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87-481: Benton County is the name of nine counties in the United States: Benton County, Arkansas Benton County, Indiana Benton County, Iowa Benton County, Minnesota Benton County, Mississippi Benton County, Missouri Benton County, Oregon Benton County, Tennessee Benton County, Washington Calhoun County, Alabama

174-697: A 50 percent decline in the Osage population. This resulted from the failure of the U.S. government to provide adequate medical supplies, food and clothing. The people suffered greatly during the winters. While the government failed to supply them, outlaws often smuggled whiskey to the Osage and the Pawnee. In 1879, an Osage delegation went to Washington, D.C., and gained agreement to have all their annuities paid in cash; they hoped to avoid being continually shortchanged in supplies, or by being given supplies of inferior quality - spoiled food and inappropriate goods. They were

261-400: A broader universe. Their ceremonies and social organization represent what is observed around them that was created by a supreme life force known as Wah'Kon-Tah or Wakonda . Everything created has the spirit of Wakonda within it, from trees, plants, and the sky to animals and human beings. They believe there are two main divisions to life, consisting of the sky and earth. Life is created in

348-522: A county. Each township includes unincorporated areas; some may have incorporated cities or towns within part of their boundaries. Arkansas townships have limited purposes in modern times. However, the United States census does list Arkansas population based on townships (sometimes referred to as "county subdivisions" or "minor civil divisions"). Townships are also of value for historical purposes in terms of genealogical research. Each town or city

435-437: A deal which enabled them to retain communal mineral rights on the reservation lands. These were later found to have large quantities of crude oil , and tribal members benefited from royalty revenues from oil development and production. The government leased lands on their behalf for oil development; the companies/government sent the Osage members royalties that, by the 1920s, had dramatically increased their wealth. In 1923 alone,

522-479: A female householder with no husband present, and 25.30% were non-families. 21.10% of all households were made up of individuals, and 8.50% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.60 and the average family size was 3.01. In the county, the population was spread out, with 26.60% under the age of 18, 8.60% from 18 to 24, 29.40% from 25 to 44, 21.10% from 45 to 64, and 14.30% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age

609-576: A group of Dhegihan-Siouan speaking people who lived in the Ohio River valley area, extending into present-day Kentucky . According to their own stories, common to other Dhegihan-Siouan tribes, such as the Ponca, Omaha, Kaw and Quapaw, they migrated west as a result of war with the Iroquois and/or to reach more game. Scholars are divided as to whether they think the Osage and other groups left before

696-758: A visit to Versailles , Château de Marly and Fontainebleau . They hunted with Louis XV in the royal forest and saw an opera. During the French and Indian War (the North American front of the Seven Years' War ), France was defeated by Great Britain and in 1763 ceded control over their lands east of the River Mississippi to the British Crown . The French Crown made a separate deal with Spain, which took nominal control of much of

783-474: Is a French version of the tribe's name, which can be roughly translated as "calm water". The Osage people refer to themselves in their Dhegihan Siouan language as ( 𐓏𐒰𐓓𐒰𐓓𐒷 ‎ , Wazhazhe , 'Middle Waters'). By the early 19th century, the Osage had become the dominant power in the region, feared by neighboring tribes. The tribe controlled the area between the Missouri and Red rivers,

870-456: Is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages Benton County, Arkansas Benton County is a county in the Northwest region of the U.S. state of Arkansas . Created as Arkansas' 35th county on September 30, 1836, Benton County contains thirteen incorporated municipalities , including Bentonville , the county seat , and Rogers ,

957-595: Is divided into five watersheds. The eastern part of the county is drained by the White River , which includes Beaver Lake . Major tributaries include War Eagle Creek , Little Clifty Creek, Spider Creek, Indian Creek, Prairie Creek and Esculapia Creek. Northern Benton County is within the Elk River watershed; the northeast corner is drained by tributaries to Big Sugar Creek ; north central Benton County drains to Little Sugar Creek . The southwest part of Benton County

