USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania, from its first beginnings to the present time; including chapters of newly-discovered, Vol. I > Part 59
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Under date of January 20, 1758, Col. James Burd, at Fort Augusta, wrote to Capt. Joseph Shippen, at Lancaster, as follows* :
"Since January 1st several small parties of Delaware Indians have arrived here with skins to trade at the store.t * Job Chilloway, brother to Bill Chilloway, came here t'other day from the Munsey country, at the heads of the Cayuga Branch, above Diahoga. He was born and bred at Egg Harbor [New Jersey], is a very sensible fellow, and speaks the English language perfectly well. He appears to be a strict friend to the English interest. His releasing Armstrong's wife from the enemy Indians last Summer, and the prudent precautions he used in sending her here, is a confirmation of my good opinion of him. He assures me that the only Indians on the Susquehanna who are our enemies are those of the Munsey nation, and they are determined to continue the war against the English."
On Saturday, March 11, 1758, Teedyuscung made his appearance in Philadelphia with three Indian deputies from Tioga. Notified of their presence in the city the Governor, on Monday morning, sent his compliments to them by Secretary Peters, who, by a string of wampum, "wiped the snow out of their eyes and ears, cleansed their throats," etc. Twelve o'clock of that day was fixed upon as the time for their reception by the Governor ; but a little before that hour Moses Tatemny and Isaac Still,¿ interpreters for Teedyuscung, came with a message from the latter to the Governor, to the effect that the deputies had very weiglity matters to communicate, and he (Teedyuscung) would bring his clerk, Charles Thomson, with him to the interview. The Council considered the matter and advised the Governor to send word to Teedyuscung that
* See "The Shippen Papers," page 106.
+ In July, 1757, the Province of Pennsylvania opened at Fort Augusta a store, which was under the control, or direction, of the commandant of the fort. In the following September Major Burd, then in cominand, fitted out "John Tedyonskunk, a big Indian, with one regimental coat, one gold-laced hat with cockade, one ruffled shirt, one yard of scarlet shalloon and one pair of buckles, at an expense of €6, 5sh. 6d." This "big Indian" was Teedyuscung's son John Jacob, who, shortly after the. Easton treaty of July and August, 1757, was preparing to set out with a message from his father to some of the Ohio Indians.
# ISAAC STILL, according to Watson's "Annals of Philadelphia" (II : 171), was "a celebrated Indian of good education-a leader of the last remains of the Delawares adjacent to Philadelphia. He was a Christian man of fine morals and much good sense, and was employed as agent and interpreter in French as well as in English in many important missions to distant Indians." He was said to have traveled farther into the unknown wilds of the West than any other individual of his time-having seen, as he claimed, the Rocky Mountains and "the white Indians" (the Mandans, perhaps, described on page 94). For a considerable time he and his family dwelt in a wigwam on a part of James Logan's place-later called "Indian Field"-near Philadelphia, and in the meantime Isaac's only son, Joshua Still, was edu- cated in a school at Germantown.
In May, 1769, Isaac Still took possession of a 200-acre tract of land on the flats at Sheshequin (on the Susquehanna, about twenty-four miles north of Friedenshiitten mentioned in the note on page 220). This
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there was not to be a public treaty, but simply a private conference, "and none have ever been admitted into private conferences between the Governor and Indians, but the wise men and counselors on both sides." Tatemy and Still were called in, and this reply was given to them to carry to the King. It was then after one o'clock. In about half an hour Tatemy returned "with a most insolent answer from Tee- dyuscung, to the effect that he was tired of waiting, was at his dinner, would bring his clerk to the interview or else not speak to the Governor at all." Tatemy was told that the Governor would let Teedyuscung know what he would do and when the latter should come.
