USA > Pennsylvania > Early history of western Pennsylvania, and of the West, and of western expeditions and campaigns, from MDCCLIV to MDCCCXXXIII > Part 60
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sires of us." Delivered a string to the Shawanese and Delawares. Then a chief of the Shawanese got up, and taking all the belts de- livered by them in his hands, addressed himself to the Delawares, viz:
" Grandfathers, the Delawares : You have heard what our father, the King of England has said to us; and likewise, what your uncles, the Six Nations, have said ; they desired nothing but what is right. We behaved wrong last fall, but we are now determined to do right, there- fore, we desire you to consider well what has been said to you, as you have not complied with all your promises, no more than we have done ; let us act like men, and convince our father, the King of England, of our sincerity, and answer those belts to-morrow."
Then CUSTALOGO spoke for the Delawares, and addressed himself to the Shawanese, saying :
" Grand-children : You say right, we will consider those speeches, and answer them to-morrow."
At a meeting with the same Indians, May 10th, 1765.
Present-Major William Murray, and several officers of the Garrison.
The Shawanese came over the river with the English prisoners, beating a drum, and singing their peace song, agreeable to the ancient custom of their nation, which they continued till they entered the coun- cil house.
LANOUGHGUO, speaker for the Shawanese, got up and addressed him- self to the English :
" Fathers, for so we will call you henceforward, listen to what we are going to say to you : It gave us great satisfaction yesterday, to be called the children of the King of England, and convinces us, that your inten- tions towards us, are upright, as we know, a father will be tender of his children, and they will be more ready to obey him, than a brother ; therefore, we hope our father will now take better care of his children, than has heretofore been done. You likewise put us in mind of our promises to Col. Bouquet, which was to bring your flesh and blood to be delivered at this place. Father, you have not spoken for nothing ; we are come prepared. You see, we have brought them with us. You desire us now to send deputies to Sir William Johnson, to confirm a peace. We have appointed a deputation together, and also the hostages who are to remain here, till their return. You then informed us, you were ordered to go to the Illinois country, to invite the several nations there, to join in friendship with our father, the King of Great Britain, and his subjects, and desired some of us to accompany you there. In this you have done well; these nations are our allies ; we will go with you, and do every thing in our power to promote the good work of peace between our father and them, with whom you have no acquain- tance as yet." A belt, eight rows.
"Father : Here is your flesh and blood, except a few that were out with some of our hunting parties, and those will be brought here as soon as they return. They have been all tied to us by adoption, and although we now deliver them up to you, we will always look upon them, as our relatives, wherever the Great Spirit is pleased that we may visit them." A large string.
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"Father : We have taken as much care of these prisoners, as if they were our own flesh and blood ; they are now become unacquainted with your customs and manners, and, therefore, fathers, we request you will use them tenderly and kindly, which will be a means of inducing them to live contentedly with you." A belt, six rows.
"Fathers : We will now comply with every thing you have asked of us ; and assure you, we are sincere in every thing we have said. Here is a belt with the figure of your father, the King of Great Britain, at one end, and the chief of our nation at the other, this represents them holding the chain of friendship, and we hope that neither side will slip their hands from it, so long as the sun and moon gives light." A belt, seven rows.
CUSTALOGA, speaker for the Delawares :
" Brethren : Yesterday you put us in mind of our engagements to Col. Bouquet; we now assure you we are ready to perform every part, which we have not yet complied with." A string.
" Brother : You desire we may again leave hostages at this place, and send other deputies to Sir William Johnson. This we will likewise do." A string.
He then addressed himself to the Six Nations.
"Uncles : Yesterday you desired us to be strong in complying with every thing our brethren, the English, might require of us ; this we are determined to do, and hope you will also do every thing on your parts to forward a good peace." A belt.
" Brother : Addressing himself to me, as you told us you were ordered to visit the western nations, I now wipe your eyes, and open your ears, that you may see and hear those nations with pleasure, when they speak to you. I likewise clear the way, that you may have a safe passage to the place you are going." A belt.
" Brother : Don't imagine what I have said, comes from my lips only, I assure you, it proceeds from the bottom of our hearts, and now by this belt, I remove every evil thing from your heart, and make it like those of our ancestors, when they thought of nothing but peace ; and I also wipe the outside of your body clean, that not the least remains of any thing which might give you trouble, may ever again appear, and by this belt we take fast hold of you, our brethren in peace." Delivered a friendship belt of twenty rows, with figures of two men representing the English and themselves.
