USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VI > Part 13
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"Mr. William Alexander of New York was kind enough to tell Us that Mr. Woodbridge, who kept an Indian School at Stockbridge in New England, and Two Connecticut Gentlemen, vizt.,
were in Town with Intent to negotiate a Purchase from the Indians for the Sasquehannah Lands lying within the Latitude of the Connecticut Charter in favour of some private Persons of that Government, and had with them a thousand Pieces of Eight, and were busy conferring with the Indians on this Subject at the House and thro' the means of Mr. Lydius. This Lydius is an Inhabitant of Albany, known to have abjured the Protestant Religion in Canada and to be concerned in a clandestine Trade with the Caghnawaga or French Praying Indians, and suspected to carry on a Secret Corre- spondence with the Government of Canada, and as Mr. Alexander in- formed Us might not only have lucrative views in the Management of this Purchase, but a Design to sow Dissention as well between the Indian Nations as between the several Colonies whose Lands lay within the Latitude of the Connecticut Charter; and at the same Time Mr. Alexander kindly offered his Services to Us, telling Us that he was acquainted with the two Connecticut Gentlemen, and believed it might not be amiss for Us and them to come together. This Proposal was readily embraced by Us, and Mr. Alexander was
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told that the Proprietaries had good Deeds for all the Sasquehannah Lands, as well as solemn Treaties and Agreements with the Indians, whereby they engaged to sell no Lands within the Bounds of ye Pennsylvania Charter to any but the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, and he was desired to mention this to the Connecticut agents, and that We should be glad to make them sensible of the Goodness of the Title of the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania in order to prevent if possible Differences with the Indians and with one another on the Subject of Lands.
"We were told by Mr. Alexander that our Proposals were com- municated and great Professions made by the Connecticut Agents of their Willingness to confer with Us, telling him if our Title was good they would not proceed further in the Purchase; but notwith- standing these Professions it was often told Us by People of Probity in Albany that they were in secret Conferences with the Indians at Lydius', and without letting Us hear any thing further from them the two Gentlemen went out of Town.
"Mr. Woodbridge, who was the Schoolmaster of the Mohiccon Indians, a Nation who had formerly lived at and about Albany, and was their publick Interpreter at the Congress and obliged to stay in Town, was a Witness of every thing that passed between the Commissioners of Pennsylvania and the Indians during their Stay at Albany.
"We arrived at Albany Monday the seventeenth Day of June, and on the nineteenth John Shick Calamy came to Town, with Gachradoda and other Chiefs of the Cayugas and some of the principal Oneidos, and acquainted Mr. Weiser that he had delivered the Governor's Messages to those Two Nations at their respective Castles and found them well enclined, and that Gachradoda in par- ticular was very hearty for the Proprietaries, and would serve them on this Occasion and would confer with Mr. Weiser both as to the Extent and Terms of Sale.
"He said further, that some Tuscororas were come to Town; that this Nation was influenced by the Oneidos, and would entirely govern themselves by their Advice and Example in this Matter.
"The next morning Gachradoda, with some of his own People and the Oneidos and Tuscororas, came to visit the Commissioners of Pennsylvania and went home with Mr. Weiser, who found it necessary to engage Gagradoda by a Reward to serve him as his private Counsellor, and direct him what Measures to take to engage the Indians for a Sale, either of the whole Province or so much of it as to take in the Western Branch of Sasquehannah called in their Language Senaxse.
" Afterwards there arrived a few Senecas and Two Onondagers, who likewise came to visit the Commissioners of Pennsylvania, having been made acquainted by Gagradoda with the Proprietaries'
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Proposals and by him brought to Mr. Weiser, to whom they de- clared their Willingness to let the Proprietaries have a Deed for ali the Province or at least up to the Western Branch.
