USA > Ohio > Jefferson County > Steubenville > Century History of Steubenville and Jefferson County, Ohio and Representative Citizens, 20th > Part 5
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nually floated down this quiet stream, carrying death and destruction to the in- habitants who lived along its borders. All the fatigue and trouble of marching long distances by land was thus avoided; while the river afforded them a constant maga- zine of food in the multitude of fishes which filled its waters. The canoe supplied to the Indian the place of the horse and wagon to the white man in transporting the muni- tions of war. These they could moor to the shore and leave under a guard, while the main body made incursions against the tribes and villages living at one or more days' march in the interior. If defeated, their canoes afforded a safe and ready mode of securing a retreat far more cer- tain than it could be by land. When in- vading a country, they could travel by night as well as by day, and thus fall upon the inhabitants very unexpectedly; while, in approaching by land, they could hardly fail of being discovered by some of the young hunters in time to give at least some notice of their approach. The battles thus fought along the shores of the Ohio, could they have been recorded, would fill many volumes."
This is not the place to discuss the now academic question as to the extent the In- dians were wronged by the occupancy of their lands by the white settlers, or to con- sider whether loose roving tribes scattered over a continent and subsisting practically by the hunt and chase could acquire title to the lands over which their fleeting foot- steps trod. It is sufficient to say that long before the advent of either the French or the English, might made right in the Ohio Valley, and the only way to hold land or even life itself was for the possessor to prove himself stronger than his opponent. Certainly the Iroquois were not deserving of any special consideration, although, hav- ing fallen out with the French, who were generally successful in cajoling the In- dians, they served for a while the useful purpose of a barrier between the Canadian settlements on the north, and the Dutch and English on the south, giving the latter
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time to acquire the numbers and strength which enabled them in time to vanquish their northern competitors in the struggle for the control of the continent.
Although the Iroquois were able to ex- tend their conquests over a territory broad enough to include a magnificent empire, its consolidation and retention were quite be- yond them. Had their powers of construc- tion been equal to those of destruction, the
left almost as swiftly. Consequently, as soon as the pressure was removed, the old tribes or new combinations sprang up like a new set of vegetation after the soil has been devastated by a prairie fire. Their troubles with the French, against whom they had sworn eternal enmity, also gave them occupation at this time, and gave them less leisure for their characteristic forays. So, before the end of the seven-
LAKE ERIE
WYANDOTS
OTTOWAS
IROQUOIS
ATAGE
PORTAGES
MATAGE
SIWYC
WARES
SHAWA NOES
OHIO
MAP SHOWING LOCATION OF INDIAN TRIBES,
history of America would have been quite different. But force and cruelty were the only influences they brought to bear, and their treatment of the Delawares is only a sample of what every other tribe received or could expect, who acknowledged their sway. It would have taken a large stand- ing army to keep their vassals in subjec- tion and that the Iroquois did not have. They came as the wings of the wind and
teenth century, we find located in Ohio several strong tribes, among them the Dela- wares, who have recovered their original power. In Vol. VII., of the Ohio Archae- ological Society publications, is a valuable article on The Indian Tribes of Ohio, by William K. Moorehead, in which is printed the following map showing the location of the tribes as they stood in 1740. The rivers flowing southwardly into the Ohio begin
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with the Muskingumn on the east, then the try was not the Garden of Eden, it was certainly the barbarians' paradise.
Scioto, Little Miami and Great Miami, in order. Those flowing into Lake Erie are the Cuyahoga on the east, then the San- dusky, and Maumee or Miami of the North.
