Books: Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians
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Elias Johnson >> Legends, Traditions, and Laws of the Iroquois, or Six Nations, and History of the Tuscarora Indians
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(Signed)
W. MEDILL, Commissioner.
Thus the Doctor was put in possession of the sum of _ten thousand
Dollars_, and we hear no more about the two hundred and sixty Indians,
nor of any more trouble about Indian emigration during the remainder of
the year.
The proceedings of Dr. Hogeboom; and other persons interested in removing
the Senecas, necessarily produced great agitation, and a very unsettled
state among those who had no idea of emigrating. The chiefs on the
reservations of Alleghany and Cattaraugus, harassed and perplexed by this
vexatious state of things, at length determined to address the President
on the occasion. This application procured the appointment of the council
which was held at Cattaraugus on June 2d, 1846.
In the spring of 1846 Dr. Hogeboom, hearing that the Government had
called a council of the Senecas, for the express purpose of inquiring
officially whether there was an emigration party among them, and, if
there was one, what its number, made great exertions to push off his
emigrants. Regardless of the positive instructions of the Government, and
without its knowledge, he hastily collected as many of the Indians as he
could bring under his influence, and with them embarked in a steamboat at
Silver Creck, on Lake Eric, near Cattaraugus Reservation.
The circumstances and manner of the embarkation throws much light on the
motives and conduct of this emigrating agent. The subject is graphically
related in a speech of Israel Jemison, as made in a council of 1846, and
addressed to the Commissioners of the United States, as follows, to wit:
"Brothers! The question relative to emigration being disposed of, I will
explain the manner in which this removal of the Indians to the West has
been effected. I believe it was irregularly conducted. Indeed, I may say,
of this I am convinced. The agent who came to execute it was duly
notified, that the Government had called the present council for the
consideration and investigation of this matter. As soon as it was known
that this had been determined on, _great efforts were made to hurry off
the emigrants and induce them to leave before the council would meet_.
I am satisfied that many were decoyed away by various contrivances and
gross misrepresentations on the part of the emigrating agent and his
emissaries. I myself remonstrated against these proceedings, and asked if
it could beproper to inveigle and deceive the Indians in this manner. In
reply I was desired to be silent, to which I rejoined that many of them
whom they had decoyed on board were then drunk, and in a state of
unconsciousness! These remonstrances availed nothing, and the whole were
hurried away. If anyshowed an unwillingness to go they were told they
might return if theychose, should they not like the place when they got
there."
The painful, and indeed the awful result of this inhuman conduct of Dr.
Hogeboom will be seen by reference to the memorial of the Seneca chiefs
to
the President of the United States, invoking the aid of the Government to
bring back the wretched surviving remnant of the poor duped people. It is
as follows:
_To His Excellency, James K. Polk, President of the United States_:
The memorial of the undersigned chiefs and warriors of the Seneca Nation
of Indians, residing in the State of New York, respectfully showeth,
That a party of the Seneca Nation, consisting, as your memorialists have
been informed, of sixty-two persons, together with a portion of the
Cayugas, Onondagas and Oneidas, residing with us, and a party of the
Tuscaroras, residing near Lewiston, in Niagara county, left the State of
New York last spring to settle in the country west of Missouri. That your
memorialists have been credibly informed by letters received from
individuals among them, and by the statements of such as have returned,
that great distress has, from their first arrival there, existed among
them, and does exist without mitigation, in consequence of the
insalubrity of the climate; that twenty persons of the sixty-two Senecas
were already dead some six weeks since, and about the same proportion of
our friends of the other tribes; that many others were sick; that three
of the leading Seneca chiefs, one of the Onondagas, one of the Oneidas,
and a leading man of the Tuscaroras, were dead; that the remnant of the
people, with very few exceptions, were very anxious to return, but were
destitute of the means of doing so; that many of them have sent earnest
requests to us for assistance to enable them to do so; but that only a
few families among us are able to furnish efficient relief to their
suffering friends. In view of all these facts, we would respectfully
request the Vice President to furnish the necessary assistance to bring
back the remnant of the party to their former homes, and to arrange for
the payment of the annuities belonging to them, so that in future they
may receive them here. Although they went out from us against our earnest
remonstrance and entreaty, and some of them mocking our expressions of
concern for them as we stood around the boat when they were going on
board, still we shall rejoice to have them home again amongst us, for
they are our brethren and their sufferings grieve us to the heart.
