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.
24 Turkeys & 24 Squirrels, by report they Hold this feast Yearly but Last Year had mist so this year they provided Double ye Quantity of Provission, ye Yearly alowance being but 12 of a Sort, & ye manner of performing it is. They Choose 6 Men head Councilors & 6 Young Men 12 in Numr which bring 12 Stones & make them red Hot in a fire, on which Stones they Burn ye fat of ye Creaturs, in this manner, they bring 12 poles or long rods with Which they make a Booth cover'd with Blankets, in this Boothe they have ye Hot Stones & burn ye fat in it where thy Swet, & at ye same time Spake out to ye People, in ye following manner: Hear all of you & take Good Notice that in this manner Your Grandfather's perform'd their Worship, ye others give ye Approbation, so ye Old Men in ye Booth make a huming Noise as by way of adoration or Prayer, & the Whole is finished with Singing & Dancing.
14th.- I have been down to Ligonier & back to Clappums at ye mouth of Sweekly Creek & have taken ye Courses (& Esteem ye Distances, at 20 ps at a time) all round.
24th.- Dealt with Keecaises Son call'd ye Gentleman above 41. Worth (before Breakfast this Morning) in Peltry.
25th.- Some people here applying to Frederick Post to Marry them, he advised them to perform it as they do by a Magistrate and applyed to me to write a marriage Certificate which I did, as also an Advertismt to stand 30 Days before y Marriage be performed. The young man being a Soldier did not like being advertised, but being ye Commandrs Waiting man ye Commandr oblig'd him to it, so ye Advertisemts are put up in three sundry places, which makes ye people here Stair, in being so Strange a thing here.
27th.- This morning soon came over ye Allegheny Custologas' Brother & Son James Mocasin ye Tortles Heart & another Indn from Shenangoe. I went to ye (page 198) Shore to meet them & invited 'em to our House to Deal, so most of them came; we Delt about 80 Pounds worth before Dinner; they were in an unusual hurry, bot a Good deal of Powdr & Lead & want'd more Powdr but we had it not well to Spair; they seemed in no bad humour but rather in fear & haste, ye Tortle's Heart did not cross ye river wth ye rest but went to Allexr McKee & asked him when he tho't to go down in ye Country, McKee answer'd in Ten Days; ye Indian desired he would go that Day or in four Days at furthest or else he should not expect to see him alive more & Signified as if ye Indians was just ready to Strike us.
28th.- The Commandr set ye Men repair ye Fort & fasten up fachiens to Screen ye Men; orders was issued to all ye Inhabitants to form them into a Militia ye next Day.
29th.- This Morning before I was up, Capt Trent called at my window & told me that Wm Clappum (who had been ye Collonel) & most of his Work people was Killed, two men having made their escape, one of which I seen at our House after, who informed us that ye Agent's Horse was Stole by ye Indians, that I left at Clappums abot two Weeks before.
This morning at Breakfast I acquainted ye Agent that if he would get ready ye Inventory of ye Goods (which wanted but a few Hours work to compleat it), I would be for Setting off, as I expected to have been ready & Gone before that time, but he signified I might as well Stay over untill I seen ye Consequence of ye reports of ye Indians & whether they would come to attack ye Fort or not. As he delayed finishing it for ye Matter of two Weeks, having no hinderance, I Expected he would detain me untill ye Communication would be cut off with ye Inhabitants & then I must tarry untill Winter perhaps, which I did not choose, having ye Commissioners Leave above a Month before to come Down. I Considered it Silently & ye determination (page 199) was to go to ye Commandr & ask him for a Pass, which I did & he Granted & Wrote a few Lines with me to ye Serjint that was at Ft Burd at Redstone, desireing him to come with his two men in a Canoe down to Pittsburgh. Ye Agent seemed in a Passion at my Going off so, & Signified I looked upon myself as my own Master, & that I must not Expect to return there again while he was Agent, I told him I did not intend it, & upon asking him how long he wanted me to waite for ye Inventory, he signified he would not tell me nor I should not Stay now if I would, being I presumed to go on my own Accord, now Goe I must for this Boston Man from ye Beginning I thot wanted an Assistant of his own Choosing whom he might claim more domminion over then he could over me, as I was choose by ye Commissioners. He Acknowledged we never had no differances, so I told him not to be in a Passion as I had no Intention of affronting him, so I tooke my leave of him & having bot a little Pack horse for Seven Pounds I set off. Frederick Post accompany'd me over ye Monongahela & I tooke a long Path to Redstone Creek, make a fire & Slept in ye woods; was very well Satisfied in mind.
