The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1873-10-16
LOGAN, THE siING0 CHIEF.
Did He Make That Speech :


All schoolboys have unquestioning
faith in the authenticity Of a speech
which Thomas Jefferson bss handed
down in his Notes Oh Virginia as hsv-
ing been delivered by Logan, the Ia
m Gus 'Mingo Chief But Mr.. H. n.
Addison has written letter 10 the Cum
berland NstoS which is intended 20
shake the belief of such Juveniles as
read it. He attempts to show thst
Logan never made any such speech, and
that the facts therein stated are not
true. Mr.. Jefferson, in the appendix
to his Notes, says that he beard the
story from some person in Williams
burg, whose name he had forgotten.
This man may have got it from some
other man, who may have invented 1t,
or probably he was the auibor of the
supposed fiction himself. The proof OF
its genuineness seems to rest entirely
on the tact that Mr.. Jefferson seems to
have believed it. Mr.. Addison save
that there never was any such man
as Colonel Cresap, whom Logan
charges with the murder OF his family.
There was Captain Cresap, in those
days. but be was no more responsible
Tor the killing OF Logan's relatives
than he was Tor the murder Of Able.
We do not know how much truth there
is 10 this sketch of the Mingo Chief,
written by Mr.. Addison.
"The first authentic account OF him
begins about ITO. He was then very
friendly TO the white settlers. and en-
joyed their confidence to ogrest sn ex-
tent that Judge Brown pioneer, near
the present site OF Brownsville, Pa,
from whom the town probably derived
its name, said to him that be WAS the
best specimen OF humanity, white or
red, he bad ever encountered. But in
his subsequent acquaintance with white
mep, be acquired some OF the vices,
among which was q strong love for
whisky, which, as often was, and ia yet
the case with white men, ruined him,
by increasing and strengthening his
vices till they destroyed or overcame bis
virtues and when be became an enemy
he was 90 noted for his savage cruelty,
as he had formerly been for his fidelity
when friendly.
an 1880, at an Indian council, be
got drunk and struck. aud ss be sup
posed, killed his wife. Fearing the
vengeance of her friends, be fed-al-
though in bis reputed speech he is re-
ported TO have said be would not turn
on his heel 10 save his liie-and was
shot dead by another Indian.
Mr.. Addison further states that
Logan was the son OF 40 Indian chic,
IN the Susquehauua Valley, but the
time or place OF his birth seems as un>
certain as that OF the Massachusetts
Iudian who said he was born in Nan
tucket, Cape Cod, and all along the
shore. We DO not know whether
Mr.. Addson has consulled all the
authorities upon this point or not, but
he seems 10 have overlooked Sherman
Days Historical Collections Of Penn
syvania.' He tells US that Logan wss
the son Of ShIkellimus, chief OF the
Cayugss, who dwelt at Shanokin, and
IN the year l742 WAS converted to
by the Moravisn mission
aries Shikellimus bad great esteem
for james Logab. Secretary OF the
Province, and be named his son for him.
Judge Brown (whom Mr.. Addison
Quotes) DID not live near the present
site OF Brownsville but more than g
huodred miles iurtber east in the Juni-
ata Valley Ia those days bis farm on
Kishicoqul!as creek was included in
Cumberland county, but since then
VI I'll aud Perry counties have been
carved out Of the territory north Of the
Mountain which formerly
belonged to Cumberland. Browns
Mills Cor Reedsvelle), which is evident |
ly the town alluded 10 by Mr Addison,
is about elk miles from Lewistown,
Miffiin county. Logan's spring and the
site OF his cabin are near by.