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 32
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They desire that the Governor may be acquainted that they are much pleased that his message came whilst their young people were at home, for whom they had lately been in pain and trouble as being absent and abroad, that they might hear his good words and Council which both old and young of the Mingoes, Shaw- anese, Delawares and Conawages
are resolved to hearken to; for though hitherto they have taken Night for Day, yet now by his good counsel they can see the light and what is good for them. They are glad that none of their young people miscarried in their late Journey, and that being now present, they have an opportunity of hearing the Gover- nor's message by Colonel French, for most of them were absent when the other letters from the Governor came, as also that they have an op- portunity to ask their opinions and designs. Their young people all agree to obey the Governor's words and message, and as Colonel French yeterday told them that what he said was with the whole heart of Governor and Council; so they de- clare that what they say is not from their mouth only but from their
whole hearts, and the heart of every one. They desire the Governor to believe, and be assurred that they will be obedient to his words, and that they ever have and ever willl advise their young people to be mindful of his good advice. They ac- knowledged themselves so much ob- liged to the Governor for his care and concern for them, that they in- tended in two months time to wait upon the Governor personally, to re- turn their heart thanks for such love from him and his Government.
Colonel French also produces an account of his Expenses, viz .: eight Pounds five Shillings expended in money and for the trouble of his Journey and negotiation he refers it to the Board, who allow him ten
Pounds.
John Cartledge's Acct. of his sev- eral Disbursements and payments to the Indian, and his charges in en- tertaining and treating them on sev- eral occasions, by order of the Gov- ernment, was also laid before the Board, viz: nine Pounds, ten Shil- ling supplied in Goods for a present to the Indians at Colonel French's aforementioned treaty, and three pounds for other presents, and ten Pounds sixteen Shillings and four pence for his several other expenses and trouble, amounting in all to twenty-three Pound, six Shillings and four pence due to John Cart- ledge; which account being duly ex- amined is allowed, and order to be recommended to the Asesmbly to order the payment thereof, together with Colonel French's account the whole being forty-one Pounds, eleven Shillings and four Pence, and is the whole charge of Indians treaties for the present year."
What this treaty contained and the report of it needs no comment, as it is sufficiently set forth in the ce- cords.
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1719- The Indians on the Susque -! approached Christianna and ravaged
hanna Accused of Outrages in the South.
In Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec. p. 86, Gov- ernor Spotswood of Virginia com- plains against our Indians as fol- lows:
"After your Indians found them- selves not strong enough to attempt anything upon our Christianna In- dians in their new situation, they marched home in May, 1719, openly threatening to return again with a greater force to try the strength of our Fort, and having taken their route through our inhabitants, they marched as through an enemy's Country, living on free quarters, and committing several robberies and outrages on their way, and that we might understand they intended to continue their course. They in their way home, stopt on the 20th of May at the Conoy Town, under the Gov- ernment of Pennsylvania, there sent for one of his Majesty's Justices of the Peace for the County of Chester, and upon his (Mr. John Cartlidge's) arrival they sit down before him in a grand Council of War, produce fif- teen prisoners, bid him discourse with two of them that spoke English. He finds them Virginians born, and intercedes for their lives and liber- ties; they refuse his request and in fine tell him they have made a path to pass and repass to and from the Southward, having removed all ob- tacles out of the way, and that they expected to have free recourse for their people amongst the English plantations, whilst they were making war.
Soon after they returned in sev- eral parties carrying themselves very rudely to our outward inhabitants, and in the month of July last, they
our corn fields close to the Fort there, upon which our Indians sal- lied out and a skirmish ensued, wherein were two of ours and four of yours killed. In September follow- ing they came in the Night and lay in ambush before the gate at the Fort, and at the opening thereof they shott the first person that came out, and kept firing upon the Fort until the English got to the great Guns, and so scared them away without any further mischief done at that time.
