THE OHIO FRONTIER
IN 1812.
DIARY "OF THE
INDIAN CONGREGATION AT GOSHEN ON THE RIVER
MUSKINGUM" FOR
THE YEAR 1812.
WRITTEN BY REV. BENJAMIN MORTIMER.
[In the Summer of 1798, David
Zeisberger, accompanied by several
brethren of the Moravian Colony,
departed from their then temporary
home, the town of Fairfield, on the
Thames, in Canada, and proceeded to
the Tuscarawas Valley, where they
founded the settlement called Goshen,
located seven miles northeast of
Gnadenhutten. In the party of the Goshen
settlement was the Rev. Benjamin
Mortimer, an Englishman, who had sev-
eral years before joined the Moravian
Missions in America. He was a
zealous worker among the Indians and a
close friend of Zeisberger, at
whose funeral, 1808, he preached a
sermon in English. Subsequently Mor-
timer became pastor of the Moravian
church in New York City, where he
died in 1834. This Diary of 1812 is
interesting as revealing the condition
of the Mission during the War of that date
between England and the
United States. The original of the Diary
is preserved in Archives of the
Moravian church at Bethlehem, Pa.
Indebtedness should be acknowl-
edged for the privilege of publishing
the Diary to the Rev. W. N.
Schwarze, Curator of the Moravian
Library, Bethlehem-E. O. R. Editor.]
Goshen Congregation at the close of 1811: 4 married pair;
2 married women; 1 widow; 2 single men;
7 boys; 8 girls;-
28 persons.
*
* *
DIARY OF THE INDIAN CONGREGATION AT
GOSHEN ON THE RIVER
MUSKINGUM FROM THE 1 JANUARY TO 30 APRIL
1812.
New Year's day 1 Jan., the public
meeting was from Luke
13, 6-9, etc.
5th from Prov. 23.26 whereby these
passages of scripture
were closely applied to the hearts.
Epiphany 6th was celebrated in the
nearness of our Lord,
with a morning blessing, discourse and
lovefeast. During all
the late festival days we were thankful
that we had no disturb-
ance from drunken people.
(205)
206 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
9th was a meeting for the communicants
whom on the
1oth we spoke with individually, and
found in a humble
state of mind, longing for more grace
from our Saviour.
11th we enjoyed with them a blessed
Lord's supper, con-
cerning which they afterwards expressed
themselves with
much thankfulness.
12th the public meeting was from Rom. 12.1 etc. In these
days we had particular occasion to speak
with Tobias, and with
Anna Sophia, about their circumstances,
advising them to con-
duct themselves willing to do.
17th we had the particular pleasure to
receive a considerable
parcel of congregational accounts, and
other writings from our
dear brn. in Germany and Pennsylvania
for which we were
very thankful.
19th the public meeting was Ps. 60. 13.
23rd there were several shocks of an
earthquake felt here,
and in particular one at 1/2 past 8
o'clock in the morning, more
severe than any of those on the 16th
ult. None of our brn.
& srs. could recollect that they had
ever till lately witnessed any
thing of the kind before, and in common
with the rest of the
inhabitants of this country, were much
alarmed at these un-
usual phenomena. We explained to them
the supposed causes
of earthquakes, and exhorted them to put
their trust in our
Lord, and not to be afraid; but at same
time to pray for grace
to be ready for whatever might be His
will with them.
An Indian chief who hunts at present not
far from here,
gives out, that the late earthquakes
took place because the Great
Spirit was not pleased that the white
people had taken posses-
sion of so much of the Indian country,
and had lately killed so
many Indians on the Wabash.
26th the public meeting was from John
3.17. & 2 Feb. from
Phil. 3. 7-14.
7th at about 1/2 past 3 o'clock
in the morning, there was a
very severe shock of an earthquake here.
The concussions
lasted nearly half an hour. The morning
was perfectly calm,
and the moon shone dimly. In the evening
at about 8, and at
1/2 past 10 o'clock, there were two
other pretty severe shocks,
though not nearly equal to that in the
morning. In general
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 207
about this time slight earthquakes were
very frequent, and
sometimes lasted for hours successively.
In many persons they
produced headache, and a disordered
state of the stomach re-
sembling sea-sickness. We were told of
instances in the neigh-
borhood of children who after an
earthquake were obliged to
vomit. These concussions of the earth,
the dreadful appre-
hensions that were at this time very
generally entertained of an
Indian war, the prognostications of a
so-called prophet among
the whites in Virginia, and a variety of
other occurrences, made
many people in these parts suppose that
the end of the world
was near at hand.
9th the public meeting was from Luke 22. 37. By a
letter
from Br. Luckenbach to Br. Peter, we
were very sorry to hear
of Br. Hagen's poor state of health
since he left us last fall.
13th we had the pleasure to receive the
late weekly leaves
out of the U.E.C. Today a beginning was
made to seize the
property of Indians here for debt, by
warrants from a justice
of the peace; which occasioned
considerable uneasiness among
our brn. & srs. We endeavored to
console them, and make them
easy on the subject, by representing to
them the advantages
that, with proper care on their side,
they might derive from our
laws.
16th the public meeting was from Math. 4.1 etc. Sugar-
making commenced for this season, and
all the Indians here
moved to their sugar-camps.
23d on account of inclement weather,
there could be no
meeting here. Ska and William set off
for Sandusky, by whom
we sent congn. accounts and other
articles to our brn. there.
1 March, the public meeting was from Matth. 25. 1-13.
2d at our request Br. Oppelt from
Gnadenhutten attended
the court today in New Philadelphia, in
order to prosecute some
of the persons who are now more forward
than ever in offering
whiskey to the Indians. The notices that
he gave had a good
effect, though as the grand jury was
found to have been irregu-
larly summoned, they could make no
presentments.
3d Br. Mortimer visited in Gnadenhutten
and Beersheba.
8th there could be no meeting here, as
the weather was un-
favorable.
208 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
15th there was a general attendance of
our people here, and
the public meeting was from Is. 46. 3,
4.
22d on account of the very unfavorable
weather, our brn.
and srs. could not possibly assemble
from the sugar camps to
a meeting.
Maundy-Thursday, 26th, all the Indians
who at present
reside with us, came to hear the account
of our Saviour's suf-
ferings in the garden of Gethsemane, and
listened thereto ap-
parently with great attention. Br. &
Sr. Mortimore enjoyed the
holy communion together blessedly.
Good Friday, 27th, the reading of the
history of our
Saviour's sufferings was continued in
several meetings.
Great Sabbath, 28th, we had an agreeable
lovefeast with all
the Indians here, in commemoration of
our Saviour's meritorious
rest for us in the grave. The
opportunity was especially im-
proved to call to mind the most
remarkable scenes of our Lord's
sufferings, which is never done without
evident impression upon
the hearts.
Easter, 29th, early in the morning we
prayed the Easter
litany, partly in the church, and partly
in the burying-ground.
At 10 o'clock we read together the
history of the day, after
which was the festival discourse from
Rev. 1. 18. During these
festival days all the Indians here moved
entirely into the town
again on purpose to enjoy the meetings,
and no kind of dis-
turbance occurred. This afternoon they
returned again to their
sugar-camp.
31st Br. Mortimer visited in
Gnadenhutten.
5th April, the public meeting was from
Matth. 9, 27-31.
9th Br. Mortimer visited again in
Gnadenhutten and in
Beersheba.
12th, the public meeting was from Jno.
10. 14-18. Br. Mor-
timer went today to Beersheba to the
assistance of Br. Miller to
confer on some matters with the brn. of
that congregation agree-
able to a commission given him for the
purpose from the direc-
tors of the society for the propagation
of the gospel among the
heathen. He returned home in the
evening.
16th, the post today brought us the
unwelcome news that
the President of the U. S. had called on
the Governor of this
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 209
state, for 1200 of the militia to march immediately for Detroit.
This will occasion much uneasiness among
the Indians in gen-
eral, who are alarmed at nothing so much
as at the marching of
the militia. It was the militia of this
country and not regular
troops that murdered so many of our
defenseless Indian brn.
and srs. and their children, in cold
blood, in the year 1782 at
Gnadenhutten.
19th, the public meeting was from Prov.
2. 6, 8. In the
afternoon Br. Mortimer tried to dispel
the alarms which our
brn. had expressed respecting the
marching of the militia. They
declared themselves at length to be
quite easy on the subject,
provided only open war did not break out
between the English
and Americans; in which case they
believed that if, as they ap-
prehended would be the case, Indians
took part in the dispute,
their lives would not be safe here. They
said they relied on Br.
Mortimer for advice, what it would be
best for them to do in
such a case.
26th, the public discourse was from
Prov. 2, 6-8.
30th, being appointed by the Governor of
this state to be
observed as a day of public fasting and
prayer the same was
kept here with due solemnity. At a
meeting in the morning,
after prayer had been put that the
Governor had recommended,
a discourse was held from Jer. 18, 1-11,
with reference in par-
ticular to Jonah 3, 1 etc.; and with a
suitable application to the
hearts. It was rumored here to-day, that
all the Indians at the
town half way between here and Sandusky
were suddenly fled
away and the neighboring white people
did not know what was
become of them. If this is the case (and
it is not improbable)
the cause, we suppose, is their
excessive terror on account of
the marching of the militia, whom all
the Indians in these parts,
from past experience, regard only as so
many lawless, blood-
thirsty murderers.
N. B. According to subsequent accounts
if these Indians
really all fled as described, the
majority of them soon returned.
3 May, the public meeting was from Jno.
4. 42.
Ascension-day, 7th, at a meeting in the
morning, the history
of our Lord's glorious ascension into
heaven was read and was
Vol. XXII --14.
210 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
discoursed upon, the conclusion was made
with prayer kneeling.
In the evening Br. Mortimer, by
commission from the G. H. C.
in Bethlehem, made known to the brn.
& srs. that he was called
from hence in the service of our Lord to
New York. As he
could not at same time inform them who
would come as his suc-
cessor in this place, the communication
caused some agitation
among them, and they seemed to be
generally afraid that they
would now be left without a teacher,
and, as they said, for want
of hearing the gospel fall more and more
into sin, and thus
perish eternally. Br. Mortimer
encouraged them with the hopes
that if it was their sincere desire to
amend their course of life,
and begin anew to live for our Lord, a
teacher might still be
sent them. In consequence of the
declarations of the majority
in the ensuing days, that they could not
endure the thought of
going to live again among the wild
Indians, where they would no
longer hear the word of God; and the
disposition they mani-
fested to make the best promises they
could for the future; he
promised to remain with them till
another teacher was sent here
in his place.
8th, Br. Mortimer visited in
Gnadenhutten and Beersheba.
10th, the public meeting was from Jno.
14. 16, 17.
Whitsunday, 17th, was
celebrated with a solemn morning
blessing, and a discourse from Acts 2.
1, etc.
18th, Br. Miller on his way to and from
New Philadelphia
where he preached today made us as usual
the pleasure of a
visit.
22nd, was the funeral of Anna Benigna,
the wife of John
Henry, who departed to our Lord early
yesterday morning.
She was born and baptized at the winter
abode of the Indn
congn, on Capt. Elliott's farm (near
where Malden now is in
Upper Canada) on their way from
Pettquotting to Fairfield, in
the year 1791. At an early age she married, and being brought
to bed with her first child on the way
between here and Pett-
quotting, the company with which she
travelled so hastened with
her on the journey, that when she
arrived at the latter place,
she was very ill, and apparently at the
point of death. In her
distress she sought and found the grace
of our Saviour, and
was soon after received into the congn.
Three years ago, a
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 211
particular work of the Spirit of God was
observable in her, and
she was admitted to partake of the holy
communion. She was
of a still, quiet and meek disposition,
lived in uninterrupted
peace with every one, was dutiful
towards her aged mother, and
in the different relations of wife and
mother walked worthy of
the gospel. She never unnecessarily
missed a meeting, and re-
joiced for some years past at nothing so
much as when she
heard of our Saviour, with whom it was
evident that she lived
in heart's connexion. So exemplary and valuable a young
sister we would very gladly have kept
among us. Our
Lord however thought otherwise, and for
a considerable time
past has been preparing her for a happy
exit out of time. When
her departure drew near, nothing
troubled her but the thoughts
of leaving her only surviving child, her
husband and mother.
But she became at length easy on their
account too; and being
anew assured of the forgiveness of all
her sins, she declared
that she was now ready to depart, and
rejoiced at the thought
of going to be with our Saviour.
In the evening a stage and seven
waggons, containing 7
families from Litiz in Pennsylvania, and
that neighborhood,
passed through here on their way to
Billartin Heller's two miles
from here, where most of them propose
making their home for
the present. The greater part of these
belong to the Brethern's
congn., and purpose settling not far
from here. The whole
number of families of white brn. &
srs. in this neighborhood is
now nearly forty. With the above
mentioned company came
Br. & Sr. Miller's daughter
Charlotte from Bethlehem, who
remained over night with us, and
proceeded the next day, the
23d to her parent's house in
Beersheba.
Trinity, 24th, the public meeting was
from 1 Jno. 5. 7, 8.
Ska Levi and another Indian came here
from Sandusky and
brought us letters from our dear brn.
there and at Fairfield.
On account of fears at present
entertained in these parts of an
Indian war, much eagerness was soon
discovered in our neigh-
borhood, to know what news these Indians
had brought, and
what was the object of their being here.
All the accounts they
brought agreed with our letters in
representing the Sandusky,
Greentown and Achquittehanning Indians
as peaceably disposed
212 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
towards the United States. The false
reports that are at pres-
ent propagated here respecting the
Indians are innumerable.
26th Anna Sophia returned from
Achquittehanning whither
she went some weeks since to seek relief
for her sick child. In
these days we had the pleasure to
receive congn. accounts and
letters which had been brought hither by
Br. Christ. Blickens-
derfer and company from Litiz. Our brn.
& srs. were now en-
gaged in planting; some of the srs. were
sickly, and could not
attend to their work as usual, on which
account we found it
necessary to remind the others to be so
much the more in-
dustrious, that they might be the better
able to assist each other
with the future produce of their labors,
and there be no want
among them.
29th Br. Mortimer visited in
Gnadenhutten and Beersheba.
31st the public meeting was from Matth.
6, 24. Locusts
now made their appearance here in
greater numbers, than ever
have been known in these parts since the
recommencement of
the settlements on this river. For some
weeks past as they
were coming out of the earth, the hogs
fed and throve on them.
They now served as food for the fowls,
and the Indian children
also fried and ate them.
7th June, the public meeting was from
John 12. 35, 36.
