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 46
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A Conestoga or Susquehannock In- dian stood outside the circle and beg- ged the people to give him money for the children of the Indians, which was done. Some high Dutch arrived with guns, which being perceived by this Conestoga, he said it would offend the Indians; and he told us to tell the
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Germans to withdraw or leave their guns out of sight and they quickly did it. Up to this time none of the Indian chiefs had got drunk.
On Sunday, June 24, Mr. Craddock, my fellow townsman held dvine ser- vices in the Court House. Between one and two o'clock all dined in the Court House and another minister of the Church of England preached in the Court House that afternoon. In the evening we went to the Indian camp again. All were dancing as be- fore.
Monday evening we had a grand supper in the Court House and the Governor of Pennsylvania got very merry and all the company followed his example. During the merriment two Germans happened to pass by the Court House with harp and fiddle and played some time under the window. Then the Governor ordered them to come in and amuse us, which they did; but not with the harmony of their music for that was very uncouth and displeasing; but playing a tune of some sort to a young Indian who danced a jig with Andrew Hamilton (Andrew Hamilton was a son of the Great Andrew the celebrated lawyer and attorney general).
At eight o'clock on Wednesday evening I went with our Honorable Commissiiners to a Ball in the Court House, in the chamber, to which his Honor, the Governor of Pennsylvania, the Commissioners of Virginia and Maryland, and the gentlemen of the several colonies, with sundry inhabi- tants of the Town .were invited. James Hamilton the Proprietor of Lancaster, made (gave) the Ball; and he opened it by dancing two minutes with two of the young ladies here, in which the ladies danced a wilder time than any of the Indians. The females, (I dare not call them ladies for that would be a profanation of
were
tt name) in general very agreeable. The dancers consisted of Germans and Scotch Irish. But there were some Jewesses who had not long since come from New York that made a tolerable appearance, being well dressed and of an agreeable behavior.
There was a large and elegant sup- per prepared in the Court House Chamber, of which the Governor, some of the Honorable Commssioners and the female dancers first ate; then the other gentlemen in order; and af- terwards the younger gentlemen. The dances were concluded at twelve o'clock but myself and several young- er set staid till after one.
Thursday, June 28th, in the even- ing, about seven o'clock, accompan- ied by Commissioner Nathaniel Rigby I went to the Indian cabins; and col- lected a crowd of papooses together and flung handfulls of half pennies among them. They scrambled heart- ily and this pleased the older ones. A great number of white people wit- nessed the war dance this night. I went to a cabin where I heard the celebrated Mrs. Montour sing. She was a French lady but now was sup- posed to be an Indian, having been taken by them in her youth and so long lived with them. She married a war captain of the Indians and had two beautiful daughters. She was re- ceived by the best families in Phila- delphia. Her husband was dead.
On Friday evening, June 29, I went with Col. Rigby and others to meet Dr. Adams who had got an organ; but it was with the greatest difficulty that we could get him to play a tune. The music was very bad and we suf- fered in hearing it. Dr. Adams had been a wild young man but was now very pious.
On Saturday, June 30th, the Chiefs dined at the Court House at our invi- tation. A large number of people were
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present; we had five tables and a a great variety of dishes and they were served up in good order. The Sachems sat at two separate tables at the head of one of the famous ora- tor Conassatego. And the others were placed according to their rank. We , carved the meat for the Indians and served them with cider and wine mixed with water. The chiefs semed prodigiously pleased wth this feast for they fed lustily, drank heartily and were very greasy before they finished their dinner for by the by they make no use of forks. The health of the Indians and of the Com- missioners and the Governor were drunk.
On the evening of July 4th, a fine gold laced hat was presented to Grachadodow, a celebrated warrior then about forty years old. He was a straight limbed and graceful per- son; but not so fat as Conassatego. His action when he spoke certainly was the most gracious as well as bold that any person ever saw, without the buffoonery of the French or over sol- emn deportment of the Spaniards. When he made the complimentary speech on the occasion of giving Lord Baltimore the name of Tocarry- hogan he was complimented by the Governor who said he would have made a good figure in the forum of old Rome. And Commissioner Jen- nings declared that he had never seen so graceful an action in any of the most celebrated orators he had ever heard speak.
