USA > New York > Yates County > History of Yates County, N.Y. : with illustrations and biographical sketches of some of the prominent men and pioneers > Part 4
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Following close upon the peace of Ryswick came Queen Anne's war, an event having its outbreak in 1702; and by which the rival nations, the English and French, again had recourse to arms. During this con- flict the Iroquois maintained a strict neutrality, thus commanding the respect of both contending governments : of the French because they dreaded the results of again arousing the fierce Confederates, and of the English for the reason that the Iroquois country furnished a shield of protection all along the frontier colonies. However during the prog- ress of Queen Anne's war the French profited by the neutrality of the Five Nations, for they were given an opportunity of strengthening their line of positions and fortifications. Moreover, being at acknowledged peace with the Iroquois, their missionaries and politic leaders could visit the Senecas in entire safety, and the result was the establishment of a friendly relation between the French and the Senecas and a part of the Cayugas. So rapidly, indeed, was this friendship formed and so firmly rooted had become the relation between the French and the Senecas that the latter were almost ready to take up arms against the English, and that despite the neutrality of the Confederacy and the bonds of union that bound together its members.
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
About this same time another occurrence worked to the great ad- vantage and favor of the French among the Senecas. Chabert Jon- caire, a French youth, had been captured by the Senecas and was adopted by and grew up among them. He married a Seneca wife, but was released by the tribe from any compulsion of remaining among the Indians. Thereupon Joncaire was employed by the French to promote their influence with the natives. Pleading his claims as an adopted child of the tribe he was given permission by the chiefs to build a cabin on the site of Lewistown, which soon became the center of French in - fluence. This was the source of much anxiety and discomfort to the English, and all their influence with the eastern tribes was not sufficient to dislodge him. "Joncaire is a child of the Nation " was the reply made to every complaint.
Whether due to the influence of Joncaire among the Senecas or to some other cause is not fully known, but the French soon succeeded in lodging themselves firmly in the affections of the tribe. In 1725 they commenced rebuilding Fort Niagara and completed the task without opposition, and by so doing came into possession of one of the most im- portant and strong posts in the country. The French undoubtedly were poor colonizers, but they nevertheless possessed the peculiar faculty of ready assimilation with savage and half-civilized races, thus gaining an influence over them. Whatever the cause, the power of the French constantly increased among the Senecas. The influence of Joncaire was maintained and increased by his half-breed sons, Chabert and Clauz- onne, all through the second quarter of the eighteenth century.
In 1744 was begun another war between England and France, during which the Six Nations (being increased from Five Nations by the aquisition of the Tuscaroras in 1712) generally maintained a neutrality, although the Mohawks gave some aid to the English. This outbreak was closed by the Treaty of Aix-la Chapelle in 1748, and a nominal peace of eight years followed, although during the interval both coun- tries were earnestly engaged in increasing their possessions, strengthen- ing their fortifications, and preparing for the inevitable outbreak which must end the dominion in America of the one or the other.
The storm of war broke in 1756, after two years of open hostilities. The Mohawks again took up arms with the English, but the Senecas,
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END OF FRENCH POWER IN AMERICA.
notwithstanding their affection for the French, were unwilling to go to battle against their friends at the eastern door of the Long House. The friendship of the Mohawks for the English was gained through the influence of Sir William Johnson, the skillful English superintend- ent of Indian affairs, and who had come to America in 1734 as the agent of his uncle, the latter being an extensive landowner in the Mo- hawk Valley. At the commencement of the last great struggle for supremacy in America the French were everywhere victorious. Brad- dock, almost at the gates of Fort Duquesne, was slain and his army cut in pieces. Montcalm captured Oswego, and the French lines up the lakes and across to the Ohio were stronger than ever. In the next year the tide of victory set toward the British arms. Duquesne was recaptured by the Throne, while to the northward Frontenac was siezed by Bradstreet, and other victories prepared the way for still grander suc- cess in 1759. Then Wolfe assailed Quebec, the French stronghold in America ; and almost at the same time General Prideaux with 2,000 British troops and provincials, accompanied by Sir William Johnson with a thousand faithful Iroquois, sailed up Lake Ontario and laid siege to Fort Niagara, which was defended by only 600 men. A strong resistance was made by the brave commander, but when his re- enforcements were about to come they were ambushed by Sir William Johnson's fierce warriors and unmercifully slaughtered. Hearing of this disaster the garrison at once surrendered and Fort Niagara passed into the hands of the British, and with the capitulation was the end of French supremacy and dominion over any of the territory of New York. In September, 1760, the Marquis Vandreuil surrendered Montreal, and with it Detroit, Venango, and all the other posts within his jurisdiction. This surrender was ratified by the treaty of peace between England and France in the month of February, 1763, which ceded Canada to the former power.
