USA > New York > Genesee County > History of the Genesee country (western New York) comprising the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Chautauqua, Chemung, Erie, Genesee, Livingston, Monroe, Niagara, Ontario, Orleans, Schuyler, Steuben, Wayne, Wyoming and Yates, Volume I > Part 20
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46
KA-NO-NA, the outlet of Mud, or Lamoka Lake, comes from a word meaning "water basin."
KE-U-KA is probably a shortening of Cayuga and means "canoe landing."
MICH-I-GAN applied to a creek means "large lake," from miche-gaumee.
314
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
TUS-CA-RO-RA Township has its name from the sixth Iroquois tribe. The name means "shirt wearers."
OLD MAP NAMES AND NAMES USED BY INDIANS.
GACH-TOCH-WA-WUNK, a Delaware town (spelling is Mora- vian), situated at the junction of the Conhocton and Tioga rivers in 1767.
GA-HA-TO, "log in the water," is Morgan's name for Conhoc- ton.
GO-WAN-IS-QUE, or Cowanesque Creek, meaning "at the long island," is applied to the creek flowing into the Chemung at Painted Post.
KAN-HANGH-TON seems to be Conhocton, but it was applied to a Delaware Indian town in 1764. It was on the Cayuga branch.
KAY-GEN, a river, is shown on Pouchot's map, and there is a village of the same name. (1767.)
KNAC-TO is also given by Pouchot as a village.
PA-CHI-SAK-CUNK was a Mingo town in 1758. The name is Delaware, which might be expected in a town of refugees. It was at the mouth of Colonel Bill's Creek. There are various spellings of the name, among them Pasecksahkunk, Pasigach- kunk, Passigachgungh and Passekawkung. The word may mean "divided rocks."
SE-CAUGH-KUNG was a Delaware town of 1758.
TE-CAR-NASE-TE-O is Morgan's name for the Canisteo.
TE-CAR-NASE-TE-O-A, "board sign," is Painted Post. The post was the grave marker of a chief and had a number of glyphs upon it according to tradition.
WO-A-PAS-SIS-QU was a Delaware town at the confluence of the Tioga and Canisteo. Zeisberger mentioned it in 1767.
WAYNE COUNTY.
CANANDAIGUA Creek takes its name from the city of Canan- daigua which means "a chosen settlement."
GA-NAR-QUA, from Ganagweh, "village suddenly spring up," might in common parlance be "boom town." It is the name for Mud Creek.
315
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
HURON has been generally thought an Indian word, since it designates a tribe. It is more probably from the French hure, meaning "bristle head." It is suggested by Beauchamp that it may come from the Huron word "ronon" meaning "nation."
ON-TA-RI-O, "beautiful lake."
SENECA from assini-aki, meaning "place of the stone."
SO-DUS, from a-sa-re-dos or se-o-dos, has many spellings and means "knife."
OLD MAP NAMES AND NAMES USED BY INDIANS.
AS-SOR-O-DOS is variously spelled Ahslodose (Oneida), and Seodose (Seneca), and on a map of 1771 it is Aserotus.
CAH-RA-TON appears on a map of 1668 for Sodus Bay.
GA-NA-AT-I-O appears on the Jesuit map of 1665 for Sodus Bay.
SQUA-GON-NA is used by J. V. H. Clark for Montezuma marsh with the definition "a great way up."
TE-GA-HONE-SA-O-TA is given by Morgan for Sodus Bay Creek. The application is literal, being "creek of Sodus."
TE-GER-HUNK-SE-RO-DE is the hill east of Sodus Bay. It prob- ably means "Sodus Hill."
THI-O-HE-RO, "river of rushes," is given by Beauchamp.
WYOMING COUNTY.
The name Wyoming is derived from a Delaware word, M'chwewormink, meaning "extensive flats," or "great bottom lands." It was originally the place name of the flats of the Sus- quehanna near Wilkes-Barre. The name is pleasing to the ear and for this reason there is a temptation to use it in places where its meaning does not apply, as in the present instance, where one of the most hilly of counties in western New York is called Wyoming, the extensive flats, and in the case of the State of Wyoming, one of the most mountainous in the country. The Moravian missionaries usually wrote the word Wajomink, whence came the present modification.
