Ohio annals : Historic events in the Tuscarawas and Muskingum Valleys, and in other portions of the state of Ohio, Part 8

Author: Mitchener, Charles Hallowell, ed
Publication date: 1876
Publisher: Dayton, Ohio : Thomas W. Odell
Number of Pages: 380


USA > Ohio > Ohio annals : Historic events in the Tuscarawas and Muskingum Valleys, and in other portions of the state of Ohio > Part 8


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"1. We will know of no God, nor worship any other but him who has created us, and redeemed us with his most precious blood.


"2. We will rest from all labor on Sundays, and attend the usual meetings on that day for divine service.


"3. We will honor father and mother, and support them in age and distress.


"4. No one shall be permitted to dwell with us, without the consent of our teachers.


"5. No thieves, murderers, drunkards, adulterers, and whoremongers shall be suffered among us.


"6. No one that attendeth dances, sacrifices, or heathenish festivals, can live among us.


"7. No one using Tschappich (or witchcraft) in hunting, shall be suffered among us.


"8. We will renounce all juggles, lies, and deceits of Satan.


"9. We will be obedient to our teachers, and to the helpers-national assistants-who are appointed to see that good order be kept both in and out of the town.


"10. We will not be idle and lazy; nor tell lies of one another; nor strike each other; we will live peaceably to- gether.


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"'11. Whosoever does any harm to another's cattle, goods, or effects, &c., shall pay the damage.


"12. A man shall have only one wife-love her and pro- vide for her, and the children. Likewise a woman shall have but one husband, and be obedient unto him; she shall also take care of the children, and be cleanly in all things.


"13, We will not permit any rum, or spirituous liquors, to be brought into our towns. If strangers or traders hap- pen to bring any, the helpers-national assistants-are to take it into their possession, and take care not to deliver it to them until they set off again.


"14. None of the inhabitants shall run in debt with tra- ders, nor receive goods on commission for traders, without the consent of the national assistants.


"15. No one is to go on a journey or long hunt without informing the minister or stewards of it.


"16. Young people are not to marry without the consent of their parents, and taking their advice.


"17. If the stewards or helpers apply to the inhabitants for assistance, in doing work for the benefit of the place, such as building meeting and school houses, clearing and fencing lands, &c., they are to be obeyed.


"18. All necessary contributions for the public ought cheerfully to be attended to."


The above rules were made and adopted at a time when there was a profound peace; when however, six years after- ward (during the revolutionary war), individuals of the Delaware Nation took up the hatchet to join in the conflict, the national assistants proposed and insisted on having the following additional rules added, namely :


"19. No man inclining to go to war-which is the shed- dling of blood, can remain among us.


" 20. Whosoever purchases goods or articles of warriors, knowing at the time that such have been stolen or plundered, must leave us. We look upon this as giving encourage- ment to murder and theft."


No person was allowed to live in the society without first


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having promised to conform to the foregoing rules. When any person violated the rules he or she was first admon- ished, and in case that proved ineffectual the offender was expelled. Other rules were adopted for daily meetings, for government of schools, for attention to visitors, and for rendering assistance to the sick, needy, and distressed, so that the poorest person in the society was dressed, and as well provided for as the most wealthy.


The missionary, Zeisberger, after establishing the emi- grants at Schoenbrunn, visited the Shawanese Indians, about fifty miles south of Schoenbrunn, where he preached and was well received. His absence from the Big Beaver settle- ment soon induced the Christian Indians of that place, with their missionary, Rothe, to quit it and join the settlers on the Tuscarawas. A portion of them traveled across the country by land, and Heckewelder, with the balance, left Beaver on the 13th of April, 1773, in twenty-two canoes, paddled down the Ohio to the mouth of the Muskingum; thence up that and the Tuscarawas River to Schoenbrunn, after encountering many privations. The many converts made from among the Delawares at Schoenbrunn, added to the original emigrants at that place, rendered it necessary to establish a new settlement ten miles down the river, which was begun the same year, 1773. Here they laid out a town in regular order, with wide streets, put up a chapel with cupola and bell, the same as at Schoenbrunn, and gave the place the name of Gnadenhuetten, which it retains to this day. Having need of a resident minister at this settle- ment, they dispatched some Christian Indians to Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, to bring on the Rev. Mr. Schmick and his wife, who arrived at Gnadenhuetten on the 18th day of Au- gust, 1773, and took up their residence in a new house, built expressly for them. Zeisberger, in the fall of this year, again visited the Shawanese Indians, where he was well received, but being a turbulent and warlike tribe, his efforts to civilize them were not so successful as with the Indians around Schoenbrunn. Illustrative of their character, it is


