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.
Journal of James Kenny
(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.
(page 34) he Gave or is to pay Levy ye Jew 10/ for a pair of white plain Half thick Legons 1 3/4 yds & large French Blankets is got to 24 amongst them ye others 20/ which gives me reason to believe when this Store is at an end ye Indians will be much impos'd upon- they make them commonly pay More then White people. Deep Snow & now like for hard frost. A young Indian Man brought us four Turkeys saying he was recommend'd by severals of his acquaintance to come to ye Quaker who would use him very well & having brought them, & paid him Six Shillings Cash besides Victuals & drink, he going out heard of a better Market so came back & got the Turkeys delivering ye Money again, but his second Chap not pleasing him in dealing he brought them back to us & had his money again, but he said Dam it several times at ye Second Chap.
26th.- Frederick Post came here on his way to Philad having a Message from ye Beaver King & Shingass to ye Governor signifying that they had confirm'd ye Peace with ye Western Nations.
27th.- Oliver McConaughty & Allexr McMullen came from Sandusky having all their horses dead & out of Eighty Horses belonging to Capt Calend but three left some time ago able to go to see ye rest adying in ye Snow; a percil of Soldiers came in that was going beyond ye lake their feet frozen.
28th.- Receiv'd a Letter from John Bartram Botinest to send him some seeds of ye Sweet Vine.
29th.- Frederick Post tells me that ye Nanticoke Tribe of Indians are reconed by ye others to have first supply'd ye Indians wt poison, as they report that it was made known first to them by some infernal Spirit who was found at first in a House as an Infant which ye Squa kept & fed untill in time it grew of a short & thick size, took to kill ye others Children, so that they put it to many Deaths but till it became alive again, so at last came on conditions with them that if they would obey (page 35) it & serve it it would learn them how to do mighty things which they agreed to, then it shew'd them a Root which being Eaten by one of them poison him directly & upon Eating of another Root (which they have since lost ye knowledge of) was Cured directly.
30th.- In ye Message from ye Beaver King & Shingass to ye Governor of Penna they say that as son as they receiv'd this message for Peace 3 Years ago they immediately made their Wariors desist in making any more attempts against ye English, and has since been endeavouring to bring all ye other Nations in their Alience into ye sd friendship which now they have affect'd, since which there's Seven of their Flesh & Blood kill'd by our foolish young men which they do hide undr a Cover from ye other Nations & their own Young men, having Spoak so much good of ye English to ye rest they are ashamed to mention this.
31st.- I tho't I felt a Shock of an Earthquake in ye night.
1762 1mo 1st.- The Weather Continues very moderate.
2d.- Wm Ramsey from some part Maryland dy'd here; he told me he had a birthright amongst Friends: he sent for me some time before he dy'd, seem'd very penitent but was concern'd most for his Wife & 2 Children, he came out here after some runaway Servants & to shun a Debtor that he was not able to pay untill he Earn'd wt he ow'd him.
4th.- A young Delaware Man (Calll'd Wiliam or Indakaughill) whom I trust'd last Summer abot 50/ came here & own'd ye Debt sd he would pay me.
5th.- This Day Frederick Post gone for Philada. Ramsey's Goods Sold to day at Vendue amot 18:13..0.
8th.- Having Rain'd to Day & thaw'd, so that ye Ice broke up this Evening & ye Rivers Rose very fast; we had haul'd ye Batoe before as we tho't far enough up ye Bank, but ye Increse of ye flood caus'd us to tend her
& got to Cleaning ye House, ye Celler full Water & ye Bank much fallen in. Befor evening ye Water fell that ye Street got bare. Many Houses drove away & ye New Banks of ye fort Broke down very low. Many Goods wet & Damaged, ye Water geting into ye Magazines has I believe Wet all ye Amunition & our powdr also.
12th.- Ye River falls still but we have much trouble to get ye Celler drain'd & Several things Dryed that we left Down Stairs, none believing ye Water would raise so high. I here of none being Drounded yet, it Rose in about 32 Hours 38 foot very near.
13th.- I was inform'd some time ago by some Pack Horse Men that was at Tuscorawas that ye Indians there spoke very well of me (to em) & some Young Delawares that was here signified that was report'd amongst ye Indians that all ye Traders here would Cheat them but me & John Hart.
