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.
(1761-1763)
(Due to length divided here into eight parts)
Jordan, John W., ed. in: Pennsylvania
Magazine of History and Biography,
vol. 37, 1913, pp. 1-47,
152-202.
JOURNAL OF JAMES KENNY, 1761-1763.
Edited by JOHN W. JORDAN.
(Continued from page 47.)
7th.- Coll Clappum Sold a House in this Bottom lately to Jno Ormsby for £130., notwithstanding ye General Orders against buying or Selling Houses.
9th.- Tom Green, one of ye Delawares, came here who informs me that he has been upon ye Heads of Susquehanna lately & broght away his Mother & Brother, also that some Hundd Delawares who liv'd there amongst ye Mingoes are come away & settled at Cuscuskies Salt Licks- Delawar Towns this way. This Day we sent off 19 Load of Skins, being all we had left except a few Bears.
10th.- I hear'd that last Summer when Capt Trent return'd from Philada, he report'd that ye Goods in our Store were to be Sold off as quick as possible & ye Store to be broke up, & said no more Quakerism on this side ye Alegheny Mountain, notwithstanding it continues yet.
11th.- An express came Yesterday from Redstone Creek, with Account that One Tumblestone & another White Man that Settled above Redstone was kill'd (one Shot, ye Other Tomhock'd in ye Head) by ye Indians, being lying dead in their House.
12th.- It Greives ye Indians to see ye White People Settle on these Lands & follow Hunting or Planting, especially in Virginia side & off ye Road too.
13th.- Some Days ago Capt Callendr came here who says that coming over Laurel Hill ye Snow was 15 Inches deep there. Capt Barnsley show'd me some Lettuce & Cabbage in his Garden Planted out this Spring, being rais'd from seed; I have some come up.
14th.- This Day many of the Soldiers taken Sick, ye Matter of 18 in 24 Hours, with a kind of Cold & Cough.
16th.- Went over ye River to get home some Shingle Boults; Catched 7 fish; some Thundr & Rain, very Windy.
18th.- Got me a Suit of Fustin made here for ye Summer Cost abot £5.
19th. I am taken very Sick with this Epidemick Cold & fever.
20th.- The Air got midling Cool; ye Indians are all Chiefly Sick wth ye Cold & Cough, such that resorts here about.
22d.- A party of ye Mingo Warriors return'd having brought Two Prisinoers & Eight Scalps of Cherokees as they say. I went over ye River & Catch'd two Pearch, but cast me into a fever all ye Evening.
23rd.- This Day one of ye Mingo Warriors shew'd me a Meddle of Copper taken off one of ye Cherokees they Kill'd, having ye King of England's Coat of Arms on one Side & ye Words Lower Cherokees on ye other Side.
24th.- Dream'd last Night I seen a Large Stack Yard containing many Stacks of Wheat & many of Hay, being raised by great Industry on some New Rough Place that I thought could never Produce so well as it did.
25th.- River got Very Low; ye Mingo Wariors had got some new Shilling Bills, Virginia money, which they pass'd some of at one Nedy Graham's our Neighbour.
26th.- I was at ye Wariors encampment, & seen ye Prisoners & the Scalps, one of the Prisoners being a Tall Spair fellow who had been out this way, helping ye English a few years ago & was known by some of ye Soldiers here who Spoke to him, ye other is a Young Lad, its thot by some ye Delawares, that they will Burn this Prissoner as they say he kill'd one of their Company before he was taken.
27th.- Delaware George came here by Water from Cuscuskeys & is carried on a Blanket between four Indians from ye Canoe & to it his Days are so near Expireing; we had some Trade today.
28th.- In Trading yesterday with some Delawares One Wm Tunum, that Talks English well, Insisted to have 2 Yards Cloth in Every Stroud being 12/ pr yard & to pay but 20/ for a Stroud & finding we gave but a yard & 3/4 he said that Levy ye Jew gave 2 yds & he supos'd we put ye rest in our own pockets, but Levy coming in he ask'd him & Levy deny'd that he gave any more then we did.
29th.- One of ye Mingo Warriors brot a Beaver late in ye Evening, it came to 2 1/2lb Powder, so I took his Bag & went for ye Powdr by myself, he scruppled my measure, I told him there was 2 1/2 Pints but he wanted to see it measur'd, so I measured it & it held out Large measure; I laugh'd at him & he Clapt me on ye Shoulder & sd it was right.
5mo 1st.- Delaware George Dyed last Night, to be burried to Morrow.
2nd.- This Day Delaware George was Interr'd over ye Alegheny River; a file of Soldiers attend'd, who fire'd three Rounds over his Grave. Geo. Croghan & many White people attend'd ye Burrial, in ye night ye Indns Shot off Guns many times, as they say to drive away ye Evil Spirit.
