Evening journal., 1907-05-15
ST. TAMINA AS A
PATRON SAINT
Mr.. Handy Tells Red Men
of the Old Indian
Chief


interesting address on st. Tamina de-
livered by the Hon. l.. Irving Handy
in Epworth Church on Sunday after
noon to the members of the Improved
Order Of Red Men of Wilmington:
THE twelfth day of May is ceIe-
brated by the Improved Order Of Req
Men as Saint Tammanys day. although
Tammany was not saint. nor indeed
even a Christian. and the twelfth Of
May is not known to be the day either
Of his birth or OF his death.
"On May u. 1883. William Mooney.
an upholsterer in the city of New York.
established the "Tammany Society. OF
Columbian Order" Mooney had been
a private soldier in the Revolutionary
army He established this society as
a counter movement to the Society OF
the Cincinnati. which was regarded as
aristocratical because it was confined
to commissioned officers OF the Revo-
lutionary Army and was based on the
principle Of primogeniture. Moneys
purpose in establishing his Tammany
Society was patriotic and purely re-
publican, and the society became vast
ly popular in New York It was the
beginning of Tammany Hall. Tam
many Society, from the first, cele-
brated the anniversary Of its own or
ganization-May Pas Tammany day.
and in this way the twelfth day OF
May became Saint Tammanv's day. It
is not known on what day Tammany,
the Indian chief, was born, nor on what
day he died.
"Ihe use Of Tammany's name as the
patron saint OF America did not begin
with William Mooney. nor did the
idea Of using the Indian tribe as the
basis OF a secret society model and
ritual originate with him. Before the
Revolutionary war patriotic societies
intended to foster the spirit Of resist
ance to British tyranny were num-
erous under the title Of saint Tam
many Societies Of the Sons Of Liberty"
There is reason to believe that it was
one Of those societies which did the
active work of throwing the tea into
Boston harbor, and that this is the
explanation of the fact that they were
disguised as Indians on that interest
ing occasion. Pro- British societies ex-
listed under the names of st. George.
st. Andrew and St David. The Sons
! Of Liberty taking Tammany as their
patron, dubbed him a saint in a spirit
Of derision Of the saints under whose
| patronage their opponents were or
ganized. But Tammany lived and died
in the pagan faith of his savage an
cestry.
"Tammany was not a legendary
character. He was a flesh and blood
man. a chief Of Leni Lenape Indians
One OF the principal council houses oi
this tribe was near the present sit,
Of Wilmington. Tammany had his
"big house" in New Jersey, and tradi
tion says it was located where Prince
ton College now stands. Tammany Il
lfsupposed TO have been one of the In
dian chiefs who met William Penn
under the big elm for the famous peace
conference. However. that may be
the name Of Tammany is attached {,
a deed granted to William Penn, bear
ing date June %. 1888. Tammany',
mark was a snake not tightly coiled
| There is a record Of a brief ant
friendly address made by Tammany tC
the Council at Philadelphia July c
1894. The last authentic and positive
information concerning this chief Is
his name TO a deed conveying three
hundred square miles of land, dated
July 5, 1897.
"Tammany means, in the Indian Ian.
guage, affable. He is said TO have beer
large, noble-looking, hospitable
friendly. and courteous Indian. His
motto was: "Kewania che Keekeru.'
This motto has had two translations
One is: "This is my right; I will de-
fend it," The other is: Il am master
whatever am"
Certain it is that traditions were
kept alive among the white people O.
Pennsylvania and New Jersey from th'
earliest days, attributing 10 Tammany
all of the virtues Of the "noble rec
men," The Indians themselves had 3
strong superstitious aversion to an,
remarks concerning one who had gon'
TO the happy hunting grounds; so tha
Tammany's name and reputation wer'
preserved by the white people rathe
than by his own kindred
"Tammany is said to have lived &
he a very old man: to have survived
all Of his own generation; and to hav'
been held in peculiar veneration in hi
old age by all of the Indians. He be
came at last deaf and blind and tooth
less: and growing impatient for tn
summons to the happy hunting ground
he is said to have set fire to his hous
and to have died with a waverini
chant. amid the flames. His death j
set as late as 1740. He was buried n
New Britain township, Bucks county
PENNSYLVANIA, about three and hal
miles from the present site Of Doyles
town.
"This is believed to be about all o
the true story now known of the lif
of Tammany, the Indian chief. aroun
whose name has been woven much o
legend and romance name whicl
has been taken as that Of the ahorigi
nal patron saint Of America. am
which is given particular honor by tn
improved Order of Red Men,