Nicholas Boilvin
Encyclopedia
Nicholas Boilvin was a 19th-century American frontiersman, fur trader and U.S. Indian Agent
. He was the first appointed agent to the Winnebagos
, as well as the Sauk and Fox, and one of the earliest pioneers to settle in present-day Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
. His sons Nicholas Boilvin, Jr. and William C. Boilvin both became successful businessmen in Wisconsin during the mid- to late 19th century.
His daughter Catherine Boilvin Myott -- also Métis, by her father's marriage to a Ho-Chunk woman, became prominent as a cultural mediator with early settlers in the next wave in the American era in Wisconsin, such as Henry and Susan Hempstead Gratiot of the founding family of St. Louis.
during the American Revolutionary War
. His father had gained "a good record by great kindness to a wounded American surgeon" who was held as a prisoner-of-war after his capture in the failed invasion of Canada
in 1775. Boilvin traveled to the Northwest Territory
after the signing of the Second Treaty of Paris
in 1783 and, after settling in the Illinois Territory
, he began trading with the local tribes in the Prairie du Chien area around February 1810. He was also a justice of the peace
, being appointed in St. Clair County
on May 3, 1809 and in Madison County
on June 12, 1814.
In a chance meeting while in St. Louis, he met with the American surgeon whom his father had befriended in Quebec. The surgeon was able to arrange for Boilvin to be appointed the principal Indian agent for the Prairie du Chien region on March 14, 1811. Observing the lead mining activity in the area by the Iowas, the Sauk and Fox as well as Canadians
during this time, he communicated the future importance of the lead mining region to Secretary of War
William Eustis
. He also reported the growing unrest and militantism among the Winnebago and other local tribes prior to Tecumseh's War
and was told to him that the nations would:
He resided there for several years however, during the War of 1812
, he and his family were forced to leave the village and evacuated onto an American gunboat during the attack on Prairie du Chien by Lieutenant Colonel William McKay
on July 14, 1814. Prior to the attack, Boilvin had directed a local resident to drive up his cattle, wishing to kill one of the heifer
s for some fresh meat. When the man spotted the approaching British forces, he returned to warn Boilvin. Going out to see for himself, Boilvin returned to raise the alarm and assisted in the evacuation of the settlement. The officers stationed at the garrison had been preparing to go riding in the countryside and, had McKay's forces arrived an hour or two later, it is thought the garrison would have been without an officer during the subsequent battle.
Boilvin studied the customs and culture of the Winnebago and provided the Department of War
with a written vocabulary of the Winnebago language. His administration was supported by Eustis who provided him with considerable funding. In 1815, he became involved in a feud between Eustis and Governor William Clark who, according to a report he sent, accused Clark of abusing his position by "improperly using Indian goods and public property" for the benefit of his nephew Benjamin O'Fallon.
In the years prior to the Black Hawk War
, he had the trust and confidence of many of the tribes in the Upper Mississippi
. A skilled interpreter, he was present at several treaties signed between the Winnebago and the United States during the 1810s and 20s. He and Maurice Blondeau often negotiated directly with tribes on behalf of the federal government. Boilvin was also a close friend of Michel Brisbois
who resided near Boilvin's home in Prairie du Chien during his later years.
During the summer of 1827, Boilvin drowned while traveling upriver on a keel boat to St. Louis and was later buried there. His sub-agent John Marsh was in charge of the agency until the appointment of Joseph M. Street
by then Secretary of War James Barbour
under the recommendation of Henry Clay
later that year. His son Nicholas Boilvin, Jr. successfully petitioned the United States Congress
for compensation to Boilvin's family. Boilvin, Jr. was awarded $6,000 while the other four children received $4,000 each.
Indian agent
In United States history, an Indian agent was an individual authorized to interact with Native American tribes on behalf of the U.S. government.-Indian agents:*Leander Clark was agent for the Sac and Fox in Iowa beginning in 1866....
. He was the first appointed agent to the Winnebagos
Ho-Chunk
The Ho-Chunk, also known as Winnebago, are a tribe of Native Americans, native to what is now Wisconsin and Illinois. There are two federally recognized Ho-Chunk tribes, the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin and Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska....
