USA > Pennsylvania > Colonial records of Pennsylvania, Vol. VII > Part 73
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"WILLIAM DENNY.
"August 16th, 1757."
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Thursday the 18th August, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Robert Strettell,
James Hamilton, John Mifflin, Esquires.
Joseph Turner,
Richard Peters,
The Minutes of the preceding Council were read and approved.
The Case of the Neutral French, stated by Anthony Benezet, was returned by the Commissioners, with an Answer that they did not conceive they had Power under the present Act to give them any Relief.
The Governor received the following Message from the Assembly this morning by Two Members, with a Bill Entituled " An Act to enable the Governor to draw out and march one thousand Men, Part
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of the Troops of this Province, or the like Number of Volunteers, to be raised for the Assistance of the Province of New York.
A Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
"May it please your Honour :
"We are truly sensible of the Distress which the Province of New York is under by the Invasion of a French Army, joined by their Savage Allies, and the Danger to which His Majesty's Colo- nies in general are exposed, and we think itour Duty to afford them, all the Assistance in our Power, under our present Circumstances, and that in the most expeditious manner, For which Purpose we have prepared a Bill to enable your Honour to draw out Part of the Provincial Forces, and to march them to such Parts of that Pro- vince as shall most require their Aid; and that this Province may not in the mean Time be unprovided with the necessary Defence, to impower you, by giving a Bounty, to enlist and take into immediate Pay as many Men as will be sufficient to supply their Places until the Provincials shall return to their Stations; The Measures pro- posed by your Honour, we apprehend, would be attended with so much Delay that the Assistance intended could not possibly arrive Time enough to be of any Service; The raising of Volunteers, even for the Service of this Government, we have found by Expe- rience to be very difficult, and requires much Time to inlist but a small Number of them, since the Province has been drained of its single Men by the King's Officers in the recruiting Service, so much that the present Invasion of the Colony of New York, we appre- hend, must be determined before they could be raised ; But your Honour must be sensible that our Frontier Inhabitants have re- ceived so little Protection from the Provincial Forces, under their present Management, that from one End of our Borders to the other they are obliged to keep Watch for the Defence of their Lives and Properties at their own Expence. A number of these Men have applied to your Honour to be taken into Pay, and are willing to do all the Duties of Provincials, and, we conceive, would imme- diately enter as Volunteers to Defend the Frontiers for a very small Bounty, and the Provincials might thereupon be immediately dis- patched to the Relief of New York; In order to do this with Ex- pedition, we cannot avoid recommending it to you, to grant Com- missions to such Men asare interested in the Defence of the Province, have an Influence with the People, in whom they have a Confidence, and under whom they are willing to serve; By this means only, we know from Experience, Volunteers are to be raised with Speed. In the Beginning of the Indian Depredations, when Officers and Men were wanted, and your Honour's Predecessor pursued this Measure, more than sufficient offered their Service without a Bounty ; the same we are assured would be done on this distressing Occasion, and without this we are persuaded your Honour will not be able to raise a Number of Volunteers, either to defend the Frontiers in the WAT. VIT -46
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Absence of the Provincials, or to march to the Assistance of the neighbouring Province; And, therefore, we entreat your Honour to exert yourself on this Occasion, and to issue a Proclamation in- forming the People that such as shall provide a Company of Men, shall be immediately commissioned, and with their Companies, be taken into Pay for the Defence of our Frontiers.
" But as we are sincerely disposed to give every Aid in our Power on this Occasion, if your Honour, notwithstanding what we have offered, should think you can with more Expedition raise a Number of Volunteers in this City and the adjacent Counties ; we have also in the Bill enabled the Commissioners, with your Approbation, to give a large Bounty to such as shall inlist for that Purpose, and to supply them with the necessary Arms and Ammunition.
" Signed By Order of the House.
" ISAAC NORRIS, Speaker. "1 " August 18th, 1757."
The Bill was then read and amendments made to it ; and whilst the Council was setting, about Five a'Clock, P. M., A Message was delivered by Two Members to the Governor, to acquaint him that the House desired to know what Progress had been made in the Bill ; that the Militia Bill was under the Consideration of a Committee of the House, appointed for that Purpose, and that the House desired that the Minutes of the Indian Treaty lately held and Easton might be laid before them ; the Secretary was soon after sent with the Bill and Amendments to the House, but they had adjourned.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Friday the 19th August, 1757. PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Robert Strettell,
Richard Peters,
Thomas Cadwalader,
Joseph Turner, John Mifflin, 0
$ Esquires.
