USA > Ohio > Muskingum County > History of Muskingum County, Ohio ; with illustrations and biographical sketches of prominent men and pioneers, 1794 > Part 71
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 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105
Company E-Richard Reed, Ezra Atchison, James Atchison. John Foster, Richard Stephens, Frederick Aler.
Company F-George McCann, William Hat- ton. Martin V. Murphy, Thomas Mitchell, Seth Marshall, Hiram Simms. James F. Wilson, John Granger, Francis Retallick, Edward B. McCracken. James L. Dunn, Charles Little, George W. Newall. Joseph Kellar. Thomas Bellville, Hiram Sears, John Young, James F. Wilson.
Company H-Elisha Crawford.
Company I-Cephas Hammond. Jeremiah Shepperd. Denton Adams, Jasper Adams, Jacob Whitman, Thomas Hittle, William James, Wil- liam S. Caldwell. Jeff. O. McMillan, John F. Timms, Stephen Van Kirk, Edward H. Hilliard, James Stull, Phillip L. Pake.
Company K-William Hamler, Thomas Glad- man, A. B. Simms, Henry Mook, Jacob W. Wright, John Knarver, George Zelhart, John Randall.
Isaac Leasure. John McBride,- -Morris- son, William Asher, Henry Fulton, David E. Watson, Samuel Reynolds, H. A. Bainter.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SIXTH REGIMENT O. V. I.
Company H-Abraham Pollock.
REGIMENT ONE HUNDRED AND THIRTY-FIFTH O. V. I.
Company B-John Dare, William Hughes, Nelson Lewis, Henry Sawyer,, Macajah Martin, Anthony Prior, Leroy Roberts, Samuel Stans- berry, William Crooks, William Bogal, T. Carter. Company E-J. Morrison, J. Palmer. Company G-Alvah Flemming.
-Leonard, James Chopan, George Brook- over, Wesley Shutt.
ONE HUNDRED AND FIFTY-NINTH REGIMENT O. V. I. Company D-Lewis Coos.
Company II-Horace I. Fairvall, J. G. Moore, James Parker, Ashuel Bilen.
Company K-Bushrod Patterson. Charles Smith, George Dunn.
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTIETH REGIMENT O. V. I.
Company E-J. N. Steers, J. J. Stuart, An- drew Garrett.
Company I-John F. Dutro, Josiah McLees, Isaiah White, - Fisher.
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT
O. V. I.
Major B. C. G. Reed.
ONE HUNDRED AND SEVENTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT O. V. I.
Company E-Newton Wells.
Company F-William Flowers, Matthew Crawford, C. M. Harding.
ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY-THIRD REGIMENT
O. V. I.
Company F-Noah Colcier.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-FIFTH REGIMENT O. V. I.
Company E-William Good, Joseph Frost, Miley Worstall, Henry J. Langstaff.
Company I -. - Owens.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-EIGHTH REGIMENT O. V. I.
Company F-John Stires.
EIGHTEENTH REGIMENT U. S. I. Patrick Cantwell, David Diven.
ONE HUNDRED AND NINETY-SIXTH REGIMENT
O. V. I.
John A. Combs.
SECOND REGIMENT O. V. C. Company B-Warren B. Shebely.
FOURTH REGIMENT O. V. C. Benjamin F. Shever.
FIFTH REGIMENT O. V. C.
Company I-Peter Leffler. Company D-Lewis Epley.
NINTH REGIMENT O. V. C.
Company A-Jacob Christman, F. McGuire, James N. Shutt.
George Edwards, Martin W. Griffin, Joseph Axline, Abraham Spurr, Jr., James Hatman.
TENTH REGIMENT O. V. C.
George Wolford, Gideon Arnold, Jos. Morgan. Company B-John F. Harnin.
319
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
THIRTEENTH REGIMENT O. V. C.
Company F-James Parks, C. C. Smith, Lieu- tenant Clayton C. Jewell, George Somers, Samuel Ehrman, Benoni A. Williams, Alvah James, R. J. McLaine, ---- Smith.
SECOND WEST VIRGINIA CAVALRY.
Company I-Edward Calvin. Company H-Alfred Anderson. Company C- Joseph P. Taylor
ARTILLERY.