At twelve o'clock on July 5, the accounts were settled and we dined at Worral's and immediately after- wards mounted our horses and went from this filthy town to our kind face- tious landlord Mr. Hughs at Notting- ham township by the . Gap road, so called from space or gap being | minor tribes.
opened in the ridge of the Blu Mountains which extends a grea way to the Southwest of Virgini and Northeast of Pennsylvania.
WITHAM MARSHE."
1744-The Conoy Indians Still Clain Land in Ohio.
Among the proceedings f the Great Treaty the following is found, p. 724, spoken by Conassatego:
"The Conoy Indians have informed us that they sent you a Message sometime ago to advise you that they were ill used by the White People in the place where they had lived, and that they had come to a resolution of removing to Shamokin, and requested some small satisafc- tion for their land, and as they never have received any answer from you, they have desired us to speak for them. We heartily recommend their case to your Generosity, and to weight to our Recommendation we present you with this String of Wam- pum.
Which was received with the us- ual ceremony."
1744-The Conestogas at the Great Lancaster Treaty.
The Colonial Record Account does not mention the names of the Chiefs and Indians at the Lancaster Treaty, but in Vol. 1 of the Penna. Archives, pp. 656 and 7 the names appear and among them we find twelve of the Conestogas that are said to be the Conestoga Indians that speak the an- cient language and therefore were likely twelve principal men of the old stock of Conestogas there. This begins to show the pathetic figure of the Conestogas and how they are dwindling. The other Indians pres- ent were 20 Onondagoes, 26 Cayoc- goes, 12 Oneidas, 4 Senecas, 16 Tus- caroras, 10 Conoys and a few other
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3744-The Delawares Come to Phila- si delphia to Treat .. The Conoys
.At a treaty held in Philadelphia, 1744, found in Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec., Dp. 746 and 747 among other things it is stated that the Conoys have moved higher up too but nearer us (the Delawares) and we now take this opportunity to inform you of it.
1744 - The Shawanese Not On Good Terms With the Five Nations. Have Moved.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec. p. 739, the Governor making a report to Council of the business done at the great treaty at Lancaster, says, that they have renewed solemn treaties of friendship and that they are going to send down the murderer that mur- dered Armstrong, the trader, near Lancaster. The Governor further says that he observed that there was only one Shawanese present at the treaty and that he was from the principal town in Ohio. And that he inquired into these and he found that the Shawanese and the Five Nations were far from being on friendly terms with each other.
1744-The Delaware Indians Kill
John Armstrong, a Lancaster Indian Trader.
In Vol. 3 of the Votes of Assembly, p. 546, it is stated that John Arm- strong, an Indian Trader, was killed near Lancaster and his wagon robbed .of his Indian goods. And it seems from the newspaper report which may be found in the American Week- ly Mercury for 1743 and 1744 that this killing grew out of a horse trade in which Armstrong had got- ten the better of the Delaware In- dians and the Delaware Indians wanted him to trade back, but he would not. An account of this may
be found in the American Weekly Mercury in the issue of April 26, 1744. This gives us an incite into the Indian difficulties at this time.
1745 .- Peter Chartier Has Gone Over to the French.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec. p. 757, it was stated that an affidavit was made by Peter Chartier's servant that Peter had accepted a military commission under the French King. The Governor was informed of this and he said if he had been punished as he deserved for the report he spread two years ago among our In- dians and tried to stir them up to go to the French, he would not have been at liberty at this time; and that the perfidious blood of the Shawanese runs in Peter's veins.
1745- The Five Nations Say We Should Have Made War on the Shawanese.
In Vol. 4 of the Col. Rec., p. 782, at another treaty held this year some of the Six Nations were present and among other things they said that we should have made war against the Shawanese when we found they were going to leave; but the Governor an- swered this by saying that he would not have done this without first con- sulting the Five Nations, and this pleased them very much. Conrad Weiser had been sent on an expedi- tion to the Five Nations and he re- ported that after a Council with them was ended the Black Prince in- vited all present including himself to a dinner and at the dinner they had plenty of hominy, dried venison and fish. And that after dinner they were served with a drink all around; and while at dinner they had several dis- courses about the Shawanese and that the statement was made by
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some of them that we should have | Delawares turned against the Eng- made war on the Shawanese and others differed from that opinion. This is the first mention of after dinner speeches among the savages, of which we have any knowledge.
