USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. III > Part 2
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The Secretary by the Governours Order laid before the Board a Letter he had Received this Afternoon from John Cartlege of Con- estogoe, Giving him an account of some Disturbance amongst the Indians there ; as also one Inclosed from Lahya, Civility, & some others of the Chiefs of the Indians on Susquehanna, wherein they desired him to come to them without Delay, to consult with them about affairs of Great Importance : They having no notice ('tis Probable) of the Governours Arrival. The Governour Hereupon thought it Incumbent on himself to give them a visit, And to the
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End they might have time, as they desired, to Call their people together, he was pleased to appoint the seventeenth day of July next, to be the time he wou'd see them at Conestogoe; And in the mean time the Secry. was Ordered to write a Letter to them to that pur- port, and to send them a belt of Wampum as a Token of ffriendship & Confirmacon of this message.
At a Council held at Philadia., the 26th of June, Ao. 1717. PRESENT :
Ye Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lieut. Govr.
Richd. Hill,
Samuel Preston,
Isaac Norris,
Anthony. Palmer,
James Logan, Robert Assheton.
Jonathan Dickinson,
A full Council being met, according to appointment, The members Ordered at the Last Sitting to give Collo. Gookin Notice of the Councils Meeting this Day, in order to hear his allegations agt. those persons he had accused to the Governr. as highly Disaffected to his Majesty & his Govmt, acquainted ye Governour that they had given Collo. Gookin Notice of the sd. Appointment, And that he told them that whatever he had hitherto said of any member of Council or person in this Govermt., he knew no such person now, & had nothing to Lay to their Charge; That However according to appointment, he was waiting in the Next Room, to know the Go- vernours pleasure, & be'ng desired to walk in.
The Governour told Collo. Gookin, that as he had not long since accused to the Governour some persons in places of Trust in this Governmt., as highly disaffected to his Majesty, the King & his Governmt. The Governour found it Incumbent on him, in His- charge of the Trust Reposed in him by his Majesty, to make a full Inquiry into that matter, for that he thought it of the Greatest Im- portance to himself, & for his own safety, that those who were in any Trust under Him, but more Especially such as Sat with him at that Board to Advise about the affairs of Governmt., shou'd be persons of Integrity & Loyalty, & truly well affected to his Majesty & his Government. That he had been arrived in the Colony but a very Little time, & therefore had but few Opportunities of Knowing the Gentlemen whom he found in trust, so particularly as might be ne- cessary in such Cases. That it is true he had been in some measure acquainted with most of them, when he bore another Commission in these parts since his Majesties accession, & had not the Least sus- picion of their being disaffected. But that Collo. Gookin, by having Resided here so many Years, invested with the Powers of Govern- ment, must be supposed to have had much better Opportunities of Knowing & Distinguishing persons; however that those who made up this Board were the same persons he found members of it at his Arrival, & that he had not Since made. any alterations ; Yet if Collo. Gookin cou'd Charge any of them with Disaffection to his Majesty
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& his Governmt., tho' Collo. Gookin Himself had not done it, the Govr. was Ready upon his Information to Proceed agt. them, & therefore desired Collo. Gookin, now at this meeting of the Council, which was appointed for this very purpose, to Exhibit particularly what he had agt. any Person who was either a member of the Board or in any other place of Trust in ye Government, and the Governour woul'd not fail to Exert his power to have full Justice done to the King his master.
Collo. Gookin answered, that it was true that he had told the Governour his Thoughts of Some persons, but that whatever he had formerly Believed of them; yet seeing they had taken ye Oaths or Affirmacons prescribed by Law, he believed now he had been mis- taken. That His former accusations were the Effects of his pas- sions, for that he had no matter of ffact nor Expressions to Charge any of the persons accused with, nor Had any thing against any of them. That his Physitian Knew he had been Lately under a great Indisposition of Body which had Disordered his Head, and he be- lieved that what he had said of those matters to the Governour was owing to that only.
The Governour again put it upon him to declare, whether Directly or Indirectly he knew any thing, either in fact or words agt. the per- sons he had accused, to which Collo. Gookin again Reply'd, That he knew nothing of any kind whatsoever.
The Governr. then desired to know of the Board, whether any of them had any Objection agt. his taking the Answr. of Collo. Gookin as a full acquittal of the persons Charg'd from those accusations. The Board were unanimously of Opinion, That Collo. Gookin had fully Cleared all those he had accused, and the Governour had fully discharged his Duty to the King herein, upon which Collo. Gookin had Leave to withdraw.