KYASHUTA then spoke to the Delawares :
" Nephews : You told us your uncles, the Six Nations, that you were determined to do every thing that was requested of you by us and our brethren, the English; we are glad to hear you have come to such a resolution, and we desire you to be strong and do so." A string. KYASHUTA, addressing himself to us :
" Brethren : I am going now to speak to you in behalf of all the nations present, and those to the sun-setting. You told us yesterday that the General and Sir William Johnson, ordered you to assure all nations, to the sun-setting, that if they performed their engagements, we should enjoy a free trade and intercourse. I hope this comes from your heart, as you see your brethren, the Delawares, and Children the Shawa- [176]
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nese, are uniting to comply with every thing you required of them. Now, brethren, do not act as you have done ; for a year or two before those late troubles, when you prohibited the sale of powder, lead and rum, this conduct gave all nations in this country a suspicion that you had bad designs against them, and was contrary to your first promises, when you came here to settle, and build this fort on our ground. You make rum, and have taught us to drink it, you are fond of it yourselves, therefore, don't deprive us of it, or the liberty of purchasing goods ; open the trade and let us sell our skins which we have brought here for that purpose, otherwise, we must think you speak from your lips and not from your hearts." A belt.
" Brethren : When you first come to drive the French from this place, the Governor of Pennsylvania sent us a message, that we should with- draw from the French, and that when the English were settled here, we should want for nothing. It is true, you did supply us very well, but it was only while the war was doubtful ; and as soon as you conquered the French, you did not care how you treated us. As you then did not think us worth your notice, we request you may not treat us again in this manner, but now open the trade and do not put us off, with telling us you must first hear from your great man, before it can be done. If you have but little goods, let us have them for our skins, and let us have a part of your rum, or we cannot put dependance on what you tell us for the future." A large belt.
He then added that he did not speak for himself, but was appointed by all the tribes present, and that what he had said were the sentiments of the whole.
Then Kyashuta spoke to the Delawares on behalf of the English and Six Nations, giving them an invitation to return to their old settlements, and at the same time desiring them to hold fast by the chain of friend- ship subsisting between the English and Six Nations. A belt.
" Then Ogisto, an old Seneca Indian, spoke to the Shawanese, and invited them to return to their old settlements, where they would be near their fathers, the English, and their brethren, the Six Nations." A belt.
At a meeting with the same Indians :
FORT PITT, May 11th, 1765.
Present-Major WILLIAM MURRAY, and several officers of the garrison.
" Brethren of the Six Nations, Shawanese, Delawares, and Sandusky Indians : You yesterday answered the several speeches I delivered you the day before from his Excellency, General Gage, and you have agreed to comply with every thing he desired of you.
" Brethren : You have done right in complying with the General's request, and you may be assured I will represent your readiness on this occasion to him and Sir William Johnson in a proper manner.
" Brethren : When first your brethren, the English, settled here, they kindled a council fire for all the Nations of Indians to the sun-setting ; but for two years past, this fire has been neglected and was near going out. Now, brethren, I put some good dry wood on your council fire, that it may blaze up to the sky, so that all nations may see it and come here to smoke with their brethren, the English, in peace.
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" Brethren : Now I have kindled your council fire and made it burn clear, I again, with this belt, disperse all the dark clouds that have been hanging over your heads for some time past, that you may see the sun clear.
" Brethren : You have now appointed a deputation to go to Sir Wil- liam Johnson, of your several nations, to confirm a lasting peace, as you promised Colonel Bouquet last fall. You have made a good choice. I am well acquainted with your tribes, and I know these to be chiefs and men of consequence in your nation. I approve of them. Therefore, brethren, I now make the road smooth and easy to their feet, and re- move any logs that may have fallen across it, that you may travel safe to Sir William Johnson.
" Brethren, the Shawanese : You yesterday delivered to Major Mur- ray and me, a number of our people, agreeable to your promises, and said the few remaining, who were out a hunting, should be brought here as soon as possible. Your conduct in this is very agreeable, and convinces us of your sincerity ; and be assured I will represent it pro- perly to the General and Sir Wm. Johnson ; and I desire you will, as soon as possible, bring in those you left behind.
" Brethren : Yesterday you made two speeches concerning our past conduct in trade. I must observe to you, that had we a mind to reca- pitulate injuries, we could convince you that we have much more rea- son to complain of your conduct, than you have of ours ; but we have thrown away from our remembrance everything that gave us any trou- ble ; and hope your future conduct will be such as will give us no rea- son to repeat past offences ; and to convince you of our sincerity the commanding officer here, though he has no orders for it, will take upon himself to open the trade, and suffer you to purchase such necessaries as are here, which is but little, owing to your own backwardness in not coming here early in the spring as you promised ; but as soon as the General is made acquainted with your conduct at this meeting. he will order out traders to supply you with all the necessaries you may want.