1745-Lancaster County to Be Protected.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., pp. 1 and 2 it is stated that the Indians were preparing themselves, under the leadership of Peter Chartier to come down on Lancaster County and it was decided that notice should be sent to the inhabitants of Lancaster Co. to be on their guard; and that the Captain appointed over the mili- tia of that County should drill his troops.
1746-The Whites and Indians of Lancaster County to Arm Themselves.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., pp. 26 and 27 it is set forth in a message from the Governor to the Assembly that a petition from a considerable number of the inhabitants of Lancas- ter County has reached Philadelphia, setting forth that they need arms and ammunition and are not able to purchase them and that they must protect themselves from the Indians. The Governor decided that he would help the people of Lancaster County to provide for themselves.
1747-Governor Thomas Sick.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 84, it is set forth that Governor Thomas has been sick ever since he attended the Lancaster Treaty three years be- fore.
1747-An Old Indian Friend Shick- alamy Sick and Needs Medicine.
Shickalamy, one of the mnior Chiefs of the Five Nations has been a great friend to the whites since the |
lish to the French. Conrad Weiser in November of this year went to see him on business and found him in a most miserable condition and hardly able to stretch forth his hand be- cause of the fever. Several of his relations were buried recently and he was nearly at the point of death but Weiser gave him some medicine and he got up afterwards. He was after- wards a great help to Lancaster County people.
1747-Indians in Lancaster from Shamokin.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 140 it is seth forth in a letter from Con- rad Weiser that at Lancaster he saw ten Indians from Ohio on their way to Philadelphia .. They came from Shamokin which was now the seat of Indian disturbances and which neighborhood was the fron- tier. They reached Philadelphia on or about the 13th of November (Set p. 145) and they made a speech which may be found p. 146. The whole subject concerns happenings not in Lancaster County. They were loyal however, to the English and on p. 147 they said among other things that they desire to be furnished with weapons, such as will knock down the French.
1748- A New Proclamation Against Selling Rum to the Indians.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec, p. 194, it is set forth that rum selling has become a great evil again among the Indians and the Governor issued a proclamation against the practice, which may be found in that book and same page. Presents were now ordered to the Indians amounting to 850 Pounds, (See p. 197).
1748-The Five Nations Give Another Deed for Susquehanna Lands.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 219 may be found a deed and release
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made by the Five Nations for land on the Susquehanna River, chiefly on the West side in the latitude of what is now York County.
1748-The Nantikokes Have Now Moved.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 22, a statement is made showing that the Nantikokes Indians who formerly lived in the neighborhood of the Con- oys, have now moved up the Susque- hanna River to the Mouth of the Juniata.
1748-The Six Nations Command the Susquehanna Indians To Take Up the Hatchet.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 284, the following report was made by a paper presented by Mr. Weiser: "MEMORANDUM taken the 13th of June, 1748.
Last night arrived at my house Ganataraykon, Sogogockiather, Ach- noara, Kattake, and Sanagarnet, sent by Shikalamy to inform me that a Message from the Six Nations (in the Cajucka-) to the following purport.
"Brethren and Cousins, You that live on Susquehannah River and elsewhere.
"We let you know that our Breth- ren, the English have sent a mes- sage to us to inform us that the French had come to live on this side the lake and threaten destruction to the Six Nations as well as to the English, and that therefore, it was requisite our Nation in concert with the others should take up the Eng- lish Hatchet and exert themselves against the French. To encourage us, therefore, they gave a large Belt of Wampum made in the shape of a hatchet and told us further that the English cried out for help, having suffered much by the French. So far the English Message."
Then certain other proceedings in- tervened it at the end of which the following message was given:
"Brethren and Cousins that live on Susquehanna River: We send you this string of wampum; and desire you to have your ears open and be on your guard; we also desire you will with all speed carry this our Message from town to town until it arrives at Schohonyady. This was accordingly done-the said Message came to Shamokin on the 9th in- stant, and the Indians met in Shika- lamy's House. It was delivered by lives a Delaware Indian that on
Wayamuck or Seahantowany. The Indians on Shamokin dispatched it immediately to Schohonihady afore- said, though the Sun was just down."
