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 26
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they were in search of some Mineral or ore, that in the Governor's name they had required the Indians of Conestoga to send some of their people with them to assist them and be serviceable to them, for which the Governor would pay them; That those of Conestoga, not thinking these proceedings to be consistent with their past treaties and leagues of friendship, desired to know wheth- er the said persons were really sent by the Governmnt, and had thus seated themselves by their approba- tion, and whether they had any or-
ders to desire the assistance of the said Indians, if not that they then might be called home. The said In- terpreter further added, that al- though Mitchell was the person who had first led them thither, yet he had left them many weeks past, and pre- tended that he wanted one Clark, of Maryland, (who is said to be now un- der an Attainder, by an act of As- sembly of that Government), to as- sist him in the discovery; and the said messenger being asked divers other questions relating hereunto he was ordered to withdraw.
The Council takes the Premises into consideration, first inquired whether any of the above mentioned persons had a license to trade, in pursuance of the Act of Assembly, lately passed in this Province, for maintaining a better correspondence with the Indians, and thereupon the form of the license was read, and an account of all those who were lic- ensed in pursuance of the said law, was produced by which it appeared that none of those before mentioned is licensed, saving Peter Bezalion, and that if they had all been so, yet that would not justify them for seat- ing themselves in such a manner as has been before expressed. Where- upon it was resolved that an answer should be prepared to be sent to the said Queen, in which her care in ac- quainting this Government with what the messenger had related, should be acknowledged, and that the afore- mentioned persons should be forth- with required to repair to Philadel- phia, to give an account of the rea- sons of their seating themselves in the aforesaid place, and the Secre- tary is ordered to the said answer against four of the clock in the after- noon, to which time the Council is adjourned."
No comment need be added to this
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
item more than to say that the whites in this neighborhood of Conestoga were very ready to use these Con- estoga Indians for any purpose which would be of advantage to them.
1707- Governor Evans Explains the Cause of His Making the Second Treaty Without the Per- mission of Council.
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 393, it is stated that the Council came to this resolution concerning the Gov- ernor's last treaty at Conestoga, viz: "That the Governor's last expedition among the Indians, occasioned by a message to him from those of Cones- togoe and the adjacent places, upon the Nantikokes designed journey to the Five Nations, was necessary for the good and for the service of the Public, and that the Governor shew- ed his care of it therein; that there- fore all the necessary charges of the said journey ought to be defrayed by the public. But inasmuch as the circumstances of time would not al- low the Governor, being then at New Castle to communicate the said journey to and advise the Council concerning ye same, and seeing the law for defraying such charges to provide, that all messages and treaties that are to be allowed by the Public, are first to be ordered by the Governor and Council. The Board, therefore, is doubtful that there allowing of the said accounts will scarce be sufficiently warranted by the said law, and the considera- tion of the former journey is referred to the next sitting."
The Governor had some difficulty in having the expense of this treaty paid but on the 25th of August, 1707 the Council again considered the mat- ter and finding that it was impossible for the Governor to consult the Council before going and that the
Nantikoke Indians were being de- tained at Conestoga by the Conestoga Indians to await the Governor's ar- rival, which would have been a fur- ther expense if he had not gone, and that he went at great fatigue, that his expenses of going, being for the public good, should be paid.
1707-Nicole Godyn Captured at Conestoga.
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 385, as we have already set forth, it is stated that Nicole Godyn was cap- tured by Governor Evans and his party in the neighborhood of Bain- bridge. I set this out in a separate item simply to give it prominence, as it was an important event.
1707-Martin Chartier the Indian Trader Dies.
Miss Lyle in her history of Lan- caster County, p. 6 says that about this time Martin Chartier the Indian Trader died. She says of him, that several years before his death, which occurred in 1708, he removed his trading post to a point about a mile above the Indians fort in Manor township. His son Peter Chartier, married a Shawnese squaw and in- duced the most warlike portion of the tribe to join the French against the English, during the French and Indian Wars, of 1754-63. This Peter Chartier was undoubtedly a very dangerous character as we have seen in former items. He was called, a man with a viper's blood running through his veins, meaning the blood of the Shawnese, who were always treach- erous and warlike.
