USA > Pennsylvania > Lancaster County > Lancaster county Indians: annals of the Susquehannocks and other Indian tribes of the Susquehanna territory from about the year 1500 to 1763, the date of their extinction > Part 18
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I quote this simply to show that before Penn left Pennsylvania for England in the Fall of 1684 he sent Fretwell to view the Susquehanna. I shall now adduce some facts which tend to show that Penn hmself fol- lowed and investigated the Susque- hanna Country for himself.
(1) In Vol. 1 of the Colonial Re- cords, p. 114, under the date of June 11, 1684 it was reported to Council that "Samuel Land's letter was read informing the Governor and Council that Jonas Askins heard Colonel Tal- bot say that if Governor Penn should come into Maryland he would sieze him and his retaine (retinue) in their journey to the Susquehanna Fort." It was also the same day ordered that William Welch shall take, under oath. the statement of Jonas Askins con- cerning what Talbott said.
tom of William Penn to go to the Susquehanna Fort and it to my mind is a strong proof that Penn prior to this date, 1684 was personally on the Susquehanna River conferring with the Susquehannock Indians.
(2) When Penn put out the pro- spectuses of his town which he in- tended to build on the Susquehanna found in Vol. 1 of Hazard's Reg. p. 400 under the date of 1690, he said in the prospectus "that which recom- mends this settlement is the known goodness of the soil and situation of the land which is high and salu- brious, also the pleasantness and largness of the River being clear and not rapid and broader than
the Thames at London Bridge many miles above the place intended for this settlement." He also then tells of the timber growing there saying that it is oak, ash, chestnut, walnut, etc .; he speaks of the native fruits which were grapes, pawpaws, chest- nuts and others, of the fish and wild animals of the place.
In this he shows such a familiarity of the Susquehanna River as would lead one to think that he actually saw it up to the place where this set- tlement was to be located, viz .: from the mouth of the Conestoga Creek 15 miles northward. If he did see it be- fore 1690, it must have been before 1684, since as we have stated before he left Pennsylvania for England in the Fall of 1684.
(3) About 1685 William Penn wrote what is called "A Further Account of the Province of Pennsylvania." This he wrote while he was in Eng- land. It was a very rare pamphlet and would sell at an enormous price. It is dated Worminghurst Place, the 12th of the 10th month, 1685. In this account he says speaking upon the seasons, etc., "I have made a dis-
In this it will be plainly seen that Talbot speaks as if it was the cus- covery of about 100 miles West and
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OTHER LANCASTER COUNTY INDIAN TRIBES
find those black lands richer in soil, woods and fountains than those by the Delaware, especially upon the Susquehanna River."
In this he almost in as many words says that he personally made this discovery and if that is so then he visited this Susquehanna River and the Indians living upon it be- fore 1683.
(4) In a letter which Penn wrote dated the 14th of August, 1683 to the Lords of Trade and Plantations found in Vol 1 of Proud's History, p. 267, speaking of the difficulties which Penn had with Lord Balti- more, he says at page 271, "I sent an express to pray the time and place where I should meet him (Lord Baltimore). I followed close upon the messenger that no time might be lost. I sent three gentlemen to let me know if he would meet me at the head of the Bay of Chesapeake; I was then in a treaty with the Kings of the natives for land; but three days after we met 10 miles from New Castle which is 30 miles from the Bay."
In this it may be said that the treaty he spoke of with the natives for land in this neighborhood about the head of the Chesapeake Bay
(5) In Vol. 2 of Watson's Annals, p. 209, Mr. Watson speaks of Nebo- waway an Indian chief of the Dela- wares. Watson says that this chief's name appears among the signers of the treaty at Conestoga in 1718 and in his childhood he is said to have seen William Penn on his second visit in 1701 (to Conestoga). If Wat- son considers this visit of Penn in 1701 as the second visit of Penn to Conestoga, he himself believes there was a first visit, which of course was prior to 1701, and as Penn was in England from 1684 to 1700 it likely refers to a visit in 1684.
(6) In Vol. 1 of Proud's History, p. 214 one of the old Conestoga chiefs in 1721 is quoted as saying in the conference held at Conestoga that. they never should forget the Counsel that William Penn gave them and that they would always keep it in mind. This may have reference to his early visit up into this Country. (7) Oldmixon in his history of Pennsylvania in 1706 speaking of Penn's visit says that some time prior to the year of 1685 Penn made a journey into the interior of the Province (See Oldmixon's History in Vol. 5 of Haz. Reg., p. 164). What Oldmixon says is "Mr. Penn in the
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
William J. Buck in his book called "William Penn in America," p. 132 commenting upon this says that the journey was made on horse-back and it may possibly be one of those to which Thomas Fairman alludes as having accompanied him. The par- ticular object was says Buck to be- come more acquainted with the Pro- vince and its natural produce as well as the Indians living therein. From actual observation Buck also says, p. 132 that it is to this journey that William Penn refers when in 1685 he states that he has made a discovery of the fertile lands on the Susque- hanna River. This seems to be an- other proof that Penn visited the Susquehanna River in 1684.