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1044-856: Is now Nebraska ; the Kansa in Kansas; and the Quapaw in Arkansas . In the 19th century, the Osage were forced by the United States to move from modern-day Kansas into Indian Territory (present-day Oklahoma), and the majority of their descendants live in Oklahoma. In the early 20th century, oil was discovered on their land. They had retained communal mineral rights during the allotment process, and many Osage became wealthy through returns from leasing fees generated by their Osage headrights . However, during

1131-674: Is surrounded by Barry County, Missouri and McDonald County, Missouri to the north, Delaware County, Oklahoma and Adair County, Oklahoma to the west, Carroll County to the east, and the other two counties of the NWA metropolitan area: Madison County to the east, and Washington County to the south. The highest point in Benton County is near the Lost Bridge Village Community Center on Whitney Mountain (formerly known as Poor Mountain). Benton County

1218-533: Is the highest in Arkansas and slightly above the national median. Prior to white settlement of the county, the region was used by roving bands of Osage and Delaware who used the area for seasonal hunting grounds. Initial white settlement on Benton County took place around Maysville around 1830, followed by areas around Garfield , Cross Hollow , and Centerton . Settlers were predominantly from Tennessee , followed by Southern Piedmont states. Benton County

1305-552: Is within one or more townships in an Arkansas county based on census maps and publications. The townships of Benton County are listed below; listed in parentheses are the cities, towns, and/or census-designated places that are fully or partially inside the township. Source: "Census 2010 U.S. Gazetteer Files" . U.S. Census Bureau, Geography Division. School districts include: 36°21′08″N 94°14′03″W  /  36.35222°N 94.23417°W  / 36.35222; -94.23417 Osage Nation The term "Osage"

1392-801: Is within the Illinois River watershed; southwest and south-central parts of the county drain to Osage Creek and western Benton County drains to Flint Creek or Spavinaw Creek . Northeastern Benton County drains to tributaries of the Neosho River . A very small part of northwestern Benton County drains to the Grand Lake . The county has natural springs, which were very important to early settlers. Benton County communities named for their nearby springs include Cave Springs , Eldorado Springs , Elm Springs , Osage Mills , Siloam Springs , Springdale , Springtown , and Sulphur Springs . As of

1479-502: The 2000 United States Census , there were 153,406 people, 58,212 households, and 43,484 families residing in the county. The population density was 181 inhabitants per square mile (70/km ). There were 64,281 housing units at an average density of 76 per square mile (29/km ). The racial makeup of the county was 90.87% White , 0.41% Black or African American , 1.65% Native American , 1.09% Asian , 0.08% Pacific Islander , 4.08% from other races , and 1.82% from two or more races. 8.78% of

1566-741: The Beaver Wars of the Iroquois. Some believe that the Osage started migrating west as early as 1200 CE and are descendants of the Mississippian culture in the Ohio and Mississippi valleys. They attribute their style of government to effects of the long years of war with invading Iroquois. After resettling west of the Mississippi River, the Osage were sometimes allied with the Illiniwek and sometimes competed with them, as that tribe

1653-576: The Comanche , raided the Osage and others. In 1836, the Osage prohibited the Kickapoo from entering their Missouri reservation, pushing them back to ceded lands in Illinois. Between the first treaty with the U.S. and 1825, the Osage ceded their traditional lands across what are now Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma in the treaties of 1818 and 1825. In exchange, they were to receive reservation lands to

1740-692: The Illinois Country west of the great river. By the late 18th century, the Osage did extensive business with the French Creole fur trader René Auguste Chouteau , who was based in St. Louis . St. Louis was part of territory under nominal Spanish control after the Seven Years' War, but was dominated by French colonists. They were the de facto European power in St. Louis and other settlements along

1827-559: The Kiowa , Comanche , and Apache , they dominated western Oklahoma . The Osage held high rank among the old hunting tribes of the Great Plains. From their traditional homes in the woodlands of present-day Missouri and Arkansas, the Osage would make semi-annual buffalo hunting forays into the Great Plains to the west. They also hunted deer, rabbit, and other wild game in the central and eastern parts of their domain. Near their villages,

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1914-730: The Ozark National Forest , Hobbs State Park – Conservation Area , and two state wildlife management areas. Benton County occupies 884.86 square miles (229,180 ha) and contained a population of 284,333 people in 100,749 households as of the 2020 Census , ranking it tenth in size and second in population among the state's 75 counties . The county's economy is heavily influenced by the presence of Walmart , headquartered in Bentonville, and hundreds of associated businesses, with agriculture, tourism, and construction also important sectors. Benton County's median household income

