Cornplanters

[techteach]

Hey,

I have been reading a book written by the step-grandson of my ggggrandmother who called herself Blackfoot and was supposed to have been born in Beaver County, PA. The book says that all the native Americans near Slippery Rock, PA, where these my ggggrandmother and grandfather lived before heading to Iowa in 1852 to join what we now believe are mixed relatives of theirs who had come from central PA in 1840, were Cornplanters. I found that Cornplanter was awarded land on the Slippery Rock following his assistance in treaties with the Six Nations after the Revolution.

The author presents an interesting picture of his views of Native Americans. His father and uncle, both children of the first wife, return to PA three years after going to Iowa, but he is sympathetic in many places, at one time telling how whites like talking about their heros and that Indians are no different. Yet never does he hint that his father was raised by a Native American.

Techteach

PS: Thank you, Deb for mailing it to me.

[Tom]

Hey Tech! well Iam very happy that you made this post, Cornplanters res. has always interested me, I have heard that it was disbanded, I have a hunch that many of the southern Souian peoples took up residence with these folks and after moving on were ablre to relocate where ever they wanted to. So like many groups after being enumerated and given some form of paymnent probably headed west like thier other relatives.
One interesting thing though , is that there was a ceremonial tobacco strain rescued? from those lands given up by the Cornplanter community.!
Thanx again, Tech enjoy your summer!

[techteach]

The plot of land was flooded in 1964.


And you have a great summer! I am going to take a trip to Bejing, China to teach technology. Yes, really.

Techteach

[Tom]

Hey Tech, now there's what I call a summer!
Bejing sounds really cool! When your there check out some of the Museums, I really enjoy Chinese art, especially the very old.
I look forward to hearing about your trip when you return, but if you can get to this sight, a e post card would be very special. Best Wishes Tom

[techteach]

Hey, Tom,

Any chance the pin will be done by the time I leave in July?

Cindy

[Tom]

hey Tech, well so far we have not finished the design, but if you can I'd go ahead and use Lindas pattern and make one from some type of heavy pin or wire.
I hope that in the future we can get something solidified, all the best Tom.

[techteach]

Tom,

Do you mean that you will make it using Linda's pattern? Or me? (I do my own crafting for thematic teaching units, but beyond this and some needlework, won't be me.)

Cindy

[Tom]

Chuckles for you! Well so far we haven't come up w/ a design so iam not too sure what to say, however you may want to use the same theme on something that Linda has suggested using already.
You could apply the design to a scarf or shirt etc or use a 3 arrow pattern that you design to represent your families traditions.
So far my life is up in the air and I won't be able to get anything done for a couple of months.
Best wishes Tom

[Deb]

Linda,
i would be interested in buying one of your t-shirts.
Deb

[Deb]

Woops! Looks like I posted that reply in the wrong forum. I know I saw a t-shirt that Linda designed on here somewhere.

Where is the Cornplanter Res exactly. Is it where the Cornplanter forest is now? I tried to pull it up on a PA map and can't find the exact location.

I don't think the Sinkey's were that far North. They were in Barree twp, Huntingdon Co., PA. On the 1793 Barree twp tax list for Huntingdon Co. there is 5 Greens listed: Charles, Clement, Elisha, George and Isaac. Agness and William Huston, Daniel McCartney, Edward Rickets, William & Richard Sinkey and 8 different Wilson's and a John McClelland.

The 1812 Tax List shows Elijah, George and Nathaniel Greens, Daniel McCartney (distillery) James McCartney, Richard and Richard, Jr. Sinkeys, Alexander, James, John and Nathaniel Wilson.Single Freeman are listed as William Huston and James Sinkey.

Cindy directed me to a "Path Valley" website and after pulling up some maps, it looks like the Sinkey's were in that area. Don't know if that means anything other than it said in the article that the whites were pulled out of the area and the Sinkey's were allowed to stay. Makes me wonder why? Anyway I was curious about where the Cornplanter Res was located and if it was near the area where the Sinkey's were at.

Deb

[techteach]

Deb:
It is nearer the western bunch of our family, the Ralstons. My Nancy McLane was born in Beaver County, not too far, as I understand it, from the land that was given to Cornplanter by the Americans for his loyalty. Much of it was flooded in 1960 by a dam.
The Cornplanter information came from the book you sent me. The Ralston author said that most of the natives near his family were Cornplanters. He also says that his grandmother (I think his MaWha grandmother.) came out as a missonary among the natives.
I then researched the Cornplanter information. I found it interesting that another name, Cooley, comes from near the Six Nations capital. He joins the group in Licking County, OH and then some also go on to Iowa. If you go to the Licking County historical society, they list "lost founders" or something like that, meaning the earliest settlers who are unaccounted for. At least a couple are buried in Hickory Grove cemetery, William Sinkey and Asa Cooley. We know where some others are too, because they are names that are in our line. I emailed them once, but the web site did not change, unless it has since then.

Techteach

[Deb]

Cindy,
I have a Mary "Polly" Sinkey married to Clark Cooley III on 21 Dec 1826 in Licking Co., Ohio. Mary was a daughter of William & Mary McCartney Sinkey. I also have also have Mary's sister Martha "Pattie" Sinkey married to David Cooley. There is a Cooley website "Cooley's of Licking County, Ohio. I don't know how to link...but the web address is http://www.a-c-m.com/genealogy6.htm There are Cooley's mixed with Sinkey's down the line I think.

