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 44
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"We, the Chiefs of the Six Nations of Indians, the Onadagoes, Isanun- dowans or Sinnekas, Cuyoogoes, Oneydas, Tuscaroras, (in behalf also of ye Cayingoes or Mohacks), who have lately at Philadelphia by our Deed in writing dated the eleventh day of this instant, October, released to John Penn, Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Proprietors of Penn- sylvania, and to their Heirs and Suc- cessors, ALL our Right, Claim and Pretentions whatsoever, to all and every the lands on both sides of the River Sasquehannah, from ye mouth thereof as far Northward or up the said River as that Ridge of Hills called the Tyoninhackta or Endless Mountains, Westward to the Setting of the Sun, and Eastward to the fur- therest Springs of the Waters running into the said River, Do hereby fur- ther declare, that our True intent and meaning by the said writing was and is to Release and we do hereby more expressly release, to the said Proprietaries, their Heirs and Suc- cessors forever, All our Rights, Claim and Pretensions whatsoever, to all and every the lands lying within the bounds and limits of the Government of Pennsylvania, Beginning Eastward of the River Delaware, as far North-
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
ward as the said Ridge or Chain of Endless Mountains as they cross the Country of Pennsylvania, from East- ward and to the West.
And further as we have made the firmest League of Friendship with our Brethren of Pennsylvania and are become as one People with them, We do hereby promise and engage for ourselves and our Children and their Children, That neither we nor they nor any in Authority in our Na- tions, will at any time bargain, sell, grant or by any means make over, to any person or persons whatsoever, whether White men or Indians, other than by the said Proprietors, the Children of William Penn, or to Per- sons by them authorized and ap- pointed to agree for and receive the same, any lands within the limits of the Government of Pennsylvania, and it is bounded Northward with the Goverment of New York and .Albany, but when we are willing to dispose of any further rights to land within the said limits of Pennsylvania, we will dispose of them to the said William Penn's Children and to no other persons whatsoever.
In Witness whereof we have in Be- half of all our Nation, signed this further writing, being distinctly read and interpreted to us by our Friend Conrad Wyser, the Twenty Fifth day of October, 1736.
Witness (an interlineation of seven- teen words being first made between the 8th and 9th lines.)
ANYNSSQUASHUH, his mark ANYHARUNGQUAS,
C.ANDACH, HAWYIENTA,
JOSUNSUDAN,
JOSUNLONSENET,
HANUKHUNGO,
HATQUANTAGUHTY,
GAHISKEROWANO, GECHTACKHERY, TAHASHWANGAI,
TACANNUNTY, CAXHAAYN, TOCANORUNGO, OSCOTAX,
SAWUNTGA, CANAWATO,
SAGUSKSONYUNT,
TYIICHRYGERECHGO,
SARISTORQUOH,
SHYKELIMY,
CONRAD WEISER, Interpreter."
The above release and treaty may be found in Vol. 1 of the Penna. Ar- chives, p. 498; and it may also be found in Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 219.
1737-Indian Religion.
Mombert in his History of Lancas- ter County, p. 19, gives us a good deal of interesting information about the Indians and their religion. He tells of the queer customs and ways which they have to worship their God.
137-Indian Depredations at Cone- stoga.
