THE OHIO VALLEY-GREAT LAKES ETHNOHISTORY
ARCHIVES: THE MIAMI COLLECTION
It is noted that the following work from the Miami Archives should be read and
considered within the historical context in which it was composed and printed.
The opinions expressed and the language used do not reflect the opinions or
standards of the Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology, but are, rather,
indicative of thought in that historical moment during which the document was
published.
Minutes of Virginia's Conference
With the Indians at Logstown
(June 1, 1752)
In: Enclosure #1, Mercer to Charlton
Palmer, July 27,
1762 and in Mulkearn, George Mercer Papers,
University of Pittsburgh Press, 1954,
(this version was extracted),
pp. 273-284.
No. 7.
At a Council held at Logs town June 1st 1752294
The Indians addressed themselves to the Commissioners in the following speeches.295
Brethren, You have come a long and blind way if we had been certain which way you were coming we should have met you at some distance from the town, but we now bid you welcome and we open your eyes with this string of wampum which we give you in the name of the six united nations
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Gave a string |
Brethren of Virginia and Pensylvania, I desire you will hearken to what I am going to say that you may open your hearts and speak freely to us, we dont doubt but you have many things in your minds which may trouble you notwithstanding which we hope we may continue in freindship on which we give you these strings of wampum
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Gave two strings. |
After which the Commissioners let the Indians know that they would give them an answer in a few hours.
Sometime after all being met in the council house Mr George Croghan by directions from the Governor of Pensylvania made a speech to the Indians letting them know that it was his desire that they should receive their brethren of Virginia kindly and presented them with a string of wampum.
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Gave a string |
Then the Commissioners spoke as followeth.297
Brethren, You sent us298 a string of wampum which met us on the road, by which you acquainted us that you heard of our coming to visit you and welcomed us so far on our journey, yesterday we arrived (page 274) at this place and this morning you took an opportunity with a string of wampum to bid us welcome to your town, and to open our eyes that we might see the sun clearly and look upon you our brethren who are willing to receive us this we take very kindly and we assure you of our hearty inclinations to live in friendship with you to confirm this we present you with a string of wampum,
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Gave a string |
Brethren, in your second speech to us and our brethren of Pensylvania this day you delivered us two strings of wampum to clear our hearts from any impressions that may have been made on them by flying reports or ill news and that we might speak our minds freely. Brethren we assure you of our willingness to remove all misunderstandings out of our hearts and breasts which might impede to hinder the friendship subsisting between us.
Now brethren, We are to acquaint you that we are sent hither by the King of Great Britain our father who not forgetting his children on the side of the great waters has ordered us to deliver you a large present of goods in his name which we have brought with us but as we understand that you have sent for some of your chiefs whom you shortly expect we will wait with patience till they come and will then faithfully deliver you the goods and open our hearts to you in assurance of which we present you with this string of Wampum
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Gave a string |
We had some debates concerning the method of proceedings in the treaty Colo Patton insisted strongly whether to demand their reasons why the belt and speech delivered last fall was not sent to Onandago as he directed Mr Gist and I opposed it, I though or it nothing should be said of that affair till we had fully compleated what was more material, obtaining leave to settle the lands &c which we judged the other would effectually defeat.
June 2 Got our goods out and dried them but found they had not received the damage that might have been expected our find goods none.
June 3 We had conferences with Mr Trent and Mr Croghan about the likeliest method to succeed in our negotiations had further assurances of their assistance which I beleive as Capt Trent has always been esteemed a man of honour, they had waited some time from their own business to attend the treaty which they look upon ads the Kings and therefore declared they will forward it independent of the interest of either province.
June 4 Two Shanoa cheifs304 being disgusted (as was said) came to us made a speech expressing their inclinations to be gone home, as we were preparing an answer in conjunction with some of (page 275) the six nations to stop them word was brought that a vessel with English colours was coming down the river, which proved to be the half king with a cheif from the Onandago council, he was received with several discharges of small arms, landed and fixed the English colours on the top of his house we waited on him; sometime after he returned the visit with some of the cheifs drank the Kings health, prosperity to the six nations the Governor of Virginia &c. made him a present of tobacco he seems to be a person of great dignity in his behaviour.
June 9th We had a private conference with the half king and other cheifs at Mr Croghans, shewed the Lancaster deed and other papers, they thanked us for letting them know what the Onondago council had done and blamed them much for keeping it private (as they said) for had they known it sooner, it would have prevented many disorders, they said they never told them that they had sold further than the warriors road at the foot of the Alligany mountain and that they would confirm whatever they had done. The Indians desired to have their guns and hatchets mended which was complied with, Big Hanoana a Shanoa cheif told us that the Picts were upon the poise whether they should return to the French or continue steady to the English and wanted to see what encouragement the latter would give them.307
June 10. This day was appointed to deliver the Kings present to the Indians we made arbours as the Indians did for themselves, laid out the present, a part was set aside for the Picts which was well taken by the other Indians distributed the fine cloaths to the cheifs
Sachems, and Warriors of the six united nations our friends and brethren.
