A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 27

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726

USA > Pennsylvania > Bradford County > Athens > A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania > Part 27

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20 Such rattles were found in a grave in garden of M. P. Murray at Athens.

CHAPTER XI

RESULTS OF ARCHÆOLOGICAL RESEARCH

Indian Village Sites, Burial Places, Potteries and Flint Factories in the Tioga Point Region-Accounts of the Investigations of Messrs. Wright, Murray, Ercanbrack, Lang and Others.

Although infrequent Indian village sites and graves had been known or observed for two generations; and the small boy, as ever, made his collections of arrow points and potsherds, often hoarded until manhood ; it may be said that the treasures of Tioga Point were practically undisturbed and unknown until the accidental discoveries in the garden of M. P. Murray in 1882, followed by the investigations of Harrison Wright in behalf of the Wyoming Historical and Geolog- ical Society, in same garden, in 1883. Even with these unusual finds, it was not until the organization of the Tioga Point Historical Society, in 1895, that the people wakened to the fact that this region was archæologically rich. Little attention has ever been paid by students of ethnology to the valley of the Upper Susquehanna, although the long aboriginal occupation of Tioga Point by Algonquins, as well as Iroquois, should make its possibilities self-evident. The writer, being awakened to the lack of skilled investigation, made various efforts to draw the attention of Prof. W. H. Holmes, W. K. Moorehead and others to the locality. Failing in that, and regretful that students closer to it have not included Tioga Point in their research, we have resolved here to present in a separate chapter the results of the work of amateur investigators ; by name, Murray, Ercanbrack, Ott, Shepard and Lang; trusting that more learned students may help us to decide to what race belong the almost gigantic skeletons often found; also, whether any of the Tioga Point pottery shows the touch of an Algon- quin hand ; and whether the history of the Andastes may be illuminated by a study of the skulls discovered. These things can only be open to the students through the medium of classified local museum collections or illustrated articles carefully written. It is a matter of the greatest regret that any of Tioga Point's treasures have gone to other mu- seums, or are hoarded in private collections by selfish or ignorant col- lectors; for it is a well known fact that skulls, pottery or indeed all Indian relics, "when disconnected from the place where found, are more surely lost than if still buried in the earth." At Tioga Point is a fireproof museum ; in it should be gathered all the archaeological treas- ures of local aboriginal origin, and the various collections should be either loaned or given with the understanding that all are to be classi- fied according to the highest authorities. Then and only then can intel- ligent investigations or observations be made. Moreover, the interest in this collection should endure. It should be the ambition of every inhabitant of the region to make this museum so locally perfect that it would become a veritable Mecca to the ethnologists; marking, one

195

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OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

might almost say, the point of contact or dividing line between Algon- quin and Iroquois. The children should be taught reverence for the collection (and for the red man as well), and should learn to bring to it their own treasures of arrow point, potsherd, etc.

It has seemed wise to introduce also in this chapter, even if already noted, the village and burial sites known in this region, as discovered by parties aforementioned. General Clark told us long ago that there was an almost continuous chain of villages from Tioga Point to the head waters of the Cayuga Branch, also up the Susquehanna to Una- dilla. Probably it might better be said from Wyalusing than from Tioga. As many as possible are herein mentioned.

As for the village sites they may readily be determined by the ac- companying map, which goes far to explain itself. Many of these sites had been located by Messrs. Murray and Ercanbrack before Mr. Lang began investigations ; but as this map includes them all, it was decided to use but one. Mr. Lang's map was not drawn to a scale, but was pret- ty accurately sketched ; and as adjusted by C. D. Park from actual sur- veys, will bear critical examination. The most interesting discoveries made personally by Mr. Lang are the two sites which may possibly be accepted as the two other towns of the Carantouannai mentioned by Champlain. One is the palisaded town of old Chemung, noted on map. While this is in the broader angle made by creek and river, a somewhat unusual occurrence, it is on a decided elevation well calculated for de- fense. The other is on the high ground in the angle where Cayuta Creek empties in the Susquehanna northeast of Sayre. It will be easily seen that with the one on Spanish Hill, and the fortification on Fort Hill at Elmira, the border line of the Iroquois was well protected.

