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 II > Part 69
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49 | Part 50 | Part 51 | Part 52 | Part 53 | Part 54 | Part 55 | Part 56 | Part 57 | Part 58 | Part 59 | Part 60 | Part 61 | Part 62 | Part 63 | Part 64 | Part 65 | Part 66 | Part 67 | Part 68 | Part 69 | Part 70 | Part 71 | Part 72 | Part 73 | Part 74 | Part 75 | Part 76 | Part 77 | Part 78 | Part 79 | Part 80 | Part 81 | Part 82 | Part 83 | Part 84 | Part 85 | Part 86 | Part 87 | Part 88 | Part 89 | Part 90 | Part 91 | Part 92 | Part 93 | Part 94 | Part 95 | Part 96 | Part 97 | Part 98 | Part 99 | Part 100 | Part 101 | Part 102 | Part 103 | Part 104 | Part 105 | Part 106 | Part 107 | Part 108 | Part 109 | Part 110 | Part 111 | Part 112 | Part 113 | Part 114 | Part 115 | Part 116 | Part 117 | Part 118
It is probable that the "Rangers" were accompanied front Niagara by some Indians under the command of Capt. John Johnston (mentioned on page 932) of the Indian Department, as Lieut. Colonel Bolton, in a letter to Sir Guy Carleton under the date of May 12, 1778, transmitting certain accounts "for Indian expenses," referred to the large number of Indians collected at the fort, and stated that Major Butler had "gone with the Indians on an expedition."
The " Seneca country " referred to by Major Butler-that is, the country of the Eastern Senecas-at that period lay chiefly within the bounds of the present counties of Livingston and Ontario, New York,* and the principal town of the Senecas, or their capital, was Kanadesaga; or, according to Lewis H. Morgan, Ga-nun-de-sa-ga in the Seneca dialect, meaning "new settlement village."t Genesee Castle, or "Little Beard's Town," containing 128 substantial log houses, and located at or near the present town of Cuylerville, just west of the Genesee River, in Living- ston County, was the largest Seneca town in 1778 and 1779; but Kanade- saga was the capital of the nation, and was commonly called "The Seneca Castle." At a later period it was known as "Old Castle," or "Old Castle Town." It was situated some 108 miles, " as the crow flies," east- south-east of Fort Niagara, and a mile and a-half or two miles north-west from the north-western corner of Seneca Lake, within the present limits of the town of Geneva, Ontario County; and, as noted on page 437, had been located there since about 1756.
The town was finely situated on a level stretch of ground through which ran a brook, and it was compactly built. In 1778 and 1779 it consisted of about fifty dwelling-houses, with thirty more in the immediate vicinity. The houses in the town-some of which were good, framed buildings-were irregularly built around a large, green plot, on which had stood the stockaded fortification (the remains of which, indicating a structure of considerable size, were plainly visible in 1778) erected by Sir William Johnson, as previously mentioned. Beautifully situated near the shore of the lake, about a inile and a-half from the town, in the midst of an extensive corn-field, was a large frame-house, witli two 'or three smaller houses near by. These were known as " Butler's build-
* See pages 111 and 121, and map on page 33, Vol. I.
¡ Gen JOHN S. CLARK (mentioned on page 170, Vol. I) has stated that Kanadesaga signifies "the Grand Village," and that the town was so called because the residence of the chief sachem of the Sene- cas was located there. This statement was based, undoubtedly, upon what Sir William Johnson wrote in 1763 concerning the town in question, which was to the effect that "Kanadesero" (he so called it, in the Mohawk dialect ) meant "the Grand Village;" not that it was different from the other villages, but because the Turtle-the most noble of all the clans of the Seneca nation-was the dominant, or ruling, clan of the town. Also, it was the residence of Sayenqueraghta, the grand representative of the nation, to whom was committed the charge of lighting the council-fire of the Six Nations.
