USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. V > Part 66
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" The Petition of Captain Philip Nery, Commander and Part Owner of the Schooner called the Nostra Seignora de Rozario, Saint Anna, and Saint Antonio, Humbly Shews:
"That Your Petitioner is now almost ready to depart this Port and to prosecute his intended Voyage to the Island of Teneriffe, where the Rest of the Owners of the said Schooner reside, but being entirely unacquainted with the Bay and River Delaware and the ad- jacent Coasts, he hath applied to and engaged (with your Honour's Permission) Patrick Roney, of the City of Philadelphia, Mariner, a Person well qualified for that Purpose, to assist your Petitioner in the navigating the said Vessel to the said Island of Teneriffe.
"Your Petitioner, therefore, humbly prays Your Honour will be pleased to permit him to depart this Port with his said Schooner, to employ and take the said Patrick Roney as his Pilot or Assistant in the said Voyage.
" And your Petitioner will pray, &ca.
" Capitaine PHILIPPE NERI."
And the Prayer of the Petition was granted by the Governor, who ordered that Capt. Roncy should give Security to his Majestie's Collector of this Port to deliver the Goods taken on Board here at the Island of Teneriffe, Accidents of the Sea excepted.
" 15th September, 1753."
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Friday the 21st Day of Sep- tember, 1753.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Thomas Lawrence,
William Till,
Robert Strettell,
Joseph Turner, ? Esquires.
William Logan,
Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
A Letter of William Fairfax, of Virginia, Esquire, which the Governor received Yesterday by Express, was read in these Words :
" WINCHESTER, 14th September, 1753. " Sir :
" Pursuant to a Commission under our Great Seal from Governor Dinwiddie, I came hither to meet certain Chiefs of the Six Nations and their allied Indians, and make them a Present of some Arms, Ammunition, and Cloathing. Upon drawing to a Conclusion, I re- ceived a Speech from them desiring I would write to your Honour, and with their best Compliments let You know that proposing to return homeward through Pennsylvania they would be most glad to meet your Honour at Carlisle on or before the twenty-second Instant, in hopes of shaking your Hand and presenting the Twigh- twees. The present unsettled Affairs of their Country on the French's Entry on their Lands would not allow them time to wait on your Honour at Philadelphia. I was further desired to send You the enclosed String of Wampum as a Token of their great Desire to see You at Carlisle. For Particulars I take Leave to refer to Mr. Croghan, who has kindly assisted me.
"I am, Sir, with a respectful Esteem,
" Your Honour's most obedient humble Servant, "W. FAIRFAX."
The Governor having desired a Conference with the Speaker and such other members of Assembly as were in Town, Mr. Norris the Speaker, Mr. Warner, Mr. Trotter, Mr. Franklyn, Mr. Roberts, and Mr. Stretch, Members for the County and City of Philadelphia, accordingly came into Council, when the Letter was again read, and on considering the contents all were of opinion that since Mr. Fair- fax had not favoured the Governor with an account of what passed between him and the Indians, nor mentioned their Business with this Government, nor had Governor Dinwiddie met them in Person, there was no Necessity for the Governor's indulging the Indians with his Presence at a Place so distant from Philadelphia on a Re- quest of their's signified to him in such a manner. But considering VOL. V .- 42.