2001-606: The Ozarks to the east and the foothills of the Wichita Mountains to the south. They depended on nomadic buffalo hunting and agriculture. The 19th-century painter George Catlin described the Osage as "the tallest race of men in North America, either red or white skins; there being ... many of them six and a half, and others taller than seven feet [198, 213 cm]." The missionary Isaac McCoy described

2088-655: The Potawatomie , Sac , and Fox to attack an Osage village; three Osage warriors were killed. The Osage blamed the Americans for the attack. One of the Chouteau traders intervened and persuaded the Osage to conduct a buffalo hunt rather than seek retaliation by attacking Americans. Lewis tried to control the Osage also by separating the friendly members from the hostile. In a letter dated August 21, 1808, that President Jefferson sent to Lewis, he says that he approves of

2175-629: The Presbyterian , Dutch Reformed , and Associate Reformed churches. They established the Union, Harmony, and Hopefield missions. Cultural differences often led to conflicts, as the Protestants tried to impose their culture. The Catholic Church also sent missionaries. The Osage were attracted to their sense of mystery and ritual but felt the Catholics did not fully embrace the Osage sense of

2262-520: The U.S. Census Bureau , the county has a total area of 884 square miles (2,290 km ), of which 847 square miles (2,190 km ) is land and 37 square miles (96 km ) (4.1%) is water. Most of the water is in Beaver Lake . The county is located approximately 112 miles (180 km) east of Tulsa, Oklahoma , 212 miles (341 km) south of Kansas City, Missouri , and 215 miles (346 km) northwest of Little Rock, Arkansas . Benton County

2349-491: The poverty line , including 13.80% of those under age 18 and 7.30% of those age 65 or over. As of the 2010 census, the county population was 221,339. The racial makeup of the county was 76.18% Non-Hispanic white , 1.27% Black or African American , 1.69% Native American , 2.85% Asian , 0.30% Pacific Islander . 15.49% of the population was Hispanic or Latino . As of the 2020 United States census , there were 284,333 people, 100,749 households, and 72,399 families residing in

2436-518: The 1870s, the Osage did not receive their full annuity in cash. Like other Native Americans, they suffered from the government's failure to provide full or satisfactory rations and goods as part of their annuities during this period. Middlemen made profits by shorting supplies to the Indians or giving them poor-quality food. Some people starved. Many adjustments had to be made to their new way of life. During this time, Indian Office reports showed nearly

2523-424: The 19 cents previously offered to them by the U.S. In 1867, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer chose Osage scouts in his campaign against Chief Black Kettle and his band of Cheyenne and Arapaho Indians in western Indian Territory. He knew the Osage for their scouting expertise, excellent terrain knowledge, and military prowess. Custer and his soldiers took Chief Black Kettle and his peaceful band by surprise in

2610-479: The 1920s and what was known as the Reign of Terror, they suffered manipulation, fraud and numerous murders by outsiders eager to take over their wealth. In 2011, the nation gained a settlement from the federal government after an 11-year legal struggle over long mismanagement of their oil funds. In the 21st century, the federally recognized Osage Nation has approximately 20,000 enrolled members, 6,780 of whom reside in

2697-590: The Democratic Solid South , supporting Republicans Herbert Hoover in 1928 and Thomas E. Dewey in 1944. It has not been carried by a Democratic presidential nominee since Harry S. Truman in 1948. Along with nearby Sebastian County , it was one of the few counties in Arkansas to resist the appeal of Southern Democratic “ favorite sons ” Lyndon B. Johnson , Jimmy Carter , and Arkansas governor Bill Clinton , while also voting for Republican Richard Nixon in 1968 as George Wallace won Arkansas on

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2784-662: The Kanza, Osage, and Pawnee tribes thrived in much of modern-day Kansas. The Osage called the Europeans I'n-Shta-Heh (Heavy Eyebrows) because of their facial hair. As experienced warriors, the Osage allied with the French, with whom they traded, against the Illiniwek during the early 18th century. The first half of the 1720s was a time of more interaction between the Osage and French colonizers. Étienne de Veniard, Sieur de Bourgmont founded Fort Orleans in their territory; it