The question was again brought before the Council for considera- tion, and Secretary Peters "was desired to set the matter in its true light to the Indians in private conversation ; and Mr. [William] Logan, who had arrived in town, was desired to assist in it, as he was better acquainted with these Indians." It was unanimously decided that Teedyuscung's clerk should not be permitted to sit in Council. If the King desired a public conference, he might be indulged with one in the Council-chamber at the State House, when his clerk might come, as well as any other
person .* Teedyuscung refusing to recede from his demand, the only way out of the difficulty was to decide to hold a public conference, and it took place at the State House on March 15th. Governor Denny, several members of the Council, the Speaker and various members of the Assembly, a large number of citizens, Teedyuscung, his half-brothers Captain Harris and Sam Evans, his counselor Tapescawen, his interpre- ters Moses Tatemy and Isaac Still, Willamegicken, f a messenger from the western Indians, and several other Indians were present. Isaac Still interpreted for the King, and Charles Thomson acted as his clerk -not only on this particular occasion, but at each of the succeeding conferences which took place between the Governor and Teedynscung at Philadelphia in the Spring of 1758.
Early in the conference Teedyuscung produced a large calumet pipe, and, having filled it with tobacco, rose up and said to the Governor :
"At the treaty at Easton you desired me to hear you, and publish what passed there to all the Indian nations. I promised you to do it. I gave the halloo, and published it to all the Indian nations in this part of the world-even the most distant have heard mie. The nations to whom I published what passed between us have let me know that they had heard and approved it, and, as I was about so good a work, they sent me this pipe- the same that their grandfathers used on such good occasions-and desired it might be filled with the same good tobacco, and that I, with my brother the Governor, would smoke it. They further assured me that if at any time I should perceive any dark clouds arise, and would smoke but two or three whiffs out of this pipe, those clouds would im- mediately disappear."
The King having lighted the pipe first smoked it himself ; then giving it to the Governor the latter and each member of the Council and Assembly present smoked it in turn. Then the King took up a wampum belt of ten rows, having in the middle figures of two men
land was donated to him by the Proprietary Government for services rendered in the capacity of runner and interpreter during the Indian wars. But, evidently, he did not long remain at Sheshequin, for Watson says that in 1771 he moved into Buckingham Township in Bucks County, "purposing there to collect his scattered tribe and move them off to the Wabash, 'far away,' as he said, 'from war and rum.'" This he effected in the Autumn of 1775, having in his company about forty persons, mostly women and children ; as the men-particularly the young and active-numbering about twenty, had gone on before. Years afterwards a gentleman who had witnessed their departure referred to Still as having been a fine-looking man, wearing a hat ornamented with feathers. The women of the band were all bareheaded, and each was loaded with a large pack on her back, supported by a broad strap across her forehead.
* See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 30, 31.
+ The name of this Indian was sometimes written "Willemegihany" and sometimes "Willemeghi- kink." He was known to the whites as "James," and was a prominent brave of the Allegheny Dela- wares. See page 374, post; also, "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, III : 415, and "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 148.
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grasping one another by the hand, which Teedyuscung said represented himself and the Governor. At each end of the belt were two figures rep- resenting the sun rising and the sun setting, and between these figures were eight figures in white wampum representing eight Indian nations who had "taken hold" of the belt. Proceeding with his speech Tee- dyuscung said* :
"I promised I would give a halloo. I have done it, and all the nations you see represented by this belt which I now hold in my hand have heard whatever you and I have talked together when we were promoting the good work. I have made all these nations as one man. All the Indian nations from the sunrise to those beyond the lakes, as far as the sun sets, have heard what has passed between you and me, and are pleased with it ; and they have said to me, 'Now, Brother Teedyuscung, we see that you and your brothers the English have been talking about what is good. We therefore send you this belt to let you know that we have taken hold at the two ends of this belt, and we desire you and your brothers the English to take hold of the middle ; and always, when you are consulting about what is good, to hold it fast, as our lives and safety will entirely depend upon it. As ten nations joined before, and now eight moret have taken hold of the Covenant Chain, we make in all now eighteen nations who have hold of this belt. * *
"I am heard now by all the Indians, and they are pleased and have said to me : 'Brother Teedyuscung, you are now promoting what is good. We have looked and inquired who has been the cause of the darkness. There are three [parties] concerned -English, French and Indian. We have found one of these three has been the cause of it, and he shall die. The man is a Frenchman.' There is a good deal of news going backwards and forwards; but, though it be so, I, Teedyuscung, have stopped his ears and blinded his eyes, so that, though the news runs right before his breast, he shall hear nothing of it. That is, though the Indians who have joined me live behind the French and must pass them to come to us, yet they (the French) shall know nothing of what passes between us. Now, Brothers, as I have blinded the eyes of the French and stopped their ears, I hope you will do the same. * * The Indians who live back encourage you and me. They have said to me : 'Do you, Teedyuscung, and your brothers press on and don't be discouraged. It is a work of great moment which you have undertaken. When you begin a great work you can't expect to finish it all at once. Therefore, do you and your brothers press on and let nothing discourage you till you have entirely finished what you have begun.' Now, Brother, as for me, I assure you I will press on, and the contrary winds may blow strong in my face, yet I will go forward and never will turn back, but continue to press forward until I have finished ; and I would have you do the same. ** Though you may hear birds singing on this side and that side, you must not take notice of that, but hear me when I speak to you and lay it to heart, for you may always depend that what I say shall be true."
