Biographical and Pictorial History of Arkansas, Chapter IV

***********************************************************
Submitted by: Joy fisher < >
        Date: 14 Dec 2007
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
***********************************************************

BIOGRAPHICAL AND PICTORIAL HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.
BY JOHN HALLUM.
VOL. I.
ALBANY: WEED, PARSON'S AND COMPANY, PRINTERS.
1887.

Entered according to act of Congress in the year eighteen hundred and eighty-seven,
BY JOHN HALLUM, 
In the office of the Librarian of Congress at Washington.


BIOGRAPHICAL AND PICTORIAL
HISTORY OF ARKANSAS.

HISTORICAL.

CHAPTER IV.
INDIAN OCCUPANCY AND EXTINGUISHMENT OF THEIR TITLE.

THAT once numerous and powerful tribe of Indians known as the Osages once
inhabited and claimed dominion over a very large area of country, extending from
the Missouri river to Red river, Louisiana, and embracing the greater portions
of Missouri and Arkansas. The Quawpaw tribe of Indians, also once powerful and
numerous, inhabited central and western Arkansas, and claimed title to the soil.
The Choctaws and Cherokees, also once powerful tribes, inhabited and claimed a
large part of western Arkansas, after their removal from Alabama, Georgia,
Tennessee and Mississippi. But the Osages and Quawpaws were the original
occupants. These Indian titles were, at various times and in virtue of various
treaties with the Indians, finally extinguished.

  On the 10th of November, 1808, at Fort Clark on the Missouri river, the Great
  and the Little Osages by treaty established the boundary line between them and
  the United States, and ceded to the latter all that region of country lying east
  of a line run south from Fort Clark to the Arkansas river, and thence down said
  river to its confluence with the Mississippi river. And by treaty in 1818 the
  Osages ceded to the United States the greater portion of their lands west of the
  line above mentioned.

  In August, 1818, the Quawpaws by treaty ceded to the United States all the lands
  within the following boundaries: "Beginning at the mouth of the Arkansas river,
  thence extending up the Arkansas to the Canadian fork, and up the Canadian fork
  to its source; thence south to Big Red river, and down the middle of that river
  to the Big Raft, thence a direct line to strike the Mississippi river thirty
  leagues in a straight line below the mouth of the Arkansas. Excepting, however,
  from this area the following reservation: Beginning at a point in Arkansas
  river, opposite the present Post of Arkansas, and running thence a due south-
  west course to the Washita river (Ouichita), thence up that river to the Saline
  fork to a point from whence a due north course would strike the Arkansas river
  at the Little Hock, thence down the right bank of the Arkansas to the
  beginning." I am told the western boundary line of this reservation runs with
  Rock street in Little Rock, and is "the Quawpaw line" so often referred to in
  surveys, conveyances and legal proceedings.

  In November, 1824, the United States, represented by their agent, Robert
  Crittenden, entered into a treaty at Harrington's, Arkansas, with the Quawpaws,
  by which they ceded the above-described reservation to the United States, and
  thus extinguished their title to that part of Arkansas territory.

  On the 20th of October, 1820, the Choctaws ceded to the United States all their
  claim to lands lying within the present territorial limits of Arkansas.

  On the 6th of May, 1828, the Cherokees by treaty agreed to the present western
  boundary of Arkansas and ceded to the United States all their title to lands
  within the limits of Arkansas.

  On the 25th of September, 1825, at St. Louis, Missouri, the Great and Little
  Osages entered into a treaty with the United States, represented by Governor
  Clark of Missouri, by which their title to lands in Missouri and Arkansas was
  forever extinguished.

  By that treaty they ceded the following lands: " Beginning at the Arkansas river
  where the Osage boundary line strikes it at the mouth of Frog Bayou [in the
  county of Franklin] thence up the Arkansas and Verdigris to the falls of the
  Verdigris river; thence east to the Osage line at a point twenty leagues from
  Arkansas river; and with that line to the beginning."

  Thus Indian titles became finally extinguished to the territory of Arkansas.

  On the 26th of May, 1824, the western boundary line of Arkansas was established
  by act of congress, and on the 19th of May, 1828, congress passed an act
  authorizing the line between Louisiana and Arkansas to be run and established.