2871-555: The Louisiana Territory after the U.S. acquired it. The lucrative fur trade continued to stimulate the growth of St. Louis and attracted more settlers there. It became a major port on the Mississippi River. The U.S. and Osage signed their first treaty on November 10, 1808, by which the Osage made a major cession of land in present-day Missouri. Under the Osage Treaty , they ceded 52,480,000 acres (212,400 km ) to

2958-729: The Mississippi, building their wealth on the fur trade. In return for the Chouteau brothers' building a fort in the village of the Great Osage 350 miles (560 km) southwest of St. Louis, the Spanish regional government gave the Chouteaus a six-year monopoly on trade (1794–1802). The Chouteaus named the post Fort Carondelet after the Spanish governor. The Osage were pleased to have a fur trading post nearby, as it gave them access to manufactured goods and increased their prestige among

3045-618: The Osage and other tribes. The U.S. compelled the Osage to cede additional land to the federal government in the treaty referred to as Lovely's Purchase . In 1833, the Osage clashed with the Kiowa near the Wichita Mountains in modern-day south-central Oklahoma, in an incident known as the Cutthroat Gap massacre . The Osage cut off the heads of their victims and arranged them in rows of brass cooking buckets. No Osage died in this attack. Later, Kiowa warriors, allied with

3132-608: The Osage as an "uncommonly fierce, courageous, warlike nation" and said they were the "finest looking Indians I have ever seen in the West". In the Ohio Valley, the Osage originally lived among speakers of the same Dhegihan language stock, such as the Kansa , Ponca , Omaha , and Quapaw . Researchers believe that the tribes likely diverged in languages and cultures after leaving the lower Ohio Country. The Omaha and Ponca settled in what

3219-598: The Osage at a meeting in Montgomery County , Kansas, on September 10, 1870. It provided that the remainder of Osage land in Kansas be sold, and the proceeds used to relocate the tribe to Indian Territory in the Cherokee Outlet . By delaying agreement with removal, the Osage benefited by a change in administration. They sold their lands to the "peace" administration of President Ulysses S. Grant , for which they received more money: $ 1.25 an acre rather than

3306-678: The Osage considered the Jesuits better able to work with their culture than the Protestant missionaries. The Jesuits also established a girls' school operated by the Sisters of Loretto from Kentucky, led by Mother Bridget Hayden . During a 35-year period, most of the missionaries were new recruits from Europe: Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, and Belgium. They taught, established more than 100 mission stations, built churches, and created

3393-740: The Osage favored the Union by a five to one ratio, they made a treaty with the Confederacy to try to buy some peace. Roughly 200 Osage men were recruited into the Confederate army and formed the Osage Battalion , serving under Cherokee Confederate General Stand Watie . Following the American Civil War and victory of the Union, the Drum Creek Treaty was passed by Congress on July 15, 1870, and ratified by

3480-565: The Osage for many years and learned their language, Jean-Pierre Chouteau traded with them and made his home at present-day Salina, Oklahoma , in the western part of their territory. After the Lewis and Clark Expedition was completed in 1806, Jefferson appointed Meriwether Lewis as Indian Agent for the Territory of Missouri and the region. There were continuing confrontations between the Osage and other tribes in this area. Lewis anticipated that

3567-463: The Osage raids and worked to gain support from related tribes as well as whites. The peoples confronted each other in the " Battle of Claremore Mound ," in which 38 Osage warriors were killed and 104 were taken captive by the Cherokee and their allies. As a result of the battle, the United States constructed Fort Smith in present-day Arkansas. It was intended to prevent armed confrontations between

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3654-508: The U.S. would have to go to war with the Osage, because of their raids on eastern Natives and European-American settlements. However, the U.S. lacked sufficient military strength to coerce Osage bands into ceasing their raids. It decided to supply other tribes with weapons and ammunition, provided they attack the Osage to the point they "cut them off completely or drive them from their country." For instance, in September 1807, Lewis persuaded