At length I found means to per- suade one of their War Captains, (who calling himself Connaughtoora) to come in with ten more to a Coun- cil held here at Williamsburg, on the ninth of December last, where I with abundance of civil treatment, endeavored to engage him to carry a Belt of Peace to their Five Nations in behalf of our Christianna Indians, but he hautily refused the same, and answered that they would not be at peace with them upon any terms, however I prevailed upon him to carry it with this proposal: That the Five Nations should observe their ancient treaty with this Government so far as not to come among the English Plantations, and particularly that none of their Warriors should approach within twenty miles of our Fort at Christiana."
From this complaint of Spots- wood's we are almost forced to ad- mit that the Conestogas and other In- dians of this neighborhood being forced by the Senecas and other tribes of the Five Nations, who were their masters were forced to make war parties into Maryland and Vir- ginia, much against their will as we shall see very clearly in the remon- strance which the Conestogas made about these proceedings the next year.
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1719-The Conestoga Indians Com- 1719-An Attack Made Upon the In- dian Traders.
plain that the Southern Indians are Attacking Them.
In Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec., p. 66, at a Council held it was set forth by Governor Keith that he received a letter from Conestoga and his com- ment upon it as follows:
"I have received a letter from the Indian Chiefs at Conestogoe by a letter to Mr. Secretary Logan, which inform us, that our Indian Hunters have been atacked near the head of Potowmack River by a considerable body of Southern Indians come out to war against the Five Nations, and the Indian settlements on Susque- hanna
They have killed several of our people, and alarmed them all, so that the careful attention and vigilance of the Government was never more called upon than at this Juncture, and much will depend upon your un- animous and steady resolutions to support the administration in all its Parts."
From this it will appear that the above complaint of Spotswood may be unfair because our Indians now complain that the Southern Indians were making war upon them.
1719-Indian Wigwams Along the Octoraro Creek.
Rupp in his History of Lancaster County at the bottom of page 42, in a note says, "The Shawnese had wig- wams along the bank of the Octoraro creek, near the present boundary of Chester and Lancaster county. When the road, in 1719 to Christiana bridge, etc., was laid, its course was defined -to the fording place at Octoraro, at old Shawana town, thence over Octoraro, along the Indian path, etc. Court Records, at Chester, August Term, 1719."
In Vol. 1 of Watson's Annals, p. 97, he says that in the year of 1719 the Indian Traders at the head of Poto- mac were attacked by some Indians and defeated, with the loss of many lives.
1719 .- A Lot of the Five Nations Now Live at Conestoga.
It appears from Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec., p .66, that some of the Five Na- tions are living on the Susquehanna at this time, because in the book and at the page mentioned, a letter from the Chiefs at Conestoga states that the Southern Indians came out to war with the Five Nations and against them and against other In- dian settlements on the Susque- hanna River, and that several of our people were killed. And on p. 67 of the same book additional views are given of the same event and it is there stated that peace is likely to ensue.
1720-The Governor of Virginia says that Our Indians Caused Bacon's Rebellion.
In Vol. 3 of the Colonial Rec., p- 89, Governor Spotswood of Virginia in a long letter to Governor Keith. which begins at p. 82, sets forth in regular order the different war ex- peditions which he claims our In- dians made to the South among his Indians; and among other things be says that in 1712-13 they came to his country and assisted the Tuscaroras to slaughter people of the South; and that a little later, during the Tus- carora, war, two hundred of our In- dians went south and fell upon the Virginia traders; and that in 1717. while he was with the Chiefs of the Catawbas making peace, our Indians joined with the Tuscaroras and fell on the 28th of August and the 15th
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of September of the same year five | had desired him not to fail to proceed hundred of our young warriors be- gan a slaughter on some of his In- dians about the Susquehanna river; and on the unarmed Catawbas; and that in 1718 our Indians were hovering around the white settle- ments in the South, looking for a chance to kill their people; and that in 1719 our Indians started back but threatened to come again with force, and that on their way home they stopped on the 20th of May at Conoy Town and sent for John Cartledge, one of the Justices and complained to him; and finally he accuses them that a good long time ago they lead the famous insurrection into Virginia called "Bacon's rebellion."