13th Br. Miller and daughter paid a
visit here, and re-
turned to Beersheba the same day.
14th the public meeting was from Jno.
10. 28.
15th Br. Mortimer visited in
Gnadenhutten and Beersheba.
21st the public meeting was from Ps. 23.
1-4. In the even-
ing we had the grace to enjoy the holy
comm. with our small
congn. of Indian comts., in the sense of
the nearness of our
gracious Lord.
28th the public meeting was from Matth.
11. 28.
30th Br. Miller paid us a short visit.
1 July the very melancholy intelligence
was brought here,
that war had actually been declared by
the U. States against
Great Britain, which led us to commend
ourselves, the Indians
here, and all the inhabitants of the
land, to the protection of
our Lord.
4th Kaschates came here from Greentown.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 213
5th the public meeting was from Rom. 6. 3, etc. In the
afternoon Br. Mortimer went by
invitation to welcome Br. &
Sr. Blickensderfer and family in this
neighborhood, as members
of the Gnadenhutten congn. He had also
the grace to enjoy
the holy comn. with the brn. & srs.
there.
12th the public meeting was from Rom. 6.
19 etc.
16th Br. & Sr. Miller made us the
pleasure of a visit.
19th there could be no meeting here from
the apprehension
of disturbance from drunken Indians.
22nd for some time past it had been
circulated in our neigh-
borhood, that a number of Indians with
red coats and British
rifles were seen in different places
near us; and the report oc-
casioned much uneasiness among the
settlers. Today we were seri-
ously questioned from New Philadelphia
on the subject, and
were glad that we could satisfactorily
explain the origin of the
whole alarm. It has arisen from the
circumstance, that Kas-
chates, who is known here by the name of
Thomas Lyons, some
time since came here with a red coat on,
and carrying-as was
said -a British rifle. This Indian
speaks English, and used when
he lived here formerly, to relate to the
white people very cir-
cumstantially, what murders he had
committed among them
during the last Indian war, and what
excessive cruelties he
either has-or pretends to have
been-guilty of. His arrival
here at this time excited the greatest
illwill against him wher-
ever he was known, as he was supposed to
be come only as a
British spy. We were glad that he soon
went away again of his
own accord, as no Indian appears to be
so generally disliked in
this part of the country as he is.
26th the public meeting was from Acts
26. 17, 18. Dur-
ing this week, by occasion that some
disputes that occurred
here, had to be made up, Br. & Sr.
Mortimer spoke with all our
upgrown Indians, either individually, or
in small parties. What-
ever was said to them was well received,
and seemed to have
salutary effects. The disagreements that
had arisen were satis-
factorily adjusted and love and harmony
restored. For all this
we had particular reason to be thankful
to our Lord, especially
in consideration of the present trying
times.
A draft of militia was made this week
throughout our
214 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
county, and the men received orders to
hold themselves in readi-
ness for the defense of the country.
This requisition fell hard
upon many heads of families, and others,
to whom it was very
inconvenient to leave their homes; and
numbers were under
much anxiety, that if during their
absence, an Indian war
should break out on the frontiers
nearest us, their families
would be unprotected, and in great
danger of their lives. It
was also believed, that the circumstance
that the Indians reside
at this place, rendered the situation of
the neighboring white in-
habitants more critical than it
otherwise would be; as here, it
was apprehended, hostile Indians might
secret themselves; and
from the knowledge that they could
obtain here of persons and
places, devise plans for future mischief
among the white people.
The report was circulated, too, that
such inimical Indians were
already arrived here; that by day they
were not to be seen, but
that they assembled here during the
night. It was in conse-
quence said without reserve, that before
the militia marched,
the settlement here must be destroyed.
Many declared that if
they saw a strange Indian here they
would shoot him, and shoot
any Indian who would take their part;
which was in fact noth-
ing less than uttering a threat of
murder against all the in-
habitants here; and some said plainly,
that every Indian here
must be killed. The different militia
companies were mustered,
and the drafts made on Thursday; and on
Friday in particular
these alarming expressions were
communicated to us.
1 Aug. It being the day appointed for
all the drafted
militia men to meet in New Philadelphia,
Br. Mortimer went
there too, to enquire into the truth of
the flying reports re-
specting danger from the Indians, and to
avail himself of such
opportunities as might offer, to calm
men's minds respecting
the dangers that were apprehended from
those that live here.
He could assure every inquirer, that no
strange Indian except
the above mentioned Kaschates had
arrived in Goshen for a
considerable time past, and that he had
been gone from here
for above a week. He proposed that as
long as the war con-
tinued notice should be given by us in
New Philadelphia when-
ever any strange Indians arrived here,
with a description who
they were.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 215
2d by the return of the mail carrier
this morning to Gnaden-
hutten Br. Mortimer wrote to the
Governor of this State, to
give him some account of our situation.
This was a step that
appeared from various considerations to
be proper at this time.
The public meeting was from Luke 12. 37.
3d Br. Mortimer went again to New Philadelphia, prin-
cipally with the view to shew Col. Bay,
who is the principal
military man in this and the neighboring
counties, copy of the
letter which he had sent to the Governor
yesterday. He took
the opportunity to converse with him,
and other gentlemen there
who appear to be friendly disposed
toward us, more leisurely
than could be done on Saturday,
concerning the situation of the
Indians here, with reference to the
reports that circulate in our
neighborhood, respecting dangers to be
apprehended from them,
and to learn their sentiments on the
subject.
4th the Indian Ska set off from here for
Jerome's town;
and we recommended to him not to come
hither again as long as
the war continued. This man is
unmarried; and although he
has been a hearer of the gospel with us
now these 13 years, re-
mains still a heathen. He spends much of
his time in going
from place to place to hear and tell
news. As he speaks broken
English and has occasionally told among
the white people what
acts of cruelty he had committed among
them during the last
Indian war (which were altogether
probably his own fabrica-
tions) he is on that account disliked by
many in this neighbor-
hood.
5th Br. Mortimer went to Gnadenhutten
and put into the
post office there a letter to Mr.
Varnum, the Agent of the United
States at Sandusky, the object of which
was, for reasons as-
signed, to warn and prevent, as much as
lay in his power, all
Indians whatever from coming to this
place. This step seemed
the more necessary, as the American
Brigadier Gen. Hull, as
the public papers informed us, had
recommended to all the In-
dians who had joined the British at
Brownstown and Maiden,
and afterwards made peace with the U.
States (whose number
it appeared however afterwards was not
great) to return peace-
ably to their former homes. Among these
are some from San-
dusky and Jerome's-town, who as they
have not planted this
216 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
season, might in part, if not previously
prevented, design to
come hither to partake of the crops of
their Indian friends, and
to hunt and buy cheap provisions in our
neighborhood; which
-as the state of the public opinion here
is-they would do at
the peril of their lives.*
Today we heard that on the preceding
evening, in conse-
quence of the firing off of a gun by
some unknown person about
dusk near Canton, which is 34 miles from
here, a great fright
was occasioned in and near that town, as
it was immediately
circulated and believed, that the
Indians were arrived, and had
commenced destroying and murdering.
About 300 persons fled
during the night into Canton, and all
the inhabitants there re-
mained under arms till morning. The
consternation continued
in that neighborhood for many days
afterwards, but not an In-
dian was to be seen or heard of.
By occasion of this last occurrence, we
warned the Indians
here of the danger which might very
easily befall them, if they
were from home in the evenings; and
strongly recommended
to them, to be careful where they go,
how they behave every-
where, and not for the present to go to
places where they are
not well known, and are not assured that
they are among friends.
They are not a little terrified at the
different accounts they hear,
and some of the women spoke of flying to
some more secure
place. But the brethren answered:
"that they did not come
here of themselves, but had been brought
hither by their teach-
ers, and a place appointed them by
Congress to reside on. That
they had still one teacher living with
them, to instruct and take
care of them. Here therefore they relied
upon being pro-
tected and provided for as circumstances
might require. Nor
did they think that their lives would be
rendered more secure
by their moving to any other
place."
In those days the report also came here,
that a company of
Missouri Indians (Osages etc.) who were
returning from a mis-
sion to the President of the U. States,
had been fired at on the
Ohio from the town of Steubenville, when
their conductor-
a white man-was wounded in the mouth.
This account we
* Br. Mortimer in the sequel made known
the contents of this
letter to Col. Bay and others in
official stations in the county.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 217
afterwards found was true. It shows that
it would no longer
be safe for our Indians to move from
this place, as their being
strangers any where among the white
people, would alone, with-
out strong protection, put them in
danger of their lives.
8th between 11 & 12 o'clock at
night, above 20 men, all
armed with rifles, swords or pistols,
came here from New Phila-
delphia, to search for Indians who have
been said to sculk about
by day, and assemble here at night.
Messrs. Laffer and Mc-
Connel preceded them on horseback, and
came first to Br. & Sr.
Mortimer's house, to give them notice of
the approach of the
people, and what their business was. Br.
Mortimer, who was
fast asleep, on being awoke and dressed,
offered to go with the
whole company, with a candle in his
hands, into every Indian
house, and to every place about us which
the people might ex-
press a desire to visit. It happened
that there was no other In-
dian here except Charles and Christian
Henry and their families,
who at this dead hour of the night were
all fast asleep. They
were awoke by Br. Mortimer in presence
of Messrs. Laffer and
McConnel, and told of the object of this
visit; and Mr. Mc-
Connel went immediately afterwards with
Br. Mortimer's con-
sent to fetch the company of armed men,
who had meanwhile
stopped near the town. Three of these
people believed and
maintained, that from the place where
they had stood among
the bushes, they had seen two men cross
the street just at the
time when Br. Mortimer came out of his
house with Messrs.
Laffer and McConnel, with a candle in
his hand. They declared
too that they had heard them open a
door, and speak together;
and no surmise made with a view to
explain what might have
led to this belief, would satisfy them.
The most diligent search
was therefore made in all the buildings
and places from whence
the New Philadelphians themselves
believed it to be possible,
that the supposed two men could have
come; but no trace, they
allowed, was found, that a human being
had been in any one
of them, within the preceding 24 hours.
If therefore they saw
anything, it was probably only two dogs,
who had recently
barked, and might have crossed the
street at the time when
Messrs. Laffer and McConnel entered the
town, and who by
means of a distant candle, and their
fears, became long and
218
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
alarming shadows. All who belong here
were very sure, and
averred, that no strange Indians were
secreted here.
Had this unauthorized visit, made in the
dead of the night,
with many apologies for troubling us at
so unseasonable an
hour, and with much caution in
particular from Mr. Laffer, who
took care that no person here should be
alarmed, and nothing
done or said that could be taken amiss;
not been conducted so
prudently, we might with propriety have
made it the subject of
a complaint before a magistrate. A
report, it was said, had
reached New Philadelphia that 15
strange-and it was supposed
hostile-Indians were seen during the day
coming towards this
place.
This occasioned much alarm, and the 20 armed men
and upwards, came here to see whether
the report was true; and
if so; they told us, to take the 15
strange Indians prisoners.
But their plan was illjudged; for had
there been so many hos-
tile Indians here, the greater part of
them would probably have
been killed by them, as their behaviour
was altogether un-
soldierlike. Judge Dierdorf, Mr. Clark,
Col. Bay and others in
New Philadelphia had endeavored, they
said, to dissuade them
from their purpose, as they professed to
be convinced, that all
the reports of hostile Indians being
harbored here, were false;
but as their representations were
disregarded, they particularly
desired Mr. Laffer, who keeps the
principal tavern there, to
ride in haste hither, give due notice of
their approach and busi-
ness, and strongly recommend in their
name, to behave them-
selves in a becoming manner here. After
staying with us up-
wards of an hour, these nightly visitors
set off on their return
home. As soon as they were out of town,
they began to fire off
their guns, in order as they had said
here, to frighten the women
in New Philadelphia, and make them think
that murderous
work was going forward. As they
approached New Phila-
delphia, they continued firing, which so
alarmed Abr. Kneisley
Esqre. and his family, who live about
half a mile out of town,
that, under supposition that hostile
Indians were actually come,
and were fighting with the New
Philadelphia people, they all
fled with the utmost precipitation into
the woods, and remained
there till break of day.
9th the public meeting was from Ps. 32 7.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 219
loth Br. Miller paid us a visit.
11th, a strange Indian woman came here,
from whom we
learnt that a considerable number of
Indians were at present
hunting in these parts, but avoided
coming to New Philadelphia,
or here, for fear of the white people.
The woman staid here
only a few days. A company of regular
troops marched
through here on their way to Zanesville.
14th all the
militia of the county assembled not far from
Br Uhrich's mill. As we live nearly in
the center of the county,
and on the high road, many people pass
on such occasions
through our place.-Kaschates, of whom
mention in our diary
22d last month, came here again.
We soon informed him of the suspicions
entertained con-
cerning him by the white people; and
that we wished him on
that account to go out of these parts.
He answered that for the
very reason that he had heard this, he
had come and would now
remain here, and give an account of
himself to every one who
would ask him; he would not go away
immediately, as that
would only strengthen the suspicions
against him; and he was con-
scious that he was come here for no bad
or improper purpose,
but merely to see his friends. This was
doubtless too the real
truth. On hearing this, Br. Mortimer,
and the Indian brother
John Henry took the first opportunity of
the return of a con-
siderable party of militia from the
mustering-ground, to in-
form them that Kaschates, the Indian of
whom so much had
been said, was now here, and had declared
that whoever pleased
might speak to him, and he could himself
answer them in Eng-
lish. Br. Mortimer first related to them
the general history of
his life, mentioning every circumstance
that occurred to him in
his favor, among the rest that the red
coat which had occasioned
so much alarm, had, to his knowledge,
been made here six
years ago; and as for his speaking of
the warlike exploits which
he had performed 30 or 40 years ago, it
was precisely what al-
most every old soldier among the white
people did, and which
no man was ever blamed for. He then
introduced the militia
men, who while he was speaking, had
increased to about 40, all
on horseback, to Kaschates himself, who
on being called, came
directly out of the house, Br. Mortimer
placing himself close to
220
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
him as his friend. Some of the militia
murmured, and even
threatened; but others immediately shook
hands with him, ex-
pressing themselves at the same time
handsomely in his favor.
On this evil disposed were overawed and
silent. After some
further conversation the greater part
declared themselves to be
quite satisfied; and all went away to
appearance convinced that
no bad design ought to be imputed to
him. Kaschates when
all was over, retired to the house
again; but lay down in his
clothes, kept his horse tied to a tree,
and before the next morn-
ing came, had gone off privately without
saying a word to any
one.