Thirteen of the Senecas have already returned, and three others, we have
heard, are on the way. This makes the condition of those unable to return
the more lonely and wretched. We hope the President will not say it was
their own fault that they went there, for even if they were to be blamed
for doing so, they had already suffered a fearful punishment. But we
think that if the President were acquainted with the circumstances he
would pity rather than blame them for going. Notice had been repeatedly
given from the War Department that unless a company of two hundred and
fifty emigrants could be organized, none would be removed. Such a company
having failed to be organized in the fall of 1845, we were told that the
Department had required the removing agent to refund the money he had
received for the purpose of removing them. In the spring of the present
year certain men were running from house to house among our people saying
that the agent still held the money in his hands, and would remove all
who wished to go, upon the opening of navigation. Directly after, notice
was received from the Government that commissionerswere appointed, and
that a Council would be held on a specified day to ascertain if the
requisite number wished to emigrate. When this became known it was
immediately reported that the removing agent (Dr. Hogeboom) had already
contracted for their passage--that the steamboat would take them in at
Cattarangus Creek on a certain day, and it was not necessary for them to
wait for the action of the Government. The agent soon after appeared,
accompanied by two individuals from Buffalo, who, as we were afterward
credibly informed, instigated him to practice this fraud upon the
Government, and endeavored, by representing the country west as a
paradise, to induce a large company to go on board their boat. Some of
our friends, who had not disposed of their effects, were told not to mind
their stuff, for the country to which they were going was so rich, and
they would prosper there so rapidly that they would never feel the loss
of it, and one family were hurried away from their table, leaving
everything upon it just as it was when they arose from their dinner. We
have reason to believe that the whole company, except a few leaders, most
of whom are now dead, were deluded by these flattering but fate
representations of those white men, and inasmuch as the removing Agent
appeared on the ground, with the money in his hand, these simple people
were made to discredit the orders received from the department, relative
to the council of the 2d of June. Justice would indeed seem to require
that these white men should repair the injury they have done to us, and
not to us alone, but also to the government.
But we have no power to compel them. Our only resource is to appeal to
the government in behalf of our afflicted and desponding brethren, who
are perishing under the accumulated pressure of disappointed expectations
--grief for the dead and the heavy hand of disease upon their own persons.
We trust our appeal will not be disregarded. We think it is the dictate
of humanity, and we confidently believe that the voice of the whole
country would approve the course of the President if he would grant the
needed relief. We would beg leave further to request the President to
make known to us through our friend Philip E. Thomas, of Baltimore, who
will present our memorial, the decision he may make in regard to it.
And your memorialists, as in duty bound, will ever pray, &c.
Cattaraugus Reservation, Dec. 16, 1846.
(Signed)
James X Shongo, Moses Stephenson, N. T. Strong, William X Jones, Robert X
Gordon, Zachariah X L. Jimison, Daniel Two Guns, Samuel X Wilson, William
X Johnson, John X Bolden, Benjamin Williams, George Lindsay, John
Kennedy, Jr., George Greenblanket, David X Snow, John Huson, Solomon W.
Lane, Jim X Junius, Henry Two Guns, Little X John, John Talor, John X
Luke, Governor X Blacksnake, Israel X Jimison, William X Patterson, John
X Greenblanket, S. M. Patterson, Moses X Pierce, James X Stephenson,
Abraham X John, Jabez X Stephenson, Peter X White, Charles Graybeard.
In reply to this memorial, the following answer was received from the
Indian Bureau at Washington:
WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, Feb. 23rd, 1847.
SIR:--The application for the removal of the Seneca Indians back to New
York who emigrated West from there last summer has been duly considered.
With every disposition to gratify the wishes of the Society of Friends,
and of the New York Indians, so far as it could properly be done, I have
to inform you that the Executive Department of the Government has neither
the authority nor the means to justify a compliance with their desire. In
this particular Congress only could authorize the measure and provide the
requisite means for the expense it would invalue.
Respectfully your ob't servant, W. MEDILL.
To PHILIP E. THOMAS, Esq., Baltimore, Md.
When the chiefs were made acquainted with the result of this application,
they addressed the following communication to the joint committee of
Friends:
CATTARAUGUS RESERVATION, March 22nd, 1847.