[720-The Main Body of the Tus- caroras are Now on the Sus- quehanna River.
Governor Spotswood in the letter just quoted in Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec. says that these Tuscaroras massa- cred some hundreds of English and that they have at this day the chief murderers, and the greater part of their Nation seated under their pro- tection Sasquehanna river where they removed when they found that they could no longer sup- port them against the forces which the English brought on.
1720-James Logan Again at Cones- toga in a Treaty.
In Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec., p. 92, James Logan makes a report of an- other treaty he held at Conestoga, and he sets forth the report, as fol- lows: "James Logan, Secretary, re- ported to the Board, that having lately acquainted the Governor that he had occasion to go towards the farther end of the Great Valley, on the road to Conestogoe, the Governor
to Susquehannah and there discourse the Indians concerning their late message to him, excusing their not coming to town had been proposed by reason of some trouble they were under, the loss of some of their men slain by the Southern Indians; and thereupon desiring the Governor to come up to them; That acordingly he went, and finding the Indians de- sirous to speak with him, he appoint- ed the 27th of last month, that the Chiefs of the Mingoes or Conestogoe Indians, the Sachem or Chief of the Shawanese, the Chief of the Gana- wese, with several of their people, and some of the Delawares, met him on the said day at John Cartledge's, and being all sate, Peter Bizallion and John Cartledge, Interpreters, James Logan first spoke to the In- dians telling them, that as they had been long expected at Philadelphia, in pursuance of their own messages for that purpose, but instead of com- ing had lately sent to the Governor, desiring for some reasons that he would come up to them; He, their old friend, with whom they had been acquainted in their treaties for twenty years past, being now come upon business in these parts are will- ing to hear from themelves, now only how it was with them, but the occasion of their delaying their jour- ney to Philadelphia so long, and at length sending the message to the Governor. They hereupon sat silent for some time without appearing ready to speak to anything, and make no returns, the Secretary pressed them to answer him, telling them that he asked these questions in behalf of the Governor and the Government, that they themselves had appeared desirous to speak to him, and that as they now had an
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opportunity they ought to proceed and speak their minds freely. To which at length they answered, that there had been lately killed by the Southern Indians twelve men, ten of the Mingoes or Five Nations and two Shawanese, about one hundred and sixty miles from that place, which was the occasion of their sending that message. James Logan asked them whether these two Shawanese had been abroad hunting, they an- swered, No! They had gone out to war. He then demanded the reason why they would offer to go to war after their solemn promise to our Government to the contrary. The Chief of the Shawnese replied that a dispute arising among some of their young men, who was the best man, to end it they resolved to make the tryal by going out to war, that they could not be restrained, but took the opportunity of accompanying some of the Five Nations that were going out and took their road that way.
The Secretary told them that he should have a great deal to say to them on these heads, and that the day being now far advanced, he must desire them to meet him the same place in the morning, and then treat- ing them to some drink they with- drew.
Next morning the same persons at- tended, bringing some bundles of skins with them, from whence it being conjectured that the Indians de- signed to begin a discourse. All being seated after some time being spent in silence, the Mingoes or Con- estogoe Indians began. A Ganawese Indian, who called him Captain Smith, and is said knows all the several languages, viz: his own or the Ganawese, the Mingoe, the Shawnese and Delaware, to perfec- tion, being appointed interpreter in- to the Delaware Tongue, and Peter Bizallion and John Cartledge inter-
preting that into English. They spoke as follows, viz:
That the last year Colonel French came to them on a message from the Governor to inquire into their health, and how it was with them, their children and their grandchildren.
That they were now ready to give an answer to all that he had said to them, but that now they would speak freely from the bottom of their hearts, and their friend might de- pend on not having words only but their truest inward sentiments with- out reserve; and then they laid down a bundle of undrest deer skins.