This arrangement could hardly be cor- rect as regards the Delawares, for, as we have seen, they did not leave their old home until 1742, but it is certain that by 1750 they had become fully settled in Ohio and had recovered much, if not all, their pris- tine prestige. In fact, the Ohio country was very favorable to the rapid develop- ment of a vigorous population, just as it has been since. There were openings in the great forests sufficient for the moderate amount of cultivation needed or desired by the Indians, furnishing desirable sites for their villages; wild fruits and game, as we have seen, were abundant, the location was a central one between the East and the West, climatic extremes were not too se- vere, and the attraction was as strong for the red as it afterwards was for the white men. Except when they were hindered by their own or hostile war parties, the In- dians paid more attention to agriculture than is generally supposed, and white set- tlers at Jamestown and other points were dependent on them for supplies to avert a famine. One authority says that maize or Indian corn was prepared in more than thirty different ways, each of which had an individual name, a proceeding which would tax the ingenuity of the modern chef. The first settlers of Ohio found several dif- ferent varieties, perhaps as many as we have today, although the Indians had no Burbank. Then they had beans, pumpkins, and sweet potatoes, and as for wild pota- toes, different kinds of nuts, haws, paw- paws, strawberries, blackberries, rasp- berries, maple sugar, plums, persimmons, grapes, wild honey, oil from walnuts and bears, they had in abundance. Their culti- vation and love for tobacco has been more generally immortalized than any other sen- timent or people known. A cigar store without the statue of an Indian would hardly be recognized. So, if the Ohio coun-
The headquarters of the Delawares were on the Muskingum, from whence they claimed control over nearly half the state.
West of them were the Shawanoes, who seem to have been driven from the south, working northward until they settled in the beautiful Scioto Valley. They have been traced to many different points far distant from each other, and some have placed their original home in Florida, on the Suwanee or Shawnee River. They ap- pear to come to Ohio about the same time as the Delawares, possibly a few years earlier. Two of their tribes bave been com- memorated in the names of the cities of Piqua and Chillicothe. They numbered Cornstalk and Tecumtha among their chiefs, the former leading the Indians in the battle of Point Pleasant, at the mouth of the Kanawha in 1774, and Tecumtha, true to the traditions of his race, meeting his death at the battle of the Thames, in Canada, fighting the Americans on October 5, 1813. He was born near Chillicothe, about the year 1770.
The Miamis were a tribe of Algonquins whom the French first met near Green Bay, Wis., in 1658. About 8,000 of them were also found in 1670 at the head of the Fox River, Wisconsin, living in a palisaded vil- lage in houses of matting, and apparently more advanced in civilization than the sur- rounding tribes. In 1683 they were at- tacked by the Iroquois on the St. Joseph River, and at the same time were at war with the Sioux. In 1686 they fought the French, and, making some agreement with the English, they joined their former ene- mies, the Iroquois, against the Hurons, and threatening the Chippewas. They seem to have extended down into Illinois, Indiana and western Ohio, and do not seem to have liad traditions of ever occupying any other territory, so they must have been here for many generations. Their principal vil- lages were at the headwaters of the three Miami Rivers and along the Wabash as far south as Vincennes.
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North of the Miamis were the Ottawas, extending along the Sandusky River to Lake Erie, with some of them in southern Michigan.
The word Ottawa signifies trader, and was said to have been applied to the tribe from the fact that it occupied an island in what is now the Ottawa River, where they exacted toll from all the Indians and canoes going to or coming from the country of the Hurons. A Jesuit priest, Father Le Jenne, states that though the Hurons were ten times as numerous as the Ottawas, they submitted to the tribute, which indicates that their sovereignty over the river was recognized. The Rhine Barons, who ex- acted tribute from traders and travelers along that river, seem to have had their counterpart on this side of the waters. But the Iroquois were no respecters of vested rights, and when the Hurons were driven from their homes the Ottawas suffered the same fate. Taking refuge among the Pot- tawatomies and Ojibwas, the fugitive Otta- was found a temporary refuge on the west- ern shore of Lake Huron and the northern portion of the lower Michigan peninsula. From there they migrated to the islands at the western end of Lake Erie and the San- dnsky peninsula, where they were found by the French in 1750. It is stated that only among the Ottawa Indians were the heavenly bodies worshiped, the sun being regarded as the Supreme Deity. Their mythology was more complicated than usual among the Indians, and they kept an annual festival to celebrate the beneficence of the sun; on which occasion the Inminary was told that this service was in return for the good hunting he had proenred for his people, and as an encouragement to per- severe in his friendly cares. They some- times erected an idol in the middle of their towns and offered sacrifice to it, but this practice was not general. On first witness- ing Christian worship, the only idea sug- gested by it was that of asking some tem- poral good, which was either granted or refused. This, however, was a characteris- tie of all heathen religions, and Christians
to this day have not gotten entirely away from it, as instanced by vows made to per- form some act of worship or make some contribution in return for assured safety from disaster or conferring of some tem- poral benefit. The whole subject of the Indian religion is an uncertain and compli- cated one. It is maintained that the sup- posed simple belief in a single Great Spirit has no foundation among the Indians, but was assimilated from the whites at an early date, for the Indian has an imitative nature second only to the Chinese. It would be going too far, however, to say they had no original religion, as has been maintained in some quarters, for as we shall see, they were highly superstitious, which argues a conviction of an nnseen world, and the elaborate and complicated mythology of the Aztecs and the Peruvians did not grow from nothing.