1748-Log Town the First Town From Lancaster.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 289, we find this statement is made, "A letter from the Shawanese and some of the Six Nations dated at Log Town on the road from Lancaster to Allegheny was read."
I cite this item to show that the first Indian town out of Lancaster was Log Town at this date and it seems to me to be very far west, at any rate it helps to show that the Indian frontier was now moved to the central part of Pennsylvania.
1748-Council Fire to Be Held at Lancaster.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec, p. 290, we find it set forth that it is the in- tention of various Indian tribes to hold a large Council fire at Lancas- ter.
1748-Another great Treaty Held at Lancaster.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., pp. 298 and 299, it is set forth that the Twigttwees Nations are now visiting Lancaster with the divers chiefs of the Six Nations in order to enter into a treaty.
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This treaty was held beginning the ! laid before the Board by the Secretary 19th of July, 1748 and lasted until (after deducting the value of the presents from the Indians) amount- ing to the sum of 169 Pounds, 18 shillings and 0 pence, and as all the sums, excepting such as were dis- bursed by the Secretary himself by order of the Commissioners, were cer- tified by Mr. Webster, they were ap- proved and it was resolved that they should be laid before the Assembly with a proper message to recommend the immediate payment of them." the 23rd and is found in Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., pp. 307 to 319. It is stated to have been attended by several members of Council, Magistrates and inhabitants of Lancaster County, 55 Indians of the Six Nations and also Indians of the Delaware, Shawnese, Nantikoke and Twightwee Tribes. It is observed here that the Conestogas were not present. They seem to have dwindled to so small proportion as to not be taken account of any The credits against the above debt were 39 Pounds, 2 shillings and 8 pence, leaving a balance of 140 Pounds, and 18 shillings. longer. The treaty was held in the Lancaster Court House according to the accounts in the Col. Records and the subjects under discussion did not 1749-The Conoys, Though Removed, Still Claim Their Old Lands at Conoy. concern Lancaster County locally but had to do with the question of admitting the Twightwees into the In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 390, one of the Chiefs who came to the Philadelphia treaty from the Six Nations said: League of Friendship and it looked also toward securing the friendliness of the Shawanese and Delawares again. The particulars of the treaty "Brethren : are found p. 316, in a certain instru- ment and they state that the said Twightwees are accepted by the Commissioners on the part of Penn- sylvania as good friends and allies and the Twightwees agree that they will act soberly and be faithful to the English. This seems to have been the whole business of the treaty.
1748-Shawanese Pardoned and Taken Back Into the Fold.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 323, it is set forth that the pardon so earnestly sought for by the Shawa- nese and their submission and ap- darkness.
1748-Expense of Lancaster Treaty.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 327, the following is set forth as the ex- pense of the Lancaster Treaty:
"The accounts of the expenses of the late Treaty at Lancaster were | town.
As we were coming here the Conoy Indians gave us this String of Wam- pum, thereby putting their case into or hands which we understood to Speak to. It seems when the proprie- taries bought the land between the Delaware and the Susquehanna from us, the tract, as they told us, on which the Conoy town stood was re- served out of the grant on account of those Indians then living there, and when they should quit it they were to have a consideration paid them for it. This we think they are entitled to, as they have left the land and live among other Nations at Juniata; and as they tell us that they never have received anything for the land, we recommend it to you to see them paid Here he gave the Conoy's String."