1708-Peter Bazilion Takes Up Land Above Conestoga.
In Vol. 19 of the 2nd. Series of the Penna. Archs., p. 496 at a meeting of the Board of Property, held the 11th of October, 1708, it is set forth that there was "granted unto Peter Biz-
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OTHER LANCASTER COUNTY INDIAN TRIBES
allon, Indian Trader, upon his hum- | early as this date some of the Men- ble request. free liberty to build to nonite preachers reached the Cones- toga Country, though actual settle- ment seems not to have begun until 1709. himself a house and plant necessary fields for his own use on any of the lands above Conestoga, not possess- ed or made use of by the Indians, to 1709 - Governor Gookin Invites the Conestoga Indians to Join With the English in a War Against the French in Canada be held by him during the Proprie- tary's and Governor's pleasure or his Lieutenant's or Comm'rs, and no longer, he paying one deer skin yearly for the privilege."
I quote this because it is commonly thought that Bazallon passed most of his life in the central and eastern part of what is now Lancaster County, but there is no doubt that much of the time was spent on the Susquehanna.
1708-The Conestoga Indians Com- plain That the French are Build- ing Houses There.
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 403, in an item which we have already stated, I notice the following which the Conestoga Indians complain against, that the "French had set themselves and built houses upon the branches of the Potomac within Pennsylvania." I merely cite this to make prominent the French op- erations and especially the building of houses, North of the Branches of the Potomac, over the Pennsylvania line.
1708 - Swedish Lutheran Missionary at Conestoga.
In Rupp's History of Lancaster County, p. 456 he sets forth that, "In 1708 or 1709 a Swedish-Lutheran in the capacity of a missionary resided among the Conestoga Indians to in- struct them in the Christian reli- gion.” On page 455 he says, that at an earlier period "missionaries of the Swedish church visited the In- dians within the present limits of Lancaster County and the French also paid some attention to the In- dians." It is likely also that as
Charles Gookin, the new Governor of Pennsylvania, now appears on the scene, having succeeded the wicked Governor Evans. He first appeared before Council on the 2nd of Feb- ruary, 1709, (2 Col. Rec., p. 427). He desired to visit the Conestoga In- dians as early as he could but not having done so, at a Council held the 8th day of June, it was ordered that "The Secretary forthwith dispatch a messenger to the Indians of Cones- togoe, etc., with instructions in writ- to excuse the Governor's not coming because the Assembly is now sitting on an affair of great importance, and for a credential to take a good belt of wampum with him; to inform them that if they design to pay a visit to the Five Nations they are now busy in engaging with the Eng- lish in a war against Canada, for which vast preparations are made from England; that if those of Con- estogoe, the Shawnois, etc., can en- gage, and will prepare themselves to join immediately in this expedition, their young men should all provide themselves for it without delay, and they shall receive by the Queen's or- der, sent for that purpose, a good reward, every man a gun, etc., and that their answer to this by some of their old men, and a good interpreter is immeditely desired.
That whether they can engage or not we shall be glad to see some of them here, and the Governor will shortly make them a visit, etc. And
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
then adjourned." See 2 Col. Rec., p. 461.
1709 - The Conestogas Willing to Join the Expedition, But the Same is Postponed.
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 467, it is reported that Captain John French had gone to the Conestogas for their reply to the above proposi- tion, which they agreed to. The same is set forth as follows:
"Captain John French having gone in a message to Conestogo, brought for answer from the Indians there, that they would forthwith call in all their young men, and with all their force come to Philadelphia in order to proceed to Albany, and join in the expedition against Canada; but the
Assembly having positively voted against joining with that Expedition, or raising any money for that pur- pose; it is resolved, that a message be again sent to these Indians, de- siring them to defer their coming to Philadelphia, for that the Governor will speedily make them a visit." As far as these records state the In- dians were very willing to join this expedition.
1709-The Conestogas Come to Phila- delphia to Inquire About the Ex- pedition and to Make Fur- ther Treaty.
