Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 2

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368

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CHAMPLAIN'S EXPEDITION.

and low as the latter may have been in the scale of intelligence and humanity, and terrible as were many of the subsequent deeds of the Iro- quois, it cannot be denied that their early treatment by the whites could foster in the savage breast any other than feelings of bitterest hostility. Champlain had put four balls into his weapon, and noted with surprise the astonishment of the Iroquois at seeing two of their number "killed so instantly"; but the whole scene was only a vivid testimony of how little mercy the Iroquois were thenceforth to expect from their northern enemies and the pale-faced race which was eventually to drive them from their domain. It was an age, however, in which might was ap- pealed to more often than in later years, and the planting of the lowly banner of the Cross was frequently preceded by bloody conquest. It is in the light of the prevailing custom of the old world in Champlain's time that we must view his ready hostility to the Indian.

Undoubtedly the first European to set foot on the soil of what is now Jefferson county was the intrepid Champlain, who carried into effect an expedition of exploration and attempted conquest into the heart of Iroquois country about the middle of September, 1615, five years be- fore the landing of the Pilgrims. Indeed, this is not now a disputed fact of history, for notwithstanding Champlain described several local- ities by names not now known, he at the same time plainly noted promi- nent points that are easily discovered by every well informed reader of early county history. However, in corroboration of our statement let us quote from the journal of the expedition made by Champlain him- self and note how clearly he described localities with which the aver- age reader is undoubtedly familiar:

We continued along the borders of the Lake of the Entouhonorons,1 always hunting as above mentioned ; being there we crossed over at one of the extremities, tending eastward, which is the beginning (l'entre) of the River Saint Lawrence, in the parallel of 43' of latitude. There are several very beautiful islands in this passage. We made about fourteen leagues to eross to the other side of the lake, proceeding southward toward the enemy's country. The Indians concealed all their canoes iu the woods, near the bank. We traveled by land about four leagues [10 miles] over a sandy plain when I observed a very pleasing and fine country, watered by numer- ous small streams and two little rivers which empty into said lake, and a number of ponds and prairies, where there was an infinite quantity of game, a great many vines and fine trees, a vast number of chestnuts, the fruit of which was yet in the shell. It was quite small but well flavored.

All the canoes being thus concealed we left the bank of the lake, which is 80

1 Lake Ontario, Entouhonorons according to the French interpretation of the Indian dialect, meaning the lake between the countries of the Hurons and Iroquois.

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

leagues long, and 25 wide. It is inhabited for the greater part by savages along the sides of the streams, and we continued our journey overland some 25 or 30 leagues. In the course of four days we traversed a number of streams and one river issu- ing from a lake which empties into that of the Entouhonorons. This lake is 25 to 30 leagues in circumference, with many beautiful islands, and is the Iroquois fish- ing grounds, fish being in abundance there.

GEORGIAN

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MAP OF CHAMPLAIN'S ROUTE OF TRAVEL INTO THE PROVINCE OF NEW YORK IN 1615. Taken from Parkman's "Pioneers of France in the New World."

Further extracts from Champlain's narrative are unnecessary. The adventurous explorer made an extended tour throughout the entire region of the Canadas, extending his investigation throughout the re- gion of all the great lakes on the northern or Canadian side. He had so ingratiated himself in the savage affection that they feasted him at all their villages and accompanied him on his journeyings. More than that, Champlain readily consented to join his little force of Frenchmen with the savages and to make a combined incursion into the very heart of the Iroquois country, hoping for the same success that rewarded his

CHAMPLAIN'S EXPEDITION.

first visit into the land of the Mohawks in 1609. This was the errand that brought the wily Frenchman to the foot of Lake Ontario in the early fall of 1615, where, accompanied by at least 2,500 Indian warriors,

CHAMPLAIN'S ATTACK ON THE INDIAN FORT.

From the Original in the State Library,

he crossed over from the vicinity of Kingston in a southeasterly course to Galloup and Stony islands, and from there proceeded to near the mouth of Stony creek, in the present town of Henderson, where the

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

canoes were concealed in the woods. Champlain then proceeded south- ward along the shore about ten miles, and then struck inland, thread- ing the forests and crossing the outlet of Oneida lake, and after a march of four days entered the heart of the Iroquois country, where a battle was fought with unfortunate results to Champlain and his allied sav- ages.1 In fact the forces under Champlain were defeated, the leader himself being wounded and carried on the return journey in a basket slung on the shoulders of his warriors. The retreat was made over the same route as the advance, and having safely embarked in their canoes, the invaders returned to Canada. This unsuccessful campaign taught the Indians that Champlain's strength in battle was not invincible, and at the same time intensified the hatred of the Iroquois against their Canadian enemies.

