History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 9

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1046

USA > Pennsylvania > Dauphin County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 9
USA > Pennsylvania > Lebanon County > History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical > Part 9

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

" Whereupon most of the white men, these deprimente, crossed the erk again, and went down the creek, and crossed into wn teland,

where those deponents had intelligence the corpse had been thrown ; and there they met the rest of the white men and Indians, who were in company, and there consulted to go further down the creek in quest of the corpse, and these depiments further say, they ordered the Indians to go dowa the creek on the other sule; but they all followed these dopo- nents at a small distance, except one Indian who crossed the creek again. and soon after these deponents seeing some Bald eagles and other fowls, suspected the corpse to be thereabonts; and then lost acht of the Indians, and immediately found one of the corpus, which these depouents say was the corpse of James Smith, one of said Armstrong's nien ; and directly npon filling the corpse these deponents heard three shots of guns, which they had great reason to think were the Indians, their companions, who had diverted from them; and in order to let them know that they had found the corps these deponents fired three guns, but to no purpose, for they never saw the Indians any more. And about a quarter of a mile further down the creek, they saw more Bald engles, wherespon they made down towards the place, where they found another corpse theing the corpse of Woodworth Arnold, the utiter arrvant of said Armstrong) lying on a rock, and then went to the former sleeping-place, where they had appointed to meet the Indians, but saw no Indians, only that the Indians had been there and cooked somy victuals for themselves, and had gone off.

" And that night, the deponents further say, they had great reason to suspect that the Indians were then there shouts, and intended to do them some damage; for a dog these deponents had with thetn barked that night, which was remarkable, for the said dog had not barked all the time they were out till that night, nor ever since, which occasioned these .leponente to stand upon their guard behind the trees, with their guns cocked that night. Next morning these deponeuts went back to the corpses, which they Found to be barbarously and inhumanly mur- derel by very gashed, deep ents on their hands with a tomahawk or such like weapon, wluch had souk into their skulls and trains; and in one of the corpse- there appeared a hole in his skull near the cut, which was supposed to be with a tienahawk, which hole, these deponents do believe to be a bnilet-hole. And the-e deponents, after taking a partic- ular view of the corpse., as their melancholy con lition would adunt, they buried them as decently as their circumstances would allow, and returned home to Paxtanz, the Allegheny road 'to JJohn Harris', think ing it dangerous to return the same way they went ont. And further these deponents say nut.

"ALEXANDER ARMSTRONG, "THOMAS MCKEE, " FRANCIS ELLIS, "JOHN FFORSTER. " WILLIAM BASEINS, " JAMES BERRY, " JOHN WATTS, "JAMES ARMSTRONG, " DAVID DENNY."

The first signer was a brother of the murdered man, and resided on the river above Armstrong's Creek. He addressed a letter to Allummapees,1 king

1 Allumimapres, or Sas-ountain, was hereditary king of the Delawares, and originally restled on the Delaware River until after the Indians signed the release for the land- between that river and the susquehanna in 1518, when he removed to Shamokin, now sunbury. On the Isth of September, 171 -, Allumimapee- was at the head of a delegation of In- dian chieftains at Philadelphia, who signed an absolute release to the Proprietaries for all the "lan I situated latween the rivers Delaware and the Sus quebanoah from Duck Creek to the mountains on this side of Leclay." The Danie signed to the deed was saasortan. On the Moth of April. 12%, the Provincial Omu.il of Pennsylvania " Ordered, that three match conte be given to e imes Lo fort and John scull, to he by them delivered to Allomoriaper .. MIr -. Montour and Manawhyhick n, and that a proper message be drawn up that the Indians may be a- ineed to discover what they know i'm hing" eriain reports of an in- temled hostility on the part of war of the Western Imhans, in which the name of Madame Montour and Minwhy sie k mn w.s mar I np.

