History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 7

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 840

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After crossing the valley of the east branch of the Limestone we find other town sites indicating an earlier occupation, but of like character and mag- nitude as those to the west. The most important of these is the one found on lot twenty-three, on the

dividing line between Onondaga and Madison coun- ties. This contains about ten acres of land and was originally enclosed by a stockade. All the facts point unerringly to the conclusion, that this was the position occupied previous to that on Indian Hill, probably from about 1620 10 1650. This migratory line can be continued indefinitely, step by step, to the east and north, extending along the eastern ex- tremity of Lake Ontario to the St Lawrence. In Madison county we find the point apparently, whence the Oneidas branched off from the Onondagas, and swinging around by successive removals in an cast- erly and northerly direction, finally settled down at Oneida Castle, at about the same period that the Onondagas were in the Onondaga valley.

Another period of fifty years introduces us to a series of facts that cannot possibly be reconciled with a supposed residence in either the valley of Onondaga or at Jamesville. In 1750 we find their castle five miles from Onondaga Lake ; in 1700 we find it on the Butternut creek, and eight miles from Onondaga Lake. We now come to authorities in like manner making it twelve miles from the Mis- sion site of St. Mary of Ganentaha on the cast side of Onondaga Lake. We will examine a few of these facts, and, if possible, by going back to the period of 1650, solve this new difficulty.

In 1654 the Onondagas were visited by Le Moyne by way of Techiroguen, at the foot of Oneida Lake, and by Chaumonot and Dablon in the succeeding year, by the same route Dablon returned the next March from Onondaga, crossed Oneida Lake on the ice, and thence took the usual trail to Salmon River. A careful study of their journals develops the fact that Onondaga then was ten leagues or twenty-five miles from Techiroguen by way of regular trail ; was five short leagues or twelve miles from the mission site of St. Mary's, and was six short leagues from Oneida Lake, or about fifteen miles, according to Dablon's journal.

In 1677, while living in the same position, they were visited by Mr. Greenhalgh, an English trader, who finds them occupying a very large town, con- sisting of about one hundred and forty houses, situated on a hill, with banks on each side, between which the town extended at least two miles, all cleared land and on which corn was planted. He also says they were thirty-six miles from the Onei- das' town and fifteen miles from Oneida Lake ; says the town was not stockaded, and makes no mention of a fort. Taking all these distances, and applying the scale to the map, we find that they cut each other at a point two miles south of the village of Manlius, on what is known as " Indian Hill," be-

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

tween the west and middle branches of Limestone Creek. This position is fifteen miles from Oneida Lake, is twelve miles from St. Mary's of Ganentaha, and thirty-six miles from the residence of the Oneidas in 1677, and ten leagues or twenty-five miles from Techiroguen, at Brewerton.

A careful examination of De Witt Clinton's, Schoolcraft's and Clark's accounts of this locality warrants fully the conclusion that here, in 1650, was the home of the Onondagas, and occupied dur- ing the period of their greatest prosperity. Here was the original site of the Mission of St. John the Baptist, afterward removed to their residence further

west. Here it was, that Garakontie called the Hurons to prayers by the sound of a bell, the fragments of which a hundred and fifty years after- wards, were turned up by the plow to bear witness to the fact, that at this point the original pioneers of civilization first reared the cross in the midst of this barbarous people. Here Le Moyne, in 1654, with a single companion, courageously entered as an embassador to negotiate a peace, and speaking to the assembled sachems of the nation in their own tongue, much to their astonishment, mentioned them all by nations, tribes, families and individuals. Here Chaumonot the next year, with his fascinating Italian voice and fervid eloquence, carried the council bodily on a wave of unqualified admiration, that led them to declare that he was almost the equal of an Indian orator. In this valley as in the others, we find towns of minor importance extend- ing as far south as Delphi, of the same general char- acter as the main one at Indian Hill, all furnishing ar- ticles of glass, copper and iron, showing European intercourse, and from the general character of the relics showing a residence of about the same period, and by the same people ; but as compared with more western towns they show distinctly an earlier age of occupation, and a nearer approach to the pre- historic or stone age, the percentage of stone im- plements increasing, and that of metalic articles decreasing, as we move east. We here find speci- mens of pottery with beautiful designs of ornamen- tation, indicating that they had attained a high posi- tion in the ceramic arts.