The Letters produced at the last meeting of the Council, relating to the Indians, were again Read, that the members who were not pre- sent at the Last Meeting might be acquainted with them; and the Governour now also proposing his former Resolution of Going himself in Person to Conestogoe, it was approved of by the Board, & Divers members Exprest their readyness to wait on him thither.
The Governour farther proposed to the Board, to consider whether it wou'd not be requisite to add to the Council some persons Resi- dent in the Lower. Counties, that they might be ye more Capable of Serving the Interest of the publick there, which he recommended to their Consideration, & then the Council adjourned.
At a Council held at Philadia., 4th of July, Aº., 1717.
PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr.
Jasper Yeates, Richard Hill, James Logan,
Samuel Preston, Anthony Palmer,
Robert Assheton.
Jonathan Dickinson.
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The Governour acquainted the Board, That as in a former Con- sultation Relating to the Three Lower Counties, it was thought Re- quisite that some persons resident in those Counties shou'd be added to the Council. Among those who had been mentioned, Collo. John ffrench appeared, in the Opinion of the Board, to be Particularly In- tituled to all the distinguishing marks of Respect & ffavour that cou'd be shown Him for his known abilities to serve the Governmt., & his ffidelity to the proprietor & his Interest manifested upon all Occasions; so now the Govr. Jug'd it a proper time, with the ap- probation of the Board to admit him, being desired by the Governour to attend } for that purpose, Which nomination being generally ap- proved of, The sd. John ffrench was call'd in by Jasper Yeates & Samuel Preston, & accordingly admitted & sworn of the Council, having ffirst taken & subscribed all the Oaths to the Governmt. Enjoyn'd by act of Parliament, & then took his Place.
The Governour then proceeded with the Advice of the Board, to Nominate the persons, who should fill the Comissions for Judges, & Justices, in each of the three Lower Counties; and being agreed on, the Lists were Given to the Secretary, with Orders to prepare the Comissions, And then the Council adjourn'd.
At a Council at Philadia., ye 15th of July, Aº., 1717. PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr.
Richard Hill,
Samuel Preston,
William Trent,
Anthony Palmer,
James Logan,
Robert Assheton,
Jonathan Dickinson,
John French.
A Petition of Thomas Masters was this Day Read at the Board, as followeth :
To the Honble William Keith, Esqr., Lievt. Govr. of the Province of Pennsylvania, & Three Lower Counties.
The Peticon of Thos. Masters
Humbly Sheweth :
That at the Humble Representation of your peticoner's Wife, Sybella Masters, his Majesty has been graciously pleased to Grant him two several patents under the broad seal, one for the sole Cleansing, curing & Refining of Indian Corn Growing in the Planta- tions, fitter for Shipping & Transportation, in a manner not before found Out & practised. The Other for the Sole Working & Weav- ing in a New method, Palmeta, Chip & Straw for covering hatts & Bonnetts, & other Improvements of that Ware, for the Respective Terms of ffourteen Years in that Part of the Kingdom of Great Brit- tain Called England, Dominion of Wales, & Town of Berwich upon Tweed, & the Several plantations in America, as by the sd. Letters Patents, (which he now lays before this Honble Board,) may more at Large appear.
Your peticoner prays Leave to Record the sd Patents in the Pro- vince & Territories, & such a favourable Recommendation thereof
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from this Board, as may the more Effectually answer his Majesties most Gracious Intentions to him, And promote & fforward such use- full Inventions & Manufactures to the Publick, Which he has at a vast Expence, Set a foot & projected.
And your peticoner shall ever pray, &c.
THO. MASTERS.
The Board having taken the sd. peticon into Consideration, thought fitt not only to allow the sd. Thomas Masters to Record the sd. pa- tents, but also to publish them.
The Governour Acquainted the Board that he Intended to set out for Conestogoe to morrow morning early, & Askt the Opinion of the Council whether some presents shou'd not be provided as usual, to give the Indians, & to what value. The Board were of Opinion that Goods to the value of Twenty pounds should be provided, and the Secretary having some Goods at Conestogoe, was Ordered to Dis- burse ye same.
At a Council at Conestogoe, ye 18th July, 1717. PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lieut. Govr. Richard Hill, - Isaac Norris,
Anthony Palmer,
James Logan,
Robert Assheton, John ffrench.
