Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV, Part 67

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814

USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV > Part 67

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).

633

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Whereupon, one of the Shawna's observed that the white People are all of one Colour and as one Body, and in Case of Warr would Assist one another; That one of the Shawna's asking the War- riors if they had met this Deponent's Men who had been sent out to Chiniotta for Skins, was answer'd by another Shawna Indian that it could not be so, for if they had met them they would have cut them off; That on hearing these Discourses, this Deponent rose up and called out an old Shawna Indian with whom he was best acquainted and took him to his Store, made him a present of two or three twists of Tobacco and desired him to press to the Indians in Coun- cil their Treaty of Peace with Pennsylvania, and the ill-Consequences of breaking it in Cutting him off, As this Deponent apprehended he had great reason to fear they intended ; That some short Time after, the same Indian call'd this Deponent from his Store and told him that he had offer'd in Council what he had requested, and it was approv'd tho' it seem'd disagreeable to some of the Shawna's ; And in a short Time after, this Deponent was inform'd by a white Woman who had been taken Prisoner by the Indians in their Caro- lina Warr's, That it was left to the Shawna's to deal with him As they pleased, And that they were gone to hold a Council concerning him at some distance from the Town for privacy, And that if he did not make his Escape he would certainly be cut off ; Upon which last Information, together with the Observations he had made of their Behaviour, he thought it not safe to trust his Life in their Hands ; and notwithstanding a considerable Quantity of Goods which he had carry'd up there to Trade, He determined to with- draw and leave his Effects among them, and accordingly Communi- cated his designs to his Man, and they came off privately, travelling by Night & Day thro' the uninhabited parts of the Countrey, till they apprehended themselves to be out of Danger, being out three Days & three Nights ; And further this Deponent Saith not.

THOMAS McKEE.

Taken & Sworn at Philada. the Day & Year above.

And the further Consideration of this Matter is refer'd till to- Morrow Morning 10 a'Clock, at which time the Council is to meet.

At a Council held at Philada., Jan'y. 25th, 1742-3.

PRESENT :

The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutent Governor. Clement Plumsted, Samuel Hasell,

Ralph Assheton,

William Till, Esqrs.

Abraham Taylor, Robert Strettell,

The Minutes of the preceeding council were read.

Then the Governor laid before the Board a Message he had pre-

631

MINUTES OF THE

pared to be sent to the Assembly, relating to the Information given by Thomas McKee, which being approved, is order'd to be tran- scrib'd and sent to the House, & is as follows :

" Gentlemen-

" As the safety of our back Inhabitants in particular, & the quiet of the Province in general, may be affected by the late unhappy Action between some of the Inhabitants of the upper part of Vir- ginia and a Party of Indians of the Six Nations, I think it highly Proper as you are now sitting to lay the Matter so far as it had yet come to my Knowledge before you, and I have therefore order'd my Secretary to deliver to you a Copy of Thomas Mc'Kee's Depo- sition taken Yesterday in council. I cannot learn that in the March of these Indians through our Settlements they offer'd any violence, from whence and from their long approved ffaith in Treaties I am the less apprehensive of their intending any thing in Violation of that held here the last Summer. But of the Shawna's I am far from · entertaining the same favourable Sentiments (although they likewise have received considerable presents from us, & are bound to us in a League of ffriendship) as they are known to have a Strong attach- ment to the ffrench, to be a perfidious people, and to have render'd themselves justly to be suspected by their Behaviour in many Instances, as well as in the present with regard to M'Kee.

"To prevent the flame from spreading Wider, I proposed to dis- patch a Messenger to Conrad Weiser, the Province Interpreter, with Directions to proceed forthwith to Shamokin, and there to take the most proper Measures for giving the Indians of the six Nations, and all others in Alliance with Us, the Strongest Assurances, in my Name, of the continuance of our ffriendship so long as they shall maintain it on their Parts, tho' I confess it will be a very nice Affair should they, in the prosecution of their Revenge, attempt to pass thro' the inhabited Parts of this Province to make War on our fellow-Subjects of Virginia. I doubt not of your giving the proper Orders to the Treasurer for defraying what Expences shall be incur'd on this occasion.

