The Carbon advocate. [volume] (Lehighton, Pa.) 1872-1924, 1879-05-24
NEW GNADEN-HUETTEN.
Weissport 125 Yenra Ago.

Wan colonists at Gnaden. Huetten to remove
the Indians who were living in commu-
nifty with them TO the east side Of the lie.
high in the spring Of 1854, is now lost
in the debris of years. 1t was said that the
land at GnadenHuetten had become so much
Impoverished as to necessitate this change.
This must have been mistake there must
have been other reasons paramount to this
for dividing the Indian and white portions
of the community. The settlement at Gna
den-Huetten was eminently prosperous, and
had become on important trading post and
besides this, Nathan Dunkle had built a
grist and saw mill on Mahoning creek near
where Heilman's mill now stands. But the
times had now become troubulous and war
threatening. Independent of the English
and French war raging on the Susquehanna
there were dissentions and pickering among
the Indians themselves, and especially a
feud between the Delawares and the Five
Nations. In the commencement of l754, a
young white man having murdered the
peaceable old chief Tattemi, that astute
diplomat and Quaker Indian, Tadeuskund,
was chosen leader and King of the Della
wares. Tadeuskund had been converted
to Christianity and babtised and his chief
purpose was to preserve an equilibrium of
peace between the white colonists and his
own people, and it is likely he saw in this
peaceful living together Of whites and In
dans at Gnaden-H Huetten a serious cause for
Jealousy among the tribes outside, and so
arranged with Bishop spangenberg at Beth
lehem to bring about this separation. And
thus was established New Gnadon- -Huetten,
now Weissport
In the removal the Indians were kindly
assisted by the congregations at Bethlehem,
Nazareth, Christianbrunn, and Gnadenthal
who furnished not only workmen and ma
terials, but even contributions in money.
Unanimity and diligence contributed go
much towards the progress of this work,
that the first twenty houses were inhabited
by the 4th, and the foundation stone of the
new chapel laid on the llth ofJune. Bish-
op Spangenberg offered up a most fervent
prayer, and delivered powerful discourse on
this solemn occasion. The houses were soon
after completed, and regulation made in
all the families, for the children, of each
sex, to be properly taken care OF. The
dwellings were placed in such order that
the Mohegans lived on one side of the street
and the Delawares on the other side. The
brethren at Bethlehem took the culture Of
the old land on the lIahoniag, upon them
selves, made plantation of it for the use Of
the Indian congregation, and converted the
old chapel into a dwelling, both for the use
of those brethren and sisters who had the
care Of the plantations, and for missionaries
passing on their visits TO the heather. A
synod was held in New Gnaden- II uetten,
from the 9th to the llth of August, 1854,
and the chapel consecrated. Many Indian
assistants were invited to this synod, the
chief intention being maturely to consider
the situation Of the Indian mission.
But despite these efforts, as described
in our article last woek, French emissaries
melted massacre at Gnadeu- Hue;ten on the
oath of Nov. in the following year, which,
for the nounce set at naught Tadeuskund's
pacific policy, "let slip the dogs Of wal" and
converted the northwestern frontier into a
scene Of bloodshed and destruction. With
force of 100 men Benjamin Franklin, by
commission from the Governor Of tue Penn
SYLVAN colony came to assist the distressed
people Of Gnaden- Huetten, In his.autobio-
graphy Franklin describes his march from
Bethlehem through the ram, the night spent
at Uplinger's farm near Lehigh Gap, his ar
rival here on the afternoon of the 18th Of
January, 1856, and his subsequent building
Of Fort Allen. He saysi
"The next day being fair, we continued
our march, and arrived at the desolated
Gnaden- Huetten. There was a mill near,
round which were left several pine boards,
with which we soon hutted oui selves an
operation the more necessary at that incle-
ment season, as we had no tents. The next
morning our lort was planned and marked
out, the circumference measuring four hun
z
as many palisades TO be made, one with an
other, Of a foot diameter each. Our axes, Of
which we had seventy, were Immediately
set 20 work TO cut down treesi and, our men
being dexterous in the use OF them, great
dispatch was made. Each pine made three
palisades Of eighteen feet long, pointed at
one end. While these were preparing, our
other men dug trench all round, OF three
feet deep, in which the palisades were TO be
planted and, the bodies being taken of
our wagons, and the fore and hind wheels
separated By taking out the pin which unit
ed the two parts Of the perch, we had ten
carriages, with two horses each, TO bring
the palisades from the woods TO the spot
/ When they were set up, our carpenters ouilt
/ a platform Of boards all round within, about
| six feet high, for the men 10 stand on when
/ TO fire through the loopholes. We had one
swivel gun, which we mounted on one Of
the angles, and cred it as soon as hxed, 10