We are glad to meet you at this place, to enlarge the council fire already kindled by our brethren of Pensylvania to brighten the chain and to renew our freindship that it may last as long as the sun, the moon and stars shall give light and to confirm which we give you this string of wampum
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Gave a string |
Brethren, At the Treaty at Lancaster in the year 1744, between the Governments of Virginia, Maryland, and Pensylvania, you made a deed recognizing the Kings right to all the land in Virginia, as far as it was then peopled or should thereafter be peopled, or bounded (page 276) by the King our father, for which you received the consideration agreed on. At the same time Canosateego309 desired the Commissioners would recommend you to the Kings further favour when the settlements should encrease much further back, this the Commissioners promised and confirm'd it by a writing under their hands and seals in consequence of which a present was sent you from the King by Mr Conrad Weiser which he since informed us that he delivered you at a council held here in the year 1748. Now the King your father to shew the love he bears to justice as well as his affection to you his children has sent a large present of goods to be divided among you and your allies which is here ready to be delivered to you and we desire you may confirm the treaty at Lancaster
Brethren, It is the design of the King your father at present to make a settlement of British subjects on the South East side of Ohio, that we may be united as one people by the strongest ties of neighbourhood as well as friendship and by these means prevent the insults of our Enemies, from such a settlement greater advantages will arise to you than you can at present conceive, our people will be able to supply you with goods much cheaper than can at this time be afforded, will be ready help in case you should be attacked and some good men among them will be appointed with authority to punish and restrain the many injuries and abuses too frequently committed here by disorderly white people, Brethren We assure you that the King our father by purchasing your lands had never any intentions of taking them from you, but that we might live together as one people and keep them from the french who would be bad neighbours, he is not like the French King who calls himself your father and endeavoured about three years ago with an armed force to take possession of your countrey by setting up inscriptions on trees and at the mouths of the creeks on this river by which he claims these lands tho' at their coming and for many years before a number of your brethren the English were residing at this town and several other places on this river, you well remember how he scattered the Shawnese so that they were dispersed all over the face of the earth and he now threatens to cut off the Twigtwees this is to weaken you that he may cut you off also, which he durst not attempt while you are united. On the contrary, the King your father will lay his hand on your heads under which protection you will always remain safe Brethren, the great King our father recommends a strict union between us you and your brethren towards the sunsetting which will make us strong and formidable, as a division may have a contrary effect, we are directed to send a small present to the Twigtwees as an earnest of the regard (page 277) which the Governor of Virginia has for them with an assurance of his further friendship whenever they shall stand in need. Brethren we earnestly exhort you not to be drawn by the empty deceitful speeches of the French the peculiar talent of that cunning people but in all their attempts to shake your duty to our common father, think of what real acts of freindship have been done by the English and what by the French, weigh these things in your minds and then determine who best deserves your esteem and regard, for it is not by vain unmeaning words that true freindship is to be discovered, that what we have said may make the greater impression on you and have its full force we present you with this belt of wampum.
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Gave a belt |
Brethren, It is many years ago that the English first came over the great water to visit you, on their first coming you took hold of our Ships and tied them to your strongest trees ever since which we have remained together in freindship we have assisted you when you have been attacked by the French by which you have been able to withstand them and you have remained our good freinds and allies for though at some times the chain of freindship may have contracted some rust it has been easily rubbed off, and the chain restored to its brightness, this we hope will always be the case and that our freindship may continue to the last posterity we give you this string of wampum
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Gave a string |
Brethren. We are sorry for the occasion that requires us to complain to you of an injury done us by one of your people who murdered a poor woman on the new River. Murder is a great crime and by the consent of all nations has usually been punished with death this is the usage among the English whether one of our own people has been killed or one of our brethren the Indians, and it is one of the earliest commands of the great Father and maker of us all, who inhabits the skies that who so sheddeth mans blood, by man shall his blood be shed. We understand you know the man that is accused of the murder and we hope you will give him up to be tried by our laws, you may be assured that he will have a fair trial and if he is not guilty he will be sent back unhurt. We must inform you that the Governor of Virginia expects to you will deliver the person suspected to be guilty up to some Magistrate in Virginia whom we shall name to you that we may send him to Williamsburg for his trial. This procedure is not only proper as it is a compliance with the Laws of God and Nations, but it is necessary to warn all hot headed men who are not guided by reason to forbear from such wicked actions by which their brethren suffer.
Brethren, We desire for the future you will observe the treaty of (page 278) Lancaster and whenever your young people travel through Virginia that they will take such passes as are directed by the said treaty, by these passes the men will be known which will be some restraint on them as to their behaviour, it will be proper also that a man of prudence and discretion should head each party that one among them if possible should speak English and that by no means any French or french Indians be suffered to go with them. We might have mentioned many other irregularities but we have forborn in hopes that for the future you will give your people such orders as will prevent our having any further occasion to complain to inforce what we have said and induce you to do us justice we present you with this belt of wampum.
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Gave a belt |
The Commissioners then spoke to the allies of the six untied nations who were present having first advised with the half king and being joined in the speeches by him in the name of the six nations.
