Sullivan republican. [volume] (Laporte, Pa.) 1883-1896, 1889-07-19
THE LEGEND OF wAIsALLAK.

Brady was Killed by the INDIANS at
the farm of Peter Smith on Turkey
Run not far from Williamsport.
The summer before Smith had lost
his wife and four children, they hav-
ing been murdered near the Loyal
Sock Greek, by the Indians. This
was just before the big Runaway"
of 1777. The following year the
military having returned, the farm
'ers under their protection, sought TO
harvest their crops. Eight soldiers
and fourteen reapers among the lat
ter being James Brady, went to the
Smith farm. The first day they
were not disturbed, but on the Sec
ond day they were attacked by a
large party of Indians under the
celebrated chieftains of the Six
Nations. The Bald Eagle who had
his residence in the forests near
where Milesburg now stands, and
Wahallak who occasionally joined
in foray into the West Branch
and Wyoming Valleys, but who
claimed the Genessee Valley for his
home. Ofthe twenty-five men pres.
ent, James Brady was the only one
who showed fight. He made stand
alone, the others cowardly deserting
him. He was tomahawked and
scalped and died the fifth day there
after. Capt. Sam Brady took a
solemn vow that both Wahallak and
Bald Eagle should die. Several
years after this he killed and scaiped
Bald Eagle on the Allegheny River.
Wahallak was killed also by Capt.
Brady in August 1879, on the divide
between Muncy and Loyal Sock
Greeks, near LaPorte, in Sullivan
county. The exact place is not
precisely known, but from the de-
scription of the place given by Peter
Grove it is supposed to be the
mound just east Of the village and Oh
the banks of Lake Mokoma.
In August 1879 party of Seneca
Indians under Wahallak entered the
house of Henry Gilfllen above
Northumberland and took into cap
tlvity his daughter Rebecca and a
son aged about fourteen. The re-
mainder of the family escaped. Gil
fillen had himself been killed the
month preceding in the defense of
Fort Freeland. When WORD was
brought of this outrage to Capt.
Brady, he at once male up small
party to pursue the savages. AL
though composed of but five men
the party contained several of the
bravest Indian fighters the West
Branch Valley held. 1t was lead
by Capt. Sam Brady and Robert Gov
enhorn, Moses Won Campen, Peter
Groves and Waham Campbell were
the other members. The usual
course for the Indians was up the
Lycoming Greek and thence across
the mountains to Towanda Greek,
and up the North Branch to Tioga
Point (Athens9. On the second day
out Brady's party traced the party
of Indians to the mouth Of Muncy
Creek, where it was discovered they
had separated The larger party
had proceeded up the river. while
q smaller party had gone up the
Muncy Creek. The foot print of a
shoe in the sand of the creek bank
satisfied Brady the prisoners were
with the smaller decision of the
savages, and he lead his party rapid
ly forward. That night they dis
covered the Indians in camp at the
mouth of q small run which from
Groves narrative must have been
Rock Run. The party numbered
fifteen and both children we're with
them. The Indians were on the
alert and no suitable opportunity was
found to surprise them that night.
So following Brady's advice the
whole party laid down and obtained
good sleep. At day break the
Indians took up their march. Atnoon
they had reached the head waters of
Mill Creek, here we give Grove S
narrative in his own language. Then
we left the Muncy Waters and got
on small stream flowing into the
Stone hauge Loyal Sock. 1t was
swampy and full Of big sand springs,
the Indians called it Mokoma, that is
Spring Water. They followed along
the bank and about noon stopped
for dinner at the foot of a bank
where there was fine spring ot
water. We were on the other side