RESPECTED FRIEND, PHILIP E. THOMAS:--Permit us to address you a few
lines, and, through you, the committee of the four-yearly meetings of the
Society of Friends, in reference to the condition of our suffering
friends and brethren still remaining in the country west of the
Mississippi. We suppose the committee are already thoroughly acquainted
with the means used to decoy those Indians off, in contravention of the
instructions of the Government to the removing agent. They were flattered
with prospects of almost unbounded prosperity. The country was described
as a paradise; and they were told that there friends here, who might now
refuse to accompany them, would soon be compelled to follow, and that it
would be better to go now and get well started in their improvements,
&c., as soon as possible. But, when they reached that country, instead of
being a paradise, they found it rather a land of desolation, disease and
death, and a large proportion of them are now lying beneath the turf. The
survivors are discouraged and broken-hearted, in addition to the
sufferings from the disease which has swept off their companions, and
they are anxious to return. Application has been made to the Government
in their behalf, without obtaining relief, and, from a recent letter from
Dr. Wilson, we learn that a similar application to the Legislature of
this State is likely to fail. We cannot make any appropriation from our
national funds until the meeting of our national council, as a law has
been passed which would forbid it, but if we delay till that meeting it
will expose our friends to the horrors of the sickly season once more,
and doubtless many more of them will perish in consequence. Under these
circumstances we see no other resource but to look again to those kind-
hearted friends who have done somuch already to relieve us in our
distresses. Our obligations are already very great, and we cherish deep
feelings of gratitude for past favors. We would not willingly burden your
kindness now were it not for the peculiarly difficult and perplexing
condition of things just at the present time. But we feel that humanity
towards our own people demands of us to make this application in their
behalf, as well as of ourselves, for we will always cherish a lively
remembrance of your kindness.
Wishing you the reward of the benevolent in the great day, we subscribe
ourselves your obliged and sincere friends,
In presence of Asher Wright,
HENRY TWO GUNS,
WILLIAM KROUSE,
GEORGE X BUTTON,
JOHN X GREENBLANKET,
ABRAHAM X JOHN,
JAMES SPRING,
DANIEL TWO GUNS.
Notwithstanding the fact that these Indians were carried away without the
knowledge or sanction of the Government, and consequently without the
requisite preparation for their comfort and subsistence in the western
country, yet the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, as soon as he was
apprised of the movements of Dr. Hogeboom, anxious to afford them all the
relief in his power, promptly ordered arrangements for their reception at
the place of their destination, as will be seen by the following
documents in the War Department, to wit:
WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS, June 10th, 1846.
SIR:--Information has been receently received at this office that A.
Hogeboom had started for St. Louis with a party of New York Indians, in
number about two hundred. This act of starting with a less number than
two hundred and fifty, in connection with the recent action of this
office, looking to a suspension of the emigration for a time, was wholly
unauthorized, and of course unexpected, but as the party are without the
reach of the Department, measures must be taken to subsist them. I have
therefore to request that you will give directions to the Osage sub-agent
to invite proposals as contemplated in my instructions to you of the 14th
November, 1845, to which you are referred.
Respectfully, &c.,
W. MEDILL.
To T. W. HARVEY, Esq., Supt. Indian Affairs, St. Louis, Mo.
Notwithstanding this humane effort on the part of the Commissioner to
make provision for the reception and accommodation of these emigrants, it
appears that from the hardships and exposures to which they were
subjected, and from the unwholesome nature of the climate one-third of
them perished within six months after their arrival at their intended
residence. When their distressed situation was made known to the
Department, the Commissioner immediately addressed a letter to the Indian
Agent at St. Louis, calling his attention to their case, from which the
following is extracted:
WAR DEPARTMENT, OFFICE INDIAN AFFAIRS. October, 29, 1846.