The Governor informed the Council that the House having agreed to the Amendments of the Bill to enable him to send One Thou- sand Men to the Assistance of New York, it had been engrossed and compared, and he was then ready to pass it. Accordingly the Secretary was sent with a Message requiring the attendance of the Speaker and the House in the Council Chamber. The Speaker and the House came, and the Bill Entituled " an Act to enable the Governor to draw out and march One Thousand Men, Part of the Troops of this Province, or the like Number of Volunteers, to be raised for the Assistance of the Province of New York," was enacted into a Law.
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Governor sent to the House the Case of the Neutral French, recommending it to them to make such Alterations in the Act as would afford the Relief prayed for.
The Council recommended it to the Governor to send an Express immediately to the Council of New York to inform them of the passing of the Bill, and to know if the Men would be wanted, and not to go into the raising of any Men till the Return of the Ex- press, as several Accounts were brought to town from New York that the French were gone back, and the Militia Discharged by General Webb.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Thursday the 25th August, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Robert Strettell,
James Hamilton,
Richard Peters,
Benjamin Chew, Esquires.
John Mifflin,
Thomas Cadwalader,
A Letter from Capt Orndt, dated the nineteenth of August, or rather a Memorandum taken by him of some things desired of the Government by Teedyuscung at parting, was delivered to the Gov- ernor by himself, and read, and the Secretary was ordered to lay it before the Assembly to be taken into their Consideration, with the other Matters already recommended.
" May it please his Honour the Governor : " Sir :
" According as I have mentioned in my Letter of the 12th In- stant to your Honour of my Intention to march with Teedyuscung the same Day from Bethlehem to Fort Allen, we arrived safe there the 13th ; the Indians seemed all to be well pleased ; they laid no blame at all to the white People about that Indian which was killed near Easton ; they all believed that he was murdered by an Indian.
" Teedyuscung desired of me that I should inform his Honour, the Governor, that he had forgot at the Treaty at Easton to appoint the Time when he would settle at Wyomink with the Indians, and that his Honour the Governor might be pleased to send People to Wyomink this Fall, or early in the Spring, and that a little Fort might be built there, that they might put their Wives and Children in Safety if there should come any Danger ; and that they would move from Diahoga to Wyomink in the Beginning of May next.
" The Indians began to return from Fort Allen the 15th & 16th
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Instant. Teedyuscung went from thence the 17th, very glad and joyful. Several Families staid at the Fort, being sick.
"I am, Honoured Sir, Your very humble Servant,
" JACOB ORNDT.
"Fort Allen, August 19th, 1757."
A Petition from the Inhabitants of the Township of Pextang was read, setting forth, that the evacuating Fort Hunter is a great Dis- couragement to that Township; that Fort Halifax is not necessary to secure the Communication with Fort Augusta, and is not so proper a Station for the Battoe Parties as Fort Hunter, and praying the Governor would please to fix a sufficient Number of Men at Hunter's, under the Command of an active Officer, with strict Orders to range the Frontiers daily.
Commissary Young attended, and informed the Governor and Council that Fort Halifax was built by Col. Clapham, without the Order of Governor Morris; that it is a very bad Situation, being built beyond Two Ranges of Hills, and no body living near it, none could be protected by it ; that it is no Station for Battoe Parties, having no Command of the Channel, which runs close on the Western Shore, and is besides covered with a large Island between the Channel and Fort, so that Numbers of the Enemy may, even in the day time, run down the River without being seen by that Garrison. He further said, that tho' the Fort, or Blockhouse, at Hunter's was not tenable, being hastily erected, and not finished, yet the Situation was the best upon the River for every Service, as well as for the Protection of the Frontiers.
A Letter from Charles Thompson to the Governor, was read in these Words :
" May it please your Honour :
" As Teedyuscung desired to have a Copy of those Letters, which you told him you had received from the Proprietors, inserted in his Minutes, And as Mr. Croghan, in the private Minutes he delivered to me out of his Journal to be added to those I had taken for Teedyuscung, says that he told your Honour the good of his Majesty's Service required that Teedyuscung's Request of having a Copy of so much of the Proprietor's Letters as relates to having the Enquiry made by Sir William Johnson should be granted, I think it my Duty to inform you that I have not yet received them.
