Historical Wyoming County September 1947 - Old Fulton History

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negotiations opened on the 28th i
with a speech by Thomas Morris |
setting forth his proposals. It f
.?as generally known that some of =
the white men came prepared to f
make secret deals with influential }
Indians and interpreters. Whiskey i
was forbidden until the completion!
of the treaty. I
i
Long and calm consultations |
followed the introductory proceedings
until some one introduced
a barrel of whiskey among the
Indians. Farmer's Brother,"a very
sober and respectable chief", reported
the situation, observing
at the same time that Red Jacket
was very much under the effects
of drink. It was arranged that Farmer's
Brother should destroy the
cask even though he temporarily
incurred the wrath of the
Senecas. This done, with time to
sober up, the council reconvened.
Red J acket, always conscious of
his importance and fearful of
10£ of influence, spear-headed
the opposition. lie felt that he
could profit personally through
posing as the protector of his
necple. That he subsequently did.
-'ornplanter _ Little Beard, Little
Billy, and x Uu
v /
Morris that the chief women should
be convened since they were, by
Iroquois law, privileged to overrule
the decisions of the sachems.
Accordingly, on September 7th,
Morris explained the advantage of
a sale and promised the women soms
cows if the sale wore successful.
Several days of consultations
between the warriors and the women
climaxed in the reconvening
of the council and the signing of
a treaty. Red Jacket again held
the spotlight; he demanded larger
reserves that the white men desired
and held out for choice
sites, but in the end around 200,
000 acres, out of more than four
million, was set aside for the
oenecas, and a purchase price of
$100,000 in stock in the Bank of
the United States was accepted.
To establish the ' boundaries
of these reservations was no
small task. The vague definitions
were purposely exploited by various
chiefs because of jealously
and rivalry. Red Jacket's group
got the largest area in the Buffalo
Creek Reservation. Mary Jemison,
as a reward for her valued
services and prestige,was granted
'armer's Brother were 17,929 acres in the town of Cas-
occasional speakers. Red Jacket tile, an area knwon as the "White
finally proposed the sale of but Woman's Tract". Other nearby re-
one township, near the northern serves included Squaky Hill,
bounds of Pennsylvania, and no Little Beard's Town and Big Tree,
more. This Morris flatly dis- and Canaedea. When Joseph Ellicarded.
Thereupon, with savage cott began his surveying for the
dignity, Red Jacket declared the Holland Land Company in 1798, he
council fire covered and the par- defined these Indian lands west
ley was at an end.
of the East Transit Line. During
the following year, all townships
Into the breech Farmer's in this county were recorded al-
Brother steeped. He suggested to though the internal surveys were
not completed until 1809.