USA > Indiana > Allen County > History of Allen County, Indiana, with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of its prominent men and pioneers > Part 6
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In 1686-87, there were frequent difficulties between the Iroquois and the Miamis, which occasioned much uncasiuess among the officials of the English Colonial Government. So much interest was manifested by the English Governor in this regard, that he called a conference with his Iroquois allies for the purpose of ascertaining tbe true condition of affairs. The conference was held at Albany on the 5th of August, 1687, when the Goveruor proposed to the chief sacbems of the Five Nations that it would he better to send messengers to the Ottawas and Twichtwichs and the further Indians, and some of the prisoners of these uations left to bury the hatchets and make a coveuant chain with them.
On the following day, oue of the Maquase ( Mohawk ) sachems, uamed Siu- dachsegie, made a speech to the Governor, explaining the cause of the disturb- ances between them and those nations in alliance with the French. He said : " Wee
* l'arkuman's La Salle, pp. 218, 219.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
are resolved to speake the truth, and all the evill we have done themu is, that, ahont six years agoe, some of the Sinnekes and some of the Onnondages went aboard of a French Barke att Onnyagaro, that was come to trade there, and took out of the said Barke a Caske of Brandy and cntt the Cable." It oceurred, also, that in September, of the preceding year, the Senecas had visited the coun- try of the Ouianics ( Miamis), and in a warlike expedition had taken of them five hundred prisoners and lost twenty-nine killed, two of them in foray, and twenty-seven when the Touloucks ( Outaouaes) and Illinois caught them.
Ten years later, Peter Sehuyler and others, on hehalf of the Senecas, in a communication to the English Governor, Fletcher, dated September 28, 1697, make this statement: " Wee are sorry to have it to tell you the loss of our brethren, the Sinnekes, suffered in an engagement with ye Twichtwichts Indians ; our young men killed severall of the enemy, but, upon their retreat, some of their chiefe capts. were cut off You know our custome is to condole ye dead, therefore, we desire you give us some for these Beavours ; soe laid down ten Beavr. skins. The Wampum was immediatly given them for said skins, and the day following appointed for a conferance upon the first proposition made hy them for powder & lead &c." Further statement is muade concerning the war between the Five Nations and the Miamies, in Robert Livingston's report to the Secretary of Indian Affairs, in April, 1700. from which it would seem that the war had been pending hetween these parties for many years, taken in connection with the preceding statement. He recommends " That all endeavors be used to obtain a peace between the 5 Nations and the Dowaganhaas, Twichtwicks & other far Nations of Indians whow the Governor of Canada stirs up to destroy them, not only the 5 Nations have heen mortall enemies to the French & true to the English, but because they hinder his trade with the said far Nations, trueking with them themselves and bringing the bevers hitler."
In a subsequent communication by the same writer, on the 29th of August of the same year, a better reason is given, perhaps, for the desire to induce a cessation of hostilities between those belligerent nations. " Brethren : You must needs he sensible that the Dowaganhaes, Twichtwiehs, Ottawawa & Diononades, and other remote Indians, are vastly more numerous than you 5 Nations, and that, hy their continued warring upon you, they will, in a few years, totally destroy you."
In times past, hut exactly when is not now known, the Miamis, because of their extensive dominion. power and influence, and of the numerous consanguine- ous branches acknowledging the relationship. were known as the Miami Confed- eracy. In 1765, the confederaey was composed of the following branches, situated and having warriors in number, viz .: Twightwees, at the head of the Manmee River, with 250 available warriors; the Quiatenons, in the vicinity of Post Ouiatenon, on the Wahash, with 300 warriors; the Piankeshaws, on the Vermilion River, with 300 warriors, and the Shockeys, on territory lying on the Wabash, between Vincennes and Post Ouiatenon, with 200 warriors. At an earlier period, probably, the Miamis, with their confederates, were able to muster a much more formidable force, as the eitation from the representatives of the Five Nations would seem to show.