Lieutenant Charles E. Hazlett, Company D, Fifth Regiment, U. S. Artillery ; Lieutenant Joshua Maden, First Artillery ; James Wray, Heavy Artillery ; John H. Nelson, Twenty-sec- ond Battery ; Wilson Shannon Morrison, Com- pany I, First Heavy Artillery.
MARINE AND GUNBOAT SERVICE.
Homer H. Roff, Abel F. Kille, Herrick Blue, John McMulkin.
EIGHTH WISCONSIN REGIMENT OF INFANTRY. Company C-Joseph Gander.
FIRST REGIMENT O. V. C.
Company B-George C. Shubach.
THIRTEENTHI REGIMENT O. V. C.
Company F-W. E. Toland, J. W. Clark.
THIRTY-EIGHTH REGIMENT O. V. I. John Moore.
ONE HUNDRED AND SIXTEENTH REGIMENT O. V. I. George A. Johnston.
COLORED TROOPS.
Thomas Starts, Fifth U. S. : John Thompson, Eleventh U. S. : Robert J. Terril, Eleventh U. S. : Charles Wilson, Fifth U. S. ; Abraham Rob- inson, Samuel Barnett, Nathaniel Hall, Eleventh U. S. : Company D, John Halfhill, Greenberry Hunnyact, Eleventh U. S. ; Company M, Wil- liam Kenney, Western Fletcher, Eleventh U. S. ; David Ivins, Fifty-fifth U. S .; Company M. Henry Beatty, George Brown, Fifth U. S. : Mark A. Lucas, - - Brady, George Hill, George P. White.
THIRD REGIMENT O. V. I.
Bernard H. Fix, Hiram Cox, Francis H. Flaig, Louis P. Haver, Frederick Grim, John F. Grooms, George Sowers, Martin, V. B. Mat- thews.
NINETEENTH REGIMENT O. V. I.
Valentine Mummel, Benjamin Cross. Isaac N. Priest, Charles E. Koontz, James Atkinson, Walter J. Aston, James Franks, John M. Har- den, George Herrald, Charles Weaver, Norval
W. Greenland, Thomas Parkinson, Nelson B. Ball, Jackson Corder, Michael Chauncey, Ed- ward English, Howard France, Henry Ellis, George N. M. Huntington, W. H. J. Ratliff, Cathertan Springer, Allen Dunn.
TWENTY-FOURTH REGIMENT O. V. I.
Nathan McCann, Henry W. Dawnum, John Riddle, Hiram Dozier, Francis M. Dempster, Thomas Kelley, John Phillips, Eugene Sullivan, George M. Thomas, Francis Pritchard.
THIRTY-SECOND REGIMENT O. V. I.
Stephen Kinkaid, Francis Lewis, Alexander Tanner, Southerland Baughman, Thomas J. Babb, John Harris, Jesse Lovell, Joseph Purcell. Thomas Pierson, Henry Ross, James D. Silvers. John Thomas, Valentine Young, Leander Wil- liams, Patrick Berry, Benjamin Compton, Alex- ander Christie, John C. George, John Ingelhart. John Morrison, Samuel S. Scott, George H. Little, John P. Sommers, Austin Tuttle.
SIXTY-SECOND REGIMENT O. V. I.
Daniel B. Monroe, William Edwards. John McCauley, David Slack, Joseph Twyman, Mar- tin Wesley, Israel Montoney, Stephen Wood- ruff, David F. Baughman, Joseph T. King. Eli- jah Atkins, Lewis H. Crane, James Cherry, Henry Dusenberry, Stephen Freed. David Het- zel, Grafton Harrop, Jacob Harrop, David King. William Stainbrook, Joseph Trout, John W. Weller, Avery Black, Thomas Passwaters, Ben- jamin F. Palmer, W. P. Bell. George Bartlett. Benjamin F. Matron, Samuel H. Hughes. John W. Wilson.
SEVENTY-EIGHTHI REGIMENT O. V. I.
Joseph Jenkins, William Norris. Jeremiah Norris, Felix W. Baird, George H. Matthews. John W. Spring, Andrew H. Wallace. James Austin, Manly H. Crumbaker, Samuel P. Camp- bell, Davis Echelberry. Francis Godfrey. Jacob Withers, William M. White. Samnel Hurrell. Oliver C. Story, James Tremble. Benjamin Con- way, James Halsey, Samuel T. Morrow. Perry S. Sprague, Jonathan Whitaker.
