Thunder (Hononegah's father) and was granted access to tribes in Wisconsin and had the ability to convince the Winnebagos to move south of the Wisconsin and out of harm's way.

Incidentally, there were two Stephen Macks, Sr. and Jr. It was Jr. who was running the trading post at the time of the Black Hawk War. He left the original post after it was destroyed by Indians, went to the Chicago area, and then returned to the area initially with the Fifth Regiment out of Dearborn and was assigned under Eustis's command. According to Whitney, he is listed on the muster roles under Eustis as well.

[Greg Carter]

That may be a good point about Stephen Mack Jr. I will have to do some more checking into it. From what I have read, the same Mack who owned the trading post at the Grand Detour was the one who was married to Hononegah. It is written in the History of Rockton that Stephen Mack didn't have children until after the war was over. It also tells that Stephen Mack moved to the area independently of his father, who was born in the mid-1700's. I don't remember if the elder Mack was also named Stephen or not. Carr's book makes it very plain that Stephen Mack didn't make many native friends when he ran his trading post, and from the book's description, I am led to believe that he did not make many more friends when he (The S. Mack of Rockton fame) married Hononegah, and that some of the Winnebago and even a few Potowotomi had threatened his life and had made known their plans to kill him and blame the whole mess on Black Hawk (similar circumstances to Indian Creek) to Hononegah's sister, who gave warning to Hononegah to hide Mack from them. Could it be possible that there were two different and independent Stephen Macks?

GMC

[Greg Carter]

Since the last posting on this thread was made I did some looking up to see what I could find out. My findings are as follows-

1. Stephen Mack Sr. was dead in 1832. He was a resident of Detroit, MI.
2. Stephen Mack Jr. is the Mack of Rockton fame who married Hononegah.
3. Mack was mustered into service as a sergeant in J. Logan's Company.

Further-
The trading post operated at the Grand Detour of the Rock River was opened by Pierre LaSaliere in 1810, and taken over by Mack in 1822. At the time, LaSaliere was believed to be 77 years of age. Mack was issued trading licenses on Oct 20, 1823; Sept 6, 1824 and October 5, 1826. It was in 1827 that the Potowotomies planned to kill him en route to Chicago for supplies. Mack and Hononegah moved to the Winnebago Village at Bird's Grove and opened a trading post there in 1829. The site of the Bird's Grove village and trading post, located where Dry Run Creek meets the Rock River, is now within the confines of the Hononegah Forest Preserve.

GMC

[Greg Carter]

Stephen Mack kept up correspondence with his sister in Detroit throughout the Sauk War. Two letters survive from the time period, and are currently preserved by the Rockton Township Historical Society. His sister was Mrs. Lovicy Cooper of Detroit, MI)

Chicago, May 30th 1832

Dear Sister,

I am happy in having an opportunity of informing you and the rest of my relatives at Detroit and Pontiac that I am still alive and well. We are at war of present with the sack indians-

I left my wintering ground and trading station on 9th inst. and as I left it the sacks took possession of my house but were prevented from injuring me or my men by the Winnebago Indians who claimed me as their friend and trader-

Immediately on my arrival at this place I joined with inhabitants of this place took up arms and garrisoned Fort Dearbourn and we have been able by that means to afford protection to all of the inhabitant of the surrounding country that could get in in sason but I am sorry to say that our force was to small to enable us to go to the assistance of such as could not get in in season to save themselves. And in consequence three families consisting of 14 persons were killed and several houses burned, after being reinforced by those who got in from the outer settlement. we went out in pursuit of the murderers but could not find them and after burying the dead we came back to wait for reinforcements to enable us to fight our way through to the main army (which was last heard from near my trading post on Rocky River) and assist in punishing the marauders. I have not time to write more at present but shall write again as soon as our little war is over and we are permitted to resume our peaceful occupations. Give my love to our dear mother and brothers and sisters and oblige. Your loving Brother

Stephen Mack

[Greg Carter]

Chicago June 13th 1832

Dear Sister,

Your [letter?] of the 6th is just received and I am happy to learn from it that your and your family enjoy good health, but I am extremely sorry that your brother Almon does not enjoy the same. I shall not be in Detroit this summer.

