|
Chapter VIII: pp. |
||
Drs. Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin
Emily J. Blasingham
Dorothy R. Libby:
An Anthropological Report on the
History of the Miamis, Weas, and
Eel River Indians, Vol. 2.
Chapter 8, pp. 331-336.
331 |
this River," according to Ens. Thomas Bodley, who made a trip up the Wabash in June, 1795.13
The Salamonie River heads in the northern part of Royce Area 72 and flows northwest to enter the Wabash (see Map 8). In 1818, some 23 years after Miamis were reported as raising corn somewhere on the Salamonie, a reservation two miles square was reserved for the Miamis on Atchepongqwawe Creek (see Map 8, this Report), a small creek that flows into the Salamonie River from the south at a point about nine miles north of the northern boundary of Royce Area 72 (Treaty of October 6, 1818, 7 Stat. 189). In the same Treaty of October 6, 1818, Francois Godfroy, a Miami Indian, was granted "six sections of land, on the Salamonie River, at a place called La Petite Prairie" (7 Stat. 189:190). "La Petite Prairie" is shown on Royce's Map of Indiana14 as located on the Salamonie River about 12 miles west and slightly north of Atchepongqwawe Creek.
Whether some Miamis had a village in 1795 on the headwaters of the Salamonie River at Atchepongqwawe Creek, or whether they moved up the Salamonie to this location later than 1795, but prior to 1818, we have been unable to determine.15 Hence possible Miami use of the northern part of Royce Area 72, which lay to the south of Atchepongqwawe Creek, can only be said to date from an indefinite time after 1794.
13. Bodley, Observations, p. 3; Dft. Ex. 74.
14. Royce, Indian Land Cessions, pl. 19, Indiana.
15. No treaty journal for the Treaty of October 6, 1818 with the Miamis was forwarded with the Treaty itself, by the United States commissioners, to the Secretary of War. See American State Papers, Indian Affairs, vol. 2 [sic- vol. 1], p. 179; Dft. Ex. 96.
Drs. Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin
Emily J. Blasingham
Dorothy R. Libby:
An Anthropological Report on the
History of the Miamis, Weas, and
Eel River Indians, Vol. 2.
Chapter 8, pp. 331-336.
332 |
In the negotiations at the Treaty of Greenville of August 3, 1795 the Miami leader Little Turtle, speaking for the Miamis, the Potawatomis, the Weas and the Kickapoos and also, apparently, for most of the other Indian groups at the Treaty Council, claimed that the proposed western boundary line, from Fort Recovery southwest to the Ohio River opposite the mouth of Kentucky River, would deprive the Indians of "the greater and best part of [the Indians'] hunting ground. . ."16 Since the western boundary line of the Treaty of Greenville forms the eastern boundary line of Royce Area 72, almost certainly some hunting was done in Royce Area 72, but by which native group(s) is not stated.
The Moravian missionaries Abraham Luckenback and John Peter Kluge, on their way west to the Delaware town "Woapicamikunk" located on White River near the present city of Muncie, Indiana, in April and May of 1801 met a Delaware from Woapicamikunk near the juncture of the East and West Forks of the Whitewater River, just east of the southeastern corner of Royce Area 72.17 One of the Moravian party had seen the Delaware's family four days earlier in a location not far from this spot.18 The missionaries had also passed a "large Indian campground" three hours before reaching the Forks, but in their account they did not specify what kind of Indians
16. American State Papers, Indian Affairs, vol. 1, p. 576; Dft. Ex. 96.
17. Indiana Historical Collections, vol. 23, p. 87; Dft. Ex. 97.
18. Ibid., vol. 23, p. 84; Dft. Ex. 97.
19. Ibid., vol. 23, p. 86; Dft. Ex. 97.
Drs. Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin
Emily J. Blasingham
Dorothy R. Libby:
An Anthropological Report on the
History of the Miamis, Weas, and
Eel River Indians, Vol. 2.
Chapter 8, pp. 331-336.
333 |
these were. After crossing the western fork of Whitewater River they slowly, and with much difficulty because of rain and floods, proceeded northward, on to White River. About 40 miles from Woapicamikunk they camped in Shawnee hunting grounds20 which were probably a little west of Area 72. From the Moravian account it is apparent that both Delawares and Shawnees were using the southern part of Royce Area 72 in 1801.
When the Moravians finally arrived at their destination they began building their mission at "Little Munsee Town," west of Area 72 near present Anderson, Indiana. There were seven villages downstream from Little Munsee Town on upper White River, and four villages upstream, populated by Delawares and other Indians.21
The Delaware chief, "Captain Pakantshiles" (Buckongahelas), told the Moravians after they had arrived at White River that