968
ings" and "Butler's quarters," and were always occupied by Maj. John Butler and his white associates whenever they visited Kanadesaga in an official or a military capacity. An extensive apple-orchard was within the bounds of the town, and many apple-trees were growing throughout the fields in the neighborhood-some of the trees appearing to be twenty or thirty years old in 1778. About half a mile north of the town was a large peach-orchard, and wild-plum, mulberry, hickory-nut, walnut and butternut trees were there in great abundance. Large and well-culti- vated corn-fields lay to the north and north-east, at some distance from the town. In the town was a large council-house, and about a half mile distant, in a north-easterly direction, in the midst of a corn-field, stood a noble elin-tree, known as "the great council-tree of the Senecas." It was still standing in 1879, at which time its trunk measured, near the ground, twenty-five feet in circumference.
At Kanadesaga dwelt the celebrated Seneca war-chief Gy-ant-wa- hia, or "Cornplanter " (mentioned on page 164, Vol. I); but the chief man there in 1778, and for several years previously, was Say-en-que- ragh-ta,* or " Old Smoke," or " Old King," as he has more commonly
* SAY-EN-QUE-RAGH-TA belonged to the Turtle clan of the Senecas, as previously noted, and, accord- ing to Col. Daniel Claus (a son-in-law of Sir William Johnson, and frequently mentioned hereinbefore), was "descended from a brave and loyal family, distinguished for their attachment to the Crown and to British interests so early as the reign of Queen Anne"; the head of which family was presented by that Queen "with a coronet- the only mark of distinction of that kind ever given to an Indian." The Seneca chief thus honored was either the father or grandfather of Sayenqueraghta, and was one of the five Indian "kings" taken to England by Col. Peter Schuyler in 1710 (as mentioned on page 175, Vol. I), during the last years of Queen Anne's reign.
The pronunciation of an Indian's name varied in the different dialects of the several nations of the Iroquois. Then the fancies of different writers, in the use of syllables, or words, and letters to express the sounds heard, varied also a good deal. Hence the name of Sayenqueraghta is found variously writ- ten, as, for example, "Seaquarrathec", "Sangerachta", "Siengerochte", "Siengorachte", "Saengerach- ton", "Gajinquechto", "Giengwahto", "Gucingerachton", "Cayenquaraghta", "Kayingwaurto" and "Kayinguaraghtoh", and in upwards of a score more ways. (See George S. Conover's "Sayenque- raghta, King of the Senecas", and the Rev. Horace Edwin Hayden's "The Massacre of Wyoming", mentioned in previous pages. )
The first mention we make of this chief is in the account (page 235, Vol. I) of the journey of the missionaries Cammerhoff and Zeisberger from Wyoming Valley to central New York in the Summer of 1750. Sayenqueraghta was then living at Ganechstage. He was still living there in June, 1754, when he attended the Congress at Albany, New York, described in Vol. I, page 262, et seq. Takeghsatu was then the principal chief of the Eastern Senecas, and was one of the Indians who executed the deed to Thomas and Richard Penn described on page 268, Vol. I. Sayenqueraghta signed neither that deed nor the one to The Susquehanna Company. (See "Pennsylvania Colonial Records", VI : 128.) In October, 1758, both Takeghsatu and Sayenqueraghta (then a "war captain") attended the conference at Easton, Pennsylvania, described on page 379, Vol. I. At that time both chiefs resided at the new town of Kanadesaga, whither they had removed in 1756; and in going to and returning from Easton they passed through Wyoming Valley, tarrying for a time, on each occasion, at the village of Teedyus- cung, described on pages 310 and 371, Vol. I.
