[100] The course of the party had been northwest through St. Clair and Warren counties, and thence south by west to the river. Loutre Island is on the boundary between Warren and Montgomery counties.—Ed.
[101] This affair took place March 7, 1815. Captain James Callaway was the grandson of Daniel Boone. His company consisted besides himself of a lieutenant and fourteen men.—Ed.
[102] Loutre (Otter) Island was the site of the first settlements in Montgomery County, which probably date back to 1798. There were two Talbots among the early arrivals, Christopher and Hale. Among their neighbors were the Thorps, Ashcrafts, Coles, Pattons, and Coopers—there were two or three families of each, most of them being from Kentucky. The father of "Kit" Carson was another member of the community.—Ed.
Footnotes to Chapter IV:
[103] Of Gasconade in 1823 it is said, "very few buildings are as yet erected, and it is very doubtful whether its increase will be as rapid as was anticipated." It was the first seat of Gasconade County, but was supplanted by Hermann. At present its population numbers less than one hundred.
The description of Gasconade River is adequate. The "Yungar" fork of Osage is now called Niangua (Osage word for bear).—Ed.
[104] Au Vase (Muddy) has been corrupted to Auxvasse, and there are now two streams in Callaway County bearing this name. The larger, also called Big Muddy Creek, is the first important stream above the Gasconade. Bear (or Loose) Creek, is seven miles farther up, and the second Auxvasse, which answers the description in the text, is just beyond. Other tributaries are Deer Creek, from the south, just above Big Muddy River, and Middle River, from the north, opposite Bear Creek. The stream called Revoe's Creek a few lines below, is now Rivaux (Rivals) Creek.
For Côte Sans Dessein, see Bradbury's Travels, comprising our volume v, note 20.—Ed.
[105] The grants of land in Louisiana under Spanish rule were in a marked degree irregular and heterogeneous. Only those were complete which had received endorsement by the governor-general at New Orleans. Most of the settlers were too poor to undertake the journey thither and pay the required fees; a tacit right of occupation was therefore permitted by the local officials, lands were unsurveyed, and much confusion resulted. During the last decade of Spanish authority (1794-1804) large numbers of Americans had been tempted to cross the Mississippi and stake out claims in upper Louisiana. Some of these were bona fide settlers, more mere speculators; and after the rumor of Spanish cession to France was heard, fraudulent grants were made in large numbers. Upon knowledge of this, the congress of the United States in the act of March 26, 1804, revoked all grants made since the treaty of San Ildefonso (1800) with a proviso exempting the rights of actual settlers. This law created much dissatisfaction, and petitions for redress were sent from both upper Louisiana and Orleans Territory. See American State Papers, "Miscellaneous," i, pp. 396-405. Thereupon Congress passed acts for redress—that for upper Louisiana (March 2, 1805) creating a commission, which first met in St. Louis, September 20, 1806; but its final report was not made until 1812. See American State Papers, "Public Lands," ii, pp. 388-603.
The lands set apart for the relief of sufferers by the New Madrid earthquakes were known as "New Madrid grants." Auguste Chouteau established the first distillery in St. Louis by the aid of an extensive grant.—Ed.