In going forward half a century, we find a condi- tion of historical fact, entirely inconsistent with the idea of a residence in Onondaga Valley ; all writers since about 1720, speak of them as being in the Onondaga Valley, and five miles from Onondaga Lake, while previous to that time they represent them as eight miles from the lake, or from Kaneenda at its southern extremity. Robert Livingston says in 1700 : *

* * "The Onondagas (who must

leave their Castle speedily, the fire-wood that is near being consumed,") * * * and "you cannot come nearer than sixteen miles of their Castle by water except you go around by Kane- enda," * * and " that Kaneenda is eight miles from their Castle."* Here we have two dis- tances furnished from given points - one eight miles from Onondaga Lake, the other sixteen miles from Oneida Lake. Again, Robert Livingston and others, as commissioners, in their report in April, 1700, "recommend the building of a fort at Kaneenda, a fishing place of the Onondagas eight miles from their Castle, their landing place when they came from hunting from Lake Ontario."+ James Bleeker and others say in their journal in June, 1701, "The Onondagas would receive Mons. Mar- recour at Kaneenda, eight miles from their Castle."} Col. Romer, an English engineer, visited them in 1700 to select a suitable place for building a fort, and made a map to accompany his report, which hitherto was supposed to have been lost, but fortunately, has lately been discovered in the British Museum, a copy of which I have ; on this map the main town is located on the east side of Butternut Creek as plainly as lines could designate it.

J. Martin Mack, the Moravian Missionary here- tofore mentioned, while on his way to Onondaga by way of the Mohawk Valley, says, in his journal, un- der date of August 20, 1752, at " noon some In- dians, belonging to Onondaga, met us. We then came to a place where many posts were standing, from which we concluded that a town must have stood there formerly. The old Seneca told Brother Zeisberger, that when he was a child eight years of age, Onondaga stood on this spot, but was burned by the French. In the afternoon between four and five o'clock we arrived at Onondaga."

Sir William Johnson while on his way from the East to Onondaga in 1756, says in his journal, un- der date of June 18: "The Cayugas sent two messengers from Onondaga who met Sir William at the place where formerly the Onondagas lived about five miles from their present habitation. Afterward arrived at Onondaga and from thence removed his camp to the site of Onondaga Lake about five miles from their Castle, for the convenience of being near his batteaux which brought the presents and provi- sions."§ Many other authorities can be adduced, showing that the chief town or Castle, at this period was five miles east of their subsequent location in On- ondaga Valley, eight miles from Kaneenda, and six-

* Col. Hist. ix. 649.

Į Col. Hist. iv. 891.

+ Col. Hist. iv. 655.

¿ Col. Hist. vii. 133-4.

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK

teen miles from Oneida Lake, but those already pre- sented are deemed quite sufficient to demonstrate be- yond the possibility of question that the main village at this period was in the valley of Butternut Creek south of Jamesville. These distances center on the farm of Mr. O M. Atkins, east of the Reservoir on lot number three An examination of Clark's History of Onondaga will show this to be the location of a very large Indian town, where relics have been found in great abundance, indicating Indian occupa- tion and European intercourse. The place was visited at an early date by De Witt Clinton, School- craft and others and fully described. The most im- portant fact developed was the remains of a stock- ade fort of singular construction in the form of a parallelogram, with bastions at the angles, enclosed by a double row of cedar palisades placed close to each other, and outside of these another row several feet distant, the whole enclosing about ten acres of Jand. A detached work was found some thirty rods distant to the northeast, on higher ground, probably used as redoubts, and connected by a covered way with each other.

It will be remembered that Frontenac, in 1696, invaded the Onondagas' territory with a large army of French and Indians. He landed on the east side of Onondaga Lake, and after constructing his tem- porary fort for the protection of his batteaux and supplies, he marched up the Onondaga Valley in two lines of battle, and on approaching the strong. holl of the Onondagas, found it abandoned and burned. Frontenac described the fort as " an ob- long, flanked by four regular bastions, with two rows of pickets which touched each other, and were of the thickness of an ordinary mast, and at six feet distant outside, stood another row of palisades of much smaller dimensions, but from forty to fifty feet high." Charlevoix describes the same as " a rec- tangle, with four bastions, surrounded by a double palisade, flanked by redoubts, with fence formed of poles from forty to fifty feet high." One evi- dently taking his view from the enclosed work, the other from the enclosing one, but both agreeing substantially with each other, and with the descrip- tions of Clinton, Schoolcraft and Clark.

The description of Frontenac and Charlevoix, of this very remarkable and peculiarly constructed work, so exactly in accordance with the remains found by the early settlers, if examined with care, cannot fail to convince any unprejudiced mind that on this identical spot stood the famous citadel of the Onondagas in 1696, abandoned and burned by them on the approach of the French.