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related that a horse was stolen from Schoenbrunn. Some time thereafter a Shawanee rode into Schoenbrunn on this horse. The owner, a Christian Indian, seeing the horse claimed him of the Shawanee, averring that he had been stolen from him. The Shawanec insisted that he came by the horse as a gift from an uncle. The Christian Indian cited Zeisberger's law on stolen property, and was about moving away with the horse, when the Shawanec, seizing a bit of burnt coal, made a rude figure on a door, of one man leading a horse, and another man coming up from be- hind and scalping him. "That," said he, "is Shawanee law." The threat thus conveyed proved effectual, and the Shawanee " border ruffian" was allowed to ride away from Schoenbrunn on his stolen horse.


Thus was commenced on the banks of the Tuscarawas, the first attempt at civil government in the great north-west territory. Post had been at Bolivar ten years before, but no successful attempt had been made to colonize and civ- ilize, as well as christianize, the aboriginies of the Ohio territory, prior to the efforts of Zeisberger. The history of civilization presents no code of government for man,/ more perfect or more sublime, than a portion of those arti- cles adopted at Schoenbrunn.


One hundred years have come and gone since they were promulgated-Zeisberger's bones lie mixed with the clods of the valley, one mile below-his companions and converts have all passed away-and nothing remains to mark the spot where the first bell sounded in the north-west terri- tory, in Christ's service, save the old spring, and a huge elm tree which was there with Zeisberger, and which now bends with age over the water oozing out of the bank in copious tears of sorrow, but unfit to drink.


The mad locomotive rushes by in gigantic strides, and with deafening screams, as though man, its master, was angered at the thought that he has been for a century expanding the human mind, since Zeisberger and his fol- lowers came there, and yet with all his efforts and all


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his knowledge he can to-day produce no better code of law for human government than the one enunciated by that unarmed man of God, with only the Bible in his hand, . in 1772 .*


FEAST AT THE NEW COMERSTOWN-REV. DAVID JONES' CRUSADE AGAINST WHISKY-CONVERT KILLBUCK BARELY SAVED HIS OWN LIFE.


In the year 1773, Rev. David Jones, a Presbyterian min- ister, was sent out from Philadelphia City to the Scioto and Muskingum valleys, with the view of establishing a mission. On arriving at Schoenbrunn he found Zeisberger had plant- ed his colonies along the Tuscarawas, and as they gave evidence of success, Jones proceeded on sonth and spent some time among the Shawanese, but found no encourage- ment for a mission among them. He therefore returned up the Tuscarawas valley to New Comerstown, in the vicinity of the present town of that name. Here the In- dians were having a great feast and dance, in which, whisky procured from traders, was the principal performer. Under its influence they refused Jones permission to preach. shut him up in one of their huts, and put a guard around him, and some proposed to kill him, but one of the chief's, called Gelelemend or Killbuck, interfered and saved his life.


After the Indian feast was over they listened to the preacher, and he having spoken much against the use of whisky, made such an impression on the mind of the Chief


*[Note .- Two years ago, being the one hundredth year since the Schoenbrunn settlement, Mr. Jacobs, who owns the spring, deeded it to the Union Bible Society, on condition that the spring and big elm be fenced around. Mr. John Judy, C. H. Mitchener, William C. Williamson, and other citizens then procured a memorial stone, with proper inscriptions, and planted it at the spring, there to point out to those who come at the end of the next hundred years, where Schoenbrunn or "Fine Spring," may be found.]


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Killbuck that he became a convert then, and was ever afterward opposed to its use. While Jones remained at " The New Comerstown," Killbuck destroyed all the liquor on hand, and notified the traders that if they brought any more whisky among the Indians they (the traders) would be scalped. This aroused their enmity against the preacher, and threats being again made by some of the drinking Indians against his life, the Chief had him escort- ed up the river to Gnadenhutten settlement, and from there to Schoenbrunn, from which place the Delawares saw him safe to Fort Pitt, it being mid-winter, and the snow, as Jones states in his journal, some four to five feet deep.


