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 early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume I > Part 54
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
333
sinks, was taken prisoner by five of Teedyuscung's Indians, who, a few days previously, in that neighborhood, had burnt a house, killed eight men and captured a woman. McMullen and this woman were brought to Teedyuscung's town at Wyoming, where they staid two nights and "saw one hundred Delawares and Shawanese with their families, mixed with a few Mohawks." From Wyoming they proceeded to Tioga, where there were 130 hostile Indians. McMullen was kept there in captivity until the following Spring, when he was "sold to French Margaret's daughter* at Canisteo, forty miles north-west from Tioga." From there he escaped in September, 1757.+
A company of Provincials stationed at New Gnadenhütten was sur- prised and routed, and the settlement (consisting of eighteen log houses, twelve cabins and a large meeting-house, with dwelling rooms) was totally destroyed by a numerous band of hostiles on New Year's-day, 1756. The same day Teedyuscung, accompanied by three of his half- brothers, one of his nephews and several other Delawares from Wyo- ming,¿ surprised the plantation of Peter Hess in Lower Smithfield, Northampton (now Monroe) County. This was only a few miles from the eastern end of the valley of the Pocopoco, in which Teedyuscung and the other members of his father's family had formerly lived (as mentioned on page 308). Here Peter Hess, his son Henry and several other persons were captured, who, with a considerable amount of booty, were taken Wyoming-ward via the Pocono Mountains and the Great Swamp. The first night they encamped on the mountains, where "the savages killed Peter Hess-cutting him almost in pieces with their knives-and tied the others to trees. They kindled a large fire, but the night was so cold that they could not sleep. At daylight they set out, and arrived at Wyoming in the evening [January 2, 1756]. They found the valley deserted. The party pushed on to Tunkhannock, where they found about one hundred men, women and children, and where the , prisoners remained until the cold weather was over. They were after- wards taken to Tioga, and stayed there until they were brought down and delivered up to their friends at the treaty at Easton in the follow- ing November."§
About the time the Hess family was captured a young man, a German, was taken prisoner in Northampton County by Teedyuscung's band and later was given by them to a Minisink Indian. At first he was used rather roughly by his captors, but afterwards was treated kindly. He remained in captivity until April, 1757, when the brother of his custodian conducted him to Easton, where he was restored to his friends. ||
Early in January, 1756, Conrad Weiser, by authority of the Gov- ernor, sent "Silver Heels," previously mentioned, and "David, the Mo- hawk," on a mission to Wyoming. [ They set out from John Harris' and journeyed as expeditiously as possible to Nescopeck, which they found deserted. A day or two later they "arrived at Wyomink, having waded big creeks and rivers ; and, finding it would be as much as their
* "Queen Catharine," mentioned in the note on page 207.
+ See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 283.
Į See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, III : 56.
¿ See Pearce's "Annals of Luzerne County," page 43.
| See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 475.
[ See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 47.
334
lives were worth to enter the Delaware town [Teedyuscung's], they made known the nature of their business to some of the Six Nations, who lived in a town by themselves, with some Chickasaws and Mohegans, who, upon considering the matter, thought proper to get the Shawanese to take the thing in hand and speak to the Delawares, and they laid the thing before them, accordingly-they, likewise, living in a town by themselves .* Paxinosa, their chief, received their message and went to hold a separate council with his people by themselves. After the con- clusion thereof they sent for two of the Six Nation Indians, and the Indian called James Logan (see page 330) and another went to them and received and brought back an answer from Paxinosa and his people, in these words :
"'We have considered the message brought up by Aroas ["Silver Heels"]. We think it is in vain to speak one word more to our grandfathers, the Delawares. I spoke so often to them to the same purpose till at last they threatened to knock me on the head ; and what can I do, since Scarooyady, a man of authority among the Six Nations, and of great experience and eloquence, could not prevail on them. They would not so. much as touch his belts he laid before them. They throwed them on one side with their pipes, t and gave him ill language. So, upon the whole, we must give over, and desire that you will excuse us." "
"Silver Heels" and David, accompanied by John Shikellimy and his wife, set out from Wyoming for Philadelphia, where they arrived Feb- ruary 23d-having gone by way of Shamokin, John Harris' and Cones- toga, where lived Shikellimy's sister, who joined the party. They ap- peared before the Governor and Council at the State House on February 24th, when Shikellimy made the following statement; :
"Nescopeck is now deserted, upon a rumor that Conrad Weiser, with a large number of men, was coming up to cut them off, and they, the Delawares, fled to Assarockney§ and higher up, and are nigher to Tiaoagon [Tioga], another Delaware town who are enemies to the English. They number not many above one hundred, though some will have them to be 200, but they include the Mohegans, who they hope will join them. There are two or three white men, deserters from Oswego, among them, who blacken themselves like Indians and go to fight with them. There are also some prisoners taken from the English, who they give or sell to one another. I, myself, had two given to me-a boy and a young woman. I gladly accepted them in order to save their lives, and I will, by the first opportunity, deliver them up to this Government. * * The Delawares are * great cowards. As soon as any one of the men was killed by the English they fled ; and if the English had stood their ground they would have put them [the Delawares] to flight in every engagement. The few Shawanese at Wyoming don't join the Delawares, but stand neuter. It is thought the Delawares will leave Wyoming, as they are building canoes, and some say they will go by Tioga to Ohio. They are much divided in council, and have scarce any provisions."
