USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Fort Wayne in 1790 > Part 2
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14This was Columbia City, founded in November, 1788, three-fourths of a mile below the mouth of the Little Miami. Its projectors fondly hoped to see it become the metropolis of the surrounding region, and for a year or more their dreams seemed in a fair way of being realized. But the greater natural advantages of the site opposite the mouth of the Licking river destined this point, where Cin- cinnati was shortly founded, to be the site of the future metropolis. In 1873 Columbia City, still a small town, was annexed as a suburb to its successful rival.
15The settlement of Cincinnati was begun in the late autumn of 1788. The following summer Fort Washington was constructed at this point by a force of troops sent down the Ohio from Fort Harmar for this purpose.
16Lieut. John Pratt, enlisted from Pennsylvania.
17Capt. David Strong, enlisted from New York.
18The Licking River. Apparently Hay's informant was unfamiliar with the more imposing designation Losantiville given by the Kentucky pedagogue, John Filson, to the infant settlement. This hybrid, compounded for the occasion from Greek, Latin, and French elements, was intended by its compiler to signify "town opposite the mouth of the Licking." In 1790, at the behest of Governor St. Clair, Losantiville gave place to the modern Cincinnati.
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this which comes from Kentuck and falls into the Ohio. This place has been commanded lately by one Major Dotty,19 who is gone up to Muskinghum for his health as supposed: the Governor (St. Clair) was expected down in his place for a short time.2º Capt. Strong, he supposed comn'd in the absence of the major until the arrival of the Governor. The full com- pliment of the subaltern officers of the compy's he thinks were present for their appeared to him to be a great many of them -particularly in Capt. Strong's he thinks he saw at least three of them. He never was w[h]ere the troops are but one Sun- day. therefore cannot give a certain account. This man is an Irishman born in the County of Tipperary came to America about Twenty years ago-never served with them or for them, lived the greatest part of the war in Virginia at a place called Fort Quire County21 a country place-they had a Court House there-came down to this place (the little Miami) in July last. Last place he came from was Stantown22 Augusta County-in Virginia. Aged about upwards of Forty. lost his father and mother very young. The Indians who took him are Dela- wares-did not use him ill nor did they took him with that intention, only to learn intelligence of what those People were about ; he has his liberty, is to live with us the whole Winter as a servant and in the Spring the Indians have promised to take him safe back. It seems that he would prefer remaining
19 Maj. John Doughty, commander of the force which built Fort Washington. On December 28, 1789, General Harmar, descending the Ohio from Fort Harmar, reached the new fort, and named it Washington "on account of its superior excel- lence." Fort Washington now became the military headquarters of the North- west. On being relieved by Harmar, Major Doughty took command of Fort Har- mar, which guarded the new settlement of Marietta.
20Governor St. Clair reached Cincinnati on January 2, 1790.
21 Fauquier County. 22Staunton.
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in this country had be but his cloaths and some money to the amount of Ten Pounds Virginia Money which Mr. Phillipps owes him. He was allowed from him for his work 40/ that currency per month and provisions-Virginia money is the nearest to sterling of any money in this country except Halli- fax is 6/ to the Dollar. Visited Mrs. Adamher and family this morning-This evening, also visited Mr. Rivarr's23 -- Miss Rivarr is a very pretty girl, inclined to be stoute, very fair, black eyes, but rather aukward. un peu a la Paysan.
19th. Froze hard last night. Ice comes down the river But still a very fine day-This day arrived here the Little Turtle24 a chief of the Miamiae with his war party consisting of about fifteen or sixteen-they had made two prisoners (a negro and a white man) the negro was left with a few whites at the Little Miami. They rest went out looking for more, they left their baggage & four Horses-during which time the Americans came on them, retook the negro, plundered the baggage, horses &c. The Indians made off & joined the others. Went and paid a visit this afternoon to Mrs. Adamher-drank Coffee
23The papers captured from La Balme upon the destruction of his force near Miamitown in 1780, contained a list of the French inhabitants of the place, including one Rivard. Illinois State Historical Society, Transactions, 1909, 132. Rivard is also mentioned in a letter from Detroit to David Gray at Miamitown, March 23, 1785. Indiana Mag. of Hist. V, 142, 143.
