Memorial to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, 28 November 1843, Thomas Bullock Second Copy
Source Note
JS and 3,418 others, Memorial, , Hancock Co., IL, to the United States Senate and House of Representatives, [], 28 Nov. 1843. Version copied [ca. 29 Nov. 1843]; handwriting of and ; four pages; Adams Family Papers, Massachusetts Historical Society, Boston, MA. Transcription from a digital color image obtained from the Massachusetts Historical Society in 2025.
massacre, a treaty was entered into and ratified, by which it was agreed that one half of the Society should leave the by the first of January, and the remainder by the first of April following. In October while our people were gathering their Crops and otherwise preparing to fulfil their part of the treaty, the Mob again collected without any provocation, shot at some of our people, whipped others, threw down their houses, and committed many other depredations; the Members of the Society were for some time harassed, both day and night, their houses assailed and broken open, and their women and children insulted and abused. The of & Co. was broken open, ransacked, and some of the Goods strewed in the Streets. These repeated assaults so aroused the indignant feelings of our people that a small party thereof on one occasion, when wantonly abused resisted the Mob, a conflict ensued, in which one of our people and some two or three of their assailants were killed. this unfortunate event raised the whole in Arms, and we were required forthwith to Surrender our arms and leave the country. Fifty one Guns were given up, which have never been returned or paid for to this day. Parties of the Mob, from 30 to 70 in number, then scoured the Country in every direction, threatning and abusing Women and Children, until they were forced, first to take shelter in the woods and prairies at a very inclement season of the year, and finally to make their escape to , where the people permitted them to take refuge for a time. After the Society had left , their buildings amounting to about two hundred, were either burned or otherwise destroyed with great portion of their Crops, as well as furniture Stock &c for which they have not as yet received any remuneration
The Society remained in , nearly three years, when in compliance with the demands of the Citizens there, it was determined to remove to that Section of Country, known afterwards as , In order to secure our people from molestation, the members of the Society bought out most of the former inhabitants of what is now , and also much of the wild land, then belonging to the in that Section of Country, fondly hoping that as we were American Citizens, obeying the laws, and assisting to support the government, that we would be protected in the use of homes which we had honestly purchased from the General Government, and fully paid for. Here we were permitted to enjoy peace for a Season, but as our Society increased in numbers, and Settlements were made in and Carrol[l] Counties, unfounded jealousies sprung up among our neighbors, and the Spirit of the Mob was soon manifested again. The People of our Church who had located themselves at , were compelled by the Mob to leave the place,—— notwithstanding the Militia were called out for their protection. From the mob went to , and while on their way took some of our people prisoners and greatly abused and mistreated them. [p. [2]]