Account of a visit made by Penrose Wiley, John Letchworth, Anne Mifflin, Mary Bell, and others to the Seneca Indians settled on the Allegany River

Collection — huntington box: 39 - folder 1

Identifier: 9001

Scope and content

Original manuscript attributed to Mary Gilbert with description of meeting with Indians at Coldspring, Usqueshanadarqua, and Geneshatago. Includes quotes from Seneca chief Cornplanter and Blue Eyes. Described as the first visit by white women to Geneshatago. Also includes transcript of an excerpt from letter of Charles E. Congdon dated December 20, 1945 mentioning the manuscript, and the original invoice from Dauber & Pine Bookshops. Discussion of the white man using up all the water for whiskey and how its use precludes going to heaven.

Dates

1803.

Creator

Gilbert, Mary. (Person)
Bonawit, G. Owen (George Owen), 1891-1971. (Person)
Huntington Free Library (Former owner, Organization)

Biographical / Historical

Cornplanter was a Seneca chief also known as John O'Bail. His father was either English or Dutch and his mother was a Seneca. He participated in several treaties and was granted a tract of land by the state of Pennsylvania for his services to the whites as well as a pension from the United States. In 1790 he met with General Washington in Philadelphia regarding the grievances of his people. One of his sons, Henry Obeal, became an alcoholic later in his life.