The Ottawas deserve a place in history if they had done nothing else than prodnce the great chief Pontiac, whose combination of the western tribes into a simultaneous attack on the English, in 1763, the year the French rule ceased in the Canadas, gave evidence of leadership that will not suffer by comparison with many whose names have been placed higher up on the roll of fanne.
Closely united with the Ottawas were the Wyandots, descendants of the Hurons, whom the Iroquois had driven from their northern kome. Freed finally from the pursuit of their terrible enemies, they found a refuge in southern Michigan and northwest Ohio, and by the middle of the eighteenth century had again become a powerful tribe.
Last, but far from least, were the out- lying settlements of the Iroquois on the sonth shore of Lake Erie. As we have seen, they had driven away the Eries from all this country extending from Buffalo westward. The Senecas, as we indicated, were the most numerons and powerful of the Iroquois, and they were appointed to guard the western boundaries of the Six Nations. Their villages extended over into
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northwestern Pennsylvania, along the Alle- gheny and, to a limited extent, down the Ohio, and they also held an important post or "capital" in the Tuscarawas Valley. As we shall see, they had three settlements on the Ohio.
Were we writing a history of the Indian tribes, this portion of our work alone would easily expand to one or more volumes, but we aimned to give only an outline picture of the condition and character of the tribes who controlled the Ohio wilderness at the advent of the white men, which will give a better understanding of what follows. We have seen that the state was pretty well occupied by a number of powerful tribes, among which the Iroquois, although they had lost some of their former power, still stood preeminent. To this occupancy of the soil there was a very important excep- tion, and that was the Ohio Valley. While villages were numerous elsewhere, there was a tract forty to sixty miles in width, from the confluence of the Allegheny and Monongahela to the mouth of the Big Miami, that was practically deserted. It seems to have been a general hunting ground for the various tribes, and doubt- less the memories of the visits of the ter- rible Iroquois in former days had some- thing to do with keeping settlements away from the river. In 1749, when the French commander, De Celoron, came down the river, the only village found, or at least mentioned was what has since been known as Logstown, seventeen miles below Pitts- burgh, and a settlement near the mouth of the Scioto. In the former were found Iro- quois, Delawares, Simwanoes, Ottawas and others, and in the latter the same, with Miamis and Indians from nearly all the northwestern tribes or "upper country." This would indicate a general, if only a tem- porary, peace among the different. tribes. Four years later, Washington found Tana- charison, Half-King of the Iroquois, at Logstown, and some members of that na- tion settled on the terrace below Steuben- ville, which was designated as Mingo Town. These were probably Senecas, the name
Mingo simply meaning a wanderer or an absentee from home, a name generally ap- plied to the Iroquois in this section, which is sufficiently indicative of the temporary nature of their sojourn. Logan, who was n Cayuga, was said to have dwelt at Mingo for a while, but this is not anthoritative, his title, "Chief of the Mingoes," simply meaning that he was the head one of his tribe away from home. He was located, in 1772, at the mouth of the Big Beaver, and some of his relatives had a hunting camp at the mouth of Yellow Creek, where they were massacred in the spring of 1774.
