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 38
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"In answer to the Message from the Upper Shawanese on Sasquehan- nah, mentioning their past visits,and another shortly intended to the Gov- ernor of Canada, whom they think fitt to call their father. The Gover- nour and Council say, that William Penn's people in this country, are by treaties united to all the Indians as
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in one body; but the French and Eng- lish are two distinct people, as the long wars that have been between the English and them fully show. Now no Indians that are united with us can be joined to them, because that would divide the same body into two parts and utterly destroy it.
The Governour and Council there- fore, can not agree that any of our Brethren should be joined in League to any other Nation or People than to the subjects of our great King George who is the head of all the English and their Brethren. If these Indians are united to us, we shall desire their company and that they may live with us as Brethren in peace and love as all our other Brethren have hitherto done and ever must do with us.
The Governour at request send them Five Gallons of Rum to clear their hearts at hearing of these his words, and one Strowd Match Coat to confirm them.
The Board agreed to meet the In- dians at the Court Hause the same afternoon and accordingly,
P. M. PRESENT:
The Honourable the Governour and same members as in the afternoon, sundry gentlemen and many other people.
Whiwhinjac, Civility, sundry chiefs and other Indians.
Ezekiel Harlan and Indian Smith, Interpreters.
The Governour answered Whihin- jac's speech of the 18th instant, as follows:
Brethren: You know that I came from William Penn to fulfill his kind words to the Indians, and to be as a father to them now, since he is gone.
It is also the orders and Command of the Great King George my Mas- ter, that the English and the Indians should live together as Brethren in one family.
If any of us therefore happen to be sick or in want of food the other should help him, and when any loss or misfortune befalls either the Eng- lish or the Indians, the other is sorry and in grief for it.
You say William Penn knew you to be a discerning people that could hear and see afar off, and I say you know the English to be a faithful good people who always keep their treaties and Leagues pun- ctually with the Indians and you also know that our laws make no distinc- tion between our people and yours.
We being thus linked together in one Family ,we ought always but to have one Council and so be of one mind, and therefore we can not suf- fer one half to go to War while the other remains at home in Peace.
When any people are divided in their Councils and opinions, they grow weak and soon become a prey to their enemies.
In such cases you know it is the constant practice amongst your people to consult together in Coun- cil until the old and wise men over- come and convince the weaker heads of the young and foolish.
Just so ought you to do with us, because we are altogether one people ; and then the family become strong in love, Peace and Friendship to each other.
Remember that this is the bright chain of Love and Friendship where- with William Penn bound your people and his together, nevermore to be separated. By this Chain Philadelphia is joined to Conestogoe, and all the Indian towns upon Sus- quehannah.
By laying our hands as it were on this chain, we can safely travel by night or by day through all your towns, and into the woods, and in like manner your people are hereby conducted safely through all our settlements back again to us at Philadelphia.
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ANNALS OF THE SU SQUEHANNOCKS AND'
You must know and remember that it is my proper office and business as Governour of the whole countrey to keep this chain perfectly clean and free from the least speck of rust.
You therefore Whiwhinjac, King of the Ganawese who have now spoke to me in the name and on behalf of the four Nations of Indians upon Susquehannah must remember that I am now going to say and tell the other chiefs of these nations that I expect you and they being frequently in Council together with your old and wise men will be exceedingly careful to keep the End of the Chain towards your own settlements al- woys bright and clean, and you may assure all your people that as often as any of them have occasion to come down to visit their Brethren the English here, they shall not find the least spot on this end of the chain fastened here, which is always in my view and shall be my particu- lar care.
The dead body of our Indian broth- er whom you mention was covered by me at Albany in the sight of all the Chiefs of the Five Nations and to the satisfaction of the kindred; nevertheless I take it very kindly that you now desire the blood may be washed away under the ground never more to be seen or heard of. This shows that you are truly onr Breth- ren, and hereupon I embrace and as it were take into my arms you and all your people.