(8) In Vol. 2 of the Colonial Re- cords, p. 553, under the date of 1712 it is stated that several Indians from Conestoga came to Philadelphia and the war-captain of the Conestogas in his speech said that the Proprietor, Governor Penn "had at his first com- ing among them made an agreement with them that they should always live as friends and brothers." It may be seen that in the words "com- ing amongst them" this Indian refers to Penn coming up to the Conestoga and Susquehanna and not simply to his coming to Pennsylvania, and as it refers to his "first" it may refer to a visit of 1683 or 1684.
(9) In Vol. 3 of the Colonial Re- cords, p. 154 it is stated under the date of 1721 quoting a speech again of Captain Civility that "William Penn made a firm peace and league with the Indians in those parts (Conestoga) nearly 40 years ago which has often been renewed and never been broken." And again at page 11 of the same book under the date of 1722, Governor Keith at Con- estoga said "the last time that I was with you at Conestoga you showed
me a parchment you Lad received from William Penn," which may again refer to this early visit.
(10) In the American Weekly Mer- cury of May 30, 1728 where there is an account contained of the journey made by Governor Keith to the Con- estoga Indians on a treaty, the re- port after giving a growing charac- ter of the treaty states that the In- dians said they "never had such a satisfactory speech made to them since the great William Penn spoke to them hence." This seems to refer to William Penn coming to see these Indians when he first came to his Province likely some time in 1683. An account of this same visit is found in the Colonial Records, and also in Rupp's History, pp. 198-199. (11) A thing which may be con- sidered somewhat confirmatory of Penn having been about the Susque- hanna in 1683 is found in Vol. 1 of Watson's Annals, p. 143. at which place he says that a treaty was made on the 30th of July, 1685 for land to extend two days' journey or as far as a man can go in two days back into the country, which was back to the Susquehanna River, and it is likely that Penn examined this land and knew what it was.
(12) Penn may be referring to the land along the Susquehanna River in his letter to the Free Society cf Traders written in 1683, found in Vol. 1 of Proud's History where he says at page 247, "the back lands are gen- erally three to one richer than those that lie by the navigable rivers."
He speaks here as if he saw the back land personally and it is well know that the Susquehanna was not navigable, therefore we give this as one of the items of proof with the others which may show that Penn was among the Susquehanna Indians as early as 1683.
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These we consider the chief reasons which prove or tend to prove that William Penn paid the Susquehanna River and its natives the compliment of a personal visit some time in 1683 or 1684. We do not contend that it is absolutely proven but there is much in what we have just quoted to conclude that he was here. He also shows at another place consider- able familiarity with this country where he says in the same letter in Vol. 1. of Proud's History, concerning the Indians that, "I have had occa- sion to be in Council with them upon treaties for land and to adjust the terms of trade." And in the same book, p. 262 as a part of the same letter, he says concerning the loca- tion of the Susquehanna that "the Susquehanna tends to the heart of the Province and on both our own land." This may further indicate that he saw the Susquehanna River. 1684 - The Susquehanna Indian
Tribes Debauched by the Mary- land Rum Sellers.
In Vol. 1 of Proud's History, p. 284 he says that it was about this time (1684) that the laws to prevent liquor being sold to the Indians did not an- swer the purpose for the English of Maryland in a clandestine manner still procured rum. All that William Penn could do did not help matters very much and much blood-shed oc- curred because of the drunkenness about the Susquehanna River.
1684- Governor Dungan Gives Penn Advice About Susquehanna In- dian Trade.
In Vol. 5 of the Sec. Series of the Pennsylvania Archives, p. 754 is found a report of Governor Dungan dated 1684 in which he says page 755 in reference to the Susquehannocks that "those Indians about 40 years
ago annexed their lands to this Gov- ernment and have renewed the same with every Governor since but I can not get out traders to live upon the Susquehanna River." As to this an- nexation see p. 33 ante.
