1753 Indian Peace Conference
The document states 16 Sept 1753, but there is some question that actual date might be 10 Sept 1753. We are suggesting a historical marker for this moment in time. So the picture below shows our suggested sign.
The quotes in orange come from this link:
The House of Burgesses refer to this event having occurred here.
And these same Indians left Winchester to attend another conference in Carlisle PA,. The notes on those meetings mention the Winchester conference.
“..about three o’clock P. M., Mr. Andrew Montour, the interpreter, brought intelligence that the Indians were on their march about four miles off. Colonel George William Fairfax, commanding officer, immediately assembled fifty of the militia armed with firelocks. Whilst they were preparing. Lord Fairfax and several gentlemen joined the commission and agreed to walk up the road to meet the Indians.
They were coming down from 522 North, now known as Fairmount Ave from the direction of Indian Hollow Road where a militia man Robert Pearis (whose famous brother is Richard Pearis) had a forted home.
About six o’clock they saw them coming on foot, their firelocks shouldered; on seeing the officers they saluted.
The commissioners took the chiefs by the hand and they proceeded until they came to the shell of a building designed for a church and introducing the Indians therein they all settled themselves.”
The Indians numbered ninety-eight men, women and children.
The Long Knives
Mr. Montour was directed to tell them that their brother Assaraquoa was going to speak to them. Assaraquoa signified a cutlass or sword. The name was given to Lord Howard, governor of Virginia, upon his presenting to the Indian chiefs one of those weapons and ever since it is the name they use in treating with the governor of Virginia, or any other that treat with them from that colony.
A string of wampum was presented and the speech interpreted and explained by Mr. Montour. Monacatoocha, a chief of the Six Nations returned an answer, promising that they would acquaint him the next morning when they would hear him.
“Then ordering some wine and rum to be brought, the gentlemen present, in a glass of wine, drank a good health to the Six Nations and their allies. The Indians in a glass of rum drank prosperity to their Father, the King of Great Britain (note 1727-1760 was King George II’s reign) and the English Nation, and upon delivering to each a pipe and a twist of tobacco, together with the appearance of a good supper of beef preparing for them, the Indians seemed pleased with their welcome. The next meeting was in the court-house at Winchester, 11th of September…”
Assaraquoa ? See that name in the text above? These Native Americans knew the Virginians as Long Knives. Conrad Weiser knew the name and documented different words all meaning Long Knives. The name goes all the way back to Virginia’s Governor Howard .
See our story on the Long Knives and the names the Indians had for the different white men from the different colonies.
Where did the Indians stay?
“… to the Shell of a Building formerly design’d for a Church, & which was rough Floor’d on that Occasion; and introducing the Indians therein, they soon stow’d away their little Baggage, & settled themselves….” writes William Fairfax.
This was in the public square James Wood had plotted, in a building near the present day Court House.
How many Indians?
“…being in number ninety-eight, Men Women & Children.” — writes William Fairfax.
Where was the conference held?
“For a week the conferees met in the court house adjacent to the “church” to work out their differences. “
Who were these Indians?
Oneida Chief, Monacatoocha, also known as Scarouady was there. The Oneida were one of the 6 nations in the New York area , the Haudenosaunee, or as we called them, the Iroquois. Two were Canuaguas, presumed friendly to the French.
…and sachems Shingas, Neuchyconer, Tomenebuck, Big Kettle, Raccoon and the warrior, Turtle…according to Fort Edwards website
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There appears to be a contradiction in dates of September 16 followed by September 11 in this link.
There are different spelling of names and wrongly attributed tribes.
Monacatoocha Juanetto Chiefs of the Delawares
Also known as Scarouady.
There are references to Monacatooha being Oneida, part of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois, the 6 Nations). There are references to this man being Shawnee as well. There was a lot of intermixing and migration between the nations.
King Shingess – Beaver, Pisquiten – George.
That list of name are possibly 3 brothers. King Shingess here is King Shingas. We are not sure on "George." King Shingas' brothers are Beaver (aka Tamaqua) and Pisquiten (we believe they mean Pisquetomen)
Our starting point for making this claim:
[PHOTO CAPTION: “King Beaver, aka Tamaqua, was a brother of Pisquetomen along with Shingas.”] By Valentine J. Brkich
Chiefs of the Shawness – Newchycomer
We believe this is Chief Newcomer (aka Netawatwees). We also see some dispute that this chief might instead be Delaware. But there was a lot of mix and crossover between nations.