In 1748, the English merehants and traders secured a limited trade with the Miamis, as much, it is said, in consequence of the failure of the French traders, who had, during the preceding century, held the supremacy, to supply the increasing wants of the Miamis, especially those on the horders of the Ohio and its tributaries. Thus a favorable influence was exerted ou the part of the Miamis toward the English, which resulted in a treaty of alliance and friendship between the English and the Twightwees (Miamis) on the 23d of July of the same year, whereby the latter hecame aud were recognized as " Good Friends and Allies of the English Nation * * * subjects of the King of Great Britain *
* entitled to the privilege and protection of the English Laws." This treaty was signed by the representatives, "Deputies
from the Twightwees ( or Miamis ) 0* on or about the river * Quabache, a branch of the River Mississippi," three in number, the first and principal of whom was Aqne-nack-que, head chief of the Miamis, and the father of Me-che-quin-no-qna ( Little Turtle), at that time and for many years previously a resident of the Turtle Village in this vicinity, at which, the year preeeding (1747), it is reputed that Little Turtle was born.
By their several treaties with the United States, the Miamis have ceded an aggregate of 6,853,020 acres of land. Aggregate of land given in exchange, 44,640 aeres, the aggregate value of which was $55,800,000. The aggregate consideration paid for these lands, in money aud goods, $1,205,907; total con- sideration paid, $1,261,707, as shown by the records of the Department at Washington City.
ME-CHE-CUN-NA-QUALI, OR LITTLE TURTLE.
was the son of Aque-nac-que, the great war chief of the Twightwees [Miamis] at the beginning of the eighteenth century, who was also the principal of the three Deputies who represented the Twightwee nation at the Treaty of Lancaster. Penn., on the 23d day of July, 1748. His mother was of the tribe of the Mohegans, and is reputed as having been a superior woman, transmitting many of her hest qualities to her son. Aquenaeque was of the Turtle branch of the Miamis, and lived in the Turtle Village on Eel River, some sixteen miles north- west of Fort Wayne.
At this village Little Turtle was born. about the year 1747, and was the senior of his sister Algomaqua, wife of Capt. Holmes, hy less than two years. He became chief at an carly age; nut on account of any right by inheritance, because the condition of the offspring follows the mother, and not the father, and his mother not standing in the line of deseent from hereditary chiefs, the child stood in the same catagory, but because of his extraordinary talents and adapted- ness for the position, which were noticeable from early boyhood. Upon the death
of his father, therefore, he heeame the principal chief of the Miamis, hy selec- tion. His first eminent serviees were those of a warrior, in which he distin- guished himself above all competitors. His courage and sagacity, in the estima- tion of his countrymen, were proverbial, and his example inspired others to unwonted achievements in couneil and the field. Neighboring consanguineous tribes, in their operations against the whites, drew courage from his presence, and achieved successes under his leadership. He was in himself a host on the hattle- field, and his counsel always commanded respect.
At the time of St. Clair's expedition against the Wahash Indians, Little Turtle was the acknowledged leader, directing the movement of his people, which resulted in the defeat of the former, as he had previously done in the several actions in the campaign of Gen. Harmar. In comparison with Gen. St. Clair, as director of forces at Fort Recovery, his exhibitions of skill and tact in the management of the assault upon the white troops, were those of the more expert tactician. His loss in that engagement was light, while that of Gen. St. Clair was heavy.
" Again, he commanded a hody of Indians in November, 1792, who made a violent attack on a detachunent of Kentucky volunteers under Maj. Adair, under the walls of Fort St. Clair, near Eaton, Ohio, but the savages were repulsed with loss. He was also at the aetion of Fort Recovery, in June, 1794. The campaign of Gen. Wayne, in August of the same year, proved too successful for the Turtle and superior to the combined force. Prior to the battle of Fort Miami, two miles helow Maumee City, a council was held, when Little Turtle showed his sagacity and prudence by refusing to attack the forces of Gen. Wayne."
Having satisfied himself of the impracticability of further opposition to the whites, Little Turtle lent his influenee toward the maintenance of peace, and, in part consideration for his services in this respect, the American Government erected for him, at his village on Eel River, a comfortable house in which to live. " His hahits were those of the whites, and he had black servants to attend to his household wants and duties. He was true to the interests of his race, and deplored their hahits of drunkenness. In 1802 or 1803, he went before the Leg- islature of Kentucky, and, through his interpreter, made an appeal in person for a law preventing the sale of ardent spirits to the Indians. The like mission he performed before the Legislature of Ohio, but without success. He described the Indian traders to life, viz .: 'They stripped the poor Indian of skins, guns, blankets, everything, while his squaws and children, dependent upon bim, lay starving and shivering in his wigwam.'