3741-648: The United States made the Louisiana Purchase , the U.S. government appointed the wealthy French fur trader Jean-Pierre Chouteau , a half-brother of René Auguste Chouteau, as the Indian agent assigned to the Osage. In 1809, he founded the Saint Louis Missouri Fur Company with his son Auguste Pierre Chouteau and other prominent men of St. Louis, most of whom were of French-Creole descent, born in North America. Having lived with

3828-477: The West and supplies to help them adapt to farming and a more settled culture. They were first relocated to a reservation in what is now southeastern Kansas called the Osage Diminished Reserve . The city of Independence would later develop there. The first Osage reservation was a 50-by-150-mile (80 by 241 km) strip. The United Foreign Missionary Society sent clergy to them, supported by

3915-511: The city of St. Louis in 2014 to celebrate its 250th anniversary of founding by the French. They participated in a mass partially conducted in Osage at St. Francis Xavier College Church of St. Louis University on April 2, 2014, as part of planned activities. One of the con-celebrants was Todd Nance, who is the first Osage to be ordained as a Catholic priest. In 1843, the Osage asked the federal government to send "Black Robes", Jesuit missionaries, to their reservation to educate their children;

4002-445: The county. After the end of Prohibition in 1933, Benton County voters voted that year to stay dry and voted twice in 1944 to stay dry. In 2012, Benton County voters elected to make the county wet, allowing countywide retail alcohol sales. The historic Trail of Tears is on US highways 62 and 71 and connects with U.S. Route 412 in nearby Washington County. The Arkansas and Missouri Railroad parallels US Highways 62 and 71 in

4089-517: The county. The St. Louis–San Francisco Railway (commonly known as the "Frisco") was completed across Benton County in 1881. The Bentonville Railway Company operated a freight and passenger railroad between Rogers and Bentonville between 1883 and 1898. As is typical of the Ozarks and the Bible Belt , Benton County is strongly Republican. It was one of the first counties in Arkansas to break from

4176-597: The early morning near the Washita River on November 27, 1868. They killed Chief Black Kettle, and the ambush resulted in additional deaths on both sides. This incident became known as the Battle of Washita River , or the Washita massacre, an ignominious part of the United States' Indian Wars . The Osage were one of the few American Indian nations to buy their own reservation. As a result, they retained more rights to

4263-480: The federal government. This treaty created a buffer line between the Osage and new European-American settlers in the Missouri Territory . It also established the requirement that the U.S. president had to approve all future land sales and cessions by the Osage. The Treaty of Ft. Osage states the U.S. would "protect" the Osage tribe "from the insults and injuries of other tribes of Indians, situated near

4350-529: The first Native American nation to gain full cash payment of annuities. They gradually began to build up their tribe again but suffered encroachment by white outlaws, vagabonds, and thieves. The Osage wrote a constitution in 1881, modeling some parts of it after the United States Constitution. By the start of the 20th century, the federal government and progressives were continuing to press for Native American assimilation , believing this

4437-463: The forest and almost all of the prairie have been replaced by agriculture or expanding residential areas. Poultry, cattle, and hog farming are primary land uses; pastureland and hayland are common. Application of poultry litter to agricultural fields is a non-point source that can impair water quality. Total suspended solids and turbidity values in streams are usually low, but total dissolved solids and water hardness values are high. According to

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4524-401: The horse, a valuable resource often acquired through raids on other tribes. The desire to acquire more horses contributed to their trading with the French. They attacked and defeated indigenous Caddo tribes to establish dominance in the Plains region by 1750, with control "over half or more of Missouri, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Kansas," which they maintained for nearly 150 years. Together with

4611-418: The land and sovereignty. They retained mineral rights on their lands. The reservation, of approximately 1,470,000 acres (5,900 km ), was purchased in 1872 and is coterminous with present-day Osage County, Oklahoma , in the north-central portion of the state between Tulsa and Ponca City . The Osage established four towns: Pawhuska , Hominy , Fairfax , and Gray Horse . Each was dominated by one of