Brethren the Delawares, We thank you for the kind reception you gave us when we came to Shenapins which we shall never forget, we advise and exhort you to beware of the French councils and that you will adhere to a strict freindship with us the six nations and your brethren who live towards the sunsetting which will strengthen us all and be a sure defence against our enemies to confirm you in this mind we present you with this belt of wampum.
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Gave a belt |
Brethren the Shawnee. Your nation has suffered much by French devices by which you have been dispersed we exhort you that you continue317 to keep firm hold of the great chain of freindship between us the six nations and their allies which is the likeliest means to retreive your loss and again to make you a happy people we present with this belt of wampum.
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Gave a belt |
After these speeches had been delivered and interpreted to the several nations the half king desired the Commissioners not to depart for he said they had a great deal of business to do, he then with a ten rowed belt of wampum in his hand directing his speech to Eghuisara (which is Mr. Montours Indian name) said, Child Remember that thou art one of our own people and have transacted a (page 279) great deal of business among us before you were employed by our brethren of Pensylvania and Virginia, you are Interpreter between us and our brethren which we are well pleased at for we are sure our business will go on well and justice be done on both sides but you are not interpreter only for you are one of our council and have an equal right with us to all these lands and may transact any public business in behalf of us the six nations as well as any of us for we look upon you as much as we do any of the cheif councillors and to confirm what we have said we present unto you this belt of wampum
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Gave a belt |
Then addressing himself to the Commissioners of Virginia and all the Indians present with a string of wampum in his hand he spoke as follows.
Brethren, It is a great while since our brother the Buck (meaning George Croghan) has been doing business between us and our brothers of Pensylvania but we understand he does not intend to do so any more, so I now inform you that he is approved of by our council at Onandago for we sent to them to let them know how he has helped using our Councils here and I deliver him this string of wampum to strengthen him and to let you and him know that he is one of our people and shall help us still and be one of our council
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Gave the string of wampum |
He next spoke to the Shawnese and told them that he took the hatchet from them, and tied them with black strings of wampum to hinder them from going to war against the Cherokees, he said that they struck their own body and did not know what they were doing had they not seen of their own people there whom he wanted to get back and would it not be better to be at peace to bring them back, he charged them not to go again to strike their own people and he said that the Governor of Virginia and Pensylvania would interest themselves in making a peace
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Gave a black string |
Then turning to the Delawares he said, You went to the Wiendots and delivered a speech and a belt of wampum to make peace between you and the Cherokees and after you came back you let your young men go to war against the Cherokees which was very wrong after you had delivered the Speech which I myself being present heard. I take the hatchet from you, you belong to me and I think you are to be ruled by me and I (joining with your brethren of Virginia) order you to go to war no more
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Gave a belt of wampum |
Taking a belt of wampum in his hand he proceeded as followeth-
Brethren, The Governors of Virginia and Pensylvania, some years ago we made a complaint to our brother of Pensylvania that his traders (page 280) brought too much spiritous liquors amongst us and desired that there might not come such quantities and hoped he would order his traders to sell their goods and liquors at cheaper rates. In answer to our request Conrade Weiser delivered us this belt of wampum and told us we must pay but five buck skins for a keg and if the traders wold not take that, that we should have it for nothing since which time there has been double the quantity brought out yearly and sold as formerly and we have some complaint to try to stop such large quantities from being brought but as there ahs been no notice taken to prevent it we beleive Mr. Weiser spoke only from his mouth and not from his heart and without the Governors authority some think proper to return the belt.
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He gave the belt to Mr. Croghan |
June 11th. Present. Joshua Fry, Lunsford Lomax, James Patton }Esqrs.
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Commissioners. |
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Mr. Christopher Gist, agent for the Ohio Company |
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Mr. Andrew Montour, Interpreter. |
The Commissioners of Virginia delivered to the six nations a string of wampum and a suit of Indian cloathing to wipe away their tears for the loss of one of their cheifs who lately came down from the head of Ohio to Logs town and died there
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Gave the suit of cloaths and string |
Afterwards the half king spoke to the Delawares, Nephews you received a speech last year from your brother the Governor of Pensylvania and from us desiring you to choose one of your wisest councillors and present him to us for a king, as you have not done it we now let you know that it is our right to give you a king and we think it proper to give you Shingas327 for your king whom you must look upon as your cheif and with whom all publick business must be transacted between you and your brethren the English. On which the half king put a laced hat on the head of the Beaver who stood proxy for his brother Shingas and presented him also with a rich jacket and suit of English colours which had been delivered to the half king by the Commissioners for that purpose.
The Commissioners addressing themselves to the Shawnese acquainted them that they understood their cheif king Cochawitchiky who had been a good freind to the English, was lying Bedrid, and that to shew the regard they bore to his past services they took this opportunity to acknowledge it by presenting him with a suit of Indian cloathing
Then the half king spoke as followeth
Brother, the Governor of Virginia, You acquainted us yesterday (page 281) with the Kings right to all the lands in Virginia as far as it is setled back from thence to the sunsetting whenever he shall think fit to extend his Settlements you produced also a copy of his deed from the Onandago council at the treaty at Lancaster and desired that your brethren of Ohio might likewise confirm the deed. Brother the Governor of Virginia we are well acquainted that our cheif council at the treaty of Lancaster confirmed a deed to you for a quantity of land in Virginia which you have a right to and likewise our brother Onas has a right to a parcel of land in Pensylvania, and we are glad you have acquainted us with the right to those lands and assure you we are willing to confirm anything our council has done in regard to the lands, but we never understood before you told us yesterday that the lands then sold were to extend further to the sunsetting than the hill on the other side of Allagany hill so that we cannot give you a further answer.