Yesterday on the mustering ground some
disputes had taken
place among the militia; and the same
Mr. McConnel who had
been on the preceding Saturday night at
Br. & Sr. Mortimer's
house, badly wounded the two brn. John
Uhrich and Henry
Keller, who were appointed as guard over
a drunken person,
merely because they did the duty
assigned them. Br. Uhrich's
life for some time was almost despaired
of. This occurrence
among others, served to take off
people's attention for some
time from the Indians here, concerning
whom many unrea-
sonable reports and jealousies had been
entertained and propa-
gated, one cause of which appeared
uniformly to be, that the
militia here were mostly unwilling to go
to Canada, and brought
forward the danger to be apprehended
from the Indians if they
went, as a ground why they believed they
ought rather to stay
at home.
15th Anton, son of the late Br. Lucas, came here from
Pett-
quotting, and two Indians from Jerome's
town.
16th, we heard from Mr. Kneisley Senr.,
that one of the
Indians who came here yesterday from
Jerome's town, had on
the way got drunk in New Philadelphia,
and without any provo-
cation, drew his knife at, and used
threatening language to
Mr. Kneisley and others. Upon such
occasions, and especially
during the present war-time, the first
expression in almost every
one's mouth is, to shoot such an Indian
on the spot. The per-
son who behaved so we sent away
immediately, after relating
to him how he had excited the public
feelings against us, and
endangered all our lives. Every other
wild Indian who was
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 221
here, was intimidated by this affair,
and accompanied him. The
preaching was from Luke 22. 32.
17th there was a meeting of a
considerable part of our
county militia at New Philadelphia.
Unfavorable news began
now to arrive here from the American
army near Detroit, which
much damped the spirits of many.
18th Ska returned here from Jerome's
town.
19th, Br. Mortimer visited in
Gnadenhutten and Beersheba.
20th this day being appointed by the
President of the United
States, to be kept as a day of
humiliation and prayer, the same
was also observed here. At 11 o'clock a
public and very solemn
discourse, in reference to our own
particular circumstances, and
those of the county at large to which we
belong was held from
Is. 26. 8, 9. Just when the meeting was
ending, nearly 200 per-
sons passed through here from New
Philadelphia, namely the
company of militia that had been drafted
here lately, and were
on their way to Zanesville, and a
considerable number of per-
sons who chose to accompany them for a
few miles. The sight
of so many people did not appear to
occasion any fears among
our Indians.
21st we thought of the meeting of the
Society for the
propagation of the gospel among the
heathen, which is usually
held on this day in Bethlehem, wishing
all the members the
guidance of the good Spirit of God in
their deliberations.
After a long drought, we had on this and
the following
day, a very heavy rain, which caused the
Muskingum in many
places to overflow its banks.
23rd the public meeting was from Luke
17. 17.
Today the first certain news arrived
here, that Genl. Hull
and his army had suffered a great
reverse of fortune, but what
the particulars were, could not be
ascertained. The inhabitants
near Cleveland had seen English ships
approach that place
full of people, and supposing them to be
come to invade the
country, fled from their houses, and
spread alarm in all direc-
tions. The consternation in this part of
the county was beyond
description great; it could hardly have
been greater with many,
had the enemy actually been at their
doors, and had they seen
scalping knives in the hands of the
Indian warriors. From
222
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
mere anxiety and dread, all labor
appeared to cease now
throughout the country.
26th Col. Bay passed through here, and
shewed Br. Mor-
timer a letter which he had just
received from Governor Meiggs,
directing him as acting General of
Brigade, to provide for the
security of the frontier nearest here,
by calling out the militia
of his district, and building block
houses. He expressed the
wish that some Indian men from here
might go along with the
army to be used as spies and
interpreters. To this Br. Mortimer
stated objections, which seemed to have
weight with him. On
sounding him respecting the measures
that he might think proper
to pursue to defend the country, he
confessed himself to be
utterly at a loss what to do.
In the evening Br. Mortimer conversed
freely with our Indn.
brn. about our present critical
circumstances, exhorting them
very strictly as to their behaviour and
conduct and recommend-
ing to them in particular to put an
unshaken confidence in our
Lord, and be resigned to his will with
them.
27th was a general meeting of the
militia of the county at
New Philadelphia. Br. Mortimer also went
thither to gain in-
formation. Today a few of the men who
lately belonged to
Genl. Hull's army began to pass through
here on their way from
Cleveland to their respective homes.
Their appearance and
hard fate excited universal interest and
compassion.
28th some of the men from Genl. Hull's
army took break-
fast with us. At parting they declared
the Indians at this place
to be in great danger of their lives
from their incensed com-
rades, and warned us in a friendly
manner to take great care,
or harm would easily befall them.
29th some hundreds of Genl. Hull's army
passed through
here. They came along as beggars, and
were in general treated
everywhere with much hospitality. We did
all in our power
to shew a friendly disposition towards
them, and soften their
anger against the Indians. Some parties
of them spoke loudly
before they came here (and their words
were reported to us
before their arrival), that they would
kill every Indian here
and take their horses to ride home on.
Today was another
meeting of the militia in New Philadelphia.
Col. McArthur
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 223
and other principal officers of Genl.
Hull's late army passed
through here. Capt. Thorp, an old
acquaintance, of Br. Heck-
ewelder, informed us that he had heard
from persons whom
he could rely on, that all the Indian
men at our settlement at
Fairfield, had been compelled by other
Indians to go with them
to war against the United States. The
same melancholy in-
telligence was confirmed by others from
the army, with whom
we found an opportunity of conversing.
30th there was no meeting here on
account of the frequent
passing of soldiers. Br. & Sr. Edmonds and family from
Beersheba came here, to celebrate with
us Sr. Mortimer's 41st
birthday, Sr. Edmonds being Sr.
Mortimer's sister. Upon this
occasion we drew for ourselves several
texts of scripture, that
during the following days of increased
outward trouble, were
through our Lord's grace a great
encouragement to us, in par-
ticular the daily words and texts for
the 11 Septr. and 25 Nov.
this year.
31st
we heard that an Indian had been killed at Canton,
and that a quaker gentleman was knocked
down there, and se-
verely bruised, for having declared
himself openly in a tavern
to be a friend of the Indians. As guns
were at this time
pressed in the settlement for the use of
the small army that is
to march soon from New Philadelphia, one
was required from
this place, namely from the Indian
Charles Henry, which he
cheerfully consented to deliver. An
account of the increased
alarm and threats that we heard
respecting the Indians here,
we very earnestly recommended to them
not to go out of their
town, further than to their cornfields,
on any account what-
ever. Such cautions tend to alarm and
cast down our Indian
brn. and srs., but we cannot avoid
giving them, as the times
are at present. The last strange Indian
who remained here-
a man from Greentown of the name of Big
Johnny Cake-was
much frightened, and asked Br. Mortimer
what he would ad-
vise him to do. He recommended to him to
go off from here
immediately to where he properly
belonged, and to avoid be-
ing seen by the white people on the way.
The man went from
here in consequence without loss of
time; and from this time
forward until this diary was concluded,
no more strange In-
224
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
dians ventured to come to this place.
Today we heard a threat
very seriously repeated, that a number
of persons in New Phil-
adelphia were privately deliberating
about coming to burn our
town. Our friend Mr. James Clark of that
place passed
through here, and on being addressed by
Br. Mortimer, ex-
pressed himself in warm terms our
assured friend. He said he
would make it his business to enquire
into what might be go-
ing forward among the people concerning
us, and as soon as
we appeared to him to be really in
danger, he would give us
notice of it. This promise he in the
sequel kept very faith-
fully, and thereby got the ill-will of
our enemies, which he
however appeared not to regard. Other
travellers whom Br.
Mortimer addressed in the street, also
approved themselves af-
terwards as our sincere friends. Br.
Mortimer now wrote ur-
gently to Col. Bay to request a constant
guard for this place,
till the present alarms were past. As
Charles Henry was in
New Philadelphia to deliver his gun, his
life was threatened by
some of the soldiers from the late
northern army. He had
gone there with some of Col. Bay's
people, who had promised
him safe protection thither and back
again. Col. Bay, Judge
Dierdorf, Capt. Itzkin and others
accompanied him to our town,
and staid some time with us. While these
gentlemen were in
conversation with Br. Mortimer, 100
militia men from Guern-
sey county in this state, who had been
ordered out by Col.
Bay, passed through our places on their
route to the frontiers.
In other places on their way to us, they
had committed various
excesses and all along many of them had
threatened destruc-
tion to the Indians here. As
providentially however they met
here with some of the most respectable
gentlemen in the coun-
ty, and just conversing with us as with
friends, they behaved
without exception better in our town
than they were in the
habit of doing elsewhere; which was a
mercy for which we
could truly thank our dear Lord. One
Indian woman, on see-
ing these 100 men exercise in our town,
in presence of Col.
Bay fled away, and had not again been
heard of at the time
this diary was concluded. Some sick men
from Gen. Hull's
army staid all night at Br. & Sr.
Mortimer's.
1 Sept., Br. Oppelt of Gnadenhutten from
uneasiness came
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 225
to see how we might have fared
yesterday. Many more of the
late army of Gen. Hull passed through
our town. Br. Morti-
mer in these days had to spend most of
his time on the street,
conversing with and endeavoring to
pacify these people as to
our Indians. The revengeful, cruel and
malignant disposition
which the greater part of them manifest
towards all Indians,
was often shocking and painful to him to
witness.
Late this Evening Br. Mortimer observed
that all our In-
dian brn. & srs. sat together and
appeared pensive and dis-
heartened. In conversation with them he
soon found that they
were considering together, how critical
their situation would
be if the army which was now marching out
of these parts to
the frontiers should return enraged, as
the men of Genl. Hull's
army were, against all Indians because
they had killed some of
them.
One brother then observed in a low and thoughtful
manner that they had more cause of
concern than this. Three
men in New Philadelphia, he said (whose
names he mentioned)
had lately told him that all the Indians
here depended upon Br.
Mortimer, that he would get them
protected from danger; but
added they: "when the time arrives
that your town is to be
destroyed, and you Indians killed, the
beginning will be made
with him and his family". That such
threats have been fre-
quently used, is very certain. Probably
the intention was
merely to endeavor to frighten us away.
But if they were ser-
iously meant by some, it is quite
conceivable that it might be
the design, first to murder the
missionary and his family, that
there might be no white man to witness
further proceedings.
Br. Mortimer before taking leave endeavored
to comfort
the Indian brn. and srs. with the
consideration that we were
in the hands of our almighty God and
Redeemer, who, if all
men were our enemies, could protect us
from every harm and
danger. Soon after the Indian brn. &
srs. and their children
sung a few verses together and then
retired to rest.
In these days it was related to us, that
our brother John
Henry had lately visited with his little
daughter in several of
the dwellings of the white brn. &
srs. who live nearest to us,
saying that he wished to see them once
more and take leave of
Vol. XXII -15.
226 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
them. He commonly added: "Perhaps
you will soon hear, that
my daughter and I lie dead together in
my home."
2d about 250 militia men, including
those who lately passed
through here from Guernsey county,
marched from New Phil-
adelphia towards the frontiers, under
the command of Col.
Bay. We were glad that these people were
moved farther off
from us, as during their encampment at
New Philadelphia our
dogs had barked incessantly during the
great part of the nights.
The Indians maintained afterwards that
white men were then
skulking about near to us, and that they
had seen them from
the inside of their houses, though no
one adventured to go
out to search for them.
3d at noon we had the very particular pleasure to see
Br.
Luckenbach arrive with us, and to hear
from him that Br.
Hagen was safe at a house three miles
this side of Wooster.
These brethern, in consequence of the
capture of Genl. Hull's
army at Detroit, had been obliged in
common with all the in-
habitants at Sandusky, to fly from that
settlement which was
soon after burnt by the savages. It was
on account of the
difficulty of hiring horses, that Br.
Luckenbach proceeded to
us alone, so soon as he could consider
Br. Hagen as being cer-
tainly out of danger from the enemy.
4th Lieut. Col. Beatty and Judge Spear
of Guernsey
County paid Br. Mortimer a friendly
visit on their way to the
army on the frontiers.
5th was again a day when many alarming
threats re-
specting our place were communicated to
us. We were told
that it would certainly be destroyed in
two weeks, that Br.
Mortimer's house would be burnt; and
some of our friends
related to us, that such was the
prevalent exasperation through-
out the country against all Indians that
it was hardly safe for
any one to speak a word in their favor.
We communicated
our circumstances very frequently in
prayer to our Lord, and
diligently recommended to our Indian
brn. & srs. to do the same,
that we might all be perfectly resigned
to His holy will with us.
6th Br. Luckenbach kept the public
meeting from Matth
6.24.
7th was the festival of the married
choir in congregations,
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 227
but we could not celebrate it, on
account of the constant un-
easiness and alarms that prevailed
around us. Br. Mortimer
went to New Philadelphia, and other
places in our neighbor-
hood, on business arising from our
present circumstances. It
was confidentially said about this time
in our neighborhood, and
in the sequel repeated over and over
again, that the Indian
Philip, and other strange Indians who
had been seen to fight
against the U. States at Brownstown and
Detroit, were since
then come to our town, and attended
nightly meetings here.
We declared to the proper authorities
and to every one who
conversed with us on the subject, that
to our knowledge no
such persons were here; and that the
promise which we made
some time since, to give speedy notice
in New Philadelphia of
the arrival of every strange Indian with
us, had been and
would be strictly observed by us, as
long as the war continued.
8th Col. Findlay's regiment, being the
last part of Gen'l
Hull's late army that was landed at
Cleveland, began to pass
through here on their return home; and
like all the rest of this
army, in straggling parties only, and as
beggars for provisions
generally wherever they came. In rancor
against the Indians
they were inferior to none who had
preceded them. Br. Luck-
enbach set off to fetch Br. Hagen here
from the comfortable
house near Wooster where he had procured
accommodations
for him.
9th many officers and men passed through
here from Cleve-
land.
10th Br. Luckenbach came here with Br.
Hagen; the lat-
ter was in a very infirm state of
health.
13th Br. Mortimer kept the public
meeting from John 6.
37. Br. Hagen went to Gnadenhutten and
Beersheba.
14th he was followed by Br. Mortimer,
who returned in the
evening.