NINETY-SEVENTH REGIMENT O. V. I.
C. M. Shirer, Wm. Bowden. 11. 11. Dough- erty, Geo. Fredoline, Charles Keys. Thos. W. Prindle, John Robinson, Samnel Shuck, William Trussler, William D. Weaver. Samuel A. Brill. Ananias Dunn, John W. Weaver, Robert W. P. Hunter, William Johns. Charles E. Machan. Johnson McNaught, John McCain. Alexander Morton, James McClary, James Parish. John V. Shipley, John St. Clair, Frederick Starner, Syl- vester Stanley. William Taylor, William Tilton. James Whittenham, Andrew J. Wilson, William H. Madden; Harvey Tatham. John Martin. Lemon B. Stevens, Henry Cooper. Thomas Salisbury. John A. Armstrong. James Bell. John C. Cramblet, Manuel Drum, Hugh Elliott. Geo.
320
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
Fletcher, Henry Hall, John E. Harkness, John Rodecker, Matthew W. Sellers, Vincent Stag- gers, David W. Varner, Jeremiah J. Reynolds, John L. Chapman, John A. Baine, Moses Dozer, William Hamrick, Findley Hempfield, Henry C. Sherman, Bazil Storms, George Trout.
ONE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-SECOND REGIMENT O. V. I
Alfred A. Josslyn, Theodore Slack, Thomas Fulkerson, James Luman. John F. McMillen, (in Andersonville), Cyrus Sarchet, Robert R. Sloan, John V. Thomas, Joseph Trost, Walter T. Wells, Newton Cockrell. James Kilburn, John W. Kerr, Edward Carter.
SECOND REGIMENT O. V. I.
Company E-Daniel Brown, Jeptha R. Austin, James E. Carey, Isaiah Poland, Lewis Young, John Bergman, John H. Bainter, George HI. Hanks, John Hyatt, Jacob Hittle, Enoch Hedges, Noah Kinkade.
GRAND ARMY OF REPUBLIC
HAZLETT POST, No. 81, G. A. R .- This Post was organized in the city of Zanesville, Muskingum county, Ohio, June Ist, 1881, with the following roll of charter members :
Post Commander-Col. Charles C. Goddard. Senior Post Commander-M. V. B. Kennedy. Junior Post Commander-Wilson C. Moore. Adjutant-Howard Aston.
Quartermaster-Charles L. Moore.
Chaplain-Rev. Theodore Crowl.
Surgeon-Dr. Alfred Ball.
Officer of the Day-Charles Grant.
Officer of the Guard-Frank J. Van Horne. Sergeant Major-George S. Warner.
Assistant Inspector-Frederick Geiger.
Aid de Camp-Henry C. Lillibridge.
The Roll of Comrades was as follows: Jesse S. Arter, J. H. Axline, G. F. Axline. R. B. Brown, Fenton Bagley, Thomas S. Black. Thomas G. Beaham, Henry Barker, Jr., J. S. Beach, D. J. Brown, W. J. Chandler, A. B. Chilcote, R. A. Cunningham, Daniel Dugan, J. H. Drake, Fred C. Deitz, James Dixon, Joshua Downard, A. H. Evans, S. F. Edgar, Abraham Emery, W. H. Foye, G. A. Gardiner, Frederick Geiger, Andrew Guille, J. T. Gorsuch, Moses M. Granger, Daniel B. Gary, John A. Green, E. B. Haver, W. S. Harlan, S. V. Harris. Howard Israel, Samuel H. Johns, George James, Henry L. Korte, Henry C. Lillibridge, W. O. Munson, A. F. Munson, John Martin, J. W. Martin, T. J. Newman, O. C. Ong, J. W. Pinkerton, D. B. Parker, C. W. Potwin. Thomas McLees, Alexander McConnell, N. S. McBee, R. F. Smart, Joseph Shaw, H. M. Sedgwick, Enos F. Taylor, L. R. Wilson, C. C. Wiles, A. H. Watts, Samuel L. Wiles, F. M. Willey, David Zimmer.
The organization was named Hazlett Post No. 81, in honor of Captain John C. Hazlett, of the Second Ohio Volunteers, and his brother, Harry Hazlett, of the Fifth United States Artillery, who were killed in battle during the late Rebellion.
