How Battle Creek got it's name, Battle Creek, Calhoun County, 
Michigan

Copyright © 2000 by Bryan Taylor. This copy contributed for use 
in the MIGenWeb Archives.  

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y/b34201.txt


Michigan Historical Society Records, Vol. 8


The origin of the name of Battle Creek has been in dispute for 
some time,--some persons claiming one thing, and other persons 
claiming something else. Very many people, strangers, suppose from
the above name that a tremendous battle must have taken place at 
or near the city of Battle Creek.


The name originated in the following manner, and I had the story 
from Col. Mullett's own lips. It was in the spring of 1839 that I 
met Col. John Mullett at Bellevue, Eaton county, where he related 
to me the following narrative in relation to the name of the 
stream now called Battle creek:


"In the year 1825 I was employed by the United States government 
to make a survey in Calhoun county, and while making a survey in 
the western portion, our camp was located near a small lake
on, or near, section fourteen, and near the river, in the town of 
Pennfield, and while there we were considerably annoyed by the 
Indians. There seemed to be a few lazy vagabonds among them who
would rather hang around our camp and beg something to eat than to 
obtain it elsewhere. We had given them occasionally, but our stock 
had got so reduced that we were in danger of running[p.214] short 
ourselves. I instructed the two men left in camp to give those 
lazy Indians no more. One day, during the absence of myself and 
two of our men, who were engaged in our duties in the survey, two 
Indians came to our camp and made a demand for some flour and 
other provisions. The two men left in camp informed them that we 
had no more to spare, and that they must seek a boarding place 
elsewhere. The Indians insisted on helping themselves, which soon 
brought things to a focus by way of a fight. There was nobody 
killed, or very much hurt. One of the Indians was knocked down, 
but soon got up and both went away, causing us no more trouble. 
When we surveyors came into camp that night, we had quite a laugh 
over the battle, and when I came to make up my field notes. I 
said: "Boys. what shall we call this stream?" Taylor says,
"Call it Battle Creek," and almost as soon as the words were out 
of his mouth, I put it down Battle Creek, which name it bears to 
the present day."


The city of Battle Creek received its name from the stream which 
was named by Col. Mullett and his companions. -but somebody in 
writing up an account of that terrible battle was somewhat 
mistaken, as there was not a gun fired or used at all during the 
battle.


Note:See appendix.

Several historians, so-called, have written articles about the 
origin of the above name. and some of them claim that the Indian 
name for Battle Creek is Wappokisko. That word may mean Battle 
Creek, or it may mean something else, or it may mean nothing. Col. 
Mullet. if living, resides in Detroit. and the facts about the 
origin of the name can be ascertained. If the Colonel is dead, his 
field notes can be found and examined and the question about this 
great and bloody battle be settled beyond any question.


Description:
The Michigan Pioneer and Historical Society has been an important 
preserver of genealogically significant documents for over a 
century. This database, originally published by the society in
1908, is a collection of important historical documents held by 
the society. It contains the annals of the society in 1885, 
historical sketch of Pontiac's Rebellion, and descriptions of some 
explorers in the Midwest before 1850. Researchers are provided 
important regional historical events and cultural characteristics 
in addition to material regarding Native American antiquities and 
tribal practices. For researchers attempting to better understand 
the history of Michigan, this can be a tremendously informative 
database.


Source Information:
Library of Congress. Pioneering the Upper Midwest: Books from 
Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, ca. 1820-1910. [database on-
line] Washington: Library of Congress, 1999. Michigan State 
Historical Society. Historical Collections. Volume 8. Lansing, MI: 
Wynkoop, Hallenbeck, Crawford Co., 1900-13.