Wapello (1787-1842) was a Native American chief of the Meskwaki tribe.
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Early life
Wapello was born in 1787 at Prairie du Chien, in what is now the state of Wisconsin. Short and stout in physical stature, with a kindly visage, Wapello entertained friendly relations with white settlers throughout his life, signing treaties with them at Fort Armstrong on 3 September 1822, at Prairie du Chien on 15 July 1830, again at Fort Armstrong on 21 September 1832, at Dubuque, Iowa, on 28 September 1836, and at Washington, D.C., on 21 October 1837. During the Black Hawk War, Wapello supported Keokuk.[1]
Settling in Iowa
In 1829, he led his tribe to Muscatine Slough on the west bank of the Mississippi River and later settled near the present site of the town of Wapello, Iowa. In 1837, he accompanied the renowned chief Keokuk and Indian agent General Joseph M. Street on a tour of northeastern and mideastern states. During this trip, Wapello made an eloquent speech at Boston, Massachusetts, wherein he expressed friendly sentiments towards white settlers and raffirmed his desire to continue harmonious relations with them.
Legacy
While on a hunting trip near Ottumwa, Iowa, Wapello died on 15 March 1842. He was later buried in accordance with his oft-expressed wish that he be laid to rest alongside his good friend General Street, in Agency, Iowa.[2]
In Iowa, the city of Wapello and Wapello County are named for him, as was USS Wapello (YN-56), a United States Navy net tender in commission from 1941 to 1946.
References
External links
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here. (Ship namesake paragraph)
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