15th the account arrived in New
Philadelphia of some
shocking murders committed the day
before by Indians, only
about 50 miles from here, near where the
place called Green-
town formerly stood. Through the violent prejudice and
hatred against all Indians, which now
pervaded the country,
228
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
that settlement of friendly inoffensive
people was shortly be-
fore hastily broken up and all the
inhabitants moved away, by
order of some of the commanders of the
militia. Immediately
afterwards, the neighboring whites burnt
every house there
and plundered or destroyed all the
property of the Indians in
the most unwarrantable manner. This
procedure, the savage
hunters who were at that time out in the
woods, as soon as they
heard of it, of course resented, and
began to revenge, to the
no small terror of all the settlements
of white people within
perhaps more than one hundred miles of
that place.* In the
afternoon, Messrs. John Kneisley,
Espich, Itzkin, Laffer and
Peter Williams of New Philadelphia
arrived with us and
brought the following letter from our
friend mr. Clark:
NEW PHILADELPHIA 15 Sept, 1812.
DEAR SIR: I think it would be proper to
take some meas-
ure for the security of the Goshen
Indians either send them
to Bethlehem, Pittsburg or some other
place of security; for I
am fully persuaded that they will not
long be safe where they
are. If you send them away, they will
require a guard to pro-
tect them. They might go to the
Greentown Indians, who are
already under the protection of the
United States, but in that
case they would require a very strong
guard, having to travel
through a country where our armies lie,
and where the recent
murders were committed, or through the
country where Hull's
unfortunate men have lately returned to,
in either of which
routes it would be difficult to protect
them. If they go by
themselves it would be difficult to
escape our spies and rangers
who are out, who would give them no
quarters should
they meet with them.
You can consult your friends on the
measures to be pur-
sued. Humanity cries aloud for the kind
hand of protection
to be extended to the innocent Indians
who have submitted
their all to the protection of the U.
States but yet I am sorry
to state that I have no difficulty in
saying that in my opinion
* By all accounts they were perfectly
inoffensive as to their conduct
to the whites.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 229
they will not long remain undisturbed in
their present place
of residence.
In haste I have the honor to be
Your friend and humble serv.
JAMES CLARK.
REV. BENJ MORTIMER.
All the above named gentlemen of New
Philadelphia who
had been in friendly habits with us, and
were mostly in offi-
cial stations, urged our following the
advice of Mr. Clark.
Doubtless they really believed that it
would be the safest and
best for us, and for the whole neighborhood,
and the only
means of quieting the minds of the
people at large respecting
us, and preventing bloodshed in our
place; that every Indian
here should be removed to some other
part of the country. As
they were pressing in their
representations and expressed much
concern on our account, we agreed to
endeavor to effect this;
and spoke with that view in the evening
to our Indian brn.,
who expressed themselves willing to do
what we proposed to
them, believing themselves that it would
not be safe for them
to remain here much longer. Br.
Luckenbach in consequence
went the next day, the
16th to Gnadenhutten, and Br. Mortimer
addressed the
following letter to Mr. Clark:
GOSHEN 16 Sept. 1812.
DEAR SIR:-
I was favored with your humane letter of
yesterday, con-
taining the advice to remove the Indians
from this place, it be-
ing your opinion that they would not be
safe here much longer.
In your and the other gentlemen's
sentiments on the subject
Mr. Luckenbach and I could not but
coincide, and felt much
obliged for all the communications which
you and they have
made to us. On reading your letter first
to the three Henries,
and relating to them the account of the
murders which have
been recently committed so near to us,
they all believed too
that it would be best for them to move
away out of the State
to the eastward, and Mr. Luckenbach has
promised to accom-
pany them. Every Indian here, I am told,
will go with them,
230
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
and they will be ready to start in a few
days. This number
including the small children is 25. We
have mentioned next
Monday to them as the day for moving,
but this will depend
on the guard's being ready, which you
and the other gentle-
men purpose kindly to furnish them with.
The Indians have
proposed taking the route towards
Charleston, where they con-
sider Col. Connel, Major McGuire and
Capt. Biggs as their
good friends. They would be thankful for recommendations
from you to one or more of these
gentlemen, and request that
the guard from here may accompany them
so far. All their
rifles they propose depositing with Mr.
Peter of Gnadenhutten.
Mr. Luckenbach is gone today to Gnadenhutten
to consult with
our friends there. Tomorrow one or both
of us propose wait-
ing on you, and our other friends in New
Philadelphia. Mr.
Luckenbach intends going with these
Indians as their mission-
ary and conductor, and they have
promised to be obedient to
him. To me it is a most welcome
circumstance that the for-
tune of war led him to come hither from
Sandusky, as it would
have been very inconvenient for me who
have a family to travel
with a company of Indians through the
settlements.
I have again made the most particular
enquiries here,
whether Buckwheat, Big-Johnny-Cake,
Phillipus, or any other
strange Indian had been seen here
lately, but every one denies
having seen or heard anything of them. I
have read to all
the Indians here the law about high
treason. I remain etc.
BENJAMIN MORTIMER.
JAMES CLARK ESQ.,
New Philadelphia.
During the day attempts were made by
some of our
Indian brethern to dispose of their
houses and plantations
to those white brethern who live nearest
here. No one how-
ever would purchase of them; partly
because they pitied them
and did not wish them to leave the
country; and partly be-
cause they had heard and now told our
Indians, that as soon
as they were gone from here, people from
New Philadelphia
etc. would burn their houses, throw down
their fences, and
steal or otherwise make away with all
the cattle they might
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 231
leave, precisely as had been done at
Greentown, after the fair-
est promises had been made to the
Indians there, both by the
civil and military authorities, that
they and their property should
be sacredly protected. If therefore-it
was remarked-anyone
would purchase houses, cattle, or
standing produce of them, he
would probably get nothing for his
money. Nay, if any of
their own cattle happened afterwards to
be on the Indians' land
(which was constantly the case) they
might be taken away by
unprincipled persons along with theirs.
They would therefore
much rather, they said, and for every
reason, see them if pos-
sible remain where they were, and
entirely give up the idea of
moving away. This opinion of our white
brethern who live
nearest us, perfectly coincided with our
own. The difficulty
however was to get the whole
neighborhood to think so. These
considerations, in connexion with our
other circumstances,
caused us white brethern to have a very
particular consultation
in the evening, the result of which was
that
17th the bren. Mortimer and Luckenbach, in company of
some of our friends, went to New
Philadelphia. On entering
that small* town every eye was fixed on
them. At Mr. Clark's,
a few of the principal persons there
soon met, to hear what
they had to say, while numbers were
gathered together in the
street opposite to the house. The Brn.
represented to Mr. Clark
and his friends, the above mentioned
difficulties as to the loss
of property which our Indians would
incur; in case they left
their present place of abode; and their
whole case as injured
persons in the opinion of the public,
and perfectly innocent of
the treason which was so unreasonably
charged against them.
They stated facts, and accounts which
had come to their knowl-
edge, tending to show, that their danger
would be increased in-
stead of being diminished, by attempting
to move to any other
part of the country; as here, where they
were known, they had
* At this critical juncture, it was most
fortunate for Goshen that
New Philadelphia was still a small town,
containing hardly 40 houses.
Had it been larger, the difficulties to
be encountered would in proportion
have been greater. Or, had New
Philadelphia not existed at all, and
the country to the N. W. of us been as
far back in population as it was
seven years before, Goshen, as being in
that case still on the frontier
must have been abandoned.
232 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
many friends; and where unknown, could
at present, as In-
dians, expect to meet with hardly any
but enemies. In their
hard case, everything practicable, it
was argued, ought to be
attempted for their safety. At the same
time it was very much
their and our wish, it was stated, to do
everything in our power,
to remove the suspicions that were
entertained against them.
We had applied to Col. Bay some time
since (on the 31st Aug.)
for a guard for our town. He did not
then believe it to be
necessary; but had promised one in case
the danger increased.
Every one agreed now there was an
increase of danger, in
consequence of the murders that had
recently been committed
so very near us. But Col. Bay was now
with the army, and
we could not apply to him. And were he
here, we were con-
vinced that it was not in his power to
help us; as the panic
was now so great throughout the country,
that everyone wanted
to be guarded; therefore if a beginning
was made to leave
guards anywhere, the consequence would
soon be that no army
would remain to secure the frontiers,
and the whole country
would thence be exposed to danger from
the enemy. Our
proposal, therefore, was that Mr. Clark
and his friends should,
at our expense hire any number of
creditable persons that they
might think proper, to answer the double
purpose of being
guards over, and spies upon the conduct
of our Indians. They
should watch and guard them by day and
night, report daily
every occurrence among them to some
civil or military officer,
and cause every Indian who might offend
against the laws, or
act suspiciously, to be treated
accordingly. They should scout
in the neighborhood and follow every
track of an Indian that
might be discovered; in doing which the
Indians in Goshen
promised to assist them to the best of
their ability whenever
required, and to furnish horses for
their use in all these ser-
vices. The Indians offered too, to
accompany any scouting
parties that might be sent on short
expeditions from New Phil-
adelphia to look for hostile Indians,
and to render them all
the service in their power; as they
considered all the enemies
of the U. States as their own;-in short,
to afford every proof
in their power that they were faithful
to the country. Br. Mor-
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 233
timer promised to board the hired spies
at his house and fur-
nish them with lodging and every
reasonable accommodation.
And if anything else could be thought of
as proper for us to
do in order to remove all suspicions,
and prevent the necessity
of the Indians moving from Goshen, we
would if possible, do it.
This plan was fully discussed, and
appeared to Mr. Clark,
and his and our friends who were present
to be so fair and so
perfectly satisfactory, that they agreed
to support us in the
prosecution of it. They perceived that
it was all that with pro-
priety could be offered on our part to
give satisfaction to the
public; and the case of our distressed
Indian brn. & srs. moved
them to pity. It was agreed that the
proper number of spies,
to watch both by day and night, ought to
be four. Our friends
knowing their own difficulties, wished
that we might hire them,
but we urged rather, in order to prevent
suspicions that Mr.
Clark or some other gentleman, might
kindly undertake the bus-
iness for us; observing thereby, that of
course it must be our
wish that no person might be engaged,
who would bring up
false reports against us. The conclusion
was that we had to
undertake this business ourselves, but
would let Mr. Clark
know who the persons were that we
engaged. On our return
our Indian brn. & srs. were
exceedingly rejoiced to hear that
a plan was agreed upon according to
which they might remain
at their homes; and they went to work
with alacrity, to make
the repairs that we pointed out to them
as proper to be done to
the house where the spies were to be
lodged. The brn. Mil-
ler, Oppelt and others came today to
visit us, and expressed
their sympathy with us on account of our
present difficulties.
18th a man belonging to Genl. Hull's
late army, who had
taken dinner at Br. & sr.
Mortimer's, and had an uncommonly
wild appearance, and Indian clothing and
trinkets about him, on
his way over the hills between Goshen
and Gnadenhutten on
seeing one or more women who appeared to
be afraid of him,
first skulked behind some trees, and
then ran off hastily. This
occasioned new and wide extending alarms
in the neighbor-
hood. It was believed that hostile
Indians were very near, and
preparing to strike some blow; parties
of militia were sent out
234
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
in different directions after them; and
families, even of our
nearest neighbors, began to move
together from their planta-
tions to one house, as was supposed for
better safety. Moving
thus together or forting as it is called
in the western country-
has the distressing effect when
conducted as it was here of
increasing the fears of the people very
much: for no guards
were appointed about their so called
forts; therefore the in-
habitants were not more secure in
consequence, and could not
think themselves so, and the opportunity
was taken especially
on the part of the females, to tell each
other the most fright-
ful stories which they had ever heard
concerning the cruelties
of the Indians in war, and thence to
form strong representa-
tions of what great evils might befall
themselves. The state
of things about us was now truly awful
to those who were
under the complete influence of their
fears. Happy were those,
who with placid resignation could cast
all their care upon an
Almighty Saviour, believing assuredly
that he cared for them,
and that nothing could befall them
without the divine permis-
sion.
19th there was another general meeting of the militia in
New Philadelphia. News arrived there,
that 4 more men had
been killed on the preceding day by the
Indians near Green-
town, and that three of them were of the
Guernsey militia.
Soon after a young man belonging to the
town, dressed himself
and yelled after the manner of the
Indians. It was imme-
diately rumored through the town, that
an Indian army was
approaching: the militia could therefore
be no longer kept on
the mustering-ground, and the
consternation and fusion were
general. Our faithful friend Mr. Clark
was immediately con-
cerned on our account. He told us
afterwards, that his first
impressions concerning the occurrences
of this day were, that
they had been concerted by the
evil-minded, in order to effect
at once the ruin of our place. He
therefore sent us in haste
the following letter, which was handed
us by our friends Messrs.
John Kneisley and Itzkin, Major
Vennatton and two Capt.
Johnsons who were noticed in New
Philadelphia to gallop off
towards our settlement.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 235
(Confidential)
NEW PHILADELPHIA 19 Sept. 1812.
DEAR SIR:
The measures we agreed on for the
protection of the
Goshen Indians appear not to be rightly
understood by the peo-
ple. They think their only dependence is
in the removal of the
Indians, although I fear a contrary
effect. The alarm of other
murders and the rumor of Indians living
in the woods, has so
agitated the minds of the people, that I
really feel the conse-
quences. I pitty the Indians and I know
not their best defence
but believe it prudent for them to
remove somewhere.
I do assure you for my part, I do not
wish the Indians
removed; but I believe it to be
necessary to remove or conceal
them tonight. I wish my fears may be
groundless.
JAMES CLARK.
REV. BENJAMIN MORTIMER.
This letter found the brn. Mortimer and
Luckenbach as
usual in these days-at haymaking in our
meadow. The gen-
tlemen strongly expressed their fears on
our accounts, as well
as for the Indians, and urged us to
consult our safety by flight.
They represented our daily increasing
danger; for people would
not enter into the arrangement which we
had made two days
before at Mr. Clark's house; as they
scorned the idea of guard-
ing Indians, believed themselves not
safe as long as our set-
tlement existed, and therefore insisted
that the Indians should
be removed. Our friends, they said, had
been branded with
the name of tories for endeavoring to
set through our plan,
and apprehended a mob if they said
anything further about it.
On questioning the gentlemen, whether
there was, in their opin-
ion, reason to believe that an attempt
would be made to mas-
sacre us all that night, as Mr. Clark
apprehended might be the
case; we found they inclined to the
opinion that no such plan
had as yet been agreed on; and that it
was, they believed, only
Mr. Clark's own anxiety and concern on
our account, that made
him express himself so strongly as he
did. They promised in-
dividually to approve themselves further
as our friends, and
apprize us immediately as soon as they
might hear anything
236 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
further on the subject, that persons
had, as some really thought
was the case, actual intentions of
murdering us. After fur-
ther conversation we took a very
friendly leave of each other.
As soon as the gentlemen were gone, Br.