Un July 4th, Allummapers and other Ichny aruvert Pin adelphia, and in the ita rafind the attention Ich Moment to the settlement : if the Platines on the Inlpiehos ken lunel, which Allustin spots fewett! were not included In the best mur on the isth f september, I .. Un investigation taggeared that the settlements were made by pormi -- sion of the late Governor, sir William Keith ; but by the vinice of Jans

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1676693

GENERAL HISTORY.

of the Delawares, then at Shamokin, touching the death of his brother and some threats made by some Delaware Indians upon his life :

Logan the Indians consented to wait till such tinte as the inatter could be adjusted.

On the 10th of the following October Allumm ipees and other chiefs arrived in Philadelphia and spent two days in friendly council.

Aug. 4, 1791. Governor Gordon delivered a written message to the Conneil, in which he said "that such frequent complaints of lite had been made of the abuses commutted by carrying large quantities of rum amongst the Indians, that it would be necessary for the Legisla- ture to take the same into their consideration and to provide i remedy to so great an evil; that to the pernicious liquor a late nuhappy arci- dent in the chief family of our Delaware Indians and tern in a great measure owing, viz: the death of Shackatwlin, whom suswoman, his nocle, had iu a bit of drunkenness killed."

On the 20th of August, 1736, Allunimpees and twenty-four other In- dians came to Philadelphia. Hle sanl " they were not come out any par- tienlar business, or to treat about anything of importance, but only to pay a friendly visit." It appeared in the course of the interview that Allummapees was then an old man.

On the 3d of October, 1738. Allummapees, " with divers of their an- cient men," and other old and young lilians, carne to Philadelphia to visit Governor Thomas Penn. Being called into the Council, he, in be- half of himself and his people said, "That when he was at his own house, he heard lus brother. the Governor, was arrived in this country, and thereupon be resolved to come to Philadelphia to visit him, and that now he was glad to see him. His brother, thr Proprietor, had told him Le should comte once a year to visit hit, and theit he was come on hear- ing of the Governor's arrival and was glad to see him in good health." He then presented three bundles of deer skins, which he said were a trifle and of little vaine, but he had no more, and desired the Gover- uor to accept them to make hitu gloves. The next day the Governor presented Allummapees "a match-coat, laced with silver, and a silver- laced hat."

On the Ist of Angu-t, 1740, Allummapees, with sundry Delaware and Mingo Indians, hell a council with the government in the Quaker meet- ing-house in Phillelphia. Allminmapees in his a Mress said, " 1 tell you we came from Allegheny, a long way off." Aml again he said. " Your young men have killed so miny Jeer, beavers, bears, and game of all sorts, that we can hardly find any for ourselves: therefore, we desire that your people would abstain from hunting, that we may bare the benefit of it to support ourselves, for Hod has made us hunters, and the white people have other ways of living without that. I amve brought down my gun and my ax broken as we have no smith living among us and I hope you will get them menled for me. Brother Thomas Peoo and Guvernor, we have brought you one hundred good bucksbios, and not one doeskio among them. Brethren, I have said a great deal; I am now grown old, so that I could hardly come down to you for want of a horse, and I have been sometimes obliged to borrow one."

Although Allummiapee,' name appears as present on the 9th and 12th of July, 1742, at the treaty hell in Philadelphia. there is no evidence of his taking aus part in the business, and this appears to have been his last visit to Philadelphia.

In the spring uf 1713, Allummapees being unable to travel, sent a message to the Governor by sachsidowa, who delivered it on the Atd of April. At the period of the murder of Armstrong, toformativo was seut to Council that Allummapres was ill.

June the 4th, 1745, Brhop Spangenberg wrote: "We also visited Allummapecs, the hereditary King of the Indians. His sister's sons are either dead or worthless, hence it is uot kuown on whom the King- domi will descend, lle is very old, almost blind, and very poor; but withal has still power over and is beloved by his people, and is a friend of the English."

