USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > History of Lancaster County : to which is prefixed a brief sketch of the early history of Pennsylvania > Part 13
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Then the Governor rose up from his chair, and when he had called Ghesaont, the speaker to him, he took a coronation medal of the King's out of his pocket, and presented it to the Indians, in these words:
That our children, when we are dead, may not forget these things, but keep this treaty between us in perpetual remembrance, I here deliver you a picture in gold, bearing the image of my great master, the King of all the English; and when you return home I charge you to deliver this piece into the hands of the first man or greatest chief of all the Five Nations, whom you call Kannygoodk, to be laid up and kept as a token to your children's children, that an entire and lasting friendship is now established forever between the English, in this country, and the great Five Nations."
By the approbation and direction of Gov. Keith, James Logan, secretary, held a discourse with Ghesaont, on the 9th of July. Logan reminded Ghesaont of the great
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satisfaction the Governor had expressed to him in the council upon their kind visit, and the freedom and openness that had been used to them on our parts, and therefore advised him if he had any thing in his thoughts further relating to the friendship established between us and the matters treated in council, he would open his breast in this free conversation, and speak it without reserve, and whatever he said on those heads should be reported faithfully to the Governor.
Ghesaont then said, that he was very well pleased with what had been spoken. He saw the Governor and the English were true friends to the Five Nations, but as to their young people going out to war, which we chiefly insisted on ; the principal reason was that their young men were become very poor, they could get no goods nor clothing from the English, and therefore they went abroad to gain them from their enemies. That they had once a clear sky and sunshine at Albany, but now all was overcast; they could no longer trade and and get goods as they had done, of which he could not know the reason, and therefore they had resolved to try whether it was the same among the other English Governments.
To which Logan answered, that they had from the first settlement of New York and Albany, been in a strict league and friendship with that Government, and had always had a trade with and been supplied by them with goods they wanted. That it was true, for three or four years past, the French had come from Canada to Albany, in New York, and purchased and carried away great part of the goods, strowd waters, especially, sometimes three or four hundred pieces in a year, which the Five Nations ought to have had; but that now, another Governor being lately sent thither, from the
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great King of England; he made a law that the French should not have any more goods from the English ; that this had been the reason of the clouds and. dark weather they complained of; but that now a clear sunshine, as they desired, would be restored to them. that he very well knew this gentleman, the new Governor, that he had not long since been at Philadel- phia, and at his (the secretary's) house, and that he heard him say he would take care his Indians should be well supplied for the future, and accordingly they might depend on it.
Ghesaont hereupon asked, whether they did not know that the French had for some years past, had the cloths from the English, answered, that they knew very well that these English goods went now in a new path, different from that they had formerly gone in, that they knew not where they went, but they went beside them and they could not get hold of them, though they much wanted them.
The secretary proceeded to say, that as New York and Albany had been their most ancient friends, so they could best supply them, and they could certainly do it, if they continued in duty on their part; that they were sensible the great King of England had a regard for them, by the notice that he took of them almost every year; that all the English, every where, were friends .- We were now very glad to see them, but wished for the future they would come to Philadelphia, as they formerly used to do; that he himself had seen their chiefs twice at Philadelphia, the two years that William Penn was last here, and that when his son came over about three years after, now about seventeen years ago, a considerable number of them came down and held a great council with us, and therefore. he hoped they
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would visit us then again, which would be much more convenient than so far back in the woods where it was difficult to accommodate them and ourselves, that, how- ever, we were glad to, see them here. This they knew was a Government but lately settled, but that they were now going into two Governments that had been much longer seated, and were very rich, and would make them exceedingly welcome; that we saw them in the woods only, at a great distance from home, but they would see the Governors of Virginia and Maryland, at their own towns and houses, where they would entertain them much better; that they would be very kindly received, for we were all of one heart and mind, and should always entertain them as our brothers.