" As I am likewise inform'd that this accident had render'd the Inhabitants on the other side of Sasquehannah extremely uneasy, & Jealous of all Indians, I shall endeavour to quiet their Mind, and forbid them offering Violence to any unless it shall become abso- lutely necessary in their own Defence.

" January 25th, 1742-3."

Then was read a second Time the Bill for the better securing the Peace at Elections, &t., Whereunto sundry Amendments were pro- posed and agreed to, and Ordered to be sent to the House with the Bill.

The Bill for vesting the Province Island in Trustees, &t., was

635

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

read the second Time, and sundry amendmts proposed thereto, and the Bill is committed to Mr. Plumsted for further Amendment.

The Bill for the more Easy recovery of Legacys, &t., was also read the second Time, and one Amendment being made thereto, was committed to Mr. Assheton for further Amendment.

At a Council held at Philada., Janry. 26, 1742-3.

PRESENT :

The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Governor.

Clement Plumsted, Ralph Assheton,

William Till,

Abraham Taylor, Esqrs.

Robert Strettell, -

Mr. Plumsted, in pursuance of the Directions of Yesterday, Re- ported sundry Amendments to the Bill for vesting the Province Island in Trustees, &t.

Mr. Assheton, in pursuance of the Directions of Yesterday, Re- ported one Amendment to the Bill for the more easy recovery of Legacys. Which was approved of.

Sundry Amendments were proposed to the Bill for imposing a Duty on Persons convicted of heinous Crimes brought into this Province, &t., and agreed to, and order'd to be transcribed in Order to be sent to the House with the Bill.

The Governor then laid before the Board a Draught of a Letter he had made to be sent Conrad Weiser, touching our present Cir- cumstances with the Indians of the six Nations, in these Words, Viz *:

" Philada., Jan'y. 26th, 1742-3.

" Mr. Weiser :-

"I hoped that our last Treaty with the six Nations would have made Us easy for some Time to come as to all Indian Affairs, but you will see by the inclosed Deposition, made before me in Council by Thomas M'Kee, that if things are not prudently managed we may chance to be involved in the Consequences of their resentment against the People of Virginia. McKee's Account is the Indian side of the Story, who have no doubt been Artful enough to make their own Cause as good as they could; but some White People lately come down from Lancaster, & who say they had it from some that live near the Place where the Action happen'd, tell Us that altho' the Indians behaved very peaceably in their Journey through Pennsylvania, so soon as they got into Virginia they fell to killing the Inhabitants' Cattle & Hogs, and Shot one Man's Mare, and by that Means were themselves the Occasion of the Misfortune which follow'd. They add further, that the Virginia Capt upon his Ap-

