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Heinz Suppan a Springfield, Illinois native, received his Associate of Arts Degree at Springfield Junior College, a Bachelor's Degree in German and History at Illinois College in Jacksonville Illinois and a Master of Arts Degree at the University of Illinois in Springfield. Suppan has lived in Ottawa for the past 32 years and from 1983 to present has taught German and various history classes at Marquette Academy in Ottawa. From 1989 to 2001 Suppan taught German and several history courses at Sauk Valley College in Dixon, Illinois From 2001 to present Suppan is an adjunct professor of history at Joliet Junior College. At Marquette Academy the author established a one semester class in State and Local History and in this endeavor he developed a deep interest in the events that took place in May of 1832 at Indian Creek, 11 miles north of Ottawa. In September of 2013 Suppan was a featured presenter in Springfield at the Conference on Illinois History, where he discussed the coincidence of the Black Hawk War and the Indian Creek Massacre happening at the same time. In 2014, he will be a featured presenter again and his topic will be: "Pana; the Crossroads of Crisis" This topic deals with the coal mining community of Pana and the infant United Mine Workers union. This collision course took place when blacks from the South were brought to Pana under fraudulent circumstances to break a strike, leading to violence and several deaths. The Tanner Law was adopted by the Illinois General Assembly prohibiting such actions of recruiting people outside of the State under false pretenses Suppan continues to teach at Marquette Academy and Joliet Junior College. He resides with his wife Leslie and their two cats in Ottawa.