Brother. You acquainted us yesterday that the French were a designing people which we now see and know that they design to cheat us out of our lands on the South East side of Ohio that it might be better in our brethrens power to help us, if we were in need than it is at present at the great distance they live from us we are sure the French design nothing else but mischeif for they have struck our friends the Twigtwees. We therefore desire our brothers of Virginia may build a strong house at the fork of Monongahela to keep such goods powder lead and necessaries as shall be wanting and as soon as you please and as we have given our Cousins the Delawares a king who lives there we desire you will look on him as a cheif of that nation.
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Gave a large string of wampum |
Brethren. Our Brothers that live on this river Ohio are all warriors and hunters and like our brethren the traders all wise men. There has been a reason for many complaints for sometime past but we will not complain of our brethren the traders for we love them and cant live without them but we hope you will take care to send none amongst us but good men sure you know them that are fit and we hope you will advise them how to behave better than they have done, we well remember when first we saw our brethren the English and we remember the first council we held with them and shall do all we can to keep the chain of friendship from rust330
June 12th[331] This day the Indians gave us an answer concerning the land which we wanted to settle they desired us to build a strong house or fort very soon, as we had asked for the lands at Monongahela we imagined they had given up the lands upon that river but they only (page 282) meant ground sufficient for the fort to stand upon as appeared by a private conversation with the half king who said that was all that was intended tho' he always spoke the sentiments of others and not his own, for that we could not be without a large quantity of land
We had Conferences with the cheifs of the Indians as followeth.
June 12th 1752. The half king with a string of wampum informed the Commissioners that one Frazier a blacksmith at the town of Venango threatned to remove that they did not desire he should leave them but if he did requested another might be sent to them and he said that they had not a sufficient number of traders there to supply them with goods, to which the Commissioners replied that they would be supplied according to their desire
The same day the cheifs of the Shawnees with a string of wampum thanked the Commissioners for their good advice they acknowledged that they had been led astray by the French and had suffered for it and said they would take care not to be deceived by the French again but would keep fast hold of the chain of freindship between the English and the six nations and themselves.
The Commissioners thanked them for their Attachment to the English and desired their compliments might be made to the young king of the Shawnese who was generously gone to the Assistance of the Picts they sent him also a laced hat and a rich jacket.334
June 13th The half king speaking to the Commissioners said,
Brethren You told us you sent us a present of good in the year 1748 which you said Conrade Weiser delivered at this Town he may have told you so but we assure you we never heard of it from him, it is true he did deliver us some goods then but we understood him it was from our brother Onas, he never made mention of the great King our father nor of our brother Assaragoa. Then directing his speech to the Governor of Virginia said, Brother you complained to us that some of our people had murdered a woman in Virginia it is true there has been such a thing done and brothers we know the man that did it, he is one of our six nations altho' he has lived sometime among the French we cant make an excuse for so barbarous a murder but we assure you he did it without our knowledge and we beleive the evil spirit tempted him to do it we will let the Onandago council know what has been done and we beleive they will try to get him and make a satisfaction for the crime committed
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Gave a string of black and white wampum. |
Brother We have heard what you said in regard to the Kings design of making a settlement of his people on the waters of this river Ohio, (page 283) you likewise told us you had a deed for those lands signed by our council at the treaty of Lancaster we assure you of our willingness to agree to what our council does or has done but we have not the full power in our hands here on Ohio, we must acquaint our council at Onandago of the affair and whatever they bid us do we will do. In regard to your request to build a stronghouse at the mouth of Monongahela you told us it would require a settlement to support it with provisions and necessaries, it is true, but we will take care that there shall be no scarcity of that kind until we can give a full answer, altho' in all our wars we don't consider provisions, for we live on one another but we know it is different with our brethren the English.
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Gave three strings of white wampum. |
The Commissioners having drawn an instrument of writing for confirming the deed made at Lancaster and containing a promise that the Indians would not molest our settlements on the South East side of the Ohio desired Mr. Montour to converse with his brethren the other Sachems in private on the subject to urge the necessity of such a settlement and the great advantage it would be to them as to their trade or their security on which they retired for some time and then returned and Mr. Montour said they were satisfied in the matter and were willing to sign and seal the writing which was done and witnessed by the Gentlemen then present. The half king then spoke as follows.