636

MINUTES OF THE

proach to the Indians hung out a White fflag, in order to a Parley with them, but they fir'd & kill'd him & some of his Men before one Shot was fir'd by his party. I shall not take upon me to deter- mine which of the Accounts is the truest, but as I have received a short Letter from Shickcallamy's Son, desiring my Advice in the Case, and it is my Duty not only to preserve peace in my own Gov- ernment, but to be the Instrument, as far as lyes in my power, of restore" it to any other of his Majestie's Subjects, I desire that you will forthwith proceed to Shamokin, and there Concert Mea- sures with Shick Calamy to inform the six Nations, the Shawnees, and all the Indians that are in Alliance with Us, that we shall continue to be faithful to our Treatys with them so long as they observe them on their parts, that we are extremely sorry for the Accident that has happen'd, that we wish the six Nations would rather endeavour to accomodate the Matter with the Governor of Virginia in an Amicable Way than make the breach wider by hav- ing recourse to Arms, and that I shall be glad to contribute all I can to bring it about. These are my Sentiments; but as you are well acquainted with Indian affairs in General, and are now as fully informed of this particular as I am, I leave it to your own Judge- ment how far it may be proper for You as our Agent to proceed in it. I think it not improper to observe to you, by the by, that it will be a very nice affair should the Indians attempt to pass through any of the inhabited parts of this Province to make War upon our fellow Subjects in Virginia. They will expect provisions, &t., as usual from the Inhabitants, and if they are denied them, which it will be the Duty of every Man in that Case to do, it is not impro- bable but they may resent it in their usual Barbarous manner, and force Us into the War too. I wish it were safe to forbid them from passing through our Settlements in any of their Wars to the South- ward. What is the Reason the Six Nations have not returned an Answer to the Maryland Invitation to a Treaty ? It does not look well. I do not doubt but our back Inhabitants arc very much alarmed at the late unhappy Skirmish in Virginia, and I am not without Apprehensions of their falling upon some of the Indians as they did once before ; but it will be very much in your power to quiet their Minds by informing them of our late Treaty with the six Nations, and that there is not the least reason to apprehend any Injury from them or any other Indians at this Time.

" I think I need not say any thing more to you who know so much, but that I will do all I can to procure you an handsome Re- ward for the Trouble and ffatigue you must necessarily undergo in the prosecution of this Matter at this Bad Season of the Year.

"I am Your very sincere ffriend & well Wisher.

"P. S. Since I wrote the foregoing I have received an Answer to a Message I sent to the Assembly which is now sitting on the Occasion, and they not only agree to what I proposed, Of giving

637

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Assurances to all the Indians of our maintaining our ffriendship with them, and the Offer of my Mediation to them, but desire like- wise yt I will make the same Offer to the Governor of Virginia; they give me assurance also of defraying all the Expences that shall be incurred on this Occasion."

Which was approved of by the Board.

Then was read a Message from the Assembly to the Governor in Answer to his of Yesterday, as follows :

A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.

" May it please the Governor :

" As it has ever been the Care of this Government to cultivate a good understanding with the Indians in general, and particularly with the six Nations, 'the late unhappy Action between some of the Inhabitants of the upper part of Virginia and a party of those Nations,' gives us just Cause of Concern.

" We highly approve of the Measures the Governor is pleased to Inform us he proposes to take ' to prevent the fflame from spreading wider by dispatching a Messenger to Conrad Weiser, the province Interpreter, with Directions to proceed forthwith to Shamokin, and there to take the most proper measures for giving the Indians of the six Nations and all others in alliance with us the strongest Assu- rances in his Name of the Continuance of our ffriendship ;' And if the Governor will also be pleased by the same Messenger to propose to them his good Offices to Mediate and obtain a reconciliation be- fore any violent Methods are taken, it may prevent future Blood- shed, and divert those sudden Resolutions which on the first Hearing of this unhappy Affair they may have been prompted to take.

" We would further offer it to the Governor's Consideration whether it may not also be fit to transmit to the Goverment of Vir- ginia an Account of the manner in which the Indians represent this Action, to Point out to them the necessity of an Enquiry therein, that Justice may be done, and the ill Consequences which otherwise might happen to the back parts of most of the British Colonies in America be prevented.

" Whatever Sums of Money shall become necessary to expend to these good purposes we shall cheerfully pay, and give the proper Orders to the Treasurer to this End.

" It is not to be doubted but that this Accident may have given some uneasiness to the Inhabitants on the other Side of Sasquehan- nah, but the prudent Steps the Governor is determined to take on this Occasion will we hope have the proper Effect, and restore them to the Quiet they formerly enjoy'd.

" Signed by Order of the House,

" JOHN KINSEY, Speaker.

" 11th Month, 26, 1742."

638

MINUTES OF THE

At a Council held at Philada, ffebry. 3d, 1742-3.

PRESENT :

The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esqr., Lieutenant Govern- our.