4th.- Here was some Indians that moved away from ye Heads of Susquahanna going to Live at ye Delaware Towns up Beaver Creek; they Traded some with us; we had some good Potatos of them.
5th.- There was some Nights since 4 Horses of young Gibson's Stole & since 2 Horses of Hammelton's ye Commissiray at Legonier, they being sent to Croghans place for safty while he & his Miss stay'd here a Visiting.
7th.- Cool Weather. A young Man came up by Fort (page 155) Cumberland Road several Days ago & brought a Cargo of Rum undiscover'd till he came here but was found out by ye Coll who had him put in ye Guard House, seiz'd his Rum, ye Court Martial has agreed to have it refered to ye General so he is set at Liberty, but ye Rum is secured. Jno Ormsby ye Commessary had bought it of him, & its said it will make a hole in his Coat pocket.
10th.- This Day is report'd bad news, by Letters come to ye Coll, that South Carolina is taken by ye French & Spannards.
11th.- Jno Hart Says that there is fifteen Hundred Mingoes to come this way in a few Days, sd to be going against ye Cherokees, but so many coming at once is not very acceptable here, but is Indn News.
12th.- One Canoe with Wariors is gone down ye River this Day & Three more come, its said by one of them that out of 200 that went against ye Cherokees only 5 return'd this Spring.
14th.- Bought a Horse for a Debt Andrew Buyerly Ow'd (ye Agent bot him) I rid him down ye South Side ye River to Shirtees Rock, & left him with ye Grass Guard; fine Meadow Land on ye branches of Shirtees Creek; ye three Canoes of Wariors is gone down ye River.
15th.- We had a Letter from Frederick Post, wherein he mentions that since he went to Philadelphia, in his absence Shamoken David & another Indian has prejudiced ye Inhabitants of Tuscorawas against him so much, that altho' they had allow'd him to Clear as much Land as he pleas'd, now they have limmited him to about half an Acre.
16th.- Levy Hicks who was taken Prissoner from Kanahwas near Fort Frederick, on Potomack, Informs me that he took along with ye Mingo Wariors in ye Winter from ye Mouth of Moosekinggum as he lives with ye Delawares there, that they met a Party of Cherokees near to some large Town of theirs coming this (page 156) way, abot 40 in number, & they being 70 Mingoes they took Eight Scalps & three prissoners, one being ye Capt of ye Cherokees who was about making peace last Year amongst ye Mingoes, & when his party was fled, he spoke in Mingo & said he was Mistaken, for he had thought they were Wyondots, but ye surrounded him & took him prisoner, on which he said he was going to confirm ye Peace with them, but ye other two prisoners being ask'd, said they were coming to see this Fort, & get some White Mens Scalps that might be out tending Horses, so ye Mingo Capt told him he lyed & then Tomhock'd him, ye other two I seen here.
17th.- Flemming ye Post came, but no bad News concerning Carolina.
18th.- A Delewar call'd Davy, Ask'd me whether I would give Songkeccan (i-e. ye Lock) Rum for a White Boy Taken at Tuscorara (called John Croughran) which I wanted from him last year, all ye Liquors was forbidden to be sold or given to Indians (I told him) & shew'd him ye Hurt it done them; he told me ye Lock ask'd 20 Gallons or £50 in money, I told him that would be Selling them as Servants at a Dearer Rate than Negroes is Sold, & that ye General and our Governor expect'd they would bring them all in & deliver them according to promise; after he return'd with Lock & ye family but sd no more abt it.
19th.- Some time ago some ye Delewars Informs us that A Man & Boy of their Nation was kill'd down Near Mossekinggum & a White Boy Carried off by ye Tawas & Picks having Track'd them to ye side ye Lake, for which they threaten Revenge.
21st.- It's Report'd by a Trader that Winter'd at Tuscorawas, that some of ye Indians there Inform'd him, When ye Traders was not allow'd last year to go to ye Shawanas, & they were Limmitted when they came here in buying Powder & Lead to five Pounds Powdr a Man, & Ten of Lead, That Nation had concluded to (page 157) hold a Council in order to put all their Women & Children to Death & ye Men to carry on a War against ye English while one of them remain'd.
24th.- Bought A Cow some months agoe for Six Pounds worth of Goods, but not proving with Calf I Swap'd her for a Cow & Calf, which I could not Buy undr Eight Pounds Ten Shillings in Cash.
25th.- Now there is talk of Col Bouquet going Down & Capt Barnsly being Commandr till he return.
26th.- Lieut Moyer told me that there is no Artifisers to be Imploy'd this Year, & its said that Col Air chief Engenier, found fault with ye Situation of the Fort & its thought that from his report to ye General it will be Built on some Higher Ground, but this is only suposition.
29th.- Jacob Stroud came with some Goods for us from Philada; been very Bussy examining ye same & making up a Load of Skins.