CATTARAUGUS Creek and Lake are in Java Township. The word means "foul smelling banks."
CAYUGA Creek rises in the county. The word means "canoe landing."
GAR-DOW or Gadaho, the flats of the Genesee, means "bank
316
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
before it." It was here that Mary Jemison had her reserva- tion of land.
GA-NA-YAT for Silver Lake, is "stone in the bottom." (Beauchamp.)
GAH-GWA-GEH for the high falls of the river means "place of the sun." It was here that the sun paused to behold the beauties of the landscape, according to Seneca tradition.
GE-NE-SEE, the name of the river, means "pleasant banks." O-AT-KA, "the opening," is used for Allen's Creek.
PE-O-RI-A is an Algonkian name from Illinois. It means "pack carrier."
TE-CAR-ESE-TA-NE-ONT, "place of the sign post," is Wyoming village.
TO-NA-WAN-DA Creek has its name from "swift running water."
WIS-COY Creek is from Owaiska, "under the bank."
YATES COUNTY.
AH-TA-GWEH-DA-GA, "place of the flint," is Flint Creek.
CAN-AN-DAI-GUA, applied to the lake on the western border of the county means, "chosen settlement." It could equally mean "the selected hill."
GE-NUN-DE-WAH is the great hill of the Senecas. Geologists have so named a friable shale.
KA-SHONG Creek derives its name from a word meaning "fallen limb."
KE-U-KA, "boat landing," is a variant of Cayuga.
O-GO-YA-GA, "promontory," is given for Bluff Point. There are few or no traces of the Senecas on the point, all the evidences seeming to be early and middle Algonkian.
SHE-NAN-WA-GA is one of the names for Kashong in the Sul- livan journals.
CHAPTER X. THE SULLIVAN EXPEDITION OF 1779.
BY ARTHUR WOODWARD BOOTH.
Military events should endure in history on account of their strategic value; their scope and magnitude, or the valor displayed by those engaged. Measured by any or all of these standards, the Sullivan Expedition against the Iroquois in 1779 deserves far greater emphasis and a more illumined page in the annals of our Revolutionary period than writers on American history have ever accorded it.
Possibly the earlier historians lived too near in point of time to view the matter in its proper perspective, but we cannot con- done so readily the influence of the later writers who, in most instances, have apparently been satisfied with the original meagre accounts and have betrayed no further knowledge or interest in the subject. In consequence, this thrilling adventure, which has no counterpart in American history, is but little known save by a few specialists in New York colonial history. Seemingly it has been unjustly omitted from its proper place in the sequence of important moves, which made victory possible for the colonists, and which eventually determined the character of our people and our government, especially in New York State.
It is essential, here, to review briefly the situation between 1777 and 1779, to better understand the cause for this invasion. After Lexington and Bunker Hill, the British realized the serious temper of the New England colonists, and the impossible task of subduing them by force of arms. The London war ministry thereupon conceived the plan of isolating New England by estab- lishing a military barrier along the Hudson River, thrusting a wedge, as it were, into the very center of the colonies. This would eventually starve New England and effectually prevent her men from going to the aid of her sister colonies. It would,
317
318
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
furthermore, provide an opportunity to invade the Mohawk Val- ley, and thus control substantially all of New York then settled by the whites.
This plan was launched in 1777, when Burgoyne descended from Canada with a large force and captured Fort Ticonderoga. He then continued on towards Albany, where he had hoped to be joined by Sir William Howe, who, according to plan, was to as- cend the Hudson from his base in New York City. The determined resistance of the colonists at Oriskany and Saratoga culminated in the defeat of Burgoyne and his surrender, on October 17, 1777. This epochal event has placed Saratoga among the few great de- cisive battles of history. Notwithstanding this victory, which brought renewed hope to the colonists and invoked substantial foreign aid, Yorktown was still four years hence. The British troops retired to their barracks in New York City, Philadelphia and Newport, where they were held for a time by the vigilance of the colonial forces.