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the present Situation of these Indians, and that they might be dis- tressed by the hostile Proceedings of the French, and that the As- sembly had voted Eight Hundred Pounds for Indian Services, of which the Governor had the sole Disposal, it might be for the Pub- lick Good to take this opportunity of enquiring into their Circum- stances and making them a Present of Goods to the amount of that Sum if it should be found necessary. Whereupon the Governor desired Mr. Richard Peters, Mr. Isaac Norris, and Mr. Benjamin Franklyn, to undertake the Transactions of this Business, and they complying with his Honour's Request, the following Commission was executed and delivered to them :
" George the Second, by the Grace of God of Great Britain, France, and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, and so forth ; To our Trusty and well-beloved Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Ben- jamin Franklyn, Esquires, Greeting :
Whereas, some Chiefs of the Indians of the Six Nations, of the Shawanese, of the Delawares, and of the Twightwees, living on the Waters of River Ohio, a Branch of the Mississippi, our Good Friends and Allies, have signified to our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania that they are earnestly desirous to renew the Leagues of Amity subsisting between Us and their Nations, and are now waiting at Carlisle, in the County of Cumberland, within our said Province, for this Purpose : Know Ye, that judging it may greatly contribute to the Safety and Benefit of all our Loving Subjects, Inhabitants of Our said Province of Pennsylvania, to hold a Treaty with these Indians agreeable to their Request, and Reposing Special Trust and Confidence in your Loyalty, Abilities, and Circumspection, We have thought fit to nominate and appoint You the said Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Franklyn, and Every of You, our Commissioners on Behalf of our Governor of our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid, to treat with the said Indians now at Carlisle, or with their or any or every of their Chiefs or Delegates, and with them to renew, ratify, and con- firm the Leagues of Amity subsisting between Our said Province of Pennsylvania and the said Nations of Indians; And further, to do, act, transact, and finally to conclude and agree with the Indians aforesaid all and every other matter and thing which to You shall appear necessary, touching or in any wise concerning the Premises, as fully and amply to all Intents, Constructions, and Purposes, as Our Governor of Our Province of Pennsylvania aforesaid might or could do being Personally present. Hereby ratifying, confirming, and holding for firm and effectual whatsoever You, the said Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Franklyn, or any of You, shall Lawfully do in and about the Premises. In Testimony whereof We have caused the Great Seal of our said Province to be hereunto af- fixed. Witness, JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, (by Vertue of a
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Commission from Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esquires, true and absolute Proprietaries of the said Province, And with Our Royal Approbation) Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province aforesaid, and Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Delaware, at Philadelphia, the Twenty-Second Day of Sep- tember, in the Year of our Lord One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty-three, and in the Twenty-Seventh Year of Our Reign.
"JAMES HAMILTON."
Then was read a Letter to the Governor from Mr. Edward Shippen, Prothonotary of Lancaster County, and another enclosed in it to one Young, an Indian Trader, from John Frazer, his Partner, and one who had lived at Weningo; but apprehensive of a visit from the French had in the Summer removed thence to the Forks of Mohongialo, about fourteen Miles from the sd. River's entring into the Ohio, where he now has a Store of Goods and carries on a Trade with the Indians, And as Fraser's Letter con- tains a large Account of the French Proceedings, and Mr. Shippen's Letter explains several Matters in it, they are both ordered to be entered, placing Fraser's first.
" FORKS, August 27th, 1753.
" Mr. Young :
"I have sent the Bearer in all haste to acquaint You what a narrow Escape William made from the French at Weningo. I have sent him off there the same time that You ordered him, and from that time until he ran away he only sold eight Buck's worth of Goods, which Custologo took from him, and all his Corn, when he was making his Escape in the night. He is made a Captain by the French, and next morning after William's Escape he delivered John Trotter and his Man to the French, who tied them fast and carried them away to their new Fort that they made a little from Weningo at a Place called Caseoago up French Creek. The night that William ran away, that Afternoon Two French Men came to Weningo, who told William that there was no Danger, but William being a little afraid got all ready that night and came as far as Licking Creek and there staid till Break of Day, and then came by Land to the Top of the Hill against my House, where he saw about one hundred of the French Dogs, all under Arms, and had Trotter and his Man then tied. Fourteen of them followed William, but it being a foggy Morning he outrun them, so that there is nothing lost yet only those eight Bucks and all the Corn. I would have sent William down only I do not know every moment what Time I will be obliged to move my Goods from here back in the Woods.
" I have thrown a Parcel of my own Goods against another Parcel of Yours, and sell them now since William came here. I have not
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got any Skins this Summer, for there has not been an Indian between Weningo and the Pict Country hunting this Summer, by reason of the French.
"There is hardly any Indians now here at all, for yesterday there set off along with Capt Trent and French Andrew the Heads of the Five Nations, the Picts, the Shawonese, the Owendats, and the Delawares, for Virginia; and the Half King set off to the French Fort, with a strong Party along with him, to warn the French off their Land entirely, which if they did not comply to, then directly the Six Nations, the Picts, Shawonese, Owendats, and Delawares, were to strike them without Loss of Time. The Half King was to be back in twenty Days from the time he went away, so were the Indians from Virginia.
" Capt. Trent was here the night before last and viewed the Ground the Fort is to be built upon, which they will begin in less than a month's time. The Money has been laid out for the build- ing of it already, and the great Guns are lying at Williamsburg ready to bring up.
" The French are daily deserting from the new Fort-one of them came here the other Day whom I sent to Capt Trent; he has him along with him to Virginia ; he has given the true Account of the Number of French and all their Designs; there are exactly Twenty- Four Hundred of them in all; here is enclosed the Draught of the Fort the French built a little way the other side of Sugar Creek, not far from Weningo, where they have Eight Cannon. Which is all from your Friend
"JOHN FRASER.