Shikellimy stated that he was anxious to return to Wyoming "to take care of his family, promising to bring them and his two brothers along with him" back to the white settlements.
· In March, 1756, Thomas Moffitt, aged twenty-six years, was taken prisoner by nine Indians at a place near Poughkeepsie, New York, and brought thence to Wyoming. Here the party staid two nights in com- pany with one hundred Indians, and then marched to a place about ten
* Paxinosa and his people had, apparently, at this time returned to their old village, in what is now the borough of Plymouth ; while the Mohegans, Chickasaws and refugee Six Nation Indians (to wit, the Shikellimys and some others) continued to abide in the temporary village back of Ross Hill.
+ See page 331. # See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 52.
¿ Asserughney, mentioned on page 188. Early in February, 1756, Governor Morris wrote to Col. George Washington, of Virginia : "In a late interview with some Indians at Carlisle I learnt that our enemy Indians have fixed upon a place upon the East Branch of the Susquehanna, called Nescopeckon, for their headquarters, from which they send out parties to annoy us." (See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 565.) On the 4th of the following April Governor Morris wrote to Governor Hardy of New York as follows (see "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 606) : * * "Neskopekon, where they have chiefly resided until lately ; but upon some apprehensions of being attacked by us they have moved to a place [Asserughney] covered by a steep mountain on one side and by the East Branch of the Susquehanna on the other. where they think themselves more secure. This I learnt from two Indians that I sent for intelligence up that river, who are lately returned."
335
miles west from Wyoming, to which place they retreated with some precipitation-having first hidden their corn amongst the rocks-on hear- ing that the English were coming against them. After about two weeks they returned to Wyoming, whence, having waited four days until all the Indians living on the North Branch of the Susquehanna were collected together, they marched in a body with their families and effects to Tioga. At Tioga they called a Council, and, being still appre- hensive of pursuit from the English, they divided themselves into two parties of about equal numbers. One party removed to the Allegheny River region, and the other, including Moffitt the captive, to Canisteo (mentioned in the note on page 207), where Moffitt was sold to "Queen Catharine." In the following September he escaped in company with Daniel McMullen, mentioned on page 332.
Shikellimy returned from Philadelphia to Wyoming, and was here during the time the Delawares were preparing to move northward, as just mentioned. Accompanied by his wife, his two brothers and their wives and the children of the three families, Shikellimy went down the Susquehanna to the fort at Hunter's Mill (six miles north of the present city of Harrisburg), commanded by Capt. Thomas McKee, where the party arrived on the 3d of April. He reported to Captain McKee and Edward Shippen* that there was "great confusion amongst ye Indi- ans up ye North Branch of Susquehanna. The Delawares are a-moving all from thence to Ohio, and wants to persuade ye Shawanese to go along with them, but they decline going. The Shawanese are going up to a town called Tioga, where there is a body of ye Six Nations, and there they intend to remain." Shikellimy was greatly dissatisfied at being at Fort Hunter, and told Mr. Shippen that "if the Governor thought proper he would go to Wyoming and endeavor to bring down Paxinosa, who would have come with him, but the Delawares would not permit it."