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 469, under the date of July 25, 1709, it is set forth that, "The chiefs of several nations of Indians living on Susque- hanna, viz: Andaggy-junquagh, Wash- tachary, Chiefs of the Mingoes, Owechela, Passakassy, Sas- soonan and Skalitchy, Chiefs of the Delaware Indians, settled at Pesh- tang above Conestogoe and other ad- jacent places, Peter and Pipskoe, Chiefs of the Ganawese, with their several interpreters, viz: Indian
Harry for the first, Sam, son of Es- sepenawick, for the second, and John Montague, a Ganawese Indian for the last, being all arrived here with sev- eral attendants, three days ago upon apprehension that by the Governor's last message to them they were ex- pressly sent for about some earnest business; they now met the Gover- nor in Council, who ordered the Sec- retary to tell them through their in- terpreter, and Peter Bizaillon, to this effect; That upon the first mes- sage the Governor had received from them about six weeks ago, desiring his company at Conestoga, he had re- turned an answer by Lieutenant Col- onel French of New Castle that he could not then possibly come to them because of the affairs of Government here, from which he could not be spared. That he had sent them no- tice that the visit which they pro- posed to the Five Nations with their tribute, might be unseasonable at this time, because those nations were en- gaging in a great expedition with the English against Canada, of which they would probably hear from'them in a little time, that it would be well if they would prepare themselves to join in it, and that he had invited some of their chiefs to call on him at Philadelphia; that he received an answer to this from the Mingoes, or those of Conestoga especially, that
they would call in all their young men, and march immediately with their whole force to Philadelphia; but that this appearing inconvenient and not likely to answer the end proposed, the Governor had imme- diately dispatched away another mes- senger to them, to prevent their coming, and inform them that him- self having now more leisure, in- tended in a few days to see them in their own places. That accordingly he with Colonel Evans and several
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others, had sent out and proceeded country since, under this Goverment beyond New Castle in the way, but and the Indians; so he desired it might be continued and made every day firmer, that it might never be broken, that if they had anything to ask of him that he desired them to consider of it, and he would hear them speak tomorrow. They all expressd their satisfaction in what the Governor had said and after some time spent in conversation, etc., they departed. there found himself so indisposed by reason of a great Cold he had taken, that he could not contniue hs Jour- ney and therefore sent another mes- sage to them by Jonas Askew, the Interpreter, to inform them of the matter-to tell them he was sorry he was so far disappointed as that he could not see them at that time, but that if some of their chiefs should think fit any time this fall at Phila- At a Council at Philadelphia, the 26th of July, 1709. delphia he should be glad to see them there and if it would suit their The Honorable Chas. Gookin, Esq., Lieutenant Governor. affairs to be here within two months, it might be the more convenient be- The Mingoe Indians having been invited over the river this morning, without the Governor's knowledge, could not be ready to meet; there- fore those of Peshtang, etc., and the Ganawese attending, they were desir- ed to speak and deliver what they had to say: Whereupon, by order of Owechela and Passokassy, rising, laid on the Board a belt of Wampum as a token to confirm what he had to speak, and then said: That this cause in that time the late Gover- nor and Secretary intended both for England, to see the Indians old friend, the Proprietor William Penn, to whom they might by them send any message and that the Governor then further desired them to consider what he could do for their service, and he would answer them in it. That this was the substance of what had passed, and therefore that he had not expressly called them in, as they had summer they had intended to wait upon the Five Nations and had pro- vided for their journey twenty-four belts of wampum, to be presented to them as their tribute, of which they thought themselves obliged to ac- quaint the Governor and for that purpose had sent him the message that has been mentioned; but that about the same time they had receiv- ed a message from these Indians, ac- quainting them that they had ap- pointed all the Indians of these parts as also of Maryland who are all tri- butary to the said Five Nations, to meet some of their chiefs who were coming down for that purpose at Conestogae, but that they had de- clined their journey, being not yet arrived; Upon this they were again informed by the Governor's order of been given to understand. However, that he was now very glad to see them, and that they should be heart- ily welcome to him. The Governor then told them himself that though he had not expressly sent for them, yet he was glad to see them come so cheerfully in; that he was lately come from England, and was sent to them by their friend and brother William Penn, the chief Governor and father of this country, who had giv- en him at his coming away a spec- ial charge to be very kind to the In- dians and to treat them as his friends and brothers, which he ac- cordingly would observe, and now thought fit to tell them so; that as there had been a strong chain of friendship between all those of this
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
the expedition against Canada, in which those nations had lately en- gaged, and therefore were in all pro- bability prevented in their intended visit.