4698-581: The largest tornado in Arkansas history, an EF3 with a width of 1.8 miles (2.9 km). This also initiated the first ever Arkansas appearance of FEMA for emergency disaster relief. Benton County is located within the Springfield Plateau subset of the Ozark Mountains . The plateau is gently rolling compared to the steeper Boston Mountains to the south and east, and contains karst features such as springs , losing streams , sinkholes and caves . Groundcover historically consisted of oak hickory forest or savannas and tall grass prairies . Today, most of

4785-655: The literature cites these individuals as "priests", this term is misleading and is more Eurocentric in nature. Ceremonies, although very elaborate served basic functions such as requesting aid from Wakonda for continued tribal existence and the blessing of a long life through children. Ceremonial songs were also a way to document the knowledge spiritual leaders gained, considering there was no written language. Songs of this nature were taught and shared among only those other Osages who were sincere and had proven themselves. Many songs and ceremonies were created for all facets of life such as adoption, marriage, war, agriculture and to honor

4872-418: The longest-running school system in Kansas. White squatters continued to be a frequent problem for the Osage, but they recovered from population losses, regaining a total of 5,000 members by 1850. The Kansas–Nebraska Act resulted in numerous settlers arriving in Kansas Territory ; both abolitionists and pro-slavery groups were represented among those trying to establish residency in order to vote on whether

4959-466: The loyalty of Catholic priests, who stayed with them and also died in the epidemic, created a special covenant between the tribe and the Catholic Church, but they did not convert in great numbers. Catholic clergy accompanied the Osage when they were forced to move again to Indian Territory in what became Oklahoma. Honoring this special relationship, as well as Catholic sisters who taught their children in schools on reservations, numerous Osage elders went to

5046-409: The major bands at the time of removal. The Osage continued their relationship with the Catholic Church, which established schools operated by two orders of nuns, as well as mission churches. It was many years before the Osage recovered from the hardships suffered during their last years in Kansas and their early years on the reservation in Indian Territory. For nearly five years during the depression of

5133-444: The measures Lewis has taken in regards to making allies of the friendly Osage from those deemed as hostile. Jefferson writes, "we may go further, & as the principal obstacle to the Indians acting in large bodies is the want of provisions, we might supply that want, & ammunition also if they need it." But the goal foremost pursued by the U.S. was to push the Osage out of areas being settled by European Americans, who began to enter

5220-480: The most populous city. The county was named after Thomas Hart Benton , a U.S. Senator from Missouri influential in Arkansas statehood. The county is located within the Springfield Plateau of the Ozarks . Much of eastern Benton County is located along Beaver Lake , a reservoir of the White River . The county contains three protected areas: Logan Cave National Wildlife Refuge , Pea Ridge National Military Park , and Devil's Eyebrow Natural Area, as well as parts of

5307-407: The others and emulate characteristics desirable for survival. Survival was not a competition between humans and non-humans, but rather a struggle between human communities. Wakonda was viewed as "the mysterious life-force that pervades the sun", "moon", "earth", "and the stars", as well as the embodiment of order on Earth, which was seen as a place where chaos mostly won. Efforts for survival were

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5394-477: The population was Pacific Islander. 1.6% reported two or more races, usually not black-white due to a minuscule African-American population. 12.8% was Latino, but the United States Hispanic Chamber of Commerce believed the official estimate is underreported and Latinos could well be 20 percent of the population. There were 58,212 households, out of which 34.40% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 63.00% were married couples living together, 8.20% had

5481-498: The population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. As of 2005 estimates, Benton County's population was 81.7% non-Hispanic white, while the percentage of Latinos grew by 60 percent in the time period. 1.1% of the population was African-American; 1.6% was Native American (the historical presence of the Cherokee Indians live in close proximity to Oklahoma ); 1.7% was Asian (there was a large influx of Filipinos , Vietnamese and South Asian immigrants in recent decades) and 0.2% of

5568-406: The pro-segregation American Independent Party ticket. Carter in 1976 remains the last Democrat to win even forty percent of the county's vote. In Benton County, voters have supported the GOP in the last nineteen presidential elections. Note: Most Arkansas counties have names for their townships. Benton County, however, has numbers instead of names. Townships in Arkansas are the divisions of

