The Move to Prophetstown

I. Greenville

A. Stirring white fears--the large numbers of Native Americans coming from all around the Great Lakes region to Greenville caused a great deal of concern to whites who were living nearby. The pressure these whites put on politicians in Ohio caused greater friction between the Native Americans and the Ohio government, and in part necessitated finding a more accommodating  place to live.

1. Little armed conflict--it should be noted that, although we know that Tenskwatawa preached that whites should be avoided, and in the future removed from Indian lands by the Great Spirit, at the same time he advocated no violence against whites. Despite the hostility to whites displayed in Tenskwatawa's theology, at the same time he expected that the Great Spirit would eventually intervene to remove the whites--if Native Americans returned to traditional ways of living.

2. Intervention by the Great Spirit--Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh both held that they chose to move the location of their village because the Great Spirit told Tenskwatawa to do so.

II. Prophetstown

A. Invitation from Main Poc--Tenskwatawa moved to the Tippecanoe Creek in part because the Great Spirit induced the Potawatomi leader known as Main Poc to invite him to settle on land he gave the group.

1. Main Poc--like both Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh, Main Poc spent much of his time plotting and carrying out plots to stop further white encroachments on Native American land. Main Poc (the name is suppose to be French for "withered hand"--Main Poc's left hand was deformed, having no fingers nor thumb) had little else in common with the brothers, however. Besides being a great war leader and sachem of the Potawatomi's, Main Poc was also a wabeno--one who could change into an animal, and who could carry out black magic. Main Poc also claimed that the Great Spirit had told him that he should continue to regularly get drunk, and to have sex with as many women as he could, as well. Despite these doctrinal differences, Tenskwatawa and Tecumseh were willing to take on Main Poc as an ally, and to accept his invitation to move.

2. Move close to allies--the move to the Tippecanoe Creek also allowed Tenskwatawa to move closer to those most receptive to his message--Native Americans west of the Wabash River. This would not only bring him more converts, but also provide a greater number of warriors to call upon if the new settlement should come under attack.

3. Command of transportation resources--Prophetstown was on the Tippecanoe Creek, which was a tributary of the Wabash River. With no roads, it was faster to canoe a river than to walk or ride horseback if one had to cover any distance.

4. Site of previous settlement--as we will see in the document presented below, this was also the site of another Native American village. The document linked to is from American State Papers, Indian Affairs Volume 1, pages 131-135, published in 1835