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 29
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According to Vol. 2 of Watson's Annals, p. 122 Letort Creek in the neighborhod of Carlisle was named from James Letort. Letort seems to have had this location as a frontier home about 1712.The creek was noted for its many beaver dams. This is a very notable thing because beavers as a rule did not live in Pennsylva- nia but farther northward, except on this part of the Schuylkill where the beaver towns or dams were quite numerous.
1712-The Five Nations and the Conestogas at War With the Tuscaroroes.
In Vol. 3 of the Colonial Records, p. 84 the Governor, Spotswood of Virginia sent a letter to Governor Keith, complaining of the action of our Indians about Conestoga, and he accuses them as follows:
"In the year 1712 and 1713, they were actually in these parts assisting the Tuscarouroes, who had massacr- ed in cold blood some hundreds of the English and then were warring against us, and they have at this
very day, the chief murderers, with the greatest part of that nation seated under their protection near Susquehanna River, whither they re- moved them, when they found they could no longer support them against the force which the English brought upon them in these parts. During the Tuscourouro war, about two hundred of your Indians set upon our Virginia Indian Traders as they were going to the Southern Indians with a caravan of at least eighty horses loaded, and after killing one of our people and shot most of their horses they made booty of all the goods, declaring their reason for so doing was because they did not carry their ammunition to the Tuscourroroes, and this plunder was so publickly vended to the northward that it was no secret to your people at Albany what a vil- iianous part they had been acting here with the English; and whether such an action be not at this day an incontestible truth. I dare appeal to you yourself, notwithstanding your Commrs. may be willing out of some publick views, to conceal this piece of your Indian Treachery."
From this we see that these Cone- stogas, who of course, were led by the Five Nations occasionally made expeditions southward to fight the Indians in Virginia. In a later item we will see that the Conestogas very much lamented this and claimed that if they did not go, the Five Nations, their masters, treated them very cruelly and called them cowards.
1712-The Shawnese at Pequea Cap- ture a Catawba Boy.
In Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec., p. 23, at a treaty held at Conestoga about 1717, we are given information that some years ago the Shawnese had captured a Catawba boy. The date
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is not given but I give it as 1712. The information we have of this cap- ture is as follows:
"The Shawanoise and all the other Indians present were further asked whether they had any prisoners of the Catawba Nation, or of any other nation in friendship with Virginia. The Shawanoise answered that they had one prisoner, a young man taken some years agoe, whom they pro- duced; but all the others answered they had none.
It was demanded of the Shawanois that this prisoner should be return- ed to the Catawbas, from whence he was taken.
Their King or Chief answered that they had taken him several years agoe, when he was but a little lad; that he had now forgot his native language, and spoke theirs, and that they did not think themselves obliged to return him at this time.
Being further prest to it, the chief answered that if the King of the Catawbas, whom he now under- stood were in league with Virginia, would come hither and make peace with him, if it was desired; but that the Catawbas were a people of great extent, and there were many nations under that name.
The young man was asked whether he was willing to return, but would not answer."
1713 - Thomas Chalkley Again Preaches in the Susquehanna Country.
In Chalkley's work before referred to, under the date of 1713, at p. 82 he says: "After I had been some time in Virginia, I got passage up the Bay Chesapeake and had several meetings in Maryland, friends being glad to see me; and we were comforted in Christ our
Lord. I made some little stay at a place I had in that province, called Longbridge, and then returned to Philadelphia, where I lodged at the house of my very kind friends, Richard and Hannah Hill, and was often times at divers neighbouring meetings, and sometimes had good service therein."
It would seem rather certain from his having previously visited the Susquehannas that he sailed entirely up to the head of the Bay and went into the Susquehanna Country on this trip. He was very much con- cerning about the christianity of these Indians.
1713-Captain Civility on a Special Message to the Council.