Just at this time there was a feeling of unrest and insecurity through- out the country. On the northern confines a powerful French force threatened the New England Colonies, as noted on page 297. Further- more, news had been received only a short time previously to the effect that the King had issued his commands for a large force to be raised in Pennsylvania and the Colonies to the south, to take the field under the command of Brig. Gen. John Forbes as soon after the 1st of May as pos- sible. Therefore, two days after Teedyuscung's conference with the Governor the Assembly sent to the latter a notification in part as follows :
"We find that far distant tribes of Indians have freely entered into our alliance, and wait for nothing-but the faithful performance of the Articles of Peace stipulated on your part at the treaty held at Easton-to join heartily in the British interest. On this important occasion, when the peace of this and the neighboring Colonies and the success of His Majesty's arms in the ensuing campaign seem deeply interested in your delibera- tions, we do assure you that, to effectuate these good purposes and strengthen your hands, we will cheerfully contribute everything which can be reasonably expected from us to confirm the Indians in their good dispositions toward us."
A week after this conference the Governor and Council met to con- sider a proper reply to Teedyuscung's speech. This having been care-
* See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 32.
+ The Secretary of the Council noted on the minutes of the conference that the eight nations, then referred to by Teedyuscung, were : "The Ottawas, who live north-west of Fort Detroit ; the Twightwees ; the Chippewas ; the Toawaws, living sonth of Lake Erie ; the Caughnawagas; the Mahoowas, living on an island in one of the lakes ; the Pietoatomaws, living westward of Detroit, and the Nalashawawnas, living north of New England."
# See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 39.
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fully prepared it was publicly spoken the same day (March 22d) at the State House by the Governor, who, at the same time, delivered to Tee- dyuscung "the great Peace Belt." The King responded with some general remarks, and then presented to the Governor and had read aloud a paper which had been written by Charles Thomson and signed by the King. It was as follows* :
"BROTHERS : We formerly told you that we desired to be instructed in the prin- ciples of the Christian religion, and requested that we iniglit have ministers and school- masters supported among us for that purpose. We now renew our request, and, as many of our brethren are ready to lay hold on the Chain of Peace, we think it necessary to in- form you that less than two ministers besides schoolmasters will be insufficient for that purpose ; and though we expect our brethren the English will support thien, yet as they are designed for the benefit of us and our children, we judge it both reasonable and neces- sary that we should have liberty to choose them ourselves, after having made the best inquiries we are able into the characters of those who are to watch for our souls, and to whose care our eternal interests are under God to be committed. This, brothers, is an affair that deserves your most serious attention, and we hope it will be seriously considered by our brethren, the English.