Here was the home of the Onondagas from about

16So to 1720, as history says they rebuilt on the same ground, and the next spring planted the same fields laid waste by their enemies; this was the home of the great Dekannissore, the warrior, states- man and orator : the equal of any of the great men of his race, living or dead. As in the Onondaga Valley, so in this, we find evidences of detached hamlets and small towns to the south, occupied when it was considered safe to settle at a distance from their stronghold.

We next find the homes of the Onondagas in Onondaga Valley from 1720 to 1790.

John Bartram an English trader, in company with Lewis Evans, visited the Onondagas in 1743, with Shikellmy and Conrad Weiser, as guides, coming from the south by way of Owego. Bishop Cammerhoff and David Zeisberger, Moravian mis- sionaries, visited them in 1750, coming from the south through the Cayugas' country.

Zeisberger afterwards resided among them, learned their language, was adopted into the turtle clan, and was highly esteemed and honored by the Onondagas, and as an especial token of confidence, the Grand Council deposited its entire archives, comprising many belts of wampum, written treaties, &c., in the Mission House and constituted him sole keeper of those important records. Henry Frey, Godfrey, Rundt, and J. Martin Mack, were com- panions of Zeisberger, and accompanied him up the Valley of the Mohawk, the latter named gentleman writing the itinerary of the journey. Several of those gentlemen traveled from Albany to the Gene- see, and from Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario, and have left interesting and valuable accounts of their observations.

Sir William Johnson visited them in 1756, to at- tend a general council, and mentions the fact of the town being five miles from Onondaga Lake. He constructed a stockade fort for them in the same year, located about half a mile south of the village of Onondaga Valley, on the west side of the creek, the remains of which were still standing when the first settlers entered in 1790. All of these authori- ties agree in their general descriptions of the coun- try and its occupants, and describe the towns as consisting of a series of hamlets located on both sides of Onondaga Creek, and extending for three miles up and down the valley. Many of them con- tained two or more families, and rarely were more than four or five near each other. the intervening spaces being occupied by great patches of high grass, bushes, fruit trees, peas, beans, and large fields of In- dian corn. The Council ITouse, occupying a central point, was about eighty feet in length by seventeen

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

in breadth, with a common passage way six feet in width through its center. Bartram, in 1743, as- cended both the east and west hills, and mentions the fact of their being covered with timber to the top, but makes no mention of an upper town, while Zeisberger in 1752 speaks of a lower town, and the upper town on Onondaga Hill. A small village (Tiatachtonti) was located about four miles south of the main town, where many apple trees were in bearing at that date.

This condition of affairs continued without ma- terial change until the campaign of 1779, when all these towns were destroyed in the expedition of Col. Van Schaick. From about 1720 until the re- moval to the reservation, this valley was the home of this central nation of the Confederacy. Here re- sided Canassetago and Oundiaga and other illustri- ous names, who flourished during this period ; but their history is so well known and authorities are so accessible that it will be a waste of time to dwell longer on this part of their history.

Such have been the homes or principal villages of the Onondagas ; other subordinate villages, mis- sionary, fishing and trading stations, existed in dif- ferent localities, as at an early day Techiroguen, an Indian fishing village, on the Oneida river, at the outlet of Oneida Lake, on the site of the present village of Brewerton. This was a regular crossing place of the great north and south trail. Le Moyne mentions it in 1654 as on the south side of the river, while Charlevoix indicates it by name as on the north side on his map published in 1744. In 1656 the mission of St. Mary of Ganentaha was located on lot 106 in Salina, on the north shore of Onon- daga Lake. Here was erected the first Roman Catholic chapel in the State of New York, and here Frontenac, in 1696, constructed a stockade fort, for the temporary protection of his supplies and bat- teaux, while engaged in his expedition against the Onondagas and Oneidas. A fishing village or land- ing place, existed at the southern extremity of Onondaga Lake, called by the Indians Geneata, the same as the lake, but by the" English called Kene- enda ; I retain the English spelling and pronuncia- tion to distinguish it from the French Mission site called Ganentaha.

