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Biography of Red Jacket or Sa-Go-Ye-Wat-Ha

A biography of the great Red Jacket or Sa-go-ye-wat-ha, Keeper awake. This manuscript’s intent is to further William Stones “Life and Times of Red Jacket” by providing a more succinct biography of Red Jacket.

Early History of the Six Nations

Rising up from the obscurity of the past, we find a people, singular in their habits and character, whose history has been strangely, and in some respects sadly interwoven with our own. They were the original occupants of the soil, claiming to have lived here always, and to have grown out of the soil like the trees of the forest. Scattered over this continent were various Indian tribes, resembling each other in their general features and habits, but in some instances exhibiting stronger and more interesting traits of character than the others. Among these were the Iroquois, and if Red … Read more

Cornplanter in Disrepute

Not long after the large sale of their domain to Robert Morris, which had been negotiated at Big Tree, the Seneca began to realize that they had committed a great mistake. The broad lands, mountain, hill, and valley, over which they had roamed, the springs and streams of water by whose side they had been wont to encamp, and above all the graves of their sires, where affection’s altar had been hallowed by their sighs and tears, these were still in view, but they appeared not as in days gone by, to wear for them the smiles of old and … Read more

Neutral Indians

Neutral Indians. So called by the French because they remained neutral during the later wars between the Iroquois and Huron. Also called: Hatiwanta-runh, by Tuscarora, meaning “Their speech is awry”; in form it is close to the names applied by the other Iroquois tribes and more often quoted as Attiwandaronk. Neutrals Neutral Connections  The Neutrals belonged to the Iroquoian linguistic Stock; their position within this is uncertain. Neutral Location. In the southern part of the province of Ontario, the westernmost part of New York, in northeastern Ohio, and in southeastern Michigan. (See also Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, and Canada.) Neutral Subdivisions … Read more

Reply to Dr. Shea and General Clark

The first number of this magazine (Jan., 1877) contains an article on the Expedition of Champlain against the Onondagas, in 1615. It was founded on a communication read before the New York Historical Society in March 1849, in which I had discussed the evidences, which exist as to the route of the expedition, and the site of the Iroquois fort, which it besieged. My position having been questioned by several eminent historians, who claimed a more western location for the fort, the main object of my last article was to fortify my former conclusions. In it I endeavored to trace … Read more

The Route Across the Lake

If I am right in fixing the starting point opposite Point Pleasant, it would follow, both from the text and the map, that the route extended southerly, between that point and Amherst Island, to the False Ducks, and along the Main Duck, Gallo, and Stony Islands, which stretch across the lake in the direction of Stony Point. That this was the course pursued may be inferred from the following considerations: First. On examining the Champlain map, the line indicating the route starts from the northern shore of the lake, and passes directly south between Point Pleasant and the first island … Read more

Jesuit Doblon’s traveled the Route Twice

It may be interesting, in this connection, to compare Champlain’s statements with those of the Jesuit Dablon, who traveled twice over the same route in 1655 and 1656, under much more favorable circumstances for correctly estimating the distances. He informs us that, in company with Father Chaumonot, he left Montreal on the 7th day of October, 1655, for the Onondaga country, and reached ” Otihatangue” (the mouth of Salmon river) by canoe on the 29th of the same month. That he landed the next day, and prepared to go on foot to Onondaga. That on the first day of November, … Read more

The Location of the Fort Ticonderoga

It is utterly impossible, from the Champlain text and map, aided by the best modern charts, and an accurate knowledge of the country, to establish, with any certainty, the exact position of the Iroquois fort. The location which I suggested was on or near Onondaga Lake, 4 leagues or 10 miles from the great Iroquois fishery at the foot of Oneida Lake. The limits of this article forbid my presenting at this time my reasons for this conclusion I will therefore confine myself to an examination of General Clark’s position. He locates the fort on Nichols Pond, in the north-east … Read more