USA > New York > Onondaga County > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 25
USA > New York > Onondaga County > Syracuse > Past and present of Syracuse and Onondaga County, New York : from prehistoric times to the beginning of 1908 > Part 25
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Ste-ha-hah, STONES IN THE WATER, is the name of Baldwinsville, either in allusion to the rifts or to two huge boulders in the river above the village. It was one of the great fishing places, and was assigned to Koghs- wughtioni in 1753.
Sa-gogh-sa-an-a-gech-they-ky, BEARING THE NAMES. This is the council name of the Onondagas, and was applied to their town in a council in 1743. It was often borne by the principal chief as representing the nation, and then was often shortened in common usage. Another instance of naming the town in this way occurs in Zeisberger's journal at Onondaga, September 29, 1752: "Next we called on the chief Gachsanageehti, who is the principal chief of the town, and after whom it has been named Tagachsanagechti. He is quite aged."
Salı-eh, a name of Clark's for the Oneida river, seems a contraction of the first part of the name he assigned to Brewerton. Otherwise it might be from O-sa-a, MUDDY, in allusion to the low lands through which the river flows.
Of Oneida lake he said: "The Onondagas call it SE-UGH-KAA-that is,
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striped with blue and white lines, separating and coming together again. In order fully to comprehend this interpretation and signification, the person should occupy some one of the high grounds of Manlius or Pompey, where the whole extent of this lake may be distinetly seen some ten or twelve miles distant. At particular times the surface presents white and blue lines distinctly traceable from its head to its outlet. At such times it is strikingly beautiful, and its Indian name peculiarly significant."
This seems a good deal to be comprised in one small word, but it is much like the name and definition given by A. Cusick, Se-u-ka, STRING DIVIDED IN TWO (by islands) AND UNITING AGAIN. This name is said to have been given by Hiawatha as he passed through the lake. The following two are derived from this.
Se-u-ka Kah-wha-nah-kee, THE ISLAND IN SEUKA LAKE, Frenchman's island, according to A. Cusiek. In the Onondaga dialect Kahwhanoo is ISLAND.
Se-n-ka Keh-hu-wha-tah-dea, THE RIVER FLOWING FROM SECKA LAKE, that is, Oneida river. This name given by Cusiek, differs from Clark's but has the same meaning.
Tue-yah-das-soo, HEMLOCK KNOTS IN THE WATER, is Cusick's name for Green pond, west of Jamesville, and its appropriateness is evident to anyone looking down on it from the high cliffs around. This is Clark's Kai-yeh-koo, but the former is the present Onondaga name. The village at Indian Orchard may have been named from this.
Tu-e-a-das-so, IIEMLOCK KNOT IN THIE WATER, is described by Mor- gan as a village fonr miles east of Onondaga Castles. It is not quite three, and was occupied in late colonial times. Locally it is known as Indian orchard, and was known among the pioneers. Conrad Weiser called it Cajadachse in 1743. and the Moravians Tiatachtout, Tiachton, Tiojatachso, ete. Due allowance must be made for German spelling. The first of the last three might be de- rived from Untiatachto, meaning ASTRAY. according to Zeisberger. It would then allnde to a village which had gone astray from the main body, and this name seems distinet from some others. The Black Prince died there while on his return from Pennsylvania in 1749.
Tis-tis, a name of Nine Mile ereek mentioned by the Moravians in 1752, and perhaps derived from Otiseo lake. Near it was a place they called the French eamp, where were paintings on the trees made by Canadian Indians.
Te-ka-ne-a-da-he, LAKE ON A IIILL, is Morgan's name for Tully and its lakes.
"TE-KANEA-TA-HEUNG-NE-UGII-Very high hills, with many small lakes, from which water flows in contrary directions. It implies also an excel- lent hunting ground." Clark applies this to Fabius. Tully. Truxton, ete .. but includes too much in his deseriptive definition. For this group of lakes, A. Cusick gave the name of T'ka-ne-a-da-her-neuh, MANY LAKES ON A HILL. These have several legends, but they have no relation to the names. The Moravians several times eamped here.
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T'ka-sent-tah. THE TREE THAT HANGS OVER, or ONE TREE FALL- ING INTO ANOTHER, is one of Cusick's names for Nine Mile creek.
Te-was-koo-we-goo-na. LONG, or rather BIG BRIDGE. A modern name for Brewerton.
Ta-gu-ne-da, Queida river on Thurber's map. Perhaps from the next.
