Abstract: The 'Illinois' entry from Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico, edited by Frederick Webb Hodge (Smithsonian Institution, Bureau of American Ethnology Bulletin 30. GPO: 1910.)Authors: James Mooney and Cyrus Thomas, both of the Bureau of American Ethnology.
See also: Lee Sultzman's Compact History of the Illinois at
<<http://www.dickshovel.com/ill.html>>Transcriber's note: One apparent error in this document must be noted. The authors conclude that the "great sea in the far W." was an erroneous reference to the Mississippi River. Modern research argues very persuasively that the great sea far to the west was, in fact the Pacific Ocean. About 3800 to 3400 years ago Proto-Algonquian people are thought to have migrated from the Columbia River Plateau of the Pacific Northwest to the Midwest. From here the Proto-Algonquian people split up into the 11 Central Algonquian speaking people and the Proto-Eastern Algonquian group which subsequently split up into the Eastern Algonquian speaking people. See J. Peter Denny, "The Algonquian Migration from the Plateau to Midwest: Linguistics and Archeology," in Papers of the Twenty-Second Algonquian Conference, William Cowan, ed. (Algonquian Conference: Chicago, 1990)
Illinois (Iliniwek, from ilini 'man', iw 'is', ek plural termination, changed by the French to ois). A confederacy of Algonquian tribes, formerly occupying s Wisconsin, N. Illinois, and sections of Iowa and Missouri, comprising the Cahokia, Kaskaskia, Michigamea, Moingwena, Peoria, and Tamaroa.
The Jesuit Relation for 1660 represents them as living sw. of Green bay, Wis. in 60 villages, and gives an extravagant estimate of the population, 20,000 men, or 70,000 souls. The statement in the Jesuit Relations that they came from the border of a great sea in the far W. arose no doubt (as Tailhan suggests), from a misunderstanding of the term "great water," given by the Indians, which in fact referred to the Mississippi. Their exact location when first heard of by the whites can not be determined with certainty, as the tribes and bends were more or less scattered over as Wisconsin, N. Illinois, and along the w. bank of the Mississippi as for s as Des Moines r., Iowa. The whites first came in actual contact with them (unless it be true that Nicollet visited them) at La Pointe (Shaugawaumikong), where Allouez met a part in 1667, which was visiting that point for purposes of trade. In 1670 the priest found a number of them at the Mascoutin village on upper Fox r. some 9 m. from where Portage City now stands, but this band then contemplated joining their brethren on the Mississippi. The conflicting statements regarding the number of their villages at this period and the indefiniteness as to localities render it difficult to reach a satisfactory conclusion on these points. It appears that some villages were situated on the w. side of the Mississippi, in what is now Iowa, yet the major portion of the tribes belonged to the confederacy resided at points in n. IL, chiefly in the Illinois r. When Marquette journeyed down the Mississippi in 1667 w. he found the Peoria and the Moingwena on the w. side, about the mouth of the Des Moines r. On his return, 2 months later, he found them on the Illinois r. , near the present city of Peoria. Thence he passed N. to the village of Kaskaskia, the on upper Illinois r., within the present La Salle co. At this time the village consisted of 74 cabins and was occupied by one tribe only. Hennepin estimated them, about 1680, at 400 houses and 1,800 warriors, or about 6,500 souls. A few years later (1690-94) missionaries reported it to consist of 350 cabins, occupied by 8 tribes or bands. Father Sébastian Rasles, who visited the village in 1692, placed the number of cabins at 300, each of 4 "fires," with 2 families to a fire, indicating a population of about 9,000 -- perhaps an excessive estimate. The evidence, however, indicates that a large part of the confederacy was gathered at this point for awhile. The Kaskaskia at this time were in somewhat intimate relation with the Peoria, since Gravier, who returned to their village in 1700, says he found them preparing to start s. and believed that if he could have arrived sooner "the