30th.- This Day came to ye River opposite ye Fort Burd, where Indn Peter and a White man was working at Corn; ye White man put me over in a Cannoe, Swam ye Creature. I informed them of ye Indians breaking out agin which put them in Great fear; got Breakfast at Indian Peter's House & they talked that he & his family would come down in ye Contry amongst his Wifes relations, being a White Woman. Set off & met ye Serjent & Jno Clark who had abot 40 Pack Horses then lying at Gest's place with Indn Goods, which he sent a Man out for, & they talked of Geting into ye Fort having abot 14 Men in all about ye place. Lay in ye Woods between Dunbars Camp & ye Great Meadows.
31st.- Came to ye Upper crossing of Youhiogheny (page 200) where there is three familys living, Virginians, I lodged at a House of Capt Spears, his Brother being there, two of his Children & a Negro; a Man that lived on ye West side of ye Creek set off Directly to Paterson's Creek to get Speer to Send up Horses to Carry them away. Two Women & some Children being by themselves on that side ye Creek Stayed there & one of them Loaded a Gun I heard to stand in her defence if ye Indians Should come.
6mo 1st.- Came this Day to George's Creek on ye East Side ye Allegheny Mountains. I seen an Indian run across through ye Alders & Thickets a Head of us, (having an old Man with me from ye Crossing) or Else some Bay or brown Creature must have deceived me much, as what I seen appears Straight in ye Shape a Man & not over 10 or 12 Yards off. This night it was so Cold at ye House by George's Creek we thot there was frost.
2nd.- Came only 12 Miles to Fort Cumberland, my little Beast having given out, so that I walked a Great part ye Road. I swaped it for a large Strong Horse, but not in very good order with one Martin, a Carpenter, who was undertaking of Building ye New Store House & repairing ye Old. I Drew a Bill on ye Commissioners for 14.13.0. I was to Give to Boot, he sold ye Horse for a year.
3rd.- Came as far as Flints on Potomak abot 12 Miles above Fort Frederick, civil people.
4th.- Dined at Ft Frederick & came as far as where Mushet Lived on Canochochique.
5th.- Dined at Shippinstown & lodged at McAllesters, within 5 Miles of Carslile.
6th.- Called at Francis Wests, at Carlisle, but made but little Stay, came to James Kenny's near Croghan's Gap & sent Mathew Kenny with a few Lines to my Brother Charles & Wm Bales people, who were at work over at ye Tuscorora Creek.
7th.- This Evening Mathew return'd & brings Word (page 201) that they would come off tomorrow so I wait their coming, as they will be company for me to Chester County I expect.
8th.- Charles & Wm Bale Junr came over & agreed to go back and bring their things away.
9th.- I set off & get to Scotts near Lancaster. Lodged there this night.
10th.- Came into Lancaster, had Breckfast & so proceed'd, came to Wm Bales in ye Great Valley, stay'd two Days as it rain'd.
13th.- Came to Kennet where my Mother Lived who was exceeding glad to see me.
15th.- Got to Philada. Davenport having Wrote by ye Second Express that came from Pittsburgh to ye Commissioners, endeavour'd to throw Aspersions on me for comeing away without his Honours Approbation, & forbid them Settleing my Account untill his pleasure was further known Concerning it. Here I must ly out of my Money, for that Proud Man's revengeful pleasure. It often comes in my mind ye saying of George Croghan, to Frederick Post, after ye last Treaty at Lancaster (Croghan Shew'd his resentment so to our Province Interfering with Indian affairs), he said, ye dammage the Province had done by that Treaty would not be repaired this Seven Years. Now I question wt dammage has ever been known to arise from a friendly Conference with ye Indians, by a people they always profess to regard, & such a people to make them presents of some considerable Value, are these things cause of Agrivations to Indians, I think not, so that ye Agrivation was to him, & his Influence may cause disturbance this Seven Years, for his power was much felt; ye General allowing him to make no presents to ye Indians since ye Province had granted a Sum for that purpose, & it was said that ye General had refused to pass some of his Accounts for Gifts given ye Indians.
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