Brethren, The Governors of Virginia and Pensylvania, You expressed your regard for our friends and allies the Twigtwees, and have considered their necessities at present, we return you our thanks for your care of them, we join with you and desire you will deliver them this belt, and let them know from us, that we desire them not to forget what they did in Pensylvania, when they were down four years ago, and joined in freindship with our brethren the English, we desire they may hold fast the chain of freindship, and not listen to any other but their brethren the English, the six nations, Delawares, and Shawnese, as we will stand by them, we expect they will come down,339 and confirm the freindship they have engaged with the English. He delivered a belt to be sent to the Twigtwees.
The Commissioners then opened the roads to Virginia with a belt of wampum and the following speech.
Brethren, We have travelled through a long and dark way to meet you at this council, we have now compleated our business with pleasure and satisfaction, both to you and us, and as we are now returning back, we do in the name of the great King your father, as also in the name of your brother the Governor of Virginia, remove (page 284) all Obstacles out of the way, and make clear the road that you may at any time, send messages to us, on any occasion, and we shall be always ready to receive them kindly, and look on you as our brothers, and, in token of the sincerity of our hearts, present you with this belt of wampum.
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Gave the belt. |
The Commissioners added. Brethren, At the treaty of Lancaster the Commissioners informed you of a large house built among us for the education of Indian children and desired that you would send some of yours we now make the same offer but if you think it too far to send your children we desire to know whether it would be agreeable to you that teachers be sent among you. The advantages off an English education are greater than can be imagined by them who are unacquainted with it. By it we know the part of the world from whence all nations came, how nations for some thousands of years back have rose powerful, or decayed how they have removed from one place to another what battles have been fought, what great men have lived, and how they have acted either in council or in war. In this part of the world we know from the first time the Spaniards came to it how cruelly they used the Indians then wholly ignorant of fire arms, and we know the actions of the French against you and others. There are many other benefits arising from a good education which would be too tedious to be mentioned but the greatest of all is that by it we are acquainted with the will of the great God, the Creator of the world and Father of us all who inhabits the skies, by which the better people among us regulate their lives and hope after death to live with him forever.
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Gave a string of wampum. |
___________________
294 Printed on pp. 273-284, this work. Extracts from the minutes of this conference appear in several documents in the George Mercer manuscripts and in the printed Case of the Ohio Company. For location of these variants, see Chronology, June 13, 1752. The minutes, as printed in the Virginia Magazine, V, 143-74, are from a contemporary manuscript copy attributed to James Patton and owned by the Virginia Historical Society. The copy sent to the Board of Trade and identified at present as in P. R. O., C. O. 5:1326/575-612 was received and read at the Board on February 28, 1753. The copy in the Public Record Office in London and the one in the Virginia Historical Society are, for the most part, identical. Different punctuation or a word change occurs occasionally. Although the proceedings at Shannopin's Town, May 29-31, which are in the Public Record Office and the Virginia Historical Society copy, are not in the George Mercer Papers, notice of the variants is given by annotation.
Although it is stated in the minutes of the conference that a chief from the Onondaga Council was present, other information within the text and declarations made to Sir William Johnson belie the offi- (page 541) icial status of that chief from Onondaga. Since the Onondaga Council officially denied knowledge of the transactions which transpired at Logstown, and Virginia herself know that since her official invitation had not reached the Six Nations' Council Fire this Logstown confirmation of the Lancaster deed was worthless. Virginia moved immediately after the conference to make the confirmation valid by inviting the Six Nations to come to Winchester to receive a present from them. The Six Nations again refused to come. William Trent brought Ohio Indians to the conference where they repudiated their promise made so recently.
However, they were given for the second time not only the gift intended for the Six Nations but an additional quantity of arms and ammunition. William Trent delivered the present to them at Logstown in February, 1754. Hostilities began on the Ohio a few months later, and so Virginia could not test the validity of this bastard treaty. Four years spent in negotiations failed to bring about a treaty between the Six Nations and Virginia, a treaty in fulfillment of the promise made of Canasatego at Lancaster in 1744. In granting lands west of the great mountains to the Ohio Company, Virginia found herself unable to give the Company a clear land title. She had tried for four years to life the mortgage, to give the Six Nations the "further Consideration" which had been promised them. When hostilities ceased on the Ohio in 1758, the right to grant lands in the region passed from colony to crown. Hence the Conference at Logstown availed nothing to the Company nor to Virginia. Only the Ohio Indians profited by three handsome presents.
Minutes of the conference at Shannopin's Town, May 29-31, as found in the public Record office, which are omitted in all variants of the minutes in the George Mercer papers, are as follows:
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Friday the 29th of May |
At a Council held at Shenapin's Town
Present
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Joshua Fry |
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Lunsford Lomax |
} Comissrs |
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James Patton |
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Mr. Christopher Gist Agent for the Ohio Company
The Chiefs of the Delawar Indians
Mr. Andrew Montour Interpreter
The speaker of the Indians addressing himself to the Commissrs Said Brethren. You have come a long Journey, & have Sweated a great deal. We wipe off yr Sweat with this String of Wampum.
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Gave a String. |
Brethren. You are come a long way, & we are glad to See you. We hope You Will open yr Hearts to us, & Speak clearly; & that You may be enable to do it, We clear yr Voice with this String of Wampum.