, as well as the Sauk and Fox, and one of the earliest pioneers to settle in present-day Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin
Prairie du Chien is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Wisconsin, United States. The population was 5,911 at the 2010 census. Its Zip Code is 53821....
. His sons Nicholas Boilvin, Jr. and William C. Boilvin both became successful businessmen in Wisconsin during the mid- to late 19th century.
His daughter Catherine Boilvin Myott -- also Métis, by her father's marriage to a Ho-Chunk woman, became prominent as a cultural mediator with early settlers in the next wave in the American era in Wisconsin, such as Henry and Susan Hempstead Gratiot of the founding family of St. Louis.
Biography
Boilvin was born to a soldier residing in QuebecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
during the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
. His father had gained "a good record by great kindness to a wounded American surgeon" who was held as a prisoner-of-war after his capture in the failed invasion of Canada
Invasion of Canada (1775)
The Invasion of Canada in 1775 was the first major military initiative by the newly formed Continental Army during the American Revolutionary War. The objective of the campaign was to gain military control of the British Province of Quebec, and convince the French-speaking Canadiens to join the...
in 1775. Boilvin traveled to the Northwest Territory
Northwest Territory
The Territory Northwest of the River Ohio, more commonly known as the Northwest Territory, was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from July 13, 1787, until March 1, 1803, when the southeastern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the state of Ohio...
after the signing of the Second Treaty of Paris
Treaty of Paris (1783)
The Treaty of Paris, signed on September 3, 1783, ended the American Revolutionary War between Great Britain on the one hand and the United States of America and its allies on the other. The other combatant nations, France, Spain and the Dutch Republic had separate agreements; for details of...
in 1783 and, after settling in the Illinois Territory
Illinois Territory
The Territory of Illinois was an organized incorporated territory of the United States that existed from March 1, 1809, until December 3, 1818, when the southern portion of the territory was admitted to the Union as the State of Illinois. The area was earlier known as "Illinois Country" while under...
, he began trading with the local tribes in the Prairie du Chien area around February 1810. He was also a justice of the peace
Justice of the Peace
A justice of the peace is a puisne judicial officer elected or appointed by means of a commission to keep the peace. Depending on the jurisdiction, they might dispense summary justice or merely deal with local administrative applications in common law jurisdictions...
, being appointed in St. Clair County
St. Clair County, Illinois
St. Clair County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. In 1970, the U.S. Census Bureau placed the mean center of U.S. population in St. Clair County. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 270,056, which is an increase of 5.5% from 256,082 in 2000. Its county seat is...
on May 3, 1809 and in Madison County
Madison County, Illinois
Madison County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. Madison County is part of the Metro-East region of the St. Louis Metro Area. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 269,282, which is an increase of 4.0% from 258,941 in 2000. The county seat is Edwardsville, home to...
on June 12, 1814.
In a chance meeting while in St. Louis, he met with the American surgeon whom his father had befriended in Quebec. The surgeon was able to arrange for Boilvin to be appointed the principal Indian agent for the Prairie du Chien region on March 14, 1811. Observing the lead mining activity in the area by the Iowas, the Sauk and Fox as well as Canadians
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
during this time, he communicated the future importance of the lead mining region to Secretary of War
United States Secretary of War
The Secretary of War was a member of the United States President's Cabinet, beginning with George Washington's administration. A similar position, called either "Secretary at War" or "Secretary of War," was appointed to serve the Congress of the Confederation under the Articles of Confederation...
William Eustis
William Eustis
William Eustis was an early American statesman.He was born in Cambridge, Massachusetts and studied at the Boston Latin School before he entered Harvard College, from which he graduated in 1772. He studied medicine under Dr. Joseph Warren and helped care for the wounded at the Battle of Bunker...
. He also reported the growing unrest and militantism among the Winnebago and other local tribes prior to Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War
Tecumseh's War or Tecumseh's Rebellion are terms sometimes used to describe a conflict in the Old Northwest between the United States and an American Indian confederacy led by the Shawnee leader Tecumseh...
and was told to him that the nations would:
He resided there for several years however, during the War of 1812
War of 1812
The War of 1812 was a military conflict fought between the forces of the United States of America and those of the British Empire. The Americans declared war in 1812 for several reasons, including trade restrictions because of Britain's ongoing war with France, impressment of American merchant...