A year later Conrad Weiser writes: " Alluminiopees has no successor of his relatives, and will hear of none as long as he lives;" and on sept. 27, 136, he writes trom Tulpehoeken : " [ understan I that Allum- mapees is dead; I cannot say I am sure of it;" and October 15th he writes : " Aliumimapees is dead."

Notwithstanding these statements in regard to his having no succes- Bor, be In a great-griason three years of age when he died. Joho Montour's mother, the first wife of Andrew Montour, was a grand- daughter of Allutumapees. The evidence of this is as follows : "On the Puth [of April, 1736,) the Indians had a long conference with the Gov-

"P'AXTANG, ye 25th April, ITH.

"To Allumoppivs, King of the Delawares: Great sir, as a barrel of our mien have murdered my brother and two of his men, I wrote you, knowing yon to be a king of justice, that you will send us in all the wirderers and the men that were with them As I looked for the corpse of my murdered brother ; for that reason your men threaten my life, and I cannot live in my house. Now. as we have ne inclination or mind to go to war with you, our frietols, as a friend Id site that yo.1 will keep your men from doing me hari, and also to send the mur- derers and their companions.

"I expect an answer ; aml am your much hurt friend and brother, "ALEXANDER ARMSTRUNG."

The atrocity of this murder was so aggravating that a Provincial Council was hell, and it was re- solved that Conrad Weiser, the Provincial inter- preter and Indian agent, should be -ent to Shamokin to make demands in the name of the Governor for some others concerned in the murder. The following extracts give a detailed account of all the circum- stances :

" At a council held April 23, 1744, The Governor, George Thoulas, Itid before the Board a letter dated April 22, 1744, from Mr. Cookson, at Lt'- caster. purporting that John Armstrong, an Indian trader, with his two servants, Woolworth Arnold and James smith, had been murdered at Juniata by three Delaware Indians, and that John Musenwelin mind . Johnson, of Neshalleeoy, two of the Indians concerned in the munier, had been seized by the order of Shirkealany and the other in litt chiefs at shamokin and sent under a guard of Indiais to be doneged up to justice; that une was actually delivered up in jail at Lancaster, bint the other had made his escape from the persons to whose care he was committed.

" His honor then sent to the Chief Justice to consult how about the step- proper to be takon to bring the Indian to his trial, but as he was absent at a Court of Oyer and Terminer in Bucks county, it was the opinion of the Board that the Indian, Masemyelin, should be immeili- ately removed to Philadelphia jail, and that Cournd Weiser should be immediately dispatched to the chiefs of the Delaware Inchans at sha- uiokin to make a perempdory demand in bis hofors name of the other murderers concerned, and that Shickcalams and the other Indiaus there do order immediate search to be mavie for the gunds of which the deceased was robbed, in order to their being put into the hands of his brother for the satisfaction of his creditor- or the support of his family. And at the same time to inform them that the chiefs of the Indians which shall meet at Lancaster on the treaty with our neighboring gov- ernments will be desired to depute some of their number to be present at the trial and at the execution of such as shall be found guilty."

Conrad Weiser was accordingly sent to Shamokin. He writes in his journal, Shamokin. May 2, 1744:

" This day I delivered the Governor's message to Allumoppies the Delaware chief, and the rest of Delaware Indians in the presence of Shickcalamy and a few more of the six Nations, The purport of which was, that I was sent express by the Governor and Council to demand those that had been concerned with Musemerlin in murdering John Arntstrong, Woodworth Arnold, and James South ; that their bodies might be searched for, and decently buried ; that the goods Je likewise found and restored without fraud. It was delivered them by me in the Mohawk language, and interpreted into Delaware by Andrew, Madame Montour's son."

In the afternoon Allummappee-, in the presence of the aforesaid Indians, made the following answers :

ernur. They put Andrew Montour's children nutder his care, as well the three that are to be here independent of the mintner as a luni of twelve years old, that he had ley a former wine, a Delaware, a grand- daughter of Alumnique."-col. I. , vil. 25. This John Mort ar held a captain's comuns ion in the Res lutionary war, and arvel with credit in the West under Col. Daniel Brodhead. He must not be con- ! Somun Ind with John Montour, the son of Queen Catharine, who adhere 1 to the Crowo.