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Gave a String. |
Brethren. You are come from far, & have heard many Stories & false Reports, about us yr Brethren. We hope you will not keep them in yr Mind; & that you may disregard them, we give you this String of Wampum.
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Gave a String. |
Brethren. We desire you will consider our Brethren, that live towards the Sunsetting, & that you will give them yr best Advice; upon which we give you this String of Wampum
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Gave a String. |
Then Mr. Christopher Gist & Mr. Andrew Montour, delivered to the Comissrs a String of Wampum from the Council at Logs Town, to let them know, they were glad to hear of their being on the Road, & to assure them they might come in Safety to Logs Town. The Comissrs not having any Wampum String, without which Answers could not be return'd, acquainted the Indians, that they wou'd answer their Speeches in the Afternoon, on which the Council broke up.
May the 29th in the Afternoon
The Same Persons being met the Comissrs spoke as followeth.
Brethren the Chiefs of the Delawars. We have had a long & difficult Journey hither, to see our Brethren, but that has been sufficiently made amends for, by the kind reception you have given us. We assure you we are glad to meet you here in Council, & present you with this String of Wampum.
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Gave a String. |
Brethren. In yr second Speech, you clear'd our Voices, that we might speak our Minds to you. In answer to which we inform you, that the great King our Father, has sent by us a Present of Goods, to his Children the Indians, the largest he has ever given them, which we are to deliver at Logstown, whither we are going. It is the Desire of our Father, that you, & we his Children, Shou'd be Strongly united together as one People; & that it is our Inclination So to be Join'd. We confirm to you by this String of Wampum.
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Gave a String. |
Brethren. In answer to yr third Speech, We let you know, that we did hear Many Stories in our Way hither, rais'd by idle, & wicked People, to occasion a Difference between us, but we did not believe them, & now we are satisfied that they were False. If any other shou'd be spread, we shall wholly disregard them, & we hope you will do the like; & that our good Agreement may always continue; we give you this string of Wampum.
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Gave a String. |
Brethren. We heartily wish well to our Brethren, who live towards (page 543) the Sun Setting, & Shall be always ready to assist them, with our best Advice, whenever we shall be inform of their Circumstances, which in the Course of the Treaty to be held at Log's Town, we suppose, we may be. We present you with this String of Wampum.
|
Gave a String. |
295 This introduction, as reported in both the Public Record Office and Virginia Historical Society copy, is as follows: "The Chiefs of the Indians then at Loggs Town having met in their Council House, by a Message acquainted the Commissioners that they had something to say to them. They went to the Place, and they and the other Company being seated, a Chief of the Six Nations stood up, & addressing himself to the Commissioners, spoke as followeth:" - Virginia Magazine, XIII, 158: P. R. O., C. O., 5:1327/575-612.
297 The minutes of the conference, as recorded in the "Case of the Ohio Company, 1754" and in "appendix" of this document, begin with this sentence, See Chronology, June 18, 1752.
298 At Shannopin's Town Andrew Montour and Christopher Gist delivered the commissioners a string of wampum sent by the Council at Logstown.- Virginia Magazine, V, 156.
304 One of which was Big Hominy. See entry for June 9, this document. Exclusive of the aged, bedridden Kakawatcheky, the four principal Shawnee chiefs on the Ohio were Newcomer, Big Hominy, the Pride, and Tamany Buck. Big Hominy was present at Logstown; Trent met Newcomer at Lower Shawnee Town; the Pride, who was killed in South Carolina, was probably on the warpath to the south at this time. Therefore, the other Shawnee chief present must have been Tamany Buck.
307 Appended to the minutes of the Conference at Logstown, an enclosure in Dinwiddie's letter of December 7, 1752, to the Board of Trade (P. R. O., C. O. 5:1327/575-612), was a copy of a letter to Captain William Trent and of the speech to the Twightwees which are as follows:
|
Logs Town June 13th |
To Captain William Trent
Sir
We desire you to proceed with Expedition to the Picts Town, & there to deliver to the Pianquisha King, the Lac'd Hat, Cloak & Vest for his own use, & the rest of the Present, to be dispos'd of as he, & the rest of his great Men, shall think fit; & that you will endeavour to promote his Majesties Interest there.
|
Joshua Fry |
|
Lunsford Lomax |
|
James Patton |
(Original letter signed by the three commissioners is in the Etting Collection, Revolutionary Papers, p. 90, Historical Society of Pennsylvania.)
Speech to the Twightwees
Brethren the Twightwees. You join'd in a Council Chain with us, your Brethren the English, & the Six Nations of Indians, Three or four Years ago, which was agreeable to us.
The King of Great Britain has now sent, a very large Present of Goods to Logs Town, to be divided among his Children; & as you could not come thither, we have taken care to send you part.
