Glenn

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.

 

Memorandum On Six Nations
and Other Confederacies

(November 18, 1763)


In: The Papers of Sir William
Johnson, vol. IV (Albany,
NY, 1925), pp. 240-246.

pp.

 

240, 241, 242, 243,

 

 

244, 245, 246.

(page 240)

of army posts in their country, and the advisability of employing them in the ensuing campaign, advocating the establishment of a strict boundary line between settlers and Indians, submitting a plan for the government of his three departments- the Ohio, Canada and the Six Nations, showing the need of interpreters and disinterested resident missionaries, and advising a policy marked by liberality and military vigor (printed in Doc. rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y. 7:572-81).

MEMORANDUM ON SIX NATIONS AND OTHER CONFEDERACIES

D.1

[November 18, 1763]

Northern
State of the [Sevl Indian Nations] []
Ottawa Confederacies [& with those of] []
containing [] Scituation [
Remarks] of each Nation first [] [Claims
as proprietaries, or in right of Conquest] []
referred to in the Letter herewith transmitted by Sir Wm Johnson
Bart [to the] honble the Lds of Trade &c.

 

Six Nation Confederacy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Names

 

Habitations &c

Number
Fighting []

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Mohocks.

{

Two Villages on the Mohock River & a few Emigrants at Scohare 16m distant

160

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Oneidas.

{

Two Villages, one 25m from the Head of the Mohockk, the other 12 West of Oneida lake with Emigrants in sevl places towards the Susquehanna River &c

250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(page 241)

 

 

 

 

 

Tuscaroras.

{

Origly A Southern people incorporated many years ago with the 6 Nats have one Village, 6 miles from the first Oneidas, & sevl others about the Susquehanna

140

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Onondagas.

{

One large Village near the Lake of their name, which is the place of Congress for the Confederates, & a smaller a few miles distant

150

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cayugas

{

One large Village near the Lake of their Name, with sevl others from thence to the Susquehanna

200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Senecas

{

[Seneca proper] have 2 Villages, the fort about 50 miles West of Cayuga with others thence to Chenussio their largest Settlement, 70 miles from Niagara, & a few Villages from thence to the Ohio

1050

 

 

 

 

 

_____

 

 

 

 

Total

1950

 

(page 242)

 

Freinds
Oswegatchys.

{

Emigrants chiefly from the Onondagas settled at La Gallette on the River St. Lawrence

80

 

 

 

 

 

_____
2030

 

 

Freinds
Nanticokes, Conoys, Tuteloes &Saponeys &c

{

A people removed from the Southward now settled on & about the Susquehanna by appointment of the 6 Nations

200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Indians of Canada In alliance with the 6 Nations

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Freinds Caghnawagas,

{

Emigrants from the Mohocks settled at Sault St Louis near Montreal in a large Village with a few at Aghquissasne below LaGallette

300

 

 

 

 

Total

_____
2320

 

 

 

[Canasad]agas

 

Near the mouth of the Ott[awa] at Lac de du Montagnes 3 Villages

[]

 

 

Arundacks, Algonkins,
Iroquois, or 6 Nations
called Canasadagas

 

 

[]

 

 

Abenaquis

 

Lived at St Francis which having been cut off, they have since scattered originally from N England

[]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(page 243)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wanats or Hurons-

 

live near Quebec & are a very Civilized

40

 

 

Indians of Tete de Poule
     called

 

 

 

 

 

Korkagoghroonok

 

Wandering Indians No. uncer[tain]

 

 

 

Skoghquanoghroonas

 

At the three Rivers

40

 

 

 

 

 

_____
630

 

 

 

 

 

Indians of Ohio & its Dependencies

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Delawares

{

Subdued by the 6 Nations & residing on land alloted by them for their use- From the River Delaware, Westward & Northward to Lake Erie in sevl Villages on the Susquehanna, & the Muskingam & other branches of Ohio, as also the Waters emptying into L. Erie

600

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shawanese

{

Subdued also by the 6 Nations- Removed from their former residence on the Ohio, to the River Sioto, & other branches

300

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wiandots & Mohiccons

 

{

Have 4 Villages in the Neighborhood, of the Fort at Sandosky Lake which emptys into Lake Erie