" Brethren : You desire that rum may be sold to you. 'The traders here have none ; but as soon as you have sold your peltry, and are set- ting out for your own country, Major Murray will make you a present of some.
" Brethren : I have now finished every thing I had to say to you, only to acquaint you that the General, willing to convince you of the sincerity he has towards you, has ordered Maj. Murray and me, on your complying with what he ordered me to require of you, to make a present of goods to cloathe your women and children, which we now deliver to your several tribes."
After the presents were delivered, Kyashuta spoke to the Delawares and Shawanese :
" Nephews, the Delawares, and Younger Brethren, the Shawanese : You have now heard every thing your fathers, the English, had to sav to you, and as you have assured them that you will comply with every thing they desired, be strong. We have appointed deputies to go to Sir Wm. Johnson and men to attend Mr. Croghan on his journey. Here is [178]
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STEEL AND OTHERS AT RED STONE, 1768.
one of our chiefs who is to stay here with his family to assist our breth- ren, the English, in council."
Then he addressed himself to Major Murray and me, and pointed to the Chief, saying: "This is the man to stay here with you till our return."
Then CUSTALOGA spoke to the Six Nations, in behalf of the Dela- wares :
" Uncles : You yesterday desired us to return to our old settlements, and live in peace with our fathers, the English. This, I assure you, we will do, and you shall see us kindle our fire again at our old places." Gave a belt.
Then addressing himself to the English :
" Fathers, so I must now call you : It is your desire that we appoint deputies ; this is done ; and we send such men as are best acquainted with the affairs of our nation."
A true copy from Mr. Croghan's Journal.
ALEXANDER McKEE.
[NO. XVIII. ]
STEEL, AND OTHERS, AT RED STONE, 1768.
In the spring of 1768, the Rev'd. John Steel, of Carlisle, and others, were sent to the settlement on Red Stone, (Brownsville,) where they arrived on the 23d of March.
The people, says Steel, having heard of our coming, appointed a meeting among themselves, on the 24th, to consult what measures they should take. We took the advantage of this meeting, to read the act of Assembly * and Proclamation, explaining the law, and giving the reason of it as well as we could, and used our endeavors to persuade them to comply ; alleging to them that it was the most probable method to enti- tle them to favor with the honorable proprietaries, when the land was purchased. After lamenting their distressed condition they told us the people were not fully collected, but as they expected all would attend on Sabbath following, and then they would give us an answer. They, however, affirmed that the Indians were very peaceable, and seemed sorry that they were to be removed, and said they apprehended the Eng- lish intended to make war upon the Indians as they were moving off their people from their neighborhood.
We labored to persuade them that they were imposed on by a few straggling Indians, that Sir William Johnson, who had informed our government, must be better acquainted with the mind of the Six Nations, and that they were displeased with the white people's settling on their unpurchased lands.
On Sabbath, the 27th March, a considerable number attended ; (their names are subjoined,) and most of them told us they were resolved to
* An act to remove the persons now settled, and to prevent others from set- tling on any lands in this province not purchased of the Indians. Passed Feb. 3d, 1768 ; recorded A., vol. 5, p. 222. Obsolete.
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move off, and would petition your Honor for a preference in obtaining their improvements when a purchase was made. Whilst we were con- versing, we were informed that a number of Indians were come to Indi- an Peter's. We, judging it might be subservient to our main design that the Indians should be present while we were advising the people to obey the law, sent for them. They came, and, after sermon, delivered a speech, with a string of wampum to be transmitted to your Honor .- Their speech was :
" Ye are come, sent by your great men, to tell these people to go away from the land which ye say is ours. And we are sent by our great men, and we are glad we have met here this day. We tell you the white people must stop, and we stop them, till the treaty. And when George Croghan and our great men will talk together, we will tell what to do."
The names of the Indians are subjoined. The Indians were from the Mingotown, about eighty miles from Red Stone. After this the people were more confirmed that there was no danger of war. They dropt the design of petitioning, and said they would wait the issue of the treaty. Some, however, declared they would move off.