, he and his family were forced to leave the village and evacuated onto an American gunboat during the attack on Prairie du Chien by Lieutenant Colonel William McKay
William McKay
William McKay was a noted trader and traveler in Upper Canada, who subsequently served as a military officer during the War of 1812....
on July 14, 1814. Prior to the attack, Boilvin had directed a local resident to drive up his cattle, wishing to kill one of the heifer
Heifer
Heifer may refer to:*A young cow before she has had her first calf*Red Heifer, in Judaism is a heifer that is sacrificed and whose ashes are used for the ritual purification*Heifer International, a charitable organization...
s for some fresh meat. When the man spotted the approaching British forces, he returned to warn Boilvin. Going out to see for himself, Boilvin returned to raise the alarm and assisted in the evacuation of the settlement. The officers stationed at the garrison had been preparing to go riding in the countryside and, had McKay's forces arrived an hour or two later, it is thought the garrison would have been without an officer during the subsequent battle.
Boilvin studied the customs and culture of the Winnebago and provided the Department of War
United States Department of War
The United States Department of War, also called the War Department , was the United States Cabinet department originally responsible for the operation and maintenance of the United States Army...
with a written vocabulary of the Winnebago language. His administration was supported by Eustis who provided him with considerable funding. In 1815, he became involved in a feud between Eustis and Governor William Clark who, according to a report he sent, accused Clark of abusing his position by "improperly using Indian goods and public property" for the benefit of his nephew Benjamin O'Fallon.
In the years prior to the Black Hawk War
Black Hawk War
The Black Hawk War was a brief conflict fought in 1832 between the United States and Native Americans headed by Black Hawk, a Sauk leader. The war erupted soon after Black Hawk and a group of Sauks, Meskwakis, and Kickapoos known as the "British Band" crossed the Mississippi River into the U.S....
, he had the trust and confidence of many of the tribes in the Upper Mississippi
Upper Mississippi River
The Upper Mississippi River is the portion of the Mississippi River upstream of Cairo, Illinois, United States. From the headwaters at Lake Itasca, Minnesota, the river flows approximately 2000 kilometers to Cairo, where it is joined by the Ohio River to form the Lower Mississippi...
. A skilled interpreter, he was present at several treaties signed between the Winnebago and the United States during the 1810s and 20s. He and Maurice Blondeau often negotiated directly with tribes on behalf of the federal government. Boilvin was also a close friend of Michel Brisbois
Michel Brisbois
Michel Brisbois was a French-Canadian voyageur who was active in the upper Mississippi River valley as early as 1781. Originally a fur trader for the Hudson's Bay Company, he eventually settled in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin where he became a baker....
who resided near Boilvin's home in Prairie du Chien during his later years.
During the summer of 1827, Boilvin drowned while traveling upriver on a keel boat to St. Louis and was later buried there. His sub-agent John Marsh was in charge of the agency until the appointment of Joseph M. Street
Joseph M. Street
General Joseph Montfort Street was a 19th-century American pioneer, trader and US Army officer. During the 1820s and 1830s, he was also a U.S. Indian Agent to the Winnebago and later to the Sauk and Fox tribes after the Black Hawk War. His eldest son was Joseph H.D...
by then Secretary of War James Barbour
James Barbour
James Barbour was an American lawyer, amember and speaker of the Virginia House of Delegates, the 18th Governor of Virginia, the first Governor to reside in the current Virginia Governor's Mansion, a U.S. Senator from 1814–1825, and the United States Secretary of War from 1825-1828.Barbour was a...
under the recommendation of Henry Clay
Henry Clay
Henry Clay, Sr. , was a lawyer, politician and skilled orator who represented Kentucky separately in both the Senate and in the House of Representatives...
later that year. His son Nicholas Boilvin, Jr. successfully petitioned the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
for compensation to Boilvin's family. Boilvin, Jr. was awarded $6,000 while the other four children received $4,000 each.
Further reading
- Murphy, Lucy Eldersveld. A Gathering of Rivers: Indians, Métis, and Mining in the Western Great Lakes, 1737-1832. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 2000. ISBN 0-8032-8293-1
- Scanlan, Peter L. "Nicholas Boilvin, Indian Agent". Wisconsin Magazine of History. 27 (1943): 145-69.