24Little Turtle was born on Eel River in 1752, and died at Fort Wayne in 1812. One of the ablest leaders the red race has produced, he was an inveterate foe of the Americans until the Treaty of Greenville, of 1795. He bore a leading part in the negotiations over the treaty, contending stoutly for the interests of his race. Convinced of the hopelessness of further resistance he pledged a religious observance of the treaty. Until his death, eighteen years later, this promise was kept, and Little Turtle was a firm friend of the whites. His great- est military exploit was the destruction of St. Clair's army in 1791 by the war- riors under his command. He opposed making a fight against Wayne in 1794, and consequently the leadership of the red men in the battle of Fallen Timbers passed to his kinsman, Blue Jacket.
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Miss Rivarr is a very pretty girl
with her. She showed me a further mark of her Politeness & attention, by telling me as it was very difficult to get cloaths & Linnen washed at this place, begged I would send her mine that her Ponnie wench should wash them.25
20th. Little rain & snow last night which has made it very slippery. Rather a darking day. Saw this day the Rifle Horn & Pouche Bagg belonging to the American that was murdered by the Indians. It seems that he was rather an elderly man & very tall-had some money both Silver & Paper of Virginia. I find that this man was immediately killed after he was taken by one of the party who struck him twice or thrice in the back an side, in consequence he said of having some of his own relations killed lately. This is their way of retaliating; the young fellow that had taken him offered to hinder the other, but could not he was in too great a passion.
Paid a visit this morning to one Mr. Payetts26 family, think nothing of Miss-She's very brown.
Passed an agreeable afternoon & evening at Mrs. Adamhers in company with Mrs. & Miss Rivare & Mrs. Ranjard ; I played the flute and sang. Mr. Kinzie27 the fiddle, & all the ladies except two sang also, Mrs. Ranjard has a fine voice. We drank tea & coffee about 1/2 past 4 o'clock & a light supper
25A pani (panis, pawnee, paunee, etc.) was a slave of the Indian race. This designation was due to the fact that most of the Indian slaves belonging to the Algonquian and other Indians of the Great Lakes and the Middle West were procured from the Pawnee tribe. Handbook of American Indians.
26 Possibly the same person who La Balme's list of the inhabitants of Miami- town in 1780 designates as Paillet.
27This was John Kinzie who has acquired posthumous fame as the reputed "father" of Chicago. For a sketch of his career, see M. M. Quaife, Chicago and the Old Northwest (Chicago, 1913), 145-52. When Harmar's force destroyed Miamitown the summer following Hay's sojourn there, Kinzie apparently re- tired, with others of the traders to Grand Glaize. The captive, Spencer, speaks of his house here in 1792, and describes Kinzie as "a Scot, who, in addition to merchandyzing, followed the occupation of a silversmith, exchanging with the
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about 9 o'clock and then broke up. The French settlers of this place go to prayers of a Sunday, morning & evening, at one Mr. Barthelmis28 which is performed by Mr. Payee; the people are collected by the Ringing of three cow bells, which three boys runs about with thro' the village, which makes as much noise as twenty cows would. I went this afternoon to their prayers it being Sunday. A little snow this evening.
I forgot to mention the 19th inst. that on the arrival of the warriors the other side of the river, the Gree30 ordered a Pirogue (which happened to be just arrived from the forks of the river with wood) to be unloaded by some of the french lads who stood on the bank, and sent one of them over with it ; on their arrival he Billetted them like Soldiers so many in each House according to the bigness of it, and took care to trouble the families as little as possible-we had six ;- This he
Indian his brooches, ear-drops, and other silver ornaments, at an enormous profit, for skins and furs." Spencer, op. cit., 30. Kinzie later established himself at Parc aux Vaches on the St. Joseph River, near the forks of the Chicago-Detroit and the Chicago-Fort Wayne Indian trails. In the spring of 1804 he removed to Chicago, where Fort Dearborn had been constructed the previous summer. Except for the four years from 1812 to 1816, this was his home until his death in 1828.
28One of the oldest inhabitants of Miamitown. His name is included in the "census" of Indiana of 1769, and also in La Balme's list of the inhabitants of Miamitown in 1780. See Illinois State Historical Society, Trans., 1909, 132; Indiana Historical Society, Publications, II, 439, 440.
29 Probably the priest, Louis Payet, who was born at Montreal in 1749, and came to Detroit in 1781. He made trips to the missions at Vincennes, Cahokia, and other outlying points. See Wis. Hist. Colls., XVIII, 493.