" P. S .- The Captain of the French that took John Trotter from Weningo was the White French Man that lived last Winter at Log's Town."
" LANCASTER, 9th September, 1753.
" Honoured Sir :
"The enclosed was just now brought me by Mr. Callendar in order to be forwarded to your Honour.
" Custologo is a Delaware Indian, and a very Leading man.
" Weningo is the name of an Indian Town on Ohio where Mr. Fraser has had a Gunsmith's Shop for many Years; it is situate eighty Miles up the said River beyond the Log's Town, and Case- wago is Twenty Miles above Weningo.
"The Half King is one of the Six Nations, and of very great Note and Esteem amongst them.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
" Mr. Croghan has been gone two Weeks since to Winchester in Virginia to an Indian Treaty. I am, with due Respect,
" Your Honour's most obedient humble Servant,
" EDWARD SHIPPEN.
" To the Honourable the Governor."
The Governor informed the Council that he had given a Com- mission to Mr. John Ingliss to sell so much of Captain Philip Nery's Cargo and no more as would refit the Vessel and make her capable of proceeding on her Voyage to Teneriffe; and likewise that he had on the Petition of the said Captain given the command to Patrick Roney, who had given Security to the Collector to de- liver her safe to the Owners at Teneriffe, and that he proposed to write the following Letter to the British Consul there : " Sir :
" Captain Philip Nery, Commander and Part Owner of the Schooner Nostra Seignora de Rozario, Saint Anna, and Saint An- tonio, having by Petition set forth that his said Vessel was in so leaky a Condition that She was unfit to proceed on her Voyage to the Island of Teneriffe without some necessary Repairs; and pray- ing likewise that as he was a Stranger both to our River and Bay and the adjacent Coasts, I wou'd permit him to take on Board Pa- trick Roney, of this City, Mariner, to assist him in navigating the said Vessel, I have accordingly granted the Petitioner's Requests, and by my Lett Pass have permitted the said Captain Roney to take with him such other assistance as is deemed necessary for the said Purpose; and that the Captain and Seamen may be honestly paid according to their Agreement I have directed Capt Roney upon his arrival to apply to the British Consul for the time being, for his advice and assistance in this Affair, and that I may be ad- vised of the Vessel and Cargo's Arrival at the Island of Teneriffe.
" I am, Sir, Your most humble Servant, "JAMES HAMILTON.
" PHILADELPHIA, 22d September, 1753.
" To the British Consul for the time being at the Island of Ten- eriffe."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 3d Day of October, 1753.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Robert Strettell, Esquires.
Joseph Turner,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
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The Returns of the Sheriffs and Coroners for the several Coun- ties being taken into Consideration, the Several Persons following were appointed and received their Commissions accordingly :
Sheriffs.
Coroners.
Samuel Morris,
Philadelphia County and City,
Thomas James,
William Yardley,
Bucks County,
Evan Jones,
Isaac Pearson,
Chester County,
Joshua Thompson,
Thomas Smith,
Lancaster County,
John Dougharty,
John Adlum,
York County,
Alexander Love,
Ezekial Dunning,
Cumberland County,
John McClure, William Boone,
Benjamin Lightfoot,
Berks County,
Nicholas Scull,
Northampton County, Jasper Scull,
George Monroe,
Newcastle County,
Robert Morrison,
John Clayton, Jun"-,
Kent County,
French Battle,
Jacob Kolloch, Jun"., Sussex County,
John Spencer.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Tuesday the 16th of October, 1753.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
John Penn,
Thomas Lawrence,
Robert Strettell, Benjamin Shoemaker, Esquires.
Joseph Turner,
Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
Five Members of Assembly waited on the Governor to acquaint him that the House was met and had chosen their Speaker, and desired to know when they might present him. His Honour ap- pointed Twelve o'Clock the next Day in the Council Chamber; and the Council being accordingly met at that time, the Governor sent the Secretary with a Message that he was ready in the Council Chamber to receive the House,-Who immediately came and pre- sented Isaac Norris as their Speaker, who after praying the usual Privileges, which were conceded, withdrew.
The Record of the Conviction of Thomas Ruth, tryed at the Su- pream Court on the twelfth Instant for the Murder of Charles Quigg, was read, and a Warrant ordered for his Execution on next Saturday, being the Twentieth Instant, which was signed by his Honour.