5655-501: The responsibility of the people and not of Wakonda, although they might ask Wakonda for help. Considering life a struggle among human groups, they viewed warfare as necessary for self-preservation. The people's survival was dependent on their ability to defend themselves. Over time, the Osage developed clan and kinship systems that mirrored the cosmos as they saw it. Osage clans were typically named after elements of their world: animals, plants and weather phenomenon such as storms. This

5742-401: The rising of the sun in the morning. During funerals, the faces of dead Osage were traditionally "painted to signal [his or] her tribe and clan". In 1673, French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Jolliet were among the first Europeans documented to contact the Osage, traveling southward from present-day Canada in their journey along the Mississippi River. Marquette's 1673 map noted

5829-445: The settlements of white people....". As was common in Native American relations with the federal government, the Osage found that the U.S. did not carry through on this commitment. The Choctaw chief Pushmataha , based in Mississippi, made his early reputation in battles against the Osage tribe in the area of southern Arkansas and their borderlands. In the early 19th century, some Cherokee, such as Sequoyah , voluntarily moved from

5916-422: The sky, and descends to the earth in material form. The sky is viewed as masculine in nature and the earth as feminine. They revere the behavior of animals such as hawks, deer and bears, which are considered to be very courageous. Other species lived long lives, such as pelicans. Because humans lacked many of the characteristics naturally found within other forms of life around them, they were expected to learn from

6003-471: The southeast to the Arkansas River valley under pressure from European-American settlement in their traditional territory. They clashed there with the Osage, who controlled this area. The Osage regarded the Cherokee as invaders. They began raiding Cherokee towns, stealing horses, carrying off captives (usually women and children), and killing others, trying to drive out the Cherokee with a campaign of violence and fear. The Cherokee were not effective in stopping

6090-399: The spiritual incarnate in nature. During this period in Kansas, the tribe suffered from the widespread smallpox pandemic of 1837–1838, which caused devastating losses among Native Americans from Canada to New Mexico. All clergy except the Catholics abandoned the Osage during the crisis. Most survivors of the epidemic had received vaccinations against the disease. The Osage believed that

6177-463: The territory should permit slavery . The Osage lands became overrun with European-American settlers. In 1855, the Osage suffered another epidemic of smallpox, because a generation had grown up without getting vaccinated. During Bleeding Kansas and later the American Civil War the Osage largely stayed neutral, but both sides successfully recruited Osage fighters to their side. John Allen Mathews , an American who married an Osage woman, advocated for

6264-649: The tribe to side with the Confederate States of America . The tribe signed a treaty with the CSA in October 1861. The Jesuit priest Father Schoenmakers recruited Osage fighters for the Union Army . They struggled simply to survive through famine and the war. During the war, many Caddoan and Creek refugees from Indian Territory came to Osage country in Kansas, further straining their resources. Although

6351-742: The tribe's jurisdictional area. Members also live outside the nation's tribal land in Oklahoma and in other states around the country. The tribe is bordered by the Cherokee Nation to the east, the Muscogee Nation and the Pawnee Nation to the south, and the Kaw Nation and Oklahoma proper to the west. The Osage are descendants of cultures of Indigenous peoples who had been in North America for thousands of years. Studies of their traditions and language show that they were part of

6438-659: The tribes. Lewis and Clark reported in 1804 that the peoples were the Great Osage on the Osage River , the Little Osage upstream, and the Arkansas band on the Verdigris River , a tributary of the Arkansas River . The Osage then numbered some 5,500. The Osage and Quapaw suffered extensive losses from smallpox in 1801–1802. Historians estimate up to 2,000 Osage died in the epidemic. In 1804 after

6525-544: The vast prairie owned by the tribe. Because of his recent work in developing oil production in Kansas, Henry Foster approached the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) to request exclusive privileges to explore the Osage Reservation for oil and natural gas. Foster died shortly afterward, and his brother, Edwin B. Foster, assumed his interests. The BIA granted the request on March 16, 1896, with the stipulation that Foster

6612-412: The war in a rented office for a few months until a new two-story frame building was constructed east of the county jail. In 1870, the search for a more permanent home for county government began, and a new structure was finished after significant struggle and controversy, in 1874. This building was replaced by the present-day Benton County Courthouse in 1928. On May 26, 2024 , Benton County experienced