" At this time none of the Chiefs of the Mohocks were come to Town, Hendrick telling the Indians as they passed by the Upper Mohock Castle that they did not know whether they should come at all to the Treaty, or if they did, not till they heard the Treaty was began. This gave the Indians Opportunity of frequently con- ferring together about a further Sale to Messieurs Penn, and Gagra- doda reported to Mr. Weiser that they were in general well disposed, except some of the Oneidos, who were for putting off a final De- termination till the Arrival of the Mohocks, who had kept the Commissioners waiting more than a Week, and yet notwithstand- ing this Affront to the Shame of that Government were invited to come and told they could not treat without them. As soon as they came they were called by the Oneidos to the Consultations about the intended Purchase, and they advised them not to sell the whole or even up to the Western Branch. Gagradoda and Shick Calamy finding that Hendrick would have the Management and thereby could not prevail against them, came and told Mr. Weiser that the Oneidos had insisted on taking Hendrick and the Mohocks into Council to help them to treat with the Propr& of Pennsylvania, and that Hendrick was thereby got into the Management of it, and had persuaded them not to sell so much as they intended, nor further than the Allegheny Hills, and to keep all the Western Branch of Sasquehannah in their own Hands, and that they could not make Head against him.
"On Saturday the thirtieth of June, the Governor of New York delivered to the Indians the general Speech in the Name of himself and all the Commissioners present. And on the Tuesday following the Indians made their Answer to it, Hendrick, the Mo- hock Chief, and his Brother Abraham being Speakers. At the Close of their Speeches Hendrick held up Two Belts and acquainted the Governor and Commissioners that the Six Nations had received those Two Belts from the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania, with Pro- posals to treat with them for a large Part of their Country, and. having agreed upon an Answer if the Governor and Commissioners pleased they would give it in this publick Congress. Governor Delancey desired to know of the Commissioners of Pennsylvania to what Latitude this new Purchase would extend, and was told that it was intended to take in all the Western Branch, none of which was more North than Latitude forty-one Degrees and thirty minutes. It was likewise mentioned to the Governor that as all Land Treaties were carried on between the Proprietaries of Penn- sylvania and Indians in the most open manner, the Proposals of every intended Purchase being first sent by the Proprietaries to the Council at Onondago and Delegates appointed by the whole Body VOL. VI .- 8.
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of Indians to execute the Deed and receive the Consideration Mo- ney, it would give the Commissioners of Pennsylvania Pleasure and might be of Use at this time if this Treaty might be made in the publick Congress.
"Governor Delancey then asked the other Commissioners, as this Matter regarded only the Province of Pennsylvania, whether it might not be better transacted between them and the Indians in their Lodgings, and they thinking it might, Hendrick was told this, and the Commissioners of Pennsylvania appointed the Indians to meet them the next day at their Lodgings; and to our great Surprize when the rough Draught of this part of the Minutes was read at the next Meeting of Governor and Commissioners, it was said that this made no Part of the Business of the Congress, and ought not to be put into the Minutes; to which one of the Commissioners of Pennsyl- vania replied, that whatever came voluntarily from the Indians and was delivered in publick was as much a Part of the Business of the Congress as any other thing mentioned by them. With respect to the Commissioners of Pennsylvania it was indifferent whether any Notice should be taken of it or no, but it appeared something sin- gular that at a time when the Commissioners were brought here at a great Expence to their Governments to settle Differences that arose between New York and the Indians, on Account of fraudulent Proceedings in Land Treaties with the Indians, they should decline accepting the Offer made them by the Indians of having One of those Treaties made in publick, as the Indians might make this Offer on purpose to begin a Precedent, and to shew that they would chuse to treat in the most publick manner on such Occasions for the future. And now that they not only declined this reasonable Offer, but insisted that neither the Offer nor their Refusal should be put upon the Minutes, it could not be thought they were sensible of their having done wrong, and were desirous the Publick should not know that they had done so. Notwithstanding this, it was unani- mously agreed that the Clerk should take no Notice of what Hen- drick had said on this particular Occasion in the Minutes, and the Commissioners of Pennsylvania not thinking it proper to protest did acquiesce."
