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.
When the Miami Was
Called the Tawa
(Due to length divided here into three parts)
Bauman, Robert F. in: Northwest
Ohio Quarterly, Vol. XXVIII,
1955-56, pp. 60-87.
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When the Maumee was Called
the Tawa
An Analysis of River Terminology
During the Last Quarter
of the 18th Century
by Robert F. Bauman
For the historian "Maumee River" and "Miami of the Lake" are synonymous. At a very early date the river was known as the Miami, which name was strictly adhered to and virtually unchallenged for over a century. Most generally, observers of the eighteenth century called it the "Miami of the Lake" or the "Miami of Lake Erie" in order to distinguish the Maumee River from the Miami River of the Ohio.1
The utilization of the "Miami" terminology to designate the Maumee River is so well recognized that documentation is not necessary to verify that fact. A fact which is not well known. and consequently which does have need of documentation, is that for over two decades the "Miami" appellation was in a great measure supplanted by the terms "Ottawa" and "Tawa" before the name "Maumee" came into general use. This occurred during the last quarter of the eighteenth century. The most plausible explanation for the emergence of the "Ottawa-Tawa" terminology is the concurrence of two factors. to wit. the intense hostilities between the Americans and the Western tribes which centered primarily upon the Maumee River Valley region; and, the dominance of Ottawa Indians along that watercourse. The period of Indian warfare caused the Americans to focus their attention upon the Maumee River country, and the very nature of the hostilities demanded the application, temporary though it was, of a river terminology which was truly descriptive of the predominant Indian inhabitants of that river valley.
Moreover, during this same period the appellations "Ome" and "Maumie" came into partial use, and each name carrying with it numerous spelling variations. Consequently, during the 1780's and 1790's the Maumee River (page 61) was referred to and designated by a variety of names; the term "Omi;" and, for some time the appellation "Tawa" appear to have been in most favor and in general use. Subsequent to the Treaty of Greenville in 1795 the "Ottawa-Tawa " terminology abruptly disappeared; the name "Miami" and "Miami of the Lake" temporarily regained its popularity; and, the name "Maumee" gradually replaced the "Miami" appellation until the latter gave way completely to the former. It is the purpose of this article to show the occurrence of these changes in the river terminology of the Maumee by documentary sources.
1. THE OTTAWAS OF THE MAUMEE: TAWA TERMINOLOGY.
In order to appreciate better the reason for the coming into general use of the "Ottawa-Tawa" river terminology, it is necessary to show the connection of the Ottawas with the Maumee River Valley. Precisely when the Ottawas first began to utilize the Maumee River country is not known. it is certain, however, that they were making use of that region before the middle of the eighteenth century.2 The reason that there is a scarcity of evidence concerning the Indian utilization and occupation of the Maumee River country during the seventeenth century and first half of the eighteenth century is that writings relating to the Great Lakes Indian tribes during those years were produced by either French or English colonial subjects -- neither of which class had been very active in the territory north of the Ohio River and south of Lake Erie until the second quarter of the eighteenth century. Nevertheless, there does exist evidence of Ottawas occupying the southern Great Lakes region, as well as the better-known Ottawa occupancy areas in the northern country, even during the seventeenth century. In fact, prior to the middle of that century a major portion of the Ottawa tribes was represented as occupying regions south of Lake Huron, and Ottawas were definitely dwelling in the Detroit area prior to the eighteenth century.3
The Ottawas were early recognized as being among the finest and most skillful canoemen of the Great Lakes region. This fact coupled with the fact that they held a position an leading middlemen in the great Franco-Indian fur trade of the Great Lakes justifies the conclusion that these southern (page 62) Ottawas were making very early use of the Maumee River for travel and as a source of beaver pelts. This would be even more certain, of course, after the French established the great western fur-trade post at Detroit in 1701.
For the purpose of this article it will suffice to show that the Ottawas were in fact reported occupying the Maumee River Valley during the last half of the eighteenth century, and that they had been utilizing that country for many years before that period. Ottawa occupancy of this region is documentated from 1747 to the time of their removal to lands west of the Mississippi River, which took place in the 1830's. A few examples of the evidence showing Ottawa habitation of the Maumee Valley prior to the last quarter of the century will suffice to demonstrate the reason for the appearance of the "Ottawa-Tawa" river terminology during that era.
