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A letter from Pittsburgh, June 24, states that one of the Shawanese escort of the traders was shot near the mouth of Beaver Creek, by a party of twelve whites sent out by Connolly. (p. 449.)
"Newcomerstown" also mentioned-also Snakestown, on the Muskin- gum. (p. 464.)
A letter from Devereux Smith (Pittsburgh, June 10), mentions a com- plaint by the Shawanese " down the Ohio," that Connolly's militia had fired on their camps at the mouth of Sawmill Run, on the 25th of January-that Butler's canoe was attacked by the Cherokees on the 16th of April-that the attack on the second canoe by the whites under Cresap, was on the 27th of April ; and about the same time a party headed by one Greathouse, had barbarously murdered and scalped nine Indians at the house of one Baker, near Yellow Creek, about fifty-five miles down the river." The letter re- ports White Eyes as stating that "a Mingo man named Logan (whose
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family had been murdered in the number), had raised a party to cut down the Shawanese town traders at Canoe Bottom, on the Hockhock- ing Creek, where they were pressing their peltry. On the 6th of June, an account was received of a family of eight killed on Monongahela by Logan's party." (p. 467)
The following persons, described as " chiefs of the Delawares," concur in pacific assurances, dated "Newcomerstown, Junc 21st, 1774:" King New- comer, White Eyes, Thomas McKee, Epaloined, Neolige, Killbuck, William Anderson, and Simon Girty. (p. 545.)
Carlisle, June 30, 1774. "Logan's party has returned, and had thirteen scalps and one prisoner. Logan says he is now satisfied for the loss of his relations, and will sit still until he hears what the Long Knife (the Virgini- ans) will say."-(John Montgomery to Gov. Penn, p. 546.)
Speech of friendly Delawares refers to towns on Muskingum, as Kakelella- mapeking, Gnadenhütten and Tripiakeng, and mentions a Shawanese chief, Keesmatela, as hostilc. (p. 680.)
In a letter of Col. Wm. Preston, dated Fincastle, August 13, 1774, the name of Jacob Sodousky is mentioned, as one of a surveying party on the Kentucky River, that had been in danger from an Indian attack. (p. 707.) It has been supposed that the word Sandusky was derived from the father of this person, who was a native of Poland, and had traded in Northwestern Ohio about 1740, losing his life while returning from an excursion thither; but there is evidence (see Appendix No. I) that as early as 1720, Lac San dou ske is found on European maps.
At Lord Dunmore's conference with the Ohio Indians (probably) at Fort Pitt, in October, King Custaloga, and Captains White Eyes and Pipe, Dela- wares, and Captains Pluggy and Big Apple Tree, Mohawks, were present. There is an allusion, by Pipe, to the "Standing Stone, near the Lower Shawanese towns"-now Lancaster, Fairfield county.
During Dunmore's campaign, Capt. William Crawford was sent with a detachment to destroy a Mingo town. He did so, making the prisoners afterwards taken to Pittsburgh.
VI. (Page 263.)
FURTHER PARTICULARS OF CONNOLLY'S SCHEME.
It is mentioned in Sabinc's American Loyalists, p. 225, that this noted character was born in Lancaster county, Pennsylvania, and was bred a physician. His Revolutionary movements are thus detailed in American Archives, Fourth Series :
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In a letter to John Gibson, dated Portsmouth, August 19, 1775, Connolly urged the former to "avoid an over-zealous exertion of what is now ridicu- lously called patriotic spirit;" including a speech from Lord Dunmore to Captain White Eyes, which was immediately handed by Gibson to the Committee of West Augusta. (Vol. iii. p. 72.)
On the 5th November, 1775, Lord Dunmore commissioned John Connolly, Licut. Col. of the Queen's Rangers. Afterwards Connolly was arrested and confined at Fredericktown, Md. On the 16th of December, he wrote to Captain Lernoult, at Detroit, and Captain Lord, on the Illinois, intimating that his intention had been to penetrate to Detroit, and thence conduct an expedition through Virginia, thus dividing the Southern from the Northern governments. These letters were sent by one Dr. Smyth.