I will take care that no English Settlements shall hereafter be made too near your towns to disturb you, so that the Shawanoes and Ganawese, may remain in peace where they now are, for we are well pleased with them as neighbors and do not desire to see them remove further from us. But as I have always been ready to hear your complaints and take care
of you as my own children, so I must also do by the English; wherefore I desire you will be mindful to treat them like Brethren of the same Family and do not suffer your young people with their dogs and arrows to hunt and kill their Creatures.
I give you these things here before you to confirm what I have said, viz: the presents before mentioned.
I have also ordered some provisions and gallons of rum to help you back to your families, and I heartily wish you a good journey home to Cone- stoga, which was done :-
Civility, the Intrepreter, told the Governour he had something to say, which was,-
The Indians well approve of all the Governour has said except where he told them that the English Law made no difference between the English and the Indians, for they should not like upon an Indian committing a fault, that he should be imprisoned, as they had seen some Englishmen were.
To which the Governour answered. That they misapprehended the meaning, which was, that if any Eng- lishman did injury to an Indian he should suffer the same punishment as if he had done it to an Englishman. But if an Indian committed robbery or such like crime against the Eng- lish, he would acquaint their chief with it and from him expect satisfac- tion.
Then Civility told the Governour that they looked upon it as a great hardship for them to be confined from hunting on the other side of Potowmick, for that in their neigh- boring woods was. but little game.
To which the Governour answered:
That the Five Nations by their treaty with the Governour of Virgin- ia, had agreed not only to forbear themselves but also to restrain the
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Susquehanna Indians from hunting there, for that he (Civility) knew that some of the Five Nations under pre- tence of hunting had gone there for- merly and murdered and plundered some of the English, which was the cause of making that severe article in the treaty.
Then Civility said, that Whihinjac and the rest proposed to proceed to Annapolis, to renew their League of Friendship with the Governour there as he
has done here, and they thought proper to acquaint him there- of.
To which the Governour answered:
That the people of Maryland and Pennsylvania were very good friends and he was contented they should go, but that the Indians should consider that as they were inhabitants of Pennsylvania, they were immediately subjects of the Governour and none other."
1723 - First Cause Inducing the Shawanese to Move to Ohio.
In Vol. 1 of the Penna. Archives, p. 329 there is a message dated 1732 from the Shawanese to our Gover- nor. In it they say that "about nine years ago (which would be 1723) the Five Nations told us that we do not well to settle there (at Pequea) for there was a Great noise in the Great House and in three years we should know what they had to say." This message further says that the Five Nations threatened the Shawanese that if they would not obey they would put petticoats upon them. So it would appear from this that the Five Nations first frightened the Shawanese to move away from Lan- caster County.
1723-The Indians On the Susque- hanna Agree Not to Hurt the Indians in the South.
In Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec. p. 221, it is set forth that Captain Civility told the Governor that he would do what
he could to restrain the Five Nations from going South under the pre- tenses of hunting, for they really go South to murder.
1723-The Indian Nations Now Living on Susquehanna River.
in Mombert's History of Lancaster county, p. 24, he refers to this confer- ence held in 1723, in which Whiwhin- jac, the Ganawese chief made the speech and he calls our attention to the fact that this Ganawese chiet mentions the four Nations living on the Susquehanna, viz: the Cones- togas, Shawanese, Ganawese and Delawares.
1726-The Walking Purchase Again Causes Trouble.
In Vol. 2 of the Votes of Assembly, p. 481, under the date of 1726, it is stated the Indians claim they bought back out of the walking purchases all the land extending one mile on each side of the West Branch of the Brandywine creek, from the said branch to the source of the said creek. I put this in under Lancaster County Indian matter because the West Branch of the Brandywine practically touches Lancaster county.
1727-The Conestoga Chiefs Come to Philadelphia.
In Vol. 3 of the ol. Rec., p. 271, a very interesting visit of the Chiefs of the Five Nations and also Indians from Conestoga to the Government is given. It is set forth as follows:
"At a Council held at Philadelphia, July 3d, 1727.
PRESENT:
The Honourable PATRICK GOR- DON, Esqr., Lieut. Governor. James Logan, Richard Hill, Isaac Norris, William Fishbourn, Evan Owen, Clement Plumstead, Esqrs.