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 565 it is reported at a Council held June 8, 1713, "The Young Indian called Civility, one of the chiefs of Cone- stogo, with Harry the Interpreter, having arrived here two days ago, and desired to deliver a mesage from the Nation, the Governor called a Council thereupon, and being mett, he presented to the Governor two small parcells or strings of wam- pum, which they said were delivered them by certain messengers from the Cayogoes and Onoyootoes, two of ye Five Nations ,who had been lately at Conestogo, and desired to know what was the message that those who came from ye said Nations had delivered here last fall; for that they were apprehensive that some of the Tsanondowans had some ill design against us, proposal having made that several hundreds were to come down in a body, under a pre- tense of trading which might be at- tended with ill consequence.
The substance of the minutes then taken we told them, and that as they came on a message of
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friendship, we had made them a
suitable answer; that we always had been friends with them, and desired so to continue; that being such, they were free to trade with us, as all others were, and that we hoped we should have no cause to apprehend anything further from them. They were particularly acquainted that our Queen had now made peace with the French, and we were all to live amicably together; that the French durst now not injure an English- man, nor an English man none of the French, any more than one of their own nation; but that upon the whole we took their whole care shewn by this information very kind- ly, and desired them always to con- tinue the same disposition towards us, as we should shew ourselves friends to' them.
-
Ordered that care be taken of them whilst in Town, and that the Treas- urer (Civility being now one of the Chiefs of their nation) provide for him a good Stroud, a Shirt, a hatt, and a pair of Stockins and a match coat for Harry, with some small tokens for their children, with some rum, Tobacco and bread."
Here we have another illustration of the frequent intercourses between the Conestoga Indians and the Gov- ernor at Philadelphia; and it was now almost a daily occurence that the savages of the Susquehanna River and the people on the Delaware met face to face.
1714 - Several Conestoga Indians Visit the Council at Philadelphia
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 574, it is stated that a Council held Oct. 1, of that year, that, "Several In- dians being come to town from Conestogo, and the Governor being very much indisposed, the Council mett to receive what they had to
: offer; and Togodhessah, Sotayyoght, Tokunnyataawogha, with some others presenting a Bundle of Drest Skins, represented to the Board:
That they had always hitherto made it their practice to inform this Government of all things of mmt. that past amongst them; that living in a near neighbourhood and friend- ship with the Shawanois, they thought it convenient to acquaint us that Opessah, the late King of ye said Shawanoise, having absented him- self from his people for about three years, and upon divers messages sent to him still refused to return to them, they at length have thought it necesasry to appoint another in his stead, and presented the person chosen by name Cakundawanna, to the board, as the new elected King of the Shawanoise, desiring the appro- bation of this Government of this their proceeding.
The Board answered that what measures they thought fitt to take for their own peace and
safety amongst themselves, should be ap- proved by this Government as far as just, and it hoped that what they have done was a necessity, and that they are satisfied in it.
They then presented a second bundle of drest skins, and said:
That they had informed us their old Queen was dead, as also are all their old men who formerly appear- ed for their nation, that they are now succeeded by a younger genera- tion; that our methods are to keep record of what is transacted in writ- ing, but that they have also sure ways of transmitting from one generation to another what is neces- sary to remember, that these now living well know the leagues and bonds of friendship that have been between the English and their fathers and that they, their Posterity, are
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resolved inviolably to observe the
same.
In answer they were told their present with what they said upon it, was kindly accepted, and they were desired to continue the same meth- ods their fathers had done, and to train up their children in the same friendship towards the English that they themselves had been, that we and they may live in a firm peace togther in all time to come.
The skins presetned are 9 bucks, and 15 does, drest with one raw back, value about 3 pounds and 15s in ye whole. Ordered, that a return be made to ye value of about ten pounds, with a persent also to Harry, the Interpreter, besides their charges; and that the Treasurer see it performed, entering the account into these minutes."
In this article we again see the faithful report made by the Cone- stogas of the suspicious action of the King of the Shawanese. They also related to the Governor faithfully the experiences their tribe was having.