Dungan also says, in speaking of the Susquehannocks' land union with New York Indians and Penn's desire to buy the Susquehanna lands, "I can not believe that it was the King's intention to grant away so much of this Government .... if therefore his Majesty were pleased to have a line run from 410 40' in Delaware River to the Falls upon the Susquehanna and let Mr. Penn keep all below that it would be sufficient for him the bounds below it would contain more than all England besides the lower Counties which is near upon 100 miles from the Cape to the River and breadth more than 30 miles."
The New York Governor here thinks it a great mistake that Penn's Province should extend so far as its present boundary and that Indian difficulties arise from this cause.
1684-Dungan Proposes a Fort on the Susquehanna River to Command Indian Trade.
Governor Dungan in Vol. 5 of the Sec. Series of the Penna. Archives, p. 756 says, "to preserve the Beaver and Peltry Trade for Albany and to encourage our beaver hunters, I de- sire to erect a campagne Fort upon Delaware River in latitude 410 and 401; another upon the Susquehanna where his Majesty shall think fit that Penn's boundary should terminate; and another at Oneigra near the Great Lake the way where our people go beaver-hunting, it being very nec- essary for the support of trade and maintaining a correspondence with the Indians."
In this we see that the Governor
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of New York was determined on con- trolling the trade of the Susquehanna Indians for which purpose he wanted the Fort at the Falls of the Susque- hanna, and by which means he want- ed to take about half of the Province of Pennsylvania.
1684-The Five Nations Oppose Wil- liam Penn Settling the Susque- hanna River, Instigated by Governor Dungan.
In the same book last quoted, p. 753 we are given a glance of what the Onondagoes, Cayugas and others think of Penn's Susquehanna activi- ties. It is there set forth by these two tribes of the Five Nations that they have put themselves and their lands under the protection of the King and have given the Susque- hanna River to the Governor of New York; they propose that "Penn's people must not settle under the Sus- quehanna River." The writer then goes on to say, "my Lord Effingham is desired to take notice that Penn's agents would have bought the Sus- quehanna river of them, but they would not, but fastened it to
the Government of New York; they being a free people uniting themselves to the English,it may forever be in their (Susquehannocks) power to give their lands to what Sachem they please."
It is not difficult to see here how much influence the Five Nations act- ing with the Governor of New York had in seducing the Susquehannocks away from Penn's interests, thus giv- ing Penn very serious problems to
deal with.
As further evidence of the diffi- culty that William Penn had in buy- ing the Susquehanna lands from the Indians I quote what one of the Five Chiefs said at Philadelphia on July 3, 1727, concerning these purchases
in 1683 and 1684. This chief was at Philadelphia with several others and he said that when Penn was at Al- bany trying to buy the Susquehanna land, he (Penn) said to the Five Na- tions, 'Well, my brethren you have gained the victory. You have over- come the people and the land is yours. We shall buy them of you. How many commanders are there among you? And being told there were 40, he said: "If you will come down to me I will give each of these commanders a suit of clothes such as I wear,"-(See 3 C. R., 372). From this we see that Penn had to go to New York to deal.
1685-Penn Succeeds in Making An- other Land Purchase, Stretching Back to the Susquehanna River.
In Vol. 1 of Watson's Annals, pp. 142 and 143 is set forth a land treaty under the date of the 30th of July, 1685 between Penn on the one part and Shackoppoh, Secane, Malibore and Tangoras, Indian Shackamakers and owners of the land between Chester Creek and Dublin Creek be- ginning at Conshohookin (Matson's Fort) on the River Schuylkill then to go northwestwardly to the woods to make up two full days' journey, as far as a man can travel in two days, which Watson says extends back to the Susquehanna River and no fur- ther at that time in that treaty, the consideration is 200 fathoms of wam- pum, 30 guns, 60 fathoms of strawd- waters, 30 kettles, 30 shirts, 20 gun belts, 12 pairs of stockings, 30 pairs of scissors, 30 combs, 30 axes, 30 knives, 20 tobacco tongs, 30 bars of lead, 30 pounds of powder, 30 awls, 30 glasses, 30 tobacco boxes, 3 papers of beads, 44 pounds of red lead, 30 pairs of hawks' bells, 6 drawing
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knives, 6 caps, and 12 hoes. We can not tell much about the boundaries of this strange sale of lands, but the deed for the same may be seen in Vol. 1 of the Penna. Archives, p. 92. There is, however a letter by Thomas Holmes to the Indians above named briefly describing this land dated the 7th of July, 1688 which may be found in Vol. 3 of the Memoirs of the His- torical Society, Part 2, p. 131. As it is connected with this purchase but at the same time contains items falling under 1688, I will notice it at large under the latter date of 1688 to which date the reader is referred for the full particulars under an item en- titled, "The Boundaries of the Walk- ing Purchases of 1685 and 1686 ex- tending to Susquehanna River, and the Fixing of the Boundary lines Thereof."