This J. F. D. Smyth, in his "Tour," says : "It was proposed that I should pass through Pittsburgh, with despatches to Mr. McKee, the Indian Super- intendent, and to some other friends of Government, then proceed down the river Ohio to the mouth of the Sciota, and from thence up that river, through the Shawancse, Delawares and Wyandots, and down Sandusky River to Sandusky Old Fort; from thence I was to cross Lake Erie, by the Rattlesnake Islands, to Detroit: while Lieut. Col. Connolly and a Mr. Cam- eron were to cross the Alleghany River, at the Kittaning, and proceed by the nearest and most direct route to Detroit. Here a very considerable force was to be collected from all the nearest posts in Canada, and trans- ported, early in the spring, across the Lake Erie to Presque Isle, where I was to be employed during the winter, with a detachment of 200 men, in covering and conducting the building batteaus, and collecting provisions, in order to proceed by the French Creek, Venango, and the Alleghany River, to Pittsburgh." Here were to be Head Quarters, and thence the de- sign was to strike through Virginia to the Potomac, or that scheme failing, to fall down the Ohio, and, reinforced by the garrison, artillery and stores from Fort Gage, at Kaskaskia on the Illinois, to proceed to the Gulf, and thence join Lord Dunmore at Norfolk. (Vol. iv. p. 615.)
Prior to the Revolution, Connolly, in connection with one John Camp- bell, claimed lands at the Falls of the Ohio (now Louisville), by grant of Lord Dunmore, laid out a town there, and invited settlers. The interests of Campbell in this locality were not forfeited.
Sabine states that Connolly was at Detroit in 1788, and that he and other disaffected persons held conferences with some of the prominent citizens of the West as to the seizure of New Orleans, and the control of the naviga- tion of the Mississippi by force; but were baffled by the vigilance of Washington.
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VII. (Pages 267, 310.)
INCIDENTS IN THE LIFE OF JAMES DEAN.
James Dean, the founder of Westmoreland, New York, was no less active and influential than Samuel Kirkland, in preserving the Oneida tribe as the friends and allies of the Americans. His descendants are still living in Oneida county, upon a portion of. the tract allotted to their aneestor by his Indian brethren.
In the Fourth Series of the American Arehives (vol. ii. p. 152), a letter is preserved from Rev. Eleazer Wheeloek to Gov. Trumbull of Connecticut, dated Dartmouth College, March 16, 1775, in which, after stating the high importance of conciliating the Indians, the following passage occurs :
"I have this spring sent Mr. James Dean (who, among other excellent qualifications, is a great master of the language of the Indians at Caghna- waga), as a missionary, to itinerate for a short time among the tribes in Canada. Ten of their sons at Durtmouth-eight deseendants of English captives, one a son of the chief Saehem at St. Francis, and another, a brother to the youth who was lately elected and erowned Sachem at Cagh- nawaga.
"Mr. Dean was brought up and naturalized among the Six Nations ; is a great master of their language, and mueh esteemed as an orator among them ; and his influence among them I apprehend to be greater than any other man's, unless it be their present Superintendent, and is esteemed by the best judges to be a man of genius, learning, piety, and great prudenee, -might induce the Six Nations to join the colonies-will return as soon as the Lake shall be clear of ice," &c.
Another letter (March 22) repeats the above, adding that Mr. Dean could also speak the IIuron language-was carly naturalized among the Indians, had great interest in their affections, and was the fittest man to be employ- ed on behalf of the colonies among the Western and Northern Indians.
Gov. Trumbull, on the 17th of April, responded to these letters, that "the ability and influence of Mr. Dean to attach the Six Nations to the interest of the eolonies, is considered an instance of Divine favor."
In a letter of Volkert P. Douw, to the President of Congress, dated Albany, Nov. 6, 1775, it is mentioned that Mr. Dean, who was sent by the Commis- sioners of Indian Affairs for the Northern Department, to the Six Nations, had returned with information that the Cayugas, Mohawks and Senecas had taken up the hatchet against the eolonies. (Vol. iii. p. 1372.)