A Petition from Alexander Maginty, Indian Trader, and like- wise his Deposition taken before the Chief Justice, were read and ordered to entered, and he recommended to the Assembly as a
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Person in great Distress, and that they would allow him some Re- lief :
" To the Honourable the Governor and Council of the Province of Pennsylvania,
" The Petition of Alexander Maginty, of Cumberland County, Indian Trader, Humbly Shews :
" That on the Twenty-Sixth of January last, your Petitioner in Company with Six other Indian Traders being on their Return from a Trading Journey amongst the Cuttawas, an Indian Nation within the Territories of Carolina, was met and taken Prisoner by a Party of French Indians, who took from your Petitioner in Goods, Skins, and Horses, to the Value of Two Hundred and Twenty Pounds, being all that your Petitioner had in the World, and was even stripped of all his Clothes; and being now reduced to extream Poverty and Want,
" Your Petitioner most humbly entreats your Honours to com- miserate his distressed Condition and to give or order him some Re- lief that (being entirely destitute of money's) he may be enabled to purchase some cloathes and to defray the Expence of his journey home.
" And your Petitioner will ever pray, &c. " ALEXANDER MAGINTY.
" The Deposition of Alexander Maginty, of Cumberland County, Indian Trader, taken on Oath before William Allen, Esquire, Chief Justice of the Province of Pennsylvania, at Philadelphia, the Twelfth Day of October, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Fifty- Three, Who saith :
" That this Deponent with Six other Traders, vizt:, David Hen- dricks, Jacob Evans, William Powel, Thomas Hyde, and James Lowry, all of the Province of Pennsylvania, and Jabez Evans, of the Province of Virginia, being on their Return from Trading with the Cuttawas, a nation who live in the Territories of Carolina, were on the Twenty-Sixth Day of January last attacked and taken Prisoners by a company of Coghnawagos, or French Praying In- dians, from the River Saint Lawrence, being in Number Seventy (with whom was one white man called Philip, a Low Dutchman), at a Place about Twenty-Five Miles from the Blue Lick Town, and on the South Bank of Cantucky River, which empties itself into Allegheny River about Two Hundred Miles below the Lower Shawa- nese Town, this Deponent and the said Six Traders having then with them in Goods, Skins, and Furs, to the value of Seven Hun- dred Pounds, Pennsylvania money, which were all taken away from them by the said French Indians. That from thence the said De- ponent with the said David Hendricks, Jacob Evans, William Pow- ell, Thomas Hyde, and Jabez Evans (the said James Lowry having
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made his Escape soon after they were taken as aforesaid and returned into Pennsylvania as this Deponent hath since heard), were carried by the said Indians to a French Fort on the Miamis or Twightwee River, and from thence to Fort De Troit, and there the said Jacob Evans and Thomas Hyde (as they informed this Deponent at the said Fort) were sold by the said Indians to Monsieur Celoron, Comandant of that Fort. And this Deponent with the said David Hendricks and Jabez Evans were carri'd forward by the Lake Erie to Niagara, and so through Lake Ontario to the City of Mont Real and there brought before the General of Canada, who said he wou'd have nothing to do with them for they were the Indian's Prisoners and at their Disposal. That the said Jacob Evans, Thomas Hyde, and William Powel, were also afterwards sent to Montreal, where this Deponent saw the said Jacob Evans and Thomas Hyde in Pri- son, but were sometime after sent away to Old France, as this De- ponent was told at Montreal. That the said William Powel was sent to Canessatawba Town, Twenty-Six Miles from Montreal, and this Deponent to a small Indian Town in the Neighbourhood of Mon- treal, where he was kept a Prisoner by the said Indians who took him, but was sometimes permitted to go to Montreal.
" That the Indians of the Town where he was Prisoner, near Montreal, told him that there should not be a White Man of the English Nation on Ohio before the next Cold, meaning the Winter, for the Land was their Father's the French, and no Englishman should remain there.
" That in their Passage from Fort De Troit to Niagara in March last they met on Lake Erie Seven Battoes at one time and fifteen at another ; and afterwards in their Passage from Niagara to Montreal they saw on Lake Ontario one hundred and sixty Battoes, or up- wards ; in all which Battoes were embarked French Soldiers with Arms and Ammunition, some of them having twelve, some ten, and some eight Men on board.
" ALEXANDER MAGINTY.
" Sworn before me,
"WILL. ALLEN, Chief Justice."