1685 -Another Tract Purchased by Penn Which May Extend to the Susquehanna River.
In Vol. 1 of the Penna. Archives. p. 95, there is set forth a deed from Petkhoy Kekelappan, Feomus Mack- aloha and Packenah and several other Indians for all the land be- tween Duck Creek and Chester Creek along the West side of the Delaware and between the two creeks back ward as far as a man can ride in tw days with a horse for the considera- tion of 20 guns, 20 fathoms of Matc. coats, 20 fathoms of strawdwater, 20 blankets, 20 kettles, 20 pounds of powder, 100 bars lead, 40 tomahawks 100 knives, 40 pairs of stockings, 1 barrel of beer, 20 pounds of red lead, 100 fathoms of wampum, 30 glass bottles, 30 pewter spoons, 100 awl blades, 300 tobacco pipes, 100 hands of tobacco, 20 tobacco tongues, 20 steels, 300 flints, 30 pairs of scissors, 30 combs, 60 looking-glasses, 200 needles, 1 skiple of salt, 30 pounds of
shugar, 5 gallons of mollasses, 20 to- bacco boxes, 100 juice harps, 20 hows 30 gimlets, 30 wooden borers, and 100 strings of beads.
Two days of horse-back riding would bring one to the Susquehanna River but at what part of the river this land joins it, we cannot tell either to what extent the Susque- hanna Indians joined in the deed but we to recognize in it the names of Mackaloha and Kepelappan, who by prior deeds each sold small pieces of land towards the Susquehanna River as the deeds themselves show, for which see ante.
This tract is also similar to the one preceding and therefore Thomas Holmes' letter likely refers to it as well as to the preceding tract for these are both "walking purchases." See under the date of 1688 the letter of Holmes and the other explanations under the title "The Boundaries of the Walking Purchases of 1685 and 1686 Extending to the Susquehanna River, and the, Fixing of the Bound- ary Lines Thereof."
1687-Council Orders that No Offense be Given the Susquehanna Indians.
The first few years of Penn's Gov- ernment gives us very little on the subject of the Indians of the Susque- hanna Country. It is said that they were present at the great treaty at Philadelphia and frequently went to Philadelphia, but there is very little official record of it. However, at the Council meeting on the 10th of May, 1687 it was ordered that "as to the Susquehanna and Schuylkill Indians, we hope such care and diligence will be taken as will give ne just occasion for offense." This order was called forth because a letter from the Gov- ernor of New York stated there was likely to be difficulty between the
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
Susquehanna Indians and the New York subjects.
1687-Indian Road or Trail from the Susquehanna River to the Dela- ware River.
William Penn writing in 1690 say's that "three years ago" a road was definitely cut and laid out between Philadelphia and the Susquehanna country which he says is the course the Indians on the Susquehanna took when trading in Philadelphia. He says they also had a way by water going up a branch or tributary of the Susquehanna (which I believe is the Conestoga), thence down a branch which flows into the Schuylkill 30 miles from Philadelphia (which I be- lieve is French Creek). The sources of the Conestoga and French Creek are only a few miles apart and this was likely the Indian course. What Penn says of the trail may be found in Vol. 1 of Hazard's Reg., p. 400. I cite this to show that there were Susquehanna Indian trade activities at this time with the Philadelphia settlement.
1687-Ralph Fretwell's Visit to the Susquehanna Indians.
In Vol. 19 of the Second Series of the Penna. Archives, p. 13 there is a letter from William Penn referring to the Susquehanna Country dated 1687 and in it he speaks of Ralph Fretwell having ridden out to view that river, the Susquehanna. What Fretwell's mission was I can not tell except it may have been connected with the Susquehanna project and it may have been taken before 1687 but we can not tell anything about that. It is quite certain, however, that he had a conference with the Indians in that section for the benefit of the Province of Pennsylvania.
1688-The Boundaries of the Walking Purchases of 1685 and 1686 Ex- tending to Susquehanna River, and the Fixing of the Boundary Lines
Thereof.