Present also, several Chiefs of the Five Nations, but most of them of the Nation of the Cayoogoes, viz:
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Connosoora, Cagongsaniyong, Cant- | have gained the victory; you have araghengrat, Tannewhannegah, Can- nawtoe, Seelowacks, Achyiawanra, Onaquadeghoa, etc., with Civility and Satcheetchoe of Conestogoe and div- ers of the Ganawese, etc.
These, with divers other Indians, arriving from the Five Nations and Sasquehannah four days agoe, desir- ed a meeting with the Governour as on this day. The Governour, to give them an opportunity summoned the Council for that purpose, who being mett, and these Indians seated,
The Governour told them by Mrs. M. Montour, a French woman, who had lived long among these People, and is now interpretess, that he was glad to see them all well after so long a journey, and was now ready with his council to receive what they have to say.
Tannewhannegah spoke, and by Montour the Interpretess said, that the Chiefs of all their Five Nations being mett together in one of their towns they held a great Council, and that these who are now present came in the behalf and by the advice of all the rest. that they understood the Governour of this province had div- ers times sent for them to come hither, and that they were now ac- cordingly come by the advice of all their Brethren to know the Gover- nour's pleasure.
4
That the first Governour of this place, Onash. (that is Goverour Penn,) when he first arrived here, sent to them to desire them to sell land to him, that they answered they would not sell it them, but they might do it in time to come, that be- ing several times
sent for, they were now come to hear what the Governour had to offer.
That when the Governour was at Albany he had spoke to them to this Purpose. Well. my Brethren you | viz:
overcome the People and their lands are yours. We shall buy them of you. How many commanders are there amongst you, and being told there were forty he said then if you come down to me I will give each of these Comanders a suit of Cloaths such as I wear. They say that a for- mer Governour proposed to some of their Nation, as they were passing by Conestogoe, to go to War against their enemies, that he would buy that land at Tsanandowa, for that he had a mind to settle some of his people there, (as being in his road), who would supply them with neces- saries in their Journey; that they an- swered they were then going to war and could not attend affairs of land, but at their return they would lay the matter before their chiefs, who would give their answer, and now they are come to hear what the Gov- ernour has to offer.
They add that the said Governour, when he was at Conestogoe, desired those warriors to speak to the chiefs about the Purchase of that land; that having no Wampum to send by them as a token of the Message, he gave the Warriors a cask of powder with some shott, a piece of red Strowds and some duffels, that the Warriors delivered their message to the Chiefs, who have now sent to lett the Gover- nour know they are willing to pro- ceed to a sale; and with this Speech they present two very small bundles of Deer Skins for a confirmation.
The Governour told them that he would answer them in the morning to all they had said, and they departed. JULY 4TH.
The Council and the Indians being mett according to Appointment, the Governour by the same Interpretess, in answer to what the Indians said yesterday spoke to them as follows,
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The Governours of the Province, ! who have all acted here in the Place of William Penn, the first and Great Governour of the same, have always been pleased with every opportunity of cultivating and improving a friendship with the Five Nations, and the present Governour and his Council take their visit very kindly at this time, but they have been mis- informed when they supposed the Governour had sent for them; the Journey is very long and he would not have putt them to so much troub- le, or if he had seen occasion for it, he would according to custom have sent some Messenger with a token, by which the Five Nations might have been assured of the truth of the Message.
Governour Penn, (that is Onash,) when he first came into this Province took all the Indians of it by the hand; he embraced them as his friends and Brethren, and made a firm League of Friendship with them, he bound it as with a chain that was never to be broken; he took none of their lands without purchasing and paying for them, and knowing the Five Nations claimed the lands on Sasquehannah, he engaged Colonell Dungan, Governour of New York, about forty years since to purchase their right in his behalf, which Col- onell Dungan did, and we have deeds from him for all those Lands.
The Five Nations were so sensible of this that they never since claimed these Lands, though we have many visits from them hither for brighten- the chain of Friendship. And Five years since, when Sir William Keith and four gentlemen of the Council were at Albany, at a general meeting of all the Five Nations their Chiefs of themselves confirmed the former grant, and absolutely released all pretentions to these Lands; our rec- ords shew this, and these people who are now here cannot but be sensible of it.