In Vol. 1 of the Penn. Archives, p. 547, Samuel Blunston made the fol- lowing statement as to Indian out- rages:
"To the Honorable the Proprietor, the President and Council is humbly Represented,
That
On Sunday night last an accident happened which has given us some trouble. About eleven o'clock at night two Indians came into Samuel Beth- el's house and asked for drink, one of them having a naked knife in his hand, and with some difficulty Sam- uel's wife (he being in bed) per- swaded them out of the house and fastened the Door, when immediately one of them with great violence darted a Board through a Glass win- dow into the House, which as it happened did no other damage than breaking the window. Samuel Bethel was asleep, but there being two other
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OTHER LANCASTER COUNTY INDIAN TRIBES
men in the House, viz: Daniel Sou- therland and John Judson, they went out to prevent their doing further mischief, whereupon one of the In- dians with the knife wounded Sou- therland in the Belly and cut the Caul so that his Bowels came out, and immediately turned to the other man and stabbed him in the Breast, which wound, though deep, slanting down- ward kept on the outside of the Bone, so that wee hope that neither of the wounds are mortal, though both of them, especially Southerland, are yet very ill. On Monday morning several people of the Town went af- . ter the Indians and brought one of them back and some of their people went after the other but could not find him. The Indian that was taken they secured in our Prison, till we could know whether the wounded men would recover, and yesterday we sent some people to the Indian Town where they found several of the In- dians in great surprise, our people let them know they were come in a friendly manner to invite them to a conference about the matter, and they agreed to meet me here today, which they have accordingly done. What I said to them was of this effect, viz: That I was come to meet and speak with them about an abuse committed by two of their Young men on some of ours without any provocation given on our part, that when first our men were wounded wee thought they would have died, and therefore se- cured the Indian we had taken untill we could speak to them and acquaint them with it, but that now we were in hopes our People would recover we released the Prisoner and de- livered him to them, for that we did not intend to punish him for the offence but expected they would make such reparation as the nature of the
crime would require. That the
Friendship between our people and theirs might remain most firm. I also informed that this man was seen to carry a naked sharp pointed knife in his hand before he did the Mis- chief, and that I had often scen their people go among ours with sharp pointed naked knives, which practice I thought they would do well to dis- courage. I further let them know that I would write an account of the affair to the Proprietor, the Presi- dent, and Council, and desired they should let me know what I should say from them, to which after a short consultation Sukaw on behalf of himself and Weyewas, their King, (who was here) made answer, that all the Indians who were here (ex- cept themselves) were young foolish men, with whom they could hold no Council, therefore desired I would write an account of the affair to you, and when they received your letter they would call their Old People to- gether and take Counsel of what was proper to be done, and having before delivered them the Prisoner, when wee had done they asked whether he might go along with them, to which we agreed, and they departed. It seems unnecessary for me to observe anything hereon, except that the charge which will arise on the occa- sion, for nursing the man, and to the Surgery and other expenses neces- sary, ought in due time to be de- frayed, but we know not without your advice where properly to apply. I am with Due Respects,
Your assured Friend, SA. BLUNSTON.
Lancast., March ye 8th, 1737-8."
1737-Shawanese Excited Because the Senecas Sell Us Land.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec., p. 234, at a Council held in Philadelphia,
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
"The President then laid before the | so contiued until of late years; that Board a Message to our Proprietor from the Chiefs of the Shawanese at Allegheny, accompanied with a String of Wampum, which being read is in substance, that they are strongly solicited by the French, whom they call their Fathers, to return to them; that every year they send those In- dians some Powder, Lead and To- bacco, to enable them to withstand their enemies, the Southern Indians, by whom they have often suffered, and were last year attacked in one of their Towns; that they are gott so far back that they can go no further without falling into their enemies' hands or going over to the French, which they (the Shawanese) say they would willingly avoid; that if they should return to Susquehanna, as this Government has often pressed, they must starve, little or no game being to be mett with in those parts; and therefore as our Brethren and Allies, with whom a friendship has ben established by the Treaty held between their King Opetha alias Opessa, and our first Proprietor, they request that we will furnish them with some arms and ammunition for their defence against their enemies, and to secure their continuance at Al- legheny.
Upon conisdering what the Sachims of the Mohocks had represented to Mr. Clark, it was observed that the claim of the Shawanese on the Sas- quehanna to those lands lately re- leased to our Proprietors is entirely new and without any manner of foundation, those Indians having never before made the least preten- sions of the kind; that they were at first admitted into this Province about forty years since at the Desire of the Conestogers, they were suf- fered to settle amongst them, and had
for the benefit of hunting they had removed to a greater distance and some of the Nation are now settled above Shamokin on Sasquehannah and the Greater Number at Allegheny who are those from whom the Propri- etor received the aforesaid Letter, on the subject of whom it was also re- marked, that for these several years the French have been endeavouring to gain those Indians for preventing which they are invited, by Messages dispatched to them in the winter of 1731, to return to Sasquehannah where a large and convenient tract was laid out for their accommoda- tion. Some of their Chiefs came the year after, with whom the Govern- ment renewed their treaty of Friend- ship and they returned in all appear- ance highly satisfied which their Messages since have also confirmed; that it might be very improper, on this last message from them to send powder and Lead because they have thought fitt to ask them, yet as the practices of the French on those In- dians, if successful, may prove ex- tremely prejudicial in a case of a rupture with France, all possible means ought to be used to prevent their defection and to keep them at- tached to the British Interests; and as they appear to be in some dread at present of their Enemies, the Southeran Indians, between whom and all those to the Northward a Peace is now meditating by the inter- cession of the Governour of Virginia, the present juncture may be a very proper one for inviting the Chief Men of those Shawanese to visit us and renew their Treaties with us, and likewise for concerting such other measures as may be most expedient. The Board are therefore of Opinion that a proper Message accompanied
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with a Small present within Ten pounds Value, should for this end be dispatched by the first convenient ipportunity to those Chiefs, and it is Recommended to the President to or- der the same accordingly."