"Brothers, you are wise men. You tell us the Christian religion is good, and we believe it to be so-partly upon the credit of your words and partly because we see that some of our brother Indians who were wicked before they became Christians, live better lives now than they formerly did. But, brothers, we have got bodies as well as souls, and though our time in this world is short, it is nevertheless necessary to provide for our- selves and families while we are in it. This is what our own reason and experience teacheth us, and we are confirmed in our sentiments by the universal practise of Christ- ians as well as Indians. And, since we see that our brethren the English manage the affairs which concern their worldly estates and interests with more wisdom than the Indi- ans do, our next request is that our brethren will support two honest men amongst us to be our counselors and instructors in temporal affairs, and at the same time to be the guardians of our interests. And that we may be the more certain that we are not deceived by our counselors, we think it necessary to have the choice of them ourselves. We desire to have two, that if one of them should prove a dishonest man the other may prevent his imposing on us. And we hope our brethren, the English, will put the support of our counselors on such a foundation as will leave them under no temptations to betray our interests for the sake of their own temporal gain ; and as an additional security for their acting honestly we shall judge it necessary, before admitting them into our service, that they solemnly swear after the English manner that they will conscientiously perform the trusts reposed in them, according to the best of their skill and understanding.
"Brothers, these are things that appear to us so just and reasonable that we hope our brethren, the English, who profess to have a sincere regard both for our temporal and eternal interests, will readily agree to thein. A friendship that is founded on justice and equity, where a proper regard is had to the interests of both parties, may reasonably be expected to prove durable ; and such we desire may be the friendship between us and our brethren the English. But a peace that is founded on injustice and deceit must end whenever the fraud is discovered.
"Brothers, these are things that lie heavy on our hearts. Let them sink deep into the hearts of our brothers ; and if they act conformably to these sentiments both they and their children, as well as we and our children, will feel the good effects of them till the sun ceases to shine and the rivers to run."
[Signed] "TEEDY S USCUNG." mark his
On March 25th the Governor held a final conference with Tee- dyuscung and his retinue, during which he stated that the matter of providing schoolmasters and ministers for the benefit of the Indians under Teedyuscung, when they should be settled at Wyoming, had been laid before the Assembly and would be acted upon in due time. Con- tinuing, the Governor saidt :
"I think proper that our Peace Belt that I gave you the other day should be sent with the greatest despatch, and in the safest manner you can, to the Indian towns on the Ohio, and the other towns which have not entered into our alliance. Take with you this, my calumet pipe, for our friendly Indians to smoke out of. It is the pipe our old Pro- prietor, William Penn, smoked in ( on his first arrival in this country) with all the Indi- ans that then entered into a covenant chain with him, and has been preserved by his
* See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 47.
+ See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 54.
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order to this day for that good purpose. I recommend it particularly to the Delawares, our brethren, and their grandchildren, the Shawanese, to smoke out of it heartily, as it has now been filled with the same good tobacco; and they, the Delawares and Shaw- anese. will then remember their motlier country-for the ground in Pennsylvania is the ground they came out of. * *
* You may remember that at first, when the clouds were beginning to be dispelled, a little foot-path was opened [passing] by Fort Allen to Wyoming for our messengers to pass through with messages. But as now the clouds are entirely dispelled between us and the Indians on the Susquehanna, I think it necessary to open a great road ; that is, from Dialoga and the heads of the Susquehanna down to Fort Augusta, called by the Indians Shamokin."
Teedyuscung having expressed some dissatisfaction with this sug- gestion respecting a road, the Governor stated that it was intended to be only in the nature of "a proposal for him to consult the Indians at Wyoming upon." A day or two later Teedyuscung and his Indian companions left Philadelphia for Bethlehem ; but on the 10th of April the King, his sons Amos and John Jacob, one of his nephews, his counselor Tapescawen, Isaac Still, Essowyonalund, or "Daniel" (a mes- senger from the Wanamies), and other Indians made their appearance in Philadelphia. Two days later, accompanied by Charles Thomson as clerk, they met the Governor and Council in conference at the State House. Teedyuscung, having talked for some time concerning the Easton Treaty of 1757, the recent Philadelphia conference and the news lately received regarding the disturbances among the Indians in the West, said :
"I desire you and the rest of the English not to trouble yourselves to go against the Ohios. I will do it myself. They are all within my dish. Leave them for me. I will give them one blow, and if any escape that I will drive them to the sea for you. * * * I will take notice of all those that pretend to join us, and if they do not do right I will run my hand down their throats and bring up their hearts and lay them before you, for may be it was they that did this mischief. * The next time we meet I shall talk freely about our private affairs-namely, about our building and settling at Wyoming."