The military strategy of the British now became one of wear- ing down the resistance and exhausting our patience and re- sources. When, however, the news reached England of Bur- goyne's disaster, there was consternation. This, coupled with the knowledge of the impending treaty between France and America, prompted Lord North to propose conciliatory measures, in the vain hope of effecting an early peace and saving the colonies to the crown. Commissioners were sent to America to arrange the terms, but Congress most emphatically rejected them. This re- buff was received with great resentment. In a farewell manifesto the commissioners declared "the conduct of the war was now to be changed and no mercy was to be shown." This threat could have but one meaning-arson along the coast by the British fleet and murder on the frontier at the hands of the Indian allies.
The territory extending from the St. Lawrence to the Poto- mac, north and south, and from the Hudson to the Ohio, east and west, was then controlled by a powerful federation of Indian tribes, the Iroquois or League of the Six Nations. Their contact with the French of Canada, the Dutch, and later the English, of New York had made them familiar with many of the elements of civilization. They possessed firearms, metal tools and domestic animals. They lived in well constructed wooden houses, grouped in villages, surrounded by gardens, orchards and extensive fields
Crown, P
Misisagas Toronto --
'henderoga
LAKE ONTARIO
The Boundary of New York. wat being closed this part
Food Crack
This Country belongs to the Oneilets
of the Country still Belongs to the Stohacks
Japara
Yukrank Bay
YOLES
Raus
OF Ontario
Ft Brewerton
Fish
taken from the French in July 1750,
IF& Edward
Great
falls
Avertus harhour is capable of receiving Veswels of Burden.
ONON
3 Rivers
Sclosser
D
A Gaiaghsaraga.
lake
Seneca Salt & P.Onondaga
Jehok
Canawaques
Canadaragy
A Canadasegy
Hosick
Chenuts18.
Erie
Cayı
The Country West and North of the Boundary Love having
There were more
never been surveyed or
lakes horeab-
even thoughrly Explored,
-outs but they
is chiefly laid down from
cannot be
Ganashage A
lord denn with certainty
of Lake
Indians and other Persons & Onondarka
AOwegy
Erie
Karaghiyadirha
Kanestro.
Chughnul
sinsin
fraoga
A."Gistaguat
X
Part of Connecticut
THE
Tawan
Burnets Rille
Sugar,
.Great Swamp
Excellency To His WILLIAM TRYON EsQ" Captain General & Governor in Chief of the Province of NEW-YORK & & This Map
A. Indian Villages
Chingleclartooch
B. Chief Towns or Large Villages Sam indian Paths
The Boundary Seuled with the
of the Country of the VI. Nations Proper, with Part of the adjacent Colonie, Is humbly inscribed by his Excellency's
Indians in 176'8 is described by Line
Most Obedient humble Servant Guy Johnson 1771.
Copied from Dov : (. nul How , script Hap in State Libros ?
-
By the Country of the six Nations proper is meant that part within which they principally reside the rest which is of Vast extent being chiefly occupied by their dependants The Mohocks are not monhoned as they reside within the limits of N York at Fort Hunter & Conajohare part of the Oneida Country les also within that Province the Tuscaroras who form the sixth Nation are omitted being a southern People that live on lands allotted them between Onerda & Onondaga
test
A Kullanning
Julio or Any any River and Called above Ft Pitt.
Machapeuda
Tioniongarunte
Allegany Mountain
nunk
a Wialoosin Pensylvania
Katts Kill
Livingston.