MEMORANDUM.
On the Seventeenth October, 1754, Two Members waited on the Governor with a Message from the House that they enclined to adjourn to the Fourteenth of January, but on the Governor's saying that the Time proposed would not suit him, and their reporting this Answer to the House, the Time was altered to the Fourth Day of February.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Wednesday the 14th November, 1753.
PRESENT :
The Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
John Penn,
Benjamin Shoemaker, Esquires.
Joseph Turner, Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Commissioners appointed to hold a Treaty with the Ohio Indians at Carlisle made their Report to the Governor, which was read, approved, and ordered to be entered :
" To the Honourable JAMES HAMILTON, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor and Commander-in-Chief of the Province of Pennsyl- vania and Counties of Newcastle, Kent, and Sussex, upon Del- aware,
" The Report of Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Franklyn, Esquires, Commissioners appointed to treat with some Chiefs of the Ohio Indians at Carlisle, in the County of Cumber- land, by a Commission bearing Date the twenty-second Day of September, 1753.
" May it please the Governor :
"Not knowing but the Indians might be waiting at Carlisle, We made all the Dispatch possible as soon as We had received our Commission, and arrived there on the Twenty-Sixth, but were agreeably surprized to find that they came there only that Day.
"Immediately on our Arrival We conferred with Andrew Mon- tour and George Croghan, in order to know from them what had occasioned the present coming of the Indians, that We might by their Intelligence regulate our first Intercourse with them; and were informed that tho' their principal Design when they left Ohio was to hold a Treaty with the Government of Virginia at Win- chester, where they had accordingly been, yet they intended a visit to this Province, to which they had been frequently encouraged by Andrew Montour, who told them he had the Governor's repeated Orders to invite them to come and see him, and assured them of an hearty Welcome; and that they had moreover some important matters to propose and transact with this Government.
" The Commissioners finding this to be the Case, and that these Indians were some of the most considerable Persons of the Six Na- tions, Delawares, Shawonese, with Deputies from the Twightwees and Owendats, met them in Council, in which the Commissioners declared the Contents of their Commission, acknowledged the Gov- ernor's Invitation, and bid them heartily welcome among their Brethren of Pennsylvania, to whom their visit was extremely agree- able, Conrad Weiser and Andrew Montour interpreting between the
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Comissioners and Indians and several Magistrates and Others of the principal Inhabitants of the County favouring them with their Pre- sence.
"The Twightwees and Delawares having had several of their great Men cut off by the French and their Indians, and all the Chiefs of the Owendats being lately dead, it became necessary to condole their Loss, and no Business could be begun agreeable to the Indian Cus- toms till the Condolances were passed, and as these could not be made with the usual Ceremonies for want of the Goods, which were not arrived, and it was uncertain when they would, the Commission- ers were put to some Difficulties and ordered the Interpreters to apply to Scarrowyady, an Oneido Chief, who had the Conduct of the Treaty in Virginia and was a Person of great Weight in their Coun- cils, and to ask his Opinion whether the Condolances would be ac- cepted by Belts and Strings and Lists of the particular Goods in- tended to be given, with Assurances of their Delivery as soon as they should come. Scarrowyady was pleased with their Applica- tion, but frankly declared that the Indians could not proceed to Business while the Blood remained on their Garments, and that the Condolances could not be accepted unless the Goods intended to cover the Graves were actually spread on the Ground before them. A Messenger was therefore forthwith sent to meet and hasten. the Waggoners, since every Thing must stop till the Goods came.
" It was then agreed to confer with Scarrowyady and some others of the Chiefs of the Shawonese and Delawares on the State of Af- fairs at Ohio, and from them the Commissioners learned in sundry Conferences the following Particulars, viz *:
"That when the Governor of Pennsylvania's Express arrived at Ohio with the Account of the March of a large French Army to the Heads of Ohio, with Intent to take Possession of that Country, it alarmed the Indians so much that the Delawares at Weningo, an Indian Town situate high up on Ohio River, went agreeable to a Custom established among the Indians and forbad by a formal Notice the Commander of that Armament then advanced to the Straits between Lake Ontario and Lake Erie to continue his March, at least not to presume to come farther than Niagara. This had not, however, any Effect; but notwithstanding this Notice the French continued their March, which being afterwards taken into Consideration by the Council at Log's Town, they ordered some of their principal Indians to give the French a second Notice to leave their Country and return home; who meeting them on a River running into Lake Erie a little above Weningo, addressed the Commander in these Words :
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