Clement Plumsted,

Ralph Assheton,

William Till,

Abraham Taylor, Esqrs.

Robert Strettell,

The Governor acquainted the Board that he had received a Mes- sage from the Assembly, desiring to know when they should attend him in Order to present the Bills now ready, and that he had ap- pointed this Day at 12 o'Clock.

Accordingly the House, with their Speaker, came up, and pre- sented the following Bills entituled, Vizt:

1st. " An Act imposing a Duty on persons convicted of heinous Crimes brought into this Province & not warranted by the Laws of Great Britain, and to prevent poor and impotent Persons being im- ported into the same."

2. " An Act for continuing and amending an Act of Assembly entituled 'a Supplement to the Act for Electing Members of Assem- bly.' "

3. "An Act for the more easy and Speedy recovery of small Debts."

4. " An Act for vesting the Province Island and the Buildings thereon erected and to be erected, for providing an Hospital for such sick Passengers as shall be imported into this Province, and to pre- vent the spreading of infectious Distempers."

5. " An Act for the more easy recovery of Legacys within this Province ;" and

6. " An Act for naturallizing such foreign Protestants as are settled or shall settle in this Province, who, not being of the People called Quakers, do conscientiously refuse the taking of any Oath.'

All which the Governor passed into Laws, and appointed William Till and Robert Strettell, Esqrs., A Committee, in Conjunction with a Committee of the Assembly, to see the Great Seal affixed to the same.

The Speaker then delivered to the Governor two Orders of the Assembly, the one upon the Trustees of the Loan Office for £500, and the other upon the Provincial Treasurer for £1,000.

Whereupon the Governor spoke to the Assembly in the following manner :

" I thank you Gentlemen for this Instance of your Regard, which I am the more pleased with as it gives an agreeable Prospect of future Harmony between me &'the Representatives of the People;

639

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

But a good Understanding between the two Branches of the Legis- lature, is not alone what I aim at. It is my hearty Desire that all Party Animosities may be laid aside, that all Differences on this Account between one Man & another may Cease, and that all may Unite in promoting the true Interests of the Country."

Then the Assembly withdrew.

At a Council held at the Philadelphia, Feb"". 14, 1742-3. PRESENT :

The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esq"- Lieut. Governor. Samuel Preston, Samuel Hasell, William Till,

Robert Strettel,

Abraham Taylor, Esqrs.

The Minutes of the preceeding Council being read and approv'd, the Governor inform'd the Board that Mr. Baird, finding him self in a declining State of Health, had desired Liberty to resign his Offices of Provincial Secretary and Clerk of the Council, which, as well as that of his private Secretary, he must do the Doctor the Justise to say he had discharged with strict Probity and greatly to his Satis- faction. And all the Members expressing the same Sentiments with Regard to Mr. Baird's Diligence and Exactness in the Dis- charge of his Duty, Mr. Baird return'd thanks to his Honour and the Board for their kind Acceptance of his Services, and deliver'd, up the Governor the Lesser Seal of the Province, the Chancery Seal, and His Honour's Seal at Arms.

The Governor then signified to the Board his Inclination to appoint Mr. Richard Peters to succeed Mr. Baird in those Offices, if they had no Objection; and they unanimously approving of him, he was admitted, and received the Seals from the Governor, with Directions to prepare the Usual Bond for the just Performance of his Duty, that the same might be executed and he take the Qualifi- cations the next Council. And Mr. Till and Mr. Strettel were ap- pointed to see the Delivery of the Council Books and Papers, &ca., and that a List of them should be made out and interchangeably sign'd by the Late and Present Secretary in their Presence, to remain as a Record in the Secretary's Office,

At a Council held at Philadelphia, April 5th, 1743. -

PRESENT:

The Honble GEORGE THOMAS, Esq"", Lieut. Governor. Clement Plumsted, Samuel Hasell,

Abraham Taylor, Robert Strettel, Esqrs.