MOCK DEVILS VISIT MR. JONES.


Rev. Jones, while down among the Shawanese, was treated to an exhibition of mock devils which he thus de- scribes :


" Among the diversions of this people may be reckoned their mock devils, three of which I saw myself, and if I had not heard that Mr. Brainerd described such, I should have been more surprised. These they call manitous. Not long before my departure, a young Indian came into the house where I lodged, and told me that the manitous were coming, and if we did not give them something they would bedaub us with all nastiness. Upon which I looked out and saw them near one hundred yards off. All the Indians knew me, and therefore the manitous seeing me I appre- hend intended to scare me. Each had a stick in his hand, and one stooped down by a tree as if he was going to shoot at me, but I could see that he had no gun. Afterward he came toward me, with all the pranks imaginable, mak- ing as hideous noises as he could possibly invent; each made the same noise. Each had false faces of light wood, and all were dressed in bear-skins, with the black hair on, so that they had no appearance of anything human. The


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foremost one had a great red face, with a huge, long nose, and prodigious large lips, his head above being covered with bear-skin. As he came near me, he made a wonder- ful rattling, with a great dry tortoise shell, having an arti- ficial neck and head, and being filled with grains of corn, and other trinkets. The other two had black faces, resem- bling the countenance of a bear, with very long chins. They came around me with an abundance of pranks, mak- ing a noise nothing like the voice of a man. After some time, I asked them what they wanted; but manitous can not speak. They continued their racket, and at last show- ed me a pipe, by which I understood they wanted tobacco. Upon the reception of any gift, they make some kind of obeisance and depart, daneing the strangest capers that are possible. In short, their looks, voice and actions, are such that I thought if they had got their samples from beneath, the scene could not be much exceeded. This apparel is used also by their pow-wowers in their attempts at con- juration."


EVENTS OF 1774. NEW COMERSTOWN-MISSION- ARIES AND INDIANS.


The year 1774 brought trouble to the missionaries and their settlements at Schoenbrunn and Gnadenhutten. A war had begun betwen the white settlers of Virginia and the Mingo, Wyandot and Shawanese tribes, dwelling on the north side of the Ohio. Whenever any of their num- ber were killed they sought, revenge upon the first white man who came in their way. Scalping parties came and hovered around the establishments at Schoenbrunn and Gnadenhutten, so that the missionaries were daily in dan- ger of their lives, and dare not leave their houses.


The difficulties between the Virginians and Indians every day became more alarming to the Christian Indians and their missionaries, so to avert war the head men of the


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Delawares proceeded to Pittsburgh to meet the deputies of the other nations and the English, in council, with a view of restoring peace. On the 5th of May, 1774, the council met and delivered condolence speeches to the Indians, re- questing that Captain White Eyes would carry these speeches to the different nations, and obtain their answers. As these speeches and answers belong to the history of the valleys, they are here given in full, as published by author- ity of Congress, in the first volume, fourth series, Ameri- can Archives :


"Pittsburgh, May 5, 1774 .- At a condolence held with the Delawares, Six Nations, Shawanese, Munsies, Mohe- gans and Twigtwees, who are the several nations that have suffered in the late unfortunate disturbances.


" Present: Captain Conolly, commandant, and a number of other gentlemen.


"Six Nations Indians: Guyasutha, White Mingo, and a number of other chiefs, and principal men.


" Delawares: Captains White Eyes, Pipe, Keykewenum, and Samuel Compass, with a number of other Indians of that nation."


The English addressed the Indians thus :


" Brethren: It was with the deepest concern that we informed you two days ago of the late unhappy death of some of your friends, and it adds much to our grief, upon this occasion, when we consider that some of our rash, in- considerate people, have been accessory thereto. We con- dole with you, and bewail the misfortunes you have suffer- ed, and as a testimony of our sincerity, we deliver you these strings of wampum. (A string to each nation.)


" Brethren: We wipe the tears from your eyes, and re- move the grief which this melancholy circumstance may have impressed upon your hearts, that you may be enabled to look upon your brethren (the English) with the sante friendship as usual, and listen to them with the like good- ness of heart as formerly, when no evil disturbed your minds. (Astring to each nation.)