Present also the Chiefs & others of the Conestogoe or Mingoe Indians, the Delawares, the Shawanois & Gunawoise, all Inhabitants upon or near the Banks of the River Susquehannah.
The Chiefs of the sd. Indians being met to Confer & treat with the Govrnr., Peter Bizalion was sworn to Interpret trully & ffaithfully in the Deleware Indian Tongue what should pass between the Govr. & Council on the one hand, & the Indians on the Other.
The Governour told the Indians that they having lately sent a Message by a Letter to the Governmt. at Philada., Desiring our advice & assistance in some matter of Importance, which seem'd nearly to touch them, And the Governr. being lately sent over by their Great Good ffriend & Brother, William Penn, to act in his place & stead, in Affairs of Governmt., while he Himself is Absent & near the Great King or Emperour of all the English, The Governr. was Desirous without delay to Come with some of his Council to see them, & Enquire what new matter had befall'n them, which had rendered them uneasie; And for this End he is now come with his Council as their Brothers & ffriends, to Hear & Speak with them, and to give them all Necessary Assistance.
After some time spent among themselves in Consultation, the Mingoes or Indians of Conestogoe Answer'd, That the Occasion of heir late Letter was to know of the Goverint. what Christians were settled Back in the Woods behind Virginia & Carolina; That they Inquire only about the Christians, with whom we must be bet- ter acquainted than they, for they wou'd not Inquire of us Concern- ing the Indians, being more Capable to Learn it themselves.
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The Governour answered that they well Knew the Settlements of Maryland, Virginia & Carolina, to the Southward of us, all Which were subject to the same Great King of England; that each of these had Nations of Indians under their protection Respectively, whom they furnished with Goods & Merchandize, as they themselves are under our protection, & ffurnished by us; And that there are no Other English subjects settled in those parts but such as Belong to some of those Governments.
To which the Indians Appearing unwilling to Answer any thing further ; The Govr. Proceeded, & told them, by the Interpreter, that they Knew it was the Custom that on Business & Treaties the Indians Shou'd Come to Philada., But that the Governr. ffinding soon after his Arrival, that they were Uneasie, & Wanted the Advice of the Governmt. of Pensilvania as their best ffriends, so he cou'd not be satisfied when he heard of it, till he Came to see them ; That being sent by their Good ffriend, William Penn, to be to them in his Stead, he Expected the same ffreedom & Openness on their parts, that they shou'd show to himself, if here present.
They then proceeded to say that about two moons or months agoe, a young man, Son to Ovwchela, a Chief of the Delaware In- dians, had been kill'd by some of a Large Company, made up of Christians & Indians ; that on this news they apprehended they were some Considerable fforces arm'd agt. them; Upon which they sent to their ffriends, the Governmt. of Pensylvania ; But if those Chris- tians were English they should Inquire no ffurther about it.
The Governr. then desired a Particular Account of the Loss of that young Man, with all the Circumstances of it, to which it was answered :
That above two months ago, Owechela's three Sons, with ffour other Indians, Hunting beyond the ffurthermost Branch of Poto- mack, They Discovered about Thirty Christians, armed Horsemen, & about as many Indians, from whom they retired ; That only those three Brothers being near each other in pursuit of their Game, about Ten Days after, & about Twenty five miles Distant from the place where they saw that Large Company, & Ranging at some Distance, one of them on the off side heard some ffiring of Guns; that he thereupon Avoided the place, but not Long after Steering that way, he ffound his Brother shot with two Arrows in his side, & his Head Cutt off, & Carried away ; That by tracing those Indians, & observ- ing where they had Layn, they appeared to have been about Thirty in Number, and that another Indian had Inform'd them the Chris- tians about the same time this murder was Committed, were En- camped at or near the same place Where these Indians had first seen them about ten days before, ffrom whence they Concluded these Indians must have been the same they saw with the Christians, but that those who Escaped saw none of those people at the time, who had Committed the ffact, & they had nothing further to say.
The Governr. told them he woul'd Dismiss the Council for this Day, & speak further to them to morrow, he Desired them to think in the meantime what they might have further to propose, and the
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Council adjourning accordingly ; the Govrnr. Entertained the Indians in the most ffriendly manner.
At a Council held at Conestogoe, ye 19th July, 1717. PRESENT :
The Honble WILLIAM KEITH, Esqr., Lievt. Govr.
Richard Hill,
Anthony Palmer,
Isaac Norris,
James Logan,
Robert Assheton, John ffrench.