We notice in this item the Conoys still insist that they own the land on the Susquehanna at the old Conoy
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The Governor however, told the Six Nations' representatives that the Conoys do not own that land any longer. This may be found. in Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 393, as follows: "Brethren, I now read an answer to Assuehqua, who gave this String in behalf of the Conoy Indians. I am sorry to say that these Indians have misrepresented the fact, for on the information I have received from the Proprietor's office, this land, which is but a small piece where their town stood, was not reserved out of their grants of the land sold by the Six Nations; but at time the Conoy In- dians being desirous to continue there, prevailed with the six nations to ask this as a favor from the Pro- prietaries, while they (the Conoys) remained on it, and at their instance the Proprietaries granted them this favor, and they might have lived there till now; but as they choose voluntarily to go away, and signified this by a string of wampum to the Government, they had leave accord- |things, which were explained to you ingly to go to Juniata or elsewhere. You can not but know the Six Na- tions have frequently desired the Proprietaries not to give money to any tributary nations for Land, and these Conoys are such they would have reason to find fault with the Proprietaries should they pay them anything, especially as they have al- ready given to the Six Nations a val- uable consideration for it; I confirm this by a String of Wampum."
1749-A New Grant of the Land Be- tween the Susquehanna and Dela- ware Rivers by the Indians to the English.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., pp. 406 and 407, we find the following: "Brethren :
We have taken into consideration your offer of the sale of some land ly-
ing on the East side of Sasquehanna and though we have no directions from the Proprietaries (who are now in England, to treat with you, yet as we judged it for their benefit and for the publick good not to reject the of- fer you have thought proper to make, we send you word by the Interpreter that we would not treat with you about a new purchase, but at the same time we gave you to understand that we could by no means accede to your proposal in the manner you had limited it, viz: to take land lying on the East Side of the Sasquehanna, as far as Thomas McKee's, because you must be sensible that as the head of the river Schuylkill lies not far from the Sasquehanna, and not far from the head of Schuylkill there runs one of the main branches of the River Delaware, and that the Delaware In- dians, in the last treaty, had granted the lands from this branch to very near the Leachawanchsein on Dela- ware. I say, considering all these on a Draught, by which it appears that all you offer is mountainous, broken and poor land, you must know that this is not worth our acceptance, but we added if you would extend your offer to go more Northerly on Sasquehanna as far as Shamokin, and that the tract might carry its breadth to Delaware river, so that we could in any manner justify ourselves to the Proprietors, we would close and give you a just consideration for the lands. On this you held a council and made us a second offer that you would sign a deed to the Proprietors for all that Tract of Land that lies within the following bounds, viz: Beginning at the Kittochhinny Hills, where your last purchase ends on Sasquehanna, from thence by the courses of the River Sasquehanna to the first Mountain North of the creek,
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called in the Onondago Language Can- | Weiser about conference held by him with Mr. Montour, some of the Sha- mokin Indians and also the Conestoga Indians, were read as follows:
tawhy, and in the Delaware Lan- guage Makooniahy, on the said River Sasquehanna, this is the Western Boundary; then for the North Bound- ary by a straight line to be run from that Mountain to the main Branch of Delaware River, at the North side of the Mountain of Lechawachsein, so as to take in the waters of Lecshawach- sein; the East Boundary to be the River Delaware from the North of the Viskil to the Kittochtiny; the South boundary to be that range of the Kit- tochtinny Hills to the place of be- ginning, together with the islands in the River Sasquehanna and Delaware in that Compass. Having received this second offer, though neither in this is there any considerable quantity of good land, yet in regard to your Poverty more than to the real value of the Tract we sent you word that on your Signing a deed we would pay you the sum of Five Hun- dred Pounds."
1749-The Indians Wound Adam Fur- ney at Lancaster.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 409, it is stated that, "An Indian this last Summer came in a rude manner to a substantial Housekeeper of Lancaster County, one Adam Furney, and de- manded rum of him; he gave him some but because he refused to give him more, he withdrew a small space and having his gun in his hand ready loaded he shot him in the Breast, and he lay a considerable time ill of his wounds, being expected to dye every day. On this the Indian was appre- hended and committed to Jail, but the man recovered, contrary to all expec- tation, and the Indian was the other day released."
1750-A Conference With the Cones- toga Indians.
In Vol. 5 of the Col. Rec., p. 431, it is stated that proceednigs from Mr.
"At a conference held with the In- dians at Mr. Croghan's in Pennsboro Township, Cumberland County, on Thursday, the 17th day of May, 1750.
PRESENT:
Richard Peters, Esq., Secretary ;
Conrad Weiser, James Galbreath, George Croghan, Andrew Montour,
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