When a former Governour of this place, with his Council, made a pres- ent at Conestogoe to some of the Five Nations then passing that way, it was not with any view to purchase the lands at Tsanandowa. The Gov- ernour thanks them very heartily for this offer to sell these lands, if they are not yet purchased, but he can not treat about them at present. William Penn's son, who was born in this countrey is expected over here, and then he may treat with them if he think it proper. In the mean time, as these lands lie next to our settle- ments, though at present at a great distance, we shall take this offer as a proof of their resolution to keep them for him.
This is what the Governour has to say about the lands, but as they are come a long journey to visit us, he gives them as our Friends and Breth- ren these goods now laid before them desiring that of the five guns one may be given to the chief of each of the Five Nations, with three pounds of powder and as much lead and the rest may be divided as they shall think proper. And we have also pro- vided Bread, Cheese, Rum, Pipes and Tobacco, for their support in their return.
The Governour doubis not but that they are fully convinced of our Friendship and regard to them, and that they will consider their recep- tion here as a proof of it. The Gov- ernour recommends to them to notify the Chiefs of the Five Nations what passes between us, that it may be kept in perpetual remembrance.
The Goods which were last night ordered for them are,
5 fine Guns,
15 Strowd Match Coats,
10 Blankets,
10 Duffel Matchcoats,
12 Shirts,
50 lbs. of Powder,
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
100 lbs. of Lead, 2 dozen Knives.
Ordered further:
To the Intrepretess 1 Stroud, 1 Shirt, 1 Matchcoat.
To her husband, Carondawana, 1 Strowd and another to her Niece.
To Civility, 1 Strowd, 1 fine Shirt and 1 pair of Stockings.
Also, 1 cwt. of Bisket, 10 Gallons of Rum, with Cheese, Tobacco and Pipes, for their journey.
After the said Indians had receiv- ed their presents and were parted, they again applied desiring an oppor- tunity of offering something further and the Governour appointing the same afternoon, they mett and pre- senting six very small bundles of Deer Skins, proceeded to say:
That they are come hither to see the Governour in his Government, and are very well pleased with the opportunity given them, and with the Governour's discourse this morning, concerning the covenant chain and the Friendship that has long subsisted between them, and it is this they de- sire may be kept bright and shining to the Sun, and that neither rain nor damps nor any rust may effect it to deprive it of its lustre; and that the Governour and his people and they and their people, their children and our children may ever continue as they have hitherto been, one Body, one Heart and one Blood to all gen- erations.
They are, (they say) but of one Nation, but they speak in behalf of all the Five Nations and by authority from them all. All humane things are uncertain, and they know not what may befall them, or into what misfortunes they may be involved, if they hear any news relating to us like Brethren they will inform us of it; and if we hear any ill news relat- ing to them they desire also to be informed of it, for when they meet
with any misfortune and troubles they will apply to us and acquaint us with them, as their Friends and Brethren.
They say that there are come many sorts of traders among them, both In- dians and English, who all cheat them, and though they get their skins they give them very little in pay. They have so little for them, they cannot live, and can scarce procure Powder and Shott to hunt with and gett more. Those traders bring but little of these, but instead of them they bring rum, which they sell very dear, at least three or four times what it is worth, and of this they complain.
They take notice that both the French and English are raising for- tifications in their country and in their neighborhood, and that great numbers of people are sent thither, the meaning of which they do not very well conceive; but they fear some ill consequences from it, and make it now known to us as their Brethren.
They desire there may be no set- tlements made upon Sasquehannah higher than Pextan, and that none of the settlers thereabouts be suffered to sell or keep any rum there, for that being the road which their people go out to war, they are ap- prehensive of mischief if they meet with liquor in these parts. They de- sire also for the same reasons, that none of the traders be allowed to carry any rum to the remoter parts where James LeTort trades, (that is Allegheny on the branches of Ohio). And this they desire may be taken notice of, as the mind of the Chiefs of all the Five Nations for it is all those Nations that now spek by them to all our People.
The Governour received their pres- ent kindly thanked them for that they had said, and that they might have
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something in return for their last present, it was
ordered that the Quantity of Powder should be in- creased to a hundred pounds, and instead of 100 lbs. they should have a hundred Barrs of Lead.