30th.- Inform'd by Keecaise that the Beaver King & ye Indians about Tuscorawas thought of ye Lenappe Nation, yet are not Delewars properly, likewise that ye Beaver never was made a King by ye Indians, but by ye people of Virginia, and that Neat-hot-whelme was ye Deleware King, & Tuscologas a Half King, being half a Mingo.
31st.- Coll Boquet gone down in ye Country yesterday & Capt Barnsley Commands here now; Barnsley told me that some of our Friends had taken Commissions in ye Millitary way, I ask'd him if he did not like them ye Better, but he sd not abit ye Better; he seems to shew a regard for Friends.
Went down to Shirtees Rocks to see our Horse &c.
6mo 2d.- Several people that's much adicted to Sheaming having come to our House at times I have reprov'd often, & shuned their Company & I think they take notice that I can sit with ye Indians & some that they look upon meaner then themselves, but I say I would (page 158) rather converse with a Good Beggar than a Wicked Great Man.
3rd.- We see no more of ye Mingo Wariors yet going against ye Cherokees; Keecaise being Hunting up ye Monongehela says, that he seen ye White men that were kill'd above Redstone, & that it was done by two Cherokee Men, One Woman & a Boy being Track'd & pursued by other Indians two Days.
4th.- A man came today for ye Doctor in great Haste. Coll Boquet & Capt Orey at Bedford being Riding out in a Chair ye Horse Run off & Broke the Chair, Broke Orys Leg & hurt ye Coll much.
5th.- Ye Man that came here for ye Doctor yesterday, is said to have come up in 25 Hours from Bedford.
6th.- We hear from Tuscorowas that Shingass is very Sick, which hinders the Indians coming to go to ye Treaty until his recovery; its generally said by ye White people, that he shews them ye Most Kindness & generossity of all ye Indians thereabouts.
7th.- Charles Kenny Bought a Creature in ordr to go doun in ye Contry but ye Agent agreed with him to Stay One Month Longer, so we took ye Creature down to ye Grass Guard at Shirtees. Having Planted out abot four Hundr of Cabbage Plants, there is not I think fourty left but what ye Grasshoppers has Eatten; they have serv'd them so in ye King's Garden likewise.
9th.- I am inform'd by a White Lad prissoner that lived with White Eyes, When ye French was gather'd with ye Indians this time four years, at Vennango, to come down to take Pittsburgh, that ye sd White Eyes got a very Long Belt of White Wampum made & sent to ye Indians then assembled with ye French, requesting of them to Desist coming against this place, which put them in a Consternation, & set 'em to Counciling, which did not End till ye Express Arriv'd from ye French at Niagara, which turn'd them that way to their defate. Also that ye sd White (page 159) Eyes had strongly advised the Delawars to make peace with ye English before they should take Fort Duquesne, or Else they would Cut them all off, which was agreed to an having set off & got as far as Tortle Creek, ye French Commander sent much Wampum With his Cunning Interpreters to alter their minds, so a party of French & them abot 200 in all, went toward Legonier to get Horses, but ye Indians Held another Council, sending an Indn to ye English Commandr to ask liberty to come to make peace, but before ye Messenger got to ye Fort ye rest were discovered by ye English and a battle began, so ye Messenger hearing ye Guns return'd, ye French & Indn fled & White Eyes was Shot thro ye jaws; ye English fired one upon another; on his return here told ye Commandr would never Espouse his cause any longer at this time. Frederick Post was on his way to ye Indns to demand Peace & Jams Hays & five of his men, that Escort'd Post, was Kill'd on returning by sd Inds.
10th.- The former Accot I have been Inform'd by White Men also that White Eyes told ye Indns that they went to ye Inhabitants, & Kill'd Old Women & Children but did not hurt ye English Soldiers, Neither was able, for they seem'd not to Value all that they had met with, but like a Strong Buffelo Bull that had got a Wound, pushed right forward at his Enemy, & would not be turn'd. Inform'd that there are Nightinggales to ye Northward about ye uper Lakes, one being Shot by a Serjent that came here.
12th.- Some of ye Tweetwees came here who live I immagine ye furthest off of desired to Hold a Treaty or Speke with ye Command.
14th.- Receiv'd a Letter from Benjamn Elliot giving Accot my brother John was married.
15th.- The Tweetwees brought us ye chief of what Peltry they had being Good Beaver Otter & Racoons.
17th.- Ephraim Blaine came here some Days ago (page 160) from Carslile, & left several Noats & orders with me on people that owed him, as did Wm Johnson some time ago.
18th.- Went about 2 Mile up ye Monongahele & Reaped about a dozen Sheaves of Cheat mix'd with some Timothy, some few Ears of Spelse, Barley, & Rye, being at Shepherds' Landing where ye Teames used to be fed that Haul'd Timber.