HISTORY OF DAUPHIN COUNTY.

" Brother, the Governor . It is true that we, the Delaware Indinos, by the instigation of the evil spirit, have murdered Jas. Armstrong and his men; we have transgressed, and we are asbabied to look up. We have taken the murderer and delivered him to the relations of the deceasel, to be dealt with according to his works.

"Brother, the Governo : Your drouind for the guard is very just; wr have gathered some of them ; we will d> the utmost of what we can to find them all. We do not douht but we can find out the most part, and whatever is wanting, we will make up with skins, which is what the guard are sent for to the woods.

"Brother, the Governor: The dead bodies are buried. It is certain that J hn Armstrong was buried by the murderer, and the other two by those that searched for them. Our hearts are in mourning, and we are in a dismal condition, and cannot say anything at present "

Then Shickcalamy with the rest of the Indians of the Six Nations there present said : " Brother, the Governor-We have been all musiu- formed on both sides about the unhappy acement. Musemcohn has certainly noirdere l the thr e white men himself, and upon hi- bare ac- cusation of Neshaleguy's son, which was nothing but spate, the said Neshaleeny's son was seized, and made a prisoner. Our cousins, the Delaware Indians, being then drunk, in particular Allumoppies, never examined things, but made an innocent person prisoner, which gave a great deal of disturbance amongst us. However the two prisoner- were sent, and lyy the way in going down the river they stopped at the house of Janis Berry; James told the young man, ' I am sorry to see you in such a condition, 1 have known yoon from a boy, and always loved you." Then the young man seemed to hi very much struck to the heart, and said, 'I have said nothing yet, but I will tell all, let all the Indians come up, and the white people also, they shall hear it.' And then told Musemeelin in the presence of the peuple: ' Now I am going to die for your wickedness ; you have killed all the three white Dten. I never did intend to kill any of them.' The Musemerlin in anger -aid : ' It is true, I have killed them ; I am a man, you are a coward; it is a great satis- faction to me to have killed them : I will die with joy for having killed a great rogue and his companions.' Upon which the yonug man was set nt liberty by the Imhans,

" We desire therefore our brother, the Governor, will not insist to have either of the two young men in prison or condemnedl to die : it is not with Indians as with white people, to put people in prisen on suspicion or trides. Indians must first be found guilty of a crime, theo judgment is given and immediately executed. We will give you faithfully all the particular- : and at the ensuing treaty entirely -atiafy you ; in the mean time, we desire that good friend-hip and harmony continue; and that we may live long together, is the hearty desire of your brethren, the Indians of the Coited Six Nations present at shamokin."

The following is what Shickcalamy declared to be the truth of the story concerning the murder of John Armstron .; , Woodworth Arnold, and James Smith from the beginning to the end, to wit:

" That Musemeelin owing some skins to John Armstrong, the said Armstrong -eized a horse of the stid Musemeelin and a rifled gun ; the gun was taken by James Smith, deceased. Some time last winter Mu- semechin met Armstrong on the river Juniata, and pand al. but twenty shillings, for which he offered a neck-belt in pawn to Armstrong and demanded ma horse, and James Armi-trong refused it and would not deliver up the horse Imt enlarged the debt, as his usual custom was, and after some quarrel the Indian went away in great anger without his borse to his bunting calan. Some time after this, Aroistrong with his two companions in their way to Ohio pas- uil by the said MInsomee- lin's hinting cabin, his wife only being at home demanded the horse of Armstrong because he was her proper goods, but did not get him. Armstrong had by this time sold or lent the horse to James Berry ; after Musemeelin came from hunting his wife told him that Armstrong was gone Ly, and that she had demanded the horse of him but did not get him-and as is thought pressed him to pursue and take revenge of Armstrong. The third day in the morning after James Armstrong was gune ly, Musemrelin said to the two yonug men that bunted with him come let us go towards the Great Hills to hnut Years ; accordingly they went all three in company : after they had gone a good way Museinte- lin who was foremost was told by the two young men that they were out of their course. Come you along said Musem-elin, and they Be- cordingly followed him till they came to the path that leads to the Ohio. Then Musemedlin told them he had a cont mind to go and fetch his hore back from Armstrong, and desired the two young men to come along; accordingly they went. It -ras then almost night, and they tra- velled till next morning Musemeelin said, now they are not fair off. We will make ourselves black, then thay will be frightened and will deliver up the horse immediately, and I will tell Jack that if he don't

