USA > New York > Livingston County > A history of Livingston County, New York: > Part 10
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Gaw-she-gweh-oh t was located at the confluence of the creek and river, near Allen 's tavern or Williams- burg, on the farm of Colonel Abell. A small grove, standing between the site of the old tavern and the Fitzhugh mansion, marked, as is believed, the location
* Pronounced as if written Son-ne-she-o, or Shon-ne-she-o. The name ap- appears in the Colonial Documents of the State in a great variety of ways. + Samuel Magee gave the name as Utahutan. An old Seneca, Samuel Wil- son, who was raised on the Genesee and is yet (1869) living, says Gaw-she- gweh means a spear, and that O-she-gweh-ont means rattlesnake. When the place was first occupied by the Indians, the point, at the confluence of the Genesee and the Canaseraga creek, abounded with rattlesnakes. They would lay curled up on the point, basking on sun-shiny days, from which fact the town took its name.
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of this village. Colonel William Jones recollected vis- iting the spot when about ten years of age, and could then trace the remains of eight or ten Indian huts. It was here that Boyd and Murphy, with a little scout- ing-party, spent the latter part of the Sunday night previous to the ambuscade next day near the head of Conesus lake ; and it was at this village, that Murphy shot and scalped the young Seneca brave, whose com- panion, taking the alarm, was enabled to escape to Beardstown, carrying the intelligence that the Yan- kees were reconnoitering so close at hand ; a fact which induced Boyd to attempt the fatal experiment of re- turning to the army by daylight though forests swarming with the enemy. It was here, too, that Sul- livan, with his staff-officers and the larger part of his army, spent the night of the 13th of September, 1779, whence they departed next day to destroy Beardstown and other native villages along the line of the river. Samuel Magee said that from the town square, as originally laid out, to the river, was about eighty rods, and that, about half way between the square and river, was quite a large Indian burial ground. In 1806 a number of the Indian graves were opened and rifled of brass-kettles, tomahawks, and other property usually buried with the dead. The perpetrators es- caped, though some effort was made to detect them. Agriculture has long claimed the spot, and the surface now presents no evidence of aboriginal occupancy, though occasionally articles of Indian handiwork are found in breaking up the soil.
Sga-his-ga-aah was a modern Seneca town occupy- ing the site of the present village of Lima. The name signifies, "it was a long creek," and had reference to the stream which flows at the foot of the ridge where- on the Indian town was located and which leads to
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
one of the tributaries of Honeoye creek .* The im- portance of Sga-his-ga-aah consisted mainly in its convenience as a halting-place between the Indian village at Caledonia spring and that which lay near Geneva, on the line of the great central trail connect- ing the Hudson and the Niagara rivers. The village had entirely disappeared in 1797, when Matthew War- ner came to the Genesee country. A dozen years ago Franklin Carter found traces of five lodges, in plow- ing his orchard lot, situated on the easterly slope of the ridge. The lodges appeared to have stood a couple of rods apart, fronting on a straight line.t Evidences of a large aboriginal population here have, from time to time, appeared. The Indian burial ground, must have been quite extensive, as we may judge by the portions of it that have been disturbed by the plow and spade. Miles Bristol, in the first two years plowing of his orchard lot in early days, found Indian axes in such quantities that their sale more than covered the cost of tillage; and William A. Bris- tol has, on different occasions, found in the same lot, situated upon this ridge back of his residence, a num -. ber of Indian skulls and bones ; full fifty brass kettles, the bottoms of which were generally rusted out ; pipes, with the bowls ornamented by such devices as the human face and the heads of deer and other
{ * This ridge runs east and west, parallel with Main street. The central portion of the Indian town was a few rods south of the American Hotel,
. t The precise spot, where the remains of these lodges was found, is about twenty-five rods to the rear of the American Hotel. Morgan, in his " League of the Iroquois," gives an engraving of an Indian pipe found at Lima. It was of black pottery, well finished, and naarly as hard as marble. Col. Geo. Smith was in Lima in 1798. There were then traces of an old fortifi- cation on the ridge where the Indian village had been located, the west end of the ditch crossing the present highway on the ridge, a short distance west of the centre of the modern village, and remained visible for some years after 1798.
