Colonial Settlements Raise Indian Alarms

Journal of James Kenny (1761–1763)

In the early 1760s, James Kenny was in charge of the trading store near Pittsburgh, in western Pennsylvania, an outpost established by the colony’s Commissioners of Indian Affairs. Colonial authorities were clearly responding to the movement of white settlers to interior regions while establishing control over frontier land heretofore occupied by American Indians. As Kenny begins his diary, the North American phase of the French and Indian War was winding down. Here, he discusses colonists’ encounters with American Indians.

9^th. — Frederick Post came here from Tuscorawas & having a meeting with y^e Indians there, before they set off (to y^e Treaty) at Detroit, he let them know that the good Spirit had sent him amongst them in order to do them good & inform them in y^e Christian Principels, to which they answer’d that they were very willing of his living amongst them, but not on them tearms, as they seen no better fruits or works amongst Christians than amongst themselves, but he told them that y^e good spirit was with him, when he came to them in y^e War time & that they had no reason to repent of his coming amongst them that time, and that now if they did not receive him on y^e tearms he mentioned y^e Good Spirit ordered him to leave them, and go to some others, having made them as y^e head men of that Nation y^e first offer & call’d for his Horse to be gone, but they would not consent to let him go, so he is now prepairing materials in order to build a House to live in, & keep School, & instruct them as far as he can or they will receive, but tells them that their hearts are not prepair’d to hear the gosple.

12^th. — About this time y^e Beaver King & Shingas came here & held a small council wt Geo. Croughan,1 & y^e Beaver told me they would go to Philadelphia next Spring to Confirm their alliance with our Province.…

16^th. — One Agness Miller, being a Captive amongst y^e Shawnes, was delivered up here as also two other little Girls, Daughters of Charles Stuward & James McBride, taken from y^e Coves, one of them being taken by Shingus & belon’d to Pisquition. Langdale had orders from Israel Pemberton to advance £20 for redeeming Agness, but she being deliver’d up cost nothing.

23^d — Langdale left this place and set off home, after leaving a Protest in Writing with me (as he was just going) being against all Josiah Davenports & my Actings in y^e Store since y^e Day he left it in order chiefly, as he told me, to clear himself if any thing happen’d in y^e Goods which he said was only matter of form, as he never alledg’d any dishonesty to any of us. One Blaine y^e officer which Commands at Ligonier came here. I have had no Answer as yet from y^e Commiss^s, which gives Frederick Post some encouragement (if I am set at liberty) to go to see him to Tuscorawas.

11^mo1^st. — The Shawana Chiefs came here & Held a Treaty of Peace with Geo. Croghan where none was admitt’d but Croghan’s Assistant, (Thomas Hutchins) & himself & Indians I heard they promis’d to keep in friendship with y^e English for ever & blam’d y^e French for drawing them away from y^e English Intrest.…

12^th. — Many Traders gone with Goods to Trade at y^e Indians Towns. One Thomas Cape that was Prisoner amongst y^e Shawanas, being taken from Cape Capen in Virginia, being set free, we have taken him to live with us.…

19^th. — The Fort Banks here is very near raise’d which makes it look much Stronger than it was in times of more danger by accounts, y^e front next y^e Inhabitants being of Brick and Corners of y^e Angles of Hewn Stone, about [?] foot High y^e Back part next y^e Point where y^e two Rivers Meets being of Earth & soded all so that it grows thick of long Grass that was done last year & they have Moov’d y^e Bank several times this Summer its four Squair with a Row of Barracks along each Squair three Rows of which are Wooden frame work & y^e Row on y^e Bank side next y^e point is Brick also a large Brick House built this summer in y^e South East Corner of y^e Roof being now aputing on, having fine Steps at y^e Door of Hewn free Stone, a Cellar all under it, at y^e Bank Side of y^e Barracks opens y^e Doors of y^e Magazines Vaults & Dungeons lying under y^e Great Banks of Earth thrown out of y^e Great Trinches all Round in these are kept y^e Strores of Amunition &c & Prisoners that are to be tried for their Lives, in these Vaults are no light but as they carry Lanthorns, on y^e South East Bastion stands a High Poal like a Mast & top Mast to Hoist y^e flag on which is Hoisted on every first Day of y^e Week from about Eleven to One o’Clock & on State Days &c there are three Wells of Water wall’d in y^e fort, & a Squair of Clear Ground in y^e inside of about 2 Acres.

