What was the Big Neck War?
In Adair County there were three main tribes in and around the area. These were the Sacs and the Fox, the Ioway, and the Missouria. In several county history books there is the same story: The Big Neck War. While different books held similar accounts there was some changes based on when the book was published. The books published later provided accounts favorably to both sides, but older texts on the county gave more leeway to the white settlers than to the Native Americans. So what was the Big Neck War? The Big Neck War’s story begins when the Native Americans signed a treaty signed in 1824 that ceded the lands around the Chariton River County. In return each tribe would receive five hundred dollars annually for eleven successive years and some other more minor considerations and by giving up this land the Native Americans could never settle or hunt without permission from the Superintendent of Indian Affairs. In 1828, however, an Iowa chief referred to as Big Neck came into the territory again to hunt, unaware that they had given up their rights to use the lands. After the treaty was signed white settlers began to create cabins to live in this section (this land is commonly referred to as the Cabins).
A disagreement broke out between the Native Americans and the settlers and this is where accounts tend to not be consistent. It is unknown for sure who started the fight and who came truly in peace, and what was said before the fight. What does seem to be consistent in these texts is that one of the settlers shot first (though if he was provoked is disputed), the brother of Big Neck, his sister in law, and the child of his brother and sister in law were killed. the The settlers had lost John Myers (a magistrate of Howard County) when he was killed in the fight while two settlers James Winn and Powell Owenby were injured and left on the field. Four more were injured and retreated such as Captain Trammel but he died from his wounds a few days later. A trial was called for the deaths of the white settlers, and when Big Neck could be found and put on trial he was acquitted of the charge as the deaths were for self-defence.
Upon asking the locals who have been living in this location for years it seemed that some of them were not aware of the story themselves while others were able to recall that a fight broke out by the Cabins. So it is generally thought that after this fight they left the territory. I also wonder if some of the reason why this is the only story that seems apparent is due to materials being lost during the Baldwin Fire in 1924 where Baldwin and the Library was burned down. While doing this research I recalled in my own hometown of Washington, Missouri that we never really talked about the specific tribes that used to live in our area. In elementary I recall some lessons on Native American history, but the information we were given was just general of several tribes rather than focused on the local history.
To learn more about the Baldwin Fire follow the link below.