I have been on an expedition against the Sack Indians since my last letter. But we could not find them where we expected and were obliged to return and wait for reinforcements to enable us to penetrate farther into the country-

General Atkinson will be on the move again in a few days and General JR Williams (now at this place) will probably join move on to his assistance. In that case I shall join him with a few volunteers (mounted rifle men) from this place-

You need to be under no apprehension on my account for I can assure you that all of the accounts that you receive from the seat of war are greatly exagerated- It is really amusing to we who see all the operations and know perhaps better than almost any one the real danger. To read the account of massacres of the enemy never thought of by them and of battles never fought- and then to sit down and listed to the remarks of the new yankees who have lately emigrated to this country and would think that Napoleon Bonaparte had risen from the grave and presented himself in the person of the Black Hawk and that the spirit of his millions of heros were concentrated in the 500-600 warriors led by that chief-

I by no means wish to understate our enemies they are brave and subtle. And it may be dangerous to encounter them without an overwhelming force. But I can by no means approve of the tardy operations of our chief officers for it gives time to the nimble footed Indian to ravage our frontier settlements and bathe their hands in blood of helpless women- and unsuspecting infants- had more prompt measures been pursued in the commencement I have no doubt but many lives would have been spared and we should have been at this moment in the full enjoyment of peace- Give my love to all our frients and believe me your ever loving brother.

Stephen Mack

[Greg Carter]

You know, it just occurred to me that if this account is true, then the Sauk were the first to make a hostile action during the Sauk War, not the whites.

GMC

[Robert Braun]

Interesting... it may come down to a philosophical disucssion on what constituted a war-like act.

The burning of Prophet's Town? The tearing down of Gratiot's truce flag by BH's warriors? Or the "invasion" of Illinois by about 4-500 well-armed and mounted Sauk, Fox and Kickapoo warriors?

Thoughts from board participants?

[Greg Carter]

Very good point Bob. Definitely a fine example of rhetoric at its best.

GMC

[Chris Gordy]

Bob,
The philosophical question of "what constitutes a war-like act" hits the heart of this war. So what does constitute a war-like act? For us it is indeed the pushing of warriors across the Mississippi River and into Illinois. Not to mention all of the aftermath that insued. For the natives the answer is obviously going to be different for this war. However, in their eyes it is going to be the same. It is this extreme cultural difference which not only gives you varied answers but is also the underlying root of the war.
It is a complitcated spectrum of entangled cultures that have clashed for the reason of 'land', or maybe even more importantly, 'honor'. Even the reasons behind wanting the land is going to vary between the two cultures. At this point, anything intruding or impeding on either side is going to constitute a war-like act.
One can talk forever about who was here first, or who invaded whom. But that one philosophical question is, if I may be technical, a 'doozie'.

[Larry Koschkee]

While doing research work on the "Hall Sisters" that were captured in BHW Stephen Mack's name came up in a Indian Treaty. A Pottawatomie, Chippewa or Ottawa Treaty, September 6, 1833... Articles of treaty made at Chicago, in the State of Illinois.

Mack was dead when the treaty was negotiated because Article 3d, Schedule A called for payment to his heirs.

Stephen Mack - wife Hoo-No-ni-gah
children - Rosa and Mary $600

Stephen Mack, in trust for the heirs of Stephen Mack, dec'd $500

What was Mack's demise?

[Greg Carter]

Larry,

I have read the treaty information you posted also and I am confused with it, to tell the truth. Stephen Mack didn't die until 1843 or 1844 as I recall. He build a frame house and trading post near present-day Rockton that are still standing, and the date on the house was 1834. The stone trading post was completed in 1841.

As I am aware he died of complications of aging, but I will check my Rockton history and see what the cause was. Carr's history was written when several of Mack's friends were still living and the accounts of his last days are pretty well written if I remember correctly.

GMC

[Larry Koschkee]

Greg,

This is a very curious set of circumstances, indeed. Several things that were mentioned in this thread have got me pondering about the payment set up for Stephen Mack, in trust for the heirs of Stephen Mack, dec'd $500. I was all set to fire off a bunch of "what ifs" and "why for" but decided some lawyer type individual created the language in the Treaty, therefore, it might take one of the same to interpret it.

Thanks for the response.

Larry K.

[Greg Carter]

Just for info, I submitted a new article on Stephen Mack to the OLRHS secretary for posting on the main website.

GMC