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 173) ye Governor requests of 'em to endeavour to find out ye Polleticks that may be amongst ye Indians.
27th.- Samuel Lightfoot Esqr, of Chester County, has been here abot a Week, past, came from ye Warm Spring in Virginia.
30th.- Jacob Stroud's Waggons came & brought us sundry Goods, we Loaded them of with 31 Hundred Weight Skins.
11mo 1st.- Many Horses are said to be Stolen lately, ye Mingoes are chiefly accused with it.
4th.- Indian Simon came here with his Son from Cuscuskies, lodged in our House, he shewed me his Book containing their new Religion, being a faviour, I think that no White man has received here beside me; he told me he was become a Minister now to ye Indians at Cuscuskies, he also said his Prayers by his book, which I look upon as Great Idolatry as he seemed to Adore ye Image of ye Son or Little God at ye top of it, it showes no Image of ye Great being, but he says he is higher. I told him it offended ye Good Spirit to make any Likeness of him, & that man could not see him, but Good Men, that was known by him, always Loved all Men & would not be Wroth or angry with any. I doubt there is no good at ye Bottom of their Religion.
8th.- Wolf Keekyusions Son is put in ye Guard House for Stealing Horses.
10th.- Coll Burd's out of Patience almost waiting & no accot from ye Governor nor ye Indians.
14th.- Capt Callendr came from Detroit, & says that ye 19 Day of last month it was so dark there all Day that they Burned Candles all Day, & that some dust fell on ye Linnin & Stain'd it.
16th.- Colonel Bouquet was pleas'd to give Samuel Lightfoot a Conveyance of a Lot of Ground on ye Bank of ye Monongahela, so as to take in his sons Grave who dyed here.
17th.- Col Bouquet has agreed to let Col Burd & Davenport act as direct'd by ye Governor.
18th.- Samuel Lightfoot set off home with Paul Pierce. I sent by him a Map of this place & ye forks of ye Rivers here to Israel Pemberton, also a Letter to my Brothr & one wth some seeds to Humphrey Marshall.
19th.- By some peoples talke here, they think ye Land on this side ye Alegheny Mountain will be made a King's Governm & that in 2 years or less time, there will be encouragement from ye King to Settle these Lands to this place, Viz Pittsburgh.
20th.- Coll Bouquet & Coll Burd set off from here to go down to Philada &c.
21st.- Allex Mullen brot me a Bottle of Oyle from ye Oyl Spring at Mooskingum. Wolf ye Indian, made his Escape last night from ye little House where he went with 2 Men to Guard him, out of ye Guard House.
23rd.- A letter arived from Allexr McKee, at ye Shawan Town, signifying that some ye Indians were to come & bring in some Prisoners.
McKee also Gave Accot that ye Mingoes has a War Belt & Bloody Tomhock now offering to ye Shawanas, requesting thier help as they are Going to Strike ye English & drive them off their Lands as they say.
25th.- I am Doubtfull ye Mingoes will not rest untill they breed Mischeif again; ye Picks had brot ye belt to the Shawana;- Very like a Second time to stop ye Prisoners.
27th.- Silver Heels has been here Some Days with a Party of Mohacks, Going as Spyes or to War, they say against ye Spaniards, toward ye Missipi or Augustine; he has a Pass from Col Johnson; he is sd to be one of the Senica Nation, but much attached to ye English, & has been with them at ye Taking of Martinico, (they say).
29th.- Silver Heels & Company Gone down ye River in 2 Canoes.
30th.- Geo. Croghan is come up from Bedford & Francis Innise & John Martin, on Speaking to him about their Children yt are Prisoners wt ye Indians, he told them (as they say) that ye Prisoners will never be Got from them unless he Gets them, Ye sd likewise, that ye Province had done so much hurt to ye Publick Interest, by their late Treaty held at Lancaster that it could not be repair'd under Great Cost to ye Crown (in divideing ye presents uneaqual).
12mo 1st.- Yesterday returned Allexr McKee from amongst ye Shawanes & Says, they used him Civily,- there is abot 10 of them coming up & a few Prisoners.