20^th. — I have been Inform’d by a Young Man that was order’d by y^e Commanding Officer, Collonel Bouquet, (this Sumer) to Number all y^e Dwelling Houses without y^e Fort marking the number on each Door that there was above one Hundred Houses but y^e Highest number I have seen by beter [account] there is 150 Houses, to take notice of I think was Seventy Eight, these being y^e Inhabitants of Pittsburgh, where two years ago I have seen all y^e Houses that were without y^e Little Fort they had then, thrown Down, only One, which stands yet, also two that was within that little fort is now standing being y^e Hospital now, all y^e rest being Built since, which if y^e Place continues to Increase near this manner it must soon be very large, which seems likely to me.

21^st. — As to y^e Government of y^e Place at p[re]sent y^e Chief Laws have been Out by y^e General’s Orders, which are Viz 1st That all Subjects may by applying to y^e Chief Enginear Build Houses, but none to Sell or Rent any; that no person shall buy of y^e Indians, Horses nor Bells, &c.

11^mo21^st. — To Sell no Rum or Strong Liquor nor give to Indians on Pain of having their Houses pull’d Down, & y^e Transgressors being banished the place. There was also some time ago, restrections about Selling the Indians Powder & Lead to exceed five pounds for one man at Once of Each & that there must be no dealing in Trade after y^e Evening Gun is fired after Sun Down. Some people have had their Houses pull’d Down for y^e Brech of some of these Laws & themselves Banish’d.

25^th. — This Day y^e Provincial Soldiers Time expired, but are not discharged, y^e [Colonel] waiting for an answer whether they shall be continued over y^e Winter.

27^th. — Y^e Provincial Soldiers disarts without a Discharge & seems to be as willing to return, many of them as they were to List being kept to Constant Labour here at Building y^e Banks of y^e fort quarring Stone & Cutting Wood, which they perform’d as expeditiously as any that has work’d here & I heard that the [Colonel] should say they done an emense sight of work for y^e time, so that our province has no small Share in raising y^e Banks of Fort Pitt.

30^th. — We have been very Busey in getting Home a Stock of fire-wood being Cut about a Mile up y^e Allegheny & 150 Yards from y^e River side some we haul’d with a Cart to y^e River & some Carried & brought it home with a Battoe.

12^mo1^st. — Many of y^e Inhabitants here have hired a School Master & Subscrib’d above Sixty Pounds for this Year to him, he has about Twenty Schollars, likewise y^e Soberer sort of People seemes to Long for some publick way of Worship, so y^e School Master Reads y^e Littany & Common Prayer on y^e first Days to a Congregation of different Principels (he being a Prisbiterant) where they behave very Grave (as I hear), on y^e occasion y^e Children also are brought to Church as they Call it.

5^th. — The Provincials are discharged & Marches off with [Colonel] Burd, this Place having but few Soldiers left in it.

Here is about 51 of y^e Sennica Nation Wariors, with a Steady big Old Man, their Head, going to War against y^e Cherokees. They have made a Speech at their Coming that we should not think hard of them Concerning y^e Conspiracy they began this last Sumer, as that matter was Settled & they intend to live in peace with us for y^e futor, & being in need of some necessaries they hop’d we would supply them as they were going against y^e common Enemy to us as to them. This Nation are Said to be y^e most against y^e English of any of y^e Six Nations.…

Sennica Wariors have got y^e last provissions allow’d them this Day with orders to go being Supply’d with all they ask’d, they are very troublesome by crowding into y^e Houses & thronging our fire Places, but behaves Civell y^e Indians in General being so theevish that we are under y^e necessity to watch them with y^e utmost care & must be loosers after in some things unless we had as many spyes as they have thieves; this makes them fare y^e worse amongst us, as we are affraid to let them Sleep in our Houses, or indulge them to tarry any longe time, but many of them are so good natured that they wont be affronted readily.

12^mo8^th. — The Head Sennica Warior dealt Seven large Bucksins with me, when many of them Croud’d in y^e Store being very Theivish (y^e Agent being out) y^e Warior seem’d not easy pleas’d with his full Pay which he took in Powder, so I gave him a Loaf of Bread which was satisfactory to them; one of them bringing a small Skin want’d Brass Wire for it, but could hardly please himself amongst a variety of sorts, telling me to hand more, which I looked upon it as a Stratagem to keep me bussie that y^e others might have oppertunity to Steal something. Several of ’em want’d to get behind y^e Counter but I always turn’d em back & all they got was a Handful of salt. One took out a kegg that stood behind y^e door, whilst my Brother just step’d out, so I turn’d them all out & y^e Hindmost stop’d by y^e door & begg’d for a Little Salt, so I gave him a Handfull he being disappoint’d in Stealing of it.

John W. Jordan, ed., “Journal of James Kenny, 1761–1763,” The Pennsylvania Magazine of History and Biography, vol. XXXVII (1913): 25–30.

READING AND DISCUSSION QUESTIONS