14th.- I think our Store recovers some of ye faviour it Lost last year amongst ye Indns as I think we are now on a Par or excells ye rest here, except John Hart & he seems too Old for us having ye Languages.
15th.- Indn Peeter sent some Turkeys from Redstone, but ye bearer kept 'em. Allexr McMullen turn'd back from Ligonier hearing that many People was Drouned here wth ye flood, one of his Brothers having stay'd here, his feet being frozen.
16th.- Inform'd that often some Old Men amongst ye Indians after Eating Victuals lifts up thire Hands in a very Solmn Manner & returns Thanks to ye Great Creator of all Things but not Vocally.
17th.- Abot 30 Mingo Wariors came here in Two Cannoes fired Three Rounds when in sight up ye River, Request was made to us to find house room for some of em (as it Rain'd) so the Capt & 9 more stay'd with us this night.
18th.- They behav'd very Civile & is mov'd to Day over ye Monongahela.
19th.- The Bushes abot Grant's Hill Clad with wet Goods & Peltry.
20th.- I brought several Mingoes Incamp'd up ye River with their Peltry who dealt 'em with us.
21st.- Some more of ye Mingoes afforesaid procur'd a Keg Rum I know not where but were Drunken all night & some fought.
22d.- My old friend (as he calls me) Heecaise, having brought in his Hunt, I invited him home with me he having got Drunk & got sick he consent'd, so sent ye Battoe for him; he sent ye Peltry but did not come himself.
23d.- The Mingo Wariers being in readiness to set off against the Cherokees, kill'd a Cow of Marcus Hulings (that was over ye River) rost'd her & Carried ye Pieces of Meat off for their jurney, altho' they had Bread allow'd them every Day they stay'd but could have no poudr so much being damag'd.
24th.- Thos Hutchins sent a String Wampum to ye Capt of these Wariors wanting to speake with him, but he return'd ye string (which is very unusual in friends to do) sent word he would come presently but they went off & came not.
25th.- As report was made that they got Liquor amongst ye rest killing ye Cow was Imput'd to that & ye Collol having threaten'd to make them Confess who Isued ye Liquor that they should be punish'd I told Thos Hutchins that I judged some Old Trader had supply'd ye Mingoes with ye Rum & finding they were in danger of being discover'd had such Influence amongst ye Indians as to get ye Wariors to set off, which he thot to be very likely.
26th.- We bought ye Wariors Canoe, being abot 30 foot Long for 5 Strouds & pr Legons.
27th.- Some Snow & Rain Jams McCrary set down ye River to go to ye Shawans Town.
28th.- We have been busy getting fire Wood down ye River this two Days past, & this Day rec'd Keecaise Skins & a nothers, to ye Amot of abot 30 pounds worth.
29th.- Most of ye Houses Carried off by ye flood is Mash'd to Pieces on ye Point on an Island below Shirtees Rock abot 7 miles down.
30th.- Has fell as much snow these two Days past that its above a foot Deep in Common but blown in Heaps. I finished my Peltry Accot (or made a Peltry Book).
31st.- Keecaise set off this Day wth his Cossens toward the head Branches of ye Monongahela; he left of ye Price of his Peltry in our Hands till he returns again 3..11..0, 1 Beaver Trap Bell & Collar & did not so much as ask what ye Ballance was, but that he would leave the remr.
2mo 1st .- Been very Cold & spitting snow; were very busy in mending up ye Cellar Banks that broke in, in ye flood.
2d.- This Day Leut Moyer of ye Train, ariv'd back from Sandusky after building some Blockhouse there.
3d.- By Lieut Meyer's Accot it appears ye Indians seem'd uneasy at his Building a Blockhouse at Sandusky & fretted him much, wanting Gifts, Provissions &c which he had not to give them & I hear he says he would sooner be discharg'd then go on such Bussiness again.
4th.- It's been two Days of fine, thawing, Sunshine, I have a Pet Racoon a Pet Raven & a Young Spannale Puppy come of Lieut Moyer's Bitch which he gave me, I having sav'd them in ye time of ye Deluge or Inundation.