During the French and Indian War period James Smith, a captive of the Indians in Ohio, reported Ottawa Indians camping, hunting, trapping, and trading throughout the south-shore Lake Erie Country, and in the Maumee River region.4 In 1760 Major Robert Rogers and George Croghan, during their trip to Detroit in company with the English military detachment, made references in their journals of encounters with Ottawa Indians at several points extending from east of Grand River in Ohio to the western end of Lake Erie at Maumee Bay.5 Four years after this the Ottawas were reported as having a settlement at "Rochedebout" on the Maumee River;6 and, Henry Gladwin, the commandant at Detroit in 1764, informed Sir William Johnson that the Ottawas "are now a little above the first Falls in the Miamie River, where they intend to plant their Corn."7 It was also in 1764 that the first Englishman journeyed the entire length of the Maumee River. This was Thomas Morris, who had been sent on a peace mission by General John Bradstreet. Morris, in his diary of the trip to the Miami village at the site of present-day Fort Wayne, Indiana, mentioned passing several Ottawa villages situated along the banks of the Maumee River, among which was the large village of Pontiac and his followers. It is significant of the prevalence of Ottawa settlements along the Maumee River at that time that Morris, on his return from the Miami village, stated that he purposely strove to avoid encountering any villages of (page 63) the Ottawas, and made use of the small by-paths rather than the much-worn Indian trails -- yet, Morris wrote that the party stumbled upon one of the Ottawa camps.8
In the following year, 1765, George Croghan made a trip with Pontiac from the Wabash country to Detroit via the Maumee River, and in his journal of that trip Croghan made the following comment:
On the 6th of August we set out for Detroit, down the Miames river in a canoe .... About ninety miles from the Miames or Twightwees, we came to where a large lick, falls into the Miame river; this they call the Forks (site of Fort Defiance at the confluence of the Auglaize Rivers).- The Ottawas claim this country, and hunt here, where game is very plenty. From hence we proceeded to the Ottawa village.9
In 1774 three villages of the Ottawas were reported on the banks of the Maumee River. One was at the first great rapids; a second was at the Grand Glaize; and, the third settlement was at what was called the King Glaize, which was explained as being about fifteen miles up the river from the Grand Glaize. In 1775 and 1776 an Ottawa chief from the Maumee settlements, Shegenaba, attended councils held at Pittsburgh.11
From this selection of references it may be appreciated that the Ottawas were firmly established in the Maumee Valley country throughout the entire third quarter of the eighteenth century. This concentration continued during the remainder of that century, as is clearly demonstrated, among other ways,12 by the appearance of the "Ottawa-Tawa" terminology for the Maumee River.
It should be noted that the Ottawas were frequently referred to as "Tawa" Indians, and they seemed to prefer that designation themselves. Of course, Ottawa and Tawa are merely two of a great number of spelling variations for that tribal name which resulted from the particular way the name was spoken and then transcribed during various periods and by different individuals.13 It is apparent however, that by the second half of the eighteenth century these two (page 64) names had emerged with most favor. An example of the interchangeability of the names Ottawa and Tawa is the manner by which an Ottawa arrival at the council held in 1793 between the United States peace commissioners and the Indian representatives of the Western Confederacy then assembled on the Maumee River. The Indian was identified and introduced as "an Ottawa, or Tawa as the name is often spoken."14 The Tawa appellation was also used frequently by eighteenth century cartographers, which is evidenced by the designation "Tawa" appearing on the eastern bank of the Cuyahoga River on the map produced in 1755 by Lewis Evans, and by the "Taway" town located on the "Maumi" River on the map by John Fitch dated 1785.15
The appellation "Tawa" was actually only an abbreviation or simplification of the name Ottawa, which may be seen by this breakdown of the word: O T - T A W A, and was caused by the peculiar manner in which the Indians pronounced the name giving the greatest emphasis to the last syllables. Of interest in this respect are testimonials of descendants of the Maumee Valley Ottawas made during an official investigation conducted by the Candian government at the Walpole Island Indian Reservation in Canada. The investigation took place during 1879 and the 1880's. The Ottawas claiming that their ancestors had come from the Maumee Valley generally referred to themselves as "Tawas" and the son of the Ottawa chief Cha-no (Charloe, of the Maumee-Auglaize country and famous during the 1820's and 1830's) stated that his father had come from Ohio and was a "Tawa." Another Ottawa listed several relatives from the Toledo area and stated that "They were all Tahwahs."16
As will be shown, during the last quarter of the eighteenth century the "Tawa" designation became as popular, if not more popular, than the term "Ottawa."