The most unusual arrow or spear points found by Mr. Lang were one of obsidian on the flats at Nichols called Maughatawanga, one of jasper at mouth of Cayuta Creek, and one of white quartz near Spanish Hill. The oldest relics were at the mouth of Cayuta, and on the Mac- afee farm already mentioned.

In the Tioga Point Museum one large case is devoted to the Lang Collection, two-thirds of whose contents, and many more, have been found on these sites, 3,000 in all.

It may be said that the first recorded discovery of an extensive Indian burial place at Tioga Point was by Sullivan's soldiers, close to their camp, mentioned in many journals, and an object of interest and amusement to all the troops. Doubtless this was near the camp on the Point, although it might have been anywhere in the vicinity of Fort Sullivan ; and may have been the one in the Murray garden. There is also a burial site close to the river on the upper part of Point farm, which may have been the one. The burial place just south of Queen Esther's town, on the high point of land was known seventy-five years ago, every flood up to present time revealing new treasures, many seemingly antedating her occupation. The next find was nearly a hun- dred years later in 1877 ; not a burial place perhaps but a grave. Some excavations were being made on lot now occupied by I. K. Park, when human bones were discovered, very much charred with remnants of

REPRODUCTION OF MAP MADE BY PERCY L. LANG OF WAVERLY NY showing Indian Villages, Camps, and Burial Sites as located and investigated by him in 1897-98.

SMITHBORO

BARTON

LOCKWOOD

NEWTOWN

Chemung

River

ELMIRA

LOWMANVILLE

OLD

CHEMUNG

PALISADED

CHEMUNG

BANK OF ANER

WAVERLY

N.Y

STATE LINE.

WELLSBURG

WILAWANNA

SPANISH HILL

GANATOCHER SAYRE.

Sayre

· Athens

· Chemung

· Wilawanna

· Wellsburg

. Lowmanville 11

· Elmira

V · Village Sites B . Burial Sites C , Camp Sites

TIDNA

POINT

QUEEN

ESTHEAP FLATS. V

-V

Susquehanna River

Maughatawanga

RELICS FOUND AT THE VARIOUS SITES. Fragmentary pottery. Flint points & chippings. Stone tools. Hammer stones Rubbing stones Pestles & mortors Pipes. ornaments etc. 3000 in number

DISTANCES

Waverly to Barton

72 miles

Smithboro 10

TUTELOW C

ATHEN

W .

Charles Dana Park fecit

QUEEN ESTHERS GLEN

FLATS

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OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

burnt wood. Investigation proved the bones to belong to a woman, and the investigator, Rev. C. C. Tracy, wrote an article suggesting death by torture. Great quantities of the river clam shell were found at this spot, proving it to be a camp site of long duration. The shells were foolishly called wampum, but Mr. Tracy's evidence is to the con- trary. It was probably long previous to this date that a strange burial place was discovered just across the Chemung on the old Murray farm, as the discovery was made by Abner Murray, who died about 1850. He and his son Edward supposed these bodies to have been buried in time of battle. Abner taught all his boys (as did his son, Edward) to reverence this spot; and digging for mere curiosity was not permitted. If the unfriendly plow revealed some of the bones of the braves, all the boys were taught to reinter them at once; and no observations were made to assist in decision as to who were here buried. Great numbers were buried in trenches, which ran east and west, a few rods south of Murray homestead, on the high ground or river terrace. There were several of these trenches, and the position of the clay and loam plainly indicated that after the first trench was filled, the excavations from the next were used to cover the bodies. These trenches must have been at least 100 feet long and were entirely unlike the known ossuaries or burial pits. Arrow points were found here in abundance, and a large bead, evidently of European manufacture.

It is a curious fact that, in all the investigations of recent years, extending from Sheshequin to Elmira and Owego, while the imple- ments found are varied, certain well known forms are almost entirely absent ; for instance, banner stones, ceremonial stones, scrapers and wampum. Here mentioned because as early as 18251 it is related that there was an old Indian camp (perhaps a hunting camp) at Pine grove southwest of town, which was frequented by the children of the neigh- borhood on account of the great quantities of wampum and colored beads, of which the girls often made necklaces; many flints also were found here.

Occasional skeletons, supposed to be Indians, were found in the lower part of present town, as in Chester Park's garden, and just in front of George A. Perkins' gate. There is no proof that these were not buried in Fort Sullivan, and possibly they were white men.