Here we see that not only were efforts made to get the Shawanese back to Susquehanna but that a large tract of land was also prepared here for them to settle upon again, but they would not do so.
1738-The Indians Protest Against Rum.
Our Indians, formerly of Lancas- ter County, but now of Allegheny, this year sent a protest against the use of Rum, found in Vol. 1 of the Penna. Archives, p. 549, as follows:
"This day we held a Council, and itt is agreed by the Sheynees in Gen- eral, that whatever Rum is in our Towns shall be broak and spilt, and nott Drunk, and whoever shall bring any rum or any sort of strong Liq- uor into our Towns, Indian or white man, let it be more or less, itt shall be all broak and spilt in the presence of the whole towns, wheresoever it is brought, and four men is appoint- ed for every town to see that there is no rum or strong Liquor brought in- to our Towns, and to have it four years, a term from date."
This is signed by one hundred In- dians and among Peter Chartier, a half Indian, and several others whose names we have met from time to time.
1738-A Message Sent to Conestoga About the Murder By Indians There.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec., p. 280, the letter from Samuel Blunston, which we have cited above was taken note of by Council. It is also set forth that the Indians being under
great surprise about to leave the County because of their men was put to prison on account of this killing and it was therefore decided to send a letter to Blunston to be laid before the Indians and their Chiefs at Con- estoga. The letter is found p. 281 of the same book and is as follows: "Philadelphia, March 14th, 1737-8. Our Friends and Brethren:
On receiving an account of the late barbarous action committed by two of your young Men in Lancaster town upon the persons of two of our People we are very much concerned for the folly and wickedness of it, and say thus to you upon that Subject:
You are fully sensible that by the many past treaties between you and us it is in the firmest manner estab- lished and agreed that we should be all as one people; that wrongs done by any of either side should be re- dressed and the offenders punished without any distinction, and you well know that when any of our people have taken the life of an Indian, the guilty persons have been put to death for it as if the injury had been done to one of ourselves without any dif- ference; therefore, when any of yours are guilty of any such crime, we do expect they shall in like man- ner be punished for it; and in all cases of this nature we consider the guilty person only, if he be a Chris- tian; no other Christian or white man is put to any trouble; and in the same manner if he be an Indian, we do not account any other Indian an- swerable for it but the guilty one only, and he alone is to be punished; only this is to be remembered, that if any of our People commit a crime and fly for it, our Officers and people search after them and must find them, and cause them to be kept in prison until they can be prosecuted
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
and punished; but if the offence is not Murther or some such grievous crime,, we sometimes let them have their liberty out of prison, when one or more good men will become bound for their appearance, and wil produce or bring them forth when called by the Government, to be punished either in their bodies or to be fined in a sum of money to make satisfac- tion for their offence, and this meth- od we perceive our Officers and good friends, Samuel Blunston and the the young Man whom they seized for committing that cruel act on persons who had done him and his compan- ion, who had fled, no manner of Harm but were endeavoring only to re- strain their violence and make them quiet after they had broken the win- dow of a house to pieces, without any provocation.