8th.- A Company of Mingo Hunters came in, Saluted ye Fort & was answered by three Cannon Shot. They have had provissions & 20lb Powdr & 40lb Lead & 20lb Tobacco & 2 doz knives given them, they may well bestow ye Giver Some Land.
9th.- Its tooke som Notice of that Geo. Croghan has not Invited the Chief Man of ye Delaware Nation, i.e. Netotwhelmy nor made him any presents hardly at all.
10th.- The sd Head Man & ye Half King Custologa not being invited to ye Last Treaty, in a proper Manner, as they Govern ye Greatest part of ye Nation, & ye chief invitations being mention'd to ye Beaver, now its sd they will not agree to his engagements with ye Governor & ye Money Given him he has not hardly divided with any of them, So they are much dissatisfied.
12th.- Rec'd a Letter from Frederick Post giving me his opinion of ye Imposters new Religion raised amongst ye Indians, which he says ye Imposter tells them he had a Vission of Heaven where there was no White people but all Indians, & wants a total Seperation from us, & for that purpose advisses ye Indians to Impose upon ye Traders.
14th.- Keecaise set off up ye Monongahela to Hunt & trap after dealing abot 20 Pounds worth Skins with us.
17th.- Major Smallman & Allexr McKee set off down ye River with Goods toward ye lower Shawana Town; Smallman as a Trader & McKee as Croghan's deputy to wait ye coming of ye Prissoners in Spring.
18th.- Ye Garison here now keeps some Cannon Loaded & ye Train Men mounts Guard keeping a Match lighted day & night, as if they were apprehensive of an attack.
19th.- Old E. McCollon came here, Son of Chirk-og-a-nickan to whome it is sd ye Properitor made a deed of Newlin Township (that is now) on Brandywine, Chester County; he set off last spring from his House at Mosekingum, being going to see ye Governor to have a reward for sd Land & was taken Sick which has detained him.
20th.- I dreamed ye 14th Inst at night that a Mingo Young Man told me ye Mingoes Go to War with ye English next Summer.
21st.- Old McCollon says that John Langdale (when here) Encouraged him much to go down to be pd for his Lands.
22nd.- Old Indian entertained at our House & recovers his Strength well, tells me he never was to see ye French but once while they lived here & then he did not half like them.
23rd.- As Dreams often come from ye Idies or thoughts that are prevalent in ye mind, I shall take notice here of a Dream the above Old Indian informs me he dreamed several years ago & informed me of it without our having any discourse about dreams. Says that in his dream he was conveyed as it seemed, in ye Air to a Spacious Building, which seemed to be upheld there without any foundation or Stay to hang by & a door opened where he went in, being conveyed into an inner apartment he seen ye Great Creator of all things, sitting an a Glorious Seat & appeared like a Man (as he Immagined like ye King of the White People); he (page 177) discoursed with him & told him ye Indians did not do right in giving such particular Names to Creatures as they had done, & told him that he had Created all things & that he had given Names to all Species which was enough & took him where another Door Opened, & ye Almighty being Called all Species of Creatures One after another with a mighty Sound, & each kind of Creatures appeared & took notice of their name when called, so after shewing him this said, ye General Name was Enough for Each Species; so conveyed ye Indn to ye inner Door as he was going away took leave & awaked. The Indians gives themselves ye Names of many Beasts & Wild Creatures, Vermin, fish & fowls of ye Air, which may be Abomination.
24th.- There is a Company of Shawanas come here, but I hear of no Prisoners coming. I am Informed by E. McCollon that there is a deal of some kind of Ore amongst Rocks & Hills (by a Path) at ye Crossing of a Run, ye Path that leads from ye Indn Town on Loyalhanning Creek, where now Stands Leigonier Ft to an Indn Town on ye other Branch, North Eastward, both being Branches of Kiskeminitus, call'd by ye Indians the Conomugh Creek; some of ye Ore he brot to a Smith that lived at Loyalha who run it into a Bar & told him it was good Steel, but that he shoud not tell any ye White people of it, Else it would soon breed War.