So far we have treated of the aborigines of this section for the most part without regard to their contact with the whites, with whom their subsequent history is in- extricably mingled. Before leaving them as the possessors of the country it will be pro- fitable to glance at their general character, their habits, domestic and social relations, native ability, religion (or the lack of it), superstitions, etc. For this we are largely indebted, as elsewhere in this work, for the excellent summary in Caldwell's history of Belmont and Jefferson counties, published in 1880, as well as to Parkman, Heckwelder and others. General Sherman is credited with the authorship of the saying that the only good Indian is a dend Indinn, and from the degenernte descendants of the race still hovering around our western towns one is likely to come to that conclusion, and to regard all stories of noble character and trustworthy individuals among this race as pure romances like one of Mrs. Helen Hunt Jnekson's stories. No doubt there has been plenty of romaneing in regard to the In- dian, and it would be as unfair to take Mrs. Jackson's pictures as illustrative of the whole race as it would be to adopt the prejudices of the most inveterate Indian hater of the frontier. It must not be for- gotten that, after all the Indians were sav- nges, and savages are children of larger growth. A recent writer asserts that every child under twelve years of age is a natural savage, a liar and ernel, and only the en- vironment which has surrounded him from
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birth restrains him from carrying out his natural instincts.
In the case of the Indian there was no such restraining environment, on the con- trary his natural instincts were allowed free rein, save only as they were checked by individual or tribal interests. These in- stincts were freely indulged before the whites set foot on this continent, and had we a history of those days it would be al- most a continnons recital of internecine confliets, wholesale massacres and individ- ual tortures. But was Europe, with all its boasted civilization much better than this in the fifteenth and sixteenth centuries? What is the history of the Netherlands for instance, but a record not only of san- guinary battles, but ruthless slaughter, ex- quisite tortures, broken faith, ruined eities and devastated countries? It was a horrible thing for Indians to burn their prisoners at the stake, but was it more horrible than a Spanish auto da fe! To take little babies by the feet and dash their brains ont against a tree makes one's blood run cold, but we venture to say that during the very period that the American savages were accused of doing this thing for every child they thus murdered, there were ten, yes a hundred, slaughtered by Alva's troops. For several centuries past a portion of the old world has been nnder control of n government and set of people, compared with whom Indian savagery is mildness it- self, and while these lines are being written there come reports of wholesale slaughter and barbarities, yet Christendom so-called, stands idly by without even offering a vigorous remonstance. Many relies of var- ious kinds have been found in so-called In- dian monnds and interesting objects in native villages, but none of the ingenious instruments of torture so common in the old world, or cells where prisoners were allowed to rot or starve to death. It was only among the more advanced commun- ities that human sacrifices as a religious or propitiatory ceremony were practiced to any extent, and in these they might have pleaded the example of the much landed
Greeks; and after all it is difficult to see wherein it is much worse to offer a life as a propitiatory sacrifice than to burn a per- son for difference of religious views. It is also well known that in the process of bor- der warfare the worst savages were not always among the Indians, the settlers were not by any means lacking in ferocity and kept quite even at least with their dusky foemen. Then the Indians had what to them was a very renl grievance. When the first settlers arrived they were few in num- bers, and there seemed to be plenty of room for all, but as their numbers in- creased, the hunting grounds were occu- pied, the game was exterminated or driven away, and the Red Men began to realize that not only were their lands being ab- sorbed but that their very existence was imperiled. We have already disclaimed nny sentimentalism that would reserve a whole continent to roving bands of hunting parties or groups of savage warriors who in many cases at least had nequired title by exterminating or driving out the origi- nal occupants, but self preservation is the first law of nature, and when the Indians found themselves crowded out not only of their hunting grounds but of their villages, their homes and away from the graves of their ancestors, it would certainly be very remarkable that they should not resist with every means in their power. As for lack of good faith in connection with Indian character perhaps the less we say about that the better.