SIR:--I transmit herewith a copy of a letter just received from James
Cusick, one of the party of the New York Indians removed west last summer
by Dr. Hogeboom, from which it appears that there has been much sickness
and mortality among those Indians, and that they are in a distressed
situation. Mr. Cusick's letter, supported by Capt. Burbanks, is
calculated to excite much anxiety on account of these Indians. They were
removed contrary to the instructions and expectations of the Department
at the time, and their having gone west was not known until they were
some distance on the route. There was, consequently, no opportunity for
making the requisite preliminary arrangement for their comfort and
welfare on their arrival west. After giving you the instructions of June
10th for their subsistance, such had to be left to the judgment and views
of duty, under these circumstances, of yourself and the Osage Sub. Agent,
under whose immediate supervision they came, in regard to what further
required to be done for them. In my letter of the 30th ultimo your
attention was especially called to their situation, and no doubt is
entertained, that your answers to that communication will show you have
done, or caused to be done, all that could be done, under the
circumstances, for their relief. Should the amount now remitted not be
sufficient to cover the expenses of what you have already done, or what
it may be, in your judgment, further requisite to do for them in addition
to their subsistance, for which there is a special appropriation, you
will please report promptly accordingly, and the necessary funds will be
furnished. Funds will also be remitted on account of their subsistance
when this office is informed that they are needed.
Respectfully,
W. MEDILL.
THOMAS H. HARVEY, Esq., St. Louis, Mo.
MISSIONARY WORK.
A RECORD OF THE CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH IN THE TUSCARORA RESERVATION
OBTAINED BY INQUIRY.
The church in the Tuscarora Reservation was organized in the year 1805,
embracing six members only, under the care of the New York Missionary
Society.
Rev. Elkanah Holmes, first missionary, from 1805 to 1808.
Members of the Church--Sacarissa, a Sachem, and his wife; Nicholas
Cusick, an interpreter, and his wife; Apollas Jacobs and Mary Pempleton.
Rev. Mr. Gray, second missionary, from 1808 to 1813. At first the Indians
converted their Council House into one for public worship, and also for
school operations, and in time they built a convenient chapel, which was
painted red, and was destined to share the same fate as their dwelling
houses at the hands of the British Indians in the war of 1812.
It was on December 20th, 1813, when they were burned to the ground, in
consequence of which the operations of the mission were suspended from
1813 to 1817, when Rev. James C. Crane took charge of the mission until
the end of the year 1826.
In the year 1821 this mission was transferred from the New York
Missionary Society to the United Foreign Mission Society.
Rev. Joseph B. Lane, the fourth missionary, took charge of the mission
from January 3, 1827, to June 8, 1827.
Rev. John Elliot, the fifth missionary, also labored among these Indians
from June 22, 1827, to May 7, 1833, when he left the mission by his own
request, being dismissed from the service of the American Board of
Commissioners for Foreign Missions, to which this mission was transferred
from the United Foreign Mission Society in the year 1826. Rev. Joel Wood
also labored in this mission from October 15, 1833, to October, 1834.
Rev. William Williams also labored among them from October 26, 1834, to
August 29, 1837.
Mr. Gilbert Rockwood, arrived and took charge of the station as teacher
and overseer of the affairs of the church, and was afterwards ordained to
the ministry.
Before he was ordained he would summon to his aid in the discipline and
ordinances of the Church, at different times, Brother Asher Wright, and
Mr. Bliss, of Cattaraugus Reservation, and Rev. J. Elliott, of Youngstown.
Ordained at Tuscarora Mission, July 3rd, 1839, Rev. Gilbert Rockwood as a
missionary of the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions,
to labor among the Tuscarora Indians. Invocation and reading of the
Scriptures were performed by Rev. Lemuel Clark, of Lewiston; first prayer
by Rev. John Elliott, of Youngstown, and former missionary at Tuscarora;
sermon by Rev. E. Parmely, of Jamestown, consecrating prayer by the Rev.
Asher Wright, of the Seneca mission; charge by Rev. Asher Bliss, of
Cattaraugus mission; right hand of fellowship by Rev. A. Wright; address
to the Church and people by Rev. John Elliott; concluding prayer by Rev.
Elisha B. Sherrod, of Wilson; benediction by Rev. Gilbert Rockwood.
The exercises were listened to by an attentive audience of Indians, who
probably never witnessed anything of the kind before. The ceremonies were
solemn and interesting to the people to the very close, although
considerably protracted by passing through an interpreter.
What added to the Interest of the occasion was the ordination of three
_native_ members as Deacons of the Church, at the close of the
ordination. The Church has received a refreshing from on high during the
last winter, which has added a number of members, and is still in a
peaceful and prosperous condition.
