Old Kaskaskia was located on the banks of the Mississippi River. It was once over whelmingly the metropolis of the Midwest. It's glory and prominence was peaking long before towns such as Chicago even existed!
Unfortunately the town had a powerful friend that later became a deadly enemy in the form of the mighty Mississippi.
Sometime around 1684 Father Alliouis from French Canada established a mission station where the Kaskaskia tribe lived. Christian trappers and traders soon stopped by at the site. However, these people were not permanent residents. This is the way it went until the year 1712.
Between 1712 and 1720 settlers arrived from Canada and France. Communication with the outside world was almost nil. They introduced the French agriculture system where each family had a parcel of land in "common field". If the head of the family became ill, then others took care of his crops. However, if a man was capable but chose to not attend to his land then it was taken from him and given to another. Each parcel of land was distinctly marked.
The river bottomland was and still is extremely rich. Large crops of Wheat and Corn can be raised with little cultivation. The French would trade this grain to the Indians for furs, Buffalo, Venison and even Bear meat.
After the mid 1700's French and English wars the Illinois land as spoils of war become the property of England. The first English Army Soldier arrived in 1765 to take charge
The English appointed judges which became the first jurisdiction ever held in the Mississippi valley. In 1772 the seat of the government was located in Kaskaskia.
By the 1780's the town grew leaps and bounds. Commerce grew quickly. Massive shipments of trade goods were sent down the river to New Orleans. The goods were loaded on flatboats that drew 3 foot of water and could vary from 10 foot wide and 20 foot long to as large as 20 foot wide and 80 foot long. They were built locally along the banks of the river. After the flatboats journey they would be broken up for their lumber.
Lemuel Barker (my Ancestor) arrived at Kaskaskia after traveling the overland route in 1818-1819.
By 1820's the paddle wheel steamer arrived. Surprisingly enough flatboats continued in down river usage until 1870.
The remoteness of Kaskaskia sheltered the residents from the East Coast Revolution. Nothing happened in 1776 or 1777. But on July 4, 1778 George Rogers Clark and his men captured the Kaskaskia British regiment without having to draw blood. That night his men surrounded an ongoing celebration ball (dance) attended by all of the British soldier. Fully armed they marched in on the dance, stopped the music and informed the soldiers they were no longer in control of the town and must surrender.
The Illinois Country was created. Virginia ceded what would later be called The Northwest Territory to Congress in 1784.
By 1805 Kaskaskia was shipping huge amounts of trade goods down river. That year Pierre Menard shipped $30,000 in furs. (This shipping manifest still exists.) Interestingly enough Pierre Menard was the father of Sara Menard who married Peter Stirnamam the father of Jacob. They are all my Ancestor Grandparents.
By 1810 there were only 12,000 people living in what is now the state of Illinois and stunningly 7,000 of them lived in Kaskaskia.
Kaskaskia maintained its area dominance and size until 1844. That date is known today as the time of the "Flood of 44". Although the town survived it was never the same. People moved to higher ground. Again the river flooded in 1851 and 1857 and the town was virtually dead. Finally in 1881 the river changed its channel and Kaskaskia became an island on the Mississippi.
Ol-Man-River had devoured the town.
Today the closest town to the old Kaskaskia town area is Chester Illinois. Interestingly enough you have to take the bridge from the rivers Missouri side to get to the island.
Many of my early Illinois ancestors were originally buried at old Kaskaskia. In the early 1900's and after more floods their graves were mass relocated and they were reburied together in a common grave at the Chester public cemetery with no specific marker. This is the case for my Ancestor Grandparents, Walter Daniel Barker and wife Eugenia Labruyere.
The 1901 Randolph County maps show that descendants of Pierre Menard were still living there about. The name Edward Menard is shown living next door to A. LaBrier, J. Parisett and the A. Leavitt farm. All are my relations. (see copy enclosed).
To the best of my knowledge no town has ever been devoured by a river like Kaskaskia was. The wealth of the territory built a fine city. The loss is a shame for Kaskasakia is said to have had many fine homes that rivaled those of the rich in the Eastern United States.