The said speaker added. that it would now be too late for them to proceed in their journey Northwards, because they would not be able to return before the cold weather set in, and therefore must defer it until another year.
Passakassy added, that they had heard of the French being upon our coasts, and that we were in danger of being invaded by them; that for this reason not now willing to take a journey so far from home, lest their wives and children, and we of this place should want their assistance in their absence, and therefore they thought fit to stay.
The Governor thanked them for their care in this, but they were cau- tioned hereupon against giving ear to flying reports, they were told that the French had no forces in these parts, yet could injure us, and that what they had heard of this kind was occasioned only by some robberies, that some of their small vessels fit- ted out only for this purpose to plunder and way lay honest traders had committed : the method of pri-
vateering at sea was explained to them, by which they were made sensible that what had happened was not the effect of superior force in war, but such robberies as were common at sea, when a few private lurchers, with arms, set upon ves- sels provided only for trade, and carrying off merchandise, and so were made prize of.
They were earnestly exhorted not to suffer stories to be spread amongst them, but to take notice of those that uttered them, to apprehend them, and bring them to the Gov-
ernor.
Passakassy complained that some of the traders, especially James Le- tort, wronged them in their measure of matchcoats, which he sold them, in which he desired redress, and up- on it they were advised to a method that would scare them.
They expressed a great satisfac- tion in what had been told them and being acquainted that they must all meet again in Council, they for this time dismissed."
The next day, July 27, (page 472), it appears that further steps were taken to show the Indians the im- portance of continuing in good rela- tion with the English. This is set forth as follows: /
"The chiefs of several nations of our Indians being now come in, there is an immediate necessity also for a supply to make them a reason- able present. I need not inform you of how great importance it is to keep a good correspondence with these people upon the easy terms it has hitherto been done in this Govern- ment; half on what you allowed for that purpose has been expended in messages, and the other half, at least, in provisions, so that nothing remains thereof for a present; I am sensible money can not just now be raised to answer this end, but you may find means to procure credit, so that they may not go away empty."
It seems these chiefs made a long visit, and that on the 29th of July, there were further steps taken in treaty making, (See p. 473). At the Council held at Joseph Growdon's house, in which it is stated that all the chiefs now in town, with their in- terpreters were met, and the Secre- tary spoke to them as follows:
"That notwithstanding they had not been expressly sent for, (as they had been told before), yet they were
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OTHER LANCASTER COUNTY INDIAN TRIBES
very welcome, the Governor being a stranger amongst them, was now very glad to see them.
That the chain of friendship had been so often confirmed between them and us, that there remained very little now to say on that head. We had always considered them as brothers in all proceedings with them and should always desire to do the same, there was nothing but love and peace between them and us and as often as ever we met we should still renew the expressions of it, desiring that it might extend to all posterity, and that the aged fathers should in- form their children of the friendship that has always been maintained amongst us, so that in every genera- tion it may continually grow stronger That since as our friends and brothers they had come to see us,we could not suffer them to depart without some token of our friend- ship, and therefore desired them to accept of the present that was there laid before them, which was:
1 Cwt. of Powder in four small casks.
2 Cwt. of Lead.
4 Stroudwater matchcoats.
1 Dozen good Linnen Shirts.
11/2 Dozen of Stockins.
100 Flints, and a large quantity of Biskitt and Loaves.
These they were told were for their journey, and the powder and lead to furnish them with provisions and skins, they were promised such liq- uors and other necessities as they should want, and then were desired to receive the whole as a further token of love, and to distribute it amongst themselves as they should see convenient; (p. 474).