We had sent a messenger to Cheat river and to Stewart's crossings, of Yougheganny, with several proclamations requesting them to meet us at Giesse's (Gist's) place, as most central for both settlements. On the 30th of March, about thirty or forty men met us there. We pro- ceeded as at Red Stone, reading the act of Assembly, and a proclama- tion ; and endeavored to convince them of the necessity and reasonable- ness of quitting the unpurchased land, but to no purpose. They had heard what the Indians had said at Red Stone, and reasoned in the same manner ; declaring they had no apprehension of war; that they would attend the treaty, and take their measures accordingly. Many severe things were said of Mr. Croghan ; and one Lawrence Harrison treated the law and our government with too much disrespect. On the 31st of March we came to the Great Crossings of Yougheghanny, and being informed by one Speer that eight or ten families lived in a place called Turkey Foot, we sent some proclamations thither, by said Speer, as we did to a few families nigh the crossings of Little Yough, judging it unnecessary to go amongst them. It is our opinion that some will move off in obedience to the law ; that the greater part will wait the treaty, and if they find that the Indians are indeed dissatisfied, we think the whole will be persuaded to remove. The Indians coming to Red Stone and delivering their speeches, greatly obstructed our design.
JOHN STEEL, JOHN ALLISON, CHRISTOPHER LEMES, JAMES POTTER.
To JOHN PENN. Prov. Rec., T. pp. 316-'17 0
The Indians' names who came to Red Stone :
Captains Haven, Hornets, Mygog-Wigo, Nogowach, Strikebelt, Pouch, Gilly, Slewbells.
The names of inhabitants near Red Stone :
John Wiseman, Henry Prisser, William Linn, William Colvin, John [180]
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Vervalson, Abraham Tygard, Thomas Brown, Richard Rodgers, Henry Swatz, Jos. McClean, Jesse Martin, Adam Hatton, John Verwal, jr., James Waller, Thomas Donter, Captain Colburn, John Delong, Peter Young, George Martin, Thomas Down, Andrew Gudgeon, Phil. Sute, James Crawford, John Peters, Michael Hooter, Andrew Linn, Gabriel Conn, John Martin, Hans Cook, Daniel McCay, Josias Crawford, one Provence.
Names of some who met us at Giesse's (Christopher Gist's) place :
One Bloomfield, James Lynn, Eze. Johnson, Richard Harrison. Phil. Lute, J. Johnson, Thos. Giesse, Chas. Lindsay, James Wallace, Henry Burkman, Lawrence Harrison, Ralph Hickenbottom.
Names of the people at Turkey Foot :
Henry Abrahams, Eze. Dewit, James Spencer, Benjamin Jennings, John Cooper, Eze. Hickman, John Enslow, Henry Enslow, Benjamin Pursley.
[ NO. XIX. ]
Several causes conspired, threatening another Indian war. The whites had encroached upon Indian lands, on the Redstone creek, Youghio- gheny and Monongahela rivers-several Indians were massacred-these grevious injuries were seriously felt by the Indians, and they at once resolved to avenge themselves ; but no sooner had Sir William Johnson learned the designs of the Indians, he hastens to communicate them to the Governor of Pennsylvania, who immediately sent commissioners to Fort Pitt, to treat with the Indians in reference to these matters, as ap- pears more at large from the following :
Minutes of conferences held at Fort Pitt, in April and May, under the direction of George Croghan, Esq., Deputy Agent for Indian Af- fairs, with the Chiefs and warriors of the Ohio, and other western Indians.
At a conference held at Fort Pitt, on Tuesday, April 26, 1768, with the chiefs and principal warriors of the Six Nations, Delawares, Shaw- anese, Munsies and Mohickons, residing on the waters of the Ohio.
Present -- George Croghan, Esq., Duputy Agent ; John Allen and Joseph Shippen, E'sq., Commissioners from the province of Pennsyl- vania ; Alexander M'Kee, commissory of Indian affairs ; Col. John Reed, commandant; Captains, Charles Edmonston and Pownall; Lieu- tenants, Thomas Ford, Alex. Maclellan, Jesse Wright, Samuel Steel, William Wood, 'Thomas Ball ; Ensigns, Thomas Hutchins, Robert Hamilton, James Savage, Godfrey Tracy ; and Henry Montour, Inter- preter.
Indians : Chiefs of the Six Nations, viz :- Keyashuta, White Min- go, Soneno, Allyondongo, Onaughkong, Gettyquaye, Onondagago, Cad- edonago, Soggeyadentha, Thomissagarowa, Oyanay, Tocaughquotteto.