200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Western Nations[
Composed of several Nations[
is about the peninsula between Lakes[
& the Country North of Lakes Erie and Ontario [ ] River

]
]
]

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Names of each

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Situation of these near the Posts-

[]

 

 

(page 244)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wiandots, or Hurons

{

opposite to Detroit & the Seat of a Jesuit Mission, their language bears affinity with that of the Mohock, they have much influence over the rest of the Confederacy

250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Powtewatamis

{

have a Village about a Mile below the Detroit which on the commencement of hostilities they abandoned, as did several others

150

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chipeweighs

{

Reside near a River which emptys about the Detroit- they are part of a numerous Nation of that Name

320

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ottawas

 

Residing near Lake StClaire

300

 

 

 

In the Neighborhood of Michilimachinac

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ottawas

 

These reside in different Villages

250

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Chipeweighs

 

In different Villages

400

 

 

 

 

There are also sevl other Scattered Villages in that Neighborhood

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In the Neighborhood of Fort St Joseph

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Powtewatamis

 

A little below the Fort

200

 

 

Ottawas

 

At a Small distance

150

 

 

 

In the Neighborhood of LaBaye on Lake Michigan

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Menomeneys
Folsavoins
Puans
Sakis
Foxes

}

In alliance with the Ottawas but out of the Six Nation claims

110
110
360
300
320

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____
3220

 

(page 245)

 

The Miamis. . . or Twigtwees once a powerfull Nation

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Near the Miamis Fort of the Miamis or Twigtwees Confederacy

230

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[

 

]ghta near the [

]

 

 

[] are the
[Kicka]pous
Mascoutens
Piankashaws
Wawiaghtono's

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

All these are of the Miamis
or Twigtwee Confederacy

[180]

 

 

 

 

residing on Lands allotted
by the 6 Nations & have been

[90]

 

 

 

 

used to attend Conferences at
Ft Pitt with the Shawanese &

10[0]

 

 

 

 

Delawares

200

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Total

_____
77[]

 

 

 

The Sioux the most powerfull Nation of the North live to the Westward of LaBaye, Extend to, & over the Mississipi, we have had little or no Correspondence with them as Yet, & they are variously computed, but by the best accounts they Exceed 10000 Men . . .

 

 

 

 

The Illinois have not [been] as yet had any intercourse with us, & their posts in that Country are not as yet taken possession of, they may be 2000

 

 

 

 

Beside the foregoing Numbers of the Western, or Ottawa Confederacy there are a number of Villages principally of Ottawas [Mohocks] & Chipeweighs settled About the Lake Huron, & Erie & Ontario, who have no fixed residence but employ themselves chiefly in hunting and [who] at the most reasonable Computation must make

}

4000

 

(page 246)

 

Strength of each Confederacy

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Names

[]

 

 

Six Nations including Oswegatchy

[]

 

 

Nanticokes &c [Delawares of Susquehanna imediately]
Dependant on the 6 Nations

[]

 

 

Canada confederacy

[]

 

 

Ohio

9[]

 

 

Wiandott & Mohiccons

20[]

 

 

Western or Ottawa Confederacy
residing in the Neighbourhood of the outposts

3620

 

 

Twightwee Confederacy in alliance with the former

770

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

_____
8150

 

 

 

Six Natn Oswegatchys, Inds of Canada, of Ohio, Mohiccons &c near Sandosky

3960

 

 

Ottawa, & Twightwee confederacys including 4000:
Rambling Inds

8020

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

______
11980

 

 

EDWARD COLE TO HENRY VANSCHAACK

A. L. S.

Detroit Novr 19th, 1763

I receivd thy letter [] and the Eighteenth day, Vulgarly called Sat[] with that inclosed to thy better part [] whitch thou knowest must give pleasure, [] at a Distance will raise Desires, thou well know [] that nothing but a Close embrace will Satisfie My friend I would advise the, to leave for a while they Domestick pushes in the Spring, as Dou[] then thou wilt be week and feable, as the Saying is between hay and grass, and push they goods up to me that I may be enabled to make the strong, but by my Zeu[s] I hate Quaquevisme, So no more.
________________________

1 Printed in Doc. Rel. to Col. Hist. N. Y., 7:582-84, with considerable variations.


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