In the autumn of 1882 an accidental discovery was the beginning of the most interesting investigations. While in the original village plot of Athens, the lot now owned by Millard P. Murray, was the only one on which a house had never been built. No one seems to know why. In 1882 some workmen were digging a ditch from location of present house to river, when they came upon three Indian graves, con- taining two skeletons of men and one of a woman. In one of these graves was the pot whose fragments are shown at top of Plate I; also the one at left in next row, and three others; the shell gorget at top and a common clam shell cut to a sharp point; also two good celts and a discoidal stone (No. 5, in Plate VIII). The lot had long been an orchard and these and all later pots were perforated with thread-

1 Told by Mrs. Matilda Watkins when eighty years old, 1896.

199

THE MURRAY POTTERY

like apple roots, and the pottery very frail. No careful hand being there, the pottery was broken in removal. But, fortunately, the pieces are of sufficient size to show decorations. If intact this pot would stand about eight inches in height, with probable circumference of twenty inches. The frieze is two inches high, and the upper edge fin-

PLATE I

ished in four well defined curves. On opposite sides are the two masks or faces, distinctly those of male and female, representative of the Indian type. It has been truly said, "They show more of artistic development than has generally been attributed to the Indians of the Eastern States." The frieze is further decorated with diagonal lines

200

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

forming triangles, with parallel lines at top and bottom; below the frieze is a row from face to face of finger nail or fish bone indentations. In the inset below are parallel lines running all around, then a row of small triangles, and finally lines, triangles and arrow point or fish bone indentations covering the bowl completely. This bowl, though larger, is similar in decoration to one found later, now in museum of Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, and no others have ever been found so profusely decorated. Some of the dotted work has been compared to that on the Irish pot of the Bronze Age, found in Donnelly's "At- lantis," page 142. The gorget is made from a marine shell and was probably suspended by a cord around the neck.

The celts were respectively of chert, green stone, serpentine and chloritic schist, in varying degrees of make and polish. These three skeletons were so close together they seemed to have been buried in one grave, in a sitting posture, facing east. Detail is insufficient as there was no one present but workmen. A number of drift stones of large size were in these graves, and a large flat stone, worn in centre, probably used for dressing hides, cleaning shad or kneading cakes. While much interest was awakened by this find, it was not supposed there were more graves near. Therefore, the request of the late Har- rison Wright that he might examine and possess possible finds was carelessly granted ; thus losing to the locality, as will be seen, objects of great interest. In April, 1883, Mr. Wright and company began in- vestigations by measuring in every direction distances of twelve feet, this being the usual distance observed in Indian burials. At this time the size and shape of this plot were not known, and the garden was pretty thoroughly examined at every twelve-foot interval. The result was very surprising. Thirteen graves were found with relics of un- usual interest.

Twenty minutes after arrival, twelve feet from original grave, another was found, doubtless of a medicine man or celebrated dancer ; for at each temple was found a turtle shell with perforated holes for suspension around the neck, plastrons also perforated, and each shell containing four very small pebbles (see Plate II). While these may have been totems of the Turtle clan, the natural inference would be that they had been used for rattles. In the earth near this grave, as was observed later at another, was a large quantity of red ochre, a broken bone comb, a broken gorget, and some shell beads which dis- integrated. A full account of this extensive find, written by Harrison Wright, is to be found in Vol. II, Part I, Proceedings Wyoming His- torical and Geological Society. Cushing tells of the dance rattles sim- ilarly made of turtle shells. Some of these bodies were buried (as later ones were found) sitting, and some at length. The general position was with knees drawn to breast, right arm bent, and burial pot on right hand near breast. (The smaller skull shows plainly death by toma- hawk; the skull having a cleft.) This skeleton was buried lying, with head on a pillow of twigs bound tightly together. Many of these graves were lined with bark, and sometimes with large drift or cobble stones. In some instances one burial was over another, and in three instances

PLATE II

201

DISCOVERIES OF HARRISON WRIGHT

in this plot two were buried side by side, one being in every case a woman.