Chiefs of the Wyandotte
Also known as the Huron.
Chiefs of the Twightwees
Also known as the Miami.
The White Men there?
1. According to Source 1 listed in “Sources” below.
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Led by William Fairfax, Commissioner, and assisted by Lord Fairfax, George William Fairfax (commander of the Frederick County militia), James Wood, George Croghan, Andrew Montour (interpreting for the whites, Andrew Montour was Métis)and others …
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2. according to Fort Edwards website:
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Lord Fairfax, Col. William Fairfax, Capt. William Trent, George Croghan, Christopher Gist, John Carlyle, interpreter Andrew Montour, Col. James Wood of Winchester, Capt. Thomas Bryan Martin (nephew and agent for Lord Fairfax), Capt. William Gilpin and William Cocke. Lt Gov. Dinwiddie did not appear because Half King was not able to come due to his trip to the French.
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3. There is a contradiction in dates of 16 September followed by 11 September in this link, but here is a list of who was there
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The Honorable William Fairfax -Commissioner,
The Honorable Thomas Lord Fairfax,
Major John Carlyle,
Colonel James Wood,
Captain William Trent,
Captain Bryan Martin,
Captain William Gilpin,
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This link left out Christopher Gist, William Cocke per the Fort Edwards website cited above.
Andrew Montour is mentioned as greeting the Indians approaching
What was decided?
1. Weapons and Ammunition were promised:
The attendees at the Indian Conference in Carlisle PA next month were informed “by Mr. Croghan, that the Ohio Indians had received from the Virginia Government a large Number of Arms in the Spring, and that at their pressing Instances a suitable Quantity of Ammunition was ordered in the Treaty at Winchester to be lodged for them, in a Place of Security, on this Side the Ohio, which was committed to the Care of three Persons, viz. Guest, William Trent, and Andrew Montour, who were impowered to distribute them to the Indians as their Occasions and Behaviour should require. That all the Tribes settled at or near Allegheny would take their Measures from the Encouragement which these Indians should find in the Province of Virginia…”
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2. Release of some Warriors of the Shawonese Nation held in Charleston SC:
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“We have been informed by Andrew Montour, and George Croghan, that you did at Winchester, in publick Council, undertake to go to Carolina, to sollicit the Release of some Warriors of the Shawonese Nation, who are said to be detained in the publick Prison of Charles-Town, on Account of some Mischief committed by them, or their Companions, in the inhabited Part of that Province;…” See link.
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… but, the Whites at Carlisle PA counter offered to help to do this for the Indians …. “the Release of these Prisoners will be sooner and more effectually procur’d by the joint Interposition of the Governors of Pennsylvania and Virginia, than by your personal Sollicitation; in as much as our Governor, to whom we shall very heartily recommend this Affair, can send, with greater Dispatch, his Letters to Carolina, than you can perform the Journey; for at this Season, Opportunities present every Day of sending by Sea to Charles-Town; and an Express by Land may be dispatched to Governor Dunwiddie,2 as soon as we return to Philadelphia.”
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3. Indians protest French presence. See Source 1 in Sources listed below.
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…and Monacatoocha (aka Scaroudy) stated …”As to the French, We have sent to warn them off our Lands, & if they will no hear us, We are ready to make them feel Our Hatchets, for We intend to turn our Hatchets against them.”
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The Chief Half King was sent on this mission to the French.
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4. Indians protest English settlement and protest strong house. See Source 1 in Sources listed below.
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“…Monacatoocha (aks Scaroudy) announced, “We now request you may not build that Strong-House, for we intend to keep Our Country clear of Settlements during these troublesome time…”
5. Hope that they could still sway the Indians to their cause. See Source 1 in Sources listed below.
Commissioner Fairfax, reported, “Though the Indians did not positively, in Answer to my Speeches, give a Concession to the Lands on Ohio, agreeable to the Grant given last year; the Reasons then were, There were two Canuaguas, or French Indians in their Company, of whom they as Suspricion, & were not willing to declare their strong affection to the English in their Presence, but I am convinc’d the Indians incline We shou’d have those Lands.”