1714-Conrad Wilser's View of the Indian Religion
In Mombert's History of Lancaster County, p. 19, he sets forth a letter which Conrad Weiser wrote on this subject, as follows:
"ESTEEMED FRIEND: I write this in compliance with thy request, to give thee an account of what I have observed among the Indians, in relation to their belief and confi- dence in a Divine Being, according to the obsravtions I have made, from 1714, in the time of my youth, to this day (about the year 1746).
If by the word religion people mean an asesnt to certain creeds, or the observance of a set of religious duties; as, appointed prayers, sing-
¡ings, preaching, baptism, etc., or
even Heathenish worship, then it may be said the Five Nations, and their neighbors have no religion. But if by religion we man an attraction of the soul to God, whence proceeds a confidence in, and hunger after,
the knowledge of him, then this people must be allowed to have some religion among them notwithstanding their sometimes savage deportment, For we find among them some tracts of a confidence, in God alone; and even, sometimes, though but seldom, a vocal calling upon him. I have had one or two instances of this under my own observation."
Weiser in this letter speaks of Indian religion much later than 1714 but I will give that later.
1714-Beginning of the Conestoga Road in Lancaster County
In the Quarter Sessions Docket, of Lanc. Co., No. 1, pp. 89 and 121 may be found the petition dated 1734 to improve the Conestoga Road which lead into the Indian Country and which is now the road known as the "Long Lane." The petition states that the people have been using this road for twenty years. Therefore it began to be used about 1714. Many papers. in the Chester County Quar- ter Sessions records also throw light on this subject.
1715-The Goods Bought by Logan for the Conestoga Treaty
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 597. it is stated that, "Mr. Logan exhibit- ed an account of several things he bought for the Conestogoe Indians, by order of Council, the 1st of Oct. last, the balance of which amounts to 15 Pounds, 3s and 9d, which account is allowed, and the Treas- lurer ordered to pay the same."
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1715-Opessah, the Late Shawanese
King Comes to Philadelphia
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p 599, it is stated that on the 14th of June, this year, that Opessah, the late Shawanese King, with his compan- ions attending him, came with the Chiefs of the Delaware and Schyulkill Indians to visit the Governor; and that they met in the Court House in Philadelphia, where they had a great ceremony, in which they opend up the calamet with a great ado with their rattles and songs. The calamet was offered by the Delaware King to the Governor and Council and all the people and then by the Governor it was offered to the Indians; and after great cermony it was put away. The Indians explained that they had carried this calamet as a bond of peace to all the Nations around and that it was a sure bond among them. The Indians further desired by holding up their hands that the God of the Heavens might be witness to it. These Indians were referring to the treaty which Penn made with them "at his first coming among them." The speaker for the Indians then said that he delivers 'n behalf of all the Indians on this side of the Susquehanna River the >elts of wampum which he had with him. As to Opessah who formerly lived on Pequea Creek as King of the Shawanese, the speaker says that he has now abdicated and lives at a great distance from his former home. The Governor said that Opessalı had long been under a
league of Friendship with them, and even though he has moved we will treat him as kindly as ever; but we ask that he will tell the foreign In- dians that he lives with that they should be kind towards the Engilsh and tell them of any danger; and
Opessah said that he did not know of any. We see in this item that Opessah was quite a treacherous character and made trouble very frequently.
1715 - Chalkley Reports That the
Conestogas Have Moved Their Town Twenty Miles Away
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p 603 on the 21st of June, at a Council, " Mr. Logan acquainted the Board, that he had information by Thomas Chalkley, who lately came from Maryland, that the Conestogoe In- dians had left their town and re- moved twenty miles distant, and it being thought that soemthing extra- ordinary had happened, that they should leave their corn growing on the ground. It was ordered that a message should be sent up to them by some of the Chiefs, of the Indians now in Town, and a small present, to wit: a matchcoat for the two Chiefs, Civility and and tell them we would be glad to see then, and that they should inform them that they, together with the Delaware Indians, have already been here and renewed their League of friendship, and were kindly re-
ceied."
In this item we see some new disturbances about Conestoga, which we shall explain later.