Prices of ye following Goods here Current: Flour in fall 35/ pr swt now 40/ pr swt; Loaves Bread 2lb 1/; fresh Beef pr lb 7d; Mutten in fall 6d & 4d; Veal do; Butter in (page 40) Casks 1/ & 1/1d & 1/2 & fresh Butter 2/ in sumr & fall to 2/6 pr lb; Milk in Sumr 3d 4d pr qt & now 8d pr qt; plenty Deers Meat & Beans @ 2d pr lb & Turkeys 1/6 to 2/6; Deers Tallow & Buffeloes 3d pr lb; Bears Oyle 4d; fall Deer Skins 1/6; Sumr 1/10; Indn Dress'd 3/; Beaver 1 Doller; foxes 2/ & Cats; Otters & Bears, 6/ each; Elks ditto; Racoons 1/6; Fishers 3/.
Frederick Post says that ye Indians are Voide of Reason, but I find that in many cases they will hear to reason & allow it to be right, many of them will have theire Peltry too wet, its like some on purpose & others by accident, & to reason with most of them in that case to make a reasonable allowance in wt they will grummel much & be for carrying them to some other Trader, but it's easy to make a reasonable allowance & not tell them of it all will go smooth enough, & scarcely any of them but may be easily Cheat'd, which I doubt they too often meet with.
5th.- This Day we had Thundr & Rain, being very warm, Capt Clappum Came here from his farm on Youhogheny, had a Shawana Man wth him, call'd ye Cub, made a Complaint to Collo Bouquet that there was several Cabbins Built by white people up ye Monongahela & about Clearing Land, So got orders to burn them all as he told me he lives on a Part of Geo. Croghans Tract it seems.
6th.- It seems as if I was some Obstruction to ye Progress of Satan's Govinent or Kingdom at this place, since none of his Temptations has effect to draw me into ye Practices that are too common here he sets some of his Instrumts to raise Lyes of me.
7th.- Fine moderate weather, ye Rivers midling high; purposes tomorrow to set off for Bushey Run at ye Block House.
8th.- Got to Andr Buyerly's at Bushey Run abot 25 Miles down ye Road in quest of Indians that was sd to have many Peltry there abots. I only met ye Wolfe who (page 41) ow'd us for a Match Coat who pd me in Cash, having his Skins abot 20 Miles off.
9th.- Being inform'd several of them lay near Legonier I went there, it Snow'd Most ye Way, went off ye Road at ye Nine Mile Run down it where their Cabins were but they were gone, got into ye old road, & Got to Legonier before dark, put up at ye Bakers.
10th.- Last night a Corporal came to ask me to wait on Commanding officer to have my Pass Sign'd, so I went to Day let him Know I was going no further, & had no pass so he sent for me after to Dine with him which I Did, his name is Blaine, had no Company but me at Dinner; he Lives very Moderate from Excess, spent ye Evening in ye Garden.
11th.- Return'd this Day back to Brushey Run, ye Snow abot a foot deep, but trod by some pack horses, that carried Skins back from our Store.
12th.- Got back home this Day having seen many Deer & Wolfe Tracks.
14th.- Begun to journalise ye Books, Fleming Express came, brot letters wherein ye Commissioners wants to Know whether I Incline to stay Longer then this year.
17th.- Brot Several Shawanas over ye River wth Meat & Turkeys; bot 9 Turkeys & 4 Racoons @ 1/6 pr piece.
18th.- Busy journalizing. Came another Company of Mingo Wariors going against ye Cherokees.
19th.- Came Jno Armstrong & a nother young Delaware that lodg'd here several Nights, brot abot 100 Peltry.
20th.- This Day we dealth for ye whole & receiv'd one White Deer Skins being a Young Buck. Much Trouble we have had wth Armstrong he wanting Liquor & upon geting a little amongst ye Sutlers he's more urgent for more knowing we have some.
21st.- The above young man Informs that ye Company of Wariors that Kill'd Huling's Cow here some (page 42) time ago is only gone as far as his Hunting Cabbin abot 20 miles off & there they are hunting for their suport.- very smart frost now but ye Snow almost all gone here.
22d.- Men that Were Confined Last fall for forgery (being Soldiers) were tried by a Coart Marshall & judged to receive 1000 Lashes each.
23d.- This Day ye Mohack Wariors gone down ye River Singing as they went. Ye weather more thawing & spiting Snow.