Chiefs of the Delawares, viz :-- Netta watways, or Newcomer, Cus- tellogo, Beaver, Latort, Spawgossa, Nessicuthethem, Cascatehou, Keki- wenum, Washawanon, Mahetsaughkong, Loyalaughland, Tugosso.
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APPENDIX-NO XIX.
Chief warriors of the Six Nations, viz :- Tocageda, Toedassaho, Ken- nissoen, Thagonneyesus, Dawatdehough, Awanneynatha, with two hundred and ninety-three warriors, besides women and children.
Chief warriors of the Delawares, viz :- Capt. Jacobs, Winganum, Capt. Pike, Capt. Jonny, Quequadagaytho, or Greg-Eyes, White Wolf, Theckoton, Opemalughim, Killaykhehon, Wiesahoxon, with three hun- dred and eleven warriors, besides women and children.
Shawanese chiefs, viz :- Kaysinnaughtha, or The-Hord-Man, Etaw- akissaho, Maughkatethwa, Maykyppuckathey, Maughkateymawaywa, Nymwha, Bennoxcumma, Naynichtha, Wassaynametha, Wethawatho- cka, and their chief warriors, viz :- Thethawgay, Waughcomme, Otha- waydia, Mawaydia, Munnessa, Kawcomme, Shilley wathetha, Quighbya, with one hundred and forty-one warriors, besides women and children.
Chiefs of the Munsies, viz :-- Autlemaway, Kendasseong, Wassa- wayhim, Quekquahim, Waughellapo, with one hundred and ninety-six warriors, besides women and children.
Chiefs of the Mohickons, viz :- Wennighjalis and Kelleigheon, with ninety warriors, besides women and children. Seven Wyandotts were sent to attend the conference. The whole number of Indians, besides women and children, was 1103.
The Indians seated in order, Mr. Croghan opened the conference, as follows :
"Brethren of the Six Nations, Delawares, Shawanese, Munsies and Mohickons : I am glad to see so many of your different nations assem- bled at this council fire; and with this string of wampum, I clear your eyes and wipe away your tears, that you may see and look at your brethren, the English, with pleasure." A string.
" Brethren : With this string I clean the sweat off your bodies, and remove all evil thoughts from your minds, and clean the passage to your hearts, that every thing which may be said to you from your brethren, the English, may rest easy there." A string.
" Brothers : With this string I clear your ears, that you may hear and consider well what is going to be said to you, at this general meeting of your several tribes." A string.
" Brothers : I take this first opportunity of our meeting in council, to introduce to you the commissioners of Pennsylvania, appointed by your brother ONAS, and the wise men of that government; and desire you will give particular attention to the several messages those gentlemen are charged with." A belt.
After the above speeches were explained to the different nations, Mr. M'Kee delivered to them the message which Governor Penn sent to his care in February last, having had no opportunity till now, of meeting with the chiefs of the several tribes together ; though he had dispatched messengers to inform them of his having such a message to communi- cate to them. The Message reads :
" By the Hon. John Penn, Esq., Lieutenant Governor and Comman- der-in-chief of the province of Pennsylvania, and counties of New- castle, Kent and Sussex, on Delaware, &c., a message to the chiefs and warriors of the Six Nations, Delawares and Shawanese, at Ohio. " Brethren : I am sorry to acquaint you, that one Frederick Stump [182 ]
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and John Ironcutter, some time ago, having sold some rum to a few Indians of your nations, they all got drunk at Stump's house, on Middle creek, and in their liquor, threatened to kill him and his family, as he says ; on which those two wicked men murdered several of your people. " Brethren : You must be all sensible that there are bad and foolish people of all nations, whom, at times, the evil spirit gets the better of, and tempts to murder their most intimate friends, and even relations, in order to disturb the peace and tranquillity of their neighbors. These accidents often happen amongst yourselves as well as among us ; but the imprudent act of a few foolish people, should not disturb the peace of the many wise and innocent amongst us. The Great Giver of life has given us a good heart, and Congress to speak the sentiments of our hearts to each other; and, when any misfortune happens of this kind to either of us, we should consider well the consequences, and meet under the tree of peace and smoke together, as our forefathers formerly did, and endeavor to adjust, and settle any disputes that might happen, that so no black clouds might arise over our heads to prevent us from seeing the sun rise and set over us in the strictest friendship. This is the method I propose to take on this unlucky occasion, and recommend to you my brethren, and desire you may rest easy and satisfied till you hear from me again. The strictest justice shall be done you, and I make no doubt, but you will be satisfied with my conduct.
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