30Le Gris was the French nick-name of the Miami chief Na-ka-kwan-ga, or Crippled Ankles. The name appears as Nah-goh-quan-goh in the treaty of Green- ville, and Naquakouande in a speech of 1773. (Mich. Pion. Colls., Vol. 19, p. 310). Antoine Gamelin, who visited Miamitown in April, 1790, on an embassy for the Americans, speaks of him as "the great chief of the Miamis." American State Papers, Indian Affairs (Washington, 1832-61), I, 94. His importance among the Miami is sufficiently evident from the following pages. He was prominent in the warfare with the Americans which closed with Wayne's victory of Fallen Tim- bers, and in the negotiation of the Treaty of Greenville the following year.
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ordered in a very polite manner, but quite like a general or a commandant.
2Ist. Monday. The weather rather mild and foggy-much inclined towards rain. This morning Mr. Leith told me the Gree was going off immediately after breakfast with his peo- ple a hunting-& that this hunt was to bring in meat for me, and that consequently I should be under the necessity of giving him a small two gallon keg-which I did; as rum is very dear at this place no less than 40/ a gallon. I' borrowed it to be returned at Detroit. The reason I gave them the rum now is, that they may not drink it about the village; it being against Major Murray's31 positive orders to give Indians rum at this place or sell &c., And as I'm for supporting those orders as much as lay in my little power was my particular reason for giving it to them at present ; for they no doubt will not expect anymore-If they do I must say they shall not get it from me, -not only to prevent quarrels which might happen in the vil- lage if they got drunk and also supporting the Major's orders, but its an expense to myself which I shall not be able to sup- port. Capt. Johnny Shawnee Chief32 arrived yesterday morn- ing; from his village according to the message we sent him by an Indian woman which we met on our way here, the day before we arrived. The Gree introduced me yesterday to his Son, my brother and old play fellow as he called him. And this morning when a[t] breakfast after I had given him the rum, he & his wife both directed me to look at my brother what a dirty fellow he was .- He also introduced me to his grand
31Major Patrick Murray, Sixtieth Regiment, British commander at Detroit at this time.
32Captain Johnny was a Shawnee chief of some importance. A number of his speeches are preserved in Mich. Pion. & Hist. Colls., XX, 385, 519; XXIV, 597, 598; XXV, 242-44, 690-92.
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daughter who had formerly made me some small Indian Pres- ent, which I had repaid with rings-his own and only daughter died some years ago, whom he said had been my very great friend.
I was shown this morning the Heart of the white Prisoner I mentioned the Indians had killed some time ago in the Indian Country-it was quite drye, like a piece of dryed venison, with a small stick run from one end of it to the other & fastened behind the fellows bundle that killed him, with also his Scalp.
Another party of the Miamies and one Shawanie came in from war This day with one scalp the[y] danced over the River, one with a stick in his hand & scalp flying; it being their custom .- Some of the warriors came over in the evening, to our House. It was rather a dirty morning; it thawed very much; we had a little rain-however it turned out a pretty clear afternoon.
22nd. Tuesday. Very fine beautiful morning. Froze very hard visited Mrs. Adamher this afternoon
23 Wednesday. Very fine morning more like Spring than fall weather, grass quite green-not the least frost last night- I never observed 'till this morning that a Man may easily walk over this River it being very shallow, Very few Indians here at present-most of them are gone a hunting. There are two Villages at this place one on this side the River & one on the other-the former belongs to the Gree-the other to Paccan33 who's now in Illinois, but in his absence is Commanded by his
33Pacan was for many years head chief of the Miami. As a young man, in 1764, he rescued Captain Thomas Morris from impending torture at Miami- town. See Wis. Hist. Colls., XVIII, 366, 367; Thomas Morris, Miscellanies in Prose and Verse (London, 1791), 22, 23. For a stirring speech of Pacan's in behalf of the English, in 1781, see Mich. Pion. & Hist. Colls., XIX, 595, 596. To a speech to Sir Wm. Johnson, in 1773, is attached the name "Pakane Junr.," who is probably the man who signed the Miami Treaty of 1809.
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nephew one Mr. Jean Baptist Richerville, son to one Mr. Richerville of Three Rivers in Cannada by an Indian woman- This young man is a Trader here-his Father has wrote for him to go to him which he means [to do] next Spring. His mother is now gone into the Indian Country (dans les Terre as the french term it) to trade; She lives with him when she's here-the young man is so very bashful that he never speaks in council, his mother who is very clever is obliged to do it for him.34
This evening the Gree's Brother arrived from his hunting Ground-his name is the Deer. He formerly was great Chief of this Village but chose to give it up to his Brother-he's very clever-his Brother never does anything without consulting him .- Capt. Johnny left this place this morning for his Village.