Kaskaskia would not have separated from the Peouaroua [Peoria] and other Illinois." By his persuasion they were induced to stop in s Illinois at the point to which their name was given. The Cahokia and Tamaroa were at this time living at their historic seats on the Mississippi in s Illinois. The Illinois were almost constantly harassed by the Sioux, Foxes, and other northern tribes; it was probably on this account that they concentrated, about the time of LaSalle's visit, on the Illinois r. About the same time the Iroquois waged war against them, which lasted several years and greatly reduced their numbers, while liquor obtained from the French tended still further to weaken them. About the year 1750 they were still estimated at from 1,500 to 2,000 souls. The murder of the celebrated chief Pontiac, by a Kaskaskia Indian, about 1769, provoked the vengeance of the Lake tribes on the Illinois, and a war of extermination was begun which, in a few years, reduced them to a mere handful, who took refuge with the French settlers at Kaskaskia while the Sauk, Foxes, Kickapoo, and Potawatomi took possession of their country. In 1778 the Kaskaskia still numbered 210, living in a village 3 m. N. of Kaskaskia , while the Peoria and Michigamea together numbered 170 on the Mississippi, a few miles farther up. Both bands had become demoralized and generally worthless through the use of liquor. In 1800 there were only about 150 left. In 1833 the survivors, represented by the Kaskaskia and Peoria, sold their lands in Illinois and removed w. of the Mississippi, and are now in the N.W. corner of OK, consolidated with the Wea and Piankashaw. In 1885 the consolidated Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea, and Piankashaw numbered but 149, and even these are much mixed with white blood. In 1900 their number was 195. Nothing definite is known of their tribal divisions or clans. In 1736, according to Chauvignerie (N. Y. Doc. Col. Hist., IX, 1056, 1855), the totem of the Kaskaskia was a feather of an arrow, notched, or two arrows fixed like a St. Andrew's cross; while the Illinois as a whole had the crane, bear, white hind, fork, and tortoise totem.In addition the principal tribes or divisions above mentioned, the following are given to the Illinois: Albivi, Amonokoa, Chepoussa, Chinko, Coiracoentanon, EspeminkIa, and Tapouara. In general their villages for the names of the tribes occupying them, and were constantly varying in number and shifting in location. The Illinois are described by early writers as tall and robust, with pleasant visages. The descriptions of their character given by the early missionaries differ widely, but altogether they appear to have been timid, easily driven from their homes by their enemies, fickle and treacherous. They were counted excellent archers, and, besides the bow, used in war a kind of lance and wooden club. Polygamy was common among them, a man sometimes taking several sisters as wives. Unfaithfulness of a wife was punished, as among the Miami, the Sioux, the Apache, and other tribes, by cutting of the nose of the offending woman, and as the men were very jealous, this punishment was often inflicted on mere suspicion. It was not the custom of the Illinois, at the time the whites first became acquainted with them, to bury their dead. The body was wrapped in skins and attached by the feet and head to trees. There is reason, however, to believe, from discoveries that have been made in mounds and ancient graves, which appear to be attributable to some of the Illinois tribes, that the skeletons, after the flesh had rotted away, were buried, often in rude stone sepulchers. Prisoners of war were usually sold to other tribes.
According to Hennepin, the cabins of the more northernly tribes were made like long arbors and covered with double mats of flat flags or rushes, so well sewed that they were never penetrated by wind, snow, or rain. To each cabin were 4 or 5 fires, and to each fire 2 families, indicating that each dwelling housed some 8 or 10 families. Their towns were not inclosed.
The villages of the confederacy noted in history are Cahokia (mission), Immaculate Conception (mission), Kaskaskia , Matchinkoa, Moingwena, Peoria, and Pimitoui.
(J.M C.T.)