This proceeding of Samuel Blun- ston and the other Magistrates you must, without doubt believe. was an act of great Mildness towards you, and such as would scarce have been shewn to any white men in the like case. You can not however, but well know in yourselves, that if either of our wounded men should die of their wounds those who gave the wound should suffer for it in the same man- ner as if a white man had done the Act; and if this should happen, we shall expect that not only the Young man whom our Officers seized and have since trusted to your keeping, but the other also who has fled, shall be apprehended, and be both deliv- ered up to be punished; but if the wounded persons recover, as we hope they will, those two offenders be- sides making satisfaction to the suf- ferers, should pay all the charge of their cure and of nursing and keep- ing; and if the two Indian Young men are not able to do this of them-
selves their friends should help them to do it. for them, till by their own diligence in hunting, they can make Satisfaction; they must like- wise faithfully promise to behave themselves well and peacefully to- wards all our people for the future, that no just cause of further com- plaint may be given against them. And on this occasion we would de- sire you to caution all your young men not to come amongst us and our people with any dangerous weapons, that all further mischief may be avoided, for we must live friendly and peaceably together; we are to take care that none of our People shall hurt yours and you must take the like care that none of yours be disorderly or hurt you, either white men or Indians. And as we can not doubt but in this and all other cases you will shew yourselves true and good men, by faithfully performing what you have repeatedly engaged by your treaties with us, we desire that you who are innocent may not be un- der any fear or apprehension, for we should not think you accountable more than our own people, the white men that inhabit there, and in this we desire you to rest satisfied, and are
Your true friends and Brethren, In behalf of the Proprietor and the Council,
JAMES LOGAN."
1739-Shawanese Chiefs at Con-
estoga.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec., p. 336 it is stated that six chiefs of the Shaw- anese Indians with twenty-one others came to town and the minutes of their Council and the treaty of 1732 was read and also a treaty made be- tween William Penn and some of the Shawanese Chiefs in 1701; and Logan was desired to prepare a speech for them. In this speech he said among
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OTHER LANCASTER COUNTY INDIAN TRIBES
other things that since your nation first left and settled near Paxtang on
the West side of Susquehanna and went so far away to Ohio we desired a conference with you. Logan then went on to speak about their history and about their coming into this
Province and several other things, but as we have stated it all hereto- fore we will not repeat it. A new treaty however was made, in which the treaty of the 23rd of April, 1701 was again rehearsed to them and it is set out in full in this book but as we have it in a former item we will not repeat it either. The following note however, was added to the treaty
by Logan. He told them that he could see here what engagements their ancestors had made and that we had always kept ours or part of it but that they had not kept theirs. They made a reply the next day and said they would have come to Phila- delphia before but that they were grieving about some of their people that had been killed and then they gave the reasons why they left us and went out West. They say that they remembered that they were in- vited to come back two years ago and they were very thankful for the invi- tation but that they will not come back again. They were given large presents, however, and a new treaty was made with them. The treaty is found p. 346 and is as follows:
"Be it at all time to come remem- bered that on the First day of Aug- ust in the Year of our Lord, One thousand seven hundred and thirty nine, and the Thirteenth year of the reign of King George the Second over Great Britain, etc., at the City of Philadelphia, and the Province of Pennsylvania, it was concluded, stip- ulated and fully agreed upon by and between the Honorable John Penn,
Thomas Penn and Richard Penn, Esqrs., true and absolute Proprietar- ies of the said Province of Pennsyl- vania, and Counties of New Castle, Kent, and Sussex, on Delaware, sons of the Honorable William Penn, Esq., first grantee and Proprietor of the said Province, in behalf of all the English and other Christian of the said Province, on the one part, and Kaycowwocker, Newcheconer, Tom- enebuck, Meshemethequater, Chiefs of the Nations of Shawanese Indians, in behalf of themselves and the whole body of people of the said Nation dwelling on the great river Sasque- hannah, as also on or near the great river called Ohio, otherwise Alle- gheny river, or in other part of America within the claims of the king of Great Britain, on the other part in manner following; that is to say, that the Union and Friendship now so happily subsisting, shall be maintained, cultivated and improved by and between the subjects of the said King of Great Britain inhabiting America and all the people of the said Shawanese Nation, in all times to come, and that the same shall be inviolably preserved without any Let, obstruction or interruption while the Sun, Moon and stars endure. That all the several articles agreed upon in Philadelphia the twenty-third of April, In the Year One thousand Seven Hundred and one, by the said William Penn, and the said Nations then dwelling on or near the said River Susquehannah, of whom the said Nation of the Shawanese, under their King Wopaththaw, alias Opes- sah, was one, now read and interpre- ted to the said Shawanese shall be inviolably observed in all and singu- lar the parts thereof by all and every the Parties to these Presents.