One pot, of small size, plain and with elliptical rim, Mr. Wright thought a drinking cup. The smallest one has a face in each side of frieze of very different character from those of original find, being surmounted by a head-dress curiously like those of Egyptian soldiers (see back cover). This, also, Mr. Wright thought a drinking cup. The only bit of metal in these graves was the serpentine bronze bracelet, a most unusual relic, here shown with the bone comb (Plate IIa). (All of the articles found were presented to the museum of the Wyoming Historical and Geological Society, and many are reproduced in their publica- tions. The turtle shell rattles, bracelet and comb are here re- produced for the first time by the courtesy of the society.)

This led Mr. Wright to infer that they were at least 300 years old. He also observed that the burials evidently ex- tended over a very long period, as evinced in the grade of im- plements found, from the Neo- litic to the Stone Age. Of all the skeletons examined by Mr. Wright, only the turtle man was above medium height. Charcoal was found on all these graves, indeed it has come to be the hall mark of the Indian grave. All the personal belongings were often burned on the grave, or sometimes, ac- cording to Schoolcraft's Abo- riginal Archives, a fire was lighted for four nights after burial on the grave, to shed light on the path to the happy hunting grounds.

PLATE IIa

It was greatly regretted that so much was found and removed from Tioga Point. But it was very soon discovered, in the process of garden making, that Mr. Wright had located the graves too far apart ; and as many more have since been found, twenty-nine in all. After a

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OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

number of others had come to light, investigation showed that this was a defined plot, about twenty feet from edge of river bank, and about eighty feet in length, and twenty to thirty feet wide. In the corner, twenty feet from north line of the lot was found, under ground, a pillar of eight large drift stones, and with them a flat stone on which is roughly cut the exact proportions of the little plot. This stone is in Tioga Point Museum. Mrs. Harriet Maxwell Converse thus explains the plot2: "It was customary to bury the dead in clans rather than families. It was the rule that a circle should be made in the burial places for the clan chief." This was borne out by finding exactly in centre of plot a large circle of drift stones, with a marker at east and west side. No other totem having been found it seems possible that the turtles may have been buried as a mark of the clan, for totems were the heraldry of the tribes. Although the turtle totem was usually carved in stone, like No. 5, Plate VII, which was found at Athens or Sheshequin, and has the feet well carved on under side.

As to the age of this burial plot Mr. Wright noted that aside from the absence of iron implements, the bones were fast cemented in the clay or loam, indicating a very long period of interment. Ac- cording to Mrs. Converse they were buried in the true Iroquois fash- ion ; yet the Andastes or Carantouans were of Iroquois stock. The mystic number "7" appears so often in the markings on first pot, and on Mr. Wright's Tioga No. 5, that he thought it offered a chance for speculation, the number seeming to be intentionally used.3 It has been a matter of great regret that Mr. Wright did not live to pursue inves- tigations at Tioga Point. There were some old stumps of apple trees on the river bank at edge of plot, supposed to have been of Indian planting. In having them removed it was discovered that under each was a grave or Indian repository of pottery. Again the finds suffered from ignorant workmen, who destroyed most of the contents without informing the owner. Under one stump, very near original grave, was found no skeleton, but a group of eight pots (fragments of three shown in centre of Plate I) which had been arranged with care two or three feet below the surface. At the bottom was spread clay, or cement, as the workman said, on which stood the eight pots carefully imbedded in sand ; every one broken in careless removal.4 One of these pots was filled with a shining black dust, similar to plumbago. Seven of the graves were in a circle around this group ; and around two others of the stumps were seven graves in a circle, including some found by the Wright party. At the second stump the writer was called by the workman, and it was her pleasure to bring to light the tiny pot shown at lower right hand of Plate I, which was perforated all over the sur- face by the thread-like apple roots. But one bone was in this grave, the jaw of a child of about seven years, as shown by a molar not yet through the gum. This pot is less than three inches high. Red ochre

2 Personal letter to author. It will be remembered that Mrs. Converse was the daughter of Thomas Maxwell, and adopted into the Seneca tribe.

3 See page 67, Vol. II, Part I, Proceedings, etc., Wyoming Historical and Geological Society.

4 On this occasion a second party from Wilkes-Barre had made excavations in adjoining lots with absolutely no results, and were being taken to the train by Mr. Murray.

203

DISINTERMENT OF CLAN CHIEF

in large quantities was found in these graves (see Figure 7, Plate VIII), and near one was the paint cup and mixer shown as No. 6, Plate VIII. Also a very fine small pestle and mortar not reproduced.

