Wabokieshiek or White Cloud
In the 1730's a certain Sac chief set up his village with his band on an oxbow of the
Rock River which is now the town of Prophetstown. It was this site two generations
later that this chiefs Winnebago wife gave birth to Poweshiek who later became
Wabokieshiek or White Cloud the Prophet.White Cloud was born in 1793 gaining
prowess as a prophet and chief at a early
age. At the proper time he took two
Winnebago wives, having a Winnebago mother, two Winnebago wives, plus the fact
his sister was married to the head chief of the Winnebago's, plus the fact he made
beneficial prophecies that materialized to them these natives had adopted him as their
Chief and Spiritual councilor along with his regular followers who were Sac. This would
be reason many Indians, most government agents, many Historians, past and present
to call him a Winnebago Chief. Among the Algonquin Indians chieftonship was generally
inherited patrimonially, going first to a son, then a son-in-law and less often to a
grandson or nephew. It is my understanding the name Wabokieshiek in Winnebago language means
"white sky light." It is also my understanding they referred to clouds as light. White Cloud died in 1835. In the early 1800's there were 14 Indian Villages scattered along the Rock River
between Rock Island and Dixon.The principal village was Prophet's Town. In 1835
there were still three to four hundred Indians living near the mouth of C**n Creek. As late as 1871 Indians still lived in the area around the Prophet's Town. White Cloud was the right arm to Black Hawk during the Black Hawk war.