25th.- Smart frost & as Cold as we had this Winter, & it is ye Hardest Winter ye Indians say they have seen here.
26th.- Coldest weather we had yet this Winter, note that ye Coldest Winds Blowing here, do not come from ye North-West nor from ye Lakes, tho' we are within 200 Miles (or Less) of Lake Erie bears North but ye Cold weather Comes from betwixt ye West & South West.
27th.- John Armstrong, an Indian born in ye Jerseys as he says & talks English, Informs me that several years ago there Came some Strange Indians to some of ye Delaware Towns out here being near as black as Negros with very Long Hair, stay'd some Considerable Time & took three Squas for Wives with them when they went off. Their Information of their Contry (by a Spaniard that they brought for an Interpreter which could Talk some of our Indn tongues) was that it Lyes a Vast Distance over ye Missisippi near ye Sea being all Sandy Hills & Pine Woods, Chiefly Very Hot Climate; ye Inhabitants goes Naked, Raisses no Corn, but lives all on Meat & fish; Uses only Bows & Arrows, have no dealings nor Connection with any White People, (owing to thire remoat liveing from them, as I take it) that their Contry has Many very Large Horses in it which never lyes down to Sleep but leans against a Tree for that purpose, I have been of opinion that this Continent Produces Eliphants, as large Teeth have been found (page 43) in a Lick down ye Ohio between 4 & 6lb weight, one of which I seen Weigh'd, which Weighed 4 1/4lb.
3mo 1st.- Yesterday Morning ye Rivers were froze ye Most they been this Winter, being & now is in places quite across, but ye Weather is alter'd this day being Moderate.
3rd.- We got our Garden finish'd pailing, that was swept away with ye flood. Some Pack Horses come up with Flour, Rum & Butter.
4th.- This morning Snow again. I hear Capt Bassat goes down in ye Contry to Imploy Artificiers.
5th.- In regard of ye Prices of Peltry Advertized at this Place last fall by Ordr of Sr Wm Johnson B. H., the Indians which was at the Treaty of Detroit says that they Heard no mention Made of any such thing there & they disapprove of ye Same.
6th.- As Treaties Held with ye Indian Nations is a Matter of such great Importance to ye Publick, & especially to these Collonies, notwithstanding there be Agents appoint'd to hold such Treaties, yet I think they should not be held in Private but so as any well affect'd Subjects, Protestants, should have a free access to heare ye same which at this place we are mostly deprived off;- here being no publick House for that purpose nor to Accommodate ye Indians, but stray into private Houses, where they can in ye Coldest Weather.
7th.- Killbuck was here lately & brought accot that ye Shawanas had Kill'd some White people in Virginia, which is confirm'd by some Traders now come up, saying they brot in three Scalps & ten Horses which ye Head Men Disapproves very much & used ye Traders well.
8th.- Through Mercy we were deliver'd last night, ye House having catch'd fire in ye Logs & was blasing up ye Clabbords & thro ye Upper floor touching ye Roof when I Awak'd & heard it, so was happyly Extinguish'd without allarming ye Neighbours. This Day a flock of (page 44) Swan flew by but Much Ice remains in ye Rivers shut in places.
9th.- Got our Garden pail'd in & now setting about Building a Counting House.
11th.- This Day Capt. Ramsly is come here from Philada, brot News that ye King of Prusia had Beat Count Dacino's Army & that ye English Land'd in Martineco.
12th.- Thos Klinton come here with Pack Horses, who Informs us that on ye Allegheni, Mountain & Laurel Hill ye Snow is near three foot deep, & there is Snow all the way till they came here almost, but its mostly gone here.
13th.- It Snow'd all Day yesterday for ye most part is Cloudy to Day but Moderate. Indn Corn from 10 to 12/pr Bushell, flour 37/, Butter 13d pr lb. Sent 12 Horse Load Skins down with Kinton; set to snow this evening.
14th.- The Chimney that caught fire some nights since we have thrown Down so now we have but One fire Place ye weather as Snowy & Winter Like as at any time since fall. This being ye first Day, & ye Agent Principaled against going out on that Day, & I myself on none ye Days goes a Vissiting nor to Sit in our Neighbours Houses at any time We Spend ye first Day in Reading & sometimes reasoning on things in Scripture, & when ye Weather suits I walk out toward the Woods or along ye River or across them in a Canoe or boat.