" He was the first to introduce among liis savage tribes the practice of vacci- nation for preventing the small-pox, and did much to prevent human sacrifice."
From the first appearance of' Teeumsch and the Prophet, in their attitude of manipulators of opinions dirceted toward the formation of an Indian confederacy, he opposed their movements, and in consequence, through his influence, little was accomplished in that direction among his people and others for a long time.
In a communication dated at Fort Wayne, January 25, 1812, bearing his own signature, addressed to Gov. Harrison, he expressed himself as anxious to do all in his power to preserve peaceful relations between the white and red people. He was destined, however, to take no part in the pending conflict. " He came to this city, in 1812, from his residence, to procure medical aid, and was under the treatment of the United States Surgeon, and in the family of his brother-in- law, Capt. Wells, at the Old Orchard-or rather was cared for hy Capt. W.'s family at his own tent, a few rods distant, preferring it to the more civilized mode of living ' in doors.' His disease was the gout, of which he died in the open air, at the place (Old Orchard), above described, July 14, 1812, having the universal respect of all who kuew him. The Commandant of the fort at that time, Capt. Ray, the friend of Little Turtle, huried the remains of the chief with the honors of war. A writer says: 'His body was borne to the grave with the highest honors hy his great enemy, the white man. The muffled drum, the solemn march, the funeral salute, announced that a great soldier had fallen, and even enemies paid the mournful tribute to his memory.'"
The place of his burial is near the center of the " Old Orchard," and his Indian ornaments and accouterments of war, a sword presented to him by Gen. Washington and a medal with Gen. W.'s likeness thereon, were buried with him. Some years ago, Coesse, a nephew and real ehicf, since dead, came to Fort Wayne and pro- nounced a funeral oration over the remains of his uncle, full of eloquent pathos, which was listened to hy many of the old citizens of that period.
A distinguishing trait in the character of this celebrated chief, says Mr. Dawson, " was his ardent desire to be informed of all that relates to our institu- tions ; and he seems to possess a mind capable of understanding and valuing the advantages of civilized life, in a degree far superior to any other Indian of his time.
JEAN B. RICHEVILLE.
Pe-che-wa, or, as he was generally known, John B. Richardville, was the son of Joseph Drouet de Richeville, of French extraction, a trader at Ke-ki-ong-a, before and after the expedition of Le Balm, in 1780, by Tau-cum-wah, daughter of Aque-na-qua, and sister of Little Turtle. He was born, as tradition has it, and he has himself often stated, " near the old apple-tree," in the midst of the Miami Village, at the junction of the St. Joseph with the Maumee, about the year 1761. The associations clustering around this old apple-tree, during his childhood days, gave the chief ever afterward a profound regard, approaching almost to reverence ; . lience he was instrumental in its preservation.
" The time of his birth was locally," says Schoolcraft, " the period of the Pontiae war, in which the Western tribes followed the lead of that energetic and intrepid Algonquin, in resisting the transfer of authority from the French to the English power. He was too young for any ageney in this war, and the event has no further connection with the man than as it introduced him and his people to a new phasis of history. Braddock had been defeated in 1755. Quebee surrendered
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY, INDIANA.
in 1759, and, hy the treaty which followed, France forever struck her flag in Canada. The long struggle was over-a struggle commencing at least as far haek as the days of Champlain, in 1609. A hundred and fifty years of hattles, forays and blood, in which Indian scalping parties, led sometimes hy French officers, performed no small part, and inflicted agonies on the settlements. * The * Indians, who loved the French, did not and would not look peacefully on such a transfer of sovereignty. And the efforts of Pontiac to cmhody their feeling and lead it forth, only proved his power among the Indians, hut was a decided failure."
In connection, also, with his early history, are many incidents of thrilling interest, a recital of which would not fail to command attention. One of these, referring to an occasion which determined his election to the chieftaincy of his trihe, is repeated.