According to a statementt made in the Autumn of 1756 by John Cox, who had been captured by the Indians in February of that year, and in March was taken to Tioga, there were at that time in the last- mentioned place "about fifty warriors belonging to the Delaware, Mo- hegan and Monsey tribes, and about twenty German prisoners. The Indians frequently went out in parties of twelve to destroy the inhab- itants, and as often returned with their scalps, but no prisoners."
April 4, 1756, Governor Morris wrote to Governor Hardy of New Yorkt: "I wish the Six Nations at the late treaty had come to some vigorous resolutions with regard to the Delawares. The French seem to have taken the Delawares under their protection. Our Com- missioners have agreed to give a reward for Indian prisoners and scalps, * * and I am pressed to declare war against the Delawares, and by proclamation to offer those rewards. The Indians here whom I have consulted seem to approve the thing, and will give me their full answer this week." On the 9th of April, at a meeting of the Board of Pro- vincial Commissioners in Philadelphia, it was "Agreed, That it be again proposed to the Governor to issue a proclamation as soon as may be, offering rewards for the scalps of enemy Indians; and that this Board are willing to allow the following premiums for the same, viz .: For
* See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 615, 634.
t See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 242.
# See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II: 607.
336
every male Indian prisoner above ten years old that shall be delivered at any of the Government's forts or towns, 150 dollars *; for every female Indian prisoner, or male under ten years, delivered as above, 130 dollars ; for the scalp of every male Indian of above ten years old, 130 dollars ; for the scalp of every Indian woman, 50 dollars."+
The "late treaty" to which Governor Morris alluded, as just men- tioned, was the Council held at Fort Johnson in January, 1756, and referred to on page 332. Within a short time after the close of that Council deputies were despatched by the Six Nations to Otsiningo (see note, page 219), who convened there the Delawares, Shawanese and other Indians to the number of 300, from the several towns on the Susque- hanna, to whom they delivered a message from the Council, blaming them for taking up the hatchet against the English and ordering them to lay it down immediately. This command the hostiles promised to obey, and arrangements were made for the holding of a general con- ference of the Indians at Onondaga in the near future.
Before these facts became known to the Pennsylvania authorities, however, Governor Morris, with the approval of the Provincial Council, issued a proclamation of war against the hostile Indians. The procla- mation was published at the Court House, Philadelphia, April 14, 1756, in the presence of the Council, Judges of the Supreme Court, and a large body of citizens. The document declared "the Delaware Indians, and all others who in conjunction with them have [had] committed hostilities," to be rebels and traitors to the King. All Indians living northward of a line extending from "Diahoga, or Tohiccon," to "the Indian town called Cushetunk, upon Delaware,"¿ were excluded from the effects of the proc- lamation, as were also the friendly and peaceable Indians who had re- moved into the settled parts of the Province. The proclamation set forth also the premiums that would be paid for Indian scalps and prisoners- which were the same that had been recommended by the Board of Com- missioners, as previously mentioned. "The Quakers and Moravians ex- claimed against the barbarous character of the proclamation," states Pearce ("Annals of Luzerne County," page 44), "and the Assembly was in an uproar. But the War party was gratified, and the frontiersmen began to hope for deliverance from their bloodthirsty foes. The highly excited condition of men's minds at this period, produced by the shock- ing barbarities of the Indians, must be the only palliating excuse for this most unchristian measure."
When Sir William Johnson learned of this proclamation of war he wrote concerning it to Governor Shirley, of Massachusetts, under date of April 24, 1756, as follows§ :
"I am surprised that Mr. Morris, whose Province was so much interested in the result of the Six Nations' embassy to those Indians, *
* would not wait to hear the effects of this embassy. What will the Delawares and Shawanese think of such opposi- tion and contradiction in our conduct? How shall I behave at the approaching meeting at Onondaga, not only to those Indians, but to the Six Nations? These hostile measures which Mr. Morris has entered into are throwing all our schemes into confusion, and must naturally give the Six Nations such impressions, and the French such advantages to work on against us, that I tremble for the consequences."