6699-596: The women cultivated varieties of corn , squash , and other vegetables which they processed for food. They also harvested and processed nuts and wild berries. In their years of transition, the Osage had cultural practices that had elements of the cultures of both Woodland Native Americans and the Great Plains peoples . The villages of the Osage were important hubs in the Great Plains trading network served by Kaw people as intermediaries. Osage people who adhere to traditional customs believe they are an integral part of

6786-415: Was 35 years. For every 100 females, there were 97.40 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 94.90 males. The median income for a household in the county was $ 40,281, and the median income for a family was $ 45,235. Males had a median income of $ 30,327 versus $ 22,469 for females. The per capita income for the county was $ 19,377. About 7.30% of families and 10.10% of the population were below

6873-472: Was a symbolic representation. Each clan had its own responsibilities within the tribe. Names of clans included Red Cedar ( Hon-tse-shu-tsy ), Travelers in the Mist ( Moh-sho-tsa-moie ), Deer Lungs ( Tah-lah-he ) and Elk ( O-pon ). Children born to a certain clan had a ceremonial naming in order to introduce them to the community. Without a ceremonial name, an Osage child could not participate in ceremonies, so naming

6960-432: Was also driven west of Illinois by warfare with the powerful Iroquois. Eventually the Osage and other Dhegihan-Siouan peoples reached their historic lands, likely developing and splitting into the above tribes in the course of the migration to the Great Plains. By the 17th century, many of the Osage had settled near the Osage River in the western part of present-day Missouri . They were recorded in 1690 as having adopted

7047-658: Was an important part of Osage identity. The people regulated marriage through the clans: clan members had to marry people from opposite clans or divisions. Clan representation was expressed in the arrangement of Osage villages. The sky people lived on the side opposite the earth people, and the lodges of the Osage spiritual leaders were situated in between the two sides. Osage life was highly ritualized, where there were certain ceremonies would be performed utilizing bundles, ceremonial pipes which used tobacco as offerings to seek Wakonda's aid. These ceremonies were presided over by Osage medicine people and spiritual leaders. Although some of

7134-547: Was created from neighboring Washington County by the Arkansas General Assembly on September 30, 1836. Created shortly after statehood, it was named for Thomas Hart Benton , a U.S. Senator from Missouri influential in Arkansas's statehood. Following establishment, a citizen committee was established to select the county seat . It decided to create Bentonville, with a town square and 136 lots around it, in 1837. The first building serving as courthouse

7221-630: Was established as Benton County in 1832, and renamed in 1858. Hernando County, Florida was named Benton County from 1844 through 1850. [REDACTED] Topics referred to by the same term This disambiguation page lists articles about distinct geographical locations with the same name. If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Benton_County&oldid=539655498 " Category : United States county name disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description

7308-478: Was the best policy for them. Congress passed the Curtis Act and Dawes Act , legislation requiring the dismantling of communal lands on other reservations. They allotted communal lands in 160-acre (65 ha) portions to individual households, declaring the remainder as "surplus" and selling it to non-natives. They also dismantled the tribal governments . In 1894 large quantities of oil were discovered beneath

7395-528: Was the first European colonial fort on the Missouri River. Jesuit missionaries were assigned to French forts and established missions in an attempt to convert the Osage, learning their language to ingratiate themselves. In 1724, the Osage allied with the French rather than the Spanish in their fight for control of the Mississippi region. In 1725, Bourgmont led a delegation of Osage and other tribal chiefs to Paris . They were shown around France, including

7482-460: Was the home of George P. Wallace, the first county judge , for the 1837 court term. By the following year, a log structure on the north side of the Bentonville square was complete and served as the first permanent courthouse. In 1841, a contractor was building a brick courthouse in the middle of the Bentonville square. It was burned by Union troops during the Civil War in 1862. Court resumed after

7569-412: Was to pay the Osage tribe a 10% royalty on all sales of petroleum produced on the reservation. Foster found large quantities of oil, and the Osage benefited greatly monetarily. But this discovery of "black gold" eventually led to more hardships for tribal members. The Osage had learned about negotiating with the U.S. government. Through the efforts of Principal Chief James Bigheart , in 1907 they reached

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