2. IDENTIFICATION OF OTTAWAS WITH
MAUMEE RIVER
DURING 1780's: "TAWA COUNTRY"
Commencing about 1780, and continuing until near the end of the century, the "Ottawa-Tawa" appellations made a strong challenge to the propriety of the traditional "Miami of the Lake" river terminology for the Maumee. It may be said that this challenge, bringing with it the terms (page 65) "Ome" and "Maumi," started the movement which eventually ended with the replacement of the "Miami" designation by the "Maumee" term.
First names of waterways often represent the actual inhabitants of their banks, yet this should never be relied upon as certain and convincing proof of such occupancy. This is because the element of mistaken identity, and even mere chance, must be taken into consideration and further more, it is known that Indian tribes have frequently been given the names of a waterway along which they settled. This aspect of the Maumee-river terminology is not settled by this article, although it should be noted that the Miami Indians were early known by the name (among others) of Twightwees, which appears to have been the name favored by the Miamis themselves.17 Moreover, it should be noted that the word "Miami" is alleged to be an Ottawa word signifying "mother." The most probable conclusion is that the Maumee River throughout its entire length was first called the "Miami" because of the presence of these Indians at its source. This conclusion finds support in a statement made in an official French Document of 1718 concerning the Indians of Canada. This statement, published in the "Paris Documents" in the New York Colonial Documents, refers to "the river which flowed from the Miamis and which is at the head of the Lake (Erie)".18 These facts considered in concert with the statement made by Jedediah Morse (who toured the western territory in 1820 under a commission by the President of the United States) that, "The Ottawas have resided from time immemorial on the waters of Lake Erie," would warrant an independent investigation concerning the true derivation of the term "Miami."19
Regardless of the origin of the Miami appellation, and the reasons for its being applied in early times to the Maumee River, it is highly significant to a consideration of actual tribal inhabitants of that river valley that the "Ottawa-Tawa" terminology for identifying the watercourse practically supplanted the "Miami" designation during the era of intense America-Indian hostilities which focused primarily upon the Maumee Valley. It would seem justifiable to place more emphasis and grant greater significance (page 66) to the replacement of a traditional name by that of an Indian tribal name than could safely be given to a first name applied to the watercourse.
Among the first to designate the Maumee River as the "Tawa" was the Moravian missionary, David Zeisberger, who had been intimately associated with the Ohio Indians during the second half of the eighteenth century. In his diary for the year 1781 Zeisberger mentioned departing from "the Tawa river so called because the Tawas dwell here, some of whose towns we passed through."20 Manifestly, the Moravian missionary was designating the watercourse after the predominant tribal occupants. On the return trip from Detroit, and when traveling to Sandusky in 1781, the missionary made the following entry: "We came the 18th to the Tawa river, where we met many Indian acquaintances, who were very joyful at our return."21 In this day-by-day diary account during the years from 1781 to 1792 David Zeisberger made numerous references to the "Tawa river," to the "Tawa, or Ottawa River," to the "Tawa" Indians of Ohio and the Maumee-Sandusky-Cuyahoga region, and to the great "Tawa chief" Au-gooshaway.22 The Moravians, as well as the Ohio tribes with which they were closely associated, generally referred to the Ottawa Indians as the "Tawas." John Heckewelder, another well-known Moravian missionary who was well-acquainted with the Ohio Indians, also referred to the Maumee River as the "Tawa or Ottawa" river.23
Although the application of the "Tawa" appellation for the Maumee River during the 1780's proved to be quite common, the term failed to supplant completely the traditional name "Miami." Furthermore, as will be shown by the examination to follow of the sources during the 1790's the "Tawa" terminology was generally restricted in use to that portion of the Maumee River extending from the bay at Lake Erie to present-day Defiance, Ohio. This, of course, was the area in which the Ottawas were predominant, while the region from Defiance to Fort Wayne was predominantly Miami. In addition, during the American Revolution the British officers at Detroit favored the "Miami" terminology, even for the northern half of the waterway, although evidencing a recognition of a predominance of Ottawa Indians along that segment of the river.24