* Spanish milled dollars, or their equivalent. See note on page 252.
+ See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 619.
# See the map facing page 320. Cushetunk is thereon noted as "Station Point." The Indian village of Tohiccon, or Tioga, is not noted, but the Tioga, or "Tohiccon," River is. See, also, page 34.
¿ See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 116.
337
The Quakers of Philadelphia, particularly, were greatly exercised because of the declaration of war against the Pennsylvania Indians, and within a few days after the publishing of the proclamation Conrad Weiser and Daniel Claus (who was then Sir William Johnson's Secre- tary, and was temporarily in Philadelphia), together with Andrew Mon- tour, Scarooyady and several other friendly Indians who happened to be in the city, dined with a number of prominent Quakers at the home of one of them, where, subsequently, they conferred together relative to the situation of affairs .* As a result, they proposed to the Governor that they should be permitted to send an embassy to the Delawares and Shawanese at Wyoming, to endeavor to effect a reconciliation with them and restore peace to the Province.
At first the Governor consented to this, and then, in view of the declaration of war, he interposed objections to the plan proposed. Finally he resolved to send messengers in his own name to the hostiles, and Cashiowaya, or "Captain Newcastle,"t Jagreat and "William Loc- quis"§ were selected to perform the service ; and under date of April 26th, at Philadelphia, the Governor instructed them, in substance, as follows : You are to let the Indians at Wyoming know that we have heard of the conference which was held at Otsiningo, and that they had promised to hearken to the Six Nations and forbear any further hostilities against the inhabitants of this Province. Let them know, also, as from your- selves, that if they are sincerely disposed to peace, and will deliver up the English prisoners in their hands to the Six Nations, lay down their hatchets and abide by the terms that may be agreed upon," peace may be assured, although much blood has been spilled. Assure them that the Delawares who live amongst us have had no mischief done them, but are treated with kindness. "Paxinosa and some other Shawanese and other Indians have not broken faith with us, but endeavored to dis- suade the Delawares from striking us. When they could not succeed they separated from them, and now live together in some place near Wyomink. I would have you go to them and let them know the news from Sir William Johnson ; and also let Paxinosa know that he and any of the Indians who have continued true to the English would be welcomed if they inclined to come into the Province under the protec- . tion of the Government."||
* See Hazard's Register of Pennsylvania, VIII : 275, 293 (November, 1831).
+ He was a Six Nation Indian who, when a child, had been formally presented by his parents to William Penn, at New Castle on the Delaware. In August, 1755, Governor Morris publicly conferred on him the name and title of "Captain Newcastle" in remembrance of that event, using these words: "I11 token of our affection for your parents, and in expectation of your being a useful man in these perilous times, I do, in the most solemn manner, adopt you by the name of 'Newcastle,' and order you hereafter to be called by that name." He confirmed his words with the gift of a belt of wampum of eight rows.
. In the Summer of 1756 Governor Denny (Morris' successor) referred to "Captain Newcastle" as one of the few Indians left by Scarooyady and "The Old Belt" (on their going to Sir William Johnson's) to assist in building a fort at Shamokin, and to be employed in such public business as there should be occasion for. The Governor declared him to be "a sincere and true friend to the English, and an honest and sensible Indian." He died of small-pox at Philadelphia early in November, 1756, while Governor Morris was in attendance at a treaty being held in Easton. His decease was publicly announced by the Governor, who gave the Indians present a string of wampum and eleven black strouds to remind them of the "good man who had been very instrumental in promoting the good work of peace, and to wipe away their tears and take grief from their hearts."
Į A friendly Mohawk chief (previously mentioned on page 320), who, at this period, was spending considerable time at and about Philadelphia.
§ A "Delaware Indian from the Jerseys," who, early in April, 1756, was sent to a prominent Quaker in Philadelphia by Conrad Weiser, with a letter recommending him as "a person worthy of some notice, and fit to be employed in a message to the Delawares." (See Hazard's Register, VIII : 275.) A few weeks later a certain Charles Read wrote to Governor Morris as follows (see "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 645) : "With the Indians now at Philadelphia is one Will. Loguess. He is a fellow on whom no dependence can be had, and is impudent and mischievous in his nature. His father and relations removed about two years ago to Wyoming, where they now are."
| See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 108.