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animals ; beads and arrow-heads, and several quarts of parched corn and beans. Many years ago, when the yard in front of the Presbyterian church was graded, Indian skeletons were discovered by the hundred, as reported by those who then saw them. Ten or twelve years since an excavation was made at the corner of Main and Rochester streets, which exposed the bones of a number of aborigines and articles usually found buried with them. The spot originally belonged to the church lot, and it is a coincidence worthy of men- tion that the Indian burial grounds at Dansville and two or three other places in the county, are occu- pied by christian churches as cemeteries for white men. Another, though smaller Indian burial ground is known to exist about one mile north of the village of Lima, where hatchets, knives and other weapons are occasionally found side by side with skeletons. In 1822 citizens discovered remains of Indians here, in a sitting posture, with earthen pots in their laps filled with corn and bones of squirrels. About the same period large trees, which grew over Indian graves, were cut away. Sullivan makes no mention of Sga- his-ga-aah, and, most likely, he was unaware of such a town, which, if then a winter habitation, had already been deserted for safety, the families probably unit- ing with those of Beardstown or Canawaugus as was the case with many Seneca towns lying east of the river.
Ga-non'-da-seeh was a favorite place of resort for the Indians in the season of pigeon-shooting. The name signifies "New Town," and was located near the modern hamlet of Moscow, though never used for winter occupancy.
The site of Deo-wes-ta is known to the whites as Portageville. It lay upon the neck of land on the easterly side of the river between Portageville and the
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
lower falls.
At or near the site of the present village of East Avon, was located a modern Seneca town called Gah- ni'-gah-dot, which signifies " the pestle stands there."
It would be quite impossible to embrace, in a single chapter, every spot associated with Indian occupan- cy, for there is scarcely any portion of the county where traces of aboriginal villages or burial places of the red-men, have not been found. Oftentimes these consist of mounds of inconsiderable extent, or are the remains of temporary villages only. I have sought to preserve, with some particularity, a record of the places which belong to history. An instance of the many minor relics of Indian abode is found near the village of Geneseo. Within a narrow circuit a mile west of the village, three small mounds may yet be traced, one of which occurs about forty rods south- west of the Big-tree farm. This is three feet in height and near twenty-five feet across ; underneath a great oak, close by the dairy-house on Mr. Wadsworth's dairy-farm, is a second, somewhat smaller in diameter, and about half as high as the former ; and, near the Jones bridge, on the easterly side of the river, is a third. When the railroad was being constructed, the skeletons of four Indians were exhumed from the lat- ter. These spots are venerated by the Senecas, who, up to a recent day, were in the habit of visiting them and spending hours in mourning over the ashes of their dead there buried. General James S. Wads- worth met every suggestion to have the mounds level- ed, with a peremptory refusal. "Let the dead rest," he would say, and the same regard continues to be ob- served. Strangely, indeed, is the dust of the red man .and the white being mingled in our midst.
CHAPTER V.
INDIAN NOTABLES.
Many leading names among the sachems, warriors and wise men of the Senecas are more or less intimately associated with this region, and other persons, well known to the pioneers, whose career was identified with the Indians here, claim mention in these pages.