25th.- The above Indn Informs me that abo half ye Shawana Nation went away over ye Missipi (when they retired back down this river) & that now some of them is gone from ye Lower Towns to bring back the other part of that Nation from a Great Distance & they Expect them all Back next Sumr. Likewise he says, that there is a Nation of Indns Settled over ye Missipi below ye Mouth of Ohio, & a great distance back, who talks ye Delaware Tongue, he being informed by Indians ye were amongst 'em, also that about Six Years ago in ye Summer, there fell a Shower of Hailstones at (page 178) ye Lower Shawana Town as big as Walnuts, that broke through ye Roofs of some Cabins, beat down some men & killed one person. Now this fall there died 150 men besids Women, with an Epidemical disorder at ye lower Shawana towns, which ye Old Man is of Oppinoin he sd its Sent from God upon them for they are very Proud.
26th.- The Shawana Man (call'd Wide Mouth) one of which went to ye Treaty at Lancaster, & his famley abot 9 in numr brot in here two Young Women called Susey Voss & _____, taken from ye Back parts Virginia, & two boys thot to be taken from some parts Pennsylva, ye boyes can Only talk Shawana & when ask'd their former Names, one said his Name was Jacob Adam, & ye other said his Name was Nelins Stan, that by this they seem to be of Dutch Extraction, being deliver'd to ye Agent they remain at our House having a private Room to Sleep in & locked up every Night.
27th.- White Eyes come from Hunting low down this River, & One Benjm Sutten, a White Man, being formerly amongst ye Traders. Sutten Relates that White Eyes whilst out a Hunting together & when at Home at his House, causes him to Read his Bible frequently & what part he don't understand he asks Sutten ye meaning of it, will not allow his Children to make any Noise to interrupt, or allow ye other Indians to laugh or dispise it, he would rather then 50 Pounds he could Read he says, & intends to send his son to Philada to be taught;- allows it was God's people Made ye Scriptures.
28th.- There came a Canoe Load of Indians & Peltry from White Eyes last night, who all delt them, at our House; ye House being thong'd before with Indian Customers, & ye Prisoners, So that we have ye whole Trade almost that comes to ye Place notwithstanding Croghan sits at ye Indn Helm & lives close to his Cossen Smallman's Store, of which he has ye Over-
ye quantity that he Gave ye Mingoe Hunters abot a month ago, but ye Commr would not Sign ye order.
13th.- Rain last Night, Keecaise was telling his Cossen Nee McCollon, that at Braddock's Defeat there was not One of ye Delawares & only four Mingoes & three Shawanas, all ye Rest Northrn Indians.- Nor at Grant's Defeat No Delawars but at ye attacks upon Leigonier ye two last there were many Delewars.
14th.- Nee McCollon informs me that up Loyalhaning Creek from ye Fort, ye Indians used to have a Path, which joyned another Leading from Yonghagheny, & Crossed ye Laurel Hill abot Ten Miles from Legonier, South of ye King's Road, by that Path on ye Top of ye Laurel Hill there is Copper Ore which produces Verdigrees to be seen; also that he used to take Skins in a Cannoe up Kiskimmuts & Carry them on their Backs in a Day Cross to ye West Branch Susquehana, being abot 16 Miles distance & fine Level Land, from thence had a Good passage down that Branch, being Two or three Days journey to where it went through ye Alegheny Mountains,- but Good passage through.
15th.- I think we are now too Many for Jno Hart tho he is an Old Trader & seems to have as great influence in drawing ye Indns as any of them, having brot Keecais's Son called ye Gentleman Over ye River & lodged at his house brot his Skins over yet ye Gentleman sent for me when come ashore & ask'd if we would buy them all, which I told him Yes, so we had 110 Skins ye Whole he had.
16th.- Snow'd all Day & is Winter like. Thos Hutchins relates that the Indians up above Lake Huron says One Winter Many Hundrds of them went & lived in Huts made of Rushes, which they Carried a Great Way on ye Ice & fished there cuting holes through ye Ice, but a Sudden Thaw came with much Wind & Rain, so that all of them were Drownd'd before they Could reach ye Land- so they call it Devils Lake.
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