USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > Athens > A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania > Part 24
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172
OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS
articles furnished as presents and compensation for the land it was proposed to purchase, and 3375 pounds specie were appropriated to pay for them. The commissioners suggested that Tioga or Wyalusing would be the most proper place to meet the Six Nations. When the treaty was concluded it was agreed that one thousand dollars' worth of goods should be delivered to the Indians at Tioga Point. The goods were purchased under the direction of Commissioner Johnson; and William Maclay was appointed to deliver them. His final instructions were as follows: Pres. Dickinson to Wm. Maclay :-
"Sir, Relying upon your integrity and Prudence, we request you to take the charge of delivering the goods to the Indian Chiefs appointed at the late Treaty for receiving them at Tioga on the first day of next month. Col. Johnson now sends them to you with an invoice, and we are exceedingly desirous that they may be at Tioga in time. You will read the treaty to the Indians, explain hunt- ing privileges, etc. Sept 3. 1785."
There is in Tioga Point Museum, Herrick Collection, a pamphlet published in 1787, giving the accounts of the Indian Commissioners appointed in connection with aforesaid treaties. Various brief allu- sions in Archives complete the chain of evidence of another neglected chapter of Tioga Point history. In addition to the money paid to the Iroquois confederation, it was agreed to deliver £375 worth of goods on the first of April and the first of October, 1785. Besides the goods, two chiefs of the Mohawks and Senecas had been promised handsome rifles, which were made to order (with names of chiefs engraved on them) and enclosed in cases. All these goods were delivered to Maclay at Northumberland, thence transported to Sunbury on Septem- ber 5, 1785, after which is a record, "detained from September 20 to December 10, going from Sunbury to Tioga, waiting for the coming in of the Indians," etc. One lot of goods, probably flour, was sent by wagon, and the rest by boats, many of which, including the rifles, got wet on the way, and had to be dried and repaired. On arriving at Tioga, Maclay found but few Indians on the ground, and there are various items showing that runners were sent into the Genesee coun- try twice, for whom moccassins, etc., were provided. Meanwhile the waiting Indians had to be provided with food and shelter, a serious undertaking in the wilderness. Powder was furnished, and the In- dians sent out to hunt.
The waggoner from Northumberland to Tioga received £9 6s. Another item is rent paid to Messrs. Pickering and Hodgdon for stores to hold the Indian goods. Where were these stores? The pamphlet does not tell. But records tell that among the lottery war- rants of April, 1785, was one to Pickering and Hodgdon, No. 16, lying west of the mouth of Cayuta Creek, land now known as between Spring's Corners and the center of Sayre. It is possible that here the Indians were assembled and the goods delivered.1
1 Upham, in his "Life of Timothy Pickering," tells that in 1785 Pickering, having had much experience as Quartermaster General in making purchases on a large scale, concluded to enter upon mercantile occupations. Therefore he formed a partnership with Samuel Hodg- don, long a confidential friend, and who had been Commissary General. They erected stores at Philadelphia and Sunbury, and it was doubtless in the latter that these goods were stored. Pickering and Hodgdon were among the Pennsylvania landholders.
173
FIRST INDIAN CONFERENCE AT TIOGA
However, as Matthias Hollenback's trading post or store was es- tablished at Tioga Point, it is possible the gathering and distribution were on his cleared ground, where no doubt the earlier treaties were held.
In Vol. XIV, Colonial Records, p. 536, is this entry : "Mr. McClay (to whom the delivery of the Indian goods at Tioga agreeably to the late treaty at Fort Stanwix has been committed) appeared in Council and presented estimate of necessary expenses, labelled 'Estimate of ex- pences of provisions and carriage of same together with carriage of goods to be delivered to the Indians at Tioga Oct. 1, 1785.'"
December 28 (as above, Vol. XIV, p. 604) is reported :
"A letter from Wm McClay Esq, advising the Board that he had met a large number of the Six Nations of Indians at Tioga and had distributed the goods which he had received in trust for them from the public, agreeably to the instructions which had been given him."
And now, what were these goods? A partial list will surely in- terest and amuse the reader and show the desire of the Indian to appear like his white brothers. List: 100 white ruffled shirts, 50 calico do., many yards of scarlet broadcloth and scarlet flannel, 20 silk hkfs., 12 doz. prs. shears, 12 doz. prs. scissors, 12 doz. dandruff combs, 6 doz. untangling combs, 12 gross gartering, 200 pocket looking glasses, hundreds of yards of calico, linen and lawn, 42 gold-laced hats, 18 castor hats, 12 doz. velvet bound hats, needles, thread, thimbles, knives, ribbons, rings, brooches, armbands, flints, lead, tobacco, pipes, and rum ad libitum. It seems 'twould have been a far more entertaining sight to have viewed these Indians clad in all their new finery, than when they stood up in their canoes in all their heathen panoply of paint and feathers, and sang the death song of the Wyoming settlers.