Abimiouec. -- Doc. Of 1660 in Margry, Dec., I, 54, 1875 (b=l). Babimi8ec. -- Jes. Rel. 1660, 12, 1858 (b=l). Alimouek. -- Ibid., 1667, 21. Alimouk. -- Ibid., III, index, 1858. Aliniouek. -- Ibid., 1658, 21. Alini8ek. -- Ibid., 1660, 12 (correction in errata). Alinouecks. -- Coxe, Carolana, 19, 1741. Allinouecks. -- Ibid., 49. Chicktaghicks. -- Colden (1727), Five Nations, 30, 1747 (Iroquois name). Chictaghicks. -- Smith in WillIaMississippi, Vermont, I, 501, 1809. Chigtaghcicks. -- Colden, op.cit., 31. Chiktachicks. -- Homann, map, 1756. Eriniouai. -- Jes. Rel. 1640, 35, 1858. Eriniwek. -- Ibid., III, index, 1858. Geghdagegbroano. -- Post (1758) in Proud, Pa., II, app., 113, 1798. Geghtigeghroones. -- Canajoharie conf. (1759) in N.Y. Doc. Col. Hist., VII, 384, 1856. Hilini. -- Brinton, Lenape Leg., 213, 1885. Hiliniki. -- Rafinesque, Am. Naitons, I, 139, 1836 (Delaware name). Ilimouek. -- Jes Rel. 1670, 101, 1858. Iline. -- Hervas (1785) in Vater, Mith., pt. 3, sec. 3. 347, 1816 (ItalIan form.) Ilinese. -- La Hontan, New Voy., I, 21y, 1703. Ilinesen. -- Walch, map, 1805 (German form). Ilimouek. -- Jes. Rel. 1667, 18, 1858. Ilinois. -- Ibid., 1670, 86. Ilinese. -- La Hontan, New Voy., I, 217, 1703. Ilinesen. -- Walch, map, 1805 (German form). Ihnioüek. -- Jes. Rel. 1667, 18, 1858. Ilinois. -- Ibid., 1670, 86. Ilinoüets. -- Ibid., 1670, 92. Ilinoüetz. -- Ibid., 101. Ilionois. -- Proud, Pa., II, 296. 1798. Illenois. -- Morse, North Am. Map, 1776. Illenonecks. -- Ibid., 255. Illicoueck. -- Coxe, Carlana, 17, 1741. Illimoüec. -- Jes. Rel. 1667, 21, 1858. Illinese. -- Hennepin, Cont. Of New Discov., 88, 1698. Illinesen. --Vater, Mith., pt. 3, sec, 3, 341, 1816 (German form). Il-li-ni. -- Hough in IndIana Geol. Rep., map, 1883. Illiniens. -- Hennepin, op. Cit. 45b. Illiniwek. -- Shea. Cath. Miss., 348, 1855. IlinoIas. -- Niles (1761?) In Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., 4th s, v. 541, 1861. Illinois. -- Prise de Possession (1671) in Margry, Déc., I, 96, 1875. Illinoix. -- Brackenridge, La., 132, 1815. Illinonecks. -- Morse, North Am.., 255, 1798. Illinomeeks. -- Doc of 1719 in N.C. Rec., II, 351, 1886. Illinouecks. -- Coxe, Carolana, 49, 1741. Illonese. -- Schermerhorn (1812) in Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., 2ds, II, 3, 1814. Illonois. -- Campbell (1761), ibid., 4ths, IX, 423, 1871. Illuni. -- Allouez (1665) quoted by RaMississippiey in Ind. Aff. Rep., 71, 1850. Irinions. -- Jes. Rel. 1642, 97, 1858. Isle aux Noix. -- Lapham. Ind's of Wis., 4, 1870 ('Walnut island': a form used by some author who probably mistook Illinois for a corrupted French word). Islinois. -- La Salle (1680) in Margry, Déc., II, 33, 1877. Kichtages. -- Maryland treaty (1682) in N. Y. Doc. Col. Hist., III, 325, 1853. Kicktages. -- Albany conf. (1726), ibid., V, 791, 1855. Kighetawigh Roanu. -- Dobbs, Hudson Bay, 28, 1744 (Iroquois name). Kightages. -- Livingston (1720) in N.Y. Doc. Col. Hist., v. 567, 1855. Lazars. -- Croghan (1759) in Rupp. West. Pa., 146, 1846. Lezar. -- Croghan quoted by Jefferson, Notes, 145, 1825 (probably the Illinois). Liniouok. -- Jes. Rel. 1656, 39, 1858. Linneways. -- Brice, Fr. Wayne, 121, 1868. Linways. -- Croghan, op. cit. Minneways. -- Brice, Ft. Wayne, 121, 1868. Ondataouatouat. -- Potier Mississippi cited in Charlevoix, New France, II, 270, note, 1866) first applied by the Wyandot tot eh Ottawas, afterward to the Illinoislinois). Wilinis. -- Proud, Pa., II, 296, 1798. Witishaxtánu. -- Gatschet, Wyandot Mississippi., B.A.E. 1881(from Ushaxtáno, 'Illinois r.,'Huron name for the Peoria, Kaskaskia, Wea and Piankashaw).
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