Middletown transcript., 1870-02-12

for Mr.. Harris, the missionary; but he
was attending an ecclesiastical council
and did not receive the message until af
ter the death of the chief In his last
wandering moments it is said that he di.
rected that vial of cold water should be
placed in his coffin, so that he might have
something with which to fight the evil spi.
rit. A considerable number of people from
Buffalo attended his funeral, some of whom
wished him to be buried in the ANCIENT or
pagan style
He was, however, inferred in the Chris
tian manner, in accordance with the wish
es of his relatives. He left two wives,
but none of his children survived him.
Two of his sons are supposed to have died
christians. Rev. Jabez B. Hyde, for
mer teacher to the Senecas before the war
of 1912, stated that one of the sons of Red
Jacket was the first convert to christianity
from his tribe.
For some months previous to his death,
time had made such ravages on his consti-
tuition as to render him fully sensible of
approaching dissolution. To that event
he often adverted, and always in the Ian
guage of philosophc calmness. He visit
ed successively all his most intimate friends
at their cabins, and conversed with them
upon the condition of the nation in the
most affecting and impressive manner
He told them that he was passing away
and his counsels would soon be heard no
more. He ran over the history of his
people from the most remote period to
which his knowledge extended, and point
ed out, as few could, the wrongs, the pri-
vations, and the loss of character, which
almost of themselves constituted that his
tory. 6 am about to leave you," said
he, "and when l am gone, and my warn
ing shall no longer be heard or regarded,
the craft and the ayarce of the white man
will prevail. Many winters have breas-
ted the storm, but am an aged tree, and
can stand no longer. Ny leaves are fall
en-, my branches are withered, and am
shaken by every breeze. Soon my aged
trunk will be PROSTATE, and the foot of the
exulting foe of the Indian may be placed
upon it in safety; for leave none who
will be enabled to avenge such an indig-
nifty. Think not | mourn for myself. |
60 to join the spirits of my fathers, where
age cannot come; but my heart fails when
| think of my people, who are soon to be
scattered and forgotten"
The Indian burying ground is near the
Seneca Mission Church, four miles from
Buffalo city. Four or five graves only
have monuments. The subjoined inscrip-
tions were copied from two of them. Red
Jackets monument was erected by some
persons connected with the theatre in Buff
falo:
" Sagayowatha, Keeper Awake, RED
JACKET Chief of the Wolf Tribe of the
Senecas, the friend and protector of his
people. Died Jan. 90, 1882, aged 7S yrs"
/" In memory of The White Woman,
Mary Jemison, daughter of Thomas Jem-
ison and Jane Irwin, born on the ocean
between Ireland and Philadelphia, in 1742
or '43, taken captive at Marsh Creek, Pa.
in 1875, carried down the Ohio, adopted
into an Indian family in 1859, removed to
Genesee river, was naturalized in 1917,
removed to this place iu 1881, and having
survived two husbands and five children,
leaving three still alive, she died Sep. 10Th,
1888, aged 81 years, having a few weeks
before expressed hope of pardon through
Jesus Christ. The council of the Lord
shall stand"
New York, FEB. 1870.