The owner, like his forbears, long refused to examine the grave in the centre of the plot, but at last consented to celebrate the formal open- ing of the Historical Museum, and June 27, 1895, the work was be- gun. The circle of stones proved to be over a sepulchre about three by five feet, with an upright stone at each corner, apparently as a marker, for, of course, this must have been well above the surface originally. The work continued that day until a heavy rain interposed. Being re-

sumed the 28th, the huge drift stones continued to be found to a depth of four feet. The writer, hoping to save the pottery, assisted Messrs. Murray and Ercanbrack in excavation. Finally, two large flat stones, full of Devonian fossils, proved to be the covering to a skeleton of a man six feet or more in height. While lying on back, with head to the south- east, with hands crossed on breast; the crushed front of skull and the unusual position of legs, right foot under thigh, and left leg fallen across right, seemed to indicate that he might have been buried in a sitting posture, and overturned by settling of stones of the sepulchre, which had evidently crushed the large pot (see centre bottom figure, Plate I), fully eighteen inches in diameter, at left side of head.5 A 5 This position (or on right hand) was usual with pottery in all the graves. It is re- grettable that an enthusiast displaced finger bones before photographed, and that the position of celts was changed.

204

OLD TIOGA POINT AND EARLY ATHENS

perfect flaying knife, very small arrow point, and a tomahawk were at right side ; the wooden handle of tomahawk plainly discernible. Also bits of mica and wampum. When fully uncovered, the grave and its contents were instantly photographed by an amateur, Mrs. D. J. Mac- afee, from which reproduction was made. It was at once suggested that it should be removed to the museum, and with great ingenuity, after digging a trench around skeleton, sheets of zinc were carefully pushed under it, a frame nailed around, and the whole removed to the museum, where it still remains. Though, unfortunately, not having been hermetically sealed, it is not well preserved.

From the unusual care taken in interment, this is supposed to have been a man great among his people, and at his disinterment he surely lay in state, being visited by more than 1,000 people before re- moval to museum. Who was he? What his race, and why this careful burial? There's a pretty tradition which tells that the Indians of this region buried close to the river because the soul was more quickly carried to the happy hunting ground; and this plot is at the narrowest point between two rivers.

Several skeletons here found were of unusual size; one, judged from the length of thigh bone, to be seven feet. Mrs. Converse, taught by the Indians to decipher their hieroglyphics, thought to visit Athens and read the markings on this pottery, but she never came. Investi- gation on our part has proven nothing. While this plot is the only one with exact boundaries known, from that time, Tioga Point continued to reveal, by accident, new places of sepulture, which seem to indicate that the narrow neck of land is closely filled with graves ; beside many other scattered burial sites. Laying water pipes led to the discovery of con- tinued interments from old Academy to Murray lot, in Main Street. Of course, these have all been accidental discoveries by hurried and ignorant workmen. As a rule, when examined, the skeletons were of great size, notably one found near north gate of Maurice property, which should have been preserved; it was thus described by Prof. Holbrooke :

"Judging from the thigh bone he must have been seven feet tall. The skull was much larger than usual, very thick, the forehead unusually receding, the top flattened. The jaws were extremely strong, full of large, perfect teeth. Alto- gether the remains seemed to be those of a brutal and very powerful giant. With him were found a few small flints and a rude flint axe head." (1901.)

This skeleton was four feet underground. Two or three years later, while laying water pipes, a continuous row of graves was found from Main Street to stable on south line of same property. Here the pottery (shown in Plate IV) was colored on the outside and light on the inside, showing manufacture from brick clay. The site of the Museum-Library proved another fruitful source of interest. In exca- vating for cellar (1897) it was discovered there had been two periods of interment, the lowest graves being about eight feet below surface, the upper ones two to four feet. Under one of the prehistoric graves was a bed of ashes with crushed fragments of many pots, containing shells, flints and small bones. The arrow points in the lower graves

205

TIOGA POINT POTTERY

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A history of old Tioga Point and early Athens, Pennsylvania, Part 27

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n Publication date: 1908 Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.] Number of Pages: 726

Author: Murray, Louise Welles, 1854-1931. 4n
Publication date: 1908
Publisher: Athens, Penna. [i.e., Pa.] : [s.n.]
Number of Pages: 726