338
The three messengers were instructed to go to Wyoming by way of Bethlehem, where they would be joined by "Augustus,"* a friendly Delaware who was living there. This they did, setting out from Phila- delphia about the first of May. Owing to the badness of the weather the party spent five days and four nights in making the journey from Bethlehem to Wyoming, and upon their arrival here they found that all the Indians had left the valley and gone up the river. Captain New- castle and his party thereupon proceeded to Tioga, where they found a large number of Indians of different tribes. A council was held-com- posed of representatives from the various villages thereabout-and New- castle delivered Governor Morris' message, to which Paxinosa, in behalf of the Shawanese present, made a brief response. In the report of the con- ference it is recorded that Paxinosa interpreted for the Delawares "be- cause Newcastle talks good Shawanese and Paxinosa talks good Dela- ware." Teedyuscung spoke at length in behalf of the Delawares, as well as the other Indians present, and was the principal speaker of the occa- sion. Having washed off every trace of war-paint from his face, he cooed for peace as sweetly and as tenderly as the amiable dove in the ballad. He professed to have had all the fighting he cared for, and was anxious for a "settlement of differences" with the Pennsylvanians. His speech was, in part, as follows :
"Brethren, the Governor and People of Pennsylvania : We rejoice to hear from you. We desire you will look upon us with eyes of mercy. We are a very poor people -our wives and children are almost naked- * * * we are void of understanding and destitute of the necessaries of life .; We the Delawares, the Shawanese, the Mohegans and Monseys give you this string of wampum, and desire that the bitterness which may have gathered in this dark and unhappy time may be removed. * * We have laid aside our hatchet and will never make use of it any more against you or your brethren the English. All our young men have been consulted about this, and all earnestly agree to it."
Captain Newcastle and his fellow messengers left Tioga shortly after this conference and returned to Philadelphia, where they arrived on May 31st. As soon as they had departed from Tioga nearly all the Indians gathered there moved to a locality "about twenty-five miles higher up the river" to plant corn, and there they remained for some time. Teedyuscung, however, did not tarry to take part in the corn-planting, but hurried off post-haste to Fort Niagara (mentioned on page 298) to hold a pow-wow with the French and the western Senecas. }
About the first of June Sir William Johnson sent Ogaghradarisha, an Iroquois sachem, with a message to the Indians at Tioga, summon- ing them to a council at Fort Johnson; and with a message to Col. William Clapham at the mouth of Armstrong's Creek, in what is now Dauphin County, where he was building Fort Halifax. At Tioga the messenger "found only a few Indians, some sick with the small-pox,
* For some years prior to 1749 he was known as "George Rex," and was Captain of Meniolagomeka, the Delaware village mentioned on page 308. He belonged to the Unami, or Wanamie, clan, his totemic device being a turtle. On the 25th of April of the year above mentioned, while on a visit to Bethlehem, he was baptized by Bishop Cammerhoff and received the name "Augustus." He removed with his people from Meniolagomeka to New Gnadenhütten in 1754, as previously related, and was there at the time of the destruction of Old Gnadenhütten. Since then he had been living at Bethlehem. Early in 1756 Augustus stated that Teedyuscung had occasioned the war then in progress in north-eastern Pennsyl- vania. (See "Pennsylvania Archives," First Series, II : 729.) Teedyuscung was his brother-in-law.
Augustus was the step-son of Wiwumkamek, or "Simeon," a native of Egg Harbor, New Jersey, who had removed north of the Blue Mountains early in the eighteenth century. He was totally blind, and was a medicine-man in high repute among his people.
+ According to the testimony of John Cox (mentioned on page 335) the Indians and their prisoners at and near Tioga "were in a starving condition during the whole Summer" of 1756, having very little veni- son and corn and being reduced to the necessity of living upon dog's flesh and the few roots and berries they could collect in the woods. In August about one hundred Indians went to the Ohio region for a supply of food and ammunition. (See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 242. )
Į See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records," VII : 223.
339
inany dead and a few others planting corn ;" while "in his passage by Wyoming he saw nothing but empty houses." Arriving at Colonel Clapham's camp he delivered the message referred to on page 188.
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.