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Death of Col. Lawrence Schoolcraft--Perils of the revolutionary
era--Otwin--Mr. Bancroft's history in the feature of its Indian
relations--A tradition of a noted chief on Lake Michigan--The
collection of information for a historical volume--Opinions of Mr.
Paulding, Dr. Webster, Mr. Duer, John Quincy Adams--Holyon and
Alholyon--Family monument--Mr. Stevenson, American Minister at
London--Joanna Baillie--Wisconsin--Ireland--Detroit--Michilimackinack.
1840. June 7th. The first of June found me in Detroit, on
my way to Washington, where I was in a few days met by the appalling
intelligence of the death of my father (Col. Lawrence Schoolcraft),
an event which took place on this day at Vernon, Oneida County, New
York. He had reached his eighty-fourth year, and possessed a vigor
of constitution which promised longer life, until within a few days
of his demise. A dark spot appeared on one of his feet, which had, I
think, been badly gashed with an axe in early life. This
discoloration expanded upwards in the limb, and terminated in what
appeared to be a dry mortification.
In him terminated the life of one of the most zealous actors in the
drama of the American Revolution, in which he was at various times a
soldier and an officer, a citizen and a civil magistrate.
"Temperate, ardent and active, of a mind vigorous and energetic, of
a spirit bold and daring, nay, even indomitable in its aspirations
for freedom, he became at once conspicuous among his brethren in
arms, and a terror to his country's foes1."
His grandfather was an Englishman, and had served with reputation
under the Duke of Marlborough in some of his famous continental
battles, in the days of Queen Anne, and he cherished the military
principle with great ardor. He spoke fluently the German and Dutch
languages, and was thus able to communicate with the masses of the
varied population, originally from the Upper Rhine and the Scheldt,
who formed a large portion of the inhabitants of the then frontier
portions of Albany County, including the wild and picturesque range
of the Helderbergs and of the new settlements of Schoharie, the
latter being in immediate contact with the Mohawk Iroquois. The
influence of the British government over this tribe, through the
administration of Sir William Johnson, was unbounded. Many of the
foreign emigrants and their descendants were also under this sway,
and the whole frontier was spotted with loyalists under the ever
hateful name of Tories. These kept the enemy minutely informed of
all movements of the revolutionists, and were, at the same time, the
most cruel of America's foes, not excepting the Mohawks. For the
fury of the latter was generally in battle, but the former exercised
their cruelties in cold blood, and generally made deliberate
preparations for them, by assuming the guise of Indians. In these
infernal masks they gave vent to private malice, and cut the throats
of their neighbors and their innocent children. In such a position a
patriot's life was doubly assailed, and it was often the price of
it, to declare himself "a son of liberty," a term then often used by
the revolutionists.
He had just entered his seventeenth year when the war against the
British authorities in the land broke out, and he immediately
declared for it; the wealthy farmer (Swartz) with whom he lived,
being one of the first who were overhauled and "spotted" by the
LOCAL COMMITTEE OF SAFETY, who paraded through the settlement with a
drum and fife. He was at the disarming of Sir John Johnson, at
Johnstown, under Gen. Schuyler, where a near relative, Conrad Wiser,
Esq., was the government interpreter. He was at Ticonderoga when the
troops were formed into hollow square to hear the Declaration of
Independence read. He marched with the army that went to reinforce
Gen. Montgomery, at Quebec, and was one of the besieged in Fort
Stanwix, on the source of the Mohawk, while Gen. Burgoyne, with his
fine army, was being drawn into the toils of destruction by Gen.
Schuyler, at Saratoga--a fate from which his supersedeas by
Gen. Gates, the only unjust act of Washington, did not extricate
him.
The adventures, perils, and anecdotes of this period, he loved in
his after days to recite; and I have sometimes purposed to record
them, in connection with his name; but the prospect of my doing so,
while still blessed with an excellent memory, becomes fainter and
fainter.
8th. Otwin (vide ante) writes from La Pointe, in Lake
Superior, in the following terms:--
"I often look back to the happy days I spent in your family, and
feel grateful in view of them. A thousand blessings rest on your
head, my dear friend, and that of your wife, for all your kindness
to me, when first a stranger in a distant land. I cannot reward you,
but know that you will be rewarded at the resurrection of the just."
9th. "I know of no good reason," says a correspondent, "why a
man should not, at all times, stand ready to sustain the truth."
This is a maxim worthy Dr. Johnson; but the experience of life shows
that such high moral independence is rare. Most men will speak out,
and even vindicate the truth, sometimes. But the worldling
will stand mute, or evade its declaration, whenever his
interests are to be unfavorably affected by it.
I reached Washington on public business during the heats of June,
and, coming from northern latitudes, felt their oppressiveness
severely.
27th. Mr. Bancroft, the historian, pursues exactly the course
he should, to ferret out all facts, new and old. He does not hold
himself too dignified to pick up information, or investigate facts,
whenever and wherever he can find them. In what he has to say about
the Indians, a subject that lies as a superstratum under his work,
he is anxious to hear all that can be said. "Let me hear from you,"
he adds in a letter of this date, "before you go back. I want to
consult you on my chapter about the Indians, and for that end should
like to send you a copy of it."
The chief, Eshquagonaby, of Grand Traverse Bay, Lake Michigan,
relates the following traditions: When Gezha Manido (the Good
Spirit) created this island (continent), it was a perfect plain,
without trees or shrubs. He then created an Indian man and woman.