give me the horse I will kill him, and when he said so he laughed. The young men thought he joked as he used to do. They did not blacken themselves but he did. When the sun was above the trees, or about an honr high. they all came to the fire where they found James Smith sitting, and they also sat down. Musemrelin ashed where Jack was? Smith told hun that he was gone to clear the roul a little. Min- semerlin said he wanted to speak with him, and went that way, and after he had gone a little distance from the fire he said something and looked back langhing, but he having a thick throat and his sprech he- ing very bad, atel their talking with Smith hindered them from under- standing what he said they did not mind it. They being hungry, Smith told them to kill some turtles, of which there were plenty, and we would make some bread, and by and by they would di cat together. While they were talking they heard a gan to of not far off, at which time Woodworth Arnold was billed as they learned afterwards.

"Soon after Musemrelin came back and said, why det you not kill that white man according as I bid yon. I have laid the other two dowa : At this they were surprised, and one of the young men, commonly calle 1 Jimmy, run away to the riverside. Musrmeelin said to the other how will you do to kill Catawbas, if you cannot kill white men? You cowards, I'll show you how you must do ! and then taking up the Eng. lish axe that lay there, he struck it three times into Smith's head before he died. Smuth neverstirred. Then he told the young Indian to call the other : but he was so terrified he could not call. Musemeelin then went and fetched him, and saul to him that two of the white men were killed, he must go now and kill the third, then each of them would have killed one. But neither of them dare veoture to talk anything about it Then he pressed them to go along with him-he went foremost ; then one of the young men told the other as they went along, my friend, don't you kill any of the white people, let him do what he will ; I have not killed Sunth, he has done it himself; We have no need to do such a barbarons thing. Musemerlin being then a good way before them in a hurry, they soon saw John Armstrong sitting upon an old Ing. Musempehin spoke to him and said, Where is my horse ? Armstrong made answer aud said, Ile will come by and by ; you shall have him. I want him uow said Musemerlin. Armstrong answered, You shall hive him. Come, let ns go to that fire,-which was at some distance from the place where Arm- strong sat,-and let us talk and smoke together. Go along, then, sand Musemeelin. I am coming, -aid Armstrong, do yun go before ; MIuse- meelin, do yon go foremost. Armstrong looked thon like a dead Din, and went towards the fire and was innmediately shot in hi- back by Musemeelin and fell. Musemerlin then took his hatchet and struck it into Armstrong's head, and said, Give me my horse, I tell you. By this time one of the young men had theal again that had gone away before. but he returned in a short time. Musemerlin then told the young bien they must not offer to discover or tell a word about what had been done for their lives, but they must help him to bury Jack, and the other two were to be thrown into the river. After that was done, Musemerlin ordered them to load the horses and follow towards the hill, where they intended to hide the goods ; accordingly they did, and as they were going Musemeelin told them that as there were a great many Indians hunting about that place, if they should happen to meet with any, they must be killed to prevent betraying them. As they went along, Musemerlin going before, the two young men agreed to ran away as soon as they conll meet with my Ind ans, and not to hurt any body. They came to the desired place, the horses were unloaded, and Museuicelin opened the bundles, and offered the two young men each a parcel of goods. They told him that as they had already soll their skins, and everybody knew they had nothing, they would certainly be charged with a black artium, were they to bring any goods to the town, and therefore they would not acrept of any, but promised, nevertheless, not to betray him. Now, says Mnarmeplin, I know what you were talking about when you stayed so far behind.