A few weeks after the battle between Champlain and the Iroquois, in the country of the Mohawks, Henry Hudson, a navigator in the ser- vice of the Dutch East India Company, anchored his ship (the Half- moon) at the month of the river which now bears his name. This was September 5, 1609. Hudson met the savages and was hospitably re- ceived by them; but before his departure he subjected them to a knowl- edge of the effects of intoxicating liquor-an experience perhaps more baneful in its results than that inflicted by Champlain with his murder- ous weapon. Hudson ascended the river to a point within one hundred miles of that reached by Champlain, then returned to Europe and, through information he had gained, soon afterward established a Dutch colony, for which a charter was granted in 1614, naming the region "New Netherlands." The same year a fort was built on Manhattan Island, and the next year another, called Fort Orange, on the site of Albany. The Dutch were poor colonizers but excellent traders, and by dispensing gin and arms to the natives in exchange for furs they kept at peace with them until the administration of Governor Kieft, whose unwise action provoked hostilities which continued almost with . out interruption during the remainder of the Dutch dominion.

Meanwhile, in 1607, the English had made their first permanent set- tlement at Jamestown, Va., and in 1620 planted their historic colony at Plymouth Rock. These two colonies became the successful rivals of all others in that strife which finally left them masters of the country.

1 Champlain made a drawing of the Indian fortifications which he attempted to capture in this battle, and the same is reproduced here, as a matter of general historic interest rather than having any direct bearing on our county's history.

ENGLISH, FRENCH AND DUTCH CLAIMS.

Thus on the discoveries and colonizations briefly noted, three great European powers based elaims to at least a part of the territory em- braced in the State of New York; first, England, by reason of the dis- covery of John Cabot, who sailed under commission from Henry VII, and on June 24, 1497, reached the sterile coast of Labrador, also that made in the following year by his son Sebastian, who explored the same coast from Newfoundland to Florida, claiming a territory eleven de- grees in width and indefinitely extending westward; second, France, which, from the discoveries of Verrazzani, claimed a portion of the At- lantic coast, and also (under the title of New France) an almost bound- less region westward; third, Holland, which based on Hudson's discoveries a claim to the entire country from Cape Cod to the southern shore of Delaware Bay.

The Dutch dominion in America, however, was of brief duration, in part due to the unwise action of Governor Kieft, but with the succession of Peter Stuyvesant, May, 1647, the discontent among the Indians was in a measure harmonized. The chief cause of the overthrow of the Dutch power was English rivalry. On March 12, 1664, Charles II, of England, granted by letters patent to his brother James, duke of York, all the country from the river St. Croix to the Kennebec in Maine, to- gether with all the land from the west bank of the Connecticut River to the east side of Delaware Bay. The duke sent an English squadron to secure the gift, and on September 8, following, Governor Stuyvesant capitulated, being constrained to that course by the Dutch colonists, who preferred peace with the same privileges and liberties accorded the English colonists to a prolonged and perhaps fruitless contest. The English changed the name of New Amsterdam to New York, and thus ended the Dutch dominion in America. The vanquished people, how- ever, did not withdraw from the region, but remained and continued to trade guns and gin to the Indians in exchange for furs, and thus supplied them with doubly destructive weapons.

The peaceful relations existing between the Dutch and the Indians at the time of the English accession were maintained by the latter, but the strife between the English and the French continued, the former steadily gaining ground both through their success in forming and maintaining an alliance with the Iroquois, and also through the more per- manent character of their settlements. However, before we proceed to treat of this branch of our subject it is proper that some reference be made to the Indian occupants of the region, for they were indeed an 2

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

important element in the early history of the nation, the State and the county.

CHAPTER II.

The Indian Occupation-Iroquois Tradition-Origin of the Confederacy-Indian Characteristics-Line between Oneida and Onondaga Territory -- Jesnit Fathers Labor Among the Iroquois-De La Barr's Expedition in 1684-The Council at La Famine in the Present Town of Ellisburgh-Conflict of Authorities Regarding the Location of La Famine-Extracts from Charlevoix's Letter-French Surveying Expedition in 1793-La Famine and Hungry Bay Undoubtedly Different Points- Downfall of Iroquois Confederacy.