This ended the French dominion in America. So far as the same applied to the locality of Yates County it had no special significance or importance except as this shire formed a part of the region that was claimed to be New France. That the Jesuit fathers visited this locality is quite probable, and it may have been through their agency that the old fort was built in the town of Milo. The chief seat of operations,
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
however, in this locality was at Canandaigua or at Geneva, at the foot of the respective Lakes Canandaigua and Seneca, and any pilgrimages to this immediate locality were merely incidental.
CHAPTER IV.
The English Dominion - A brief résumé of Events -- English conquest of the Dutch Settlements -- Condition of the Indians -- Still friendly to the French -- Pon- tiac's League -- The Senecas involved with Pontiac -- Devil's Hole and Black Rock -- Sir William Johnson makes friends with the Senecas -- The Revolutionary War -- Attitude of the Iroquois -- Wyoming and Cherry Valley -- Sullivan's Campaign -- Destruction of Indian Villages -- Cashong, in Yates County, Devastated -- The In- dians retire to Fort Niagara -- Their treatment by the British -- Close of the Revolu- tion -- Overthrow of British Rule -- The United States of America.
T HE preceding chapter has made mention of the fact that in 1606 King James made an extensive grant of land to the so-called Plymouth Company, and in pursuance of that grant the colony of New England was founded in 1620 ; and further, that under the authority of a similar grant from the same source, made in 1607, the colony of Eng- lish settled in Virginia. The same power also made another charter, which was granted to John Smith, and which resulted in the founding an English settlement in what afterward became the Province and State of Maine. The same chapter likewise states that in 1609 Henry Hud- son, in the employ of the Dutch East India Company, founded a colony where is now the city of New York, which was first settled by the Dutch, although the discoverer and navigator-Hudson-was himself an Englishman. But the Dutch settlement was not confined to the vicinity of New Amsterdam, as they called their ancient burgh, but their line of possessions extended up the Hudson River as far and .even beyond the present city of Albany. On this site last named was erected a fortification called Fort Orange.
The rule of the Hollanders in the Netherlands, however, was not of long continuance. It commenced with the planting of their colony
·
49
CLAIMS AND CONTESTS FOR SUPREMACY.
soon after Hudson's discovery and closed with the year 1664, its peo- ple and patron government having become involved in a dispute with England and the latter proved the master. The claims of each power were founded on the right of discovery, but the English extended their settlements the more rapidly and soon occupied the territory of the Dutchmen. More than that England was the stronger power and granted away the lands of the region to an indefinite extent, and that without regard to rights or claims of other governments; and when there came a conflict over the right to possession the weaker was com - pelled to yield to the stronger power.
Having overcome the Dutch in 1664 the government of Great Brit- ain next turned her attention to the French, and although the latter were by many years the prior occupants of the country and of this region, and had extended their settlements over a considerable country and claimed indefinitely westward and to the south, yet the English were not disposed to concede any rights to the French on this continent ; therefore, after extending and fortifying their own settlements, war was declared against the French with the results as told in the preceding chapter. The outbreaks and conflicts between these powers were by no means confined to this side of the Atlantic, for at home was the chief seat of war, while on this side were heard and felt but the echoes and reverberations from abroad. With the English the principle that "might makes right" ever prevailed in extending and advancing their interests until that government finally came in conflict with the united American colonies in 1775 and the years following, during which period the mother country was taught a salutary lesson. There proved to be at least one country on the earth which she could not subdue nor con- quer. But this is a subject which more appropriately belongs to later pages of this chapter.