On the 21st of Mareh, 1776, James Dean, in company with the Oneidas and a deputation from the seven tribes in Canada, set out from Kanonwaro-
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haro to attend a meeting of the Six Nations, at their Central Council-House at Onondaga. They stopped at Kanaghsorage, a small village inhabited by the Onondagas and Tuscaroras, about sixteen miles west of Oneida. Here, where they remained four days, they heard that the Mohawks werc deter- mined to kill Dean. Little Abraham, a friendly Mohawk sachem, preceded the party of Oneidas, and dissuaded his countrymen from their purpose, sending back a message to that effect. When it was received, a council of Oneidas, Caughnawagas and Tuscaroras was held, and it was concluded best that Dean should go on with them.
The female governesses of the town, and those who were present from Oneida, hearing of this purpose, took the matter into their consideration, and about eight in the evening presented the following speech :
" Brother : We, the female governesses, take this opportunity to speak a word, and let you know our minds. In truth, our hearts have trembled and our eyes have not known sleep since you have been here, while we consider the danger that appears to us to threaten you at Onondaga, and the dreadful consequences that must ensue, should some fatal blow be given you. We desire you to consider well of these things, and to return back from this place."
To which the following answer was made :
" Sisters, Female Governesses : I sincerely thank you for what you have said, and the concern you appear to have for my safety ; but, sisters, pos- sess your minds in peace, and let it not offend you if I do not comply with your request. I am sent by the great men upon important business, and must procecd as far as directed."
Next morning, they started for Onondaga, but found, on approaching the village, that it was proposed to lodge the party, not altogether, but by two or three in a place. This looked suspicious, and they chose to encamp in a hemlock grove near by.
On the 28th, the council commenced and continued until the 3d of April. Various speeches were made, and a general disposition exhibited to observe neutrality between the English and the Americans. (Vol. v. p. 1079.)
Though not appurtenant to the foregoing note, still the reference on page 310, requires the insertion of the following communication, descriptive of the Shawanese towns on the Mad River and Upper Miami, now Logan county :
" HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, " Columbus, April 20, 1854.
"DEAR SIR: In respect to the Indian localities of Logan county, the most prominent was Wappatomica, two miles south of Zanesfield. My
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impression is, that it was a Wyandot town, or a common rendezvous for Wyandots, Shawanese and Mingoes-Wappatomica signifying the capital or head town. Perhaps the name, like that of Wakatomaka Crcek, in Mus- kingum county, is of Shawanese origin. The village of Zanesfield, and the township of Zane, in the southeast corner of Logan county, are thus called from Isaac Zane, who was an adopted member of the Wyandot tribe.
" About nine miles southeast from Wappatomica, and not far from King's Creek, near the line of Champaign county, was a Mingo village : and such probably was Solomon's Town, which was on the waters of Cher- okee Man's Run, near the line between McArthur and Richland townships, and about nine miles northwest from Bellefontaine. It was named from a chief called Mohawk Solomon-a New York or Mingo Indian.
" The Shawanese towns were more numerous -- the Wyandots and Mingoes being sojourners among the Shawancsc. Lewistown, named from a Capt. Lewis, who was living as late as 1820, was as prominent as any other Shaw- anese village. Lewistown was situated four miles south of Solomon's Town, and about eight miles northwest from Bellefontaine. The Macka- cheek towns were two in number-one on the west bank of Mad River, and not over three-quarters of a mile northeast from the present site of West Liberty, and the other about a mile cast from the former village, including the farm of R. E. Runkle, and traversed by Mackacheek Creek, which runs southwestwardly into the Mad River. A mile and a half south of the village last described, was a mound-still visible on the farm of John Enoch-from the summit of which Simon Kenton was compelled, in 1778, to run the gauntlet to the Council House, at or near the village. The whole vicinity was an Indian settlement, but denser at the above points than elsewhere.