What caused this Conference in Winchester VA?
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1. Ohio Company of Virginia pushing settlement
2. Pickawillany 1752, Chief Old Briton being boiled and eaten
3. English goods cheaper than French goods
4. Logstown Conference the year before didn’t promise any land
That's it,
That's our lead story.
There's always more.
Skip around.
Read bits and pieces.
Compiled by Jim Moyer 8/20/15, updated 3/18/2016, 8/27/17, 9/28/17, 9/29/17, 1/14/2023, updated 1/15/2023, 1/16/2023
Table of Contents
Where did those Indians go after their stay in Winchester VA?
The Indian Conference at Carlisle
26 September to 1 November 1753
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See source:
See also the Darlington Library link on this treaty in 1753
Alcohol
At the end of the Treaty, the Indians claimed the right to drink as promised by the Whites.
See link. The Indians complained of this prohibition until the commissioners assured them that if they stayed sober during the treaty they would get plenty of rum afterwards. The treaty was concluded in orderly fashion, and the Indians claimed and received their liquor. That night they were all drunk; they quarreled and fought, built a great bonfire in the town square, and chased one another with lighted firebrands, yelling hideously. At midnight a number burst into the commissioners’ rooms, demanding more rum. Next day three of their old men apologized, but justified the Indians’ conduct by saying that the Great Spirit, who made all things for a purpose, had made rum for Indians to get drunk on. Par. Text edit., pp. 304–6.
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Official start of conference: October 1753 Indian Conference in Carlisle PA
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Navigable street view of the marker in above link
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Meanwhile what is Washington doing?
Dinwiddie writes to Washington on 30 October 1753 to go to Logstown
Washington’s journal of this trip to Logstown
Also Meanwhile,
Maryland Virginia Pennsylvania Border Dispute
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and for same letter above see this link on Md Gov Horatio Sharpe’s letters
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Still debate persists after the 1746 Fairfax Stone
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Penn-Calvert Dispute, Mason Dixon Line not settled during this time
Sources:
1. Winchester Frederick County Historical Society Journal, Volume XIII, published 2001, article by Richard W Stephenson, The Life and Times of Colonel James Wood, Survey and Founder of Winchester VA, pages 75-76
2, Josiah L Dickinson, The Fairfax Proprietary [Front Royal VA 1959] pages 136-148 and a supplementary to this book
3. Stuart E Brown, Jr., Virginia Baron: The Story of Thomas 6th Lord Fairfax (Berryville VA 1965) pages 124-128
4. History of Colonel Henry Bouquet and the Western Frontiers of Pennsylvania, 1747-1764, Mary Carson Darlington, Privately printed, 1920 – Indians of North America – 224 pages … see Page 13
Alcohol
This article is angry about the Fire Water Stereotype.
It says DNA is a false explanation. But nothing about Enzymes.
Instead, Stress and Racism are the causes.
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Discusses in general many causes, particularly Stress.
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Enzymes in Women?
By Harald Franzen on April 16, 2001
An international team of researchers may have found one of the reasons why alcohol harms women more than men: women, it appears, are deficient in an enzyme that helps metabolize alcohol. The findings appear in the April issue of Alcoholism: Clinical and Experimental Research.
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Enzymes in Indians?
Individuals can be protected against or predisposed to alcoholism by variations in the enzymes that metabolize alcohol (i.e., alcohol dehydrogenase [ADH] and aldehyde dehydrogenase [ALDH]).
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Dr. Ehlers examines the frequency with which these variants occur in one particular group of Native Americans, the Southwest California Indians.
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The findings suggest that it is unlikely that Native Americans carry a genetic variant that predisposes them to alcoholism.
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Certain variants of ADH and ADLH do have a protective affect against alcoholism in some Native American people; however, these findings do not explain the high incidence of alcoholism in the tribes that were studied.
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HANDSOME LAKE
A Story about Handsome Lake, brother of Chief Cornplanter
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Next May never happened
Lt Gov Dinwiddie, effectively the active governing leader for Governor Loudoun, came to Winchester VA, but the Indians never appeared.