" And as Teedyuscung has entrusted his Minutes with me, and expects those will be annexed, I hope your Honour will be pleased to grant me a Copy of them, that they may be annexed to his Minutes, agreeable to his Request.
"I am, May it please your Honour, Your humble Servant,
"CHAS. THOMPSON.
".Philada., August 23d, 1757."
-
t
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
The Governor informing the Council, on their Enquiry, that he had not promised to deliver the Extracts of those Letters to Teedy- uscung, or any one for him, but had caused them to be delivered by the Secretary to Mr. Croghan, Mr. Peters was ordered to acquaint Mr. Thompson therewith.
A Petition from Joshua Potter and William Pettyjohn, in Jayl at Lewes, and under Sentence for coining, was read, praying the Remission of the Fines, and it was the unanimous Opinion of ya Council, that they should continue sometime longer in Confinement, and then be discharged, on their entring either as Soldiers or Sailors into his Majesty's Service.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Tuesday the 30th August, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Gov- ernor.
Robert Strettell, Benjamin Shoemaker, Esquires.
Richard Peters, John Mifflin,
Teedyuscung, the Delaware King.
Samuel Evans, a Delaware.
Yesterday, the Governor was favoured with a Visit from Teedy- uscung, the Delaware King, and being told he had something of Importance to communicate, the Council was summoned; and 'Teedyuscung being sent for, he delivered himself as follows : " Brother :
" In my Return to Diahoga, about Twenty Miles above Wyo- mink, I met Three Indian Men, and a Boy about Sixteen Years of Age, who told me they had a Message for me from Menatochyand and Netowatquelemond, Two of the Principal Men of the Ohio In- dians; and having with me the Indians who were at Easton, we stopped to hear the News, which I shall communicate to the Gov- ernor, as it was delivered to me by the Messengers. Taking a String of Wampum, they said, 'Menatochyand and Netowatquele- mond let Teedyuscung know, that they are sorry for having struck their Brethren, the English; when they look at their . Bodies, they see them poor; they can give no other Reason why they struck their Brethren, the English, than that they were deluded by the French, and are very sorry for it. Teedyuscung, you have been a whole Year in Treaty with the English; we have a mind to know what you have done; we will do what you shall speak to us.'"
" Gave a String.
" The Two Chiefs, by a Belt, said further : "Teedyuscung, we
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have heard of the good Work of Peace you have made with our Brethren, the English, and that you intend to hold it fast. We will not lift up our Hatchet to break that good Work you have been transacting.'"
" Gave a Belt.
"To these Messages, which were delivered to me in Council with the Shawonese, Mohiccons, Unamies, and Munsies, I made Answer :
"'Brothers, Menatochyand and Netowatquelemond :
"'I am glad to hear the Words you have spoke by your Messen- gers; I receive them into my Heart, and so do the Mohiccons, Shawonese, and Unamies. They are glad to hear your Message.
"'I take you, my Grand Children, by the Hand; I take your young Men by the Hand; I take the Hatchet out of all your Hands, and lay it upon the Ground, and do you observe to do so.
"' You live near the French ; they are to know nothing of what is doing; I blindfold your Eyes, I stop your Ears, that you may not let the French know any thing of what passes between us.'"
Being asked if the Munsies or Minesink Indians did not join in the Answer, he said they did not. Being likewise asked who the Unamies were, he said they were a distinct Tribe of Delaware In- dians, and that Alomipus was formerly the King of that Tribe.
Teedyuscung then proceeded to acquaint the Governor that he sent his Son Amos and another Delaware Indian back with the Three Messengers. With them he sent the Peace Belt given him by the Governor, at Easton, and a Message to Menatochyand and Neto- watquelemond. "You see here this Belt; It tells you that Peace is concluded. With one hand I take hold of the Governor; the Five Nations take hold of the Governor likewise. With my other hand I will take hold of you, and bring you together. I would have you come down to me, and then you shall hear more Words from me. But I must now tell you, that I shall take the Hatchet that lies on the Ground from off the Ground, and put into your Hands, with the edge turned to the French. You must come to me, and I will bring you to your Brethren, the English. We will go down together to Philadelphia, and there we will hold a Treaty with the Governor."