" Simon Kenton is buried about five miles northcast of Bellefontaine, in Jefferson township, on the east side of the road leading from Zanesfield to Big Spring, near the line of Hardin county-the old Indian trace to the Wyandot towns of the Sandusky. His grave is situated on a knoll, about a quarter of a mile from the spot where the closing years of his life-at least fifteen years-were passed. He died in 1836, and the impression produced by his appearance and conversation is among the most cherished recollec- tions of my early life-so much so, that I have deemed it my duty, as a Representative of Logan county in the current Legislature, to submit a bill for the crection of a monument to his memory, as one of the most marked and noble characters in our annals.
" There is a tradition, that there was a Shiawanese settlement on the creek, which rises within the limits of Bellefontaine, and flows westwardly until it falls into the Bokongahelas, tlic latter being a tributary of the Miami. This village was called Blue Jacket Town, probably from the chief of that name, but I cannot exactly identify its locality. It was doubtless in Lake township.
23
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" The above are the impressions derived from my personal recollections, and the traditions of the first settlers. Perhaps prior to 1787, which I un- derstand to be the period included in your volume, the localities and the inhabitants of these towns might have been different; and it is quite likely that the population, about this time of the Revolution, was more exclu- sively Shawanese.
Yours, &c.,
" JOSEPH NEWELL.
" JAMES W. TAYLOR, Esq."
VIII. (Page 332.)
NETAWATWES, AND OTHER DELAWARE CHIEFS.
Heckewelder says (Transactions of American Philosophical Society, vol. iv. p. 388) that Netawatwes had been a signer of a treaty held at Conestogo, near Lancaster, Pennsylvania, in 1718, and was then a young man, between twenty or thirty years of age. As an hereditary chief of the Turtle Tribe, he was intrusted with " all verbal speeches, with wampum, bead vouchers," &c., from the time of William Penn. He died at a great age-upwards of ninety. He was settled on the Cuyahoga, on his first arrival in Ohio, but in 1773 was on the Muskingum, at a point still called from him, Newcom- erstown.
WHITE EYES or Coquethagechton (as Heckewelder writes his name) succeeded Netawatwes in 1776, or " at least accepted the appointment for a limited time, and until the young chief by lineal descent should be of pro- per age." (See Biography in Am. Phil. Trans., p. 391.) His character and career are sufficiently apparent from the text.
GELELEMEND or Killbuck, after the death of White Eyes in 1778, was installed as temporary chief during the minority of the heir of Netawatwes. He became a devoted adherent of the Americans, receiving the rank of colonel.
MACHENGIVE PUSHIS or Big Cat afterwards removed to the Auglaise, as appears from the interesting narrative of John Brickell, late of Franklin county, who was a captive, from 1791 to 1795, among the Delawares. Du- ring that time, he was adopted as a son by "Whingwy Pooshies or Big Cat." (See Brickell's Narrative in American Pioneer, vol. i. p. 46.) His description of the parting with his Indian protector, when the tribe was compelled to deliver their prisoners, is extremely touching-sufficiently so to warrant its quotation.
" On the breaking up of spring [ in 1795] we all went up to Fort Defiance,
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and on arriving on the shore opposite we saluted the fort with a round of rifics, and they shot a cannon thirteen times. We then encamped on the spot. On the same day Whingwy Pooshies told me I must go over to the fort. The children hung around me crying, and asked me if I was going to leave them? I told them I did not know. When we got over to the fort, and were scated with the officers, Whingwy Pooshies told me to stand up, which I did; he then rose and addressed me in about these words : 'My son, there are men the same color with yourself. There may be some of your kin there, or your kin may be a great way off from you. You have lived a long time with us. I call on you to say if I have not been a father to you ? if I have not used you as a father would use a son ?' I said, 'You have used me as well as a father could use a son.' He said, 'I am glad you say so. You have lived long with me; you have hunted for me; but our treaty says you must be free. If you choose to go with the people of your own color, I have no right to say a word, but if you choose to stay with me your people have no right to speak. Now reflect on it and take your choice, and tell us as soon as you make up your mind.'