The Minutes of the preceeding Council being read and approved,

640

MINUTES OF THE

the present Secretary took the Oaths and delivered in a Bond to the Governor for the safe keeping of the Records, &ca.

His Honour told the Council that as the Place of Chief Justice was Vacant by the Death of Mr. Langhorne, and it would be of very great Advantage to the Province that one of the Profession of the Law presided in the Supream Court, he had made an Offer of it to Mr. Kinsey, a gentleman well Known to them, and that as the Place of third Judge was likewise become Vacant by the Resig- nation of Mr. Thomas Griffitts, he had offer'd it to Mr. Till, who had been for many Years at the Head of the Supream Court of the Lower Counties, and both these Gentlemen having accepted, he would proceed to Commissionate them if they had no Objection.

The Board express'd great Satisfaction in what the Governor had done, and approving of these Gentlemen as every way Qualified, His Honour signed separate Commissions to Mr. Kinsey, Mr. Græme, and Mr. Till, and likewise the usual Commission of Oyer and Terminer & General Goal Delivery directed to the three or any two of them.

The Governor then informed the Board that having wrote a Let- ter to the Governor of Virginia, agreeable to the Address of the House of Representatives, he had received an Answer thereto with two Depositions inclosed, wherein the Indians are said to have been the Oc- casion of the late Skirmish, and that he had likewise received a Let- ter from Conrad Weiser, who was returned from Shamokin with a particular detail of his Transactions there, whereby it appear'd that the Indians concerned in the Engagement had represented it to their Brethren at Shamokin in a Light very Different from the Deposi- tions sent by Col. Gooch, and had actually charged the Virginians with being the Agressors, and firing upon them as they were begin- ning their March with their Bundles upon their Backs.

All which were Read, and the Secretary was order'd to lay them up amongst the Papers of his Office.

" Conrad Weiser's Report of his Journey to Shamokin, in Obedi- ence to the Governor's Letter of the 26th Jan'y. last :

"On the.30th of January, 1742-3, in the Evening, I received the Governer's Order, together with the Deposition of Thomas McKee, and set out next Morning in Company with the said McKee for Shamokin, over Backstone, where we arrived on the first Day of ffebruary. That same Day the said McKee's two Men arrived with two Canoes loaden with Skins from Chiniotte. They inform'd us that they met ten Warriors who asked them for a little Provision, which they (the Indian Traders) gave them-The Indians being very civil to them, but told nothing of what had happen'd in Vir- ginia. We were also informed by white People there, that four Shawono Indians had been there as Scouts, sent by the Shawonoes to get Intelligence what the white People were a doing. On the third Day of ffebruary we overtook the said Shawonoes about 25

641

PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.

Miles this side Shamokin at an Indian Trader's House, they ran into the House when they see Us come, And sat down in the same Corner of the House where their Arms were ; every one of them had a Cutlass besides their Guns, and one of them, who was a Brother of Cheekaqueton, had a Pistol. The Indian Trader's Wife told Us, while we lighted from our Horses, that these Shawonese had ill De- signs and talk'd very unfriendly. I went into the House first & shook Hands with them; their Hands trembled, and none of them hardly looked to my face till I sat down and began to talk with them in the Mohawks' Language; they said they could not under- stand me; By that Time McKee and one John -- - (who was pleased to accompany me to Shamokin from Backstone) came in. I desired them to tell the Shawonese that I was sent by the Governor of Pensilvania with a Message both to the Indians at Shamokin and thereabout as also to the six Nations, about the unhappy accident that happen'd lately in Virginia. They seemed to be well pleased with that. They never saw me before neither had I seen them be- fore, but understood by my Companions, who could both talk Sha- wono, that the oldest of them was Missemediqueety, a Captain of War, and a very noted Man among the Shawonese; the English call him the great Huminy ; they accompanied us to Shamokin, where we arrived that Day after sun Set; Shikellimo and Olumapies were very glad to see me. They informed Us that there were several Indians at Shamokin from several Places waiting for me with News from the Governor of Pensilvania. I told them that next Day they should hear the Message from the Governor. On the 4th they met at Shikellimo's House about 25 Men, the noted persons beside Shi- kellimo were Saghsidowa, a Chief of the Tuscarora (who was present at the Last Treaty in Philadelphia), Olumapies and Lapapeton of the Delawares, the aforesaid Shawonese, with several more of the said Nation, and Andrew, the Son of Madam Montour, who served for Interpreter to the Delawares; And because Shikellimo was Mourning for his Cousin killed by the Virginians lately, I directed my Speech first to him, according to the Custom of the 6 Nations, And in Order to Comfort him, in behalf of the Governor told him :