" At a Meeting of Seventy of the Six Nations at Mr. James Ste- venson's, in Albany, Friday the Fifth Day of July, 1754.
"PRESENT :
" John Penn, Richard Peters, Isaac Norris, and Benjamin Frank- lin, Esquires, Commissioners of Pennsylvania.
" Conrad Weiser, Esquire, Interpreter.
" The Commissioners of Pennsylvania spoke as follows : "'Brethren :
"'We were glad to hear You mention in the grand Council that
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the Six Nations had received several Messages from the Proprieta- ries of Pennsylvania, expressing a Desire to treat with them for a further Purchase of Lands in their Province, and had it been agree- able to the Governor and Commissioners We should have willingly treated with You then. The Governors of Pennsylvania always desire to have their Treaties with the Indians made in the most pub- lic manner, that all the World may know what is agreed on between them. But since it has been thought proper that We should treat with You in our Lodgings, We let You know that we have full Power from the Proprietaries to hold such a Treaty with You, and and that agreeable to Message sent to the Six Nations by the Gov- ernor We have since our Arrival in this Town ordered it to be . proposed to You by the Interpreter that You should make a Deed for all the Lands that have been settled by White People, or are now wanted for Settlements on the West Side of the River Sasquehannah as far Westward as the Province extends, and as far North of the Kittochtinny Hills, the present Boundary between You and the Proprietaries, as You shall think proper to part with, and the larger the Tract the more agreeable to Us, and the larger our Present to You will be; And as You have had this Matter for some Days under your Consideration, and have told Us You were ready to give an Answer, We now wait to hear it.'
"The Indians in our Presence made a Circle at one End of the Room in order to confer among themselves, and they spent more than an hour in Consultation, and were very warm and earnest in their Debates, and seemed to differ much in Opinion. Hendrick spoke a great deal, and turning round observed Mr. Weiser near them and desired him to withdraw, which he did, and after some little time they sent for him and took him into their Council, asked his Opinion on divers Matters, and then returned to their Seats as at first. Hendrick spoke as follows :
'' ' Brother :
"' We have now the Pleasure of seeing one another together in Albany; Let us talk together freely. We thought the Boundaries' had been settled between Us and the White People. We received a Message from You relating to those Lands, which We shall now have some Talk about.
"'We have several times desired the Governor of Pennsylvania to remove his People from our Lands, and We understand he has done his utmost Endeavours for that Purpose except using Force, which We do not desire he should. We are now, therefore, willing to part with them, and expect to be paid for them.
"' Brother Onas :
""" What We are now going to say is a Matter of great Moment, which We desire you to remember as long as the Sun and Moon lasts. We are willing to sell You this large Tract of Land for your
at
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People to live upon, but We desire this may be considered as Part of our Agreement that when We are all dead and gone your Grand- children may not say to our Grandchildren that your Forefathers sold the Land to our Forefathers, and therefore be gone off them. This is wrong. Let Us be all as Brethren as well after as before of giving you Deeds for Land. After We have sold our Land We in a little time have nothing to Shew for it; but it is not so with You, Your Grandchildren will get something from it as long as the World stands; our Grandchildren will have no advantage from it ; They will say We were Fools for selling so much Land for so small a matter, and curse Us; therefore let it be a Part of the present Agreement that We shall treat one another as Brethren to the latest Generation, even after We shall not have left a Foot of Land.'
" Gave a Belt of Six Rows.
"""'Brother :
"' We desire You to give Ear to what We are now going to say. Land is grown very dear You know, and is become very valuable. We desire You would content yourself with what We shall now grant You. We will never part with the Land at Shamokin and Wyomink; our Bones are scattered there, and on this Land there has always been a great Council Fire. We desire You will not take it amiss that we will not part with it, for We reserve it to settle such of our Nations upon as shall come to us from the Ohio, or any others who shall deserve to be in our Alliance. Abundance of Indians are moving up and down, and We shall invite all such to come and live here, that so We may strengthen ourselves.'