This conference was continued the next day, when Teedyuscung was informed that an army had been raised by the English, and that it would not be possible to send him and his Indians alone to fight the hostile Indians on the Ohio. However, Teedyuscung could accompany the soldiers ; but, as some of the enemy had been murdering certain white settlers on Swatara Creek in Lancaster County and carrying off others into captivity, he was pressed to return to Bethlehemn, where a number of his young braves were loitering, and send a party of them out to scour the frontiers. He was urged, also, to take steps to have delivered up all prisoners who had been taken and were still held cap- tive. The King agreed to use his utmost endeavors to collect as many of the prisoners in the Indian country as he could and bring them in. As to going "to the front" with the English soldiers he said : "I will not enlist under your Captains and officers, but I will have Captains of my own. My son [John Jacob], here, is one of my Captains.
We will join with you, but we will have Captains of our own."*
Teedyuscung and his Indians again returned to Bethlehem, and on the 17th of April the King sent a number of Delawares from Bethlehem to Fort Allen to join Captain Arndt's soldiers in ranging the frontiers. At the same time lie despatched, by way of Fort Allen, his son John Jacob, as Captain, accompanied by his (Teedyuscung's) son Amos, Paul and John, brothers, and Isaac-all Delawares-"to the three Indian nations over Allegheny, viz .: the Delaware, Shawanese and Quahanlo- quesie-of which last Castareega is Chief." Teedyuscung delivered to
* See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VIII : 89.
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these messengers : First, four strings of wampum, to acquaint the said nations that he had twice received good news from them, and had lately heard that they inclined to be at peace with the English. Second, a large black belt, with five strokes across it made of white wampum. Third, a white belt, with black strokes across, set with black wan- pum. Fourth, a white belt, set with black wampum across.
Teedyuscung remained at Bethlehem, and Justice Horsfield wrote on April 1Sth : "I never before was so much convinced of Teedyus- cung's zeal for the English cause." Five days later, however, a soldier came to Bethlehem from Fort Allen with a letter from Captain Arndt in which he stated that he was having trouble with the Indians sent to the fort by Teedyuscung-the messengers (who were still there) as well as those who were to range being continually drunk, having brought with them some casks of rum from Easton. When the casks had been emptied, the five messengers continued their journey to the West.
On the 1st of May Teedyuscung appeared once inore in Philadel- phia, accompanied by his seemingly inseparable companions-Tapes- cawen and Isaac Still-and the next day they were received by the Governor. The chief object of this visit was that the King might say to the Governor* : "The Indians want to see the houses built at Wyo- ming, and then they will remove there. All the Indians expect that the houses will be built this Spring ; and if they be not, they will blame me much, and say it is my fault." In reply to this the Governor reminded Teedyuscung that the escort that attended the Wyoming Com- missioners in the previous Fall had consisted of three of the Provincial companies, and the soldiers were employed in erecting the houses. He then asked the King how much time it would take, with the same number of inen, to complete the work begun, and the King replied, "Three weeks." Brig. Gen. John Forbes, in command of His Majesty's troops in Pennsylvania, being then in Philadelphia, Governor Denny immediately communicated with him in reference to this subject. On the following day General Forbes replied as follows :
"I really think Teedyuscung's demands ought to be agreed with, as he has the public faith for the making such a settlement ; although I would parry off all convoy of troops, as ax-men and carpenters will answer all his purposes. I think he and his tribes ought to be our guards for those back settlements this Summer, as we shall want all the troops somewhere else."
Upon receipt of this communication Governor Denny forwarded it to the Provincial Assembly, accompanied by the information that he pur- posed to send to Wyoming the same gentlemen who were appointed in 1757 to erect the houses there. The same day (May 3d) the Speaker of the Assembly replied to the Governor as follows :
"We much approve of your designs in sending the same gentlemen that were appointed last year, to finish the houses begun at Wioming at Teedyuscung's request ; and as the more expeditiously this measure is executed, the sooner we shall have an Indian barrier in that quarter, we hope no time will be lost in despatching them."
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