When they had multiplied so as to number ten persons, death
happened. At this the man lamented, and went to and fro over the
earth, complaining. Why, he exclaimed, did the Good Spirit create me
to know death and misery so soon? The Good Spirit heard this, and,
after assembling his angels to counsel, said to them, What shall we
do to better the condition of man? I have created him frail and
weak. They answered, O, Good Spirit, thou hast created us, and thou
art everlasting, and knowest all things; thou alone knowest what is
best.
Six days were given to this consultation. During this time not a
breath of wind blew to disturb the waters. This is now called
unwatin (a calm). On the seventh day not a cloud was seen; the
sky was blue and serene. This is called nageezhik (excellent
day) by the Indians.
During this day he sent down a messenger, placing in his right bosom
a piece of white hare skin, and in his left, part of the head of the
white-headed eagle. Both these substances had a blue stripe on them
of the nature and substance of the blue sky, being symbols of peace.
The messenger said to the man that complained: "Your words are
heard, and I am come from the Good Spirit with good words. You must
conform yourself to his commands. I bring pieces of the white hare
skin and the white eagle's head, which you must use in your MEDAWA (religico-medical
rites), and whatsoever is asked on those occasions will be granted,
and long life given to the sick." The messenger also gave them a
white otter skin, with a blue stripe painted on the back part of the
head. Other ceremonial rites and directions were added, but these
may suffice to indicate the character of Mr. Eshquagonaby's
tradition, which has just been sent to me.
July 1st. I was now anxious to collect materials for the
publication of a volume of collections by the Michigan Historical
Society, and addressed several gentlemen of eminence on the subject.
Mr. J. K. Paulding, Sec. of the Navy (July 9th), pleads official
engagements as preventing him from doing much in the literary way
while thus employed.
Dr. Noah Webster, of New Haven, expresses his interest in the
history of the country generally, and his willingness to contribute
to the collection and preservation of passing materials. "In answer
to the request for aid in collecting national documents, I can
sincerely say it will give me pleasure to lend any aid in my power.
Respecting the State of Michigan, I presume I could furnish nothing
of importance. Respecting the history of our government for the last
fifty years, I might be able to add something to the stock of
information possessed by the present generation, for I find men in
middle life absolutely ignorant of some material facts which have a
bearing on our political concerns. But little can be expected,
however, from a man of eighty-two, whose toils must be
drawing to a close."
The Hon. John A. Duer, Prest. Col. College (July 15th), while
expressing a sympathy in the object, declares himself too much
occupied in the duties of his charge to permit him to hold forth any
promise of usefulness in the case specified.
Hon. John Quincy Adams forwarded, with the expression of his
interest in the subject, twelve pamphlets of historical value, the
titles of each of which he carefully recites in his letter. "It will
give me much pleasure," he says, "to transmit to the society, when
it may be in my power, any of the articles pertaining to the history
of the country and mentioned in your letter, as suited to promote
the purposes for which it was instituted."
From other quarters and observers less absorbed in the discharge of
specific functions, I received several valuable manuscript
communications, chiefly relative, to transactions on the frontiers
or to Indian history.
22d. Two half-breeds from the upper lakes, whom I shall
designate Holyon and Alholyon, made their way to the seat of
government during the winter of 1840. Holyon had been dismissed for
improper conduct from the office of Indian interpreter at Mackinack
about May. Alholyon had been frustrated in two several attempts to
get himself recognized as head chief by the Ottawas, and
consequently to some influence in the use of the public funds, which
were now considerable. One was of the Chippewa, the other of the
Ottawa stock. Holyon was bold and reckless, Alholyon more timid and
polite, but equally destitute of moral principles. They induced some
of the Indians to believe that, if furnished by them with funds,
they could exercise a favorable influence at Washington, in regard
to the sale of their lands. The poor ignorant Indians are easily
hoodwinked in matters of business. At the same time they presented,
in secret council, a draft for $4000 for their services, which they
induced some of the chiefs to sign. This draft they succeeded in
negotiating to some merchant for a small part of its value. No
sooner had they got to head-quarters, and found they were
anticipated in the draft matter, and the project of a
chieftainship, by letters from the agent, than they drew up a
long list of accusations against him, containing every imaginable
and abominable abuse of office. This was presented at the Indian
office, where its obvious character should have, it would seem, been
at once suspected. The head of that Bureau, who began to see from
the strong political demonstrations around him, "how the cat was
about to jump," acceded to a request of Holyon and Alholyon, that
the matter be referred for local examination to one or two of their
personal advisers inland. This step (in entire ignorance of the
private relations of the parties, it must be presumed,) was assented
to. In a letter of Holyon to J.L.S., of May 19th, 1840, he says:
"The department was predisposed against him (the agent), and wanted
only a cause to proceed against him." But it left a stain on its
fairness and candor by omitting the usual course of furnishing the
agent a copy of the charges and requesting his attention thereto, or
even of informing him of the pendency of an investigation. As the
charges were entirely unfounded, and had been the diseased
imaginings of disappointed and unprincipled minds, it only put the
agent to the necessity of confronting his assailants, and with every
advantage of accusers, examiners and the appellant power against
him, he was triumphantly acquitted, by an official letter, of every
charge whatever, and of every moral imputation of wrong. "Should thy
lies make men hold their peace? and when thou mockest, shall no man
make thee ashamed?" (Job xi. 3.)
1: Nat. Intell. July 31, 1840.
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Personal Memoirs of a Residence of Thirty Years with the
Indian Tribes on the American Frontiers, 1851
Thirty
Years with the Indians |
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