That Colonel French and those with him told from the Governour, that the message that the Governor sent them and the advice he gave them was for his heart and for their good, and that they would as freely speak from their hearts. The Governor ad- vised thme to go out no more to war, nor to join with any of the Five Na- tions or others, that when out for that purpose, but to live at peace with all people, and if any prisoners were brought to their towns, they should not suffer them to be burnt or tor- tured; that though some of their people were killed once or again, yet they should not go out but bear it, but the third time they might all go out as one man together; that this they thought was somewhat too hard upon them, if they must be confined as prisoners at home, and could not go to meet their enemies that came against them.
That when Governor Penn first held councils with them, he promised them so much love and friendship that he would call them brothers, be- cause brothers might differ, nor chil- dren because these might offend and require correction,but he would reck- on them as one body, one blood, one heart and one hand; That they al- ways remembered this, and should
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on their parts act accordingly; that few of the old men who were at those councils were living; these were removed and those were then very young men are now grown up to succeed, but they transmitted it to their children, and they and all theirs should remember it forever; that they regarded not reports or what was said abroad, their head was at Philadelpha, and they were one with him, on him they depended that they should know everything that concerned them.
The Ganawese in behalf of their people say, they are glad that they never hear anything from the Gov- ernment, at Philadelphia, but good advice and what is for their advan- tage; that their present chief was once at a Council with William Penn before they removed into this Prov- ince, and that since they came into it, they have always lived quiet and in Peace which they acknowledge, and are thankful for it; that the ad- vice that is send them is always so much for their good that they can not but gladly receive it, When the sun sets they sleep in Peace and in Peace they rise with him, and SO continue while he continues his course, and think themselves happy in their Friendship, which they shall take care to have contniued from Generaton to Generation. And that as it shall thus forever continue on their side; so they desire that the same continue on the Governor's part, and that if any reports should be heard concerning them, they de- sire it may not be believed to their disadvantage, for they will still be true and the same they at first pro- fessed themselves and then lay down a bundle of Deer Skins. To Cones- togoes say, that William Penn made a league with them to last for three or four generations: that he is now
dead, and most of their ancients are also dead but the league still remains and they now take this opportunity to renew and strengthen it with their friend, who has always represented William Penn to them since he left them; one generation may die and another may die but the League of friendship continues strong and shall forever continue so on their part. And this is not said in behalf of themselves, the Mingoes only, but of all the Indians on the river, and they give another Bundle of Deer skins. Captain Civility throws down a small bundle of furs and says, that they all join and send that as a pre- sent to the Governor to make him a Beaver Hatt. They say in behalf of the Ganawese, that they have no writing to show their league of friendship as the others have and therefore desire that they may be fa- vored with one at least if they should transgress by reason of rum, which is brought to them in large quanti- ties, they must be cast off and for- gotten that ever they were in friend- ship with us.
The Indians being met again after some refreshments, the Secretary spoke to them as follows:
It must be a great satisfaction to all honest and good men, to find that the measures that great man, Wil- liam Penn, took to establish a firm friendship with you has had such an excellent success. Your predecessors and you have always found him sin- cere in what he professed. He al- ways ordered those in power during his absence to shew you all the like friendship and affection. Every Gov- ernor that came has been the same to you, and the present Governour, Col- onel Keith, shewed the same disposi- tion immediately upon his arrival, by hastening up to you with his coun- cil and many of his freinds as soon
.
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as he heard that you were in trouble. you, but I must do it for your good;
You on your parts have been faith- ful and true to us, whatever reports might have spread, yet the chain was still preserved strong and bright. You never violated it. We have lived in perfect peace and Unity above any other Government in America, and you renewing the chain at this time upon the Decease of your great Friend, with us who remain alive, is so affectionate and kind that I shall not fail to represent it duly to the Governor and your good friends in Philadelphia. This chain has been made nearly forty years agoe; it is at this time strong and bright as ever, and I hope will continue so between our Children and your Children, and their Children's children to all Gen- erations, while the water flows or the sun shines in the Heavens; and may the Great Spirit who rules the Hea- vens and the Earth, and who made and supported us all, who is a friend to all good men who love Justice and Peace, continue the same blessings upon it forever.