CHAPTER XXXI. THE MUSKINGUM MISSION.
The student of American history cannot fail to recall the fact that parallel with the spirit of ad- venture and conquest from the earliest known record, has been the missionary endeavor to ele- vate and refine the people, however barbarous, or civilized. And it is manifest that the endur- ing civilizations have made the cause of religion their bulwark of strength, until some form of re- ligion permeated the masses of society. It was this religious zeal that gave birth to the Muskin- gum Mission, a few extracts concerning which are selected from Taylor's History of Ohio ;
" Towards the close of 1774. a warm debate sprung up among the Delawares ; although be- lieving the Indians had been hospitably received, yet there had been no act of adoption or guaran- ty, by the tribe. Glikhikan, whose former rank as a warrior and orator was not forgotten, often attended the Indian council at Gehelemukpe- chink, by the invitation of its leading members. Here he often enforced the doctrines and duties of the Gospel, but -was not unmindful of the ma- terial interests of his brethren. At first he en- countered the opposition of old Netawatwes, whose jealousy of the whites had now overcome his prepossessions in favor of the missionaries ; but, on the other hand, was powerfully supported by the eloquence of Captain White-Eyes, who demanded (in the words of Loskiel) that the Christian Indians should enjoy perfect liberty of conscience, and their teachers safety and protec- tion ; adding, that it was but right that the be- lievers should live separate from the rest, and be protected by the chiefs and council against every intruder. But finding that his remonstrance would not avail, he separated himself entirely from the chiefs and council. This occasioned great and general surprise, and his presence be- ing considered, by both the chiefs and people, as indispensable, a negotiation commenced, and some Indian brethren were appointed arbitrators (Glikhikan among them, doubtless). The event was beyond expectation, successful, for Chief Netawatwes not only acknowledged the injustice done to Captain White-Eves, but changed his mind with respect to the believing Indians, and their teachers, and remained their constant friend to his death. He likewise published this change of his sentiment to the whole council, in presence of the deputies from Shoenbrun and Gnadenhut- ten. Captain White-Eyes then repeated the pro- posal which they had formerly rejected ; and the council agreeing to it, an act was made in the name of the Delaware nation, to the following effect : "From this time forward, we solemnly declare that we will receive the word of God. and that the believing Indians, and their teach- ers, shall enjoy perfect liberty throughout the In- dian country, with the same rights and privileges enjoyed by other Indians. The country shall be free to all, and the believers shall have their right to share it as well as the unbelievers. Whoever wishes to go to the brethren, and receive the gos-
PURE
GIN
PURE
*J.J. HERMANN DEALER IN FINE WHISKIES
J.J. HERMANN DEALER IN FINE WHISKIES.
FORNIA
O.F.S. D. HAND MADE SOUR ASH WHISKEY ANDLASON CO 7"District
RANDIES
J. D.M. Kuten Del
Wholesale Liquor Store of J. J. HERMANN, Zanesville, Ohio.
321
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
pel, shall be at liberty to join them, and none shall hinder him.
"Netawatwes expressed great joy at this act and declaration, and concluded his speech in these words : 'I am an old man, and know not how long I may live in this world. I therefore rejoice that I have been able to make this act, of which our children and grandchildren will reap the benefit ; and now I am ready to go out of the world whenever God pleases. He sent, more- over, the following message to Chief Pakanke, in Kaskaskunk, (on the Beaver River, in Pennsyl- vania, to whom Glikhikan had been a favorite counselor ). You and I are both old, and know not how long we shall live ; therefore let us do good before we depart, and leave a testimony to our children and posterity, that we have received the word of God. Let this be our last will and testament.' Pakanke accepted the proposal and he and the other chiefs made it known by solemn embassies, in all places where it was nec- essary. For a still greater security, a treaty was set on foot with the Delamattenoos, (Wyandots) who had given this part of the country to the Delawares about thirty years before, by which a grant was procured insuring the believing In- dians an equal right with the other Delawares to possess land in it ; and that this transaction might be duly ratified in the Indian manner, and the act remain unrepealed, the Christian Indians sent a formal embassy to the chiefs and council of the Delaware nation, to return their humble thanks for it. The deputies repeated the whole declaration of the council concerning the believ- ing Indians and their teachers, and Netawatwes confirmed it to be their own act and deed, in the presence of all the people ; adding, that they had called the Indian congregation in their mission- aries, and that all the words now repeated by the deputies had been spoken and ratified by this council. Then the deputies proceeded to return thanks in the name of both congregations, deliv- ering several belts of wampum, which were for- warded to the neighboring nations. They were inade without ornaments, and immediately known by their plainness, to be the belts of the Christian Indians. Thus this important business was concluded."