Notwithstanding the results of the war between the French and the English, and the disappearance of the former from the region, the Western Indians were still disposed to remember with affection and were yet inclined to wage war upon the English. The celebrated Pontiac united nearly all these tribes in a league against the redcoats immediately after the advent of the latter ; and as no such confedera- tion had been formed against the French during their years of posses-
7
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
sion the action of Pontiac must be attributed to some other cause than mere hatred of all civilized intruders. In May, 1763, the league surprised nine out of twelve English posts and massacred their garrisons. There is no positive evidence to sustain the assertion, yet there is little doubt that the Senecas were involved in Pontiac's league, and were active in the fruitless attack upon Fort Niagara. They were unwilling to fight against their brothers of the Iroquois, but had no hesitation in killing the English soldiery when left alone, as was soon made terribly manifest in the awful tragedy at Devil's Hole in September, 1763, at which time a band of Senecas ambushed a train of English army- wagons with an escort of soldiers, in all ninety-six men, and massacred every man with four exceptions. And during the month of October of the same year the Senecas came in contact with a body of British troops who were on their way to re- enforce the post at Detroit. This battle took place within the limits of the present county of Erie. The victory was not for either side, but the Britons lost more men than did the Indians.
But at last becoming convinced that the French had really yielded up their claims and possessions in this country, and that Pontiac's scheme had failed as to its main purpose, the Senecas agreed to aban- don their Gallic friends and be at peace with the English. In April, 1764, Sir William Johnson concluded a treaty of peace with eight chiefs of the refractory Senecas ; and by the terms of the agreement there was conceded to the King of England a tract of land four by fourteen miles for a carrying-place around Niagara Falls. And it may further be said that by this time Sir William Johnson had succeeded in winning the affections of all the Iroquois tribes and had enlisted them under the banners of the King. The treaty made with the Senecas by Sir Will- iam Johnson was considered sufficiently conclusive, but it was at that time provided that the same should be ratified by a grand council of the Iroquois to be held at Fort Niagara during the following summer. Accordingly General Bradstreet, with 1,200 British and American sol- diers, accompanied by Sir William and a large body of his Iroquois warriors, came to Fort Niagara as previously agreed. A grand coun- cil of the friendly Indians was held and satisfactory terms proposed and agreed upon, but the Senecas sullenly refused attendance at the pro-
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SIR WILLIAM JOHNSON.
ceedings and were said to be meditating a renewal of the war. At length General Bradstreet ordered their immediate presence at the council under penalty of the destruction of their settlements and vil- lages, whereupon they came at once, ratified the treaty, and adhered to it pretty faithfully, notwithstanding the peremptory manner in which it was obtained.
The English had now established a peace with each tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy; and there was also then existing a peace between the fre - quently contending nations, England and France, consequently there was no strife among the civilized people on this side of the Atlantic. The Iroquois, though the seeds of dissension had been sown among them, were still a powerful confederacy, and their war parties occasionally made in- cursions among the Western Indians, generally returning with scalps or prisoners. The Senecas made frequent complaints of depredations committed by the whites or some of their number who had villages on the headwaters of the Susquehanna and Ohio. "Cressap's war," in which the celebrated Logan was an actor, contributed to render them uneasy, but they did not break out in open hostilities. They, like the rest of the Six Nations, had by this time learned to place every confi- dence in Sir William Johnson and made all their complaints through him. He did his best to redress their grievances, and sought to have them withdraw their villages from those isolated localities to their chief seats in New York, so that they would be more completely under his protection. Ere this could be done, however, the attention of all men was drawn to certain yet unmistakable mutterings in the political sky, low at first, but growing more and more angry, until at length there burst upon the country that long and desolating storm known as the Revolutionary war.
