ILLINOIS TOWNS NAMED FOR INDIAN CHIEFS

The original inhabitants of the area that had become the State of Illinois in 1818 included: The Chickasaw tribe, the Dakota Sioux tribe, the Winnebago (Ho-Chunk, and the Shawnee tribe. 

The indigenous tribes of the Chicago area were the Potawatomi, Ojibwe, and Odawa Nations, as well as the Miami, Winnebago (Ho-Chunk), Menominee, Sauk (Sac), Meskwaki (Fox), Kickapoo tribes, and the Illinois Confederacy. 

The Illinois, aka Illiniwek and Illini [the Illinois is pronounced as plural: Illinois'], was a Confederacy of Indian tribes consisting of the Kaskaskia, Cahokia, Peoria, Tamarais (aka Tamaroa, Tamarois), Moingwena, Mitchagamie (aka Michigamea), Chepoussa, Chinkoa, Coiracoentanon, Espeminkia, Maroa, and Tapouara tribes that were in the Algonquin Indian family. The Illinois called themselves "Ireniouaki" (the French word was Ilinwe).

MIDWESTERN INDIAN CHIEFS, 1865.

 

Annawan, Illinois – Winnebago (Ho-Chunk)

Aptakisic, Illinois – Potawatomi

Ashkum, Illinois – Potawatomi

Big Foot, Illinois – Potawatomi

Chebanse, Illinois – Potawatomi

Du Quoin, Illinois – Kaskaskia

Half Day, Illinois – Potawatomi

Kewanee, Illinois – Potawatomi

Makanda, Illinois – Unknown Tribe / aka Makauda or  Markands

Metamora, Illinois – Potawatomi

Mettawa, Illinois – Potawatomi

Niota, Illinois – The name "Niota" was based on the name of a fictional character in a dime novel [1], a Native American chief named "Nee-o-tah."

Oneco, Illinois – Potawatomi

Patna, Illinois – Kickapoo

Saunemin, Illinois – Kickapoo

Shabbona, Illinois – Potawatomi

Shobonier, Illinois – Potawatomi

Wapella, Illinois – Meskwaki (Fox)

Waponsee, Illinois – Potawatomi

Wauponsee, Illinois – Potawatomi

---

[1] Dime Novel - Any cheaply produced popular fiction published in the United States between 1860 and 1930 might be called a dime novel, providing it was published on paper covers and issued in a series.