" Gave a Belt of Eight Rows.
"""' Brother :
"' It is customary upon these Occasions when We sell Land for both Parties to have a Copy of what is transacted. We, therefore, desire You would let Us have one, and We will give it to one of. Our young Men who will keep it for Us.
"' Brother :
"' We have heard since We came here that our Brother Onas and our Brother of New England have had some Disputes about the Lands of Sasquehannah-a Dispute of the same kind as that of the Governor of Canada and Assaragoah, but We desire You would not differ with one another about it, for neither shall have it. We will not part with it to neither of You. We will reserve it for our West- ern Indians to live upon.
"'Brethren :
" ' Last Year Col. Johnson was at Onondago. He told Us Brother. Onas had a handsome Present for Us. We have not heard of it since. If it be true We desire You would let Us know, and give it to Us now. You see We are a poor People, and some of Us have not so much as a Breech Clout to cover Us.'
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"The Commissioners thanked them for the kind Manner in which they had spoken to them, and said they would take it into Con- sideration and return them an Answer to-morrow morning. Then the Indians were treated with Wine and Punch and dismissed.
"In the afternoon Mr. Weiser informed the Commissioners that high Dissentions arose among the Indians, and desired they would not think of Meeting them in Council nor prepare an Answer to their Speeches nor see their Chiefs till he could find out what would be the Issue of their Consultations ; he believed some bad People had poisoned their Sentiments, and supposed it to be Lydius and Mr. Woodbridge, by the means of Hendrick, with whom they were intimate. Mr. Weiser was ordered not to truckle at all nor to go from the Proposals, but to leave the Indians to themselves, and was told it would be better to know what Influence was used and who used it over them, and which were for and which against Us, and with what Views, & that at all Events it would be unbecoming the Character of the Province of Pennsylvania, which had been re- markably kind and just to the Indians, to take any ill Usage from them, and rather not to treat at all than do this. Mr. Weiser con- curring in Opinion, the Indians were left to themselves, and in the Evening their Chiefs proposed to the Commissioners by Mr. Weiser to give a Deed for all the Lands to the South of the Western Branch as far as the Allegheny Hills, but no farther. This proposal the Commissioners took unkindly of the Indians, and ordered Mr. Weiser to tell them that it would not be accepted, and that the Commis- sioners supposed by their bounding their Sale by the Allegheny Hills that they were under Contract with the French for the Ohio Lands, and desired they would explain themselves on this head, for if it was so or that they were any way afraid to aleniate those Lands which were clearly within Mr. Penn's Grant, the Commissioners should desist all further Treaty with them.
" In former Agreements for Lands in Pennsylvania the Mohocks did not share the Consideration Money with the other Nations, as they did not lay claim to any of those Lands, and the Lands now under Consideration did really belong to the Cayugas and Oneidas in Right of the Conquest of the Sasquehannah Indians, and Mr. Weiser knowing this paid no Court to Hendrick, and expressed some Resentment at the Regard shewn to his Opinion by the other Na- tions, and to let Hendrick see that he would not apply to him for his Interest he delivered the Answer of the Commissioners to him to communicate to the Six Nations in Council, and added that the Commissioners were much displeased and he verily believed would take no further Notice of them, especially as their limiting the Pur- chase by the Allegheny Mountains made them suspect some under- hand Dealings between the Six Nations and the Governor of Canada.