15th.- Its been Advertis'd here again Neither to Sell or give Strong Liquor to ye Indians, & it is said that ye Commanders at Each Station has orders to Seize all Liquors that Carriers may bring or carrying from here.
16th.- This Day Dyed here Capt Mather of ye Grenideirs, & George Croghan is return'd from Philaa. Jno Bard I hear informs, that most of ye Time he was at ye Lower Shawana Town ye Indians were Drunk.
18th.- Thundr & heavy Rain. As Chick-og-o-nick-an an Indn got a Deed from William Penn for a Tract of Land (page 45) on ye West Branch Brandywine & after in some manner Sold by Old Newlin of Concord, now call'd Newlin Township. Neemakcollen, son of ye above Indian, says he got Drunk & lost ye Deed & that some of ye white People Cheated him of his Land, it might be well to have it search'd into & know how Newlin came by it. Capt Mather Buried with much form. I am inform'd that ye White Mingo found a great numbr of Doe Skins & many Thousands of Wampum that belong to Ephraim Blaine in ye House about Eight Miles down ye River, being drove ashore there in ye Great flood.
19th.- Inform'd by Thos Kinton that before ye Indn War, he being out here at a Town a little way up ye Alegheny, where the Indians found a rat & Kill'd it, at which ye antiants of them seem'd Concearned & told him that ye French or English should get that Land from them, ye same prediction being made by their Grandfathers' on finding a Rat on Delaware before ye White People Came there.
20th.- Some time ago here was some Indians that Traded at our House & One of them having some Bread Cut it in Several Pieces & gave ye others each a Piece, a Shawana Man & Women coming in, each got a Piece of Bread, on which ye Woman having ye Bread in her hand, Cross'd her self with same hand before she Eat it.
21st.- This being ye first Day ye Week, I may say, that ye People regard every Day so much alike that ye Shop keepers Sells more I think on that Day to ye Inhabitants then on Week-Days.
22d.- Had a fine Walk yesterday after a Horse (ye Agent has on Trial), he stay'd out 2 days & I found him about 2 Miles off.
23d.- Caught a Cat fish this Evening; the Weather very Variable wth Snow Showers & Hail; got Logs down ye River to Build a Counting House.
26th.- I set off to Andrew Buyerlys at Brushey Run on some bussiness relateing to our offairs. Met Coll (page 46) Airs there & Fleming ye Express. I went a little from ye house to Gather Mountain Tea, & ye Coll came to me to see what it was, an being told by Fleming it was Tea, he asked me which were ye best Roots for Purging ye Blood, so I told my oppinnion.
27th.- Came back this Day in Company with ye above.
28th.- We were prevail'd on to Trade with some Indians that came up ye River this Day although ye first Day of ye Week.
29th.- Wet Weather, I have at sundry times Bled several Indians that apply'd to me & this Day Canostogo Will's Brother calls himself Capt Lead.
31st.- I went up to Croghan's Place with a Horse which I left there & Walk'd across from the Allegheny to ye Monongahela thro' ye Woods, being about three Miles scarcely across & about three & a Half from Pittsburgh point.
4mo 1st.- Went up ye Monongahela to get joyce Raffters for our Counting House, & while ye Men was Cuting & Loading them I & Allexr McCaskey went over ye Mountain on ye South side to fine a better Road to the Coal Pitt, which I did find.
2nd.- Frederick Post return'd here from Philada, brot me a Letter & Silk Map from Israel Pemberton, Enjoyning me to use my best Influence with ye Indns to bring ye Prisoners down to ye Treaty.
3rd.- Wrote an answer by one Millican, also Wrote to My Brother and Humphry Marshall.
4th.- A fine Day, sow'd Sallad & Red Beets & Cabbage yesterday. This Day Thos Hutchins set off to go to Detroit Miammi & Michelemackanak & home by ye Shawana Town. I wrote to Ensn Jams Gorrel Comr at ye Bay to send me account or keep it at least till he came of all Curiossities.
5th.- Frederick Post set off to Tuscorawas last Night, he & I had some Argument, he having offten been carping a little about Friends Principles Signifying that
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