The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-10-14
TALES
OF THE
CHIEFS
SHIKELLAMY AND
TAHCAHJUTE
BY
Editha
L.
Watson

In marked contrast to Spemicalawba
is Tahgahjute Games or John Logan),
the Cayuga son Of white father.
This father, known to the whites as
Shikellamy, was Frenchman who had
been adopted into the Oneida tribe.
He was a remarkable mau, combining
the astuteness of the white man with
deep affection for the Indians. This
enabled him to help his adopted people
in many ways, and they trusted him
entirely.
Shikellamy was appointed as dep
uty for the Six Nations and their tribu-
tary tribes, and most Of the business
of these people was transacted through
him. In 1871 he delivered an ulti-
matum. to the governor Of Pennsyl-
vania to the effect that the liquor
traffic must be regulated, or the friend
ly relations of the Six Nations would
be withdrawn. The liquor problem
was an important one. The Shawnee
had migrated to the Ohio river the
year before, and the French were try
ing to gain them as allies. Pennsyl-
vania wanted the friendship Of the Iro-
quois, and endeavored through Shikel-
lamy to call council for that pur-
pose.
Trouble came, however, when, after
the IroQuois had decided their lands to
the British another deed was signed
by some of the Indians, including land
to which they had no claim-which
belonged, in fact, to the Delawares.
Shikellamy was the agent who &C.
complished this most unwise act, which
sowed the seed Of discord and finally
caused nearly ten years of bloodshed
in Pennsylvania. However, "Pennsyl-
vania suffered that a nation might
live" and the results of conciliating
the Iroquois were far-reaching indeed,
not so much in what they accomplished
as in what they prevented.
Shikellamy, as an old man, caused
smithy and a Moravian mission to
, be established at Shamokin (now Sun
bury, Pa.) for the benefit of the In
dians and was of great assistance in
the preparation of an Onondaga die
tionary. He died in 174S.
Logan, his son, took his name from
James Logan, who was secretary and
for time acting governor of Pennsyl-
vania. He was born in Shamokin, but
about ITO he moved to the Ohio
river, and in IVA he lived at Old
Chilicothe.
A number of white emigrants had
been killed in this region, and in re-
venge, the white settlers on the Ohio
took the lives of several Indians, in
Guiding Logan's sister, who was soon
to bear a child, and some other rela-
tives. (Some chronicles say that the
whites pretended no provocation.")
A man named Greathouse was the
| leader of the whites in this massacre,
but in some manner Logan was
brought to believe that Michael Cresap,
who had not been present, was the
guilty man. Logan's rage was indie
| scribable. He had already acquired
Incorporate habits, and these added to
the violence of his feelings.
His desire for revenge led him to
| commit the most awful barbarities.
Men, women, and even children of the
border settlements were killed, under
horrible conditions. He seemed to
have undertaken an orgy Of killing
without end, and months went by be-
! fore peace was again established.
Logans famous speech is well known,
| but part of it bears repeating here:
II appeal to any white to say, If
ever he entered Logan's cabin hungry,
and he gave him not meat; If ever he
came cold and naked, and he clothed
| him not. had even thought to
have lived with you, but for the in
juries of one man, Colonel Cresap, the
last spring, in cold blood, and I'M
provoked, murdered all the relatives Of
Logan; not even sparing my women
and children. There runs not drop
of my blood in the veins Of any living
creature. This called on me for ven
geance. 1 have sought it. I have
killed many. I have fully glutted my
vengeance. Who Is there to
mourn for Logan? Not one!'
This speech, from the exaggerations
contained in it, is supposed to be an
enlargement upon his real statement.
1t was read at the treaty meeting at
Chillicothe, Ohio, from which Logan
was absent.
From being drunk with blood, the
unfortunate chief turned to his pre-
vious drink, the white mans whisky.
1t was not long before he abandoned
himself to intemperance, and became
a Quarrelsome drunkard.
He was about f1fty-five years old
when he died. He had been on a
journey to Detroit, and on his return
his nephew, during fierce quarrel,
killed him.