Mortimer com-
municated the object of their visit to
our Indian brn., but pur-
posely in a calm manner, so that they
might consult with their
safety, without being too much alarmed.
To his surprize, the
impression made on them was that they
were not disposed to
secret themselves for that night,
believing that it would be a
means only of increasing their and
especially the women's fears.
We earnestly pressed some of our friends
as they returned
from the mustering in New Philadelphia
to stay over night
with us, offering them the most liberal
payment for so doing;
but no one could be prevailed on to
do.so, alleging as a reason
the fears of their own families. In Br.
& Sr. Mortimer's house
a few arrangements were made respecting
what would be done
in case we were attacked in the night;
but on these arrange-
ments we could place but very little
reliance, as no hope existed
that their four children could be
removed out of their beds in
the night without their making so much
noise as would be the
means of detecting the whole family and
preventing their es-
cape. Their smallest child but one was
so afflicted too with
rheumatism, that she could not exercise
her limbs, and the least
motion of them by another occasioned her
excruciating pain.
The public feeling was at this time so
strong against us, that
no magistrate, we had reason to believe,
would have dared to
interfere in our behalf.
There was also every reason to believe,
that if our place
was attacked the first object would be
to dispatch the mission-
aries in order that if possible no
witnesses, but the murderers
themselves, might remain of so vile and
horrid a transaction.
After we had tried what was in our power
for our safety,*
* Br. & Sr. Mortimer had in the
preceding days been frequently
urged by their friends, to move to
Gnadenhutten or elsewhere, out of
the apparently imminent danger; but
found no freedom to do so; or
even send any of their property away; on
account of the very great
alarm which such a step would have
occasioned to the Indians; and the
no less encouragement which would have
been afforded thereby to our
enemies, to persevere in their plans of
mischief against us.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 237
and being utterly without human help we
laid ourselves quietly
down to rest, in reliance only upon the
guardianship of our
Lord and his holy angels. Our Indn. Brn.
& srs. also, agree-
able to their custom, sung verses
together before they retired
to sleep. It was truly remarkable to us,
that during this night
an uncommon stillness prevailed in our
place, and not even a
dog was heard to bark. We learnt
afterwards, that one of the
officers who had been with us from New
Philadelphia on the
preceding afternoon, and who alternately
appeared moved to
tears, and tired with anger, at the
consideration of the unrea-
sonable treatment which we experienced,
immediately on his
return to that town, began to fight the
first man whom he heard
speaking against our place and people;
the consequence of
which was, that many others entered into
the dispute; and
there was so much boxing of each other,
to give force to the
various sentiments entertained
respecting the Indians, that we
at length were, for that evening quite
forgotten, and some of
most outrageous had to be committed to
jail. Thus the wrath
of man was in this instance overruled by
a higher power; per-
haps expressly in order to give us a
night of peace and quiet-
ness.
20th in the morning Br. Mortimer wrote
the following
paper, designed for an advertisement,
and sent it to Mr. Clark
for his opinion of it:-
"To the citizens of New
Philadelphia, and of the County of
Tuscarawas generally:
"GENTLEMEN ! The following remarks
are respectfully sub-
mitted to your candor and good sense.
Would it be for your
advantage if the Goshen Indians were
removed from their pres-
ent abode? We have the example before us
of the Greentown
Inds. So soon as they were taken away
from their town, In-
dians who were out in the woods began to
commit murders in
that neighborhood. The tracks of Indians
are also frequently
discovered in this county; but as yet
they have done no mis-
chief any where among us. And they will,
many people be-
lieve, do none in this country, for they
fear that vengeance should
be taken upon the inhabitants of Goshen.
But if the Goshen
238
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
Indians be moved away, and their town be
burnt, they will, it
is feared by many, like the people near
Greentown, be in great
danger of suffering from other Indians;
for all other Indians
would be irritated by such treatment.
"The Goshen Indians, Gentlemen, it
is said, are desirous to
give you every demonstration in their
power, that they are faith-
ful to you, and to the country. They
offer to accompany you
on scouting parties, to consider your
enemies as theirs, and if
necessary, to fight by your side in time
of danger. They wish
spies to be placed by you in the town,
to watch their whole con-
duct, report every occurrence among
them, and cause every In-
dian who offends against the laws, or
acts suspiciously, to be
treated accordingly; and a generous
reward has been offered to
such spies for their services.
"Dismiss, therefore, Gentlemen,
your distrust of the Goshen
Indians! Consider them as your friends
and neighbors and
believe them assuredly, that from the
circumstance of these In-
dians residing among you, you are more
safe from danger than
any other frontier inhabitants of Ohio. 21 Sept.
1812."
At the usual time Br. Luckenbach kept
the Sunday's public
meeting here from Luke 13, 11-17.
In the afternoon Br. Mortimer went to
New Philadelphia,
and agreed with Mr. Clark that the
proposed advertisement,
which met his ideas as well as ours,
should be put up in differ-
ent places as soon as possible. Hitherto
it had been the pre-
vailing opinion in the country, even
among those who were best
disposed towards us, that it would, in
every view, be best if we
moved with our Indians out of this part
of the country. And
the more violent-not to say savage-part
of the community,
were ever ready to add, (as if highly
desirable and advantageous
to them) "then we might without
scruple kill every Indian whom
we saw"! The object of the
advertisement was with the bless-
ing of God, to oppose this wicked
principle; and endeavor to get
the general sentiment more in our favor,
and in that of reason,
candor and humanity.
Br. Mortimer took the opportunity of his
being in New
Philadelphia, to put himself in the way
of hearing, and thus be-
ing better able to judge for himself
than can be done by hearsay,
The Ohio
Frontier in 1812.
239
what the sentiments and disposition of
the evil-minded against
us really were, and how they would
express themselves in his
presence. On entering into conversation
with this view in the
street, with some persons who were
well-known to him, the
number of men who in consequence soon
assembled, were about
twelve. At first concern was expressed
about our Indians;
then a wish for their removal to another
part of the country.
But it was soon after, without further
ceremony, openly de-
clared that they were traitors to the
country, and kept up a
secret correspondence with the British
in Canada, to which the
missionaries were privy; and that all
this could be proved. On
Br. Mortimer's expressing much doubt
whether there could be
any ground whatever for such assertions,
and stating it to be
the duty of those who believed
themselves to be possessed of
these proofs, to come forward openly
before some judge or
justice, and there make good their
charges; he was answered
by one of the company, that the proofs
they had to give, were
such as he should soon feel
powerfully at his own house, as
well as hear; that many only waited for
this, till the murders
of the Indians took place a little
nearer; and that any guards
that we might have on our side to
protect us would then be killed
too.* On this part of the
company set up a loud laugh and Br.
Mortimer took friendly leave of them
all. The affect of this
conversation was that some who were
present were afraid after-
wards of being summoned to appear before
a magistrate. A
general surprise appeared to be excited
too, that we did not, out
of fright, leave the country. Today we
engaged Peter Ed-
monds junior of Beersheba as our first
spy; through a mistake
in an application that we made, we had
not been able to procure
one before, that would have answered our
purpose.
21st
we sent Mr. Edmonds with a line to New Philadelphia
to give an account of all that he had
seen here, and receive or-
ders. We also engaged Daniel Warner as
spy. We began to-
day to send copies of our advertisement
to distant civil and
military officers in the county,
accompanied with a few lines to
* The associates of the person who used
these last threatening
words, said afterwards, that he was not
in his right senses, and that
nobody minded what he said.
240 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
them, in which they were requested, if
the same met their ap-
probation, to order it to be put in some
public place; and recom-
mending out town, and the Indians here
to their protection.
The effect everywhere answered our
utmost wishes. It was
not up in New Philadelphia till after
the lapse of a few days,
for fear it might immediately be torn
down. Thus curiosity
was first excited to know its contents;
it was read then with so
much the more avidity, and treated with
respect. Truly a fear
from God accompanied it. Some of our
greatest enemies were
overheard once to say to each other when
reading it: "We
must let these people alone, for if we
burn their town, perhaps
ours will be burnt too as a
consequence." Br. Miller of Beer-
sheba was so kind as to translate the
advertisement into Ger-
man, and to cause it to be put up in
that language in several
places. The use that we made in the
sequel of our spies, was
not only for the purpose mentioned above
(see the 17th Sept.)
but to guard our Indians at their work,
accompany them when
necessary to safe places in the
settlements or on short hunting
excursions, and to spy for us at
vendues, taverns, and other
places of public resort, to learn
people's sentiments, and in par-
ticular how they were disposed towards
us. As it was never
known exactly among the people
generally, how many spies we
kept, or who they were, but only that we
had a number of them
in pay; people were taught thus by
degrees to be more cautious
than they had been before, in their
expressions respecting us.
We heard today that some persons whose
home was not far
from us, who had deserted from the army,
as was generally be-
lieved merely out of fear of being
killed by the Indian warriors,
were very loud in their threats against
those Indians who live
with us. These men had probably however
no intentions; their
only object was that it might, if
possible, still be believed that
they had courage.
22d as we had learnt that Col. Bay (the
acting General of
Brigade in this district in the absence
of General Cass) re-
turned yesterday from the army on the
frontiers, Br. Mortimer
addressed a letter to him today by one
of our spies to give him
some account of our proceedings during
his absence, enclose
him a copy of our advertisement, and
request him if he ap-
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 241
proved of it, to dispose of it as he
thought might best subserve
our interest. As the principal
commanding officer in these parts,
he could at anytime have exercised the
power that was dis-
played by another Colonel at Greentown,
and ordered our In-
dians away from here; and we knew that
many would now
strongly press him to take such a step.
Our letter informed him
what was our present determination on
the subject, namely that
we were resolved not to go of our own
accord; and that we and
many of the most respectable persons in
the county believed that
by adhering to the determination, we
would consult the safety
and best interests of the whole
neighborhood. We relied upon
Mr. Clark, who we knew possessed a
strong sway over the
Colonel, to give force to this
representation; which we also
found afterwards he had been very
willing to do.
Br. Mortimer also wrote the following
letter today to an
inhabitant of New Philadelphia, who last
evening in the hear-
ing of one of our white brethren, as
well as at other times, had
expressed himself in a very
reprehensible manner:-
GOSHEN 22 Sept, 1812.
"SIR-I have been informed several
times of late, that you
have spoken much to my disadvantage, and
that in strong terms;
which I suppose can arise from no other
cause, but because
false accounts respecting me have been
communicated to you.
You have said, I have been told, that I
was sent here from Eng-
land, and receive a salary from thence.
This, Sir, is utterly
false. I was sent here from Bethlehem in
Pennsylvania, after
a residence of 61/2 years in this
country, and that without the
knowledge of any person whatever in
England or in the British
dominions, who had no concern whatever
in my appointment.
Neither do I receive any salary or
emolument, whatever, from
England or from any person in the
British service. I have
lived now 21 years in this country. When
I left England I
had two brothers there, who are since
dead; and for some years
I have received no letter even from
England or from any British
subject. In Germany I have two brothers,
and from a most
respectable and well known society there
it is that I derive my
support.
Vol. XXII -16.
242
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
"I have written you the above, Sir,
in order to inform you
of the truth, which I suppose you would
wish to know. Please
to communicate the same to your friends,
who may be under
the same error with yourself. What I
here write can be con-
firmed by many respectable persons in
this neighborhood, who
are well acquainted with me and my
appointment here. In
addition I can say, that I am the oldest
white inhabitant of
Tuscarawas county, and that no man can
say that I have in-
tentionally deceived him, or swerved
from truth and upright-
ness in any part of my conduct.
"I should be glad if you would soon
pay me a friendly visit.
"I am etc.
"BENJAMIN MORTIMER."
This letter was received by the person
to whom it was ad-
dressed as a compliment which he neither
expected nor deserved,
and was read by him to all the
inhabitants of New Philadelphia,
where it produced a good effect. The
person here alluded to
took the first opportunity of visiting
in Goshen, and making a
becoming apology for the improper words
which he had used.
It may not be amiss to observe here,
that the suspicions
expressed concerning Br. Mortimer, on
account of his being an
Englishman; and of the Indians and
missionaries generally,
because they had heretofore travelled
much to and from Canada
to our settlement at Fairfield, or to
Pettquoting and Sandusky,
and had taken bundles of paper with
them; or because other
Indians had frequently visited our
place: were all the mere pre-
tences, made use of by designing men to
set the public against
us. Nothing of all this could be laid to
our charge, as arguing
improper disposition or conduct on our
part, as citizens of the
U. States, or as rendering us with
ground liable to suspicion.
The only real causes, we had any reason
to believe why we,
and our Indian brn. & srs. were at
this time persecuted, were
antipathy against all Indians, enmity to
the gospel and the prev-
alent wish to deprive our Society for
the propagation of the
gospel among the heathen, of the
possession of the three tracts
of land in this county, which have been
given them in trust by
Congress for the use of our Christian
Indians, which it was
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 243
thought by many would be easily
effected, if only the Indians
and missionaries could all be driven or
frightened from Goshen.
Colonel Bay, in answer of considerable
length to the letter
that we had addressed to him today,
expressed himself well
contented that our Indians should remain
where they were
"till," as his words were,
"some mark of treachery in them
was discovered," but added, that he
thought it proper that they
should all deliver their guns for safe
keeping to some person
whom he would appoint to receive them,
for such time as they
continued at Goshen, or till the war
with the Indians on the
frontiers had ceased.
This requisition of the guns of our
Indians was alarming
to us. We had often heard it said-and
that too by some of
our sincerest friends-that it would tend
much to remove all
suspicions against them, if they
voluntarily delivered up all
their arms. Many of those who urged this
point strongly in all
occasions, coupled also therewith, the
confining them all in
one of two houses, that they might be
the more easily and better
guarded. We knew too that the men who
belonged to Gen.
Hull's late army, had often said in New
Philadelphia and else-
where, that were it not for the guns of
the Indians here of
which they were much afraid, they would
kill them all with their
knives. We were therefore-but secretly
only in our repre-
sentations to our Indians-much against
their delivering up
their arms, or moving from their
separate dwellings into one or
two only; as we considered such
treatment to be unworthy for
them as respected their characters; and
as exposing them to be
murdered at any time, and without risk
of present danger to
whoever would chose to be their
assassins. Indeed had things
come so far, that they had been confined
defenseless, in one or
two houses we should, in consequence,
have every night ex-
pected that their bloodthirsty enemies
(and bloodthirsty they
were!) and without doubt have murdered
them all in cold blood.