20th.- This Day went in 4 Hours up to Bradock's field in our Canoe with my Brother & 2 other Men, where ye Mens Bones lyes plenty yet, where ye men were Drawn up in a line.
21st.- Inform'd by ye Pipe Indn from Tuscorawas that Chingass is got well & in about 12 Days they will be here on their way to the Treaty; that ye Beaver King says that he will Deliver Frederick Post to ye Governor & tell him to keep him at home.
22d.- Inform'd by young Jacobs, that his father i.e. Netotwhelmy ye Delawar King & Tuscologas ye Half Delaware & Half Mingo King is also coming to go with ye Beaver to ye Treaty.
23rd.- Inform'd that there are down on ye Missippi a Large sort Wolves having no hair on their Legs or Belly being very Ravenous, one of which Kill'd ye Beavers first Wife. I have been Very unwell this Day with Simtoms of ye Ague.
26th.- Walked with Capt Barnsley thro' his Garden awhile.
27th.- I hear that a Shawana Young fellow Rob'd Thos Mitchel & Jno Bard of sundry Goods; being suport'd by y Men of Ye Town, that he feign'd himself Crazey.
30th.- Heard Serjent Cleark tell of a Woman being Kill'd with many more of an escort going from Albany to Fort Edward some years ago, said Woman's hand & part ye Arm would stand out ye Grave being several (page 161) time buried & was seen by him for several Days untill it Wither'd above Ground.
7mo 1st.- Capt Callender came here from Detroit & says that some Weeks ago they Had Thunder & lightning there for a Month together & we had it here pretty constant.
7mo 3rd.- This Day ye Beaver King & Frederick Post & many Indns came from Tuscorawas going to ye Treaty.
5th.- Kings Netotwhelmy & Tuscologass came to Day, some ye Heads of ye Shawanas, Tawas, Weweaughtanies, Tweetwees &c.
6th.- I was employ'd by Frederick Post to buy a fat Beef for the use ye Indians, which was kill'd this morning & ye Young men Caried ye same over ye River, being very Thankfull.
7th.- Ye Indians have brought about 50 Prisoners esteem'd to be abot half ye numr ye Delewars have; they could hardly find Kettles to Boyle their meat; Major Ward, Croghans Brother, having ye Care of ye Indian affairs now at this place would not find them Kettles as they are under ye conduct of Frederick Post by ye Governors ordr to take them down to ye Treaty. Ward insist'd that Post should buy large Kettles at ye charge ye Province, but we Lent him some, also Ward had mention'd (as I been inform'd) to them of delivering ye Prisoners to him, which might be of ill consequence as many of 'em might return back to ye Indians, some being hid or run away already, but this on consideration was declined.
8th.- The Indian chiefs held Several Councils amongst them about delivering ye Prisoners, being of Different Oppinions at last conclud'd by the Half King, Custologas & ye Delaware King Netotwhelmy & their Councils to return home, having sent deputies with ye Beaver King to ye Treaty.
9th.- The particulars were nominated that Should go (page 162) down, about 30 Indians & 18 Prisoners, chiefly Women & Children.
10th.- They set off about 3 o'Clock this afternoon, & as Frederick Post was order'd by Governor Hammelton to Cunduct them down to a Treaty in our Province, ye burden fell much on him to attend them & many complaints they made that Ward would not let them have Victuals enough; Post hired about 12 Horses to help ye Women & Children along.
11th.- Receiv'd ods of £33. worth of Peltry of Custologa ye half King, kept us almost all Day. White Eyes turn'd back his Creature having Run from him, but I seem to think he was asham'd to go down so few of ye Prisoners being taken to it, ye Treaty.
12th.- This day Fleming ye Post set off from here, I Wrote Ellis Hughs, Isrl Pemberton & Jno Bartram.
13th.- Came back ye Company of Warriors that Kill'd Huling's cow, when going out, they brought 1 Prisoner & 5 Scalps; three Great Guns was fired to answer their Salute.
14th.- The Shawas have sent out Hunters (they say) in order to get 20 Horse Load Skins, to Carry down with all ye Prisoners they Have in case their Deputies brings a Satisfactory Account of ye present Treaty with ye Delawars, in token of being fully reconcil'd; we hear ye Papists have Rebell'd in Ireland.
15th.- I hear that Killbuck had been threatening Old Col Cressop, & that in ye War time he says he lay many Days on a Hill Oposite his house waiting to Kill ye Old Col, upon hearing of which Old Cressep has sent Killbuck a Chellange that he wou'd fight him, each to take a Gun. This Letter coming now a few days since has frightend Killbuck from going to ye Treaty.
18th.- The Trade that comes to this place pritty much devolves to our House, Especially from ye Delewars, & could we be safe in Trusting a little we should have almost all their Custom.
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