The Governour told them he would answer what they had last said in the morning, upon which after a Friendly entertainment by the Gov- erour and Council they parted."
This answer which the Governor promised to give them he gave on the 5th of July and among other. things he told them that everything is peaceful and harmonious now and that there is no bad news and no danger, but that there will likely be war in England; that the Indian traders must be watched because they try to sell high and buy cheap; that we are trying to do all we can to stop the rum trade and that we are not allowing any settlements to be made above Paxton, (now Hains') and he says the Indians ought to be very careful not to go past Susquehanna above the moun- tains. He then told them as they are preparing to go the Govern- ment had provided them powder and lead for hunting and some rum and provisions.
1727-The Chiefs of the Five Nations Coming from Philadelphia to Conestoga Commit Depre-
ditions.
In Vol. 1 of the Pennsylvania Ar- chives, p. 205 the following letter is given:
CALN, ye 3d of ye 9ber, 1727. May it Please ye Governour,
These may certify that on the 16th day of July last, 1727, Richard Thomas of the Township of White- land, came before me and did declare on his sollem affirmation, that ye King of ye Five Nations of Indians
having been at Philadelphia to treat with the Governour, and did on their return with his Company take up their lodging near to his house where they resided about four days and nights together, the nearest neighbors contributing to their nec- essitys what they could ye neigh- bors being few and poor could not supply them to ye full, at which place they killed one of his cows, which he valued at four pounds, and desired of me a warrant to appre- hend ye said Indians, but I being informed that they had a letter of credit from ye Governour to all per- sons to supply them with what they wanted, (and they being gone from the said Richard Thomas' two days), I thought it most proper not to send a hue and cry after them; but to write to John Wright and Tobias Hendricks to treat with them about it in an amicable way, and to get satisfaction for the party injured; but they having passed down Suske- hanna before my letters came to hand, they missed of the opportunity. However about 3 days since ye said Richard Thomas came again to me and informed me that he had been with the Governour to lay his case before him, in order to meet with re- lief, but (as he says) ye Governour would give no orders about it until he had received some information from me to set ye case in a true light, in order to which he on ye second day of this instant, November, 1727, brought two of his near neigh- bors, namely John Straightfellow and Henry Atherton, who according to ye laws and customs of this province, did attest, and solemnly declare by ye said cow killed, as above to be well worth four pounds; and I being sen- sible of the truth of ye above narra- tion, shall conclude, who am ye Governour's most hearty friend and servant. To Command,
GEORGE ASTON."
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1727-The Killing of Thomas Wright Near Conestoga.
As we have said above Wright was killed during the year 1727 and the correct report of it is found in Vol. 3 of the Col. Rec. p. 285, where it is stated, "That Mr. Logan acquainted the Board, that last night he receiv- ed a letter from John Wright, Esqr., one of the Justices of the Peace of Chester Co., giving an account that one Thomas Wright was killed by some Indians at Șnaketown, forty miles above Conestogoe, which letter together with
the depositions of John Wilkins, Esther Burt and Mary Wright, and an inquisition taken up- on the dead body were all laid before the Board.
The said Depositions being read, sett forth, that on Monday, the Elev- enth of this Instant, September, sev- eral Indians, together with one John an Indian Trader, and the said Thomas Wright, were drinking near the house of the said Burt, who was singing and dancing with the Indians after their manner, that some dispute arising between one of the Indians, and the said Wright, Burt bid Wright knock down the Indian, whereupon Wright laid hold of the Indian but did not beat him, that af- terwards Burt struck the Indian sev- eral blows with his first, that the said Wright and Burt afterwards retired into the house where the In- dians followed them and broke open the door, that while Wright was en- deavoring to pacify them Burt call- ed out for his Gun and continued to provoke them more and more, that hereupon the said Wright fled to the henhouse to hide himself whither the Indians pursued him and the next morning he was found there dead. The Inquisition on the body setts forth, that the said Wright came to his death by several blows on his head, neck and temples, which the Jurors say, they believe, were given by the Indians.
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