By the Spring of 1763 Sayenqueraghta had succeeded Takeghsatu as chief sachem of the Eastern Senecas, and in May of that year he took an important part (as one of the deputies from the Six Nations) in a conference held with the Governor of Connecticut at Hartford, relative to the Susque- hanna lands. (See Vol. I, page 415.) In April, 1764, as one of the deputies of the "whole Seneca nation", Sayenqueraghta signed "Preliminary Articles of Peace" at Johnson Hall, New York, as described on pages 436 and 437, Vol. I. His signature being the first one (of the Indians) to the treaty, indicates that he was the chief or leading sachem. The signature -- "Tagaanadie"-to the left of, and on the same line with, that of Sayenqueraghta, is the signature of the latter's eldest son.
In January, 1765, the Rev. Samuel Kirkland (whose name is several times mentioned in the pre- ceding pages, and a sketch of whose life will be found in Chapter XVIII), under the protection of a convoy sent by Sir William Johnson, went to the Senecas as a missionary. Upon his arrival at Kan- adesaga (twenty-three days after leaving Johnson Hall), he was taken to the house of Sayenqueraghta, "the chief sachem", who received him kindly. The next day a council was convened, and the message of Sir William Johnson having been delivered, was received with great applause. It was then deter- mined that Mr. Kirkland should remain with Sayenqueraghta till some more convenient place could be provided; but within a few weeks after his arrival he was formally adopted as a member of this chief's family. A number of the chiefs assembled in the council-house, the members of Sayenqueraghta's fam- ily being present, sitting apart by themselves. Mr. Kirkland was waited upon and invited to repair to the council-house. On his entrance one of the chiefs, after a short period of silence, spoke as follows: "Brothers, open your ears and your eyes. You see here our white brother, who has come from a great distance, recommended to us by our great chief, Sir William Johnson, who has enjoined it upon us to be kind to him, and to make him comfortable and protect him to the utmost of our power. He comes to do us good. Brothers, this young white brother of ours has left his father's house, and his mother, and all his relations. We must now provide for him a home. I am appointed to say to you and to our young white brother that our head sachem adopts him into his family. He will be a father to him, and his wife will be a mother, and his sons and daughters his brothers and sisters."
"The head sachem [ Sayenq"eraghta] then arose", says Kirkland in his journal (see his "Life" in Sparks' "Library of American Biography", XV : 167), "and took me by the hand, and called me his son, and led me to his family. I thanked him, and said I wished the Great Spirit might make me a blessing to his family. I then shook hands with his wife and children, and with all who were con- vened on the occasion." The sachem's bouse being crowded by his own family, and resorted to by many visitors, it was determined that Mr. Kirkland should reside at a house near by, occupied by an Indian family consisting of a man, his wife and niece. Unfortunately, a few days later, this Indian man died very suddenly in the night, having been in perfect health, apparently, the day before. A num-
969
ber of the inhabitants of the village were strongly disposed to charge the sudden death to either the pres- ence, or some act, of Mr. Kirkland. Thereupon a council was assembled (which continued in session for several days), the opening speech at which was made by Sayenqueraghta, in part as follows: "Broth- ers, this is a dark day to us; a heavy cloud has gathered over us. The cheering rays of the sun are obscured. A great and awakening event has called us together-the sudden death of one of our best inen. A living example of peace, sobriety and industry is taken from us. Our whole town mourns, for a good man is gone. Our white brother had lived with him a few days. Our white brother is a good young man. He loves Indians. He wishes to do thiem good. He comes recommended to us by Sir Wil- liam Johnson, who is commissioned by the great King beyond the waters to be our Superintendent. Brothers, attend! The Great Spirit has supreme power over life. He has most certainly brought about this solemn event by His will. Brothers, let us deliberate wisely; let us determine with great caution; let us take counsel with a tender mind."