Could the waters of Tioga but mirror all the scenes of her past, what a wondrous panorama would be unrolled to present eyes !
Referring to Maclay's report to the Assembly of December, 1785, Mr. Craft says: "This closed the Indian conferences between Penn- sylvania and the Indian tribes." That is, as a State, for in the later treaties Pennsylvanians were a part of the general government.
Whenever a treaty was held with the Indians, they expected food as well as gifts. Sir William Johnson, preparatory to the Fort Stan- wix treaty, had ordered from Albany 60 barrels of flour, 50 barrels of pork, 6 barrels of rice and 70 barrels of other provisions. When the council opened there were present 3200 Indians, each of whom, wrote Johnson, "consumes daily more than two ordinary men amongst us, and would be extremely dissatisfied if stinted when convened for busi- ness." (From Halsey's "Old New York Frontier.") After they re- ceived the money for the purchase they were continually passing to the settlements to buy provisions, and, alas! whisky. For the white man's "fire-water" was as loved as his "fire-arms" were feared.
In spite of these treaties the Indians were uneasy and to be feared. There was discontent about their various purchases, especially the later one by Phelps and Gorham. It is also said the British encouraged
174
OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS
them to be hostile, though war was ended. Finally matters were brought to a crisis by the murder of two Seneca Indians, in June, 1790, by the Walker brothers, who were incited to revenge by hearing an Indian boast he had scalped and killed their own father with many others. The people about Pine Creek became much alarmed and war threatened so seriously that the Government at once took steps for conciliation. In the "History of the Holland Purchase," pp. 332 and 333, are found some interesting data relative to this murder and sub- sequent treaty.
August 7, 1790, in a letter to his co-proprietor, Mr. Gorham, Mr. Phelps writes from Canandaigua :
"The Indians are now in great confusion on account of some Indians being inhumanly killed by the white people. I am this moment setting out with an agent from Pennsylvania to make them satisfaction for the two Indians mur- dered. I hope to be able to settle the matter, if I should not succeed, they will retaliate. I never saw them more enraged than they are at this time."
It appears that the mission of Mr. Phelps had no other effect than to induce the Indians to issue a kind of summons, dated August 12, 1790, addressed to the Governor and Council of Pennsylvania, signed by several chiefs, which said :
"Now we take you by the hand and lead you to the Painted Post or as far as your canoes can come up the creek, where you will meet the whole of the tribe of the deceased, and all the chiefs, and a number of the warriors of our nation, when we expect you will wash away the blood of your brothers and put it out of memory, as it is yet sticking in our head. * * Brothers, it is our great brother your Governor (Washington) who must come to see us, as we will never bury the hatchet until our great brother himself comes and brightens the chain of friendship, as it is very rusty. Brothers, you must bring the prop- erty of your brothers you have murdered, and all the property of the murderers, as it will be a great satisfaction to the families of the deceased. Brothers, the sooner you meet us the better, for our young warriors are very uneasy, and it may prevent great trouble."
(The author adds that he does not know the sequel, but that such a state of things must have spread consternation over the new settle- ment.) We are glad to be able to give the complete extract, as Mr. Craft was doubtless right in thinking Col. Stone in error as to the cause for this treaty. In the same history, also in Upham's "Pick- ering," it is noticeable that Cornplanter's speeches concerning the Phelps and Gorham purchase were made after the treaty at Tioga Point. We will give Mr. Craft's account, as the papers relating to this treaty are not in Washington, and it can only be gleaned from Pickering's papers. President George Washington wrote to Timothy Pickering September 4, 1790, authorizing him to meet the Indians in behalf of the United States, and assure them that these murders were displeasing to the Government, etc. It was decided to hold this treaty at Tioga Point, and a trusty messenger was at once dispatched by Pickering to the Senecas, to which nation the victims belonged. The following is Pickering's message to the Senecas concerning proposed meeting2 :
"Brothers, I now inform you that I am appointed by him (the Pres- ident of U. S.) to wash off the blood of our murdered brothers, and wipe away
2 See Upham's "Life of Timothy Pickering," Vol. II, p. 456; last paragraph.
175
TIMOTHY PICKERING, TREATY OF 1790
the tears from the eyes of their friends.3 For these purposes I will meet the relations of the deceased at Tioga, on Monday 25th day of October next-Our Great Chief desires that the chiefs of the Turtle tribe and other great men of your nation, will on that day come to Tioga with relations of the deceased," etc. "Philadelphia 4th Sept. 1790."