TIONS The Villages on the East Branch of Susquehannah are thefly occupy
Sinoltre
Alban
NECAS
Coyeman
Part of
my Journals and the Sketches of intelligent
Kehderhook
Massachus sets Bay
ich
Claverac
E
by mudasand Tuscaroras
CherryVally
Shenectady
Saratoga
Scochnicoke
4.
nyanagarunte
Little Seneca RY
Indian Path to the
Carman nutts
F:Johnson
Kayadarossını
Button
Oneida
no drama
hnsen hall
Sacos
K
RY
ONEI
Stanwix Canada Co
Oneida Le wood ch
P& George
Iuttle
Ourndaga. R
Small Villages
Glass I
DAS
Hudson River
Part
Toksaky
Rhinbeck
EXPLANATION
branch of Susquehannah
Part ..
Bald Eagle Ir
GUY JOHNSON'S MAP OF NEW YORK, 1771
harindaquat
321
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
of corn, potatoes and beans. They actually lived in greater com- fort and security than the pioneer whites who succeeded to their lands.
Theirs was a true democracy, anticipating our own by over a century. We are too prone to look upon these Indians as un- tutored and unworthy savages, yet from all accounts of the few whites who ventured among them, we are credibly informed they were an unusually intelligent, hospitable and industrious people, proud of their homeland in central and western New York, which they regarded theirs by generations of unopposed and undisputed occupation. Their sovereignty extended far beyond these limits, and was maintained by the superior strength of their warriors, who exacted tribute from primitive tribes as far south as Florida. Doctor Sherman Williams has appropriately called them "The Romans of the West." Like the Roman citizen of old, the Iroquois was respected wherever he chose to go.
Unfortunately history will never know their numerical strength, though it is conservatively estimated at 25,000 just prior to the Revolutionary period. For many years preceding this struggle, they enjoyed the most cordial relations with the English of upper New York, where Sir William Johnson, the royal Indian commissioner, lived. His tactful management had won their friendship and sympathy. His dream of civilizing them took form in the encouragement he gave the early New England missionaries who labored among them; in fostering schools for the children, and in sending several of the promising youths to Mr. Wheelock's school in Lebanon, Connecticut (later Dartmouth College). At his death, just before the war, he was succeeded by his nephew, Colonel Guy Johnson, a man of lesser character, but one who managed, with the help of Sir William's son, John, to maintain the oldtime discipline and influence.
When the news of Lexington and Bunker Hill filtered through to the Mohawk Valley, the Johnsons realized their untenable posi- tion and fled to Oswego and thence to Canada. Nearly all the Mohawks went with them, as well as some 500 white retainers, over whom Colonel John Butler was placed in command. He later organized the Royal Greens from these men.
At Montreal, Sir Frederick Haldimand addressed the Indians, saying: "Now is the time for you to help the King. The war has begun, and you will find it to your advantage. Whatever you lose 20-Vol. 1
322
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
during the war, the King will make up to you when peace re- turns." A month later Colonel Johnson received an official letter from England saying, "It is the King's pleasure that you lose no time in taking such steps as may induce the Indians to take up the hatchet against his rebellious subjects in America."
In Burgoyne's campaign the following year, over five hundred Indians accompanied him southward, while St. Leger, who left Oswego to join Burgoyne, had over seven hundred Indians under the leadership of Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea). At Oriskany these Indians threatened at one time to turn the tide against the colonists, but their casualties were serious at the end, which caused the surviving members to swear vengeance for the loss of their brothers. Iroquoia at last was aflame with the passions of war and revenge.
With the exception of the Oneidas and Tuscaroras, who were restrained by Samuel Kirkland, the famous missionary, the Iro- quois tribes dispatched their warriors with Joseph Brant, to join the forces of the Johnsons and Butlers who had erected forts at Oswego and Niagara. During 1778, the Tories and Indians marched forth from these strongholds, to raid and pillage the frontier settlements and isolated cabins of the pioneers on the upper Susquehanna, Delaware and Mohawk rivers. The inhabi- tants were mercilessly tortured and killed, with no regard to age or sex. The entire frontier became the scene of utter misery and desolation. These attacks were inspired and carried out by the Tory leaders, who were acting under specific orders from the British war office.1
In July the country stood aghast at the massacre of Wyoming in Pennsylvania, and again in November, when Cherry Valley in New York suffered a similar fate. The authorities of Pennsyl- vania and New York were aroused, and they decided to send forces into the Indian country to check these atrocities. In Sep- tember, 1778, Pennsylvania sent Colonel Thomas Hartley with
1 See Lord Chatham's speech in the House of Lords protesting against the use of Indian warriors in the Revolutionary war.