2nd Session
1753 session, page 104, November 1, 1753
2nd Session
1753 session, page 106, November 3, 1753
The Full 2nd Session from beginning to end:
1753 session, page 103, November 1, 1753 to December 19, 1753
These were the Bad Guys?
The Indians who came here to this Winchester Conference ended up attacking English speaking settlements, or rather "encroachments," depending on your POV, the point of view, on who is hurting who.
Monacatoocha Juanetto Chiefs of the Delawares
Also known as Scarouady.
There are references to Monacatooha being Oneida, part of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois, the 6 Nations). There are references to this man being Shawnee as well. There was a lot of intermixing and migration between the nations. He mostly stayed on the side of peace with the English.
King Shingess – Beaver, Pisquiten – George.
These brother were all involved at one time or another warring against the English, before and after this conference.
That list of those names are possibly 3 brothers.
King Shingess here is King Shingas. We are not sure on "George." King Shingas' brothers are Beaver (aka Tamaqua) and Pisquiten (we believe they mean Pisquetomen)
Our starting point for making this claim:
[PHOTO CAPTION: “King Beaver, aka Tamaqua, was a brother of Pisquetomen along with Shingas.”] By Valentine J. Brkich
All 3 brothers, Shingas, Beaver, Pisquetomen were involved in attacking English settlements or rather "encroachments."
Click on each name to read those stories.
Pisquetomen, though, switched to sort of neutral when being asked to be the body guard of Frederick Post who delivered the message of the Easton Peace Treaty to the Ohio country indians.
Chiefs of the Shawness – Newchycomer
We believe this is Chief Newcomer (aka Netawatwees). We also see some dispute that this chief might instead be Delaware. But there was a lot of mix and crossover between nations.
The Shawnee sided with the French from the Battle of Fort Necessity 1754 to the reduction of Fort Duquesne Nov 1758.
Chiefs of the Wyandotte
Also known as the Huron.
They sided with the French from the Battle of Fort Necessity 1754 to the reduction of Fort Duquesne Nov 1758.
Chiefs of the Twightwees
Also known as the Miami.
They sided with the French from the Battle of Fort Necessity 1754 to the reduction of Fort Duquesne Nov 1758.
Links in the course of researching:
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A Fairfax estate – Gooney Manor area
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WADDELLS ANNALS OF AUGUSTA COUNTY, VIRGINIA FROM 1726 TO 1871, by JOSEPH A. WADDELL. Online Edition Copyright © 2006, 2007 EagleRidge Technologies, Inc..
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Meanwhile
In 1753, a 21-year-old member of the Virginia militia by the name of George Washington traveled on the stretch of road preserved at Claude Moore Park on his way to Fort Boeuf near Lake Erie in Pennsylvania.
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CHRISTOPHER GIST AND HIS SONS The author of this paper, Mr. Lawrence A. Orrillof Crafton, Pennsylvania, is a former student of the Carnegie Institute of Technology with a hobby for historical research. The paper was read at a meeting of the Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania on January 26, 1932. Ed.
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Native Americans Of The Eastern Ohio Country
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Unami (Delaware / Lenni-Lenape) (North American Tribes) Incorporating the Aquackanonk, Hackensack, Haverstraw, Navasink, Raritan, & Tappan
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Shows no Council or House of Burgesses session was held in Sept 1753
In 2023 we will be covering events of 1759 mostly, but where there is not much activity related to Fort Loudoun or the Virginia Regiment or the Indians or George Washington, then we will cover events from other years.
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he designation, Long Knife, apparently first was used in 1684 by the Five Nations (Iroquois) to characterize Virginia Governor Lord Howard and then the term was assigned to the line of chief executives from that province which succeeded Howard. During 1722, at a conference in Albany, the derivation of the Long Knife appellation was made known. It originated with the Onondaga word, Assarigoa or Asharigoua. This cognomen applied to "...the Governor of Virginia, which signifies a simeter, or cutlas, which was given to the Lord Howard, Anno 1684, from the Dutch word, Hower, a cutlas." See Charles A. Hanna, The Wilderness Trail Or the Ventures and Adventures of the Pennsylvania Traders on the Allegheny Path, 2 vols. (New York and London: G. P. Putman's Sons, 1911), I, 318.
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