Few authentic traces of the former Indian occupation of this part of the State are now discernible, and only the presence of an occasional descendant of some tribe from across the Canadian border reminds us of a once noted period in the history of the region ; but during the first score of years of white occupancy along the St. Lawrence the natives were fairly numerous in Jefferson county, for they were reluctant to leave their favorite hunting and fishing resorts and retire before ad- vancing civilization and development.

The region of country bordering the St. Lawrence River was for many years debatable ground, for the Algonquins of Canada and the Iroquois of this State were at deadly enmity from long before the time of the first French discoveries to the close of the Revolution. Whether the Algonquins or the ancestors of the Five Nation Indians were the first occupants here is a question on which writers differ, but that the Adirondack (or Algonquin) nation and after them the Iroquois, tra- versed if they did not in fact inhabit the region, does not admit of doubt. However, the name " Montagners " was applied to all the St. Lawrence Indians, and was derived from a range of mountains extend- ing northwesterly from near Quebec. Along the northern boundary of what is now Jefferson county, and thence extending far up to and be- yond the Champlain country, as well as into the waters of Lake On- tario, in an opposite direction, is the beautiful valley of the St. Law- rence, which was formed by the Almighty into an unsurpassed natural highway for the canoes of the Indians, while the numerous islands in the river afforded every facility for fishing and pastime during peace

INDIAN OCCUPANCY.

or of concealment in time of war. The mind may readily portray fleets of Indian war canoes gliding along the waters of the river, or stealth- ily heading among the islands, while the paddles kept tune to the eadence of the war songs of the savages bent upon their mission of rapine and blood.

The St. Regis Indians also occasionally found their way into this part of the Iroquois country, yet such visits were not frequent, for, according to French accounts, they were easily terrified with the men- tion of the name "Iroquois," and particularly stood in fear of the Oneidas of that famed confederacy. The Massasaugas were frequent visitors, but all Canadian Indians were regarded as intruders and re- tired before the approach of the hated Oneidas. Indeed, as we have stated, this particular locality was for many years disputed territory, the whole river region being frontier country, and not continuously in- habited by either people previous to the French discoveries. Cham- plain's invasion of the Iroquois domain only intensified the hatred of one nation for the other, but in later years the Jesuits in a measure pacified them, or at least attempted to discourage hostile meetings be- tween them until French and English rivalry led to frequent incursions on both sides, resulting in the destruction of Indian villages and the slaughter of their inhabitants.

The Iroquois Indians were the nominal possessors of the territory treated in these pages, and comprised originally five related tribes or clans, living almost entirely within the State of New York. They were called Mohawks, Oneidas, Onondagas, Cayugas and Senecas, and were located across the State from east to west in the order named. Indian tradition ascribes their origin to Hiawatha, the incarnation of wisdom, about the beginning of the fifteenth century (1416 according to recent Indianologists). He came from his celestial home to dwell with the Onondagas, where he taught the related tribes all that was desirable to premote their welfare. Under his instruction the Onon- dagas became the wisest counselors, the bravest warriors and the most successful hunters. While Hiawatha was thus living, the tribes were attacked by a powerful enemy from the north, who laid waste their vil- lages and slaughtered the men, women and children. In this extrem- ity they turned to Hiawatha who advised a council of all that could be gathered of the tribes, saying, "our safety is not alone in the club and dart, but in wise councils." (Ruttenbar.)

The council was held on Onondaga Lake, and after much ceremony

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

on the seventh day Hiawatha addressed the assembled tribes, giving to each of the five nations their location and degree of importance. The advice of the sage was deliberated upon until the next day, when the celebrated Iroquois confederacy was formed and all its details were perfected.