Red Jacket, Sa-go-ye-wat-hah, * lived, for a time, on the Ewing place, just south of Fall Brook and half a mile east of the Genesee. His relations with tribes- men along the river were intimate and his visits here frequent and prolonged. His sagacity and wisdom are as well known as his great oratorical gifts. In these respects, this noted chieftain had no superior among the best of his race. He was not a warrior, though he led a company of Senecas against the British in the war of 1812 ; but he was a negotiator, the diplomat of his nation. Toward the close of life he became intem- perate. On one occasion, the government having business with the Indians, sent an agent to Buffalo, who there met Red Jacket as the representative of the Senecas. The day fixed upon came, but the chief failed to put in an appearance. Horatio Jones, who
* Red Jacket's Indian name signifies, " He keeps them awake," in allusion to his stirring eloquence. His Yankee name was thus obtained: In his younger days he was very swift of foot, and was often suffered by British officers engaged in the trader service, to carry messages of importance. One of these, as a reward, gave him a richly embroidered scarlet jacket which he wore with great pride. When the first one was worn out another was given him, and, as he always appeared thus arrayed, the name followed quite naturally.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
was to act as interpreter, after a long search, found him in a low tavern quite drunk. The porter, who was about shutting up the house for the night, was preparing to put him out of doors when Jones inter- posed. As soon as the effects of the liquor were slept off, the chief wanted more, but was denied. He was reminded of his neglect of the public business, and of the regret his course must cause the President. Red Jacket's under lip dropped for a moment, a peculiar- ity of his when annoyed ; then, raising himself in his stately way, he said, with a motion of his hand as if to wave off the reproach, "all will blow over, I guess." In a quarrel at Canandaigua in early days, an Indian killed a white man. A rising young lawyer, whose subsequent business career was a distinguished one, conducted the prosecution, Red Jacket the de- fence. In his appeal to the jury, the orator of nature rose to high eloquence, and, though speaking through an interpreter, jury, court, and spectators were all won to his cause. Captain Jones said it was quite impossi- ble for him to preserve the full force and beauty of this address. The opposing advocate never again appeared at the bar, for, said he, "if a heathen red-skin's voice can so bewitch men's reason, what call is there for either argument or law." Red Jacket obstinately re- fused to use the English language, and was a pagan in religion, manifesting, through life, an unyielding hos- tility to the efforts of missionaries to christianize his people. Thatcher says a young clergyman once made a zealous effort to enlighten the chief in spiritual mat- ters. He listened attentively. When it came his turn, he said, " If you white people murdered the Saviour, make it up for yourselves. We had nothing to do with it. Had he come among us we should have treated him better." He retained his prejudice against the christian religion down to a short time before his death,
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when, it is believed, his views underwent a radical change, and he died in the faith and was buried with christian rites. Dining one day at Horatio Jones's, Red Jacket emptied a cup of salt into his tea, mistak- ing it for sugar. The mistake passed without remark, though not unnoticed by the guests. The chief, how- ever, coolly stirred the beverage until the salt was dissolved and then swallowed the whole in his own imperturable way, giving not the least sign that it was otherwise than palatable. Red Jacket was not suffi- ciently identified with this region to justify a formal sketch of him here, but it will not be out of place to refer to the fate that awaited his bones. At death, his remains were buried in the Indian grounds on Buffalo creek, a simple marble slab marking the spot. By de- grees, relic hunters had clipped away the memorial stone until little or nothing remained to indicate the resting place of the famous chieftain. At length an unauthorized person of his own race * exhumed his bones and carried them to Buffalo. A Seneca, who chanced then to be in the city, took possession and car- ried them to the Cattaraugus reservation to a female relative of Red Jacket's, who placed them in a pine chest under her bed. Thus far the friends have de- clined to surrender them to the Buffalo Historical Society, who have secured a spot in the beautiful cemetery near that city for the interment of several noted Senecas, and design, when all are gathered, to erect an elegant memorial over their remains.t
* George Copway, an Indian, who lectured through the country a few years ago.
t The money has been raised and the Society only await the action of the friends of Red Jacket. The remains of Major Jack Berry, Captain Pollard, Big Kettle and certain other Senecas, will be transferred to the spot for rein- terment. In a visit to Cattaraugus reservation in August, 1869, I saw Daniel Two-Guns, a venerable Seneca, who is the step-son of Red Jacket. He said, through an interpreter, that just before Red Jacket's death, the latter requested Two-Guns to take charge of his remains, which he did as above stated. I asked where the bones then were. "That must remain a secret," said Two-Guns. Red Jacket died January 20, 1832.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Cornplanter, Ga-yănt-hwah-geh, * was a leading chief- tain and one of the wisest and best of Seneca notables. As a councilor, indeed, none of his race was better esteemed. Canawaugus, near Avon, had the honor of being his birth-place ; though, in after years, he usually resided on the Alleghany river, yet he remained closely identified through life, by consanguinity and other- wise, with the Indians of the Genesee. He was partly white. The Indian boys early took notice that his skin was more fair than theirs. He named the matter to his mother, who told him that his father was a white trader named Abell, or O'Bale, who lived near Albany.t After growing up, he sought out his father and made himself known. The father gave him victuals to eat at his house, but "no provisions on the way home." 'He gave me neither kettle nor gun, nor did he tell me that the United States were about to rebel against Great Britain," said the much offended half-blood. # Cornplanter was among the first to adopt the white man's costume, and in latter years, might easily have been mistaken for a well-to-do farmer. He was of me- dium height, inclining to corpulency, though late in life he became quite thin in person ; was easy in man- ners and correct in morals. His face was expressive and his eye dark and penetrating. He ranked above Red Jacket as a warrior and was little inferior to him as an orator. He was at Braddock's defeat, where Washington, then a colonial major, first distinguished himself. He took part against the colonies in the Rev- olution, and, after the close of the war down to
* Meaning " in, or at the planted field."