Timothy Pilening
3 Upham says: "While the specific object was to assuage the resentment-it was a matter of highest importance to prevent the Six Nations from joining the Western Indians then at war with the U. S." Col. John Butler and other British officials were using every effort, as was learned by Proctor, to bring this about." We also learn from Upham that it was entirely original with Pickering to suggest to Washington the introduction of the arts of husbandry among the Indians, rather than as some writers say, "a dream of Washington's." Upham further says: "Pickering was singularly adapted to it (councils with Indians). There were many particulars in his aspect, deportment and character that gave him great influence over Indians, and won their confidence and good will. His lofty stature, six feet; his broad athletic frame and powerful muscular development; the strength that marked every move- ment; his tread and gestures; his physical hardihood; and the energy, courage and firmness stamped on his face, words, and actions-were just what they admired. There was another point in which he possessed what is the greatest pride of an Indian to exhibit. Although naturally demonstrative, and in conversation or debate all alive, when in silence his face subsided into immovable and impassive composure which nothing could break; no external novelty, excitement, peril, bodily discomfort or pain, and no depth or force of internal pas- sion or sentiment-could disturb the resolute repose of his features." With the Indians that is the last attainment of a great warrior. However, they paid him the highest compliment paid to any white man. They made him an honorary chief by giving him an Indian title, which shows, that though impassive at times, his face could be most pleasant. For they named him at once "Conni-sauti," and always so addressed him around the council fire. The name means the "sunny side of a hill." One can hardly imagine a finer tribute to a man who could appear as stolid as an Indian.
176
OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS
Having sent the message, Col. Pickering at once commenced prepa- rations for the treaty with the assistance of Matthias Hollenback, to whom was committed the purchasing and transporting of necessary goods ; customary presents, supplies, etc. In the Tioga Point Museum is the original invoice, framed and on exhibition. It is too dilapidated for reproduction, but here is given a copy :
Paper filed, "Timothy Pickering's Memorandum of the UNITED STATES Loading to the Indians, &c." This was for the Indian treaty of 1790 :
"Invoice of Goods sent in M. Hollenback's boat to his store at Tioga Point, on account of the United States.
One Bale Marked "P"
Weight 66
7
2
11
66
66
66
66
1
2
7
66
66 66
66
1
3
0
66 66 66
66
2
0
21
66 66
66
0
3
14
66
Trunk 66
66
66
2
1.
24
Box 66 66
"
66
2
0
0
Box Pipes
66
66
2
4
cwt.
qrs.
1bs.
Camp Kettle with crockery
1
0
41
1
5
One Bale Marked "P"
Weight 66
4
3
10
66
66
66
66
1
2
14
66 60 66
66
66
1
3
19
66
66 66
66
1
1
14
4
Quarter Casks Powder
66
1
0
0
1
Cask (Tobacco)
66
18
1
Package wooden bowls
66
11
1
Straight Staved cask
66
1 0
21
1.
Tin kettle with crockery
66
13
1
Keg tobacco
66
2
4
1
66 Spirits
66
3
7
16
2
2
1 Markee in bag marked "T. P."
1 Horseman's tent tied with a rope "T. P."
2
3
1
0
17
58
3 24.
"N. B. If the markee and tent get wet they must be dried the first opportunity, as they will mildew and rot.
(The above invoice and note is in the handwriting of Pickering; under it is the following in the hand of Matthias Hollenback.) :
"In Doct'r Hopkins' boat "2 Bales C
4 qr 1b
"1 Barrel S
1 0 which he will deliver to
"Guy Maxwell of Tioga.
"(signed) M. HOLLENBACK."
On the back of the invoice is written "Timothy Pickering's Mem- orandum of the United States Loading to the Indians, etc." It will be observed prices are not given, but 58 cwt. of goods were quite valuable.
cwt.
qrs.
1bs.
