While we know our northern friends may not feel it, in the South, Spring is
here. So we thought we'd share a few of our gardening sites appropriate
for this time of the year. Along with gardening, there's grilling, and getting
ready to diet so that you can fit back into that bathing suit this summer!
Referring to
his personality, an eminent writer says: "He was the rival
of Red Jacket. Without the commanding genius of Red jacket,
he possessed a large share of the common sense, which is
more efficient in all the ordinary affairs of life. They
were both able men; both acquired the confidence of their
people, but the
patriotism of Red jacket was exhibited in an unyielding hatred of the
whites, while Corn Plant adopted the opposite policy of conciliation
towards his more powerful neighbors. The one was an orator of unblemished
reputation, the other an orator of unrivalled eloquence. Both were shrewd,
artful and expert negotiators, and they prevailed alternately over each
other, as opportunities were offered to either for the exertion of his
peculiar abilities. The one rose into power when the Senecas were
embittered against the whites, and the other acquired consequence when it
became desirable to cultivate friendly relations upon the frontier."
On one occasion Red Jacket was boasting of what he had
said at certain treaties, when Corn Plant quickly added, "Yes, but we told
you what to say." Horatio Jones said of Corn Plant: "He was one of the
best men to have on your side, and there you would be sure to find him if
he thought yours the right side, but it was decidedly unlucky if he
thought you were wrong."
Corn Plant was the first as well as one of the most
eloquent temperance lecturers in the United States, and labored hard to
save his people from this growing evil, for which his white neighbors were
largely responsible.
In his latter days he became superstitious, and his
conscience reproached him for his friendship towards the whites, and in a
moment of alarm, fancying that the Great Spirit had commanded him to
destroy all evidence of his connection with the enemies of his race, he
destroyed an elegant sword and other articles which he had received as
presents.
There can no longer be any doubt of his relationship to
the Abeel family. His mother told him that his father's name was Abeel, or
O'Bial. The latter name does not appear in the Albany records, and
it is doubtful if such a person ever lived in that city. The name of Abeel
is still preserved with the tribe on the reservation.
The History of Montgomery County, page 233, says:
"Cornplanter visited Fort Plain in his native dress
about the year 1810, bringing with hint several Indians of dignified rank.
They were cordially welcomed by the chief's relatives, going first to the
house of Joseph Wagner, father of Peter J. Wagner, who was grandson on the
mother's side of John Abeel. The party also visited the house of Nicholas
Dygert, whose wife was a sister of Mrs. Wagner, and was richly
entertained, and then at the home of Jacob Abeel, living with his widowed
mother on their old homestead. The Indians were treated with hospitality.
The visit lasted several days, and the guests were the central attraction
of village society, for Cornplanter was a man of noble bearing, and was
decorated with all the native display of costume appropriate to his rank.
His father at that time had been dead more than a dozen years."
