Post by Larry Koschkee on Dec 2, 2002 22:57:04 GMT -5
Actually the subject of this thread was addressed in Robert Braun's thread "Forts of the Western Michigan Territory and I would direct Mr. Chris Gordy's attention to that for aid in his locating the fort...
By the way Chris, if you are reading this thread I encourage you to take note of the stand or "grove" of Bur Oaks to the south of Thomas Wiley's grave monument. Sources state the fort was located in Wiley's Grove. Remanents of this grove maybe in tact today. Only trunk borings for ring counts will tell. At any rate the savannah or oak opening landscape at the site is breath taking.
I started this thread to contrast the thread, "Funk's Fort in Jo Daviess County," under this same section of the message board. Although my main point of discussion would be more appropriately addressed elsewhere, I hope the moderators will indulge me here.
My main point is... Funk's Fort was never located in Jo Daviess County. An excelent example of the confusion surrounding the exact boundary between the Illinois and Michigan Territory was previously stated in "Forts of the Western Michigan Territory... R. H. MAGOON'S MEMOIR'S.
The root cause of the boundary confusion was the result of some political chicanery and conjured treatment of the 1787 Northwest Ordinance boundaries.
When Indiana had been admitted as a state in 1816, it succeeded in moving its northern boundary ten miles north of the 1787 Northwest Ordinance established boundary which was an east and west line drawn at the southern extreme of Lake Michigan.
Two years later, the Illinois delegate in Congress, Nathaniel Pope, succeeded in moving the Illinois boundary about fifty miles farther than Indiana's, placing it at 42 degrees 30 feet north latitude. Neither Congress nor residents in the two deprived areas, Michigan and Wisconsin, immediately protested the violations of the boundary provisions laid down in the Ordinance of 1787... (They were asleep at the wheel)
Bitter resentment over the sneak atacks developed, and demands were raised for restoration of the true boundairies or adequate compensation for the territorial losses.
Today the Illinois and Wisconsin boundary is at 42 degrees 30 feet north latitude. In 1818 any competent individual utilizing a sextant could have easily determined an accuate boundary line. Stephen Long's Expedition traveling overland in the year 1823 from Fort Dearborn to Fort Crawford used the sextant successfully to navigate through the area.
Lucius Lyon, U. S. Surveyor ended the boundary confusion in 1831 forcing Illinois to retreat from its excision of land.
Larry K
By the way Chris, if you are reading this thread I encourage you to take note of the stand or "grove" of Bur Oaks to the south of Thomas Wiley's grave monument. Sources state the fort was located in Wiley's Grove. Remanents of this grove maybe in tact today. Only trunk borings for ring counts will tell. At any rate the savannah or oak opening landscape at the site is breath taking.
I started this thread to contrast the thread, "Funk's Fort in Jo Daviess County," under this same section of the message board. Although my main point of discussion would be more appropriately addressed elsewhere, I hope the moderators will indulge me here.
My main point is... Funk's Fort was never located in Jo Daviess County. An excelent example of the confusion surrounding the exact boundary between the Illinois and Michigan Territory was previously stated in "Forts of the Western Michigan Territory... R. H. MAGOON'S MEMOIR'S.
The root cause of the boundary confusion was the result of some political chicanery and conjured treatment of the 1787 Northwest Ordinance boundaries.
When Indiana had been admitted as a state in 1816, it succeeded in moving its northern boundary ten miles north of the 1787 Northwest Ordinance established boundary which was an east and west line drawn at the southern extreme of Lake Michigan.
Two years later, the Illinois delegate in Congress, Nathaniel Pope, succeeded in moving the Illinois boundary about fifty miles farther than Indiana's, placing it at 42 degrees 30 feet north latitude. Neither Congress nor residents in the two deprived areas, Michigan and Wisconsin, immediately protested the violations of the boundary provisions laid down in the Ordinance of 1787... (They were asleep at the wheel)
Bitter resentment over the sneak atacks developed, and demands were raised for restoration of the true boundairies or adequate compensation for the territorial losses.
Today the Illinois and Wisconsin boundary is at 42 degrees 30 feet north latitude. In 1818 any competent individual utilizing a sextant could have easily determined an accuate boundary line. Stephen Long's Expedition traveling overland in the year 1823 from Fort Dearborn to Fort Crawford used the sextant successfully to navigate through the area.
Lucius Lyon, U. S. Surveyor ended the boundary confusion in 1831 forcing Illinois to retreat from its excision of land.
Larry K