Under these impressions Br. Mortimer
addressed another letter
to Colonel Bay,
23d in which he informed him, that the
Indians here had
intended some time since to deliver all
their guns to Mr. David
Peter of Gnadenhutten; and explain the
true reason why this
244 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
had not been done. He let him know that
an order from him
to deliver their guns now, would be
complied with without the
least demur; but that if this sacrifice
was required, he would
feel it his duty, as far at least as
respected the three Indians
John, Charles and Christian Henry, to
give immediate and full
information of the matter to the
Governors and Assembly of
Pennsylvania, who by a special act, out
of respect for the mem-
ory of their father's worth (the late
William Henry) and their
own good characters as citizens of the
U. States, had male
them a present of their guns, to use
them, if occasion required,
for the defence of the country. The
question was also put:
Whether an Indian inhabitant here,
against whom there was
no charge of misconduct regularly
proved, and who was not
under special and secure protection of
the military ;* could now,
with right, and especially under the
system of having spies upon
them that had been adopted, be required
to give up his gun for
safekeeping; any more than the same
could, under like cir-
cumstances, be demanded of the white
inhabitants of the county?
The Colonel was requested to give the
proposal of taking
the guns from the Indians here a second
consideration, and
informed that Br. Mortimer would very
much regret, on the
Colonel's own account merely, having to
communicate his letter
of yesterday, which probably never was
intended for publication,
to the Governor and Assembly of
Pennsylvania, or to any other
public persons.** These representations
were received by Colonel
Bay very kindly. He expressed himself
thankful for all the in-
formation thus given him, and especially
for being told how the
three sons of the late William Henry had
become possessed of
their guns; and now entirely gave up the
idea of requiring any
of the Indians who reside with us, to
surrender up their arms.
It was his express request too, that his
former letter might not
* See a note under this date, at the
conclusion of this subject, in
reference to the "protection"
here "of the military."
** The letter of the Colonel above
referred to, which was written in
great haste, would, if made public,
certainly have done him no credit
anywhere. It contained accusations
against Indians in Goshen, taken
from the mouths of our enemies who then
surrounded him to all of
which a full answer was given him today
by Br. Mortimer.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 245
be shown to any public characters; which
is the reason why its
contents are here so slightly touched
upon.
When it is considered, that the military
commanders in
Ohio, in defense of their forcible
removal of our nearest In-
dian neighbors, the innocent inhabitants
of Greentown, declared
at this time, that they had power to
take up, disarm, confine or
remove any person whatever (and were it
the President of the
United States himself if within their
reach) upon suspicion
only; will appear important, that the
advantages acquired by
this correspondence in behalf of the 25
poor, and really-other-
wise than through the arm of the Almighty-defenseless In-
dians in Goshen, were that we had now a
promise in writing,
from the officer exercising the supreme
command in our dis-
trict that our Indians should not be
removed, "till some mark
of treachery in them was
discovered;" and also a strong written
pledge that as innocent people he would
give no order to dis-
arm them. Perhaps, as respects this
matter, it was providential
too, that the Colonel did not return
from the army somewhat
earlier. It may also be properly noticed
here, that it belonged
to the system of self-defense (if it deserved the name), to
which, under God, we looked, as means
which he might make
use of to overawe our enemies, that all
the spies whom we en-
gaged, should bring arms with them.*
*Sec. 1 Sam. 14, 6 and 2 Chron. 14,
11.--It gave us in truth great
advantages every way, that we had
ourselves been necessitated to engage
a guard for our town under the name of
spies, and just in the way
we did. Through this in particular, the
military power, in his own
opinion, lost the right which he might
otherwise, legally perhaps, have
exercised over us, to disarm and remove
our Indians at his pleasure.
Yet he could not, if he would, (see 17
Sept.) have granted us any such
special protection as we had previously
asked for, and which might
have given him this right; and at same
time could not object to the
reasonableness of the special request
that we had made to him on the
subject. When, namely, on the 31st ult.,
we first formally solicited
protection from him for our town, Br.
Mortimer asked it in writing as a
favor, to be permitted to name to him
such persons out of the draft
made in this county, as would be
agreeable to us to compose a guard
of safety here, on account of their
being known friends of our Indians.
On no other terms did, or could we
desire to have any guard of him
at all, as our object was, and must
necessarily have been, to be guarded
by friends, and not betrayed by enemies.
246 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
It may assist to give an idea of our
situation at this time,
to mention that the girl of 15 years of
age who was now the
hired servant in the family of Br. &
Sr. Mortimer, went home
yesterday to see her parents, and on her
return today, declared,
that she could not longer stay with us,
as she believed cer-
tainly, that we should soon be killed;
for, said she, not only
some people, but everybody says so.
Providentially for us,
considering especially our increased
house-keeping through our
boarding the spies, and the great deal
of labor which we had to
attend to at this time, her elder sister
was very willing to come
to us in her place; alleging as the
reason for this willingness,
that she had found by experience, that
she might go where she
would, she felt everywhere more afraid
than she did with us.
-We had made it a rule to tell every one
whom we engaged in
our service during this time, that so
soon as they were afraid to
stay with us, they should go away, and
we would pay them
whatever was due them for all the time
that they had spent
with us.
Today Br. Luckenbach went to
Gnadenhutten and Beer-
sheba. Mr. Cadwallader Wallace of
Chillicothe called at Br.
Mortimer's on his way home from New
Philadelphia, to ask
for a copy of our advertisement, to have
it inserted in one of
the Chillicothe newspapers; which was
immediately furnished
him.
An encouraging occurrence filled our
hearts with thanks
and praises to our Lord. Our worthy and
discreet friend Judge
Roth of Sugar creek, on receiving from
Br. Mortimer a copy
of our advertisement, had taken a most
effectual mode of making
it serviceable to us. He went from house
to house among his
most respectable Christian neighbors,
who are Methodists, Lu-
therans and Tunkers, and after showing
it to them, a part
agreed to come in a body, to the number
of about 9, and assure
us, and the Indians here, that they were
our warm friends, who
very much wished, that for their own
sakes as ours, we might
not move away from our present
settlement. At New Phila-
delphia, on their way here, they first
stopped at the principal
tavern, to make known, in the most
public manner, the object
of their visit to us. They entreated us
to give up every idea
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 247
of leaving this part of the country; for
if we did so, they said,
they saw plainly that the whole
settlement, in every direction
around us, must be broken up and ruined,
as was the case near
Greentown, when the Indians there were
moved away. Not
one of them, they observed, would have
the courage to remain
48 hours after us in the settlement, in
case we should leave it;
for they would then expect nothing but
murder and destruc-
tion to ensue. With tears in their eyes
they expressed their
humane feelings for our Indians, and
their regret on account
of the base usage which we had all
experienced. As they had
understood that we found it difficult to
engage trusty guards to
stay with us, they offered to assist us
therein; and when they
were further advanced in their work,
they would themselves,
some of them, if still necessary, come
to stand guard here.
Judge Roth had heard of the threatening
language that had
been used to Br. Mortimer on Sunday
last, and particularly
requested that complaint might be made
to him of such per-
sons, that he might commit them to jail.
They observed further,
that as our Indians could not hunt now,
and would therefore,
without extraordinary relief, suffer
want; they promised on ap-
plication, always to be willing, as long
as the present state of
things continued, to assist them with
provisions; whereby they
justly noticed, without any inducement
thereto from us, that
any expense they could be at, in order
to relieve our Indians,
would be trifling compared with the far
greater loss which they
themselves must sustain, if we deserted
them in the present
time of danger. These humane sentiments
were not only ex-
pressed privately to Br. Mortimer; but
the whole company
went round to every Indian dwelling, and
assured them all of
their sincere regard and friendship.
24th., Br. Luckenbach returned from his
visit at Gnaden-
hutten and Beersheba. By every such
opportunity, as well as
frequently by letter, we were anew
assured of the sympathy
and prayers of our dear brn. & srs.
in those places. We heard
through various channels that the fears
of the people in the set-
tlements, on account of the hostile
Indians, were still increas-
ing. How easily might all this distress,
in this part of the coun-
try have been entirely avoided! Had only
the Greentown In-
248
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
dians not been moved away, and in the
manner they were, it
would not have been known.
25th., Major Kribs of New Philadelphia,
the next in com-
mand in the army from these parts under
Col. Bay, came to
assure us that he was our friend. The
same had been done a
few days before by Capt. Caples of
Salem, who is also a judge
of the court. The fact was, every person
in office in the county,
and every man of information and
character with whom we
were acquainted, was, as far as we could
learn, by this time
well disposed towards us; and the wish
that had been so prev-
alent, that we might remove from here,
became every day less
popular.
26th., Some of our Indian brn., by
particular desire from
New Philadelphia, went a scouting along
with our spies, on
the road towards Sandusky; but did not,
as was expected would
be the case, find any tracks of persons
who had lately come from
thence.
27th., Br. Mortimer kept the
public meeting from John 3. 3.
28th., last night a particular use was
derived from the cir-
cumstance of our spies watching through
the night. About
two miles from us, some white men who
were hunting rac-
coons, heard a noise frequently repeated
resembling the calls of
Indians to each other. This was
occasioned by other white men,
on purpose to alarm these very people,
who were very well known
for their credulity; and had the desired
effect: for they spread
a report the next day concerning Indians
whom they had heard
in the woods during the dead of the
night, but could not get a
sight of. Our spies could now aver, that
none had come into, or
gone out of Goshen. The truth of the
matter was also soon known.
In the evening Br. Hagen, who had spent
a considerable time in
Gnadenhutten, returned to us again.
29th., it was intimated to us by our
friends in New Phila-
delphia, that they conceived it to be no
longer necessary for us
to keep spies to watch at nights; and
that we might therefore,
with safety to ourselves, and perfect
satisfaction to the neigh-
borhood, reduce the number from 4 to 2; which
after some
further enquiries, took place then
accordingly.
30th., there were sundry new alarms
circulated among our
The Ohio Frontier in 1812.
249
neighbors today, as indeed the fears of
the white people for
hostile Indians remained unabated. In
the evening at twilight,
our Indian brn. & srs. also were put
into an unusual fright, in
consequence of the relation of one of
our srs., that she had seen
the hand of a strange man thrust into
her house, who without
shewing himself, immediately afterwards
went off, and could
no more be seen or heard of. In
consequence of this relation,
our spies, and some of the Indian brn.,
watched throughout the
following night, but without making any
further discovery.
It may serve to show the excessive
terror which prevailed
at this time among the white people, to
notice, that in a house
16 miles from here not far from Salem,
and therefore further
from the Indian frontier than we were,
89 persons gathered to-
gether regularly every night, out of
fear, in order to spend their
nights there. A traveller who had
stopped at that place, re-
lated to us, that it was also his wish,
if possible, to lodge there
one night; but one of the women, through
fright merely as
he understood, was taken in labor, and
thence so much con-
fusion and distress had ensued, that he
was obliged at 1 o'clock
in the morning to leave the place, and
make the best of his way
in the dark to some other house where
people were assembled.
Another traveller informed us, that when
coming up the river,
at the distance of 30 miles from us, he
was told repeatedly, that
if he pursued his journey, he certainly
would not arrive alive
at New Philadelphia. Many from different
quarters who passed
through our place during this month,
appeared surprized, that
the same fear which was visible almost
everywhere else, they
said, in all directions around us,
hardly seemed to be felt by
us at all; and yet, it was at same time
often acknowledged, no
place appeared to them to be really in
so much danger as ours
was.
Oct. 1st., Judge Roth of Sugar creek
came here with a pres-
ent of a waggon load of bread, wheat,
flour, potatoes and
pumpkins for our Indian brn. & srs.
At his desire we lent him
the history of the mission of our
brethren among the Indians for
his perusal.
2nd., a Mr. Wolgemuth of Sugar creek
brought a present
of 80 lb. flour for our Indian brn.
& srs. Today we reduced the
250 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
number of our spies to one. All those
whom we had in pay,
we dismissed upon the terms, that if
they heard at any time
that we were in trouble or danger, they
should, if possible, im-
mediately come to our assistance,
without our first sending for
them; for which we would then duly pay
them. Other friends
also, especially civil and military
officers, had kindly made us
the promise, that in any emergency here
of which they were
aware, they would hasten to our relief.
3d., at about 8 o'clock in the morning,
10 armed men on
foot, under the command of a self-chosen
captain of the name
of Wilson, came here from Guernsey and
Belmont counties,
from a distance of about 50 miles from
here; "on a tour", they
said, "to look for Indians in the
woods and kill them." Their ap-
pearance and manner immediately arrested
our particular atten-
tion, before we heard them speak; on
which account our spy,
armed, with the brn. Mortimer and
Luckenbach, went with them to
the first Indian whom they accosted. One
of them told us soon,
that he believed Indians had lived here
long enough; a sentiment
which we white br. of course instantly
contraverted the propriety
of his entertaining. The conversation
was however, generally car-
ried on in a friendly manner, our
visitors commonly expressing
themselves unexceptionably. They were
very particular in their
enquiries about the Indians here, going
into all their houses,
speaking with them, and counting their
number. Their captain
appeared to be anxious too, to enter
into Br. Mortimer's house,
and see his family, (probably in order
to know whether they
were all whites or not); and he, and the
whole party, after re-
peated intimations from them to that
effect, were willingly grati-
fied herein. On our part enquiry was
made too, as occasion
conveniently offered, to learn the
names, residences, and usual
occupations of some of them. By this
time three of our spies
whom we had engaged to be ready to
assist us at any supposed
emergency without our sending for them,
(see diary 2 instant),
were arrived here from Beersheba on
horseback, and were
soon followed by our nearest neighbor
and friend Br. Christian
Blickensdorfer, senior, who lives only
two miles from here. All
came, without mentioning to us their
suspicions, straight with
their arms in their hands, into Br.
& sr. Mortimer's house,
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 251
purposely in order to mingle with and
strictly watch the
strangers. The latter soon after took a
friendly leave of us;
observing that where they lived, they
had heard much evil of
our place; but now, after conversing
with us and seeing the
Indians themselves, they were fully
satisfied about everything.
On this, at the word of their captain,
instead of keeping on the
road either up or down the river, as
might have been expected
they would have done when they left us,
if they intended to
cross the river on foot; they quickly
descended the high ground
on which our town is built, and wading
the Muskingum where
it has a considerable depth, went
straight forward into the
thickest part of the forest, where there
was no road. This
singular conduct, after we became better
acquainted with the
circumstances attending their visit to
us, seemed to us to be-
speak, that they were conscious that
they had so conducted them-
selves, that there was no cause to
pursue and apprehend them;
for they took the surest means, by a
somewhat circuitous route
towards their homes, to elude their
being successfully pursued in
order to apprehension.