Subsequent to the Treaty of Paris, 1783, and until the end of the century, references to Ottawas inhabiting the Maumee Valley become exceedingly more numerous. Likewise, besides the application of the "Ottawa-Tawa" appellations. "Omi," "Oma," and "Omee" emerge as designations of the Maumee River. These were most probably the result of abbreviations of the word "Miami." Most of this is clearly illustrated by references made in a letter to the United States Secretary of War, and written in 1785 by Captain John Doughty. The letter concerned information Doughty had received from some Maumee River traders, to wit, John Leith and Alexander McCormick. Captain Doughty wrote that "the latter is a trader who lives at the Tawa towns," who had informed Doughty that he had "left Omi, or Miami River, which empties itself into Lake Erie near Point-au-Cedar, in the Tawa Country....the Chief of that Nation told him that they would not go to the treaty at the Big Miami, nor to any other treaty .... Mr. McCormick heard at the Tawa towns ......"25
Alexander McCormick was very familiar with the Indians of the south shore of Lake Erie country and was thus qualified to apply the "Tawa Country" terminology. He had been a trader in the Ohio country, both at Sandusky and on the Maumee River, from before the commencement of the American Revolution. Shortly after 1784 McCormick settled at the foot of the rapids of the Maumee River, where he was dwelling when the army under Anthony Wayne invaded the Indian country. The Battle of Fallen Timbers was fought on or close to McCormick's property, and his establishment was destroyed.26
Consequently, while George Croghan, in 1765, designated the region of the Maumee Valley from the river's confluence with the Auglaize to Lake Erie as Ottawa country, McCormick likewise referred to the bay portion of the river valley as "Tawa Country" in 1785. Thomas Morris, Henry Gladwin, and others located Ottawa villages between the two points. The map of the Northwest Territory, produced by John Fitch in 1785, designated a "Taway" town on the Maumee River approximately twenty-five miles south of Lake Erie.27 The Maumee Valley, at least from the lake to the Auglaize, was clearly recognized as "Tawa" country during the 1780's.
It is apparent that the Ottawas themselves considered the Maumee Valley as their own country. For example, in 1780 the Ottawas of the Maumee granted to Joseph Reaume "a tract of land in the Maumee River known as the. island which is called Presqu'Isle, or in our language Miseskanake," and another tract on the opposite side of the Maumee River consisting of "twenty arpents in front by fifty in depth." This grant was signed by fifteen of the Maumee Valley Ottawa chiefs.28
3. GENERAL APPLICATION OF
"OTTAWA-TAWA" RIVER TERMI-
NOLOGY DURING ERA OF AMERICAN-INDIAN HOSTILITIES:
1788-1795.
The initial efforts on the part of the Americans subsequent to the Treaty of Paris in 1783 to effectuate an aggressive western territorial policy proved abortive and was the source of strong Indian resentment and opposition. All attempts to launch this rather officious policy by means of treaties contracted with only fragments of a few of the tribes merely increased Indian hostility and resulted in a concerted stand by the western Indians in defense of their country north of the Ohio River. During the years of actual hostilities which followed, the headquarters of the Indian Confederacy was the Maumee Valley. This era, which extended approximately from 1788 to 1795, was characterized by a tremendous amount of activity in the Ohio country on the part of the Americans, and involved numerous peace overtures to the Indians sandwiched in between military invasions into the Indian territory. The Maumee River was thus for a time no longer mentioned merely in a collateral sense, but had become of essence to any reference to the Western Confederacy of Indians. During this period the river known by the traditional appellation, "Miami of the Lake," was frequently, if not generally referred to as the "Tawa" or the "Ottawa" river. This will be shown by the following documentary analysis.
In his communications with the Secretary of War, Arthur St. Clair, Governor of the Northwest Territory, made frequent use of the "Tawa" terminology when referring to the Maumee River. For example, in a letter dated January 27, 1788, St. Clair mentioned that "there had been a considerable assembly on the Tawa River...," and in March
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