Whether there is any foundation in fact for this traditionary source of the confederacy, it nevertheless grew into one of the most remark- able and powerful combinations known in history. According to the disposition of their vast domain, the Onondagas, the wisest nation, the counselors of the confederacy, occupied the central position, with the seat of councils on the shores of the lake named in allusion to them. Next east was the country of the Oneidas, within the boundaries of which was much of the territory that now constitutes Jefferson county, while the Onondagas claimed and occupied a part on the side border- ing on Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence. 1

According to Lossing, the name "Iroquois" was given these Indians by the French, who prefixed the name "Huron," because their lan- guage indicated the Hurons, who were seated on the shores of the Georgian Bay, to be a part of the Iroquios family, and, like them, were isolated in the midst of the Algonquins when discovered by the French. While to the Frenchmen the men of the confederacy were known as ' Iroquois," by the Dutch they were called " Maquas," and by the Eng. lish and also American colonists as " Mingoes." Among themselves they were called " Hedonosaunee," meaning "They form a cabin, " or, more liberally, "The people of the long cabin."

While the Iroquois were undoubtedly superior in mental capacity and more provident than their Canadian enemies, and other tribes, there is little indication that they were ever inclined to improve the condition in which they were found by the Europeans. They were closely at- tached to their warrior and hunter life, and generally devoted their energies to the lower forms of gratification and enjoyment. Their dwellings were rude, their food coarse and poor, and their domestic habits unclean and barbarous. Their dress was ordinarily the skins of animals until the advent of the whites, and their women were degraded into mere beasts of burden; and while they believed in a Supreme

1 According to Morgan, conceded authority, the line between the Onondagas and Oneidas ran north and south through "Deep Spring," in the present town of Manlius, Onondaga county; then e bore westward to include within the Oneidas' territory the entire circuit of Oneida Lake; thence returning eastward to the longitude of Deep Spring, in the town of Constantia, Oswego county, and thence running north through Watertown to the St. Lawrence.

THE JESUITS.

Being, they were swayed by superstitions, dreams and visions, and their feasts were exhibitions of debauchery and gluttony. This was the race of people encountered by Champlain when he came into the Iro- quois country and welcomed them with the first volley of bullets; a policy that was pursued by all his civilized successors. It cannot be denied that the Indians possessed redeeming characteristics, but they were so strongly dominated by their barbarous manner of life and sav- age traits, that years of faithful missionary labor by the Jesuits and others were productive of little real benefit; and whatever is true of any one of the Five Nations (or, as they became in 1712, the Six Na- tions) is equally true of all others. The Oneidas were perhaps more peaceful and domestic than any of the confederacy, yet all the early efforts of their civilization and conversion to Christianity were uncertain and discouraging. No strong influence for good was ever obtained among them previous to the time of Sir William Johnson, and even then it is doubtful if they were not moved more by the power of purchase than by love of right.

When Champlain opened the way for French dominion in America the task of planting Christianity among the Indians was assigned to the Society of Jesus, founded by Ignatius Loyola in 1539; but while their primary object was to spread the gospel, they also endeavored to extend the French dominion. In 1636 Canada was restored to France, and within three years from that date there were fifteen Jesuits in the province. They afterward increased rapidly and extended their influ- ence to a large number of tribes in the far west, but more particularly to the Mohawks and Senecas, the occupants of the east and west ex- tremities of the long house.

Between the years 1655 and 1269 at least twenty Jesuit priests la- bored among the Oneidas and the Onondagas, and in their travels through the region there was evidence from which the inference is drawn that several of them visited the territory now comprising Jef- ferson county; and there is also abundant evidence to show that they taught the natives how to construct the fortifications found in the region by the pioneers.

Among the earliest missionary laborers was Father Brebenf, prob- ably about 1654 or 1655, and he was followed by Francis Joseph Le Mercier, May 17, 1656, to March 20, 1658; Paul Ragueneau and Francis Duperon, 1657-58; Simon Le Moyne, at various periods between 1654 and July, 1661; Pierre Joseph Mary Chaumont, September, 1665, to

OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE.

March, 1668; Rene Menard, 1656-58; Julien Garnier, 1668; Claude Dablon at different periods between 1655 and 1670; Jacques Fremin, between 1656 and 1658; Pierre Rafiex, about the same time. Among the other and possibly later zealous workers were Francis Boniface, Francis De Gueslis, Jean Perron, Jacques Bruyas, Jean De Lamberville and still others of short periods. They were followed by such noble workers as Talbot, Henry Barclay, John Ogilvie, Spencer, Timothy Woodbridge, Gideon Hawley, Eleazer Wheelock, Samuel Kirkland, Bishop Hobart, Eleazer Williams, Dan Barnes (Methodist) and others of less distinction, all of whom labored faithfully but with varied suc- cess for the conversion of the Iroquois. All, however, were forced to admit that their efforts as a whole were unsatisfactory and discourag- ing ; and even subsequent efforts to establish education and Christianity among the Indians, while yielding perhaps sufficient results to justify their prosecution, have constantly met with discouraging obstacles.