1715-Another Council held With Opessah and His Associates
On the 22nd of June, 1715, we are told in Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p 603, that "The Indian chiefs, viz: Sasoo- nan and Matasjeechay, with Opessah. being called according to the order of yesterday, the Governor acquainted them, that he, with the Council, were extremely well pleased to see them, and with the treaty that we had with them, but could have wished they
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had more effectually taken the ad- vice that was given them to forbear excessive drinking, and especially to avoid rum, which since it disorders them so very much and ruins their health, they ought to shun it as poison; for though valuable men when sober, yet when overcome with that unhappy Liquor they are quite lost and become beasts, that had the Governor thought they would not take more care of them- selves he would have prevented their buying it, and must do so the next time they are so kind to visit us, that so we may be able all the time of the stay to converse together.
That now, however, he is glad to see them sober again at their de- parture, and was willing to speak with them before they went to fur- nish them with some provisions for their journey.
That we have now had with them a very friendly treaty, which with all others heretofore they are constatnly to remember.
That as they spoke in behalf of all the Indians on this side of Sasque- hananh, excepting those of Cone- stoga, the Governor wishes that they had also come with them, but since they have not, Sasoonan and Metasheekay are desired to inform the chiefs of Conestoga, vsiz: Soteer- yole and Tagultaleese or Civility, that they have been here renewing their League, yet we were sorry that we saw not all our friends together, that to the end they might be par- takers of the same League, we had sent each of them a matchcoat, and should be glad to see them with the first good conveniency.
That hearing they design to leave Conestogo, we should desire an op- portunity of discoursing them before they quit that ancient settlement, and that they should say that same
thing to those that are removed; that the better to cover them from the night dews in their travels, we give each of them a stroud match- coat.
That as they had particularly re- commended Opessah, we were very well pleased with their regard to him, and as a token of our taking him into the same friendship with them, now gave him also a Stroud. All wihch being interpreted to
them and provisions delivered for their Journey, viz: some loaves and one hundred weight of Biscuitts, with 12 Pounds of tobacco and pipes, they returned their hearty thanks with expresisons of great satisfac- tion.
But Sasoonan complained that they were much abused by the quantities of rum brought amongst them, and requested the Governor to cause a stop to be put to the pratcice.
Upon which they were told of the very strict laws made against it, but that it was impossible for us to know who came thither into the woods amongst them without their information, that it would be in their power effectually to prevent it that if they would stave all the rum that came amongst them, which they were directed by the Governor to do with- out fail as oft as any came.
They thereupon desired the Gov- ernor's written order for it, and acordingly the following order was issued.
By the Honorable Charles Gookin, Esgr., etc.
Wheras, notwithstanding the several penalties laid by the laws of this province, upon those who sell rum to the Indians, complaints are made by them, that great quantities are still carried into the woods to their great loss and damage. For the more speedy prevention of which,
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
it is ordered by the Governor and Council, that all Indians who shall at any time see any rum brought amongst them for sale, either by the English or others, do forthwith
stave. the casks and destroy the liquor, with suffering any of it to be sold or drank, in which practice they shall be idemnified and protected by the Government against all persons whatsoever. Dated at Philadelphia, ye 22nd of June, 1715."
We observe here that their is some- thing like a break in the pleasant relations between the other Indians of the Susquehanna and Delaware rivers and the Conestogas. Just what caused the Conestogas to leave and move 20 miles away is not very clear.
1715-The Conestogas Now Come and Explain their Removal and Other Actions.
In Vol. 2 of the Col. Rec., p. 606, it is stated that on the 13th of Sept., "Sotyriote, Chief of ye Conestoga In- dians, with divers others of his na- tion and of the Ganawoise, being in town last night, on the message sent them from this Board by Sassooan and Metashichay, two of ye Delaware chiefs ye 22nd of June last, the Coun- cil met to consider of the treaty to be held with them.
And as they are come at the re- quest of this Government, it is there- fore agreed and ordered that accord- ing to ye custom of ye Indians, a present should be made to them, viz: six Stroudwater matchcoats, six Duffel matchcoats, six blankets, half a barrel of Powder, and hundred pounds of lead ,with some tobacco and pipes, and that care be taken of their entertainment, as also that some present should be made to Harry the Interpreter, to ye value of three pounds or thereabouts.
