The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1870-02-19


between the Indians and the United States,
oornplanter retired from public lite and de-
voted his labors to his own people. He
deplofed tbe evils of intemperance, and ex-
efted himself to suppress it. The benevo,
lent efforts of missionaries among his tribe
always received his encouragement, and at
one time his own heart seemed to be soften.
ed by the words of truth /; yet he preserved,
in his latter years, many of the peculiar
notions of the Indian faith
in the war of 18l2-l4, when the Sene.
cas- took up the hatchet in alliance with the
United States. Cornplanter appears to have
taken no active part but his son, Major
Henry O'Bail, and his intimate friend and
neighbor Halftown, were conspicuous in
several engagements on the Niagra frontier.
Rev Timothy Alden, then president of
Allegheny College, who visited Cornpan
ter in 1916, thus describes the chief and
his village:
"Jcnnescdaga, Cornplanter's village, is
on hansome piece of bottom land and
comprises about dozen buildings. 1t was
grateful to notice the agricultural habits OF
the place, and numerous enclosures Of buck
wheat, corn and oats. We also saw a mum.
Der of oxen, Cows and horses; and many
logs designed for the saw mill and the Pitts
burg market. Last year, 1915, the Wcs.
tern Missionary Society established school
in the village, under Mr. Samuel Oldham.
Cornplanter, as soon az appriscd of our az
rival, came over to see us, aud took charge
of our horses. Though having many around
him to obey his commands, yet, il TIE an
cient patriarchal style, he chose to serve us
himself, and he actually went into the
field, cut oats, and fed our horses. he ap.
pears to be about G8 years Of age, and 5
teet 10 inches in height His countinance
is strongly marked with intelligence and
reflection Contrary to the aboriginal Gus.
tom, bis chin is covered with beard three
or four inches in length, His house is of
princely dimensions compared with most
Indian huts, and has piazza in front. He
is owner of 1900 acres Of excellent land,
500 OF which encircle the ground plot of
his little town. He received an annual sti
pend from the United States of $3.50
Cornplanters brother, lately deceased, cal
led the prophet, was known by the high
sounding name GoshHhe1conno Konnedicu,
or Large BcdutitW Lake. Kinjuquade,
the name of another chief, signi6od the
place Of NJ .ny fshcS ;-hencc paobah(y the
name of Kipjua."
In 1S2l-22 the commissioners of War.
ren co. assumed the right to tax the pri.
vate property OF Cornplanter, and proceed
cd TO enforce its collestion. The old Chief
resisted it, conceiving it not to be only un'
lawful, but a personal indignity. The
Sheriff again appeared with small posse
Of armed men. Cornplanter took the depu.
tation to room around which were ran
sed about hundred rifles, and, with the
sententious brevity of an Indian Chief, in.
timated that FOR each rifle a warrior would
appear at his call. The sheriff and his men
speedily withdrew, determined, however, tC
call out the militia. Several prudent eiti
zcns, fearing a sanguary collision, sent fol
the old chief in a friendly way, to come tC
Warren and compromise the matter. He
came, and after some pursuasion, gave hi!
note for the tax, amounting to S43, ~. liz
addressed, however, a rcmonstrance to tht
governor of Pennsy lyania, soliciting return
of his money, and an exemption from sucl
demands against land the state itself haC
presented to him. He met them at tht
courthouse in Warren, on which occasio,
he delivered the following speech, eminent
ly characteristic OF himself and his race
"Brothers: Yesterday was appointed 70
us all to meet here. The talk which tn
governor sent US pleased US very much.
think that the Great Spirit is very mucl
pleased that the white people have been in
duced so to assist the Indians as they hav
done, and that he is pleased also to see til
: great men Of this state and Of the Unite
States so friendly to US. We are mucI
+ pleased with what has been DONE"
t "The Great Spirit first made the world
; and next the flying animals, and all thing
, good and prosperous. He is immortal an,
everlasting. After finishing the flying an
{ imals, he came down on earth and ther
stood. Then ne made different kinds c
trees. and weeds OF all sorts, and peopl
Of every kind. He made the spring an
other seasons, and the weather suitible 10
planting. These he did make. But still
to make whiskey to be given to Indians h
did not make. The Great Spirit bids N
tell the white people not to give Indian
this kind of fliquor. When the Great spir
! it had made the earth aud its animals, h
went into the great lakes, where he breath
$ ed as easily as anywhere else, and then mad
all the different kinds of fish. The Grea
J Spirit looked back on all that he had made
The different kinds he made to be seperatt
ard not to mix with aud disturb each othel
5 But the white people have broken his CON
3 mand by mixing their color with the In
dians, The Indians have done better by nc
: doing SO. The Great Spirit wishes that a
0 wars and fighting should cease"
4 "He next-told us that there were thre
: things for our people to attend to-. First W,
= ought to take are of our wives and chi
: dren. Secondly, the white people ougt
, to attend to their farms and cattle. ThirC
S ly, the Great Spirit has given the bears an
: H., - tho Indians He Ia rho oo,sa ,