"This year" ( 1774), says Heckewelder, "had been remarkable to the Christian Indians. First, the chiefs of the nation, both on the Muskingum and Cushcushkee, had unitedly agreed and de- clared that the brethren should have full liberty to preach the Gospel to the nation wherever they chose, and this resolution they also made public- ly known ; and secondly, seeing that their friends and relations pursued agriculture, and kept much cattle, they enlarged the tract of land first set apart to them by moving their people off to a greater distance."
And Loskiel says: " Gehelemukpechink was forsaken by its inhabitants, and a new town built on the east side of the Muskingum, opposite the influx of the Walhonding. This town was called Goshhocking, and chief Netawatwes chose it for his future residence."
Under these auspicious circumstances, the year 1775 commenced, and proved a season of external repose and internal prosperity to the mission. "The rest enjoyed by the Indian congregation in the year 1775, was peculiarly pleasing," says Loskiel, "and much favored the visits of strang- ers, who came in such numbers that the chapel at Shoenbrun, which might contain about five hundred persons, was too small." At the close of the year, their number was four hundred and fourteen persons. All were in the enjoyment of the comforts, almost the luxuries, of civilization. . The lives and deaths of the Indian converts were very exemplary, while the children were zeal- ously taught in schools, into which the mission- ary, Zeisberger, had introduced a spelling book, published in the Delaware language.
In April, 1776. Zeisberger and Heckewelder founded another settlement, within two miles of Goshhocking, and called it Lichtenau. This spot had been selected by the chiefs themselves, ac- cording to Heckewelder, "that they, as well as their children, might have an opportunity of hav- ing the Gospel preached-a wish which the old and principal chief, Netawatwes, had repeatedly informed them of, both by public and private mes- sengers."
The external relations of the mission, (to adopt a favorite expression of the Moravian historians ). have been incidentally included in our narrative of the efforts of the Delaware peace chiefs, to pre- serve the neutrality of their nation. As Netawat- wes and the other chiefs, at the forks of the Mus- kingum. were the protectors of the missionaries. and concurred in the pacific dispositions of the Christian Indians, their interests and sympathies. in that respect, were identical, and the American people unquestionably owe to the locality and la- bors of the Moravian teachers, at this critical pe- riod, that a general combination of the Western Indians was postponed until 1780-a date when the French alliance and the increase of popula- tion on the southern bank of the Ohio conspired to arrest most disastrous consequences.
In the summer of 1781, there was an illustration of the different sentiments with which the Mora- vians were regarded by the American officers. and the militia under their command. Colonel Daniel Brodhead, then stationed at Pittsburgh. led an expedition against Goshhocking, the Del- aware town, on the east bank of the Muskingum. and, on his march thither, halted about four miles below Salem, Here he addressed a note to Heckewelder, requesting a supply of provisions, and that the missionary would visit his camp. Heckewelder hastened to comply, and personally received, from the American officers, assurances that their troops should not molest the Moravian Indians, who had conducted themselves, he pro- ceeded to say, in a manner that did them honor. and that neither the English or Americans could, with justice, reproach them with improper con- duct in their situation. While Colonel Brodhead was speaking, however, an officer hastily entered to inform him that a body of militia were about "breaking off' for the purpose of destroying the
44
322
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
Moravian settlements up the river," and it was with great difficulty that the commanding officer, aided by Colonel David Shepherd, of Wheeling, could restrain the men from adding such an out- rage to the other acts of inhumanity which attend- ed the Coshocton campaign.
