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Battle of Fort Dearborn


Built by Americans in 1803 in what is present day Chicago, Fort Dearborn was constructed in response to the events of the Northwest Indian War (1785-1795). Its presence served as the primary American stronghold in Great Lakes territories illegally ceded to the U.S. by Great Britain. As the War of 1812 was underway, the Potawatomi, led by Segnak, Nuscotomek, and …

Battle of the Monongahela


The Battle of the Monongahela was one of the first major conflicts and victories for the Native-French alliance during the French and Indian War. It took place at the forks of the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers, near present-day Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. It is said that a Potawatomi warrior dreamt and foresaw the battle. Using the dream as a battle plan, the …

Battle of the Thames


With the U.S. Navy gaining control of Lake Erie and cutting of British supply lines from Canada, British Major General Henry Proctor was forced to abandon Detroit and flee north to Amherstburg, Ontario in an attempt defend Fort Malden. Camped near Fort Malden were hundreds of allied Native warriors and their families. Outnumbered three to one, Shawnee leader Tecumseh, Potawatomi …

Battle of Tippecanoe


In an effort to weaken the Nativist movement led by Tenskwatawa “The Shawnee Prophet”, his brother and warrior Tecumseh, and their field general, Potawatomi Wabeno Main Poc, Indiana Territorial Governor William Henry Harrison and nearly one thousand troops marched on the Nativist capital known as Prophetstown. Intercepting the troops and mounting a defensive counter attack were hundreds of Native warriors, …

Battle(s) of Frenchtown


The battle(s) of Frenchtown were a succession of conflicts, within the War of 1812, fought between the Native-British alliance and the United States. The first Battle of Frenchtown, fought on January 18, 1813, was a U.S. victory led by Lieutenant Colonel William Lewis. Upon receiving the message that Frenchtown had been recaptured by the Americans, British Brigadier General Henry Proctor …

Bbon [Winter]


Bbon was a challenging time for Great Lakes tribes. Small families moved into the forest seeking shelter from the snow and cold. As resources declined, food that had been collected from the previous month’s hunts, harvests and gatherings were shared. To supplement winter supplies, Potawatomi ice fished, hunted and trapped small game. Meats and fish smoked and dried earlier were …

Beaubien Family


The Beaubien family’s roots in North America begin with fur trader Bertrand Farfard Suier de La Frambois. He married Marie Sedilot in Three Rivers, Canada, on Dec. 20, 1640. Together, they had a son named Jean Baptiste. The family moved from Quebec to Vermont and New York. Jean wed Francois Marchand, and their son Jean Baptiste LaFrombois III married Genevieve …

Beaubien, Jean Baptiste


Born in Detroit, Michigan, Jean Baptiste Beaubien was a well-known trader in the country around Lake Michigan. He gained experienced in trading and an education from noted Michigan trader William Bailly. By 1800, Jean had established his own lucrative trading house in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. This would be the first of many around the Milwaukee and Green Bay regions. It was …

Beaubien, Madore B.


Madore Beaubien was the son of Jean Baptiste Beaubien who moved the Chicago area in 1816, after the Battle of Fort Dearborn. Jean Baptiste was a well-known fur trader, learning the business from Joseph Bailly. He married Mahnawbunokwe, the daughter of respected warrior and leader Shabbone, and had two children: Charles Henry and Madore. He then married Josette LaFromboise, daughter …

Beaver Wars


Seeking to expand their range and broker the thriving fur trade, the Dutch-supported Iroquois engaged in one of the earliest and longest territorial conflicts with the French-allied confederated Algonquin nations. Hoping to dominate the lucrative market, the Iroquois sought to leverage their European trade relationships into territorial expansion. Armed with British and Dutch weapons, they disrupted French trade and seized …