Sir William Johnson, who has been so frequently mentioned in this narrative, was an Irishman by birth, of good family, and well educated. In 1734' he was sent to America as the land agent of his uncle, Sir Peter Warren, an admiral in the English navy and the proprietor of large estates in this country. Sir William, soon after his arrival in America, was appointed superintendent of Indian affairs, and were it not for his skill in handling the savages it is quite likely that the entire Iro-
1 Turner says 1737 or '38.
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
quois Confederacy would have become allied to the cause of the French. Associated with Sir William in his life and duties among the Indians was his son, Sir John Johnson, and his nephew, Col. Guy Johnson. After the death of Sir William in 1774 the son succeeded to his posi- tion of influence among the Six Nations, while the office of superin- tendent of Indian affairs was given to his nephew. When Tryon County was organized and set off from Albany County Guy Johnson was the " first" judge of the Court of Common Pleas, and was associated in that office with the afterward celebrated John Butler.
The war for American independence in fact commenced in the month of April, 1775, with the battle at Lexington, but before the actual out- break, as the danger of hostilities increased, the Johnsons showed them- selves clearly on the side of the King. Sir William said little and seemed greatly disturbed by the gathering troubles. There is little doubt, however, had he lived, that he would have used his power and influence in behalf of his royal master. But his sudden death termin- ated his career, while his position among the Indian tribes descended like an inheritance to his son and nephew. Upon the outbreak of the war the superintendent persuaded the Mohawks to remove westward with him, and made his influence felt over all the Six Nations except the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, though it was near two years from the breaking out of the war before they committed hostilities. John Butler established him- self at Fort Niagara and joined a regiment of Tories known as Butler's Rangers, and he and the Johnsons used all their influence to induce the Indians to attack the Americans. The Senecas held off for awhile, but the prospect of both blood and gold was too much for them to with- stand, and in 1777 they, in common with the Cayugas, Onondagas, and Mohawks, made a treaty with the British at Oswego, agreeing to serve the King throughout the war. Mary Jemison, the celebrated " white woman," then living among the Senecas on the Genesee, declares that at that treaty the British agents, after distributing presents among the Indians, promised a bounty on every scalp that should be brought in. However this is a question that has been widely debated.
As had characterized their actions on other occasions the Senecas were reluctant to attack or make war against their brothers of the Long House, but they did not withdraw from the British interest and remain
53
EVENTS FOLLOWING THE YEAR 1777.
neutral during the years following 1777. They were relieved from any embarrassment by the fact that the Oneidas decided to take no active part in the war, while the Tuscaroras were confederates by compara- tively recent adoption, having become members of the Iroquois League many years after its formation and were not brothers within the strict meaning of the clan system. From the latter part of 1777 the four tribes named were active in the British interests and Fort Niagara again became the center of operations, although the savage warriors were scat- tered all through the Genesee country and even eastward to the Susque. hanna River. The most prominent chief of the Confederacy during the Revolutionary period was Joseph Brant, or Thayendenaga, a Mohawk who had received a moderate English education under the patronage of Sir William Johnson. The then conspicuous Seneca chiefs during the same period were Farmer's Brother, Cornplanter, and Governor Blacksnake, but which of these was leader is not well known. At the massacre at Wyoming the author of the "Life of Brant" says the chief in com- mand of the Senecas was Guiengwahtoh, supposed to mean the same as Guiyahgwahdoh, " the smoke-bearer." That was the official title of the Seneca afterward known as "Young King," but the latter was then too young to have been at Wyoming, yet his predecessor (probably his maternal uncle) might have been there. Brant was certainly not there. At Cherry Valley, following the slaughter at Wyoming, the Senecas were present in force together with a body of Mohawks under Brant and a party of Tories under Capt. Walter Butler.
These and other similar events, the sudden and unexpected attacks upon frontier settlements and outposts, and the merciless slaughter of their inhabitants induced General Washington and Congress to set on foot an expedition in the spring of 1779, having for its object a retali- ation upon the Indians and especially upon the Senecas for the out- rages perpetrated by them down to that time. This duty devolved upon Gen. John Sullivan, who at that time was an officer in the American army. The full force organized for the expedition amounted to 5,000 men, which was formed in three divisions. Sullivan himself com- manded the troops that marched through and laid waste the Indian villages and improvements in the region of Seneca Lake ; and as that was the only part of the several campaigns that is pertinent to this work
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HISTORY OF YATES COUNTY.
this narrative will be confined to the acts performed in the region here- abouts.