"I was silent a few minutes, in which time it seemed as if I thought of almost every thing. I thought of the children I had just left crying; I thought of the Indians I was attached to, and I thought of my people which I remembered; and this latter thought predominated, and I said, ' I will go with my kin.' The old man then said, 'I have raised you-I have learned you to hunt. You are a good hunter-you have been better to me than my own sons. I am now getting old and I cannot hunt. I thought you would be a support to my age. I leaned on you as on a staff. Now it is broken -you are going to leave me and I have no right to say a word, but I am ruined.' He then sank back in tears to his seat. I heartily joined him in his tears-parted with him, and have never seen nor heard of him since."
Heckewelder mentions another prominent Delaware, Tetepachksi, whose name will be readily identified at the subsequent treaties. In the Philo- sophical Transactions (vol. iv. p. 391), the Moravian biographer thus speaks of him : "Tetepachksi, also called by the whites the Glaze King, was for a number of years a counsellor of the Great Council of the Turtle Tribe at Goslacking (forks of the Muskingum); afterwards he became a chief of the Delawares, who resided on White River in Indiana. He was rather timorous, and easily prompted to become jealous or mistrustful, though he meant no harm to any body, and ratlier than make a mistake, would leave others to act in his stead. Yet harmless and innocent as he was, he was by the prophet brother of Tecumseh declared a witch, and condemned to die; in consequence of which sentence, his executioners took him to the distance of eight or ten miles from their village, and there tomahawked him, and then burnt his body on the piles .- See Heckewelder's Narrative,
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page 410." At a treaty with the United States, August 18, 1804, his name is written Tetabuxika.
HOPOCAN or Pipe appears seldom, except as narrated above. He signed the treaty of Jan. 9, 1789, at Fort Harmar, and is frequently mentioned in the journals of the Marietta settlers. He probably died before the Treaty of Greenville in 1795, as his signature does not appear.
Heckewelder speaks of Newalike and Nihmha, as chiefs of the Munsie tribe (of Delawares), at Minisink in Pennsylvania, afterwards on the Sus- quehanna, and finally at Sandusky.
IX. (Page 376.)
LEWIS WETZEL, THE BORDERER.
We have been favored with the following communication from Hon. E. R. Eckley, of Carroll county ; which presents some faets of the later history of this noted borderer, that are not generally known, besides vindieating his memory in respect to luis Indian hostilities :
"J. W. TAYLOR, Esq. :
" SIR,-In compliance with your request, I send you such facts, in connection with the history and services of Lewis Wetzel, as are in my possession, or within my power to furnish. I do it with the more pleasure, because it may tend to wrest from oblivion the history of one who, in that stirring time in our frontier history, filled so conspicuous a place. The date of events, in the life of that distinguished man, are now perhaps be- yond the reach of certainty. The date of facts contained in this letter, I cannot even approximate. They were given me by my venerable father, who, though cognizant to many of them, kept no record, and would not undertake to fix even the year. He, at the time Wetzel was in Louisiana, was engaged in the river trade, and was personally acquainted with him ; visited him while in prison at New Orleans, also after he was released from prison, while he lived with a relative near Natchez.
"Lewis Wetzel was supposed to have been born in the vicinity of what is now the city of Wheeling ; at all events, his father occupied a small farm at that place when he was a small boy. Of his family I am unable to learn much, except that they were comparatively poor, which circumstance may account for the dangers and privations of a frontier life, to which he and his family were exposed. Wetzel had a sister and brother (John or Jack) who, with him, performed many daring adventures and exploits in the spy department, at that day so important to the defence of the frontier. In
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those days, every frontiersman man was, more or less, a hero ; every fron- tiersman was compelled to defend himself and family against marauding savages, who were constantly committing depredations upon the property and persons of themselves and families. Such circumstances, and the ser- vices they were compelled to perform, inured them to dangers and deeds of daring, that make up that record of thrilling events of which our past history is so fruitful. In the midst of these stormy scenes, Wetzel's carly impressions were formed; and doubtless from the fireside, on hearing tales of daring adventure and personal courage, he conceived the idea of arrest- ing the savage on his war-path, and shivering from his hand the deadly weapon, while aimed at the head of helpless females and unsuspecting children.