Ghesaont took an opportunity of himself to enter again on the subject of their people making peace with the other Indians on the main. He said that he had in his own person labored. for it to the utmost; that he had taken more pains to have it established than all the English had done; that their people had lately made peace with the Tweuchtwese; that they had now a universal peace with all the Indians, excepting three small nations to the southward, with whom they hoped to have concluded upon his present journey by means of the Governor of Virginia; that his own desires, were very strong for peace, as his endeavors had shewn, and that he doubted not to see it established every where .- He said the Governor had spoken very well in the coun- cil against their young men going to war, yet had not done it fully enough, for he should have told them positively that they should not on any account be suffered to go out to war, and he would have reported it accordingly, and this would have been a more effectual way to prevent them.
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The secretary then proceeded to treat with them about the road they were to take, and it was agreed that the chief of the Nanticokes, a sensible man, who was then present, should conduct them from Conestogoe to their town, on Wye river, that they should be furnished with provi- sions for their journey sufficient to carry them among the inhabitants, after which they were directed, as the Governor had before ordered, that they should produce his passport to the gentlemen of the country where they" travelled, by whom they would be provided for ; and the Nanticoke chief was further desired, upon their leaving the Nanticoke towns, to direct them to some of thechief gentlemen and officers of those posts who would un- doubtedly take care of them on sight of these passports, and thereby knowing their business, have them trans- ported over the bay of Annapolis. Being further asked how they would get an interpreter to Virginia where the Indians know nothing of their language, and some proposals being made to furnish them, they, answered, there would be no occasion for any care of that kind, for they very well knew the Governor of Virginia had an interpreter of their language always with him. -
Provisions being then ordered for their journey, as also at their desire,, some for those of their company, who with their women and children were to return directly home by water up the river Susquehanna, viz: a bag of biscuit, some pieces of bacon and dried venison; these matters were concluded with great expressions of thankfulness for the Governor's great care of them and their families, which kindness they said they never should forget.
The discourse being continued, they were told it was now very near, viz: within one moon of thirty-seven years since a great man of England, Governor of Vir-
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ginia, called the Lord Effingham, together with Colonel Dongan, Governor of New York, held a treaty with them at Albany, of which we had the writings to this day.
Ghesaont answered, they knew it well, and the sub- jects of that treaty, it was, he said about settling of lands. Being further told, that in that treaty the Five Nations had given up all their right to all the lands on Susquehanna to the Duke of York, then brother to the King of England. He acknowledged this to be so, and that William Penn since had the rights of these lands,- To which Civility, a descendant of the ancient Sasque- hannah Indians, the old settlers of these parts, but now reputed as of an Iroquois descent, added that he had. been informed by their old men, that they were troubled, when they heard that their lands had been given up to a place so far distant as New York, and that they were overjoyed when they understood William Penn had brought them back again, and that they had confirmed all their right to him.
Divers questions were further asked him, especially concerning the French of Canada, their trade and fortifi- cations, on which he said that the French had three forts on this side the river of St. Lawrence, and between their towns and Mentual, furnished with great numbers of great guns, that the French drove a great trade with them, had people constantly in, or going to and coming from their towns, that the French kept young people in their towns on purpose to learn the Indian language, which many of them now spoke as well as themselves; that they had a great intercourse with them, that about three hundred of their men, viz: of the Five Nations, were seated on the other side of the great river, that the French had this last spring begun to build or to provide
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for building a fort at Niagara Falls, but they had since declined it; he knew not for what reasons; and they (the French) had sent to his town (the Isanandonas) this last winter a great deal of powder to be distributed among them, but nothing was done upon it. Being particularly asked whether the French had ever treated with them about any of their lands, or whether the Idians had ever granted the French any. He answered, no ! that his people knew the French too well to treat with them about lands; they had never done it, or. ever granted them any upon any account whatsoever, and of this he said, we might assure ourselves. Thus the day was spent in such discourses, with a pipe and some small mixed liquors, and the next morning Ghesaont, with the rest of his company, returning from the Indian town to John Cartledge, took their leaves very affec_ ·tionately, with great expressions of thankfulness to the Governor and this Government for their kind reception."