General Sullivan organized his force in Pennsylvania and ascended the Susquehanna to Tioga Point, where he was joined by Gen. James Clinton's force, the latter having come from the Mohawk country. From Tioga Point the combined forces proceeded westward to the Che- mung River, where they found Tories, Indians, and British entrenched behind a breastwork of logs and earth. On the 29th of August the attack was made by Sullivan's men, and being well provided with artillery the work of demolishing the entrenchments was quickly done. The British and Tories fought manfully, but a portion of the Iroquois fled before the destructive canonade. However Brant succeeded in rallying a few of the Indians, who fought desperately from behind trees, bushes, rocks, or whatever place afforded concealment or pro- tection. The battle continued about two hours, when the British and their allies were routed and fled in great disorder. This battle, which occurred on the site of the present city of Elmira, was the only regular en- gagement between the contending forces. The results here were so ex- ceedingly disastrous to the Indians that wherever Sullivan's men after- ward appeared the redskins fled in terror, and all that remained for the American troops to do was to burn and destroy the villages and grow- ing crops which were found in the vicinity of the line of march.
From Chemung and Newtown Sullivan marched northward to the so- called " French Catharines town," at the head of Seneca Lake, thence down the lake on the east side to Kanandesaga, where was a village of some size. On the east side of the lake between Catharines town (Wat- kins) and Kanandesaga were several small Indian villages, all of which were destroyed. At the point last named Brant used every effort to induce his Iroquois warriors to make another stand against the invaders, but the attempt was of no avail. The Indians had already been severely punished and one of their chiefs, said to be the king of Kanandesaga, had been killed. This was enough for them and with Sullivan'a appear- ance every village was abandoned. So it was at Kanandesaga, where it is said were about sixty houses with gardens and apple and peach orchards. Here Sullivan met with no opposition, and his men destroyed every building and all growing crops.
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GENERAL SULLIVAN'S EXPEDITION.
From this point detachments were sent out to lay waste other villages of small note. One of these was within the present county of Yates, at the point commonly called Kashong, on the creek which still bears that name, in the town of Benton, 'and on the farm recently owned by W. W. Coe. In regard to the destruction of this village that popular writer, W. L. Stone, says : " A detachment of 400 men was sent down on the west side of the lake to destroy 'Gotheseunquean ' and the plan- tations in the neighborhood." The point designated unquestionably refers to the same now called Kashong or Cashong. The diary of Captain Fowler, in every way reliable, mentions the village as "Kash- anquash," while the official report of General Sullivan gives the name as " Gotheseunquean," already referred to above. Which is correct and which is incorrect is not material to this narrative, but, however spelled or pronounced, the objective point of destruction was, as stated, in the town of Benton, this county. There was no battle at Cashong, as in many other cases the inhabitants fled before the approach of the troops.
After using Kanandesaga as a base from which to operate in the de- struction of Indian villages General Sullivan proceeded westward upon a like errand, and then in the same manner to the eastward, laying waste every possible thing that could be of use to the Indians or for their sus- tenance, after which the campaign was regarded as successful and com- plete. And such proved to be the case, for the Indian occupants with- drew themselves to the protection of Fort Niagara and in that locality they remained until after the close of the war.
The results of Sullivan's expedition are best summed up in quoting from the official account of General Washington, which in part was as follows : "Forty of their towns have been reduced to ashes, some of them large and commodious, that of Genesee alone containing 128 houses. Their crops of corn have been entirely destroyed, which, by estimation, it is said, would have provided 160,000 bushels, besides large quantities of vegetables of various kinds. Their whole country has been overrun and laid waste, and they themselves compelled to place their security in a precipitate flight to the British fortress at Niagara ;- and the whole of this has been done with the loss of less than forty men on our part, including the killed, wounded, captured, and those who died nat- ural deaths."
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