From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Senachwine
Senachwine
Senachwine and retained his several wives. After Wigby’s death, he
was buried on a high bluff overlooking Senachwine’s vil-
Born c. 1744 lage. [3]
near the Illinois River
He succeeded his brother Gomo as head chieftain of
Died 1831 the Illinois River band and was a signatory of several
near Putnam County, Illinois, United States treaties between the Potawatomi and the United States
Nationality Potawatomi during the 1810s and 1820s. He and Black Partridge would
remain the leading chieftains of the Potawatomi for over
Other Petchaho a decade before their positions of authority and influence
names
were assumed by Shabbona. [4] A year before his death,
Known for Potawatomi chieftain and ally of Black Senachwine believed that the Potawatomi nation, and
Partridge during the Peoria War. eventually all Native Americans, would eventually be-
Title Chieftain of the Illinois River Potawatomi come extinct. [5] His son, Kaltoo (or Young Senachwine),
succeeded him as chieftain after his death in the summer
Term 1815-1831
of 1831. He was buried on a high bluff overlooking the vil-
Predecessor Gomo lage, like the missionary Wigby years before, and a wood-
en monument was placed on his grave. A black flag was
Successor Kaltoo
also flown from a high pole placed next to the monument
Religion Christianity and could be seen from the gravesite for several years
afterwards. Two years later, his band were removed to
Children Kaltoo, son
the Indian Territory and eventually settled in western
Relatives Gomo, brother Kansas. [6]
In the summer of 1835, 23 Potawatomi warriors trav-
Senachwine (Potawatomi: Znajjewan, "Difficult Current") eled over 500 miles to visit the gravesite of Senachwine.
or Petchaho (supposedly from Potawatomi: "Red Their faces blackened and their heads wrapped in blan-
Cedar"[1]) (c. 1744-1831) was a 19th century Illinois River kets, they performed a ritual invoking the Great Spirit to
Potawatomi chieftain. In 1815, he succeeded his brother protect the gravesite and remains of the chieftain. Ac-
Gomo as chieftain of their band and was one of the last cording to a local resident observing the ceremony, the
major Potawatomi chieftains to live in the region. warriors spent several hours knelt around the gravesite
A number of places in Illinois are named in his honor as "their wails and lamentations were heard far away". The
including Senachwine Township in Putnam County, Illi- following morning they performed the "dance of the
nois, Senachwine Creek, Senachwine Lake and the Lake dead" which continued for several days before departing.
Senachwine Reservoir. A short time after, Senachwine’s grave was robbed of its
valuables including his tomahawk, rifle, several medals
Biography and other personal effects. The chieftains bones had also
been scattered around the site. Members of his band re-
In April 1812, he and other Potawatomi chieftains met turned to the site to rebury his remains and again placed
with Governor Ninian Edwards at Cahokia to discuss re- a wooden monument over his grave. James R. Taliaferro,
lations between the Potawatomi and the United States. who had been present at the reburial, later built a cabin
Although opposed to an offensive war, Senachwine sided near the gravesite and claimed that "Indians from the west
with Black Partridge during the Peoria War and com- at different times made a pilgrimage to the grave". [6]
manded a sizable force during the conflict. He later ac- The Sons of the American Revolution chapter in Peo-
companied the Potawatomi peace delegation who were ria, Illinois placed a bronze memorial plaque, engraved
escorted by Colonel George Davenport to St. Louis where with his speech to Black Hawk pleading for peace prior
a peace treaty was eventually signed. [2] to the Black Hawk War, at the supposed burial spot of Se-
Around 1814, a mysterious Baptist preacher and mis- nachwine north of present-day Putnam County, Illinois
sionary known as Wigby lived in his village. Wigby was on June 13, 1937. During the ceremony, an address was
allowed to baptize him and later converted Senachwine given by author P.G. Rennick. Five tribal members of the
to Christianity. However, despite Wigby’s attempts to
dissuade him, Senachwine refused to give up polygamy
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Senachwine
Potawatomi from Kansas were also in attendance during [7] State Historical Society of Wisconsin. The Wisconisin
the ceremony. [7] Magazine of History. Vol. XXI. No. 1. (September
1937): 124.
References
[1] Haines, Elijah M. The American Indian (Uh-nish-in-na-
Further reading
ba). Chicago: The Mas-Sin-Na-Gan Company, 1888. • Brinkman, Edna Epperson. The Story of David Epperson
(pg. 781) & His Family, of Albemarle County, Virginia. Hinsdale,
[2] Watson, Nehemiah, Watson. French and Indians of Illinois: Edna Epperson Brinkman, 1933.
Illinois River. Princeton, Illinois: Republican Job • Rennick, Percival Graham. "The Peoria and Galena
Printing Establishment, 1874. (pg. 241-242, 248) Trail and Coach Road and the Peoria Neighborhood".
[3] Watson, Nehemiah, Watson. French and Indians of Journal of the Illinois State Historical Society. Vol. XXVII.
Illinois River. Princeton, Illinois: Republican Job No. 4. (January 1935): 360, 402-403.
Printing Establishment, 1874. (pg. 234-235)
[4] Wood, Norman B. Lives of Famous Indian Chiefs, from Persondata
Cofachiqui, the Indian Princess, and Powhatan; Down To
Name Senachwine
and Including Chief Joseph and Geronimo. Aurora,
Illinois: American Indian Historical Publishing Alternative Petchaho
Company, 1906. (pg. 416) names
[5] Patterson, Lotsee and Mary Ellen Snodgrass. Indian Short descrip- Potawatomi chieftain
Terms of the Americas. Englewood, Colorado: tion
Libraries Unlimited, Inc., 1994. (pg. 183) ISBN Date of birth c. 1744
1-56308-133-4
Place of birth near the Illinois River
[6] ^ Watson, Nehemiah, Watson. French and Indians of
Illinois River. Princeton, Illinois: Republican Job Date of death 1831
Printing Establishment, 1874. (pg. 262-264) Place of death near Putnam County, Illinois, United
States
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Senachwine&oldid=357593403"
Categories:
• 1744 births
• 1831 deaths
• Potawatomi people
• Native American leaders
• Native American people of the Indian Wars
• People from Putnam County, Illinois
• Algonquian personal names
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