The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1885-11-18
THE TUSCARORAS.

Il ~
The story OF the Tuscaroras is a
checkered one. They were adopted
into the Iroquois in 17l2. They came
from North Carolina in l10S, where
they had Is towns and 1,500 warriors.
Their existence there was the same as
all other tribes, the same old story
encroachments by the whites, who
robbed them of their lands, and when
resistance followed long and bloody
border wars ensued. They burnt one
Lawson, the surveyor general OF North
Carolina, who had marked some Of
their territory into lots for settlers.
They captured the German Baron de
Grafenried, but released him after five
weeks on his promise that he would
occupy none Of their lands without
their consent. In 171S invaders Of their
territory captured 500 Tuscaroras in a
fort on the Neuse river. These were
killed and sold as slaves into South
Carolina The remnant migrated to
New York as others had previously
done. Previous to this Tuscaroras, on
the 90 of September, I'LL, had killed
$50 Whites on Albemarle sound.
In the war of the Revolution most Of
the Iroquois adhered to the English,
but many of the Tuscaroras and 0neidas
were friendly to the colonists- When
Gen. Sullivan and Col. GanseToort
made their destructive campaign a.
gainst the Indians on the route to the
lower Mohawk castle theywere treated
with every mark of friendship and hos
pitality in passing through the Tusca-
rora and Oneida castles. These officers
had been ordered to spare the Tusca-
roras and Oneidas. Such portions of
these tribes as had been English allies
escaped in canoes on Oneida lake,
thence down the Oswego river, and
coasted along Lake Ontario to the Brit
ish garrison at Fort Niagara. In 1880
the Tuscaroras camped on mile square
given them by the Senecas, wh.ch is a
part of their present reservation. The
Holland company subsequently gave
them two square miles, of which in
1904 they added by purchase 4,S29
acres, making the total of their reser-
yation 6,249 acres. The United States
government paid for the purchase S1S,-
722, being part of the trust funds held
BY the United States on final adjust
ment of the claims of the Tuscaroras
upon North Carolina Thus the Tus-
caroras commenced their settlement in
the town OF Lewiston II years previous
to the advent of the Holland Land COM
pany and 10 or 20 years before the
commencement of settlements there by
whites. The Tuscaroras were thus the
pioneer settlers in this region, and the
most kindly relations have existed be-
tween them and the whites ever since.
In the war of 1912 the Tuscaroras were
the allies Of the Americans against the
English.
The Mount Pleasant family, of whom
John is now the chief of the Tusca-
roras, have prominent history in the
border wars Of the old time. His grand
father was "big Indian" having been
captain in the British army, and at
one time commandant Of Fort Niagara
His son John was the father of the pres
ent chief. He was IS years old in 1S49,
and has left records of his ear rly expe-
rience in this region. He states there
were no crows in the Niagara region
until after the war OF 1872. Deer were
not plenty, and the wolves haunted
them, driving them into the lake, and
waiting until they, wearied with swim
ming, came on shore and were caught
and de8oured. When the wolves were
hunted out deer became plenty. Bears
were plenty in some localities, and
panthers were occasionally killed here
abouts. Bittern's white owls, and flocks
of swan were seen about Niagara falls
and on the islands and in the marshes.
Wild cranberries abounded, and there
were great number of beaver dams.
Salmon three feet long were often
taken in Eighteen Mile creek. near
Lockport, and below the falls of the
Oak orchard. The woods are full'' of
Indian stories and romances through
out all this region of Niagara county.
The lands hereabout belonged to the
original Holland purchase. The first
white child born on the great Holland
purchase was on the 10Th of June,
1S01-t'a fne Coy" as the records
state. He was subsequently Col. Henry
B. Ransom, of Clarence. In October,
1898, which was before the Holland land
purchase, on the present site OF Buf1a-
10, there were but eight buildings, all
log houses, OF which Asa Ransom oc-
cupied one. He subsequently removed
to Pine grove, and was the father OF the
'.fne boy" as late as 1906 there were
only 19 dwellings in Bufalo.-Ransons-
viIle (M. ~ Cor. Troy Daldgst.