Little evidence remains of those peoples who inhabited the Yellow River as the glaciers retreated. Only an arrowhead here or there found in the furrows of a freshly plowed field remain to mark their one time possessions. To the contrary the first written record of the people who lived near the farm is to be found in the annals of the French trappers and explorers.We are told by the earliest accounts that Marshall County was first home to the Sauk and Fox Native American bands. It was the Fox who were already living on and tilling the land when the French arrived on the scene. Shortly thereafter, however, a battle was waged in what is today Green Township, near Wolf Creek between the native Fox and the Pottawatomie, invading from the north. The Pottawatomie emerged triumphant and faded into the background of history until they reemerged in Southern Wisconsin and Northern Illinois in the days of Black Hawk.The reign of the Pottawatomie would be short lived, however. In the 1660’s and 1670’s the Iroquois of Northern New York would be the first to acquire firearms from the Dutch. By doing this they were able to build an inland empire and drive all others out. To survey the state of Indiana during the latter part of the 1600’s would 
be to discover that very few Native Americans actually called the state home at that time. The Miami had removed to just beyond the Mississippi and the Pottawatomie had retreated to Michigan and Wisconsin all trembling in fear of the Iroquois. Eventually, the French provided the Pottawatomie and Miami with guns to fend off the marauding Iroquois. Thus, by the time of the Revolutionary War Northern Indiana was again dominated by the Pottawatomie and the Miami, with the Shawnee and the Delaware to the south.The Pottawatomie, a people of the canoe, were likely the most frequent visitors to the farm in the days before settlement. It was them, after all, who named the river that flows near it the “Yellow” a name later translated to English. Indeed, the footprint of the Pottawatomie may still be measured by looking no further than the names of many local places such as the following: the Kankakee River (meaning either the river of swamps or the river of wolves), Nappanee (meaning wheat), and Winamac (the name of a Pottawatomie chief).Eventually the Pottawatomie would be removed in 1838. Their removal became necessary to the powers that be when the Black Hawk War occurred in the early to mid 1830’s. During this time the Pottawatomie nearly joined in league with Black Hawk. Owing to this and that they had sided with the British they were removed that year. The Miami to the south, however, held on for a while longer, not being deported until 1846. Even then the Miami were allowed to stay and a good number of them did remain near Peru, Indiana. The sale of lands in 1838 began the settlement of the territory. Indeed, as soon as the land was cleared of the Native Americans much of it went up on the auction block. The notable exception to this, however, were the vast swamp lands which remained unsold until released for sale by congress in 1850.
be to discover that very few Native Americans actually called the state home at that time. The Miami had removed to just beyond the Mississippi and the Pottawatomie had retreated to Michigan and Wisconsin all trembling in fear of the Iroquois. Eventually, the French provided the Pottawatomie and Miami with guns to fend off the marauding Iroquois. Thus, by the time of the Revolutionary War Northern Indiana was again dominated by the Pottawatomie and the Miami, with the Shawnee and the Delaware to the south.The Pottawatomie, a people of the canoe, were likely the most frequent visitors to the farm in the days before settlement. It was them, after all, who named the river that flows near it the “Yellow” a name later translated to English. Indeed, the footprint of the Pottawatomie may still be measured by looking no further than the names of many local places such as the following: the Kankakee River (meaning either the river of swamps or the river of wolves), Nappanee (meaning wheat), and Winamac (the name of a Pottawatomie chief).Eventually the Pottawatomie would be removed in 1838. Their removal became necessary to the powers that be when the Black Hawk War occurred in the early to mid 1830’s. During this time the Pottawatomie nearly joined in league with Black Hawk. Owing to this and that they had sided with the British they were removed that year. The Miami to the south, however, held on for a while longer, not being deported until 1846. Even then the Miami were allowed to stay and a good number of them did remain near Peru, Indiana. The sale of lands in 1838 began the settlement of the territory. Indeed, as soon as the land was cleared of the Native Americans much of it went up on the auction block. The notable exception to this, however, were the vast swamp lands which remained unsold until released for sale by congress in 1850.
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