24th. Thursday. Very fine day -- but cold-froze hard last night. Several Potewatomies arrived here this afternoon with skins, meat &c. Visited Mrs. Adamher was pleased to desire I should send her any linnen or any thing else that I may want to mend. She asked me to go with her to the midnight mass-and also asked me if I would play the flute which I did. Mr. Kinzie & myself went to Mrs. Adamhers about II o'clock -he brought his fiddle with him-we found a french man there who played with us.
25th. Came home this morning about two o'clock from mass; Mr. Kinzie & myself called first at Mrs. Adamhers on
34 Richardville, or 'Peshewah" (Pin-ji-wa-The Wildcat) was born near Miamitown about the year 1761, and died at Fort Wayne in August, 1841. His later career indicates that he bravely overcame the bashfulness of which Hay speaks. From the death of Little Turtle in 1812 until his own death in 1841, Richardville was head chief of the Miami. At the time of his death he was accounted the richest Indian in North America, his weaith being estimated at half a million to a million dollars. See Handbook of American Indians; Knapp, History of Maumee Valley, 361-64.
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our return home, who gave us some venizon stake and roasted rackoon-Played the flute & Kinzie the fiddle with the french man this Morning at Mass ; being a particular desire of the Peoples. We left our instruments at the House w[h]ere prayer is said. I cannot say much indeed for the Trade of this Place their's but few skins comes in, and almost every individ- ual (except the engagés) is an Indian trader, everyone tries to get what he can either by fowle play or otherwise-that is by traducing one another's characters and merchandise. For in- stance by saying such a one has no Blankets another no strowde or is damned bad or he'll cheat you & so on-in short I cannot term it in a better manner than calling it a Rascally Scrambling Trade &c &c.
Somehow or other I lost a Silk Pocket Handkerchief this morning coming home-which I never expect to see-and my Brother Johnnys35 fine travelling knife stole last night, which I also give for lost.
Very hard frost last night, a great deal of ice floating down the river this morning, there was also a small Boredage indeed one place so wide and strong that several boys were sliding upon it, however its not extraordinary quite the contrary-for the fine weather we have had here ever since our arrival & which still continues is very much so & what I have never yet seen in this Country-however at this moment (I o'clock) it has much the appearance of Snow which is much wanted for the Indians hunts-for deer and rakoon.
Play again this afternoon at Vespars.
35John Hay became later a prominent citizen of Cahokia, Illinois. R. G. Thwaites and L. P. Kellogg, Revolution on the Upper Ohio (Madison, 1908), 130.
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26th. Got infernally drunk last night with Mr. Abbott36 and Mr. Kinzie-Mr. A .- gave me his daughter Betsy over the bottle. Damnation sick this morning in consequence of last night's debashe-eat no breakfast-Kinzie & myself went to mass and played as usual .- Mrs. Ranjard gave us a cup of coffee before mass to settle our heads.
Very little frost last night-a very mild day-but rainy and disagreeable-and muddy in the bargain-very little ice float- ing this morning.
Mrs. Grie having made us a present of a very large Turkey Cock weighing about 30 pounds, we proposed having a Dinner among us Englishmen here.
Mr. Abbott fetched some Maderia & Mr. Kinze a Piece of fine newly corned pork-upon which we made a most excel- lent dinner at 1/2 past 3 o'clock after Kinzie & I had played at Vespers as usual-
After K- and I went to see Miss Rivarre & found the miss Adamhers there, the old people were out of the way.
George Girty37 arrived here this day from his wintering
36 James Abbott was born in Dublin in 1725. On coming to America he first settled in Albany, removing to Detroit about the year 1763. He engaged exten- sively in the fur trade, conducting operations at Mackinac, Green Bay, Prairie du Chien, Fort Wayne, Ouiatanon, and Vincennes. He was the father of Robert and James Abbott, leading citizens of Detroit in the first half of the nineteenth century, and of Samuel Abbott of Mackinac. James Abbott Jr. married Sarah Whistler at Fort Dearborn in the spring of 1804, thus furnishing the first recorded marriage at Chicago. Elizabeth Abbott, the "daughter Betsey" of the diarist, was born at Detroit in 1777, married James Baby, and died at Sandwich in 1812. See P. Casgrain, Memorial des Families Casgrain, Baby et Perrault du Canada (Quebec, 1898), app. G.
37George Girty was the younger of three brothers-Simon, James, and George -who for a full generation were objects of loathing and terror along the Ameri- can frontier. Natives of Pennsylvania, the brothers were captured, along with the other members of the family, by an Indian raiding party in the summer of 1756. Reared by the Indians, George Girty married among them, and became prac- tically an Indian himself. He died near Fort Wayne, Indiana, shortly before the outbreak of the War of 1812. See C. W. Butterfield, History of the Girtys (Cincinnati, 1890).
