OHIO STATEWIDE FILES - Know your Ohio: Ohio Shawnee Indians [2] *********************************************************************** OHGENWEB NOTICE: All distribution rights to this electronic data are reserved by the submitter. Reproduction or re-presentation of copyrighted material will require the permission of the copyright owner. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ *********************************************************************** File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Darlene E. Kelley http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00026.html#0006374 February 9, 2002 *********************************************************************** Historical Collections of Ohio Know Your Ohio by Darlene E. Kelley Ohio Shawnee Indians *********************************************************************** Ohio Shawnees -- Part 2 Con't of George Bluejacket's " A Story of the Shawnoes " -- Oct 29,1829. Then our great Chief called all our warriors to a big Council at the Chillicothe Town. Here they made talk to use the war paint till all the bad spirits of our enemies were dead. Black Hoof told us all this. My Father told me, and so told me too that himself he remember these wars along the Big Se-Pe. [ Ohio River ] Then he spoke to me too about the great army of General Clarke [ George Rogers Clark ] and Logan [ Benjamin Logan ]; how the Watch-e-men-e-toc [ evil spirit ] was with the warriors at our Pe-quaw town on Mad River, where many of us where killed and our town burned; how we came to the Big Miami [ Great Miami River ] and built a new Pe-quaw town; how many died in the winter from hungry and cold, though our brothers, the Wyandots, gave us some corn and beans. He told me too how angry our warriors were and how they made war medicine; how they went in the summer to the pale face houses, killed many and took many scalps. How after two summers Clarke come again and burned our towns on the Big Miami; and how all the tribes above the Great Se-pe [ Ohio River ] met in council at Pe-quaw town; how all the war-chiefs struck the war-post and made words that the pale-face people must stay behind [ south and east of ] the Great Se-Pe. My Father Bluejacket, Little Turtle and Tarhe made much talk at council, and for many summers our war bands camped along the Great Se-Pe. Then came the time when an army of Shem-a-ga-ne [soldiers] come over the old salt trail to the Miami towns, but our tribes beat them so they ran home Harmar's Defeat--1790 ]. The next season a great army come back [ west ] of the Big Miami to the Maumee towns, and our warriors killed so many that they only got back home [ St. Clair's Defeat --1791]. My Father show me many scalp from that big battle. My Father told me too that all the tribes how much angry and make all ready to go on war-path over the Great Se-Pe into Kentucky, but Simon Girty tell them another big army coming, so our warriors stay home and wait. They wait one, two seasons, then Tota [ a Frenchman ] tell them big army coming up old trail and camp on Greenville Creek. My Father Chief Bluejacket tell me this; He send runners [scouts] to see this big army and tell him how many. He keep runners all time watch this army, and all tribes wait on Maumee Se-Pe. [ river ]. He send war band to catch White Chief [Anthony Wayne] sleepy, but that army never sleepy, so wait for him come to fort on Maumee where British Chief [ Maj. William Campbell] say they help Indians beat Wayne [ Fort Miamis]. This time Indian get beat and also get no help from army [ Battle of Fallen Timbers-- 1794 ]. My Father Chief Bluejacket told me British Fort army all liars, and next season most all tribes go to big council at Greenville [ Treaty of Greenville ]. Here they make treaty with Wayne, bury tomahawk, and give much land to Shem-a-noes [Americans]. My Father Chief Bluejacket never after dig up tomahawk against Sham-a-noes, but after a few times [years] Tecumseh and his Brother [ The Prophet ] make war medicine with the British Cheif at Detroit and try to make our tribe fight Shem-a-noes [ Americans ] but my Father say no, but other tribes say yes, but get beat by Big White Chief Harrison [ William Henry Harrison ] at Tippecanoe on Wabash Se-Pe. [ Battle of Tippecanoe -- 1811; Tecumseh Sites]. Our tribe then live at Wapaughkonnetta, above treaty line [ Treaty of Greenville Line ], but soon when British want us to make war medicine our Great White Father at Washington [ President James Monroe ] move our trbe back to our old Pe-quaw Town [ Upper Piqua ], where some of Delawares, Wyandots, Ottawas, and Senecas stay peaceful under council of our white Father, John Johnson. This I know myself, for I was a big boy [ 10 years old ] and many time play at post with John Johnson A-pe-to-the [ children ]. Captain John Logan and some more of our tribe were runners for General Harrison, and were all brave men. Sometime after this war [ was ] over we were moved back to Wapaughkonnetta, but our White Father, John Johnson, was still our agent and many time come to talk with our people there. My Father Chief Blue Jacket. Black Hoof and Wi-wei-i-pea were big friends with John Johnson and many times went to his post at Pe-quaw, [ upper Piqua ], and I to sometimes went with them too. For many seasons we live peaceful at Wapaughkonnetta, then when I am young man [ 19 years old --1821] John Johnson take me to post and let me go to school-house on his farm. I live in John Johnson post, and our master [ school teacher ] live there too. Our Master [ James Laird - an Irishman ] much red-head man, and beat everybody with stick, but we soon know how to read, write, and spell like himself. Some boys name Winans, Widney, Russell, McIntire, Bill Johnson go to same school house I do, and get beat too. I like to live at John Johnson, but one, two, three winter, then I go back to Wapaughkonnetta and other boys go back down to