After a Pause, Teedyuscung told the Governor that "Packsinosa, the Shawonese King, Abraham, the Mohiccon Chief, and James Davies, one of the Unamies, when it was agreed that I should go to Philadelphia to let the Governor know the good News I had received, spoke these Words, 'Teedyuscung, you must go soon to Wyomink ; you must go and live there, and we three Nations will soon come to you. Be sure let the Governor know this, and desire him to build a little Fort at Wyomink for the safety of our Wives and Children.'"'
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
Teedyuscung, on rising to go away, said he had lost Two Horses, one at Fort Allen, and the other at Bethlehem; and that one of them cost twelve Pounds.
The Secretary was ordered to make a fair Copy of the Minutes and to deliver them to the House.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Thursday, the 1st September, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Robert Strettell,
James Hamilton,
Richard Peters,
Thomas Cadwalader, Esquires.
A Verbal Message was delivered yesterday to the Governor from the Assembly by Two Members, to know if he had Power to con- sent to an Act of Assembly, to vest the Lands requested by Teedy- uscung in the Delaware Indians, in these Words: "Under the Third Head in your Honour's Speech of the Sixteenth Instant, you recom- mended to us 'to make the best improvement of the Alliance en- ter'd into with the Indians at the late Treaty at Easton, by enabling you to comply with the several Requests the Indians made of you at the said Treaty, the particulars whereof we should see from the Minutes.'
" By those Minutes it appears that Teedyuscung, among other Things, inform'd your Honour that the Indians intended to settle at Wyomink ; and requested to have certain Boundaries fixed between them and the People of this Province, and a certain 'Tract of Land fixed, which it should not be lawful for them or their Children ever to sell, or for the Proprietaries, or any of their Children, ever to buy ; To which you were pleased to answer, that you had considered Teedyuscung's Request, in behalf of the Indians, about the Settle- ment for themselves and their Posterity at Wyomink, that you were pleased they had made Choice of that Place, that it was per- fectly agreeable to you, and you assured them you would heartily concur with him, in using all the Means in your Power, to have those Lands settled on them and their Posterity, agreeable to 'Tee- dyuscung's Request.
"This Request appears to us so reasonable, and necessary for securing the Frontiers of this Province from the Inroads of the Enemy, by settling the Indians at Wyomink, that if your Honour has Power, as you have declared your Inclination, to have those Lands settled upon them and their Posterity, in the Manner they have proposed, we shall immediately prepare and offer you a Bill to be enacted into a Law for that Purpose."
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The Minutes of the last Treaty were called for, and that Part of them read relating to the Indians' Desire to be settled at Wyomink.
A rough Sketch of a Draught of the Lands requested, having been enclosed in Mr. Croghan's Letter to the Governor, at Easton, the same was examined; but no Names being given to the Moun- tains to which they are made to extend on the Northward, and no Lines being drawn to the Westward, it could not be understood, and it was thought unnecessary, for the present, to call for an Ex- planation, as none of that Country was purchased from the Six Nations, and to go to settle Boundaries with these Indians, without first consulting them, might involve the Province in a War with the Six Nations, and set them and the Delawares at variance. On this and several other Mischiefs being mentioned that would attend any precise Grant or Mention of Lands on this Occasion, the fol- lowing Message was settled, and read to the House by the Secre- tary :
"In answer to your verbal Message by Two of your Members, That if I had Power to have the Lands requested by the Indians at the late Treaty settled upon them and their Posterity, in the Manner they then proposed, you would immediately prepare and offer me a Bill to be enacted into a Law for that purpose, I am obliged to acquaint you that I have no such Power, of which you must be per- fectly satisfied by the Perusal of the Commissions of Government and Property-Copies of which are entered upon your Minutes.
" Being very sensible of the Expediency and many Advantages that will result to this Province by settling the Indians at Wyomink, and appropriating to them a sufficient Quantity of Land for Planting and Hunting, I assured the Indians, at the late Treaty, that the Proprietaries had not purchased those Lands from the Indians, and in their Names disclaimed all Indian Right to the same. I shall write them by the first Opportunities, and desire in the most pressing Manner that they would not only send me Powers to confirm those Lands to the Indians, but that they would also sollicit the Six Na- tions, who have the Indian Right, to join with me in such Confirma- tion, and in ascertaining such Boundaries as shall be agreeable to them, to which I have not the least Doubt they will readily con- sent."