Speeches were made by various members of the council, and then Sayenqueraghta made the closing speech, in which, among other things, he said: "You imagine that it would be agreeable to the mind of the Upholder of the Skics that our English brother's life should make satisfaction for the death of our brother, and then all would be peaceful and pleasant in the future. I am surprised, I am grieved at my heart, I am ashamed of these suggestions. They may be the fruits of jealousy or ignorance or a bad heart. This young white brother was committed to our care by Sir William Johnson, who enjoined tipon us to be kind to him, to protect him fromn all harm, to let no evil befall him by our neglect. He came with a pure intention to do us good. Who can say he has done any bad thing since he came among us? Who among us can lift up his hand to kill an innocent man? I should rather die myself than wish to live and see the evils that would befall our nation should we do this wrong. Hearken, I beseech you, to my advice. Repent, and correct what has been amiss in some of your talk, and never let the white people know-and especially Sir William Johnson-all and everything that has passed in this council. Bury the hatchet deep in the ground, with all jealousy and animosity against our white brother."
This closing speech of Sayenqueraghta bore down all opposition. No reply was made. His advice was assented to by all but a small minority, and, after a general shout of applause, "which made the council-house ring", Sayenqueraghta said, "Our business is done; I rake up the council-fire." There- after, during his stay at Kanadesaga, Mr. Kirkland resided with Tekanada, or Tagaanadie (the eldest son of Sayenqueraghta), and his family, in one of the block-houses of the old palisaded fortification huilt by Sir William Johnson. During this time he lived in great harmony and friendship with the Senecas, who were referred to by him in a letter as "a nation the most savage and barbarous of any upon the continent."
In the Spring of 1765 the inhabitants of Kanadesaga suffered very greatly for lack of necessary and substantial food, and towards the end of April the want of provisions became so pressing, and the prospect of starvation so imminent, that Mr. Kirkland, accompanied by Tagaanadie and his family, set out by water for Sir William Johnson's for a supply of food. After many adventures and some mis- fortunes-including the death of Tagaanadie's wife-the surviving members of the party returned to Kanadesaga the last of June with an ample stock of necessaries. Mr. Kirkland left the Seneca capital finally in May, 1766, and was accompanied to Lebanon, Connecticut, by his adopted brother Tagaanadie. En route they arrived at Hartford while the General Assembly of Connecticut was in session, and received "distinguished attention", together with a present of £20, from the Governor and me nhers of the Assembly. At the time of Mr. Kirkland's residence in Kanadesaga Sayenqueraghta's family con- sisted of his mother, aged ninety years, his wife, who belonged to the Cayuga nation, and at least two sons and two daughters. One of the daughters was the wife of Capt. Roland Montour, mentioned on page 207, Vol. I, and on a subsequent page of this chapter.
In November, 1768, Sayenqueraghta was one of the Six Nation deputies present at the Fort Stan- wix treaty, described on pages 448 and 452, Vol. I; in July, 1771, he was present at an Indian confer- ence held with Sir William Johnson at Johnson Hall; and in an account (see "New York Colonial Doc- uments", VIII : 424-8) of a congress of some of the principal chiefs and warriors of the Six Nations held at Johnson Hall, April 18, 1774, Sayenqueraghta is named as "the chief of the Senecas", and is noted as having made a lengthy speech to Sir William Johnson. At a congress of Six Nation Indians held at Johnstown in September, 1774, in consequence of the appointment of Col. Guy Johnson as the successor of his father-in-law in the office of Superintendent of Indian Affairs, a number of chiefs- including Sayenqueraghta-were presented to Colonel Johnson, the speaker saying: "These are all great men, who rule us. They are of one mind, resolved to remember Sir William Johnson's words and follow your advice. They are men to be trusted." March 2, 1775, Colonel Johnson distributed some presents to the principal men of the Six Nations-particularly to "Sayenqueraghta, the faithful chief of all the Lower [or Eastern] Senecas", and his family. (See "New York Colonial Documents", VIII : 559.)