Present also the Chiefs, & others of the Conestogoe or Mingo Indians, The Delawares, the Shawanois and Gunawoise, all Inhabi- tants upon or near the Banks of the River Susquehannah.
A memorial from Capt. Christopher Smith, of Virginia, having been presented to the Governour, was Read at the Board in ye words ffollowing, vizt. :
To the Honble William Keith, Esq., Lievt. Govr. of the Province of Pensilvania & Counties of New Castle, Kent & Sussex, upon Delaware ; and the Honble Council at Conestogoe, Capt. Christopher Smith humbly Sheweth,
That he being Commissionated & Instructed by the Honble Alex- ander Spotswood, Esqr., Governr. of Virginia, to Go to New York, and with the Lycence & permission of the Governr. of these sd. province of New York, to Discourse with the Indians at Albany or elsewhere, Concerning the murdering of some Catabaw Indians at ffort Christianna, in the Colony of Virginia, who are in amity with the sd. Governmt. of Virginia, which sd. Insult was then supposed to be committed by the Senequa Indians, and also to Demand the De- livery up of the prisoners taken at the place aforesd., with Reparation for the Insults Done upon the sd. Catabaw Indians.
And whereas the sd. Christopher Smith, by the assistance of his Excellency Brigadeer Hunter, Governour of New York, hath Pro- cured the Confession of the sd. Senequa Indians, wherein they ac- knowledge that some of their men were Concern'd in the Killing of some of the sd. Catabaw Indians near ffort Christinna aforesd., but Do say that they did not know the sd. Catabaw Indians were in amity or upon a Treaty with the Governmt. of Virginia, and have now Ingaged for themselves, that all acts of hostility agt. the sd. Catabaw Indians, or any others in amity with the sd. Governmt. of Virginia shall leave, and if the Woman Prisoner Lately taken in Virginia by some of their men, who (at present is Escaped out of their hands) be taken up by any of their people, that she shall be safely delivered up to the Governr. of New York, in order to be sent back to Virginia ; and the sd. Christopher Smith being lately In- form'd, that some of the Shawnois Indians in the province of pensil- vania, & in amity with this Governmt., were present & Concern'd in the murder & Insult aforesd., Committed at ffort Christianna afd., Humbly Request Your Honours assistance & Countenance in ob- taining an Interview with ye sd. Shawnoise Indians, & an Interpreter to assist him in Discoursing with the sd. Indians ; and if it appears that any of the Indians in ffriendship with your Governmt. have been
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Concern'd in the Committing the aforesd. ffact, that the sd. Christo- pher Smith may have your honrs. assitance & Countenance in pro- curing Reparation for the Wrong done, but if it appear that none of the Indians in Covenant or ffriendship with You have been Con- cern'd in this Cruelty, that then he may be assisted in making such Terms of ffriendship with the sd. Indians, which by his Commission he is fully Impowered to Do, as for the future may do for the safety & Quiet of his Majesties subjects, and the Indians in amity with the Governmt. of Virginia & Pensilvania.
CHRISTOPHER SMITH.
The sd. Capt. Smith (being desired so to do,) produced his Comission from the Governr. of Virginia, under the Seal of that Governmt., together with his Instructions Referr'd to in his sd. Com- mission, both which were also Read.
And because the subject of the sd. memorial principally Concern'd the Shawnoise Indians, Martin Chartiere, who understood & spoke their Language well, was sworn as Interpreter on this Occasion.
The Insult lately made on the Governmt. of Virgina, at the fort Christianna, as it is mentioned in the sd. memorial was then fully Related to those Indians, and they were Required to Inform the Govrnr. whether any of their nation were Concerned in that fact, or know any thing of it.
They answered that Six of their men had accompany'd that party of the ffive Nations who had Committed the ffact, but that none of those Six were here present, their Settlmts. being much Higher up Susquehannah River, and being askt such further Questions as Capt. Smith requested might be proposed to them in this affair, they answered to them severally as follows, viz :
That according to the Information they had Received from the Six persons aforemenconed of their Nation, after their return home, there were only Eighteen persons of the whole Company Imploy'd in that attack near the sd. ffort at Christianna, and that the above , menconed six of their nation were with the Rest, at some Considera- ble Distance by the side of a Creek or Brook, & were no way Con- cerned in it, neither did they know any thing of it until the Return of the sd. Party of Eighteen who had Kill'd Six men on the spot, took one prisoner who soon made his Escape, & a woman whom they Carried along with them, and that this was all they knew of that matter.