There was in truth much reason to
believe that these 10
men set off for our place with murderous
designs against us;-
at least before they came to us, they
expressed themselves to this
effect in the most suspicious terms. We
were apprehensive,
taking all things together, that they
might be spies, sent hither
by a greater number of persons, who were
forming a plan of
mischief against us. At parting, their
captain said, somewhat
significatively, that he expected to see
us soon again. We
learnt that in the party were near
relations of some of the
Guernsey militia who had lately been
killed by the Indians near
Greentown (see diary 19 Sept).
Some of them had said with
oaths to Br. Asa Walten in Beersheba,
who happened to be near
the road as they passed by his house,
that they were going to
Goshen to have revenge, and would kill
all the Indians there.
Br. Asa Walten, in answer, expostulated
sharply with them, on
the manifest impropriety of their coming
so far to interfere, and
seek to disturb the Indians in Goshen,
when every sensible man
in the neighborhood, who must know that
if danger was to be
apprehended from them at all, they must
be the first sufferers,
252
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
was well satisfied that they should
remain where they were, and
accounted them the very best safety that
the country had, against
those Indians who were hostile. This he
then further explained,
agreeable to the arguments used in our
public advertisement;
(see diary 21 Sept.). In Gnadenhutten
they were not quite so
bold and daring as Br. Asa Walten had
found them; but how-
ever declared publickly, that they would
kill two Indians who
lived with us, whom they named.
Unfortunately, as they passed
through there, Br. Peter received no
information of what per-
sons they were, or the language they
used; as had he heard of
them they would probably in consequence
received such an
impressive letter from him, as would
have induced them to re-
turn home without delay. They were
afterwards seen to stop
together on the road, as if undetermined
what to do. They re-
mained over night at Br. Lewis Knauss's,
which is only 41/2
miles from us; and here again they
received none but favorable
accounts of our place. As they uttered
no open threats against
us in Br. Knauss's house, and the family
was ignorant of the
threats which they had before expressed,
of course they were
not urged to desist from their
intentions to come to us. Prob-
ably, if they really did intend to
murder all, or some part of the
Indians who live with us-which is very
likely-they gave up
their intention before they reached Br.
Knauss's house, in con-
sequence merely of what they had heard
among our white brn.
& srs., and especially from Br. Asa
Walten.-It may appear al-
most unaccountable, that no one should
have given us previous
notice of the approach of such very
suspicious persons, who
travelled the high road avowedly in the
character of murderers,
and publickly declared who they were
going to destroy. But
the fact was, the general panic, even
among our brn. & srs., and
some of our best friends, was so great,
that almost every woman
was afraid to have her husband or near
relative, appear to be
our friend, for fear that they in
consequence might have to suf-
fer, perhaps for having merely given us
humane information
with the view to save our lives. In this
trying state of things,
Br. Peter Edmonds of Beersheba, whose
wife is Sr. Mortimer's
sister, and his upgrown sons, and Sr.
Mortimer's cousin the
single man Daniel Warner, were always
our assured friends,
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 253
who kindly regarded our case and
circumstances precisely as if
they were their own, and rendered us the
most essential serv-
ices. The Lord reward them for it!
As soon as the 10 men were gone, we
warned our Indian
brn. & srs., and their children, not
to go into their cornfields
to-day, not even to fetch anything to
eat, and if our spies ac-
companied them. We also took every
precaution to engage a
strong watch for the next night, in case
it should be necessary;
and sent messages in different
directions to give notice among
our friends of what had occurred, and to
gain information where
the 10 men had gone to. Late in the
evening we had the satis-
faction to learn, that they had been
seen at such a distance from
here going homewards, that no doubt
remained but they had,
for the present at least, left our
neighborhood.-As Br. Morti-
mer happened to be well acquainted with
Lieut. Col. Beatty of
Cambridge, who is the principal
commanding officer in the
militia of Guernsey and Belmont
counties, he addressed a letter
to him per post about the affairs; to
which he received so satis-
factory an answer from that gentleman,
concerning the enquiries
he had made, and the means he had taken
to prevent our be-
ing troubled in the same manner again;
that it was evident noth-
ing inimical to us, was to be
apprehended again from that
quarter.
Thus through the mercy of God, were we
delivered in an-
other trouble, so that no evil had
touched us. (Job. 5-19).
This affair of the ten men from Guernsey
and Belmont counties,
naturally reminded us of the murder of
96 of our Indian brn.
& srs. and their children in the
year 1782; which took place as
is known, (see Loskiel's mission
history, part III chap. 10)
through an unauthorized association or
murderers, who in that
case took upon themselves the name of
militia; and like these
people, came too from a distance, to
destroy peaceable Indians.
From the threats of unprincipled
bandittis, who it was still to
be apprehended from various reports that
we heard, might come
hither from a distance, we had now the
most cause to expect
future alarms to our Indians; but we
trusted firmly that our dear
Lord, who had hitherto so graciously
protected us, would still
continue to be our help and our shield
(Pi. 33. 20) in every trial.
254 Ohio Arch. and Hist.
Society Publications.
4th., Br. Luckenbach preached from Mark 2. 3-12. Sev-
eral of our white brn. & srs. and
other neighbors came to see us.
Mr. Itzkin, one of the commissaries for
the army, applied to
the Indian Charles Henry to go for a
short time with two of
his horses to the frontiers in the
service of the United States.
In consequence of our interference, the
horses only were en-
gaged; but Charles-much to his own
satisfaction-pursued the
safer course, and remained at home.
5th., Br. Mortimer visited in Gnadhutten
and Beersheba.
9th., Br. Hagen did the same. In the
evening Br. Morti-
mer held a meeting to our cont. brn.
& srs.
11th., he held the public meeting from
the text of the day.
In the evening we enjoyed the h.
communion blessedly with our
Indian brn. & srs.
13th., some of the inhabitants here, agreeable to the
custom
of Indians when they are gathering in
their corn, proposed stay-
ing out all night in their cornfields;
but we earnestly advised
against the step, as being unsafe for
them as yet; and they in
consequence relinquished their purpose.*
At the commence-
ment of the present critical time here
through the war, we
stipulated with all the Indians under
our care, that they should
strictly follow all the advice which we
should give them for their
safety. This they willingly promised to
do; and also kept their
word. We reminded them on the occasion,
as what was the cer-
tain from matter of fact, that had the
Indian brn. & srs. who
went from Sandusky to Gnadhutten in the year 1782 to gather
in their corn, followed the plain rules
which were then given
them by their teachers, not to encamp
over night in their corn
fields, but to secret themselves in
small straggling parties in the
woods, and do as much as possible
without fires; they could not
*On the 28th of the month the above
mentioned lieut. Col. Beatty
of Cambridge wrote to Br. Mortimer:
"In the mean time I think it would
be advisable for those Indians"
(the Indians at Goshen) "to keep at
home as much as possible, and not
venture out in the woods, or out of
the immediate neighborhood of their
town, as there are many turbulent
and ill-disposed persons that would
perhaps not stop to kill them,
should they see them in the woods, and
would excuse themselves by say-
ing they took them to be hostile
Indians." Some of the corn fields of
our Indians, are at a considerable
distance from the town.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 255
have been seized upon as they were by
the whites, and murdered
to the number of 96. We represented to
them, that in the pres-
ent war, and as inhabitants of Goshen,
their only hope of safety,
combined with their freedom, lay, under
God, in their being as-
sociated with their teachers, letting
them act for them, and then
implicity following their directions.
15th., the brn. Mortimer &
Luckenbach went together to
pay a visit in Gnadenhutten and Beersheba.
18th., as on the 7th. ult. it was
totally out of our power to
keep the festival of the married choir;
but now everything ap-
peared to be peaceable round about us,
we resolved to celebrate
it today; and the Lord made it to be to
us a day of joy and
gladness. Br. Luckenbach kept the
morning blessing, with a
fervent prayer to our Lord in the
Delaware language. Br.
Mortimer held a discourse to the choir.
Br. Luckenbach kept
the public meeting from John 4. 46 ve.
At the lovefeast an
affectionate salutation from the general
help. confe. in Bethle-
hem to the Ind. brn. & srs. here,
which was delivered with par-
ticular reference to the late troubles
which we had experienced,
was heard with great joy. The brn. &
srs. were also assured
of the sympathizing love and fellow
feeling that would be
awakened in the hearts of our dear brn.
& srs. everywhere, when
they would hear of their late dangers
& sufferings. They would,
with them, be thankful to our dear Lord
for having so graciously
guarded them by his holy angels, and
preserved them from all
harm; and would now, with renewed
fervency, pray to our
Lord in their behalf, that they might
show their thankfulness
to him for the deliverances which he had
wrought for them
by living more to his praise than they
had done hitherto. A
short address of encouragement was then
made to them from
the words 1 Sam. 7. 12, "Hitherto
hath the Lord helped us."-
Throughout the whole county in which we
live, the dreadful
fears that had prevailed, of being attacked
by hostile Indians,
were now fast subsiding.
19th., Br. & Sr. Oppelt and
children, and sr. Peter and
children, of Gnadenhutten, made us the
pleasure of a visit.
20th., Br. Mortimer visited our friends
in New Phila-
delphia.
256 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
21st & 22d., we were
gratified by agreeable visits from Br.
& Sr. Miller and daughter, on their
way to and from New Phila-
delphia.
25th., Br. Hagen went again to
Gnadenhutten. In his very
infirm state of body, short rides proved
salutary to him; and
at the recommendation of his physician,
he took them frequently.
Br. Mortimer kept the public meeting
from Luke 7. 41v.
28th & 29th., Br. & Sr. Mortimer
and children made a most
pleasing visit among our brn. & srs.
in Gnadenhutten and Beer-
sheba. In the latter place Br. Mortimer
kept the funeral of a
child. In Gnadenhutten, on their return,
they awaited the ar-
rival of the post, which brought a call
to Br. Abraham Lucken-
bach, who is now here, to take upon
himself the care of this
congn.; and as he forthwith accepted the
same, Br. & Sr. Mor-
timer were thereby set at liberty to
enter on the journey to
their destined station at New York,
agreeable to the call which
they had received in March last.-Br.
Hagen was also called
to return to Bethlehem.
30th, in the evening meeting, these
proposed changes were
made known by Br. Mortimer to the brn.
& srs., and recommended
to their prayers before our Lord;
especially that they might
receive in love, and as from our Lord
himself, their new, al-
ready well-known and much esteemed
teacher, Br. Luckenbach,
and always love and obey him.
31st, Br. Mortimer went to Gnadenhutten
and Beersheba
on business.
1 Nov., Br. Hagen visited in the same
places. Br. Lucken-
bach kept the public meeting from Math. 22. 21.
During the week Br. & Sr. Mortimer
and Br. Hagen were
busily employed in preparing for their
proposed long journies
at this advanced season of the year.
8th, Br. Mortimer kept the public
meeting from Math. 13-
16. In the afternoon Br. Luckenbach
particularly and very
affectionately recommended Br. Hagen to
the remembrance and
prayers of the cong. before our Lord; as
he proposed setting
off this afternoon by way of New
Philadelphia for Bethlehem.
He was desirous, on account of his weak
state of health, to
commence the journey as soon as
possible.
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 257
13th, this solemn memorial-day in the Brethern's church
was celebrated in the usual manner here
with a discourse and
prayer at 9 o'clock in the morning, in
which Br.
Luckenbach
treated very impressively of our Lord's
being of a truth the
Head and Shepherd of his people.
Afterwards Br. Mortimer
went once more to Gnadenhutten and
Beersheba, to take leave,
in the name of himself and family, of
our dear brn. & srs. there.
14th, Br. Hagen returned hither from New
Philadelphia,
as he found that he could not set off
from there on his journey, so
soon as he had expected. He and Br.
& sr. Mortimer at a love-
feast, took leave in brotherly love and
friendship of all the in-
habitants here, being assured also of
their sincere love and re-
gard. At the conclusion Br. Mortimer
expressed the very par-
ticular pleasure he felt, as he was now
called elsewhere in the
service of our Lord, at surrendering the
charge, under the Great
Shepherd himself, of the souls here, to
a brother who is so well
known and beloved among our Indian brn.
& srs., as Mr. Luck-
enbach is, and who speaks their language
so well, Br. Mortimer
then held a separate meeting to the
communicants.
15th, Br. Luckenbach preached from Luke 8. 43v. In the
evening all the comts. here enjoyed the
h. comn., blessedly in
the nearness of our Lord, during which
many tears were shed.
At the conclusion an Indian brother
stood up quite unexpectedly
to us, and thanked Br. & sr.. Mortimer,
in the name of the rest for
the love they had shewn them during the
many (14) years past
that they had lived with them, and
especially for having re-
mained with them during the late
troublesome and dangerous
times; whereby, he observed, that Br.
Mortimer, from know-
ing so many persons in the neighborhood,
and all the circum-
stances here, had been enabled to judge
better how to act, than
another teacher could have done, who was
more a stranger here.
Every white man, the speaker noticed,
had paid all respect to
what he said, & no one had ventured
to oppose him. (Sister
Mortimer's situation was however at the
same time extremely
difficult here; through frights and
overexertion she was several
times taken seriously ill.) Also the
great thankfulness of the
brn. & srs. for having received so
very suitable a successor to
Vol. XXII- 17.
258 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
him as Br. Luckenbach is, was simply and
suitably expressed.
-This communion, and all that occurred
thereat, especially
that we bound ourselves thereby to
continued mutual love,
though far distant from each other, and
to love and faithful-
ness to our Lord till death; were
graciously owned by him.
In these days many of our white brn.
& srs. and other
friends visited here, to take leave of
Br. & sr. Mortimer, and
their four children, and Br. Hagen, and
to praise our Lord
with us for his signal mercies to us all
here, and especially for
the help that we, and our dear Indian
brn. & srs., have always
in time of need richly experienced at
his hands.
16th, all things were now in readiness
for the journey of
our travellers; but they had not been
able to enter on it as soon
as they had wished, on account of high
water in the Muskingum,
which prevented their being able to
cross it with their baggage.
17th, in the morning the waggons that
were to convey Br.
& srs. Mortimer and their children,
and Br. Hagen, to Pittsburg,
were got ready for the journey. Before
starting Br. Lucken-
bach convened the Indian brn. & srs.
and children in the church,
and most affectionately and
emphatically, in their name took a
tender and solemn leave of them in a
short discourse and prayer;
which was reciprocated with much emotion
by Br. Mortimer.
Br. Miller and Br. Edmonds of Beersheba
etc. were also pres-
ent. At about 1 o'clock p. m. the
parting took place; which
was moving on both sides from long and
close acquaintance;
and especially to the Indian sisters,
from the consideration that
they had now no longer a white sr.
living among them, to whom
they could freely unbosom themselves.