According to Col. Daniel Claus Sayenqueraghta was in command of the Senecas at the bloodv hat- tle of Oriskany (see page 936), where seventeen of his nation-among them many leaders-were killed at the first onset. The Senecas were greatly exasperated by this loss, and although they revenged them- selves by killing many of the Americans, "chiefly with spears and lances", they were not satisfied, says Claus. After the battle of Oriskany Sayenqueraghta accompanied John Butler to Quebec, as mentioned on page 938. As to the whereabouts and doings of Sayenqueraghta in 1778 after the battle of Wvo- mning, and in 1779, some mention is made in the subsequent pages of this chapter, and in Chapters XVI and XVIII. After the destruction of Kanadesaga early in September, 1779 (as related in Chapter XVIII), Sayenqueraghta and his family repaired to Fort Niagara.
In the latter part of 1779, or early in 1780, Sir Frederick Haldimand received from Lord George Germain a commission signed by King George appointing Joseph Brant a "Colonel of Indians". This commission was evidently issued in response to tlie plea made to Sir Guy Carleton in behalf of Brant hy Maj. John Butler in February, 1778, as set forth in the latter's letter on page 965. Accompanving this commission was a hox of prints, or engravings, of Brant, after "Lord Warwick's picture of him"; some of which prints General Haldimand was instructed to send to the Mohawks, and then to dispose of the remainder as a "memorial" of Brant's services. In reply, General Haldimand wrote to Lord Germain in part as follows (see the "Haldimand Papers") :
"I have received His Majesty's commission for Joseph Brant, and your Lordship observes very justlv that his conduct merits every mark of our attention and regard; but Josepli's situation amongst the Six Nation Indians is very different from the idea those who are not acquainted with it must, from his superior talents, conceive. To speak in their style, he has been [only] very lately known on the war-path. He is now distinguishing himself in that line, but it will he some time hefore he is acknowl- edged by them even upon a footing with very many (as they conceive) more experienced and greater warriors. Besides, the notice that has been taken [of him] by us in consequence of his connection with Sir William Jolinson, his being civilized, and, more particularly, for his good services, has, from a jealousy paramount among the Indians, procured as many enemies among his own people as friends.
"Among this number is Schenderachto | Sayenqueraghta], King of the Senecas, and by many degrees the most leading [man], and the man of most consequence and influence, in the whole of the Six Nations, and hy whose interest and intrigues Major Butler has been able to carry through many essential points. He is brave, prudent, and perfectly attached to Government-more strongly so since the alliance [of the Americans] with the French, to whom he has an unconquerable aversion. Were so great a mark of distinction as is proposed for Joseph to pass him, it might-and I am sure it would -be productive of very dangerous consequences. For which reason I must take it upon me to ship-
970
press the commission and likewise the pictures, until I have His Majesty's further pleasure. I should hope this affair has not heen so publicly mentioned at home as to reach Joseph's knowledge.'
In the Spring of 1780 Sayenqueraghia and his family were living at "Five Mile Meadows", distant ahout five miles from Fort Niagara; hut in June of that year they established themselves at a point on Buffalo Creek, some four miles from Fort Erie. Early in 1781 Sayenqueraghta, in command of a party of Senecas, set out from Fort Niagara on a marauding expedition. After the return of the party Col. Guy Johnson wrote from Niagara to Governor Haldimand, under the date of February 19, 1781, that the party had not heen "so successful as expected." At Niagara, under the date of June 1, 1781, John Butler (then Lieut. Colonel), wrote to Captain Matthews that "the Seneca chief Sayengaraghta, with about 250 warriors, has gone off to attack a village near Fort Pitt [Pittshurg, Pennsylvania]. A party has heen ordered to join them." At Niagara, under the date of March 23, 1782, Brigadier Powell wrote to Sir Frederick Haldimand that he would "do everything in his power for the expedition ordered", and would "detain Schiandaraghty and 200 of his best men", who were "preparing to go to Fort Pitt." The expedition ahove referred to was planned to create a diversion in western Pennsylvania in favor of the Indians on the rivers Ohio and Miami, who were ahout that time menaced