Rev. G. Rockwood was a faithful missionary; he went in and out among the
Indians, visited in their homes, and talked with them in their inroads,
and was a great advocate in the cause of Temperance. He was a powerful
preacher, and at times had great revivals: for instance, in the year
1852, when I was first awakened to concern for my soul's welfare. It was
then my soul was first filled with rejoicing in my newly found Saviour;
it was then I first poured out my soul in fervent prayer.
On the 7th day of March, 1852, was held a communion season, and on that
memorable day forty converts were admitted to the full communion of the
Church. Old men of seventy winters and youths of fourteen bowed down
together to receive the ordinance of baptism, of whom I was one of the
number, at the age of fifteen. It was a scene that angels might rejoice
to behold. The whole number admitted to the Church that winter were fifty
converts.
Rev. G. Rockwood finished his work among the Tuscarora Indians on the
first day of January, 1861. Thus it is claimed that Rev. G. Rockwood
spent the longest term of ministerial service at one installation in
Niagara county but one, which was Rev. W. C. Wisner of the First
Presbyterian church, Lockport, N.Y.
The American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions, when they
withdrew Rev. Rockwood from this mission, also withdrew their supplies,
when the Tuscaroras were thrown upon their own resources. In October
following the church appointed as delegates Mr. John Mt. Pleasant, a
Sachem; Dea. Samuel Jacobs and Elias Johnson, interpreter, to attend a
meeting of the Niagara Presbytery at Yates, to make an application that
this mission might come under the care of that body, which was granted
them on October 29, 1861. The Presbytery appointed as Committee on
Supplies, Rev. Joshua Cook, of Lewiston, and H. E. Niles. In January,
1862, Rev. Charles A. Keeler was sent to take charge of the mission, who
labored among them until 1863, after which the preaching was supplied by
some of the members of the church, and more particularly by Dea. S.
Jacobs.
Rev. George Ford supplied the Church with preaching every fourth Sabbath,
and was succeeded by Rev. Wm. Hall, and he by Rev. W. P. Barker, who
began his labors among us in Oct., 1877, and was formerly a missionary in
India.
A letter by James Cusick, concerning the Baptist mission at Tuscarora, to
wit:
"In 1836, a portion of the Tuscarora Nation thought it expedient to
become Baptists, according to the dictates of their own conscience and
free enjoyment of their religion in this Republican government.
Consequently a Baptist church was built and organized among the
Tuscaroras, and they were called in council with several Baptist churches
in this county. In 1838 they were admitted into the Niagara Baptist
Association at Shalby.
"In a ministerial council June 14th, 1838, Mr. James Cusick was examined
touching his Christian experience, and called to preach the Gospel by
Providence and the council. They decided on that question, and gave him
ordination as a native preacher, deciding that he was well qualified by a
knowledge of theology; and now he has labored among several tribes of the
Six Nations."
The first Baptist Church at Tuscarora was broken up in the spring of
1846, on account of an emigration to the Indian Territory, under the
influence of Rev. James Cusick, the party being composed mostly of the
members of that Church, which caused its overthrow. The next year, after
about one-third of the emigration party had died in the Indian Territory,
the remainder came home among the Tuscaroras, but Rev. Mr. Cusick removed
into Canada and labored among the Six Nations at Grand river.
In the year 1860 Rev. James Cusick began his labors again among the
Tuscaroras, in the town of Lewiston, having been invited here by James
Johnson, with the view of reorganizing the former Baptist Church.
On the fifteenth day of February, 1860, there was held a deliberative
meeting at the house of James Johnson, Rev. James Cusick acting as
moderator. There were present, William Green, of Grand River; James
Johnson, Isaac N. Jack, Isaac Patterson, Joseph Williams, Adam Williams,
Sr.
The church was organized on March 21, 1860, at the house of James
Johnson, Rev. James Cusick, Moderator, and Isaac N. Jack, Clerk.
A council of delegates from Wilson and Ransomville was invited by the
reorganized Baptist church to meet on the 26th day of April, 1860, for
recognition, which duly met, Rev. William Sawyer, Chairman: James
Bullock, Clerk. Introductory prayer by Rev. L. C. Pattengill: hand of
fellowship by Rev. Wm. Sawyer; address by Rev. L. C. Pattengill,
including prayer and benediction by Rev. Wm. Sawyer. The following
delegates were present, to-wit:
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