During the latter portion of the period of Jesuit labors among the Iroquois, another considerable body of French and Canadian Indians assembled within the borders of what is now Jefferson county. This took place in 1684, nearly three-quarters of a century after Champlain's memorable visit. The French had long sought to establish a peace with the Iroquois, and their missionaries labored zealously to this end, though with only partial success on account of the old enmity between the contending Indian nations of New York and Canada and the fierce rivalry which had sprung up between the English and French colo- nists.

De la Barre's expedition to the Onondaga country in 1684 was sug- gested with a twofold object in view; first a permanent peace with the Indians, and second, to effect a lodgment in the interior of the province of New York in extending the power of France. All missionary labors of the period were directed to this end. According to De la Barre's own narrative, the Iroquois had lived, previous to his arrival, with little consideration for the French, and he " wished to speak with them " At a conference previously held with the Iroquois at Montreal, their demands had been respected aud complied with, but notwithstanding all his consideration for them, the Five Nations had continued to wage war against the French and their Indian allies, in view of which acts of hostility one of two courses was open to the French governor-general; to detain the Iroquois "embassador " held by him, or to wage war against them in their own country. At all events the Frenchman deter.

DE LA BARRE'S EXPEDITION.

mined to hold a council and treaty with the Iroquois in the territory of the Onondagas, and expressed the belief that Governor Dongan would not interfere in his mission, which had only peace for its ostensible ob- jeet. In this conclusion, however, De la Barre was mistaken, as the provincial governor well knew the true purpose of the French, and openly eautioned the Indians not to treat with their avowed enemies.

As a preliminary to his proposed visit De la Barre sent Father de Lambertville to his brother at Onondaga to arrange for a meeting at that place, while at the same time he began preparations for the jour- ney. In this work he was much delayed by several adverse eireum- stanees, and it was not until August, 1684, that he was ready to set ont from Frontenae (Kingston). The events which followed are best nar- rated in De la Barre's report of the expedition :

Finally on the 21st my canoes arrived with what I sent them for (10,000 pounds of flour). I immediately set to work with all possible diligence to have bread and biscuit baked, and sent off forthwith the king's troops, D'Orvillier's and Dugan's two brigades, and 200 Christian savages to encamp at La Famine, a post favorable for fishing and hunting, and four (should be 24 leagues) leagues from Onontague, so as to be nearer the enemy and to be able to refresh our troops by fishing and the chase, whilst we were short of provisions, intending to join them myself with about 300 Frenchmen whom I had remaining.

On the 27th the messenger arrived from Onontague with intelligence that Governor Dongan had forbid any conference with the Indians and French, but that the missionaries had persuaded the Iroquois to meet De la Barre at La Famine two days later.

Resuming the narrative:

On receipt of this news 1 called out my canoes in order to depart, and was accom- panied by a dozen others, having caused six of the largest to be loaded with bread and biscuits for the army. After having been beaten by bad weather and high winds we arrived in two days at La Famine. I found there tertian and double tertian fever which broke out among our people so that more than 150 men were at- tacked by it. I had also left some of them at the fort, which caused me to dispatch, on arriving. a Christian savage to Onontague to Le Moine, to request him to cause instant departure of those who were to come to meet me, which he did with so much diligence, though he and his children were sick, that he arrived as early as the 3d of September, with fourteen deputies; nine from Onontague, three from Oneida and two from Cayuga, who paid me their respects and whom ! entertained in the best manner I was able, postponing until the morrow morning the talk about business, at which matters were fully discussed and peace concluded after six hours of delibera- tion, three in the morning and as many after dinner. Father Brias speaking for us, and Hotrehonati and Garagonkier for the Iroquois; Tegancout, a Seneca present. the other Senecas not daring to come in order not to displease Col. Dongan, who

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Our county and its people. A descriptive work on Jefferson County, New York, Part 2

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co. Number of Pages: 1368

Author: Emerson, Edgar C., ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: [Boston] Boston History Co.
Number of Pages: 1368