" Mr. Weiser was afterwards told that Hendrick delivered the Commissioners' Answer to the Six Nations in their Council truly
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and fully as it was told him, and then in a pathetic Speech, in which he set forth the constant good Usage of the Province of Pennsylvania and their affectionate and generous Usage of the: In- dians, he advised them to take the Frowns off from the Brow of their Brethren, and to grant them the Lands according to the Western Bounds of the Province, which he had enquired of, and was told by the Interpreter extended beyond the Ohio, and took in the Eastern Part of Lake Erie. And this Proposal of Hendrick's being unani- mously agreed to, Mr. Weiser was called into their Council and informed of their Resolution not to suffer the Commissioners to depart in Anger, and then in Conferences the Indians and He settled the Bounds of the Purchase, viz'", to extend from the Kit- tochtinny Hills on Sasquehannah River as far North as a Creek called Kayarondinagh, situate about four or five Miles South of the Mouth of the Western Branch, and from thence to go North-West and by West to the Extent of the Province on the other Side of Ohio, or into Lake Erie, as it should happen. The Indians and Mr. Weiser, on examining Mr. Lewis Evans' Map, which they had all along consulted in their Debates, imagining that the Waters of Juniata, which were all intended to be included within this Pur- chase, did, some of them, run a good Way to the Northward of the Mouth of Kayarondinagh, agreed upon this Course, as what would clear all the Waters of Juniata, and give the Proprietaries a good Extent on the River Ohio.
" After this, and settling all other Terms Amicably with the In- dians, Mr. Weiser by their Order informed the Commissioners that the Indians were ready to meet them and would speak first, where- upon the Commissioners sent for them."
" At a Meeting of the Indians of the Six Nations at Mr. James Stephenson's in Albany, Saturday the Sixth of July, 1754.
" PRESENT:
" John Penn,
" Richard Peters,
Esquires, Commissioners.
" Isaac Norris,
" Benjamin Franklin,
" Many Gentlemen, Commissioners for the other Provinces.
"Mr. Thomas Pownall, Brother to John Pownall, one of the Clerks of the Board of Trade, And several of the Inhabitants of Albany.
" Mr. Conrad Weiser, Interpreter.
" Hendrick, Speaker.
" Hendrick spoke as follows :
"''Brother Onas-
"' It has given Us no small concern to see the Frowns setting
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on your Brow. Mr. Weiser has assured Us that You have taken much amiss our Proposal to bound the Lands by the Apalacian Mountains, and have put a Construction on this proposed Boundary very unfavourable to Us and our Intentions. You think, as he tells Us, that We have some Design to favour the French claims and are unwilling to convey to You any Lands to the West of those Hills and on the River Ohio, because We either have disposed or intend to dispose of them to Onontio. To shew You that your Dis- pleasure gives Us real Concern, and that We will not suffer it to continue longer, and that your Suspicions are without Foundation, We now tell You that if You consent to make the Creek Kayaron- dinagh the Boundary of the Deed to be executed by Us on Sasque- hannah, the North Line shall go to the North of the West as far as your Province extends, let it reach beyond the Ohio and to Lake Erie wherever it will. This will convince the World and You that we have no Connection with Onontio, since those Lands from this Time will belong by our Title to King George and to Onas. Make out your Deed and be not long about it.
"' As to. Wyomink and Shamokin and the Land contiguous thereto on Sasquehannah, We reserve them for our hunting Ground and for the Residence of Such as in this time of War shall remove from among the French and chuse to live there, and We have appointed John Shick Calamy to take care of them. He is our Representa- tive and Agent there, and has our Orders not to suffer either Onas' People nor the New Englanders to settle any of those Lands, and if any shall presume to do it We have directed him to complain to Onas, whether it shall be his own People or from other Provinces, and to insist on their being turned off, and if he shall fail in this Application We will come ourselves and turn them off. No body shall have this Land. Get your Deed ready as fast as You can.'
" The Commissioners expressed their Satisfaction, and having filled up the Blanks left in the Deed for the Boundaries and paid down a thousand Peices of Eight, and promised by an Endorsement on the Deed to give another thousand Peices when the Lands West of the Apalacian Hills should be settled, the Indians executed the follow- ing Deed.