6
3
3
Cask
66
66
4
0
0
Four Barrels Rum
10
2
0
(each 2.2.14)
One Barrel (Hoes)
3
5
66
2
1
7
Cask
2
4
1
2
14
177
PICKERING AT TIOGA POINT
Colonel Pickering and his party reached Tioga Point October 17. Simon Spalding, of Sheshequin, who was highly esteemed by the Indians, was asked to be present. And then there was a long wait. What a time of excitement it must have been; the temper of the Indians led to many forebodings. At last, October 29, five runners arrived and announced the approach of 500 Indians. Here we will give an extract from Charles Erwin's "Painted Post," being the state- ment of Samuel Cook, made August, 1860, called by Erwin interesting and corroborative :
"When we came to Painted Post our goods from Tioga Point were pushed in a canoe up the Chemung river by my father; and our cattle, sheep and hogs were driven along the banks by mother and us children. In the Chemung Nar- rows we met a large party of Indians, who were going to Tioga Point to make a treaty. At first my mother was very much frightened, but the Indians were very civil and passed with their friendly salutation 'sachoo' how do you do, or 'sachoo- ca-cho,' how are you my friend .- I was then a boy, and now I am 81 years old."
Of course, these were the Indians the Snell boys saw pass their door. John Snell said they were a fine sight, with their feathers, brooches and blankets; it will be remembered, Mrs. Whittaker de- scribed the dresses of men as well as women covered with silver brooches and bells, even on the thongs that tied their moccassins. Many of these ornaments are to be seen to-day in the New York State Museum.4 During the period of waiting Col. Pickering wrote, Nov. 11, to a friend :
"I have been here waiting about a fortnight for the coming of the Indians, but they are not yet arrived. Some white villains among them who wish to make themselves important, have greatly contributed to this, though Col Spald- ing told me it is their usual practice to be dilatory. Mr Ellicott arrived last Tues- day. He says the British from Niagara endeavored to prevent this treaty. I have certain information of two hundred and thirty-four advancing, and strag- glers may make up three hundred." November 15th he writes to his wife: "The Seneca Indians arrived yesterday. The chiefs say they expect some chiefs of the other nations, particularly the Cayugas, and desire to wait two days for their arrival. On Wednesday therefore I expect a speech from them in coun- cil .- They are of all ages, some very old and some infants. Last evening agree- ably to my invitation the chiefs came to smoke a pipe with me, drink grog, and eat our bread, butter and cheese. This morning they have sent a message that their ladies will make me a visit. I did not invite them, but I must receive them in the same manner I did the chiefs .- Fortunately the young people staid at home, it being the season for hunting."
Col. Pickering states that this was designed to be a conference with the Senecas only, relative to the barbarous murder at Pine Creek, but that the Indians of other nations came with them, considering the injury done to them all. Maxwell reports Oneidas, Onondagas, Ca-
4 In 1851 Jesse McQuigg, a settler at Owego in 1788, was interviewed by Judge Avery. In the course of his story, he spoke of the Tioga Point treaty of 1790, saying: "Most of the Indians who assembled there came from the headwaters of this river. I saw them coming in their canoes. There were several hundred canoes, four to six Indians in a canoe; a good many squaws and young Indians. The canoes were of bark.
"It was a handsome sight as they approached-they came in a solid body, and with great regularity and uniform movement, some ornamented with feathers-some covered with brooches of silver, generally with white woolen blankets .- The Indian men had their rifles, tomahawks and scalping knives; also pipes and their kind of tobacco. They all landed here, and cooked and ate their breakfast. They were very good natured-all for peace. Their devices (totems of tribes) were cut upon their ornaments, worked into their garments with porcupine quills, and painted on. Leggins, loin cloths, blankets, headdress, moccasins and or- naments were their costume. Saw their wampum belts."-From "Early Owego Sketches," published in Gazette of 1907.
178
OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS
yugas, Chippewas, and Stockbridge or River Indians. Runners had been sent by sachems throughout the Six Nations, their message con- cluding: "This is from your brothers, sachems, chiefs and warriors, walking to the big fire at Tioga Point." We suppose they encamped on or near the council ground, which was on the river bank, east of Episcopal Church edifice, though much of the land has now washed away. November 16, the first regular conference took place, Colonel Pickering making the following opening speech :
"Brethren, sachems, chiefs, and warriors of the Six Nations, I bid you a hearty welcome to this council fire, and thank the Great Spirit who has brought us together in safety, though I sincerely lament the cause of our meeting. I mean the murder of our two brothers of your nation at Pine Creek."
He then informed them the thirteen fires had become one fire, and that General Washington was the great chief of all the thirteen fires, and had appointed him as his representative, but that they must excuse him in his ignorance of their customs, as it was his first ex- perience, adding :
"Brothers you now see my commission, which has been read and inter- preted that I was appointed to wash off the blood of our murdered brothers, and wipe away the tears from the eyes of their friends, and this occasion is to brighten the chain of friendship between you and the United States."
Pickering then gave, as was the custom, strings of wampum to the principal chief, Farmer's Brother,5 who consulted with the chief near him, and then rose and thus spoke:
"Brother we thank the Great Spirit who has appointed this day in which we sit side by side, and look with earnestness on each other. We know you have been long waiting for us, and suppose you have often stretched up your neck to see if we were coming.