And whereas, the Shawonese hav-
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ANNALS OF THE SUSQUEHANNOCKS AND
ing left their former habitations, are now for the benefit of their hunting removed to much greater distances from the Christian Inhabitants of the said Province than formerly they were at the time of entering into the said agreement, they, the said Shaw- anese, do hereby, for themselves and the rest of their Nations, solemnly promise and engage, that always bearing in mind the said Articles and Covenants entered into by their An- cestors they, wherever they may be settled, shall behave on their parts as true friends and Brothers to the Christian Inhabitants of the said Province, and will not by any motives or persuasives be induced to join with any Nation whatsoever who shall be in enmity with the Subjects of the Crown of Great Britain in any Acts of Hostility against them.
In witness whereof, the said Tho- mas Penn and the Honorable George Thomas, Esquire, Lieutenant Gover- nor of the said Province, and Kay- cowockecor, Neweheoner, Tomene- buck, Meshemethequater, the Chiefs of the Indians above mentioned, have hereunto set their hands and seals the day and year first above written.
Signed, Sealed and Delivered in the Presence of,
JAMES LOGAN,
SAMUEL PRESTON, CLEMENT PLUMSTEAD,
SAMUEL HASELL,
Counsellours.
KAASHAWAGHQUILLAS, PALAKACOUTHATER,
MARCOTTAWCOLLO,
Indians.
THOMAS PENN, GEORGE THOMAS, THOMAS FREAME, Jr., KAYCOWOCKEWR, NEWCHEIONER, TOMENEBUCK.
THOMAS LAWRIE, Sect.
GEORGE MIRANDA,
Interpreter.
Then being told that having now finished what we had to say, they are at liberty to return home when they should have sufficiently refreshed themselves, and that a wagon should be ready to carry some of the Old men and Baggage a part of the way, some liquor being likewise call- ed for; they are wished a good Jour- ney, and having drank, withdrew."
1739-Strange Shawanese Customs.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec. p. 342, the Shawanese say that it is their custom to put deer hair on the graves of their dead. They made the folowing statement:
"Being come where our Brothers died we have taken a little Deer's hair to put on their graves, and mis- sing a brother (meaning the Gover- nor) we take a little more Deer's Hair to cover his grave. They then present three bundles of Deerskins."
1742-Another Treaty Held With the Five Nations: Conestoga Indians Present.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec., pp. 569 to 586 a long treaty with the Five Na- tions was held. It included many items but on p. 570 the following proceedings concerning the Susque- hanna Lands came up:
"We have further to observe with respect to the lands lying on the West side of the Susquehanna, that though Brother Onas (meaning the Proprietor) has paid us for what his people possess, yet some part of that Country have been taken up by pers- ons whose place of residence is to the South of this Province, from whom we have never received any consideration. This affair was rec- ommended to you by our Chiefs at our last Treaty and you then, at our earnest desire, promised to write a letter to that person who has the
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auhority over those people, and to | 1742-The Five Nation Speaker at the procure us his answer. As we have Above Treaty Threatens the Delawares. never heard from you on this head, we want to know what you have done in it. If you have not done any- thing we now renew our. Request, and desire you will inform the person whose people are seated on our Lands, that the Country belongs to us in right of conquest-We have bought it with our blood; and taken it from our enemies in fair war; and we expect as owners of that land to receive such a consideration for it as the land is worth. We desire you will press him to send us a positive answer; Let him say yes or No; if he says Yes, we will treat with him; if No, we are able to do ourselves Jus- tice, and we will do it by going to take payment on ourselves."
This treaty was held in July, 1742 and Conrad Weiser was present as the Interpreter. The Indians pres- ent consisted of thirteen Onondagoes nineteen Cayoogoes, fourteen Anay- its, three Senecas, twenty-two Tus- caroras, five Shawanese, four ancient Conestogas and four modern Cones- togoes, also set forth as being Nan- tikokes or Conoys and ten Delawares.
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