We join with the Six Nations in advising you, to Stand fast to the Chain of Freindship, which you have already taken hold, & assure you off the Friendship, of the Government of Virginia under the Direction, of the Great King yr Father, on the other side of the Water.
|
J. F. |
|
L. L. |
|
J. P. |
A True Copy
by Wm Withers
The gift sent to the Twightwees was in answer to a message sent by the Shawnees via George Croghan to the governor of Pennsylvania on February 8, 1752. They informed the English of the deplorable condition of their friends, the Twightwees, who had been attacked by the French and had had 30 warriors killed. Governor Hamilton, hampered by a hostile Quaker assembly referred the Shawnee to the Virginians who were about to hold their treaty at Logstown.- A message to the Governor from the Shawnee, February 8, 1752; Hamilton's answer to George Croghan and to the Shawnee, April 24, printed in Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, V, 569-71.
On October 6, 1752, Dinwiddie informed the Board of Trade that Virginia had sent part of the present distributed at Logstown to the (page 552) Twightwees.- Dinwiddie to the Board of Trade, October 6, 1752, printed in Trent, Journal of . . . 1752, op. cit., pp. 69-72.
309 Canasatego, a Six Nations' chief, given to quick wit and great oratory. In 1743 when Conrad Weiser and John Bartram visited Onondaga on a mission for Virginia, Canasatego was the chief advisor (Wallace, op. cit., pp. 161-68). Also it was he who, in 1742, banished the Delawares from their land in eastern Pennsylvania, assigning them hunting grounds and abode at Wyoming or Shamokin (ibid., 130). He died in September, 1750. The entire Onondaga Council went into mourning and Pennsylvania sent condolence gifts.- "A Journal of the Proceedings of Conrad Weiser in his journey to Onondago, with a Message from the Honourable Thomas Lee. . . to the Indians there, August 15 - October 10, 1750"; "Mr. Weiser's Journal of his Proceedings at Onondago," July 10, 1751. Printed in Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, V, 470-80 and 541-43, respectively.
317 In July, 1748, the Six Nations at Ohio interceded for the Shawnee; whereupon the Pennsylvania commissioners for the conference at Lancaster advised them to 'Chastize Neucheconne and his Party in such Terms as shall a proper Severity with them, tho' the expressions are left to your discretion, and then tell the delinquent Shawonese that we will forget what is past and expect a more punctual regard to their Engagements hereafter.'- Treaty. . . 1748, op. cit., p. 8.
318 At the Pennsylvania Logstown Conference (1748) the chiefs of the Wyandots informed Conrad Weiser that they left the French 'because of the hard Usage they received from them; That they wou'd always get their Young Men to go to war against their Enemies, and wou'd use them as their own People, that is like Slaves, & their Goods were so dear that they, the Indians, cou'd not buy them.' - Journal of Conrad Weiser. . . August 11- September 29, 1748, op. cit., 350. See also note 93.
327 Shingas, brother of King Beaver and Pisquetoman, was named King of the Delawares at the Virginia Logstown conference in June, 1752. The tribe's aged chief, Olumapies, died late in 1747 (Conrad Weiser to Richard Peters, October 15, 1747, printed in Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, V, 136-39). Unfortunately, in his lifetime he did not appoint a successor, and Lapapitton, 'an Honest, true-hearted man,' refused to succeed him (Ibid.; Weiser to Peters, July 20, 1747, printed in Pennsylvania Archives, I, 761-62). Since the principal men of the (page 559) Delawares could not agree upon any other person to be their king, Tanacharison, of the Half King, by virtue of the authority vested in him as deputy over the Indians on the Ohio, named Shingas, King of the Delawares, at this conference (see Chronology, June 13, 1752, Conference at Logstown). Little about Shingas can be discerned from existing records, 1752-1754, for both Virginia and Pennsylvania recognized only the Onondaga Council to be the chief authority over the Indians on the Ohio. It can be said that Shingas was loyal to the English until he, with many others, was disillusioned completely about English strength at the Battle of Fort Necessity.
Shingas was at his home on the Ohio at the mouth of Chartiers Creek in November, 1753. There Washington, in his journal of that trip, stated that, although Shingas said he could not accompany him on account of his wife's illness, he believed that it was a fear of the French that prevented the chief from traveling with him.- Washington's Journal of . . . 1753, pp. 6-7, 15-16.
Although he was present at the conference held by William Trent at Logstown in August, 1753, and at the later conference at Winchester and at Carlisle, it was the Beaver who spoke for the Delawares (see note 203). After the fall of Virginia's fort to the French, the Half King, at Washington's request, sent a message to Shingas requesting him to come to the English camp at the Great Meadows and bring with him as many of his tribesmen as possible. Shingas came and acted as advisor and scout for Washington. By the chief's special advice they, the Virginians, were instructed in the preparation of 'a great war-belt to invite all the warriors who would receive it, to act independently of their king and [Onondaga] Council; and King Shingas promised to take privately the most subtle measures to make the affair succeed though he did not dare to do it openly' (Washington, Journal of . . . 1754. . . [Toner edition], p. 123). In this statement Shingas alluded to the adopted policy of the Onondaga Council- strict neutrality in the English-French dispute.
