The Black Hawk War of 1832
Black Hawk circa 1837
The Black Hawk War of 1832 is very important to the history of the United States and was fought in the surrounding area and era in which Stephen Mack lived. Mr. Mack had a cabin at Birds Grove at the time of the Black Hawk War (now the present location of Hononegah Park), but he was so respected by the local Native Americans that his settlement went untouched. Many of Stephen Mack’s letters have survived, and he writes about an incident when a group of Sac (a.k.a. Sauk) warriors wanted to destroy Mack’s dwelling, but a group of Winnebago stopped them from accomplishing their task. Mr. Mack was married to a Native American woman named Ho-no-ne-gah. She was raised by uncles when Mack married her. Stephen Mack’s knowledge of Native American culture through his wife and neighbors made Mr. Mack an understanding ambassador to the indigenous population, where many settlers were not so kind. If you would like to learn more about the Macktown Forest Preserve, come out to visit with the family! We have a wonderful park for a picnic, so bring out some food and have a wonderful day!