A
1 1
323
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
two hundred men from Sunbury to "penetrate the Indian coun- try." He ascended the west branch of the Susquehanna to Fort Muncy, near the present city of Williamsport, Pennsylvania, thence up Lycoming Creek to Cedar Ledge and across the moun- tains to Tioga Point, now Athens, Pennsylvania. He did not meet Clinton there, as expected, and, learning of a superior force of Indians gathered at Chemung, a few miles up the river, he re- treated down the Susquehanna to Sunbury, after destroying Queen Esther's Town at Tioga Point. In October, 1778, Colonel William Butler led a small force from Fort Defiance in upper New York, and marched into the region about the headwaters of the Susquehanna and Delaware, but owing to the lateness of the season nothing further was done by New York that year.
In April of the following year Colonel Goose Van Schaick and Lieutenant-Colonel Marinus Willett commanded a force of 500 men from Fort Stanwix to invade the Onondaga settlements. They covered about 90 miles outward march. A few Indians were killed, several villages destroyed and considerable grain and domestic animals carried back as plunder. This was accomplished without the loss of a single man.
These brief preludes to the Sullivan invasion accomplished little by way of subduing the enemy, but demonstrated the magni- tude and serious difficulties of the task.
With life on the western border in constant jeopardy, it was becoming increasingly hard to induce the pioneer to enlist in the regular line to fight a distant king, when the enemy at his very door was threatening his own fireside and family. Meanwhile, an abundance of food from the fields and gardens of the Iroquois in central New York was pouring into the British garrisons.
For a year back, Washington had been quietly gathering in- formation, more or less fragmentary, from friendly Indians, frontiersmen and British deserters, in anticipation of launching a campaign to effectually remove this menace, which was actually threatening the success of the colonist's cause. At that time central New York was totally unknown to the colonists, as was also the numerical strength of the Six Nations.
The ease with which the hordes of Tories and Indians swept down from Niagara and Oswego forts to points as far south as Wyoming in Pennsylvania, must have suggested to Washington the possibilities of a British descent from Canada, through this
324
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
friendly Iroquois country, in a renewed attempt to split the colo- nies or attack them from the rear.2
From the above facts it is readily seen that the situation on the western fringe of the New York and Pennsylvania colonies was most serious, and called for prompt and drastic measures. Early in 1779, Washington had definitely decided that the most urgent and important military movement of the year was the complete destruction of the Iroquois and their country. The legislatures of New York and Pennsylvania had importuned Con- gress to relieve the intolerable conditions, so, on February 27, 1779, Washington was authorized to organize an expedition against the western Indians.
At this juncture mention should be made of General Wash- ington's attitude toward the Iroquois. At the very beginning of the war, he had urged the Indians to remain neutral. He very consistently declined the services of the Oneida warriors, who vol- unteered to serve with the colonial troops. Washington gave every assurance to the Iroquois that neutrality would insure to them a peaceful occupation and autonomy of their ancestral home- land in the future. This fair and honest offer was futile against the extravagant promises and manipulations of the British. Three years later, Washington, no doubt still burning with right- eous indignation and resentment at their unjust attitude, wrote to General John Sullivan, "The Expedition you are appointed to command is to be directed against the hostile tribes of the Six Nations of Indians, with their associates and adherents. The immediate object is their total destruction and devastation and the capture of as many persons of every age and sex as possible. It will be essential to ruin their crops now in the ground and prevent their planting more." This severe order calling for ruth- less destruction was a military necessity under the circumstances. Washington gave Sullivan 5,000 men-a full third of the entire colonial army. These men were specially selected on account of their experience in former campaigns-veterans of Saratoga and Monmouth; frontiersmen and Morgan's Riflemen from Vir- ginia, skilled in Indian warfare, along with seasoned troops from New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, New
2 When Sullivan's men marched through this territory, they found enormous stores of dried fruits, corn and beans distributed along the route, as though in preparation for just such a contingency.