"Te-u-ung-hu-ka, meeting of waters or where two rivers meet," is Clark's name for Three River point. Cusick's name is Teu-tune-hoo-kah, where the river forks, like Tioga.
Te-yo-wis-o-don, a place on the river west of Brewerton, mentioned in 1788, was defined by Cusick as ice hanging from the trees.
Tun-da-da-qua. thrown out, was given by Morgan as a name for Liverpool ereek. The only stream near that village is Bloody brook. On his map the name is applied to a tributary of Oneida river, which seems intended for Mnd creek. Had it been at Liverpool the reference would have been to canal exca- vations.
Tou-en-ho, was an Indian hamlet south of Brewerton in 1688.
Te-thir-o-guen and Tsir-o-qui were early names for Oneida lake and ontlet referring to something white. The names are nearly the same, the first being used in 1656. It had many variations. On the Jesuit map of 1665 appears Lac Techiroguen. Greenhalgh wrote it Teshiroque in 1677. In 1728 the French spoke of "the Lake of Thecheweguen, or of the Oneidas." In 1747 the French were informed that there were "many Dutch and Palatine traders at the place called Theyaoguin, who were preparing to come and do a considerable trade at Chouegnin." E. B. O'Callaghan thought this referred to the portage at Rome, New York, but it was more probably Oneida lake. King Hendrick was called Thevaoguin, or white head.
T'kah-skwi-ut-ke, place where stone stands up; perhaps the high brick chimneys at Liverpool were intended, where the name belongs. It is a Seneca word, sometimes shortened by dropping Te from the prefix.
Te-ka-jik -- ha-do, place of salt, is Morgan's name for Salina.
Tu-na-ten-tonk, hanging pine, is one of Cusick's names for Syracuse.
T'kah-en-too-tah, where the pole is raised. South Onondaga.
Te-o-ha-ha-hen-wha, turnpike crossing the valley, is Morgan's name for the village of Onondaga Valley. Clark's name is "Teuahenghwa, where the path crosses the road." Cusick called it Tu-ha-han-wah, to the crossing road. The eight following are from him.
Te-u-swen-ki-en-took. board hanging down. Castle hotel.
Tah-te-yohn-yah-hah, or Tah-te-nen-yo-nes, place of making stone. Reser- vation quarries.
Teu-nea-yahs-go-na. place of big stones. Geddes.
Ta-ko-a-yent-ha-qua, place where they used to run. Old raee course at Danforth.
Ta-te-so-weh-nea-ha-qua, place where they made guns. Navarino.
T'kah-skoon-su-tah, at the falls. Falls on the reservation.
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T'kab-nah-tah-kae-ye-hoo, at the old village. Place on east side of the reservation.
T'kah-neh-sen-te-n, stony place, or stones thrown on the road. Road to Cardiff.
Te-ka-wis-to-ta, tinned dome, is Morgan's name for the village of La Fayette.
Te-ungt-too, residence of the wise man, according to Clark, is the name of Cross lake. Ile added : "There is a singular tradition alive, among the Ononda- gas, respecting an aged and very wise chief, who lived on the eastern shore of this lake many hundred years ago. Ilis name was Hiawatha." Clark first gave this legend in an extended form. Hiawatha was at first an Onondaga chief, but was adopted by the Mohawks, among whom his successors yet rule. Te-on-to was Schoolcraft's name for this lake.
Teu-nen-to, at the cedars, was A. Cusick's name for this lake.
Ti-oe-ton is Cross lake on the map of Charlevoix. This and the next may be a contraction of Tionihhohaetong, at the bend of the river.
In 1750 the Moravians mentioned that the Seneea river flowed through Lake Tionctora, afterward calling it Lake Tionetong, which is preferable.
U-neen-do is Morgan's name for the lake, rendered hemlock tops lying on the water. Interpretations vary much.
Ynneendo is also Cross lake on Thurber's map, and both these may be like Tenneuto.
Zi-noch-sa-a, house on the bank, was a name for Onondaga creek in 1752, when the west bank was newly settled. It was written Swenochsoa in 1752, and Zinschoe and Zinochtoe at other times.
Zi-noch-sa-e was also a name for Onondaga lake in 1750, but this use may have been accidental, from receiving the ereek.
The Iroquois dialects have no labials, all words being pronounced with the open mouth. L is not used by the Onondagas, but the Oneidas employ it freely. R is now rare in Onondaga words, but frequent in Mohawk. There are singu- lar, dual and plural numbers. When an adjective coalesces with a noun it usually conelnides it. Pronouns exceed those in European languages, and verbs have three modes. D and T, G and K are interchangeable. The frequent differences in local and personal names are often due to dropping or adding a pronoun or partiele. Philologists have spoken in high terms of the language.