with a formidable attack by the forces commanded by Brig. Gen. George Rogers Clark of Virginia. (See note ";" on page 131, Vol. I.) Ahout the last of June, 1782, "the expedition ordered", as abovementioned, set out from Niagara under the joint command of Captain Powell and Sayenqueraghta. Some 250 Indian warriors and about fifty enlisted soldiers-presumably "Rangers"-composed the force. They proceeded southward into Pennsylvania, and on July 12th crossed the Allegheny River and entered Westmoreland County. On July 13th the lahorers at work in a harvest-field about a mile north of Hannastown (a settlement of some thirty cahins and a small stockade, near Loyalhanna Creek, on the old Forhes road, ahout thirty miles east of Pittsburg, and about three miles north-east of the present town of Greensburg) spied the foremost Indians skulking ahout the fields. Some, seizing their guns, hurried back to the stockade, while others carried the news through the country. Within a few hours the invaders surrounded Han- nastown. They did not attack the stockade (where nearly all the people were gathered), but, having first sacked the cahins in the settlement, hurned them to the ground. Then they repaired to Miller's settlement, ahout three miles away, where they destroyed more property and captured several of the settlers. Thence the invaders marched back to Fort Niagara, taking with them some thirty prisoners, bound, and loaded with the plunder of their captors.
In 1782 or '83 Sayenqueraghta-then a very aged man-removed fromn Buffalo Creek to a new location, in Erie County, New York, some five or six miles south of the present city of Buffalo, near a stream now known as Smoke's Creek. In April, 1784, Governor Clinton of New York sent a messenger to Niagara to invite the Indians in that locality to come down to Alhany to hold a council with him and the Commissioners of Indian Affairs. To the messenger the Governor gave these instructions: "Cayenquerachta, the Seneca sachem, must have particular attention paid to him, and you must privately promise him that you will recommend him to the notice of the Commis- sioners." The old King died in the Spring of 1790 at his home near Smoke's Creek. As noted on page 164, Vol. I, he was succeeded in the office of head-chief of the Seneca nation by "Cornplanter", who for some years then had been chief of the Western Senecas-many of whom were located along the Allegheny River.
Sayenqueraghta was, in 1778, a large, portly man, of commanding presence. Col. William L. Stone, in his "Life and Times of Red Jacket", says that Sayenqueraghta, or "Old Smoke", was "the most powerful, as he was deemed the wisest, sachem of his time. He was the principal sachem, or civil chief, of the nation, and his word was law. When he thought proper to convene a council it was only for the purpose of announcing his intentions, and none said nay to his behests. His infallibility was never questioned."
"This glowing tribute to Sayenqueraghta", says George S. Conover in his "Sayenqueraghta, King of the Senecas", previously referred to, "who is here called 'Old Smoke', and who received that cog- nomen not only from the fact that 'smoke' was in his name, but also because he held the prominent official position as the 'smoke-bearcr' --- the sole and only custodian of the council-fire among the Senecas -shows the reverence and veneration with which he had been held by the Senecas, and the great influ- ence and prominence he had attained. *
* * While the official position held by 'Old Smoke' gave him great prominence, yet his greater popularity and influence resulted from his individual personal merit. He was a valiant warrior-his bravery and sagacity in war won for him the trust and confi- dence of his people. He was a wise and judicious counselor, and this secured for him their respect and esteem. 'Red Jacket', at the Pickering treaty at Canandaigua in the Fall of 1794, testified of him that he was 'a man of great understanding'. * His superior talents, together with his good and sterling qualities, gained for him the regard and veneration of the Indians, and secured for him a greater prom- inence and a more commanding influence than that possessed by the sachems, or ohtained hy any of the chiefs, of his time. He was, indeed, one of the most distinguished men of the Iroquois-the most popular and prominent of the Senecas-always a firm friend where he pledged fidelity; possessing a warm and generous heart; had the respect of enemies and the love of friends; was hrave, sagacious, wise, with a tender heart, as sympathetic as a woman."
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.