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"Brethren : We now collect the bones of your deceased people, and wrap them up in these goods which we have prepared for that purpose, and we likewise inter them, that every remembrance of uneasiness upon this head may be extinguished, and also buried in oblivion. (Delivered a condolence present.)


" Brethren: We have now conformably with your cus- tom, condoled with you in the usual manner upon such occasions; and we are to request some of your chiefs pres- ent, who have the most influence with the distant tribes, to proceed to them with the greatest expedition with what you have now heard, as it is highly necessary that we should be made acquainted, without delay, with the result of their councils upon the present circumstances of affairs, as well as it may be useful for them to be informed of our senti- ments thereupon; and that the stroke they have received, is not only contrary to the judgment of every wise man among us, but all authority, which consequently will be exerted to do them justice; therefore these facts ought to have great weight in their determination at this time. And as a further proof of our uprightness toward them two of the gentlemen here present will accompany you in the exe- cution of this good work. (A string of wampum.")


Captain White Eyes, on behalf of the Indians present, made the following answer :


"Brethren: (The English.) We have heard with sat- isfaction the several speeches you have now delivered to us, and we return our sincere thanks for the friendship and concern you have been pleased to express for us upon this occasion; we can not doubt of your uprightness toward us, and that the mischief done to us, has been done contrary to your intent and desire, which we believe has arose entirely from the evil minded persons who have been the perpetrators of it, therefore it is incumbent upon us to aid you with our best assistance. As the great and good work of peace has been established between us, by the labor and pains of our greatest and wisest men, it ought not to


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be disturbed by the folly or imprudence of any rash people whatever, who, hereafter, refusing to pay due obedience to good advice, or offering to slip their hand from the chain of friendship, it will be our duty to chastise, should not those examples of violence before their eyes have this effect.


" Brethren : I will carry your message to the other na- tions; they are intended for myself, as it is a business too serious to be trifled with, or boys to be employed on; it is the happiness of ourselves, our women and children, and everything dear to us, that we are endeavoring to prescribe. Therefore there can be no doubt that I shall speak my sen- timents fully and truly to all nations upon it. (A large string of white wampum.)


May 25. White Eyes after delivering the condolence speeches to the Delawares, at "The New Comerstown," received the following answer, directed to their brethren, the English :


"Brethren: We are glad to receive your messages now delivered to us by Captain White Eyes, upon the late dis- turbances which have happened between our young men, and we return you thanks for the speedy measures you have taken to speak to us upon it. We are entirely satis- fied upon this account, and banish everything which could give us uneasiness from our hearts, as you desire us, and likewise request that you will do the same, that nothing may remain upon either side to discontent us. (A string.)


"Brethren : We have too great a regard for ancient friendship established between you and us, and which has so long existed between our forefathers, to suffer the con- duct of foolish men to have any bad effect upon it, or to weaken our good intentions in the least, so as to loosen our hands from the hold we have of it; therefore we do not look toward the evil that has been done with any re- sentment in our mind, but with a desire to have it buried in oblivion, as well as everything else that has an appear- ance of disturbing our future tranquility. Be strong, brethren, and think favorably of our peace, as we do, and


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we shall be too powerful for any bad people, who are not inclined to listen to or preserve it as we do. Brethren, when our wise people concluded the peace that subsists be- tween us, it was mutually agreed between them that the rashness or folly of bad men ought not, nor should not, have any evil effect upon the amity settled between them, and this is still what we adhere to. Brethren, last of all we spoke to our grandchildren, the Shawanese, upon this head, and desire them to keep their young, imprudent men from doing mischief, and this advice we have given them at this time. (A belt.)


"Brethren: From the road which you have cleared be- tween you and us, we now, by this string of wampum, upon our parts, remove every obstacle that may impede our traveling it with satisfaction, and we desire that our young men may be permitted to continue their trade as usual. Those white people who are in our towns, to the number of eleven, you will see in a few days, who are going to Pitts- burgh under the protection of your brethren the Delawares and as soon as matters wear a more favorable aspect, we shall expect them to return to our towns.


(A string.)