CLASSICAL NAMES
In 1885 Harper's Magazine had its little joke on the way in which "Simeon De Witt shook his classical pepper pot over Central New York, and left its innocent little villages smarting with the names of Ovid, Pompey, Marcellus." ete. The same year it took all back. The retraction was most ample and follows :
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"The simple and conclusive faets are that in 1786 the Legislature, in an act authorizing the Commissioners of the band Office to direct the Surveyor- General to lay out land in tracts, ordained that 'the said Commissioners shall designate every township to be laid out by such name as they shall deem proper.' In 1789 the Commissioners were Governor George Clinton, Secretary Lewis A. Scott, Attorney-General Egbert Benson, and Treasurer Gerard Bancker, and they resolved that the Surveyor-General should Jay out twenty- five townships on the military tract, and the Board, not the Surveyor-General, nor upon his recommendation. overwhelmed the helpless townships with the torrent of classical nomenclature. As other townships were surveyed and added to the list, they meekly suffered the same martyrdom at the hands of the Board, and not of the Sur veyor-General, who knew nothing of the appalling names until they were officially communicated to him.
"But the stigma had become so inseparably affixed to General De Witt's name that a Revolutionary officer who was 'geographer' or topographical engineer-in-chief to the army, and subsequently Surveyor-General of New York, and appointed by Washington Surveyor-General of the United States, a position which he was imable to accept, and who was elected Chancellor of the University of New York, a man worthily distinguished and beloved, is known almost exclusively as the author of the absurd township nomenclature of Western New York, or. as Halleck and Drake, in one of the Croakers in 1819, called him, 'godfather of the christened West.' Yet he was no more that god- father, and was no more concerned in the absurd nomenclature, than the reader who smiled at the Croaker's onslaught, or who threw with the Easy Chair a little pebble of good-natured fun upon the cairn which commemorates a deed that he did not perform.
"Halleck and Drake, of course, are the chief sinners. The 'Ode to Simeon De Witt, Esquire. Surveyor-General of the State of New York.' is one of the most elaborate of the Croaker poems, a series of verses from which the humor has exhaled. notwithstanding that they are full of good spirits. It is preceded by a note in which the absolute misstatement of fact is made with contempt- nons comment and the innocent De Witt is then pelted with rhymed sarcasm. These poems were generally read, and the hapless and defenceless Surveyor- General was covered with a universal langh, as the bull in the arena is stung with a storm of winged darts to arouse and irritate 'him. But General De Witt was not provoked to reply. A few years later, however, when the story was repeated in a newspaper in the city, he wrote a quiet note to the editor stating that he knew nothing of the obnoxions names until they were communicated to him."
As this statement has never appeared in a history of Onondaga a few verses are quoted from Halleck and Drake. They are nothing wonderful, but some may show the taste of those days, the authors writing only for immediate effect.
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"Godfather of the christened West! Thy wonder working power
Ilas called from their eternal rest, The poets and the chiefs who blest Old Europe in her happier hour. Thon givest to the buried great, A citizen's certificate ; And aliens now no more,
The children of each classic town Shall emulate their sire's renown In seience, wisdom or in war.
The bard who treads in Homer's earth
Shall mount upon the epie throne,
Aud pour like breezes from the north,
Such spirit stirring stanzas forth
As Paulding would not blush to own.
What man. where Seipio's praises skip
From every rustling leaf, But girds cold iron on his hip,
With 'shoulder firelock' arms his lip.
And struts a bold militia chief !
And who that breathes where Cato lies But feels the Censor's spirit rise ?"
Similar lines follow, good or indifferent, but the sting is in the last :
"Surveyor of the western plains! The sapient work is thine;
Full fledged it sprang from out thy brains.
One added touch alone remains To consummate the grand design :
Select a town and christen it With thy unrivaled name-De Witt."
In due time the name came in the division of the townships, but the new town had its name from Moses De Witt, and not from his distinguished unele. The latter received an appointment as assistant geographer or topographical engineer in the American army in 1778, and on the death of his chief in 1780 was made head of the department. In this capacity he planned the works at Yorktown, and was present at the surrender of both Burgoyne and Cornwallis. He was Surveyor-General of New York from 1784 till his death, December 3, 1834. Ilis system of dividing publie lands into mile squares, with quarter sections of one hundred and sixty aeres each, has been followed in the survey of western lands. He died in Ithaea, owning much land there. His duties often detained him in Onondaga county.