" The two young men being in great danger of losing their lives-of which they had been much afraid all that das -accepted of what he offered to them, and the restof the goods they put in a heap and covered thetu from the rain, and then went to their hunting cabia. Museowehn unexpectedly finding two or three cure Indians there, laid down Ins goods, and said he had killed Jack Armstrong and taken pay for his horse, and should any of them discover it, that person he would like- wise hill ; but otherwise they might all take i part of the g wats. The young man called Jimmy went away to stataokin atter Mlu-ruarehin Wiis gone to bury the gauls with three mote Indians, with whom he had provuled; one of them was Neshaleeny's son, whom he had ordered to kill James South, Iut these Indians would not have my of the goods. Some time after the young Indian had been in shankin, it was whis- pered about that some of the Delaware Indiany had killed Armstrong

- .. - F

GENERAL HISTORY.

and bis men. A drunken Indian came to one of the Tudolons bouses at night and told the man of the house that he could tell hint a piece of bad news. What is that ? said the other. The drunken man said, some of our Delaware Indi ins have killed Armstrong and his men, which, if our chiefs should not resent, and take them up, I will kill them myself to prevent a disturbance between us und the white people, our brother Next morning Shickcalamy and some other Indians of the Delawares were called to assist Allumopp as in council. When shickealamy and Allumoppies got one of the Tudolons Indians to write a letter to me to des. re me to come to Shamokin in all haste, that the luchan- were much ili -- atistied in mind. This letter was brought to my house by four D. 1- aware Indians sent express; but I was then in Philad .Ifdna, and when

I came home and found all partienlars mentioned in this better, and that . the Moravian Indians to remove to Wyoming. From none of the Indians of the Six Nations had been down, I did not care to Diedelle with Delaware In han affairs, and stayed at home till I received the Governor's orders to go, which was about two weeks after. Allmump- ping was advised by his council to employ a compter, or, as they called it, to find out the murderer. Acceptingly be dig, and the Indians met, the Seer being busy all night, told! them in the morning to exam'ne such and such an one, they were present when Armstrong was killed. naming the two young men. Musempelin was present. Accordingly Allumor- pies, Quitheyquent, and Thomas Green, an Indian, went to him that bad fel first and examined him; he told the whole story very freely : then they went to the other, but he would not say a word, fast went away and left bim. The three Indians returned to Shickcalamuy and informed them of what discovery they had made, when it was agreed to secure the murderers, and leliver them up to the white people. Then a great noise aruse among the Delaware Indians, and some were afraid of thear lives, and went into the woods. Not one cared to meddle with Muse- merlin and the other that could not be prevailed on to discover anything. because of the resentment of their families; but they being pressed by Shickcalamus's son to secure the murderers, otherwise they would be cut off from the chain of friendship. Four or five of the Delawares made Musemerlin and the other young man prisoners, and tied them both. They lay twenty-four hours, and none would venture to conduct them down. because of the great division among the Delaware Indians. And Allumoppies, in danger of being killed, fled to Shiekcalamy and begged his protection. At Inst chi keahimy's son. Jack, went to the Delawares, most of them being drunk, as they had been for several days. and told them to deliver the prisoners to Alexander Armstrong, and they were afraid to do it. They might separate their heads from their Iasiles and lay them in the canoe, and carry them to Alexander to roast and eat them, that would satisfy his revenge as he wants to cat Indrele They prevailed with the aid Jack to assist them, and accordingly he and his brother and some of the Delaware- went with two canoes and carried them off.""

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History of the counties of Dauphin and Lebanon : in the commonwealth of Pennsylvania ; biographical and genealogical, Part 9

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901 Publication date: 1883 Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck Number of Pages: 1046

Author: Egle, William Henry, 1830-1901
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : Everts & Peck
Number of Pages: 1046