It was less than a hundred years ago when the prevailing customs of the Indians were generally ohserved hy the Miamis. A white captive had just been brought iu, and the question was about to he suhmitted to the council whether the young mau should die. The council was held, and its mandate had gone forth that he must hurn at the stake. All is coufusion and bustle in the village, and the features of all save the hapless victim hespeak the anxiety with which they look forward to the coming sacrifice. Already the prisoner is bound to the stake, and the fagots are heing placed in position, while the torch which is to ignite the inflammable mass was in the hands of the hrave selected to apply it. But hold ! the time has not yet come when the fates have decreed that the man- date of the council is to be executed. A chief is to he chosen to rule over the trihe. There are many candidates apparently alike entitled to recognition. Again the question of eligibility is mooted, and the usages of the ages must be observed. He is to be from the line of royal ancestors, yet an exhibition of his prowess will tend to hasten the issue. An anxious mother, herself the accepted chiefcss and successful ruler of many years, ohserves the progress of preparations for the
sacrifice with calm indifference. Her son, the cherished idol of her household, is hy her side, a quiet observer also of the prospective torture, yet solicitous. He would save the young man. The torch is heing extended to fire the combus- tihle material, and all attention is directed toward the spot. At a signal from his mother, young Pe-che-wah sprang from her side and bounded forward, knife in hand, to assert his chieftaincy hy the captive's rescue. Electrified by the mag. uetie force of liis mother's desire, he dashed through the wild crowd, cut the cords that hound him, and hid the captive go free. Surprise and astonishment, not unmingled with displeasure, was visible in every countenance at the unex- pected denouement. Yet this daring feat of voluntary heroism was the universal theme of exultation. He was thercafter the recognized chief. In the mean time, the thoughtful mother, to make the rescue complete, placed the man in a canoe, covering him with furs and peltries, put him in charge of friendly hands, and sent him down the Maumce to a place of safety.
Many years after, while on his way to Washington City, through the State of Ohio, he was recognized by the rescued captive, who manifested his gratitude with all the warmth of filial affection. It is needless to say those manifestations were fully reciprocated.
Pe-che-wah was present and participated in the defeat of Gen. Harmar, in October, 1790, hut was not characteristically warlike, being more disposed to exert his executive ability in attending to the interests of his people in other channels.
As the leading chief of his trihe, in their behalf he was present at, and signed the treaty of St. Mary's, on the 6th of October, 1818. Before that time, however, he was a party to the treaty of Greenville, in 1795, again at the treaty of Fort Wayne, in June, 1803, and at Vincenues, in 1805.
" About 1827," savs Mr. Dawson, in his notes, "$500 were appropriated by Congress to each chiet; to build a residence. Richardville appropriated more, and huilt a substantial house, five tuiles from here, on the south bank of the St. Mary's, on one of the reservations referred to. A part of this building was standing in 1859, owned by his granddaughter (the daughter of La Blonde), who married James Godfrey. For many years, he kept an extensive trading- houso in this city [Fort Wayne], on Columbia street, and in person lived there most of the time ; hut about 1836, he moved the goods to the forks of the Wabash, and continued business there for many years, his squaw and younger members of his family at all times remaining, till her death, at home, on the St. Mary's. His housekeeper at the forks of the Wahash was Madame Margaret La Folia, a French woman, in person graceful and prepossessing."
In the management of the-affairs of his tribe, he was judicious and pains- taking, adjusting all matters of business appertaining to them with the most exact discrimination and prudence. As a consequence, he was held in highest esteem, not only by his own people hut hy the Indians generally throughout the Northwest. " He was honored and trusted as their lawgiver, with the most unsuspecting confidenco and implicit obedience"-always adjusting questions of dispute without resort to bloodshed. He was a patient and attentive listener, always reaching his conclusions hy deliberate consideration ; hence, hie seldom had occasion to change them. " Averse to bloodshed, except against armed resistance, he was ever the strong and cousistent friend of peace and good will."
Iu stature, he was about five feet ten inches; in weight, ahout one hundred and eighty pouuds; in disposition, taciturn; in mauner, modest and retiring, and in his intercourse with the white people, he was affuhle, yet dignified.
He died at his family residence on the St. Mary's, August 13, 1841, aged nhout eighty years. He was huried on the following day, after services by Rev. Mr. Clark, Irish Catholic Priest, of Peru, held at the Church of St. Augustine, in this city. He was first interred ou the site of the Cathedral, but the remains were romoved to make room for the building, and now rest in the Catholic
burying-ground south of the city. A fiue marble monument marks the spot, upon which is the following inscription :
East side, " Here rests the remains of Chief Richardville, principal Chief of the Miami tribe of Indians. He was horn at Ft. Wayne, Indiana, about the year 1760. Died in August, A. D. 1841."