+ Old John O'Ball, or O'Bale, in his younger days, frequently passed through the Indian settlements, and in one of his excursions had become enamoured with a squaw, by whom he had a son that was called Corn- planter .- Life of Mary Jemison.
# Cornplanter's letter to the Governor of Pennsylvania, in 1822.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
Wayne's victory in 1794, his attitude was at times quite equivocal. He held the original papers and treaties of the Senecas, which he often carried about with him in a pair of saddle-bags, to silence disputes or to assert the rights of his people. On one occasion Red Jacket was boasting of what he had said at cer- tain treaties, when Cornplanter quietly added, " Yes, but we told you what to say." He was a man singu- Horatio Jones said, larly upright in all relations. "he was one of the best of men to have on your side, and there you would be sure to find him if he thought yours the right side, but it was deucedly unlucky if he thought you wrong." He was much older than Red Jacket and looked, with pardonable jealousy, upon that rising young orator.
Henry O'Bale, Gas-so-wah-doh, * was a son of Corn- planter and was also born at Canawaugus. He was generally addressed as Major O'Bale. In person h : was a portly and fine looking, and his manners were not without polish. He was placed at school in New Jersey by Benjamin Bouton, and graduated at Dart- mouth. college. He was somewhat boastful of his courage. In early times, while at the Mansion house in Avon, some question arose one day between him and Doctor Ensworth. O'Bale was told that nothing short of a duel would adjust the matter. The ground was paced off, and principals and seconds took their places. Word was given and O'Bale fired. The Doctor re- served his charge and walking close up to his opponent fired point blank at his heart. O'Bale, supposing himself shot, fell into the arms of his second, but recovered on learning that the pistols had been loaded with blank charges, a fact of which the Doctor had been duly apprised. While not wanting in honesty,
* Meaning " Wampum memorial belt." He was also called Gah-soh-yo-wa.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
O'Bale's business transactions were not always marked by that scrupulous promptitude so agreeable to early merchants. Colonel Lyman had trusted O'Bale for goods and went down to Canawaugus to remind him that the debt was past due. "Oh, yes," said the Major, "I will pay you at once. Mr. Hosmer owes me. You know him of course, and I'll go to him and get the money." He went, but forgot to return, and, after two or three similar attempts, the debt was carried to loss account. Of his advantages of parentage and education the Major did not fully avail himself. He was fond of the Genesee country and was one of the last of the natives to quit this region.
Handsome Lake, Ga-nyú-da-i-yuh, the Peace Proph- ·et, was a half-brother of Cornplanter, as already stated .* He stood high with his people both as a medicine-man .and a spiritual guide. Mr. Horsford was told of a young Indian girl of Squakie Hill, who was cured by him of a dangerous illness. All remedies failing, the friends despatched a runner to the Prophet, with the clothes of the afflicted squaw. He took them, laid a handful of tobacco upon the fire, and, as it burned, offered an address to the Great Spirit. After a mo- ment's silence he observed, looking at the clothes, " This affliction is a punishment to her for wickedly drowning a nest of young robins, and, a few hours later, for repeating the offence. Two young deer must be killed-a yearling buck and yearling doe-the whole of both must be boiled at once and the entire village be called to the feast, and then to dance." Some days were spent in finding the deer, when the directions of the Prophet were complied with, and the girl recovered .at once. In person the Prophet was of medium size,
* The Indian name means " beautiful lake." The name of this Prophet of -modern paganism is sometimes written Ga-ne-o-di-yo.
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of goodly presence, and of modest and quiet demeanor.