the Seven Nations have given us this entire river Woapicamikunk [White River],
on both sides of which we have enough land to keep us here together.22
20. Ibid., vol. 23, p. 95, 97; Dft. Ex. 97.
21. Ibid., vol. 23, p. 104; Dft. Ex. 97.
22. Ibid., vol. 23, p. 109; Dft. Ex. 97. The Delawares, as mentioned previously, had acquired some rights to at least the lower White River from the Piankashaws by the end of the 1779's. The Miamis at some time made a grant to the Delawares of the upper portion of White River, which was confirmed by the Miamis and Potawatomis in 1803 and by President Thomas Jefferson to the Delaware, Munsee and Stockbridge Indians in 1808 (Jefferson, December 21, 1808, in House Report No. 70, pp. 11-12 Congressional Document Series, vol, 40, No. 70; Dft. Ex. 133). The Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger, on July 25, 1788, referred to what was probably this grant of land, although he located it somewhat to the north of White River. He said that the Twightwees [Miami], Tawas [Ottawa], and others have this spring given the Delawares land from the Miami to the Wabash, so that now again they have their own land to live on" (Bliss, ed.,
Drs. Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin
Emily J. Blasingham
Dorothy R. Libby:
An Anthropological Report on the
History of the Miamis, Weas, and
Eel River Indians, Vol. 2.
Chapter 8, pp. 331-336.
334 |
The Moravian missionary, Brother Luckenback, writing his autobiography in later years says that when the Indians in the area of White River wanted to celebrate a festival they often would "go four or five days' journey to the Ohio River and bring from five to six horse loads [of liquor]. . ."23 To do this they must have travelled through the Whitewater River valley, and hence Area 72.
In 1803 or 1804 John Connor, a white trader who had lived with the Delawares from his childhood and who was married to a Delaware woman, left the town of Buckongahelas on White River to set up a trading post in the southeastern part of Indiana which had been ceded to the United States by the Treaty of Greenville. He was accompanied by his wife and a small band of Delawares. Connor's post was just outside the Indian country in the Whitewater River valley and must have attracted at least the Delaware Indians to trade there.24 To reach Connor's post the White River Delawares had to cross Royce Area 72.
Harrison's attempt to have part of the lands of Royce Area 72 included in the Treaty of Grouseland of August 21, 1805 (7 Stat. 91), and the cession of Royce Area 72 at the Treaty
[22, cont'd.] Zeisberger Diary, vol. 1, p. 429; Dft. Ex. 139). These two statements seem to afford some basis for the historian Lawrence H. Gipson's identification of the "Seven Nations" as the "Miami Confederacy." (Indiana Historical Collections, vol. 23, p. 109; Dft. Ex. 97).
23. Indiana Historical Collections, vol. 23, p. 610; Dft. Ex. 97.
24. Indiana Historical Society Publications, vol. 12, p. 47; Dft. Ex. 79.
Drs. Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin
Emily J. Blasingham
Dorothy R. Libby:
An Anthropological Report on the
History of the Miamis, Weas, and
Eel River Indians, Vol. 2.
Chapter 8, pp. 331-336.
335 |
of Fort Wayne of September 30, 1809 (7 Stat. 113) are discussed at length in Chapter 10 of this Report.
It might be pointed out that on Charles C Royce's Map of Indian land cessions in Indiana, Area 72, like all the southern Indiana land cessions mapped by Royce (Area 56, 71, 26, 25, 49), lacks entirely any notices of villages, trading houses, or Indian camps.25 This is in marked contrast to the many Indian villages, posts, etc., noted by Royce in northern Indiana Indian land cessions (Royce Area 99, northern half; 98; 198; 258; 132; 180; 181; 146; 133; 117; etc.).26 While Royce is not a primary source, his compilation and mapping of Indiana Indian land cessions represents exhaustive and careful research. The lack of any notations of any Indian villages in Area 72, as well as in the entire southern half of Indiana (except for "Black Hawks Village" 12 miles north of Columbus, southern Area 99) has therefore some significance.
Summary and Conclusions on Use and Occupancy of Royce Area 72 from Earliest Known Date to 1809. Throughout historic times there were no permanent Indian villages within Royce 72. This Area was largely an artificial, rather than a natural region, and the principal use made of it was as a hunting region.
The Indians who used Royce Area 72 for hunting were chiefly Delawares and Shawnees, but some Miamis also probably used the northern part of Royce Area 72 for hunting.
25. Royce, Indian Land Cessions, Map Indiana, Pl. 19.
26. Idem.
Drs. Erminie Wheeler-Voegelin
Emily J. Blasingham
Dorothy R. Libby:
An Anthropological Report on the
History of the Miamis, Weas, and
Eel River Indians, Vol. 2.
Chapter 8, pp. 331-336.
336 |
Delaware use of the region for hunting may have begun soon after the 1779's; Shawnee use after 1787; Miami use after 1794. This use of the region for hunting by some of the Delawares, Shawnees and Miamis who had their villages north and west of Area 72 continued through 1809 when the Area was ceded.
Go to Map 10, facing p. 337 (beg. of Ch. IX): Indian Locations in Royce Areas 73 and 74
Go to Chapter IX
Return to Anth. Rep. Docket 317 Volume II Table of Contents
Go to Anth. Rep. Docket 317 Volume I Table of Contents
Return to Ohio Valley - Great Lakes Ethnohistory Archive Menu
Return to Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology List of Publications
Return to Glenn A. Black Laboratory of Archaeology Home
Last updated: 04 September 2000
Comments: gbl@indiana.edu
Copyright 1997, Glen Black Laboratory of Archaeology and The Trustees of Indiana University.