West side, "This monument has been erected hy La Blonde, Susan and Catharine, daughters of the deceased."
FRANCIS LA FONTAINE,
whose Indian name was To-pe-ah, perhaps a contraction of the Pottawatomie name, To-pc-na-bin, was the immediate successor of Pe-che-wah [Richeville], as the principal chief of the Miamis. He was the lincal descendant of La Fontaine, who mingled extensively iu the affairs of Canada, during the latter part of the eighteenth century, sent out hy the French Government in connection with Pro- vincial management. His father was of French extraction, and at one time a res- ident of Detroit ; his mother was a Miami woman, but whose name does not appear very frequently in the history of the tribe ; nevertheless, a woman of con- siderahle force of character, as manifested in the distinctive qualities of her son.
He was horn near Fort Wayne, in 1810, and spent a great portion of his life in the immediate vicinity. When about the age of twenty-one years, he was married to Catharine [Po-con-go-qua], a daughter of Chief Richardville.
In his younger days, he was noted for great strength and activity, indeed, his character as an athlete was quite conspicuous, heing, perhaps, the most flect of foot in the trihe. ' His residence was on the south side of the prairie, between Huntington and Fort Wayne, on lands granted hy the treaties of October 23, 1834, and November 6, 1838. Manifesting great interest in the welfare of his tribe, he became very popular, and, after the death of Chief Richardville, in 1841, he was elected principal chief of the Miamis. Subsequently, "he moved to the forks of the Wahash, and resided in the frame building near the road, a few rods west of the fair grounds-the place helonging to his wife, who inher- ited it from her father."
When, under the provisions of their final treaty with the United States, his trihe, in the fall of 1846, moved to the reservation set apart to them, west of the Mississippi, he went with them and remained during the winter. The following spring, he started homeward. " At that time, the route of travel was from the Kansas Landing (now Kansas City), down the Missouri and Mississippi, to the mouth of the Ohio ; up the Ohio to the mouth of the Wahash, and thenee up the latter stream to La Fayette-all the way hy steamboats. At St. Louis, hc was taken sick, and his discase had made such progress that, upon his arrival at La Fayette, he was unable to proeced further, and died there, on the 13th of April, 1847, at the age of thirty-seven years. He was embalmed at La Fayette, and his remains were hrought to Huntington, where he was buried in the grounds now occupied hy the Catholic Church. His body was subsequently removed to the new cemetery. At the time of the removal of his body, so perfect had beeu the cinhalming. that but little evidence of decay was manifested."
" He was a tall, robust, and corpulent maa, weighing usually about three hundred and fifty pounds, and generally dressed in Indian costume. There are two portraits of him remaining, one painted by Freeman, and one by R. B. Croft. Ahout twenty months after his death, his widow married F. D. Lasselle, of Fort Wayne, hut lived only a short time. Of her seven children hy La Fon- taine, hut two are now living-Mrs. Archangel Engleman, in Huntington, and Mrs. Esther Washington, wbo resides in Kansas." ['Thos. Roche, Huntington.]
DELAWARES.
The Lenne Lenapi, better known, perhaps, as the Delaware Indians, are entitled to take high rank in the Algonquin family, if, indeed, they are not entitled to he recognized as the prototype of that most extensive division of the aboriginal race of America. They were originally separated into three divisions, each of which was designated hy an insignia or emblematic totem. These divisions were known as the Unami, or Turtle hranch ; the Minsi, or wolf, and the Unaluchigo, or turkey. After they crossed the Alleghanies, the whole nation was called Loups, or wolves, by the French, " frou confounding them with the Mohicans of the Hudson, who appear, in the formative trihal ages, to have heen descendants of the wolf totem."
" At the beginning of the sixteenth century, this trihe occupied the hanks of a large river flowing into the Atlantic, to which they applied the name of Lenapihittuk. This term is a compound of Lenapi, the name given to them- selves, and ittule, a geographical term, which is equivalent to the English word domain or territory, and is inclusive of the specifie sepu, their name for a river. After the successful planting of a colony in Virginia, the coast hecame more subject to ohservation than at prior periods, by vessels hound to Jamestown with supplies. On one of these voyages, Lord de La Warre put into the capes of the river, and hence the present name of hoth the river and the trihe."
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