Eight towns here retain their old classical names. Salina is descriptive, and Syracuse is called after a Sicilian city. Seven are named after white men of
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modern days. Three have Indian names. Men of New England stock have a fondness for certain local names or nicknames. Several towns have their Hardserabbles. In his History of Manlius village Mr. Van Schaack says: "In going to our Green lakes from this village, I should advise visitors to go over Dry IIill, and for variety sake, after visiting 'Lake Sodom,' return by way of 'Satan's Kingdom.'" The writers experience was similar in attending a funeral in another town. He went up Seneca river to Dead creek, along Dead creek to Bangall, and thenee through Whiskey Hollow into Satan's Kingdom, where the funeral was held.
There is a Buck-tail road in Spafford, recalling that old branch of the Democratic party, very strong at that end of the town. Borodino, Navarino and Wellington recall Napoleon's wars, while Clay and Van Buren suggest political feeling. Liverpool was once Little Ireland, and Salt Point survives as an equivalent for Salina. Memphis was once Canton, the change being made because a larger town had the same name. Some nicknames it is needless to quote here. Christian Hollow did not express the piety of the people, but was the name of an old soldier who lived there. Less than a century ago hollow was used in many places instead of valley. Nine Mile creek was that distance west of Onondaga ereek, and Butternut ereek had its name from the tree.
CHAPTER XIX.
EPHRAIM WEBSTER AND DES VATTINES.
Two men, in our early local history, have had more than common interest in the eyes of some, and really deserve special mention. They were Ephraim Webster, the Indian trader and interpreter, and Des Vattines, from whom Frenchman's Island has its name. For some facts regarding the early history of the former we are indebted to the research of the Rev. George B. Spalding, D. D., of Syracuse. The latter was described by several who met him at Oneida lake.
John Webster came from Ipswich in England, to Ipswich, New England, in 1635, dying there in 1646. ITis youngest son was Nathan, born in that year, and living in Bradford, Massachusetts, till his death in 1694. Ile married Mary Hazeltine, and one of their children was Samuel, born September 25, 168S. Ile married Mary Kimball, August 13, 1713, and died in Bradford in 1769. One of their children was Ephraim, born May 13, 1730, at Bradford, who married Phebe Parker, December 21, 1752, and soon went to New Hampshire. Their sixth ehild was Ephraim, (the interpreter) born June 30, 1762, in Hampstead, New Hampshire. There were four younger children. Thenee the family went to Newbury, now in Vermont, but then elaimed by New York.
In the New York Roll of Revolutionary soldiers is a list of the "Cumber- land County Militia," who were called Rangers, and acted merely as scouts. Among the privates in 1776 was Ephraim Webster, then but fourteen years
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old. Cumberland county was claimed and named by New York, and in this was Newbury. In lieu of rations Ephraim received ten shillings a week as a private. He had a gun, powder horn, bullet pouch, tomahawk, blanket and knapsack. In September, 1777, he enlisted a second time, under Colonel Thomas Johnson of Vermont.
In relating the story of his life Webster told of an incident which happened that fall, and which Dr. Spalding corroborated by the statement of his com- panion Richard Wallace, on file at Washington. The troops were in two divi- sions near Ticonderoga, on Lake Champlain, bere stated to be three miles wide. A British flotilla came along and anchored between them. It was necessary to open communication, but no boats could be had. Wallace and Webster volun- teered to swim the lake and carry dispatches, though it was October (really September) and the water cold. They stripped for this, making as small a bundle of their clothes as possible, and strapping these on their heads. The passage follows in Webster's words:
"We passed near the enemy's fleet, and when almost under the stern of one of the vessels, heard the sentinel call out, 'Past eleven o'eloek and all is well.' 'So let it be,' I mentally exclaimed, and kept on my course. Hitherto I had kept about two rods in advance of my companion, and when about a hundred rods from shoar he called to me saying that his package had become loose and prevented him from swimming any further. I told him to remain where he was by treading water, and swimming back I adjusted his pack and we then continued to swim side by side.
"Previous to the before mentioned accident I had retained my energies, but the extra exertion of swimming baek or from some other eause, as we ap- proached the shoar I found my strength rapidly failing. I exerted myself to the uttermost, but in spite of my efforts, when within about four rods of where I could gain a footing. I began to sink. My companion perceiving my condi- tion placed himself under me and bore me to shoar. After stoping a moment to recover our breath, we dressed ourselves and sought the camp by different routs, so that should either of us fall into the hands of the enemies scouts, the other eould bear the message on which so much depended."