Immediately after this Coshocton campaign, a deeply interesting interview occurred between a distinguished Delaware chief and the inhabitants of the Moravian villages. Heckewelder calls him "the head war chief of the Delaware nation," and we are satisfied that he is the same individual of whom we first hear, in the French and English war as "Shingess ;" next, in 1762, as Bog Meadow or Kingas ; now, in 1781, as Pachgantschihilas ; again, in 1785, at an Indian council, near the mouth of the Great Miami, as Pacanchihilas ; and long afterwards, as the Bockingehelas, whom many of the early settlers of Ohio recollect to have been living in 1804, at a great age. This chief, on the present occasion, was accompanied by eighty warriors, who silently surrounded Gna- denhutten before day break. As they approached, the town was hailed, and their leader demanded the delivery of Gillelemend, or Killbuck, and the other peace chiefs of the Delawares. He was in- formed that they had gone to Pittsburgh some time before, and, after strict search, the Indians were satisfied that they were not in town. The nation now being at war, these peace chiefs had become subordinate to the war chiefs, and Pach- gantschihilas was determined to remove them where they could exercise no function until their services were required to conclude peace.
The Delaware chief then demanded that dep- uties from the three Moravian towns should be assembled, and he proceeded to address them (according to Heckewelder) as follows :
" Friends and kinsmen, listen to what I have to say to you. You see a great and powerful nation divided. You see the father fighting against the son, and the son against the father. The father has called on his Indian children to assist him in punishing his children, the Ameri- cans, who have become refractory. I took time to consider what I should do, whether or not I should receive the hatchet of my father to assist him. At first I looked upon it as a family quar- rel, in which I was not interested. However, at length it appeared to me that the father was in the right, and his children deserved to be pun- ished a little. That this must be the case, I con- cluded from the many cruel acts his offspring had committed from time to time on his Indian children, in encroaching on their lands. stealing their property, shooting at and murdering, with- out a cause, men, women and children. Yes. even murdering those who at all times, had been friendly to them, and were placed for protection under the roof of their father's house ; the father himself, standing sentry at the door, at the time. (The allusion here, is to the slaughter of the Conestoga Indians, of Pennsylvania, by a mob of whites, although they had taken refuge in Lancaster Jail.)
"Friends and relatives, often has the father
been obliged to settle and make amends for the wrongs and mischiefs done to us by his refrac- tory children, yet these do not grow any better. No! They remain the same, and will continue to be so, so long as we have any left of us. Look back at the murders committed by the Longknives (Virginians) on many of our re- lations, who lived peaceable neighbors to them on the Ohio. Did they not kill them without the least provocation? Are they, do you think, any better than they were then? No, indeed not, and many days are not elapsed since you had a number of these very men near your doors who panted to kill you, but fortunately were pre- vented from so doing by the Great Sun, (Colonel Brodhead, ) who, at that time, had, by the Great Spirit, been ordained to protect you.
"Friends and relatives, you love that which is good, and wish to live in peace with all man- kind, and at a place where you may not be dis- turbed, whilst praying. You are very right in this, and I do not reproach you in having made the choice. But, my friends and relatives, does the place you are at present settled at answer this purpose? Do you not live in the very road the contending parties pass over when they go to fight each other? Have you not discovered the foot-steps of the Longknives almost in sight of your towns, and seen the smoke arising from their camps? Should not this be sufficient warn- ing to you, and lead you to consult your own safety? We have long since turned our faces towards your habitations, in the expectation of seeing you come from where you now are, to us, where you would be out of danger, but you were so engaged in praying, that you did not discover our anxiety for your sakes.
" Friends and relatives, now listen to me and hear what I have to say to you. I am myself come to bid you rise and go with me to a secure place. Do not, my friends, covet the land you now hold under cultivation. I will conduct you to a country equally good, where your fields shall yield you abundant crops, and where your cattle shall find abundant pasture ; where there is plenty of game, where your women and chil- dren, together with yourselves, will live in peace and safety, where no Longknife shall ever mo- lest you. Nay, I will live between you and them, and not even suffer them to frighten you. There. you can worship your God without fear. Here. where you are. you cannot do this. Think on what I have said to you, and believe that if you stay where you now are, one day or the other, the Longknives will, in their usual way, speak fine words to you, and at the same time murder you.'
In the course of an hour the Christian Indians replied to the foregoing address, with thanks for the kind expressions of their friends and rela- tives, but stating that they were unwilling to be- lieve that their American brethren, against whom they had never committed a hostile act, should inflict such injuries upon them. They hinted that their only danger grew out of the fact that war parties, like the present, by going
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.