That they be informed that the In- dians of Delaware with Opessah in behalf of the Shawanois coming hither of themselves last 4th month, did in a solemn manner renew the treaty and confirm the bond of friend- ship between us, which they did in the name and behalf (they said) of all Indians on this side of Sasque- hannah, those of Conestoga excepted, when they left to speak for them- selves, and therefore that we desired that these Indians would also come to visit us as the others · had done, that we might at the same time re- new our Leagues of friendship with all our friends and brethren, that that they had always been such to us, and that our conduct to each other had always been so friendly, and the leagues of his friendship had been so often repeated and confirmed that we were desirous to see them as our friends and brethren, as often as any others of our Indians for which rea- son we had sent them that message.
The Indians not being met, the con- ference and treaty with them was de- ferred, and the Council adjourned for that purpose till in the morning at seven." This sets forth the discus- sions of the first day.
At page 607 we are told what hap- pened the next day as follows:
" The afore mentioned Indians, with their interpreter, mett, and the pre- sent provided, the Governor ordered them to be informed that he, with the Council, were glad to see them, and would have been pleased if it had been sooner. That Sasoonan, in be- half of his own and all our other In- dians on this side of Sasquehannah, those of Conestoga excepted, had in the most friendly manner renewed their treaties and confirmed the bond of friendship between us. That we were upon desirous to see them also, that we might have at the same time
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the satisfaction of conferring with and entertaining all the nations of our friends around us, and by that means have an opportunity to know how it was with them.
That we had heard that they had a design for moving the Conestoga, to leave room for the English to settle there; but that we desired they should not make themselves uneasy, and if they thought it might be more for their conveniency to be a greater distance, we should expect first to be acquainted with it.
They were also particularly inform- ed of what passed between our Dela- ware Indians and us, at the last treaty and the minutes then taken were interpreted to them, with all which they appeared very well satis- fied.
The presents as yesterday ordered were delivered to them, amounting to about 20 Pounds in value, besides the three pounds ordered to Harry, the interpreter, and the charges of their entertainment.
Upon their receiving of these they were particularly desired to be care- ful from time to time, to inform us of any strangers coming amongst them, and of everything new that should happen amongst them, for as we were friends and brethren, we must be concerned for their safety and welfare, as well as our own.
They all appeared extremely pleas- ed, and the Council adjourned.
On the next day, September 15, the Governor left town but authorized the Council to hear the answer of these Indians, whereupon the chief of the Conestogas by his interpreter said, "That they were well pleased to find that the Indians who were here in summer, had shown themselves so mindful of former treaties and agree- ments that were made with William
Penn, at his first arrival; that their old men were generally gone off the stage, and that a younger generation had come into their place; that they on their parts should ever desire to live in the same peace and friendship with us, that their fathers had done, and that not only they but that their and our posterity might do the same, from generation to generation. That all things were well amongst them. and they had nothing in relation to this Government to blame or in any- wise find fault with.
They then laid down four strings of white wampum, and said, that Opes- sah, who was formerly a King of the Shawanois, near Conestoga, but had now for some years been abroad in the woods (as he said) a hunting, had just as their coming away from Con- estoga, sent them a message with that wampum, to tell them he was now going a hunting again, that they thought it convenient to acquaint this Government with it, and that if they hear anything further of his proceed- ings, they will not fail from time to time to give us an account of it, and as they had always lived in peace, and we and they had been as Breth- ren and d friends, so they desired . we might ever continue the same, that they had nothing to complain of, but desired we would for their great- er ease in trading with our people, asquaint them with the certain prices of our goods.
They then presented to the Board seventeen deer skins in ye Hair, and eighteen foxes skins. They were told in answer to this, the same things that had been said to Sasoonan and the Indians with them; that it was impossible to set any prices, for goods were sometimes cheaper, sometimes dearer, and the traders would sell their goods dearer
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