Wyandot County Republican. [volume] (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1869-1903, 1871-06-08
Pioneer Life and History of
WyandOt County.
BY A. w. BRINKEREOFFs
CHAPTER IV-No. z.
TILE uYANnnr INDIANS.

IL, Win any uc1Icc VI Soilc'thS>>. HdIu
to obtain; and when such nation, or peo-
pie. has almost become extinct as race,
or tribe. the task is still more difficult.
The history-and when we use the
term The history" we mean a correct and
complete hiStury-of the Wyaudot In
dians, if it could be. in any way, obtain
ed, would he read with interest by every
citizen of Wyandot county who feels any
interest in the history of tribe once so
powerful. and which, for long years
prior To civilized life in WyanJot coun-
ty, was the only occupant of our now
cheerful and fertile valleys and homes,
bat now whose home is toward the set
ting sun and whose number are fast pass
ing away.
Historians have gone before us in
searching tor facts connected with this
tribe, and, although to great extent
their efforts were only crowned with
partial success. and from them-as we
know not where else to go for facts more
reliable-we shall select such points and
matter ioi insertion here as will. to Us.
seem most reliable and Interesting.
From "Rowes History OF Ohio" we Sc
lect the following which Mr.. Howe gives
as taken from Il sketch of the Wyandot
or Huron tribe. as they were anciently
called. i'll Il letter from Rev. Joseph Bad
dated August 25th, 1915"
OF the Rev. Joseph Badger the same
author says, He ,vas The. first missionary on
tie Reserre, Connecticut RcServe.j and
resulted Tor eight years at GuStavus. in
Irumbull county. He WAS born ut Will
hraham, Mass. in 1851. He served as
soldier in the Revolutionary war-grad-
uated at Yale College in l7S5-in l7S7
was ordained as minister over church
in Biandiord. Mass, where he remained
tor "a years.
In 1900 such an opportunity offered
as he had long wished for. The mis-
sionary societies OF the eastern States,
had for many years been des.rous OF send
ing missionaries t. the Indians whicl!
then dWelt in the northern portion OF
Ohio"
',At their instance, 3Ir. Badger made a
visit to this country during that year.
and was 50 well satisfied with the oppor-
tunity of usefulness. which his reSlucnce
amcns the Wyandots and other tribes
would afford. That lie returned after his
family, and since that time his labors
have been divided, principally, between
tile Western Ecserve, ami the country
bordering on the Sandusky and Maunee
rivers" Among liis papers the writer
finds certificates of his appointment to
the several missionary stations on the
Reserve and ut Lower Sandusky, us also
commissions OF the Post Masters APP
for the several places where
iic has from time to tiEle rcSi.cd.'
In lSl2, lie was appointed chaplain to
the army 10y Gov. Meigs. IIewas at Fort
Mei@s curing tie siege OF lSl3,-and
through the wa. WIS attached to Gen.
Harrison ) command. lie removed from
Iruinbuli county III 1855, to Plain town.
ship, W ood county, OhIo.
rev men ever lived. who have given
such an uneqGivocal proof of christian
lneehness and submission. He died iii
1916, aged 50. "
From sucn il source we should be able
to gather some facts in the history OF II
race with whom the missionary hau so
long ana so closely been associated. and.
therefore. we have selected his state
mepts as being most reliable.
He Says-"iIaying been Il resident mis-
Sionary with the NyandoG indians be-
lore the late war, and obtained the con-
Hdence OF their cniets in Il familiar con-
versation with them; and having good
Interpreter, L requested tnem TO give me
Il history ofthelr ancestors as far back
as they could. They began by giving n
particular account ot the country Cwned
Dy the.r ancestors. 1t was tile north
side OF the river st. Lawrence. down to
Coon Lake and from thence uD t u III
Was. Inelr nanlc tor il was cu-no ne-tUt,
tia. Tiis name heard applied to them,
but knew not what it meant. The Sen
ecas owned the opposite side of the river
ana the island on which Montreal ROW
stands. Tney were both large tribes.
consisting OF manySahousands. They
were blood relations. and L found at this
time that they claiined each other as
cousins"
"a War originated b between the tribes
IN TINS way, man of the Wyandots
wanted certain woman for his wife I;
but SHE objected. and said he was no war
rior-hc had never taken any scalps. To
accomplish his object he raised IL small
war party, and i'll their scout fell upon Il
party OF Seneca hunters, and killed and
scalped number of them. This proce-
dure began Il war between the nations
THAT tasted more than Il century. which
they supposed was fully u hundred win
ters before the French came to Quebec.
They owned they were the first instiga-
tors III the war, and were generally beat
en- i'll the contest. Both tribes were
greatly wasted in the war. They often
mad3 peace, but the first opportunity
the Senecas could get an advantage
against them, they would destroy all
III.
The WyandotS. finding they We're in dan
ger Of being cXterminated, concluded, to
so 10 the Ear west"
ny it'll their canoes the whole nation
made their escape to the III per lakes, and
settled in the neignborhood of Green
Bay, i'll several villages. but. after a few
years, the Senecas made up war party
and followed them to their new settle
ments' fell on one of their villages. killed
number anu returned. Through this
long period, they had no Instruments of
war, but bows, arrows and the war club
''SoOn after this the French came to
Quebec, and began trading with the In
dams. and supplied them with firearms
and utensils OF various kinds. The Sen
ecas having got supplied with guns, and
learning the use OF them. made out Sec
onu war party against the Wyandots-
came upon them i'll the night, fired into
their hutS and scared them exceedingly
they thought at first iC was thunder am.
lightning. They did not succeed so well
;is they Intended"
Alter few Years they made ont a
third party, and fell upon one of the WV
andot Villages and took them nearly all
but 1t SO happened at this time. that
nearly all the young men had gone to
war with the Fox tribe, living on the
Mississippi"
THOSE few that escaped the massacre
by the SenecaS, agreed to give up and
20 BACK with them and be one people
but requested of the oenecaS to have two
days to collect what they had and make
ready their canoes, and join them on the
morning of the third day at certain
point, where they had gone to wait foI
them aud to hold Il great dance through
the night"
''The WyanGots sent directly to the
other two villages which tue Senecas had
not disturbed, and got all their old uer
and women. and such as could fight. t.
consult Oh what measures to take They
came to the resolution 10 equip them
selves in the best manner they could, anl
go down in perfect stiffness so near tlC
enemy as to hear them. They founC
them engaged in dance. and feastinc
on two Wyandot men they had killed
and roasted. as they said, for their beef
and as they danced. they shouted theil
victory and told how good their beef was
They continued their dance until the
latter part of the night, and being pretty
| oil l.,tl Il