Being further askt whether any of their Indians knew any thing of Killing Major Joshua Wynne, in Virginia, about five years agoe, They said they did not know any thing of it.
Whether they knew any thing of the Indians killing a Negroe man in Virginia, Belonging to Capt. Robert Hicks, about ffour years agoe, They answer they know nothing of it.
Being askt what they knew of some Indians of the ffive nations having about ffour Years agoe plundered a Company of Virginia Indians, Traders at Enoe River.
They answered that they had often heard talk of such a thing, but
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that none of them were Concern'd in it, or cou'd Give any account of it.
The Shawnoise & all the Indians present were further askt whether they had any prisoners of the Catawba Nation, or of any other Nation in ffriendship with Virginia. The Shawnois answered that they had one prisoner, a young man taken some years agoe, whom they Produced; but all the Others answered they had none.
It was demanded of the Shawnois that this prisoner shou'd be Return'd to the Catawbas, from whence he was taken. Their King or Chief answered that they had taken him several years agoe, when he was but a little Lad; that he had now forgot his Native Language, & spoke theirs, and that they did not think themselves Obliged to Return him at this time.
Being further prest to it, The Chief answered that if the King of the Catabaws, whom he now understood were in League with Vir- ginia, would come hither & make a peace with him and his people, (the Shawnois,) he might have that young man Back with him, if it was desir'd; but that the Catawbas were a people of Great Extent, & there were many Nations under that name.
The Young Man was askt whether he was willing to Return, but would give no Answer.
Capt. Smith proposed that he might have Liberty to treat with those Indians, in order to make a League with them in behalf of the Governmt. of Virginia, to which he was authorized by Collo. Spots- wood, Commission & Instructions.
The Governr. answered that he did not conceive it to be necessary or usefull that any persons whatsoever should be permitted to Treat with the Indians, Except the Governmt. of that Colony, to which the Indians Respectively Belonged; but if Collo. Spotswood (for whom the Governour had a very Great Regard) Desired to make any treaty with the Indians who Liv'd under the protection of this Governmt., for Establishing a peace & Good understanding between them & the Indians under the protection of Virginia, The Govrnr. Himself, with advice of his Council, would heartily Endeavour to Accomplish a treaty upon such reasonable Terms as Collo. Spots- wood might propose in behalf of Virginia; and that in the mean time the Govrnr. wou'd now at this Juncture (as it has been usual in this province) insist upon our Indians ffriendship to, & a good Correspondence with, all the English Colony's, with their dependant Indians, & Virginia in Particular.
The Governour then spoke to the Indians by the interpreters, in the words & manner ffollowing.
That they must Carefully remember that all the several Go- vernmts., (which the Interpreters particularly Enumerated,) from New England to South Carolina, Inclusive ; Tho' they have Different Governours, Yet they are all subject to the Great King & Emperour of the English ; so that when any Governmt. makes a Treaty of ffriendship with the Indians, they must also treat & make the same bond of ffriendship for all other English people, as well as them- selves ; By which means all the Indian nations who are in League
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& ffriendship with any English Governmt., must also be friends to each other.
If, therefore, any of you shall Hurt or molest the Indians who are at this time in ffriendship with any English Governmt., You thereby Break the League of ffriendship made With this Governmt., Which, as it has been most Inviolably Observed on our part, We do positively Expect the same to be Done on yours ; and if any of you Receive Damage, or are Injured by Indians who are in peace with any English Governmt., If you can discover what Indians they were that did it, This Governmt., on your Complaint, will Endeavour to procure Satisfaction from that English Governmt. to which such In- dians belong.
The Governr. further told them by the same Interpreters, that he having Given Himself the trouble to come hither at this time, upon their request he had not provided himself with any presents for them, being they knew that Philadelphia has always been the place of Treaty with this Governmt., where they ought first to come & offer theirs.
But Nevertheless, that it being the first time the Govr. had seen them he would take this Opportunity to put them in mind of several parts of their Duty, Which that they might more punctually observe, he had purchased a few things from the Traders, as a small testimony of his Good will toward them.
Then the presents being laid upon the Ground before the Indians, The Governr. proceeded to tell them.
A. Ist. That he Expected their strict observance of all former Con- tracts of ffriendship made between them & the Governmt. of Pensil- vania.
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