Waubeshiek, referred to by his people as the Prophet, was an imposing man reputed for his shrewd and reckless nature. There is little documentation on his early life. He was born in 1794, to a Winnebago mother and a Sauk father. Described as a tall man with a large build and long, wavy hair, Waubeshiek gained particular notoriety for his role in the Black Hawk War.

During Black Hawk's struggle to hold on to his land, Waubeshiek was a key advisor. He, along with the Sauk chief Neapope, reassured Black Hawk that the British were going to support the natives' attempt to reclaim their land from the Americans. Historians have generally held Waubeshiek accountable for Black Hawk's defeat as a result of his misguidance. Without the perpetual encouragement from the Prophet, Black Hawk might never have waged such a lop-sided campaign.

Waubeshiek's fate was similar to that of Black Hawk's. He was captured, imprisoned, and eventually released. Waubeshiek spent his last years living peacefully in Iowa. He died in 1841. Prophetstown, the native village named after him, is situated near the mouth of the Rock River in present-day Illinois.