HUTCHQUAC
HIS HORN
JOHN COON
CHEMUNG
1780
WAYCA
SULLIVAN'S ROUTE AS TRACED ON A SOLDIER'S POWDER HORN
BR
MAP
SHOWING THE ROUTE OF SULLIVAN'S ARMY and
GROVELAND AMBUSCADE.
Seplamber +3+ 1779
WITH PLACES OF ENCAMPMENT AND POSITION OF INDIAN TOWNS IN THE VICINITY
FROM ACTUAL SURVEY
BY GENE JOHN S CLARK AUBURN. NY
1879
S
COPLANATIONS
--------
...
T
Cremy in Aabertade
Trots Counted
CAUCUA
MAP SHOWING ROUTE OF SULLIVAN'S ARMY AND GROVELAND AMBUSCADE IN THE COUNTY OF LIVINGSTON
327
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
Jersey, Pennsylvania and Virginia. Sullivan arrived, on May 7, 1779, at Easton, Pennsylvania, where he established headquarters and began active preparations for the expedition.
The general plan of the campaign involved approaching from three widely separated points and converging in the heart of the Indian country. The commander-in-chief with the main army was to march from Easton, Pennsylvania, across the Pocono Plateau and enter the Susquehanna River Valley at Wyoming, thence up the river to Tioga Point. Clinton, who was at that time in the Mohawk Valley with 1,600 men, was to pass over to Otsego Lake and descend the north branch of the Susquehanna to join Sullivan at Tioga Point. The combined armies were then to pro- ceed into central New York. Colonel Daniel Brodhead with 650 men was to leave Fort Pitt (now Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) and ascend the Allegheny River to joint the main army somewhere in the Genesee Valley, to assist in the attack on Fort Niagara, which was the ultimate goal of the expedition. In addition, Lieutenant- Colonel Pawling with 200 men was to leave Kingston on the Hud- son and join Clinton before he reached Tioga Point.
This ambitious design was to encompass nearly all that terri- tory now embraced by the states of Pennsylvania and New York, which at that time was unmapped and practically without roads, other than the narrow Indian trails.
Owing to swollen streams and difficult roads, Pawling failed to connect with Clinton's division, so returned to Kingston with little accomplished. Brodhead, likewise, failed to join Sullivan in central New York. When he reached the present southern boundary of New York State he turned back on account of sick- ness among his troops, lack of clothing and food supplies. His contribution, however, was considerable, in that he destroyed sev- eral Indian villages and 500 acres of growing corn. His presence in the Allegheny Valley diverted many of the Seneca warriors, who otherwise would have reinforced Brant's army at Newtown.
Aside from the force of Brodhead, Sullivan's expedition was made up of four brigades. The first consisted of New Jersey regiments, under the command of Brigadier-General William Maxwell; Brigadier-General Enoch Poor commanded the second brigade with regiments from New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Connecticut. The third brigade, commanded by Brigadier-Gen- eral Edward Hand, was composed of several Pennsylvania regi-
328
HISTORY OF THE GENESEE COUNTRY
ments. The fourth brigade, commanded by Brigadier-General James Clinton, was made up of New York regiments and Mor- gan's Riflemen from Virginia.
While waiting for Maxwell's and Poor's brigades to gather at Easton, Sullivan sent Van Cortlandt's and Spencer's regiments ahead, to make a road by widening a bridle trail, the only path then existing to Wyoming. Early in the morning of June 18th, 1779, Sullivan gave the order for the army to move. The path led through the wind gap, a pass in the Blue Ridge below the Delaware Water Gap.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.