History of Iowa From the Earliest Times to the Beginning of the Twentieth Century/4/Joseph M. Street
JOSEPH M. STREET was born in Lunenburg County, Virginia, December 15, 1782. He went to Kentucky, studied law with Henry Clay and practiced a few years. Later he was editor of the Western World, published at Frankfort, which became famous for exposing the conspiracy of Aaron Burr to dismember the Union. Street was repeatedly assailed by the friends of Burr and at one time severely wounded. He lived for several years at Shawneetown, Illinois, where he held various offices. In 1827 be was appointed by President Adams agent at Prairie du Chien for the Winnebago Indians. During his long service in that position he established schools and instructed them in farming. He protected them from plundering traders and acquired great influence with that tribe. During the Black Hawk war he removed the Winnebagos out of reach of the influence of the Sac chief with whom they sympathized. He was instrumental in securing the surrender of Black Hawk and fifty members of his band who escaped from the massacre of Bad Ax, to General Taylor at Fort Crawford, and was also instrumental in procuring the removal of the Winnebagos from Wisconsin to northern Iowa upon lands they had accepted in exchange. In 1835 General Street was transferred to Rock Island as agent for the Sac and Fox Indians. In 1838 he selected the site for the new agency of the Sac and Foxes on the Des Moines River which became known as Agency City, which was in Wapello County, near where Ottumwa stands. Here General Street died May 5, 1840, and was buried near the grave of the chief Wapello.