school house. Not much go past [ happens ] for some seasons [ years ] then Nath-the-wee-law [ George C. Johnson ] buy trading store of Skip-a-ge-tha [ Nicholas Greenham ] at Wapaughkonnetta and me I sometime make help in store. We make big friends together, and he have me write some all the time. Frank Duchouquet [ Francis Ducheuquet, an early French trader among the Ohio Indian tribes ], George Moffett [ a European-American raised by the Shawnee from childhood ] and John Elliot [ official blacksmith at John Johnson's post ] were big friends with us too, and sometimes we make big hunt all together in the Mis-ke-ko-pe [ swampland ] toward Maumee Se-pe [ River ]. George Moffett's Indian name is Kit-er-hoo; Frank Duchouquet's is So-wah-quo-the, and both belong to our tribe. In the last moon myself, George Moffett, and Nath-the wee-law [ George C. Johnson ] make big deer hunt near the big Kitch-e-ca-me [ Lake Erie ] and brought in 63 skins. Many of us kill a-magh-qua [ beaver], Osh-as-qua [ muskrat ] and ki-ta-te [ otter ] in the cold season. Jan 9, 1830. I have not make much write in book for two moons. Nath-the-wee-law [ George C. Johnson ] and Skip-age-tha [ Nicholas Greenham ] with some head chiefs of our tribe and Wyandots, make big long walk to see our Great White Father at Washington, and tell him about Indians trouble since John Johnson no more Father [ agent ] for our tribes. Our now White Father [ agent ] make much talk about our goods, but no make goods come to Indian. Our tribe get much winter goods from John Johnson anyway, for John Johnson always friend of poor Indian. One time in corn season some many white people come from Piquatown to our New Corn Dance. Nath-the-wee-law [ George C. Johnson ] dance with us a make them people much laugh. We had a good time but some Indians drink much fire-water and fight an other till one two die. Also we make big race and shoot at post but George Moffett too------- [ Here an entire leaf was missing from the diary and the following was written in the Fall of 1830, for they were congregated at St. Mary's in December of that year. ] ----- have come to tell us all Indians must move right away to Girty's Town [ St. Mary's ] to make ready to go to new Indian land on big Ta-was-ko-ta [ prairie ] near Night Lodge of Ke-sath-wa [ Sun ]. Our old people make much sorry [ sorrow for they not wish to leave old home. Nath-the-wee-law [ George C. Johnson ] and John Johnson sorry too, but say Indian must do like the Great White Father at Washington say, for white people must have all land before the Big Se-pe [ East of the Mississippi River ]. Our tribe is no more a great people. Our old chiefs most all gone. Our warriors sit down most like E-qui-wa [ women ]. We take what our White Father gives us. Now we must go to new land. Soon more times we will have to move again. Soon there will be no more Shaw-anoes. Our hearts are full of sorry [sorrow] for all the tribes. But we will listen to the voice of our Mish-eme-ne-toc [ good spirit ] in the great Me-to-quegh-to [forest] and he tells his A-pe-to-the [children] when they are all gone from this Mel-che-a-sis-ke [ poor land or poor earth] he will lead their We-che-a-sis-ke to good land where all place is for Indian; where pale-face never come. Then poor Indian more again be happy. Girty's Town [ St. Mary's Ohio ] June 1831. Nath-the wee-law [ George C. Johnston ] tell me to write more in book. Soon he will go back home to Pe-quawtown. When our White Father [agent] have plenty much Me-she-wa [ horses ] then Indian start on long walk to new home. Our tribe will go down to old Pe-quaw Town at John Johnston post, and sit sometime on the graves of our fathers and make sorry. We will make sorry for as long as we can, and then we will tell good by to John Johnston and Nath-the-wee-law. The we will tell good by to the Me-to-quegh-ke [ forest ] at the Se-pe and leave our home forever. My heart full of sorry-- George Bluejacket. *********************************************** From other authority, we learn that just previous to the Shawnees removal west, and by special invitation of their former agent, Col John Johnson, this tribe did come down in body to their old home at Upper Piqua and remained several days on the site of their old home and burial grounds. Their parting from these old-tme scenes, and especially their final farewell to their kindly old Agent and his family, was very affecting, and was the occasion of much shedding of tears for all participants. Not long after the removal of this tribe to their western reservation, Biuejacket became Chief, according to Major Stephen Johnston. Among the papers, accounts, and manuscripts left by George C. Johnston, were several important documents relating to that period in his life when he conducted a licensed trading post at Wapaughkonnetta and later at St. Mary's. His dealings were confined principally to the Indian tradem especially with the Shawnanoes, for the members of this tribe far outnumbered all the others at these posts just previous to their removal to the west. These tribes had been under the guidence and protection of Col John Johnston, at Upper Piqua for many a year, but a new administration at Washngton had removed him from office and placed them under the control of his successor at Wapaughkonnetta. George C. Johnston had been adopted into this branch of the Shawnanoe tribe, so when they were taken away from Upper Piqua, he soon followed them to their new post above the treaty line. One interesting relic, of this period, with dates running from Nov 8, 1829 to June 1, 1831, is a large number of unpaid notes , in book form, given by different members of the tribe to Johnston for goods, and as they went west so after this date these notes undoubtedly stand for a large loss sustained by this devoted man for his love of the Shawnanoe tribe. *********************************************** Con't in part 3.