From the plains of prairie grass, inhabited, by the Miami Confederation and Potawatomie Indians,
Wheeling has developed into plains of concrete inhabited by 13,700 people.  The history of Wheeling
begins with the Indians who lived, in the area for 64 years before white men settled here in 1833.,
The Miami Indians, the first to settle in the area, were mild-mannered and polite, according to
early French explorers: The Miamis' are related to the Illini, a tribe farther downstate.   After
the Miamis were driven westward; the Potawatomies took over the Wheeling area.  They were stationary
hunters and farmers whose staple crop was maize.  Travelers in the area described the Potawatomies
as more humane than other tribes in the area.  Many of the Potawatomies eventually became
Christians, but it the same time tribe's had Man-doz-it and, an evil, Spirit.  They continue to
worship those same gods today.  EACH OF THE nine Potawatomie tribes has one medicine man who works
with the evil spirits, a Man-doz-it.  The Man-doz-it gave up his chance of eternal salvation for
power in his life on earth, folklore says.  When one Man-doz-it dies, another young man is found ,
who will sell his soul to the devil.  "And they always find himfor such are the powers of darkness,"
says the legend.  The Man-doz-it keeps his evil spirit in a bag he wears on his chest.  His identity
is a closely guarded secret of the tribe.  IF AN INDIAN wanted to have an enemy destroyed, a fine
horse would exchange hands--today more than $300 changes hands.  Later is his life, when facing
death himself, the Man-doz-it may wish to atone for all the evil he has committed.  "But he took his
fateful step long ago, and there is no way by which he can escape the consequences of that step,"
says the folktale: "He will suffer what he has made others suffer.  His death will come with a
horrible, creeping slowness, a soft moccasin step at a time..." THE POTAWATOMIES were generally
opposed to the idea of white men settling in their lands, but in 1833, a man known only as Mr.
Sweet, built a homestead in which he lived before ratification of a treaty with the Indians.
Apparently he was on good terms with them, because he survived and sold his claim to a man
identified as George Strong for $60 in October of the same year.  Before concluding the deal, Strong
consulted Chicago's Indian Agent, Col.  Thomas J.  V.  Owen.  Owen advised Strong not to settle on
his property until after ratification of the upcoming treaty with the Potawatomies.  STRONG SETTLED
on his property in September, not long before the signing of the treaty.  The Indians tried to drive
him out, but he escaped only because he showed no fear, research showed.  After the treaty was
signed, many new settlers moved into the Wheeling area.  The first to settle in the Wheeling village
limits was Joseph Filikins in 1834.  By the terms of the treaty, the Potawatomies were to receive
$16,000 annually and a blacksmith shop.  They received the money for 3 years only, and records fail
to give any further information about the shop.