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Mrs. Ranjard gave us a cup of coffee
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ground which is only four miles from here-its called the Dela- ware Town-he desired I should write in to Capt. McKee38 by the first opportunity to acquaint him that in consequence of the Miami Indians upbraiding the Delawares with telling them that the Ground they occupied now is not theirs and that upon which the Delawares answered, they were great fools to fight for lands that was not theirs and consequently would not go to war against the Americans any more ; but that they will for a certainty leave the Country and go down to the Spaniards and put themselves under the protection of that Government. That he had already sent word in some time ago that they were talking of going which he hardly believed at that time-but at present can safely say that there is not the least doubt of it .- Begs at same time that Capt. McKee may not make mention that this Intelligence came thro' him-and that if Capt. McKee would Immediately send in a String of wampum to hinder them from taking such a step it would no doubt immediately stop them. Turned out a pretty good afternoon.
27th. Sunday. Kinzie & myself were invited to sup with a Mr. Barthelmie (the man of the house w[h]ere prayer is said) last night, with Mr. and Mrs. Adamher-Mr. de San- laren39 a french gentleman a Trader at this place who formerly
38 Alexander McKee, like the Girtys, was a native of Pennsylvania, who sided with the British in the Revolutionary War. He became an agent in the British Indian Department, where his influence over the natives, which he employed to incite them against the Americans, made his name one of sinister omen to the frontiersmen until the close of the Indian wars in 1795. For a sketch of McKee, see Wis. Hist. Colls., XVIII, 434.
39 Probably Celoron, one of the sons of Pierre Joseph Celoron, formerly commandant at Detroit. During the Hamilton-Clark campaign on the Wabash, Céloron was sent by Hamilton to take command at Quiatanon, a short distance below the modern Lafayette, Indiana. Clark sent a detachment to capture him, whereupon Celoron beat a hasty retreat up the Wabash. He met Hamilton's army at the mouth of the Manmee, en route to capture Vincennes; Celoron here so conducted himself that Hamilton later charged him with treachery. See Thwaites and Kellogg, Frontier Defense on the Upper Ohio (Madison, 1912). 281; Illinois Historical Collections, VII, 130, 179.
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was an Officer in the french Service before the taking of Canada &c. &c. and Mr. Baptist Lassell-we had a roasted Turkey and to my great surprise and indeed every one else we had a roasted Loine of Veal-a kind of wilde sallad which they have here all winter on the other side of the River which was very good & also some very [good] cocombers pickels cheese &c. Grogg the only drink .- everything served up in the french Stile-The miss Adamhers came and joined us after supper from Mr. Rivarres. Gentlemen & Ladies every one sung a song-after which I proposed walking a minuet with Mrs. Adamher which was accepted of & followed by a Smart Gigg Kinzie the fiddler. Then K. & Miss Adamher relieved us & play the Piper & So on-until about II or 12 o'clock when it was proposed on cachet, by Mrs. Adamher to give Kinzie a bouquet as it was the Eve of St. John-his name being John which was done in the French Stile-a man was posted at the door with a loaded gun ready to fire when ordered .- Mr. Adamher carried the bouquet on a plate which was made in this manner viz: A large cake with a stick in the center and some blue ribbon tied about it and three charges of powder and ball on the plate also. I proceeded in front of Mr. Adamher playing the freemasons March (Come' let us prepare) Mr. K. being a freemason & just as Mr. Ad-deliv- ered him the bouquet with the Common compliment upon such an occasion, I immediately stepped forward opened the door and gave the word fire which was done, I then took the three charges of Powder & Ball of [f] the Plate and thro' them into the fire successively, which made three very good explosions -Kinzie got very drunk and so did every one except myself -K. was obliged to sleep at Mr. Adamhers-was too drunk to go any further-so much for last nights business.
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Rained all last night and continued so to do-a very great fogg this morning-the weather very mild, in short the most unaccountable weather I have ever yet experienced at this time of the year-if it continues the Fur Trade will be very bad this year and no doubt its impossible for the Indians to hunt in this kind of weather ; they may get a few Rackoon, Otter & beaver with Traps. They only kill a few deer & Bears in this wett weather particularly Bears-but not equal to as when the snow is on the ground.
Played as usual at mass. Kinzie told me this morning that Mr. Abbott requested that I should dine with him to-day .- which we did and had a good Tea Pye & a drink of Grogg.
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