Letter from the Christian Indians at
Goshen, Tuscarawas
County, Ohio, to the congregations of
the United Brethern in
Pennsylvania and the adjacent States.
Dear brethern & sisters:
We heartily salute you all, particularly
those who are per-
sonally known to us, as our dear
brethern George H. Loskiel,
John Heckewelder, and John G. Cunow, and
our dear sisters
Magdalene Loskiel, Susanna Zeisberger,
Sarah Heckewelder,
Anna Senseman and Anna Rosina Gambold.
We have not for-
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 259
got them yet, but often think of them
with much love and
respect.
We humbly salute you all: but we are
quite unworthy to
call you our brn. & srs., because we
still daily grieve our dear
Saviour so much. We are sensible that it
is of his great mercy
only, that we remain still at this
place, and have not as yet en-
tirely lost that feeling of his grace in
our hearts, which we ex-
perienced when we first desired to
receive the forgiveness of our
sins, and this blessing was conferred
upon us.
Dear brethern & sisters: We wish to
let you know, that
we feel ourselves sometimes in many
respects, destitute and for-
saken, like poor orphans without father
or mother, being only
few in numbers, and no one among us
being duly capable of
taking charge of the whole.*
Nevertheless we have great rea-
son to be thankful to our Saviour for
having, of late especially,
safely conducted us through trying and
difficult circumstances,
in these times of war; so that we are
still alive and well.
Dear brethren and sisters: A principal
reason why we
write to you is, to inform you, that we
were very sorry last
spring when we first heard that the
ministers at Bethlehem
had determined to call away from here
our dear brother and
sister Mortimer. We were then so much
grieved on this ac-
count, that we were utterly unable to
reflect on the subject, in
order to give to you, or our brother
Mortimer, an answer about
it. On consideration, we believed it to
be our own fault that
we were to be deprived of him, as we
were sensible that we
had justly deserved to be left without a
teacher. Having de-
liberated together, and considered all
our circumstances, we
said to each other that we could for the
present say and do
nothing, but only recommend our
situation to our Lord himself
in prayer, who we trusted would still be
merciful to us.
Now dear brethern & sisters: We are
again very much
rejoiced, and are thankful to our dear
Lord, and also to you,
because another teacher is given to us,
who will make known
to us the goodwill and words of God,
namely our dear brother
*This alludes to the loss sustained by
the death of brother William
Henry, since which time there is no
Indian brother left in Goshen, who
can properly fill the station that he
held as assistant to the missionary.
260
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
Abraham Luckenbach. This is quite
according to the wish of
our hearts; and we will love him, and
obey all the good instruc-
tions and advice that he may think
proper to give us.
Dear brethern and sisters: There is one
thing more that
we wish to tell you, and to request your
assistance about it.
During the late troublesome time here
arising from the war,
many white people threatened to injure
us, declaring that we
ought no longer to live on this land. We
have reason to be-
lieve that it was for the sake of the
land only, that they spoke
so hard against us, as they did not wish
us to remain on it. We
beg therefore that you would let the
great men in the city of
Washington know how we have been
threatened, that our living
here may be made more safe and secure to
us, and that bad
people may cease to threaten us about
the land.
The Christian Indians living at Goshen,
and in their name
(Signed) John Henry
Charles Henry
Goshen 16 Nov. 1812. Christn. G. Henry
[This ends the Rev. Benjamin Mortimer's
entries in the
diary. The Rev. Abraham Luckenback here
takes up the nar-
rative in German, of which the following
is a translation.]
Nov. 17th, after they had
besought in prayer upon their
knees in the morning meeting the
gracious protection and care
of our dear Lord, and the Indian
brethern and sisters had taken
the heartiest leave of them, whereby
tears were shed on both
sides, brother and sister Mortimer and
brother Hagen left here
by wagon for Bethlehem, and stayed over
night in New Phila-
delphia, whence on the next day the
wagon in which they had
laden their goods drove off in their
company. Brother Miller
who had been visiting here from
Beersheba returned today.
Nov. 18th, Brother Luckenbach betook
himself to New
Philadelphia on business but did not see
the brethern and sisters
any more.
But he visited Mr. Clark, county clerk,
and requested him to
continue hereafter the promise which he
had made Brother
Mortimer, and to acknowledge himself as
a friend and patron
of the Goshen Indians, to support them
in word and deed, and
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 261
when dangerous times should occur, to
send them news there-
of immediately, which he promised to do.
In these days we
experienced very rough and cold weather,
which reminded us
to sympathize with the circumstances
which had fallen to the
lot of our sickly brethern and sisters
upon their journey, and
awoke the sighs within us; may the
Saviour graciously support
them in all experiences.
19th, a school was begun with 12 scholars, who showed the
greatest desire to learn, and in whom
there appeared to be a
wish to go to school and learn verses.
May the Saviour give
his blessing thereto and keep in their
hearts the desire for learn-
ing and bless them therein.
21st, Brother Luckenbach went to
Gnadenhutten on busi-
ness and returned home in the evening.
The sisters Anna
Caritas and the elderly Christina were
ill during these days and
were visited.
22d, service was held at the usual time
at which the ex-
hortation was based upon Math. 25,
31-46.
26th & 28th, a considerable number
of militia passed
through this neighborhood to New
Philadelphia to appear at the
court-martial, since they had disobeyed
the order to appear at
certain designated places. Little is
heard of the usual cus-
tomary threats of the white people; also
the alarms of danger
from wild Indians have as it were
entirely disappeared; and we
thank the Saviour from our hearts for
the quiet which we are
enjoying and hope that he will continue
the same out of his
grace to us. The Indian brethern now
dare to hunt again in
the neighborhood, and are so fortunate
as to kill a deer almost
every time they go out, which is very
encouraging for them
under the present circumstances, as they
have been in great
need of meat for a long time, because
they dared not allow
themselves to be seen in the
neighborhood with weapons. An
especial care of God plainly appears to
lie in this that in other
years the deer did not stop in such
great numbers or so near
to these places as has now for some time
been the case.
29th, preaching was held at the usual
time; the weekly
meetings were kept up uninterruptedly as
much as possible.
Tobias, an Indian who has now had
permission to live for more
262
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications.
than two years, visited Brother
Luckenbach and expressed
the desire to own a house of his own
here, and to stay near the
congregation the rest of his life, and
to abide by the word of
God as he heard it.
Dec. 3d, Charles Henry ventured out 8
miles from the set-
tlement alone in order to get a musket
which he had hidden,
and toward evening returned safely home
again without having
met any evilminded persons.
6th, the sermon in the service was based
on Luke 21, 25-36.
8th, Brother Luckenbach went with
Charles Henry to
Colonel Bay at New Philadelphia on
business and had the op-
portunity to become acquainted with him,
and to talk with him
about several things concerning the
Indian congregation. In
these days we had very cold weather.
11th, Christian Henry was very kindly
but earnestly spoken
with, as he had secretly indulged
himself too much in brandy
at New Philadelphia, and was implored to
guard himself, espe-
cially in the present dangerous times,
against the misuse of
strong drink.
13th, in the meeting especial stress was
laid upon the fact
that the word of God is a power of God
to make all who be-
lieve on it happy, and which proves
itself so up to this very
day to every faithful heart. The Indian
Tobias together with
his wife Beade who had betaken
themselves secretly to New
Philadelphia and had become intoxicated,
were spoken to in the
presence of several Indian brethern very
earnestly, and the
danger to body and soul which they could
bring through such
a life was impressively shown them, and
also the disgraceful
result which would come upon our place
during the present war
time. They promised to repent and to
keep from doing the
same in the future. Because of the
present great cold and be-
cause several sisters were sick, the
meeting was held from now
on in sister Zeisberger's former house,
so that the meetings could
be held more regularly, because there
was a stove there, and
school was held there, which was evident
to the Indians sisters
and children.
20th, preaching was held at the usual
time upon the text
for Sunday, John 1, 19-28. In the
evening three white persons
The Ohio Frontier in 1812. 263
passed through here, who had stopped for
some time about 9
miles from here on a hunting expedition,
and who were bringing
several horse loads of deer meat home
with them. They are
not near neighbors of ours, but they are
people whose company
has always tended to harm for our Indian
brethern and sisters,
and they were on this occasion the cause
of several of our In-
dian brethern and sisters associating
with them in the woods
against permission, and hunting with
them. Brother Lucken-
back asked them to betake themselves no
longer in the future
into the woods with our brethern when
they were hunting, since
in the present dangerous times a great
misfortune might arise
for the latter and new suspicions might
be aroused.
24th, the weekly and monthly budgets
arrived together with
a letter from Brother Cunow from the
Helper's Conference and
formed a pleasant Christmas present.
From the last letter it
was learned that at the writing brother
and sister Mortimer
and brother Hagen had not arrived in
Bethlehem which showed
us that it had occurred to them through
the cold weather that
delays must be made. In the evening the
Indian congregation
held a blessed lovefeast in which we
considered, with blessing
for our hearts, the immeasurable love of
our dear Saviour for
us poor fallen children of man, which he
has made known to us
in such a remarkable and convincing
manner, that he became
a man to our everlasting salvation, and
clothed himself in our
poor flesh and blood, for which we, in
our poor part, brought
him our weak thanks upon our knees, and
prayed to the Christ
child in the manger as our Lord and
Saviour and praised him
anew in our hearts. At the conclusion
the school children, 12
in number, recited the Christmas verses,
which gave the parents
and those present the greatest
satisfaction, whereupon to their
great joy wax candles were given to the
children, with which
as it was a calm night, they went home
happily. An especial
blessed feeling of grace was awaked and
perceptible in this
meeting, and the little brown number
appeared to be rightly af-
fected.
25th, Christmas, preaching was held at
the usual time, in
which the exhortation was based on the
gospel of the day, Luke
2, 1-14, and especially on the joy which
every child of God finds
264
Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society
Publications.
in his heart because a Saviour has been
born for him. In the
evening a preparatory service was held
for the communicant
brethern and sisters in preparation for
the coming communion.
26th, in the individual interviews many
of the communicants
bewailed their backsliding and said that
the anxious thought
often occurred to them as to whether
they would remain faith-
ful to the Saviour to the end, which
awoke in them a desire to
come into a closer communion with the
Saviour and forever
to put aside what made them so weary in
their lives. In the
evening we enjoyed the flesh and blood
of our Saviour in the
holy communion to the awakening of our
poor souls, at which a
sister could not be present because of
sickness. Her share was
given her the following evening on her
sick bed, for which she
declared herself very thankful and said
that nothing in the world
exceeded her joy in the Saviour and his
word. So long as she
had improved she had willingly neglected
no meeting, now,
however, she was so weak that she could
no more go to the Holy
Communion and could think about nothing
else, whereat she
began to weep. She was comforted by the
fact that the Saviour
knew from experience all our weaknesses
and had unbelievable
patience with them, and these should not
separate us from him
but draw us so much the closer to him.
27th, the preaching was based upon Luke
2, 33-40 and
especially upon the benefits and
blessings which lie for us in the
childhood of our Saviour and the
weakness he took upon him-
self so graciously for us.
29th, Brother Luckenbach visited in
Gnadenhutten and
Beersheba and returned in the evening.
31st, toward 12 o'clock we gathered at a
lovefeast at the
close of the year, and remembered with
thankfulness the many
benefits within and without, and
especially the gracious and
mighty help of our faithful Lord in the
danger which had ap-
proached so near to this place because
of the restlessness of war,
and commended ourselves to him anew-in
prayer upon our
knees to his gracious protection and
guidance, in the knowledge
of our poverty, weakness and backsliding
in that which we
should do for him-during the coming new
year, in the lively
hope that he would continue to be
gracious to this little flock of
The Ohio Frontier in 1812.
265
souls
taken from the heathen and would bring them to the end to
the
glory and honor of his name. They are with all their
poverty
within and without his once dearly bought property and
although
their sins and backsliding are great yet his compassion
and
faithfulness is greater and surmounts everything.
During
the year one person has gone to her eternal home,
the
late sister Anna Benigna.
There
are living her [in Goshen]
3
married people ................................6 persons.
2 widows
.......................................
2 persons.
1
bachelor and 1 single man ... .................. 2 persons.
1 single woman .................................. 1
person.
3 great boys .................................... 3 persons.
1
great girl ...................................... 1 person.
4
boys ....................................... 4 persons.
7
girls ........................................
7 persons.
Total
....................................... 26 persons.
Of
these 25 have been baptized; of whom 7 are communi
cants.
EDITOR'S
NOTES.
Abraham
Luckenbach, born May 5, 1777, in Lehigh county,
Pa.
Educated at Nazareth Hall, Nazareth, Pa. Became a
Moravian
Missionary to the Indians in 1800 and so labored for
forty-three
years. Died at Bethlehem, March 8, 1854. Edited
and
translated some Moravian religious works into the Delaware
language.
John
Joachim Hagen, a Moravian Missionary, joined the
Goshen
Mission about 1804. He had previously labored among
the
Creeks and Cherokees of the South.
Simon
Peter, David Peter and Dorcas Peter. David Peter
and
John Heckewelder in October, 1799, reinterred the bones
of
the Moravian Indians massacred at Gnadenhutten. Dorcas
Peter
seems to have been one of the early settlers at the Salem
Mission,
where he took charge of the society's store.
William Henry
Gelelemend, grandson of
Netawatwes;
William
was one of the most distinguished of the Moravian In-
dian
converts. His father was chief of the Turtle tribe of the
266 Ohio Arch. and Hist. Society Publications. Delawares. In succeeding his father as chief Gelelemend be- came known as Killbuck, Jr., and under that name signed the first Indian treaty ever concluded by a tribe with the United States. It was made at Fort Pitt, September 17, 1778. He joined the Moravians, at Salem, in 1788. In baptism he was given the name William Henry. He was a great man, always a firm friend of the whites. He died at Goshen in 1812. Ska (Levi) was a Delaware convert of the Moravians and acted as an assistant to the missionaries. Oppelt, probably a German, a young missionary who led a colony from Fairfield, Canada, and set up a station on the Pett- quotting, near New Salem. Beersheba, a small Moravian Mission situated on the west side of the Tuscarawas, in what is now Clay township, Tus- carawas county. Brother Miller, same as George Godfrey Mueller, one of the German Missionary founders of Beersheba. John Henry, chief of a small band of the Mohawks, con- verted by the Moravians. Peter Edmonds, one of the first settlers on the Tuscarawas reservation and a faithful missionary. |
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