But my friends and brothers, as we are obliged to take care of each other, and as the English have op- portunities of seeing farther than you, I find myself obliged in behalf of our Governor and Government, to offer you some advice that may be of great importance to you, and which at this time is absolutely nec- essary.
You acquainted me yesterday with a loss that you had sustained, viz: that twelve men, ten of the Five Na- tions and two Shawanese, had been lately cut off by the Southern In- dians, not two hundred miles from this place, which grieves me exceed- ingly.
I am scarcely willing to mention the Cause of it lest I should trouble
I should not be a true friend should I forbear it.
You know then, my Brothers, that the cause is, that some of your young men had unadvisedly gone out to war in company with others of the Five Nations against these Southern Indians. Young men love to go sometimes to war to shew their man- hood, but they have unhappily gone against Indians that are in Friend- ship with the English. You know, that as of the Five Nations some are called Isawandowaes, some Cayoo- gooes, some Onondogoes, some Oney- ookes, and some Connyingoes, yet they are all one people, so the Eng- lish though they have different Gov- ernments, are divided into New Eng- land, New York, New Jersey, Penn- sylvania, Maryland, Virginia and Carolina, yet they are all under one great king who had twenty times as many subjects as all these, and has in one city as many subjects as all the Indian that we know in North America. To him we are all subject and are all governed by the same laws; Therefore, those Indians who are in League with one Government are in League with all; your friend- ship with us recommends you to the Friendship of all other English Gov- ernments, and their friends are our friends. You must not therefore, hunt or annoy any of the English or any of their friends whatsoever.
These Southern Indians, especially the Tootelese. formerly made friend- ship with you, and I believe that it was they who lately sent you the nine belts of Wampum, to continue the League; They Desired Peace, yet the Five Nations and some of your rash young men have set upon them; pray remember, they are men as well las you, consider therefore, I request
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you, what you would think of your- now owing to those who desire noth- selves should you suffer these or any other people to come year after year and cut off your towns. your wives and children, and those that escape should sit still and not go out against them. you would not then deserve to be accounted men; and as they, you find are men it is no wonder if they come out to meet these young fellows and endeavor to destroy them and their families.
I must further, as your friend, lay before you the consequence of your suffering any of your young men to join with those of the Five Nations They come through your towns and bring back their prisoners through your settlements, thus they open a clear path from these Southern In- dians to your Towns, and they who may have been wrong may follow that open path, and first come direct- ly as the path leads to you. Thus you, who have done but little and by the instigation and advice of others may be the first that are fallen up- on, while those of the Five Nations are safe at home at a great Distance with their Wives and Children. and you may be the only sufferers.
They have hitherto come out to
meet their enemies, who were going to attack them, and like men they fight them; but as I am your friend I must further inform you that these people would come quite up to your towns to do the same to you that they have suffered, but your being settled among the English has hitherto pre- served you, for the Governor of Vir- ginia and Carolina can no longer hinder them from defending them- selves; and desired peace and would live in Peace if it might be granted them.
ing more than to see all the Indians cut off, as well to the Northward as the Southward, that is the French of Canada. for they would have the Five Nations destroy the Southern Indians, and the Southern Indians destroy you and the Five Nations, the destruction, being their Desire. The Governor told you, by Colonel French, that they were your enemies who put you upon war, and they are your truest friends who would pre- serve you in Peace, Hearken to the advice of your friends and you will be preserved. You see how your numbers yearly lessen; I have
known about three score men be- longing to the Town, and now I see not five of the old men remaining.
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