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1800 - The Mississippi, forced eastward by the muddy Missouri River, begins eating away at the Illinois bank. The river's width grows to a mile and a half at St. Louis. The land that would come to be known as Bloody Island begins to form below Bissell's Point from silt and debris that came from the mouth of the Missouri River. It grew slowly by accretion. The formation of a sandbar (Duncan Island), just slightly south in the river, changed the current and led to the creation of Bloody Island.The existence of Bloody Island, which is 500 yards wide and filled with dense willows and cottonwoods, causes the river to wash away Illinois bottom land that once had been an Indian campsite. The river also intruded on Cahokia Creek and the slough (a body of stagnant water), filling the bed at the southwest comer of Piggott's small village. It turns Cahokia Creek from its former channel past Cahokia, to a new one that empties into the Mississippi further north at St. Louis. Bloody Island becomes a favorite site for cock fights, bare knuckle brawls and duels, since it was away from populated areas and considered to be neutral territory belonging neither to Illinois nor Missouri. Click here to read more about Bloody Island Congress divides Northwest Territory into Indiana and Ohio Territories. Illinois was part of Indiana Territory. French Village is settled by M. Delorme, Nicholas Turgeon, August Trotier and Dennis Valentine.
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