Meommuse

Infobox Person
name = Meommuse


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residence = near Tiskilwa, Illinois, United States
nationality = Pottawatomie
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known_for = Leader of the Bureau Creek Pottawatomie; war chief under Autuckee during the Black Hawk War.
occupation = Pottawatomie chieftain
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children = 1 son

Meommuse (fl. 1812-1832) was a 19th century Pottawatomie chieftain and an ally of Autuckee and others during the Black Hawk War. During the first few months of the war, members of his band were responsible for the Attack at Ament's Cabin in which John L. Ament and other settlers staying at his home were attacked resulting in the death of one man.

Biography

Early life

He is first recorded as one of the chieftains living at the Pottawatomie settlement known as Indiantown (or Tiskilwa) in 1812. [Tyler, Bob. "Canoeing Adventures In Northern Illinois: Apple River To Zuma Creek". Lincoln: iUniverse, 2004. (pg. 18) ISBN 0-595-31010-9] During the 1820s and 30s, he was second only to the great chieftain Autuckee and well-known among early settlers, particularly for his ability to speak in english. [Kett, Henry F. "The Voters and Tax-payers of Bureau County, Illinois". Chicago: H.F. Kett & Co., 1877. (pg. 88)] In February 1832, he was present at a war council held between the Pottawatomie, Winnebago, Sauk and Fox at Indiantown. One of several chieftains representing the Pottawatomie, others in the delegation included Shaubena, Waba, Shick Shack, Waseaw, Sheatee, Kalto, Waubonsie and Autuckee. He, with Waba and Autuckee, supported Shaubena in his decision to oppose the war. [cite web |url=http://genealogytrails.com/ill/bureau/History/MatsonBook/MatsonBookPage5.html |title=Chapter VIII: The Great Indian Council |accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author=Matson, Nehemiah |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors=Nancy Piper |date= |year=1872 |month= |format= |work=Reminiscences of Bureau County: in two parts |publisher=Republican Book and Job Office |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

They were again visited by Little Bear when the Sauk and Fox crossed the Mississippi River two months later, although he and Autuckee declined a proposed alliance with Black Hawk. [Matson, Nehemiah. "Memories of Shaubena: With Incidents Relating to the Early Settlement of the West". Chicago: D.B. Cooke & Co., 1878. (pg. 92, 95)]

Role in the attack at Ament's Cabin

Meommuse and his band, consisting of ten or twelve lodges, were located west of settler John L. Ament's farm. Although the area was claimed by Ament, Meommuse's tribe had collected sugar at the site for 42 years. Meommuse and the others stayed only during the winter and spring season, however the camp was used as a headquarters and meeting place. Neither Meommuse or Ament appreciated the presence of each other and conditions steadily grew worse as time when on. The situation came to a head after Ament shot and killed one of the Pottawatomie's hunting dogs.

On June 17 or 18, a number of his Pottawatomie warriors approached Ament's home where the landowner and other local settlers were staying. Mike Girty, the war chief, and others had planned to attack the settlers during the night. Girty and the others had intended to set the cabin on fire while they slept, however heavy rain forced them to wait until morning where they killed settler Elijah Phillips before retreating. Meommuse's role in the raid is not fully known, however his son was among those in the raiding party. [Matson, Nehemiah. "Memories of Shaubena: With Incidents Relating to the Early Settlement of the West". Chicago: D.B. Cooke & Co., 1878. (pg. 227)] This same group was accused of the Indian Creek massacre, which occurred the previous month. [cite web |url=http://www.tampicohistoricalsociety.citymax.com/BlackHawkWar_Page2.html |title=Killing of Phillips |accessdate= |accessmonthday= |accessdaymonth= |accessyear= |author=Matson, Nehemiah |last= |first= |authorlink= |coauthors= |date= |year=1867 |month= |format= |work=Map & Sketches of Bureau County, ILL |publisher=Tampico Historical Society |pages= |language= |doi= |archiveurl= |archivedate= |quote= ]

References