TECUMSEH PREDICTS NEW MADRID QUAKE

Although famous around the world as a leader among the Shawnee Indians, in Southeast Missouri Tecumseh may be more well known for his prediction of the devastating 1811 New Madrid earthquake.

According to the 1996 book, "On Shaky Ground" by Norma Hayes Bagnall, on a journey to recruit Indians from other prominent tribes in the Mississippi Valley to join forces to prevent white settlers from moving into their lands, Tecumseh predicted that there would be a sign. This sign was the first of several New Madrid earthquakes.

The New Madrid earthquake was a devastating, 8.0-magnitude earthquake that shook much of the Mississippi Valley including Missouri, Arkansas, Kentucky and Tennessee. Large areas of land sank into the earth, new lakes formed, the Mississippi River ran backwards and aftershocks were felt as far away as New York and Pennsylvania.

Only a remarkable man could predict a natural disaster. This man was Tecumseh (or Tecumthe) from the Shawnee tribe. The Shawnee, or "Southerners," from the Algonkian shawun, "south," are a North American tribe of the Algokian. The Shawnee were originally in South Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Ohio. In 1793, they were granted land in Cape Girardeau, which at that time belonged to Spain.

Tecumseh was born in 1768 to Methotase and Puckeshinwa at Old Piqua, on the Mad River in Western Ohio. A comet was seen flashing through the sky at the moment of his birth. His father, Puckeshinwa, realized that this meant that his son was destined for excellence. Methotase and Puckeshinwa named their son Tecumseh, meaning "Panther Crossing the Sky." Tecumseh grew up with six other siblings, one of which was the well-known Shawnee Prophet Tenskwatawa.

Tecumseh spent much of his life speaking to other tribes, urging them to join forces against the white settlers. He believed that if they united they would successfully overcome the white settlers.

In one of the many speeches Tecumseh gave to his fellow Indians, he proclaimed, "Love your life, perfect your life, beautify all things in your life. Seek to make your life long and its purpose in the service of your people."

According to "The Shawnee Prophet" by R. David Edmunds, on his return from the South, Tecumseh attempted to rebuild his devastated confederacy. However, the War of 1812 broke out and he went to Michigan to assist the British in the capture of Detroit.

"When it comes your time to die, be not like those whose hearts are fools and robs the spirit of its vision. When it comes your time to die, be not like whose hearts are filled with the fear of death, so that when their time comes they weep and pray for a little more time to live their lives over again in a different way. Sing your death song like a hero going home," Tecumseh stated in his speech.

Tecumseh is said to have predicted his death before he was killed at the Battle of Thames in Moraviantown in Upper Canada on Oct.5, 1813. Although there are many legends surrounding Tecumseh's death, how he actually died or whether he was murdered remains a mystery.