A Petition from Doctor Hill and Doctor Moore was read in these Words :
" To the Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor of the Province of Pennsylvania, &c., &c., &c.,
" The Petition of Richard Hill and Samuel Preston Moore (the Father and Brother-in-Law and) Executors of Richard Hill, Jun", late of the City of Philadelphia, deceased, Humbly sheweth: " That Richard Hill, Junior, above mentioned, sold and leased sundry Parcels of Land and Lots in the Province of Pennsylvania
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PROVINCIAL COUNCIL.
and City aforesaid, to divers Persons, and empowered Samuel Pres- ton Moore, one of your Petitioners, to sell and lett on Ground Rents several others, and to execute Conveyances and Leases for the said Parcels of Land and Lots to the respective Purchasers and Lessees thereof, who, by Agreements with several of them, were not to have Conveyances or Leases till some of them should build Houses on the Premises, and others who purchased in Fee should, by annual Pay- ments, discharge certain Parts of the Consideration Money ; That before those Conditions were complied with, the said Richard Hill, Junior, died, and by Will left his whole real Estate, after his Father's Decease, to be equally divided between his Brother Henry and his younger Sisters, some of whom not being of Age to convey Land, and your Petitioners not having Power as Executors to make Titles to the said Lots and Lands, pray for Leave to bring in a Bill to enable them to do the Justice due to the Purchasers and Lessees of such Lands, by giving them Deeds and Leases agreable to the Con- tracts made by them, either with Richard Hill, Junior, or Samuel Preston Moore, whose Power ceased upon the Death of his Consti- tuent."
The Matter requested appearing to all the Members to be rea- sonable, the Secretary was ordered to let Doctor Moore know. the Governor would consent to a Bill for the Purposes set forth in the Petition.
A Bill for forming and regulating the Militia of this Province, was presented to the Governor by two Members for his Concur- rence ; his Honour was pleased to name Mr. Hamilton, Mr. Chew and Mr. Peters, a Committee to examine in what it differed from the last Bill, and to consider of proper Amendments.
At a Council held at Philadelphia, Monday the 5th September, 1757.
PRESENT :
The Honourable WILLIAM DENNY, Esquire, Lieutenant Governor.
Robert Strettell, Benjamin Shoemaker, - Esquires. Richard Peters, John Mifflin,
Teedyuscung, the Delaware King.
On Saturday last the Governor received the following verbal Message, in answer to a part of his Speech relating to Indian Af- fairs, by two Members, who informed the Governor that the House inclined to adjourn to Monday the twelfth Instant, on account of the Sickness of some of the Members. The Two Members pri- vately acquainted the Governor that Mr. Hughes, the Commissioner,
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had offered his Service to go to Wyomink, to assist in building the Fort and Indian Houses.
A verbal Message to the Governor from the Assembly.
"Upon considering the late Treaty at Easton, and the Minutes of Council of the 30th of August last, laid before us by your Honour, it gives us great pleasure to find that the Ohio Indians are willing to join in the Peace concluded at Easton, and the Shawonese, Mohiccons and Unamies, are desirous of settling on Sasquehannah, and have requested your Honour by their several Chiefs, to build a little Fort at Wyoming, for the safety of their Wives and Chil- dren.
The securing an Indian Barrier to the Frontiers of this Province is of so much Importance to the Safety and Welfare of the People, that we are of Opinion, a Compliance with this Request should not be postponed a Moment longer than necessary ; therefore, we ear- nestly entreat your Honour, with all Expedition, to proceed to build such a place of Security as shall be agreeable to the Indians ; and as many Houses as they shall stand in need of at the Place nominated by 'Teedyuscung, for their comfortable Living and Safety.
" To enable your Honour to do this, we have recommended it to the Commissioners to defray the Expence thereof out on the One Hundred Thousand Pounds lately granted to his Majesty's Use.
" The other Matters mentioned in your Honour's Speech relative to Indian Affairs, we have now under our Consideration, and shall proceed to do everything in our Power to enable your Honour to comply with the reasonable Demands of the Natives, and to secure their Affections to his Majesty's Interest.
" And that they further acquaint the Governor, that as the House are sincerely desirous to have the Matters mentioned in the said Message carried effectually, and without Loss of Time into Execu- tion, it will be very agreeable to them, in case Publick Affairs should not admit the Governor's superintending such a Work in Person, that one of the Provincial Commissioners, who, at the Re- quest of the House, has generously offered his Service, might be vested with proper Powers for that Purpose."
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