After Washington's defeat at Fort Necessity the Indians who had been at his camp fled first to Fort Cumberland and thence to Aughwick where Conrad Weiser conferred with them in August and September, 1754. The Delawares did not travel with the main group of Indians, for the Half King in mid-August sent three men 'off for Shingass and the Delawares and the Shawonese to bring them here in ten Days.' Shingas had gone over to the French; therefore he did not attend the conference.- George Croghan to James Hamilton, August 16, 1754, and 'Journal of the Proceedings of Conrad Weiser (page 560) at Aucquick in August and September 1754.' Printed in Colonial Records of Pennsylvania, VI, 140-41 and 150-60 respectively.
By the fall of 1755 Shingas had become the chief leader of the deadly Indian incursions against the frontier settlements. This leadership earned for him the name of 'Shingas the Terrible.' From headquarters at Kittanning, then the chief Delaware town on the Allegheny, he led many bands of marauding French and Indians as far as the Great Cove in Pennsylvania, Fort Cumberland in Maryland, and the Virginia settlements on the south bank of the Potomac at the mouth of Patterson's Creek, Volume II of the Pennsylvania Archives contains many depositions and much correspondence pertaining to these Indian depredations on the frontier.
In 1756 Colonel John Armstrong led the Pennsylvania militia in a successful campaign against Kittanning (John Armstrong to Governor William Denny, September 14, 1756, printed in Pennsylvania Archives, II, 767-73). After its destruction the Delawares moved their headquarters to Shingas' Old Town at the mouth of Beaver Creek. Kuskuskies (New Castle, Pennsylvania) and Tuscarawas on the Muskingum (Coshocton, Ohio) were the other chief Delaware towns at this time. Christian Frederick Post, who came to the Ohio on his peace mission in July, 1758, found Singas at Kuskuskies. There both he and his brother, the Beaver, expressed a desire to return to the English fold.- "The Journal of Christian Frederick Post in his Journey from Philadelphia to the Ohio. . . July 15 - September 22, 1758, printed in Thomson, op. cit., pp. 130-71.
When the English routed the French from the Forks of the Ohio, November, 1758, Shingas, reassured that he would not be punished for his depredations against the English came to Fort Pitt to the first English conference held there in more than four years. From 1759 to 1762 he shuttled between his home at Tuscarawas and Fort Pitt. He must have relinquished his title of King of the Delawares before July 5, 1759, for at the conference held at Pittsburgh beginning on that date, Shingas' brother, the Beaver, was recognized as King of the Delawares, while Shingas was mentioned as a chief.
Nevertheless, Shingas attended most of the numerous conferences held at Fort Pit from 1759 to 1762 (Minutes of these conferences are printed in the Colonial Records of Pennsylvania or are in B. M. Add. MSS, Bouquet Papers). His last official presence was at the famous Treaty of Lancaster (1762), when all the western tribes confirmed a treaty of peace made at Easton in 1758. He died in the winter of 1763-64 at his home at Tuscarawas.- Deposition of Gershom Hicks, April 14, 1764. Op. cit.
Although Shingas was feared by the English, women and children who had been his captives asserted that he had always been kind to them. A personal note written to Colonel Bouquet and signed by Shingas' mark shows that in his declining years he had cast off the cloak of the roving warrior and had become a domiciliated old chief who wanted some "Shinkel Nails" which the Colonel had promised him.- Shingas to Bouquet (1763?), B. M. Add. MSS, 21655, f. 290, printed in Bouquet Papers, 21655, p. 261.
330 The following additional paragraph is in P. R. O., C. O., 5:1327/575-612; also printed in Virginia Magazine, XIII, 169.
'This Evening the Commissrs had a private Conference with the Half King, on the Subject of the Strong House; for it had been Alledged, that the Expression implied a Settlement of People, as well as a House. The Question being ask'd whether he meant it in that Sense or not, he answer'd in the Negative. The Comissrs then told him that a Trade could never be carried on with them, to their Advantage, unless we had a Settlement of People near to raise Provisions, & render them Plenty & Cheap, for whilst the Traders, were oblig'd to bring theirs from Pensylvania, or purchase of those who brought them for Sale, they were oblig'd to lay a great Advance on their Goods, to answer that Charge; & that if at any Time, they themselves should stand in need of Assistance, against an Enemy, it would be easier for their Brethren the English, to send Men than to Support them afterwards with Provisions.'
331 This entry for June 12 is unique to this version of the minutes of the Logstown Conference.
334 In P. R. O., C. O. 5:1327/575-612 this paragraph is continued:
'A little before the Treaty began, a Traders Man about forty Miles above Log's Town, cut an Indian of the Six Nations dangerously across the Rist with a Knife, & took his Gun from him, which much exasperated the Indian, & he threatned to revenge it, on some of the Traders. To pacify him the Comissrs gave him a Gun, & Mr. George Croghan one thousand of Wampum, to pay for the Cure.
On which the Indian return'd Thanks, for the Care his Brethren had taken and assur'd them they had remov'd all Anger from his Breast, & that he wou'd think no more of what had happend.' Also printed in Virginia Magazine, XIII, 170.
The laced hat and rich jacket were not given to the young Shawnee king, but to the young Piankasha king.- Trent, Journal of . . . 1752, op. cit., p. 104.
339 The King or Racoon, the Turtle or chief warrior and several (page 563) other Twightwees did attend the Winchester Conference, September, 1753.
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