Shortly after the treaty held at Conestoga, the Go- vernor received information that the Indians were likely to be disturbed by the secret and underhanded practices of persons, both from Maryland and Philadelphia, who, under the pretence of finding a copper mine, were about to survey and take up lands on the other side of the Sus- quehannah, contrary to a former order of Government; Keith determined to prevent this. He not only sent. a special messenger with a writ under the lesser seal, but himself went to the upper parts of Chester county to locate a small quantity of land, for which he purchased an original proprietary right; on his way, he understood that some persons were actually come with a Maryland right to survey lands upon the Susquehanna, fifteen - miles above Conestoga; he pursued his course directly to that place, and. fortunately arrived but a very
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few hours in time to prevent the execution of their design.
"Having," says Keith, "the Surveyor General of this . province with me in company, after a little consideration,, I ordered him to locate and survey some part of the right I possessed, viz: only five hundred acres upon that spot . on the other side of Susquehanna, which was likely to prove a bone of contention, and breed so much mischief, and he did so accordingly, upon the 4th and 5th of April ; after which I returned to Conestoga to discourse with the Indians upon what happened ; but in my way thither, I was very much surprised with a certain account that the young men of Conestoga had made a famous war dance the night before, and that they were all going to war immediately; hereupon, Iappointed a council to be held with the Indians next morning in Civility's cabin."
The particulars of this meeting were never recorded. But before long the Indians became considerably alarmed, at the proposed encroachments of the Mary- landers; Governor Keith, shortly afterwards, held a council with the Indians at Conestoga, June 15, 1722,'to procure from them a grant to survey a tract of land, known by the name of "Springett Manor," in York county.
Closely connected with the Maryland intrusions as to . time, an account of which has been presented, the fears of the people of the province were again awakened by a quarrel between two brothers, named Cartledge, and an Indian, named Saanteenee, near Conestoga, in which the latter was killed, with many circumstances of cruelty.
The known; principles of revenge, professed by the Indians, gave reason to apprehend severe retaliation .-
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Policy and justice required a rigid inquiry, and the infliction of exemplary punishment."*
The Governor sent James Logan and Colonel French, and the high sheriff of the county of Chester, who left Philadelphia, March 7th, and arrived at the house of John Cartledge, the 9th, to execute their commission, and to investigate the whole matter connected with the death of Saanteenee.
They then proceeded to Conestoga, where they held a council the 14th day of March, 1721-22, with the Indians, via: Civility, Tannacharoe, Gunnehatorooja, Toweena, and other old men of the Conestogoe Indians, Savannah, chief of the Sha wanese, Winjack, chief of the Gana- wese, Tekaachroo, a Cayoogoe, Oweeyekanowa, Nosh- targhkamen, Delawares. Present, divers English and Indians-the acused were arrested, and confined at Philadelphia.
Great pains, says Proud, were taken in this affair; an Indian messenger, Satcheecho, was despatched to the Five Nations. The Governor, with two of the council, met and treated with the Five Nations, at. Albany, respecting it; besides the presents, which were made to the Indians. "The Five Nations desired that the Cart- ledges should not suffer death; and the affair was at length amicably settled." "One life," said the Indian King, " on this occasion, is enough to be lost, there should not two die."t .
In a preceding page we stated that the Marylanders attempted encroachments on the lands within the limits of Pennsylvania. Keith was determined to resist them by force; he ordered out a company of militia, from New Castle, to march to Ouchteraro, (Octoraro), where they were to await his further orders. His. councils,
· * Gordon's Pa. 188. +Votes of Assembly.
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however, who were disposed to resort to no violence, even should the Marylanders employ force to gain their object, did not coincide with the Governor in these violent measures. The Indians had become greatly alarmed; a council was held at Conestoga, on Friday and Saturday, the 15th and 16th June, 1722; when the Indians agreed, in order Governor Keith might have a better title to resist the Marylanders, that a large tract should be conveyed to him for the use of Springett Penn, grandson of William Penn, senior.
