Peace Treaty of November 1756

Drafted by Charles Thomson

After the completion of the Woods’ Edge Ceremony, the Indians and Governor William Denny both offered condolences. Both sides accepted the others’ kindness. After this, a day of non-official meeting took place to discuss plans of a treaty. Official negotiations took place the next day and this shall be the official treaty of those negotiations.

Present,

Lieutenant Governor William Denny and members of the Proprietary Party, Richard Peters, William Logan, William Parsons, McAplin,

The Honorable Commissioners of the Assembly of Pennsylvania and the people of Philadelphia including Benjamin Franklin, Israel Pemberton, Charles Thomson, Joseph Fox, Jeremiah Warder,

The representative of the Iroquois, Capture-the-Bird,

War Captain of the Delaware, Teedyuscung,

Representative of the Susquehanna Shawnee, Paxinosa,

John Pompshire and Conrad Weiser, Interpreters.

Opening oratories were offered by Governor Denny and John Pompshire read the oratories of Capture-the-Bird, Teedyuscung and Paxinosa.

Governor Denny:

As Lieutenant Governor of Pennsylvania, I would like to thank you all for coming to these negotiations. Throughout this duration the proprietary party would like to negotiate the land that seems to be in conflict between the settlers and the Indians, the situation with the white captives, agreeing trade should be reopened, starting a “defensive” militia, payment to proprietary members, and the French…from raising money to help invade Canada to asking for the help of the Indians to push the French away from the English settlements. We, the Proprietary Party, would like to do all of these negotiations quickly and as efficiently as possible. Again, we could like to thank all the proprietary party and Indians for coming to these negotiations.

John Pompshire for Capture-the-Bird:

My desires are to have recognition and payment to the Iroquois of the lands gained by Pennsylvania in the Walking Purchase, recognition of Iroquois title on the Upper Susquehanna Valley, a trading post at Shamokin, British ejection of Connecticut settlers from the Upper Susquehanna Valley and for Pennsylvania to repudiate the scalp bounties.

John Pompshire for Teedyuscung:

My desires are for the Delaware to get sole ownership of the Wyoming Valley and have that recognized by the Iroquois and the British. To have trading posts erected in the Wyoming Valley, in the British architectural style but no settlements. To have the trading posts guarded by Indians and to only house British traders. To have the British recognize me as Supreme Delaware Chief. To have Pennsylvania repudiate the scalp bounties.

John Pompshire for Paxinosa:

I, Paxinosa, come to you as a leader of the Shawnee and a member of the “Peace Party”. In pursuit of these negotiations, I, along with leaders from the Delaware and Shawnee tribes, have certain demands that we feel need to be met in order to establish peace throughout Pennsylvania. First and foremost, we need to open a trading post in the Delaware Valley. My people, the people of the Shawnee tribe, are running short of food, powder, and lead. My primary goal is to get my people proper supplies that are of a necessity to them. To meet this demand I will favor your notion of building a road to the Ohio Valley as long as it does not go through the Wyoming Valley. Another demand that all three tribes agree on is that you Pennsylvanians need to repudiate the scalp bounties. They will not help in establishing peace throughout Pennsylvania. I also ask you all to stop with the war tactics and negotiate with us peacefully to help with our demands, as we will with yours.

Governor Denny would like it known that he had Benjamin Franklin “ejected” from the negotiations. Ben Franklin was no longer present. Governor Denny also announces that he would like himself and the other members of the Proprietary Party to be paid for their time spent at the negotiations. An offhand comment by Governor Denny about how Easton is a dump is also mentioned.

First issue addressed was that the Indians refused to go further in the negotiations until all scalp bounties are repudiated.

Governor Denny says the Proprietary Party has an agreement to repudiate scalp bounties only with the Iroquois, who will in return release white captives. After the Quakers and Commissioners of the Assembly question Governor Denny on this agreement the Governor gets anxious and declares that no scalp bounties will be repudiated until all white captives are released. The Indians agree to release all their white captives.

-The Indians release all their white captives and in return all scalp bounties are repudiated.

Second issue addressed is that Capture-the-Bird would like to discuss and resolve the Walking Purchase of 1737. The Walking Purchase of 1737 was an agreement between the Iroquois and the people of Pennsylvania in which the Pennsylvanians receive all the land they can cover by foot in thirty-six hours starting west of the Delaware River. Capture-the-Bird feels the Indians were taken advantage of by the British and wishes to be paid for the land. The Proprietary agrees to give the Iroquois £1000 for the land in question. This money will be raised by the assembly and paid for through taxes.

-Pennsylvania to keep land from Walking Purchase and in return gives Iroquois £1000.

Note:

This portion of the agreement is void because Capture-the-Bird did not sign the treaty.

Without an Iroquois signature, the assembly refuses to raise the money.

Third issue concerns the Wyoming Valley and trading posts. The Delaware want sole ownership of the Wyoming Valley. The British and the Iroquois both agree to recognize this. In return, the British ask that they get land in the Juanita Valley and have the land claims of 1754 verified. The Delaware and the Iroquois verify this. Teedyuscung asks to be recognized as supreme chief of the Delaware. The Proprietary agrees to do so. The Delaware would like trading posts to be built in the Wyoming Valley. These will be built in traditional British style architecture. Teedyuscung also would like this post protected by the Delaware and not by the British. The Proprietary agrees to build posts and give Jeremiah Warder exclusive trading privileges. Warder will also be heading up the project to build these posts and home for the Indians. Teedyuscung asks to be recognized as supreme chief of the Delaware. The Proprietary agrees to do so.

Paxinosa wishes there to be a post built in Shamokin. Warder and Parsons agree to help build a road to this post in Shamokin. This road will not pass through the Wyoming Valley.

-Trading posts and homes to be built in British style architecture in Wyoming Valley, which now belongs to the Delaware. The Delaware will guard the post with British supplied ammunition. Teedyuscung if recognized as supreme Delaware Chief. The Iroquois and Delaware verify British claims of Juanita Valley and land claims of 1754. A trading post will be built in Shamokin and a road will be built to Ohio but will not pass through the Wyoming Valley.

Note:

The Iroquois retain claims to the Wyoming Valley because Capture-the-Bird did not sign the treaty. Furthermore, the Iroquois do not give their permission for the construction of British posts of any sort in the Wyoming Valley. Since the Iroquois sold the Juanita Valley in 1754, the fact that Capture-the-Bird did not sign the treaty is immaterial.

Fourth issue negotiated is that the Shawnee want the Connecticut settlers out of the Wyoming Valley. They want the British to help persuade those settlers to leave. The British agree to do so on the condition that the Indians help drive French out of Ohio. The Iroquois will not agree to this, but the Shawnee and Delaware say they will help.

-British will persuade Connecticut settler to leaves from Wyoming Valley and Shawnee and Delaware will help British drive French out of Ohio.

Fifth issue negotiated: The Quakers will provide missionaries to Indian settlements in the Wyoming Valley.

Signed and authenticated by:

Conrad Weiser and John Pompshire, interpreters.

Lt. Governor William Denny

Major William Parsons, Richard Peters, Joseph Fox, William Logan, and Israel Pemberton

Paxinosa (his mark)

Teedyuscung (his mark)