"Brother, we sent your letter to the Grand river to Fish Carrier, and we have been waiting for its return, but it has not yet come to hand; and therefore we can not yet properly enter upon the business. We must wait two days for the arrival of the Fish Carrier, or to hear from him. But, in the mean time, ac- cept this belt as a pledge."
He then delivered a belt of wampum. Then Red Jacket6 arose, and spoke as follows :
"Brother, we are happy to see you here for which we thank the Great Spirit. Brother, you say you are not acquainted with our customs. Brother, we
5 Farmer's Brother, or Honayenous, and Red Jacket, or Sagoyewatha, were two prom- inent Seneca chiefs of this period. Thomas, son of Robert Morris, who was present at this and following treaties, and Thomas Maxwell have doubtless best described them. Farmer's Brother may have been born about 1730. "Beyond all doubt he was one of the noblest of his race-in both intellect and eloquence fully equal to Red Jacket, and infinitely above him in courage, and all the moral qualities. Though he spoke often he preferred being a warrior to an orator." He was well formed, erect and not addicted to the use of the degenerating "fire water."
6 Morris says: "When first I knew Red Jacket he was in his prime, probably about 36 years of age-decidedly the most eloquent man among the Six Nations-rather above mid- dle size, well made. His eyes were fine and expressive of intellect of which he possessed an uncommon portion. His address, particularly when he spoke in council, was almost majestic. He was fluent without being rapid-decidedly the most graceful public speaker I ever heard. You could always tell when he meant to speak, from the pains he would take before he rose, to arrange the silver ornaments on his arms; and the graceful folds he would give to his blanket." On great occasions the Indian orators, Red Jacket and Farmer's Brother in par- ticular, not only studied their speeches, but would send for interpreters to rehearse to, that they might be sure he understood them fully, and would translate accurately. For, as a rule, the interpreter often explained a long speech in a single sentence, losing all the embellishments and appeals to imagination. Red Jacket's efforts to train himself as an orator were, however, unusual in a savage; and worthy of emulation to-day when the teaching and practice of oratory are too often neglected. Red Jacket, while not in charge of this council, was quite
179
RED JACKET, HIS SPEECH AT TIOGA
are young, but we will describe the ancient practices of our fathers. The roads we now travel were cleared by them. When they used to meet our brothers of Pennsylvania at Philadelphia, our brothers not only pulled the hatchet out of their heads but buried it. You say you have pulled the hatchet out of our heads, but you have only cast it behind you. You may take it up again. Brother, while the hatchet lies unburied, we can not sit easy on our seats. Brother, from the time we made peace with the United States we have experienced more trouble than ever before. The United States have also had their troubles. Brother, we now hear General Washington the great chief of the United States speaking to us by you, and hope our troubles will now have an end. But our eyes are not yet washed that we may see, nor our throats cleared that we may speak."
SA-GO-YE-WAT-HA (Red Jacket)
prominent, and showed such violent prejudice against the United States that Pickering had to exercise great tact.
He is said to have received his English name from a red coat given him by a British officer, which he loved to wear. His Indian name Pickering gave as Soo-que-ya-waun-tan, meaning "Sleeper wake up," supposed to be suggestive of his wonderful oratory. According to his own story he was present at a great council fire at Shenandoah, Va., when a child, and heard the great Logan speak. He then resolved to devote himself to public speaking, and to follow Logan as a model. From that time on, it was his custom to go into the forest and practise, especially if he could find "roaring water," that he might learn to raise his voice and speak to great numbers. One of his favorite resorts was the great waterfall near Havana, N. Y., which he called She-qua-gah, the place of the roaring waters. He would be long absent from the cabin, and when his mother remonstrated would tell her he had been "playing Logan." Thus, like the ancient Greek who tuned his voice to the ocean's roar, he became a profound though unlettered student of oratory. He said of himself: "I am an orator; I was born an orator." Later, he practised to the sound of Niagara, and refused to have his portrait painted with any other background. Stone, in his "Life of Red Jacket," says that he was at first averse to having his portrait painted, but, having once yielded, there seemed to be a fascination about it, and he went to the other extreme. He sat three times to a self-taught artist of Rochester, who may have painted the portrait here reproduced by courtesy of H. H. Billings of Elmira. This portrait, with one of his wife, are said to have been executed for the Maxwell family, at Red Jacket's own instigation, but there is no artist's name. The Maxwells, father, son and granddaughter, were adopted by the Indians, the lat- ter into the family of Red Jacket.
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