HISTORY: Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, PA, Roland D. Swoope, 1911, Chapter 2

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           TWENTIETH CENTURY HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA
                          AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS

                            BY ROLAND D. SWOOPE, JR.

                  PUBLISHED BY RICHMOND-ARNOLD PUBLISHING CO.
        F. J. Richmond, President C. R. Arnold, Secretary and Treasurer
                                 CHICAGO, ILL.

                                  CHAPTER II.

                               INDIAN OCCUPATION.

HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS  22

The Andastes - Their Conflict with the Iroquois and Partial Destruction - 
Brule's Expedition - His Capture and Escape - The Lenni-Lenapes or Delawares - 
The Monceys - Their Subjection by the Iroquois - The Shawnees and Tuscaroras - 
Retreat of the Indians.

  A great tribe of Indians known as the Andastes occupied the country now called 
western Pennsylvania as early as the sixteenth century. This tribe belonged to 
the Algonquin family and were bitter enemies of the Iroquois, with whom they 
carried on continual war, until only a remnant of the Andastes remained. These 
survivors finally settled near the mouth of the river now known as the 
Susquehanna, and were called Susquehannocks or Conestoga Indians.
  In Champlain's narrative of his voyage of 1618, which is the earliest account 
we have of the West Branch valley, it is recorded that he sent a Frenchman, 
named Etienne Brule, with a small party of Indians to endeavor to secure the 
assistance of the Andastes in his attack on the Iroquois towns. Brule succeeded 
in this design, and marched with a large party of Andastes to join Champlain, 
but was unable to reach him, because prior to his arrival Champlain had been 
forced to retreat. Brule returned with the Andastes to their camp, and spent the 
balance of the year with them. From there he attempted, with guides furnished by 
the Andastes, to reach Quebec, but was captured by the Iroquois. Finally he 
escaped, and after many perils rejoined Champlain.
  After the Andastes left the West Branch valley, it was inhabited by the Lenni-
Lenapes or Delaware tribe, who were also of the Algonquin family. The term 
"Lenni-Lenape" meant "Original People," and they were divided into various 
tribes.
  The Moncey, or Wolf tribe, the most active and warlike of them all, occupied 
the mountainous country between the Blue Mountains and the sources of the 
Susquehanna river.
  After the Iroquois had succeeded in driving out the Andastes, they made war 
upon the Lenni-Lenapes, whom they soon conquered. Terms of peace were made, by 
which the Delawares gave up their lands to the Iroquois, and thereafter held 
them as tenants of that powerful tribe.
  The Shawnee and Tuscarora tribes, by permission of the Iroquois, moved from 
the Carolinas northward and occupied, with the Lenni-Lenape, the country along 
the West Branch valley. These Indians occupied this territory until about 1750, 
when they were driven out by the encroachments of the white men, and moved west 
of the Ohio river.

AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS  23

  There is no reliable data upon which to found a history of any greater length 
than we have given in this brief resume of the territory, which is now 
Clearfield county, at the time it was occupied by the Indians. There are many 
legends and traditions which have been handed down from the time the first white 
men followed the Indian paths through the West Branch Valley; but all of these 
are so intermingled with the Indian history of other sections of the State that 
to properly tell it would require more space than we have at our command.
  Suffice it to say that in this region, as in all others where the white man 
met the red man in the inevitable conflict of the superior against the inferior 
race, the Indians were forced back, and ever backward, toward the setting sun, 
from whence tradition told them they had come. The war-whoop was heard no 
longer, and the last Indian was driven from his beloved hunting grounds along 
the river "Otzinachson."