Webster had enlisted for eighteen months and then returned home for three months. A Massachusetts record reads thus: "Ephraim Webster enlisted from Bradford, Essex County, to service in the Continental army, July 10, 1779, for nine months; age seventeen years; height. five feet, four inches; complex- ion light." Dr. Spalding adds that he was discharged April 10, 1780, having served his full time. Hle may have enlisted again at once, for he says he was under his old Colonel Johnson, "and continued in the service till the end of the war," but not necessarily with him.
Dr. Spalding thinks this was not Colonel Thomas Johnson, as one would infer from Webster's words, but Colonel Samuel Johnson of the Essex County troops, with whom Webster came favorably in contact by his exploit in 1777. In a letter to his family in that year, Colonel Johnson wrote: "We marched all
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day arriving about eight o'clock in the evening (September 16, 1777) within two miles of Mount Independence. Soon after our arrival we were waited upon by two messengers who had swim the lake, bringing letters from Colonel Brown."
It is uncertain when he left the service. but it was probably late in 1782 or early in 1783, as war continued in New York till that time. His narrative goes on as follows :
"During the last part of the service I was stationed at Greenbush, and while there I formed an acquaintance with a Mohawk Indian by the name of Pete Gain. Being desirions of hearing the Indian language, after receiving my discharge, I returned home with him, whose residence was on West Canada creek. Here I spent three months without speaking a word of English during the time.
"Being now able to converse with the Indians in their own language, when the spring was fairly set in I went to the mouth of Onondaga creek and commeneed a very brisk trade with the Onondagas, for furs and other articles of native merchandise. After three weeks traffic, having accumulated a pretty good stock in trade, I went to Albany, employing several of the Onondagas to aecompany me to assist in transporting goods."
As this account was not written by Webster but taken down by others. there seems an omission here. It is highly improbable that he would at the outset, have passed by Oneida and come to Onondaga. The Oneidas were many . and friendly; the Onondagas had lately been hostile, and but few had re- turned. Clark said he came here in 1786 with Newkirk, having spent two years in Indian trade at Oriskany. This is every way likely. Spafford also. who was here making notes in 1811, and who knew and liked the interpreter. said he came in 1786, and probably had just had this date from him. New- kirk's arrival and death have been placed in 1787, perhaps erroneously. Web- ster had both happened the second year after his return.
There is a cirenmstanee tending to fix the date. He relates his employ- ment on a western mission of a delicate nature, in which he appeared as an adopted Indian. In 1786 he was twenty-four years old, and if he had spent two years with the Oneidas his age and experience might fit him for this trust. He said he undertook the task the year he came to Onondaga. Now there was no great western council till 1786, and this was held in December near the British posts and with their aid. Many of the Six Nations attended, and the Americans wished to know what was going on. Webster says he was sent, disguised, to learn what he could. The events of that year might run something like this: He may have come to Onondaga by the middle of April, remaining three weeks. By the middle of May he would be in Albany. Thinking over, accepting and preparing for the mission, would bring his re- turn a month later, and he would not reach Buffalo before July. where a halt would be made. Thence they went on leisurely, hunting and fishing and "vis-
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ited the different posts along the frontier without molestation or suspicion." Ile remained six months in the country, the council opening in December.
Hle graphically describes Newkirk's death and burial, but said not a word about his own escape from death, or the tragic end of Mantinoah. Both these are highly improbable, and it may be added that Mantinoah is not an Iroquois name. Clark, however, said that Webster often told the latter story.
Webster's camp or landing is said to have been at the mouth of Onon- daga creek, on the east side. There he continued to trade for some years. Why he should have been there rather than nearer the Indians may have been dne to convenience of transportation. After aiding in land surveys he went to live on the Mile square granted to Ephraim Webster, his Heirs and assigns forever as a free and voluntary Gift on the part of the people of the State of New York," April 12, 1796. This had been previously bought of the Onon- dagas with other lands in 1793 and 1795.
Having a new home he soon married Miss Hannah Danks, November 19, 1796. Ile had previously had an Indian wife and several children. She either died or he parted from her. When Pursh visited him in 1807 he was on his three hundred aeres, three miles south of Onondaga Valley, where one of his sons still lived in 1876 and later. Pursh said he found him "a plain, friendly man, " and very busy. He became lieutenant and captain in the mili- tia, and in 1803 was appointed inspector of beef and pork. Ile was also an official interpreter and Indian agent. In 1798 he was supervisor of the town of Onondaga and at a later date was justice of the peace. These facts and others show that he was a man of fair education for the times.
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