When the settler returned home after perhaps a short absence and found his honse in ashes, his wife and children slain or carried off into captivity, and the labor of years destroyed he was naturally filled with a burning desire to wreak vengeance, not alone on the direct perpetrator of the outrage, but npon the whole race whose position and actions made such outrages possible. When the Indian found his com- panions or family murdered, his village destroyed and himself an outlaw he had precisely the same feeling, and his rage was not alone against any particular indi-
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vidual, but against every man, woman and iam Penn gives them the following char- acter :
child whose presence was a menace to everything that he held near and dear. Hence those interminable border feuds with the Wetzells and the Kentons on one side and a whole Indian tribe on the other which could only end in extermination.
virtues of the superior race, and if the white man could get drunk the Indian could get drunker. So with every disease and defect. Man in his natural state is appar- ently much less able to resist that which makes for his harm than when he has be- come more civilized. This may partly be ascribed to the environment and lack of proper treatment, but this will not account for all. A mild epidemic of small pox, chicken pox or measles communicated from the whites might sweep away a whole tribe of savages. While in their natural state their wants were few and easily supplied. The pleasures of the hunt furnished meat and clothing and their enclosures furnished their few simple vegetables. There were no rich and few poor, all were practically alike. A chief might possess a few extra trappings, a few extra furs for his wigwam but that was all. There was no "business" except a little trading of furs, weapons or trinkets, as property, such as it was, was largely held in common. Hospitality to the stranger was one of the cardinal vir- tues, and so long as there was food it was divided. To refuse to partake was an un- pardonable breach of politeness even if the recipient were already surfeited. There were few great erimes in the villages, and theft was practically unknown, for there was little or nothing to steal. He had few moral laws but observed those he had. The whites had many and broke them all. Will-
"They excelled in 'liberality. Nothing is too good for their friends. Give them a fine gun, coat or other thing, it may pass twenty hands before it sticks. Light of heart, strong of affection, but soon spent. The most merry creatures that live, feast and dance perpetually. They never have much nor want much. Wealth circulated like the blood, all parts partake, and though none shall want what another hath, yet exact observers of property. They care for little because they want but little, and
It is not certain that civilization always brings happiness. The naked Bushmen of Africa probably do not feel any better after having donned the clothes and trappings of their European superiors. Neither was the Indian any better off when he came in contact with the slowly moving mass of settlers as it crowded him towards the west. the reason is, a little contents them. In It was easier to absorb the vices than the . this they are sufficiently revenged on us; if they are ignorant of our pleasure they are also free from our pains. They are not disquieted with bills of lading and ex- change, nor perplexed with chancery suits and exchequer reekonings. We sweat and toil to live, their pleasures feed them-I mean their hunting, fishing and fowling, and this table is spread everywhere. They eat twice a day, their seats and table are the ground."
Heckwelder says their principal food (in early times) consisted of game, fislı, corn, potatoes, beans, pumpkins, cucum- bers, squashes, melons, cabbages, turnips, roots of plants, fruits, nuts and berries. not a bad bill of fare, although we are not quite sure about the cooking. They made a pottage of corn, dry pumpkins, beans and chestnuts and fish and dried meats, meats pounded, all ·sweetened with maple sugar or molasses and well boiled. They also made a good ( !) dish of pounded corn and chestnuts, shell barks and hickory nut kernels, boiled, covering the pots with large pumpkin, cabbage or other leaves. They also made preserves from cran- berries and crab-apples with maple sugar. Their bread was of two kinds, one made of green and the other of dry corn, the former sifted after pounding, kneaded, shaped into cakes six inches in diameter, one inch thick, and baked on clean, dry ashes, of dry oak harks. If green it was mashed, put on
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broad green corn blades, filled in with a built the house and provided the provisions. ladle, well wrapped up and baked in ashes. She agreed to cook, and raise corn and They made warrior's bread by parching corn, sifting it, pounding into flour, and mixing sugar. A table spoonful with cold or boiling water was a meal, as it swelled in the stomach, and if more than two spoon- fuls were taken it was dangerous. Its lightness enabled the warrior to go on long journeys and carry his brend with him. Their meat was boiled in pots, or roasted on wooden spits or coals. In making maple sngur the sap was gathered in large wooden tronghs haggled ont with tomalinwks. Hot stones were then thrown into the sup which was made to boil, and the process continued until the required consistency wns nequired. It is probable however, that later a more expeditious process was used.
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