" Brother Shikellimo, You have just Cause to Mourn for the Loss of your Cousin killed in Virginia lately; I also am sensible of the grievous Accident, but as the Public Welfare calls for Your aid at this Time, I have been sent to Comfort you and to wipe of the Tears from Your Eyes, and, in short, to put your Heart at Ease, for which purpose I present you with these two Shrowds .* Then I spoke to the whole Company :

"Brethren : according to the Treaty betwixt the Government of Pennsilvania and the 6 Nations, which has been renewed Last Sum-

* NOTE-Indians never meddle with Publick Affairs whilst they are in Mourning.

VOL. IV .- 41.

642

MINUTES OF THE

mer, there is an Establis'd Road from Philadelphia to the 6 Na- tions, on which at any Time Conrad Weiser and Shikellimo may travel and carry Messages from one to the other; According to that Establishment I have sent Conrad Weiser to acquaint you with what follows :

(hereupon I laid down a String of Wampum.)

" Brethren: I my self and the People of Pennsilvania are sen- sible of the unhappy Accident that happened in Virginia betwixt the white People and Your Warriours. We mourn for it because not only the white People are our Brethren, and belong to the same great King on the other side of the great Lake, to whom we belong, but we also are become one People with the 6 Nations, of one Body, one Heart, and one Mind; I therefore desire that Imediately Shikellimo and one or two more may forthwith proceed to Onon- dago to acquaint the Council of the 6 Nations with the Steps taken by me since I heard first of the unhappy Accident. To press this upon You this String of Wampum is laid before You.

" Brethren : I have acquainted the Old and Wise Men in Penn- sylvania, who are now sitting and holding Council, with what I heard by Thomas M'Kee, and informed them of every Particular, as the Ten warriours had told the Story to the Indians living on or near the Great Island. I had also heard some uncertain Stories before, but had received no Letter as Yet from the Governor of Virginia. The aforesaid Old and Wise Men desired me to become Mediator, and to use my Endeavours to bring both the Governor of Virginia and the six Nations to a better Understanding then they have been hitherto. I therefore earnestly require of you, my Breth- ren the six Nations, to have no recourse to Arms, but rather Ac- comodate the Matter with the Governor of Virginia in an Amica- ble Way. I have sent to the Governor of Virginia to acquaint him with what is agreed upon by me and my Council, And as the Gov- ernor of Maryland sent for You last fall to come to Anapolis in order to settle every thing about the Land, and the Governor of Virginia joined with him to accommodate all Old Quarrels with you about the Land, if possible, I am very sure that this unhappy ac- cident will be accomodated then also, since it was done only by Peo- ple of ill Conduct, and no ways by the Governor of Virginia's Order. I must put you in Mind of the Treaty of ffriendship subsist- ing between Us, and by Virtue of that I earnestly press upon you with this Belt of Wampum to accomodate the matter amicably. Here I laid down a large Belt of Wampum.

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.

Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. IV, Part 67

Author: Publication date: 1838 Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State Number of Pages: 814

Author:
Publication date: 1838
Publisher: [Harrisburg] : By the State
Number of Pages: 814