It appears. from the foregoing statement of facts, abundantly conclusive that the Onondagas occupied the site of the Indian fort and village on Lot 23, on the dividing line between the counties of Onondaga and Madison from about 1620 to 1650; at "Indian Hill" between the west and middle branches of Limestone Creek, about two miles south of the village of Manlius, from 1650 to 1680 ; in the valley

of the Butternut Creek south of Jamesville, on the farm of Mr. O. M. Atkins, Lot No. 3, from 1680 to 1720 ; and in the Onondaga Valley, where they were found by the earliest settlers, from 1720 to 1790.

The Mohawks in like manner have drifted from point to point within the historic period and genera- tions previous, and no writer has been bold enough to attempt the indentification of any of the sites mentioned in our early history ; and yet it is not very difficult to unravel the tangled mysteries of their peculiar migrations. The Cayugas, also drift- ing in a generally southern direction, have left their footprints as easily to trace from point to point as are the tracks of the school-boy in the newly fallen snow.

The Senecas also migrated on a definite line at an early day, and when the Eries were subjugated, carried their colonies to the extreme western limits of the State. At the time of Sullivan's campaign they were living in fine framed houses, had over- flowing granaries and immense fields of Indian corn. Their villages were numbered by the score, some of them of large dimensions, and containing great numbers of people.

CHAPTER VIII.

ANTIQUITIES-RELICS OF EUROPEAN INTERCOURSE WITH THE INDIANS-THE MONUMENTAL STONE OF 1520 DISCOVERED IN POMPEY-OTHER CURI- OUS RELICS.

I T is evident from relics discovered in various parts of this county that European intercourse . with the aborigines was much more general at an early period than history gives any account of, or than has commonly been supposed. One of the most noted places where these remains have been found is at " Indian Hill," some two miles south of the village of Manlius, on land formerly owned by Isaac P. Jobs, now the property of John Hatch. This is the place where Gen. John S. Clark, the an- tiquarian, locates the home of the Onondagas from about 1620 to 1650. The whole length of the ele- vation bearing evidence of having been inhabited, is nearly a mile, and the width from one hundred to one hundred and fifty rods.

In 1821, a brass medal was discovered near this place by Mr. John Watson. It was without date On one side of it was a figure of Louis XIV, King. of France and Navarre ; on the reverse side was represented a field with three fleur de lis sup- porting a royal crown, surrounded by the name of

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

Nalf Lanfar & Co. It was about the size of a Span- ish pistareen and had been compressed between dies. The characters and letters were quite dis- tinct. This relic passed into the possession of Hon. Samuel Mitchell.

When this ground was first cultivated by the early settlers, gun-barrels, sword blades, hatchets, clay pipes, copper kettles, brass chams, beads of glass, pewter plates, finger rings, ear and nose jewels, lead balls, iron gate hangings, copper coins, tools for work- ing wood and iron, and many other articles used only by civilized men, together with human bones, were frequently found on or near the earth's surface.

There was a circular fort here, from three hun. dred to three hundred and fifty feet in diameter, with one narrow gateway.

In 1801, Mr. John Hlatch plowed up three mus- kets and a blunderbuss. The stocks were decayed and the muzzles flattened, as it with the head of an ax. Nearly all the gun-barrels found had their muzzles thus flattened, indicating that it was prob- ably done to prevent them from being again useful in the hands of an enemy." The guns usually found were of a heavy make, with bell-shaped muzzles, apparently of English manufacture. The copper coins were French, but so corroded that the marks and dates could not be deciphered.

Clark, who published his history in 1849, says : " At every plowing something new is brought to light. Not long since a curiously wrought brass chain, two and a half feet long and one inch and a half wide, was found Its appearance was as if it had recently been subjected to the action of fire, and the most prominent parts newly polished. A curious brass image was recently found there, probably a part of some Romish priest's collection."

Contiguous to this place was an extensive bury- ing ground covered with graves of men, women and children. The skeletons were usually found buried in a sitting posture facing the cast, with some domestic utensil or weapon of war between the thigh bones. Trees of two hundred years growth once stood over these graves.

Near David Williams', Pompey, one mile from " Indian Hill " was another place of considerable importance called " The Castle." In IS15, a brass medal was here found, on one side of which was an equestrian image with a drawn sword, and on the other " William Prince of Orange," with a crest or coat of arms. The date was obliterated, but Wil- liam Prince of Orange flourished in 1689, and had been quite conspicuous in the affairs of New York some years previous. This medal may have been a

present by him to some distinguished Indian chief. In that neighborhood a basswood tree was cut down and an ineffectual attempt made to split the first twelve feet of it into rails. Upon examination a large chain was found encircling it, over which one hundred and seventy-eight concentric circles had formed, representing as many years' growth. A large hemlock tree was discovered with three distinct cuts of an ax imbedded beneath one hundred and seventy nine years' growth. Subtracting one hun- dred and seventy-eight from 1815, the time when these examinations were made, and we have the date 1637, as the time when these marks are supposed to have been made, at which time it is reasonable to suppose the neighborhood was in- habited by Europeans.