"The first feat in the life of Wetzel, worthy of notice, that has been pre- served, happened when he was about sixteen years of age. A party of In- dians had crossed the river and stolen off several horses, and were making their way back to their towns on the Muskingum, and further west. A party of the hardy pioncers were soon assembled and enroute to recapture the property and bring the aggressors to justice. In the pursuit the party passed the farm of the elder Wetzel. Lewis was engaged in cultivating a crop of growing corn. They solicited him to join their party. He had been forbidden by his father to leave his home, but the adventure was too great a temptation for the spirit of young Wetzel, and he was casily per- suaded to join them. He accordingly took from the plow a favorite mare of his father's and started in pursuit of the fugitive Indians. They had not proceeded far until they came upon the enemy, who were carelessly loitering about their camp, apparently off their guard, and probably think- ing they had safety on their side, as the Ohio River was between them and the neighborhoods upon which they lately committed depredations. The stolen horses were spanceled and grazing at a short distance. They were easily surprised and fled, leaving the horses, which were recovered. The party of settlers having accomplished their purpose, prepared to return, but their horses were jaded and hungry, and they agreed that the horses they had rode should be turned out to grass, three of their number left to bring them after they had refreshed a short time, and the balance of the company, with the recaptured horses, should commence their retreat back to the settlements. They had not proceeded many miles until they were overtaken by the three of their number they had left behind to bring their horses, who informed them that soon after their departure they were sur- prised by the savages, who made their appearance between them and their horses, leaving them no alternative in saving their lives but to abandon everything and escape by flight, which they succeeded in doing, overtook their companions, but left their horses in the hands of the enemy. A parley was called, and the hasty determination was soon formed to con-
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tinue their way homeward and leave the Indians in possession of the horses. To this determination Wetzel earnestly remonstrated. The loss of a favorite animal improperly taken from home, the disappointment of his first adventure, and the wrath of a father whom he both fearcd and loved, drove him almost to desperation. He protested he would never return alive to his father without the mare-swore he preferred the mare without his scalp, to his scalp without the mare, and urged the company to return and retake the horses. In this he was overruled in council, against which decision he uttered bitter anathemas. He next proposed that if only one man would join him he would return and contest the right to the horses, but no one would volunteer. He then swore that he would go alone, that the mare he must and would have, and was actually upon the point of starting, when two others, who had been active in inducing him to go, reluctantly agreed to accompany him. The three left their companions on their way to their homes, and started back in search of their horses. They soon reached the camp and found the Indians engaged at their meals with the horses safely secured at a short distance. The Indians were three in number, equal only to themselves, but the companions of Wetzel hesitated and desired to return, but Wetzel counted chances and insisted upon suc- cess. The plan of attack was soon agreed upon. They were to advance in single file, Wetzel in front, until they passed two trees, behind which his companions were to ambush. When he reached the third it was the signal for an attack. Wetzel rcached his tree, and discovered that the Indians had also trecd; but in looking around for his companions he found they had retreated and were nearly out of sight, at the top of their speed. His condition was really critical ; to come out in an open field was almost cer- tain death. His only hope was in stratagem. He therefore placed his hat on the end of his ramrod and gently pushed it partly from behind the tree. This was no sooner done than all the Indians fired at it. The hat was literally riddled, and Wetzel, still seeure behind the tree, quick but cau- tiously dropped it to the ground. At this, the Indians believing they had killed their adversary, all sprung from their ambush and rushed towards him. Wetzel now held the trump, and taking advantage of the enemy, whose guns were empty, he left his tree, and firing on the foremost brought him to the ground, and then, with the fleetness of the wind, ran from the scene, and was followed by the survivors. Wetzel loaded as he ran, and wheeling quickly, fired into the breast of the foremost savage ; again ran, loaded and fired on the last of the Indians, just as he was in the act of hurling his tomahawk at the head of Wetzel. His firc was successful, and the whole three were thus dead on the plain. Wetzel secured the evidence of his victory, obtained the horses and overtook his companions before they had stopped for the night. The exhibition of the bloody trophies of vietory, and the lost horses safely recaptured, all in the hands of their
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