The following is a copy of the minutes of the council, held at Conestoga: Present, Governor W. Keith, Colonel John French, Francis Worley, Esq .; the chiefs of the Conestogoe, Shawana and Ganaway Indians; Smith, the Ganaway Indian, and James Le Tort, interpreters.
The Governor spoke as follows: Friends and brothers, the belts which I lately received from the Five Nations, signify that they are one people with the English, and our very kind neighbors and friends. They invite me to come to them, and I purpose, in a short time, to go and meet them at Albany, and to make the chain as bright as the sun. When they see me, they will remem- ber their great friend William Penn; and then our hearts will be filled with love, and our councils with peace.
Friends and brothers, you say you love me, because I. come from your father, William Penn, to follow his ways, and to fulfil all his kind promises to the Indians. You call me William Penn, and I am proud of the name you give me, But if we have a true love for the memory of William Penn, we must show it to his family and his children, that are grown up to be men in England, and will soon come over to represent him here. The last time I was with you at Conestogoe, you.
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showed me a parchment which you had received from William Penn, containing many articles of friendship between him and you, and between his children and your children. You then told me, he desired you to remember it well for three generations ; but I hope you and your children will never forget it. That parchment fully declared your consent to William Penn's purchase and right to the lands on both sides of the Susquehanna. But I find both you and we are likely to be disturbed by idle people from Maryland, and also by others* who have presumed to survey on the banks of the Susque- hanna without any powers from William Penn or his children, to whom they belong, and without so much as asking your consent. . I am therefore now come to hold a council and consult with you how to prevent such unjust practices for the future. And hereby we will show our love and respect for the great William Penn's children, who inherit their father's estate in this country, and have a just right to the hearty love and friendship of all the Indians, promised to them in many treaties. I have fully considered this thing; and if you approve my thoughts, I will immediately cause to be taken a large tract on the other side of Susquehanna, for the grandson of William Penn, who is now a man as tall as I am. For when the land is marked with his name upon the trees, it will keep off the Marylanders, and every other person whatsoever, from coming to settle near you to disturb you. And he bearing the same kind heart to the Indians which his grand-father did, will be glad to give you a part of his land for your
*One John Grist and divers others, had, without warrants, or permission, settled their families, and taken up lands on the west side of the Susquehanna, prior to 1721 .- Col. Rec. III. 133.
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own use and convenience; but if other people take it up, they will make settlements upon it, and then it will not be in his power to give it you as you want it.
My friends and brothers, those who have any wisdom ` amongst you, must see and be convinced that what I now say is entirely for your good; for this will effectually hinder and prevent any person from settling lands on the other side of Susquehanna, according to your desire ; and, consequently, you will be secure from being disturbed by ill neighbors, and will have all that land at the same time in your own power to make use of. This will also beget a true hearty love and friend- ship between you, your children, and the great William Penn's grandson, who is now Lord of all this country in the room of his grand-father. It is therefore fit and necessary for you to begin as soon as you can to express your respect and love to him. He expects it from you according to your promises in many treaties, and he will take it very kindly.
Consider, then, my brothers, that I am now giving you an opportunity to speak your thoughts lovingly and freely unto this brave young man, William Penn's grand-son .; and I, whom you know to be your true friend, will take care to write down your words, and to send them to England, to this gentleman, who will return you a kind answer; and so many hearts will be made glad to see that great William Penn still lives in his children to love and serve the Indians.
Council met on the 16th. The Indians replied through Tawenea, spokesman: They have considered of what the Governor proposed to them yesterday, and think it a matter of very great consequence to them to hinder the Marylanders from settling or taking up lands so near them upon Susquehanna. They very much approve
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what the Governor spoke, and like his counsel to them very well; but they are not willing to discourse particu- larly on the business of land, lest the Five Nations may reproach or blame them.
