Reminiscences: Chapter 11

Reminiscences of Early Peoria
by Odillon B. Slane

Chapter 11
pages 24-25

SENACHWINE ---- LAST CHIEF OF POTTAWATOMIES

SENACHWINE creek and village in the northeast part of Peoria County got their names from an Indian chief of that name. This creek is near Chillicothe but farther up the Illinois river. Senachwine was the last chief of the Pottawatomy tribe. He succeeded Gomo as chief when the latter died.

The story is told that in 1832-3, M. B. Silliman and Joel Hicks were in a boat one day going to mill about the mouth of Crow creek, and they met two Indians in a canoe with something under a blanket. Our men hailed them and asked if it was venison.

One of the Indians pointed to the blanket and said: "Senachwine dead!" This was indeed true. Senachwine was buried near the stream that bears his name.

The following lines from J. H. Bryant are a beautiful tribute to his memory.

"He slept beneath the spreading shade,
Where woods and wide Savannahs meet,
Where sloping hills around have made
A quiet village green and sweet.

A stream that bears his name and flows
In glimmering gushes from the west
Makes a light murmuring as it flows
Beside his lovely place of rest."

"Fading Glories," that wonderful painting by Nicholas Brewer, might have been painted of Senachwine himself. The scene represents an old Indian chief in eagle feathers, standing alone and in the silence looking meditatively toward the setting sun.

Chapter 10 Chapter 12

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