David Williams at one time plowed up the skele- ton of a man, and found with it a small brass kettle filled with corn and beans in a tolerably good state of preservation. The kettle was used in his family for domestic purposes several years.

Mr. Hlinsdell, of Pompey, had at one time in his possession three vises, one of which was very large, the jaws alone weighing forty-one pounds. It was beautifully engraved all over with representa- tions of dogs, bears, deer, squirrels, fishes, birds, and was altogether a very beautiful specimen of workmanship. Another, a hand vise of excellent quality, was sold to Mr. Boylston, a silversmith, of Manlius village, who used it while he continued in business there. A nest of brass kettles was also found by Mr. David Hinsdell, the largest of which would hold two pails full and the smallest about three pints. Some of the smaller ones, being well pre- served on account of the protection afforded by the larger ones outside, were used in Mr. Hinsdell's and Mr. Weston's families for several years.

A case of surgical instruments, much corroded by rust, was found by the side of a human skeleton -probably the first physician and surgeon ever in Pompey. Among the relics positively known to be French, are several brass crescents bearing the in- scription " Roi de France et Dien" They were probably used for nose and car jewels. Rows of large corn hills were abundant near all the places bearing evidences of occupancy, and were distinctly traceable by the carly settlers.

Most of the grounds mentioned had undoubtedly been scenes of hard-fought battles, of which the Indians had preserved unpleasant traditions, for such was their abhorrence of scenes enacted here that never, except in a few rare instances, could they be induced to visit the spot near the old fort and bury- ing ground. They turned from it with a sort of

* Clark's On ndaga, vol. 2, p. 256

HISTORY OF ONONDAGA COUNTY, NEW YORK.

shudder, exclaiming, "Ote-quel sa-he-eh !- ' Tis the field of blood." *

The most singular and interesting relic yet dis- covered in this locality, is the monumental stone found by Mr. Philo Cleveland on his farm about the year 1820. It consists of a stone, apparently gran- ite, oval shaped, about fourteen inches long by twelve inches wide and eight inches thick, bearing the inscription of a tree in the center with a serpent coiled around it, and the words and date, Leo X De Lon VI, 1520. This stone is now in the Museum of the Historical Institute at Albany, and is universally admitted to be an authentic relic of antiquity. The date on it shows that it was three hundred years old at the time of its discovery ; fifty-seven years have since elapsed ; hence it carries back the date of the earliest European occupation of this locality to three hundred and fifty-seven years beyond our own time. That this stone was left by some Euro- pean who was a Roman Catholic, and had accurate knowledge of the history of that Church, is evident, and it is equally clear that it was left by some transient visitor, for a colony, or even several. per- sons residing in the place, would certainly have left other relics of a similar antiquity.

The inscription has been interpreted-Leo X, by the grace (or will) of God, sixth year of his pontfi- cate. The words De Lon, or initials L. S., as some read them, have been taken to be the name or initials of the person buried, as the stone is undoubtedly a sepulchral monument, placed there to mark the lonely grave of some one who died during an adventurous journey through the wilderness, a hundred years before the Jesuit missionaries found their way to the huts of the Indians. Whether the cross engraved on the stone is an Indian or a Roman Catholic cross, does not concern us, neither does the question as to his belonging to the Masonic fraternity, sup- posed by some to be indicated by a rude emblem on the right hand corner of the stone: the only points of importance being the date and the accuracy of the historical knowledge which it reveals. Pope Leo X was crowned pope in 1514, and hence 1520 would be the sixth year of his pontificate. The most probable explanation of this ancient relic is, that some Spanish adventurers in quest of silver mines had penetrated this region from Florida, and one of them dying, his companions erected this simple memorial to mark the place of his burial. There is a tradition that the shores of Lake Ganentaha were covered with a bright substance that shone in the sun (crystalized salt) and that the Indians, then ignorant of the nature of this substance, reported

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History of Onondaga County, New York, Part 7

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford) Publication date: 1878 Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co. Number of Pages: 840

Author: Clayton, W.W. (W. Woodford)
Publication date: 1878
Publisher: Syracuse, N.Y., D. Mason & Co.
Number of Pages: 840