They declare again their satisfaction to them in coun- cil; and although they know that the Five Nations have not any right to their lands, and that four of the towns do not belong to any, yet the fifth town, viz: the Cayugoes, are always claiming some right to the lands on the Susquehanna, even where they themselves live; wherefore they think it will be a proper time, when the Governor goes to Albany, to settle that matter with the Cayugoes, and then all parties will be satisfied.
They asked the Governor whereabouts, and what quantity of land, does he propose to survey for Mr. Penn ? It is answered, from over against the mouth of Conestoga creek, up to the Governor's new settlement, and so far back from the river, as that no person can come to annoy or disturb them in their towns on this
side. They proceed and say, that they are at this very apprehensive that people will come when the Governor is gone to Albany, and survey this land; wherefore they earnestly desire that the Governor will immediately cause the surveyor to come and lay out the land for William Penn's grand-son, to secure them; and they doubt not but the Governor's appearance and con- duct afterwards at Albany, will make all things easy there."*
Having obtained the consent from the Indians, the Governor issued his warrant, June 18th, and on the 19th
* A congress of several Governors, of New York, Pennsyl- vania and Virginia, and commissioners were held in September, 1722, with the Six Nations, at Albany ; and the ancient friend- ship was renewed.
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and 20th, June, Springettsbury Manor made by Col. John French, Francis Worley and James Mitchell .--- They had been directed, by the Governor, to take with them such of the neighboring inhabitants as they thought fit to call to their assistance, immediately to cross the river Susquehanna, and to survey or cause to be sur- veyed, marked and located, the quantity of seventy. thousand acres, or thereabouts .*
There was a council held at Conoy town, July, 1722, in Donegal township. James Mitchell, Esq. and Mr. James Le Tort, were desired to be present with the chiefs of the Conestogoes, Sawaneis, and Conoys, together with seven chief men of the Nanticoke Indians, who were upon a journey to the Five Nations, in order to renew former friendship, and strengthen it in unity for time to come. Anxious to make the best of their journey, they determined upon having the best inter- preter they could find at Conoy town, they made appli- cation to Captain Smith, to accompany them; but in consequence of having engaged to accompany Governor Keith to Albany, in August, he declined. Mr. Mitchell hastened to inform Governor Keith of the presence of the Nanticokes, who were a peaceable people, and lived quietly amongst the English, in Maryland.
About the year 1723, a number of Germans, lately from Schoharie, New York, settled on the Swatara and Tulpehocken creeks. It may be interesting to readers to know how these Germans came to Tulpehocken.
On a proclamation of Queen Anne, of England, 1708, some three or four thousand Germans went in 1709, to Holland, and were thence transported to England .-
*Col. Rec. III. 195.
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They encamped near London. In 1710, Col. Nicholson, and Colonel Schuyler, accompanied by five sachems or Indian chiefs, returned from America to England, to solicit additional force against Canada .* While in London, the chiefs of the confederated Indians saw the miserable condition of the Germans, and commiserating their case, one of them voluntarily presented the Queen a tract of his land in Schoharie, New York, for the use and benefit of the Germans.t About this time, Colonel Robert Hunter, appointed Governor of New York, sailing for America, brought with him about three thousand of these Germans or Palatines, to the town of New York, where they encamped several months, and in the fall of 1710, were moved, at the Queen's expense, to Livingston'District. In this wilderness home, it was allotted them, that they should manufacture tar and raise hemp to repay freightage, from Holland to England, and thence to New York .¿ In this business, they were unsuccessful. However, they were released of all freightage upon them in 1713. About one hundred and fifty of the families, willing to avail themselves of the advantages of their present from the Indians to Queen Anne, moved through a dense forest, to Schoharie, west of Albany, and seated themselves among their Maqua or Mohawk friends. Here their sufferings, for a while, were great; they were deprived of nearly all the neces- saries of life. Their neighbors, like Indians, " are wont
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