Under the date of the 7th of July, 1688 Thomas Holmes wrote a letter to the Indian Chiefs who sold to Penn in 1685 and 1686 the land stretching from the Susquehanna River to the Delaware River, which letter may be found in Vol. 3 of the Memoirs of the Historical Society, part 2, p. 131 and is entitled "A letter as to Indian Lands at Susquehanna and the article in which it occurs is called "Indian Treaties for Lands Now the Site of Philadelphia" by John Watson. This letter is as fol- lows: "To My Very Loving Friends: Shakahoppah, Secane, Malibor and Tangoras, Indian Kings, and to Mack- ecarbo, Wawoan, Tenoughan, Tericha Neson, Haiken, Indian Shackamak- ers: Whereas I have purchased and bought of you, the Indian Kings and Shackamakers for the use of William Penn all your lands from Pamapeck Creek to Upland Creek and so back- ward to Chesapeake Bay and Susque- hanna two days' journey-that is to say as far as a man can go in two days as under the hands and seals of you the said Kings may appear; and to the end I may have a certain knowledge of the lands backwards and that I may be enabled and be provided against the time for running the said two days' journey I appoint and authorize my loving friend Ben- jamin Chambers, of Philadelphia, with a convenient number of men to as- sist him to make out a westerly line from Philadelphia to Susquehanna, that so the said line may be prepared and made ready for said two days' | journey backward hereafter when no-
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OTHER LANCASTER COUNTY INDIANS
tice is given you, the said Kings .. .... Witness my hand & seal the 7th of the fifth month called July, being the fourth year of the reign of the Great King of England and the eighth of our Proprietor William Penn's Government."
(Signed) THOMAS HOLMES.
In the same book and on the same page John Watson says, "The fore- going is recorded in a large folio in the Land Office at Harrisburg in Book 14, 'Old Surveys and Registry of Land Warrants.' With the same paper is a diagram of the ground plot of the survey. It goes in a direct line from Philadelphia to a spot on the Susquehanna River about three miles above the mouth of the Conestoga Creek near a spot marked 'Fort De- molished.' The lines cross two In- dians paths, running each Northwest by North, the first at 15 miles from Philadelphia, at 'Rocky Run' and the other 38 miles distant near 'a rivulet' two miles beyond 'Doe Run.'"
It might be a matter of curiosity at this day to observe and ascertain the precise locality of those primitive roads and passes used from time im- memorial by the aborigines probably the only ones so specificially marked in our country.
It will be observed that even be- fore Penn's day there had been a Fort constructed by some Christian people upon the shores of that (Sus- quehanna) river.
This throws some light on both of the walking purchases and shows that they both extended back to the Sus- quehanna River. As to these pur- chases see the Articles under the date of 1685, setting forth these two purchases the one as far back as a man could walk in two days the other as far back as a man could ride in two days, both reached the Susquehanna.
There is a tradition that the In- dians were much dissatisfied with a purchase that Penn had made from them to be measured by walking and the objecton that the Indians made was that while it was to be measured in that manner the young English- men walked farther and faster than they expected, in fact they complain- ed that they ran or as they put it, "young brother make a big walk." This as we have said before is also another authority on the location of the Susquehanna Fort, to wit: three miles above the mouth of the Cones- toga Creek which would place it on the rocky cliffs between Highville and Creswell, a place absolutely in- accessible from the Susquehanna River and being that great rocky bluff over 200 feet high, extending perpendicularly to the edge of the river through which the low grade branch of the Pennsylvania Railroad has recently constructed at the cost at that place of nearly $1,000,000 a mile. When this Fort was demolish- ed can not be ascertained but under the date of 1664 it is stated that "Francis White is by an order of the House gone on a special service for the Province of Maryland to the Sus- quehannock Fort, etc." See Vol. 1 of the Maryland Archives, p. 511.
This would indicate that the Fort was standing at this time but Holmes says in 1688 it was demolished and it is so marked on his draft. The location of the old Susquehannock Fort has given rise to a great deal of speculation.
That a definite line in 1688 should be run from Philadelphia to the Sus- quehanna River, to a point 3 miles above the mouth of the Conestoga Creek, to a specific spot "Demolish- ed Fort" is very remarkable and noteworthy. This was only six years after Penn's arrival and before even
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
Indian Traders from
Philadelphia | it shows the continual fear to which
were here. It shows that at Conestoga was subject. A subsequent that time there were occasional searchings into the woods and that not only the Susquehanna, but also the Forts were well known. Our In- dians no doubt journeying to Phila- delphia as we see by the Colonial Records they did during and before this year, give accounts of the Glor- ies of the Susquehanna River. article will also show that the Sen- ecas had not drifted from the Eng- lish to the French but were the friends of the English and our In- dians on the Susquehanna and that the only foundation for this rumor was that a company of Senecas had a misunderstanding with the French and intended to come to the Susque- hanna to live.
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