Little Beard, Si-gwa-ah-doh-gwih,* resided at the town to which he gave his name. He was noted both as a warrior and councilor, and for great firmness and zeal, and, though not an orator, was a fluent talker. Phys- ically, he was a favorable specimen of the Indian chief- tain, rather below the medium size, yet straight and firm. In faith a pagan, he always awarded respectful attention to the views of christian teachers. Border annals show how fierce his nature was, yet, after the Revolution, he proved friendly to the pioneers and was esteemed by them for his good faith. No Indian was better informed, none more sociable than he, and with none could an hour be more profitably spent. He conversed with good sense on the events of the col- onial wars, and the future of his race, and though it is a fact well established that he not only consented to the death of the scouts, Boyd and Parker, and quite likely suggested the exquisite tortures to which these devoted soldiers were subjected, yet, it must be recol- lected, he was chief of the village menaced by Sulli- van's army. Moreover, he took these two men in the act of securing information that would enable the American General to march directly to the destruc- tion of his peoples' homes, possibly to put to death any of them who chanced to fall into his hands, facts which serve to mitigate, perhaps, though by no means to excuse this act of almost unparalleled barbarity. In a drunken quarrel at the old Stimson tavern in Leicester, in 1806, Little Beard was thrown from the outer door, and, falling upon the steps, received an in- jury from which, as he was advanced in years, he shortly died. The great eclipse, which occurred soon after his death, filled the Indians with superstitious
* Meaning " Spear hanging down," compounded of Gah-si-gwaah, spear, and Oh-saah-doh, it hangs down.
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fears. The manner of his taking off could not but give him offence, the natives thought, and they imagined he was about to darken the sun, so that their corn could not grow. The hunters assembled and shot arrows and bullets at the obscured luminary, while others screamed, shouted, and drummed, until the brightness was fully restored.
Tall Chief, A-wa-nis-há-dek-hah,* lived alternately at Squakie Hill and at a group of five huts known as Tall Chief's Village, located across the river, on Mur- ray's hill, near Mt. Morris. The spring whence he got his supply of water, is in use and still bears his name, and a bed of tansey, planted by him, still flourishes near the site of his lodge. Tall Chief was favored by nature with more than ordinary grace of person. He is said to have resembled Henry Clay in demeanor. Straight as an arrow and quite senatorial in de- portment, he was always cool and self-possessed. An Indian of his village had killed a companion. Be- lieving that Tall Chief could aid in securing the guilty man, the authorities at once informed him of the deed, but he did nothing. They at length urged him to act. "Yes," said he, "may be, bime-by, somebody ketch um, kill um, may be, can't say." .But he per- performed better than he promised, and the culprit was duly secured and handed over. Tall Chief''s name appears to the Big Tree treaty, and is otherwise associated with the business affairs of his nation. The pioneers recollect him with peculiar interest. His habits, some of them at least, showed the freedom of forest birth. Colonel Lyman, having an errand with him one warm day, called at his hut. The squaws of his household were found sitting on the ground, enjoying the shade of a great tree. On asking for
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* Meaning, " Burning day." Also spelled thus: Ou-nea-shat-ai-kau.
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HISTORY OF LIVINGSTON COUNTY.
the chief they pointed to another tree, near at hand, where he was seen lying upon his back quite naked, barring a cloth about the loins. The visitor was graciously received, though the chief did not offer to rise. After the object of the call was effected, he politely invited the Colonel to remain for a visit. The females exhibited no surprise, though the visitor was inclined to regard the chief's attitude as somewhat odd for a personage of his consequence. Tall Chief dined with Washington on the occasion of a visit of a depu- tation of his nation, sent to smoke the peace pipe with the President. After a ceremonious dinner a big pipe was lighted and Washington tried unsuccessfully to draw the smoke through the long stem. He handed it to Horatio Jones, who succeeded better. The Presi- dent then took a whiff, and passed the pipe to Tall Chief, to whom he paid marked attention, and then to each in turn. The dignified Seneca was always proud of referring to this occasion. He possessed the secret Indian remedy for the rattle-snake's bite, and was often sent for, far and near, to apply it, and usually with signal success. In 1828, Tall Chief removed to Tonawanda, where he died not long afterward.
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