The Shawanese then delivered the following answer to the condolence speakers, and message sent them :


" Brothers: (Captain Conolly, Mr. McKee and Mr. Crog- han.) We have received your speeches by White Eyes, and as to what Mr. Croghan and Mr. McKee says, we look upon it all to be lies. Perhaps what you say may be lies also, but as it is the first time you have spoken to us, we also listen to you, and expect that what we may hear from you may be more confined to truth than what we usually hear from white people. It is you who are frequently pass- ing down and up the Ohio, and making settlements upon it, and as you have informed us that your wise people were met together to consult upon this matter, we desire you to be strong, and consider it well.


"Brethren : We see you speak to us at the head of your warriors who have collected together at sundry places up-


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on this river, where we understand they are building forts, and as you have requested us to listen to yon, we will do it, but in the same manner that you appear to speak to us. Our people at the Lower Towns have no chiefs among them, but are all warriors, and are also preparing them- selves to be in readiness that they may be better able to hear what you have to say. You tell us not to take any notice of what the people have done to us; we desire you likewise not to take any notice of what our young men may now be doing, and as no doubt you can command your warriors, when you desire them to listen to you, we have reason to expect that ours will take the same advice when we require-that is, when we have heard from the governor of Virginia.


" Brethren (of Pennsylvania): It is some years since we had the satisfaction of seeing you at Pittsburgh, when you came there to renew the ancient friendship that sub- sisted between our forefathers, and it gave us great pleas- ure to assist you in the great work when the path was open- ed between you and us, and we now tell you that your traders who have traveled it shall return the same road in peace, and we desire our grandfathers, the Delawares, to be strong in conducting them safe to you. (A string.")


This warlike speech of the Shawanese frustrated the hope of peace with them, which sorely exercised the mis- sionaries.


The following extracts of letters from David Zeisberger, missionary at Schoenbrunn, dated May 24, 1774, depicts their trials :


"In my last I informed you of the critical situation in which we found ourselves here. We then were in hopes that the dark cloud would pass over soon, and peace be re- established, as the Shawanese, in the council at Wakata- meka, had given seemingly a pretty favorable answer. But it appears now that they were only afraid of the Delaware party in the council, for we heard since that a party of twenty warriors were gone to make an incursion where the


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Mingoes have been killed. The Chief Netawatwes brought this account himself mournfully to Gnadenhutten, desiring some messengers might be sent after one Killbuck, who was on the road to Pittsburgh, with the traders. We sent di- rectly two men with a letter to Mr. Anderson, that they may know of it at Pittsburgh. The messengers returned last night, after having delivered their message. The Del- awares suppose that the Shawanese will soon move off. I think our greatest danger would be if the white people would make an incursion into the Indians' land; and if they should strike the Dalawares, the war would be gen- eral, and we then could not continue here; but we will keep unto the Lord a solemn feast of thanksgiving if he rules things so that we can stay here, for our flight would be subject to many difficulties ; and where should such a nulni- ber of people find a twelve months' subsistence, if they must forsake all that they have planted, for we are more than two hundred souls in this place only, besides the con- gregation at Gnadenhutten; and to move into the settle- ments of the white people with our Indians, I can not find advisable. We know how it was in the last war.


"SCHOENBRUNN, May 27, 1774 .- We are in great distress, and don't know what to do; our Indians keep watch about us every night, and will not let us go out of town, even not into our cornfields. If there should be more bad news, we will be forced to move from here, for we are in danger from both sides. I heard from some, that if the white brethren should be forced to leave them, the greatest part would return to the Susquehanna. But if only the Dela- wares continue in their peaceful mind, it may go better than we now think. At the council at Wakatamaka, were several head men of the Delawares present, who live at Schoenbruun and Gnadenhutten, being particularly sent for by Netawatires for to assist them in the good work of preserving peace. The chief addressed the Shawanese and Mingoes present in a fatherly manner, showing unto them the blessing of peace, and folly of war; and told them posi-


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tively that they need not to expect any help or assistance from the Delawares. The Shawanese gave him in answer, they did believe his words to be good, and they would take notice of them, and desired him to give also a fatherly ad- monition to their wives to plant corn for them, which he did, but they seemed more inclined to move off than to plant."-American Archives, fourth series, pages 285-6.




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