They were also instructed about the war between England and France and that they should watch carefully for any stories the French among
them should start. They were told of the English success in the war; and the Governor said that he hoped they had all been treated kindly by the people that lived among them, and with this closed the treaty; and the Indians departed.
1709 - The Delawares Now Live On Susquehanna.
While it is shown in the above item that the Delawares now live on the Susquehanna River, in order to make their change or residence more pro- minent I direct attention to Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., 469, where it is set out that, "The Delaware Indians settled at Peshtang (Paxtang), now near Harrisburg), above Conestoga and other adjacent places, were arrived in Philadelphia with several other tribes of Indians and their atten- dants."
1709-The Iroquois Indians Demand the Conestogas to Come and Pay Tribute.
In Vol. 2 of the Votes of Assembly, p. 35 on the 27th of June, this year, two members of the Council brought a message to the Assembly from the Governor, "That the Indians of Con- estoga had sent a message to the Governor, acquainting him that they were ready to go up to the Five Na- tions in order to pay their tribute, but expected that the Governor or Secretary would come to Conestoga that they might have conference with one of them before they went up." The Assembly as shown p. 36 was asked for immediate answer upon what should be done about the word from Conestoga by another delega- tion from Council the next day, stat- ing that it was absolutely necessary that money to defray the charge of going to treat with the Conestoga In- dians this week should be voted be-
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
cause those Conestogas are bound to go to the Five Nations as they are tributary to the Five Nations. Upon this urgent demand the Assembly de- cided they would vote 15 Pounds of the new currency to make presents to the Indians and also to pay the expenses of the trip to Conestoga. This subject is also discussed in Vol. 5 of Haz. Reg., p. 113, and in Rupp's History of Lancaster County, p. 57.
1709 - The Shawnese Indians Inter- ested in Digging for Ore About Conestoga.
In Vol. 2 of the Penn & Logan Cor- respondence, p. 321 dated the 3rd of March there is a letter from William Penn to James Logan in which he sets forth (p. 323), that he under- stands that Ex-Governor Evans is making 100 Pounds, if not twice that each week out of a mine somewhere back of Conestoga. Penn says that he understands, "The Indians chiefly discovered the mine and worked it on the spot. And it is the King of the Shawnoe Indians and some few of his subjects that perform this busi- ness for Col. Evans." Penn then says to Logan that scrutinize the matter well and let him hear all he can about it for if there is a mine, that Penn is entitled to royalties out of it.
James Logan in the same book in a letter to Penn found p 316 says at p. 319, that he hopes Colonel Evans is acting honorably about the mines and that he believes that there is no real discovery of any value made yet, though it is expected that there will be most any day. He further adds that Louis Mitchell, the Swiss is gone over to treat with the Crown of Eng- land for a tract for his countrymen, and that settlement is the pretense but that miners are the real thing Mitchell is interested in, and that it must be guarded against until this is
better understood.
Logan thinks
that minerals will be found near
where Mitchell has pitched. In a note at the bottom of the book last named, Logan in a letter to Penn says, "There is yet nothing certain- ly discovered about the mines. Col- onel Evans has been very free with me on that head. There has been none opened and I heartily wish I may be able to tell thee more of the matter hereafter, for I believe that Mitchell Bazillion has tricked all."He says that this tract supposed to have minerals lies in the neigh- borhood of the Potomac, but that they must keep their eyes open.
us
I cite this merely to show that agi- tations about minerals being found in the neighbohood of the Conestoga and Shawnese Indian country, and off to the Southwest were frequent sources of excitement at this time; and that the spirit of securing valu- able minerals had gotten among the Indians of this neighborhood as well as among the white people.
1709 - The Whites Begin Settlement Among the Indians of Lancaster
County.
Rupp in His History of Lancaster County, p. 74, says that several fam- ilies from the Palatinate decendants of the distressed Swiss immigrated to America and settled in Lancaster County in the year 1709 and he cites Benjamin Eby's Geschichten der Mennoniten, p. 151 as his authority. He further says that from public documents and private papers in the possession of Abram Meylin and others residing in W. Lampeter town- ship, we may confidentially state
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