" The Indians were told that the Present which Col. Johnson made Mention of to them was made to their poor and distressed Brethren of the Six Nations, Shawonese, and Delawares, and Twight- wees, and Owendats, on the Ohio, because they were in want, hav- ing been harrassed and abused by the French, for which they gave Thanks.
"' Deed from the Six Nations to the Proprietaries : "'' To all to whom these Presents shall come Greeting :
"' Henry Peters, Abraham Peters, Blandt, Johannes Satsyhowano, Johannes Kanadakoyon, Abraham Sastaghredohy, Sachems or Chiefs
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of the Mohock Nation ; Aneeghnaxqua, Taraghorus, Tohaghdaagh- quyserry alias Cornelius, Kachneghdackon, Sachems or Chiefs of the Oneido Nation ; Otsinughyada, alias Bunt (in behalf of himself and all the Sachems and Chiefs of the Onondago Nation); Scanuraty, Tanaghdorus, Tokaaiyon, Kaghradodon, Sachems or Chiefs of the Cayuga Nation; Kalrickdodon alias Groote Younge, Takeghsatu, Tiyonenhokaraw, Sachems or Chiefs of the Seneca Nation ; Suntrugh- wacken, Sagochsidodagon, Tohashwangarus, Orontakayon, alias John Nixon, Tistsaghton, Sachems or Chiefs of the Tuscarora Nation, for and in Consideration of the Sum of Four Hundred Pounds Currant Money of the Province of New York, the Receipt whereof they do hereby acknowledge for and on behalf of themselves and all the Six Na- tions aforesaid and every of them, have given, granted, bargained, sold, released, and confirmed, And by these Presents do and every of them doth give, grant, bargain, sell, release, and confirm unto Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Proprietaries of the Province of Pennsylvania, their Heirs, Successors, and Assigns, All the Lands lying within the said Province of Pennsylvania bounded and limited as follows, namely : Beginning at the Kittochtinny or Blue Hills on the West Bank of Sasquehannah River, and thence by the said River to a mile above the Mouth of a certain Creek called Kayarondinhagh ; thence North-West and by West as far as the said Province of Pennsilvania extends to its Western Line or Boundary ; thence along the said Western Line to the South Line or Boundary of the said Province; thence by the said South Line or Boundary to the South Side of the said Kittochtinny Hills ; thence by the South Side of the said Hills along the said Hills to the Place of Beginning; Together, also, with all the Rivers, Creeks, Islands, Ways, Waters, Water Courses, Woods, Underwoods, Tim- bers and Trees, Mountains, Hills, Mines, Valleys, Minerals, Quar- ries, Rights, Privileges, Hereditaments, and Appurtenances what- soever thereunto belonging or in any wise appertaining. And all: the Right, Title, Interest, Property, Claim, and Demands whatsoever of the said Henry Peters, Abraham Peters, Blantd, Johannes Satsyhowano, Johannes Kandakoyon, Abraham Sastaghredohy, Aneeghnaxqua, Taraghorus, Tohagdaghquyserry, Kachneghdackon, Otsinughyada, Scanuraty, Tannagdorus, Tokaaiyon, Kaghradodon, Kahickdodon, Takeghsatu, Tiyonenkokaraw, Suntrughwackon, Sa- gochsidodagon, Tohash wangarus, Orontakayon, Titsaghton, or any of them, or of any Person or Persons of or belonging to the Six Nations of Indians aforesaid, To have and to hold the said Lands, Rivers, Creeks, Waters, Islands, Hereditaments, and Premises hereby granted and released, or mentioned or intended to be hereby granted and re- leased, and every Part and Parcel thereof with their and every of their Appurtenances, and the said Proprietaries, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, their Heirs, Successors, and Assigns, To the only proper Use and Behoof of the said Proprietaries, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, their Heirs, Successors, and Assigns forever,
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