Deb

[techteach]

Deb:
I have been there. I downloaded a picture of a mid-1800's Cooley who looks so much like my youngest brother that it is almost creepy. Take a few pounds off my brother and they are spitting images of each other. I printed it off and took it there last Christmas, so he could see it. Mom kept it.
Intriguing locations with what you sent me via email. With Cooleys coming to Ohio from the location of the Saponi town in the Six Nations and the Sankeys moving to Pittsylvania from Huntington. We just keep building evidence.
The Cornplanter reservation seems to have been a refuge for a variety of refugees of the Six Nations. One part of the book written by the Ralston stepgrandson calls one by the name of Sam Mohawk. And I seem to recall finding that it was the location (in fact I even remember looking it up) of Logan (Mingo or mixture of Seneca and other tribes) for a while when my creepy ggggggrandfather was involved in the massacre of his family (You are not related - connected but not related.). I will need to double check but I believe that I am remembering this correctly. The Eckert book placed Logan's family at French Creek and this is near the Ralstons and I believe near to, if not on, the Cornplanter reservation. Certainly, mapquest shows a French creek near Oil City where the reservation was. Oh, and by the way, we are related to families named French, at least I am. They are on the same muster role as William Sinkey and I remember a French family in church. The mom said we were related, but I never thought so at the time - part of the efforts my ggrandparents made to distance themselves from the rest near Emeline. I believe that there was an Indian trader named French too in PA.

Cindy

[Deb]

Seems like I remember a French family coming to visit Grandma and Grandpa. I'll have to ask my Dad or Aunt Hazel. Along with the DeMoss's and I don't know maybe half the town of Canton and Emeline....
Deb

[techteach]

Deb:
If you look at the opening article to this site, you will find Moss listed as a common Saponi name. I figured DeMoss is a variant of that name. I have seen the name and done some looking on the Jackson and Jones county sites for this name too. I saw that one would be my gggreat-aunt, I guess, marrying a brother to Mary Lovina Potter (Elizabeth Sinkey's daughter).

Cindy

[robert kubena]

deb,

before 1960 i used to fish the upper allegheny river. we used to pay the cornplanters to fish on their side ( the western side of the river). it was very close to tidioute and must have been flooded by the tionesta damn.

saw my first bald eagle there. now they nest by my home. guess not everything has gone down hill.

checking with a mason relative on you barrett mason and mary sinkey.

rob

[techteach]

Rob,
Here's additional information on Bennett Mason. He was born in Ohio in 1826. He married Eliza Blamer (who was a descendent of the Greens) and lived among the bunch in Monroe Township in Licking County, Ohio. I have more specific information that I can post later in August when I return from China.
Bennett also had a son, Samuel, who was born around 1848 to 1849 in Ohio. He died in Fulton, IL. This Samuel married Eunice Green who was born in 1850 in Licking County. I also have the census information on Bennett's family from 1850 and 1860 when they lived with the rest of the bunch in Licking County. In 1880, they had moved to Delaware County, OH. Hope this helps.

Very interesting - as I am searching the Green genealogy that was given to me by my cousin, I find that one of the Butts, a name that intermarries with my Greens (and has a 3 year old Mason living with him) has a Collins living with him in Delaware County, OH. Actually, I now see several Collins who intermarry with this family.

And Deb, additional proof that Andrew Huston was with the Sinkeys in PA. A Mason child lives with Nancy Blamer and Archibald Butt in Delaware County. Nancy is Andrew Huston's granddaughter. Nancy states that her parents were born in PA.

Cindy

[Deb]

rob,
Thank you for looking, I have nothing on the Mason's. This is the first I have heard of Bennett. But that Blamer name strikes a chord...Cindy, I know I have seen that name somewhere else in the Sinkey genealogy. I have to look. I remember because the name struck me odd, I hadn't heard it before. Like Twig. There's a whole family of Blamers in there somewhere.I've GOT to get my files back in Family Tree Maker. I need my index!

Deb

[Deb]

rob,

You live in Derry, PA? That's not very far from where my ancestor lived. Richard Sinkey lived at Jackson's Corner about 13 miles north of town of Huntingdon. In another forum here, Share Genealogy Research>Lisenby/Gainey, I tried to explain a connection between Rev Richard Sankey and Richard Sinkey (my ancesotr). Rev Richard Sankey came here in 1735 and his first church was in Derry and Paxtang. I've never been to PA but pictures I have seen look beautiful. I've never seen a bald eagle (outside of a zoo). I have hawks and owls. My folks took us camping every weekend while I was growing up. My Dad's a fisherman and a hunter. Dragged us all over to fish. We camped alot at Effigy Mounds on the Mississippi. I used to hike all over in there. They had what they called Wilderness campgrounds there. Pretty crowded these days. Richard is buried at Manor Hill Methodist Church Cemetary. I've studied maps like crazy trying to get a handle on where these places are. I bet you've seen all of them. Cool!
Deb

[techteach]

Deb:
The Blamers move to Ohio with the Greens from Berkeley County. One of Andrew Huston's daughters marries a Blamer. If you check "The Green Tree," you will find them. I do know that they intermarry with the Sinkeys in Ohio.

Cindy

[Bess]

French, Sinkey, Demos, Gracy, Beaver, Orr

Cindy and Deb,

The following quotation may clarify some of the connections between the FRENCH and SINKEY lines.


“JOSEPH FRENCH, farmer, Sec.21; P.O. Canton; was born in Greene Co., Penn., in 1823; in 1830, he removed with his parents to licking Co., Ohio, where he lived until 1846, when he moved to Clay Township, Jones Co., Iowa; in 1849, he went to Noble Co., Ind., and there married his first wife, MISS CATHERINE SINKEY; in 1852, they removed to where he now resides and remained one year, then moved to Brandon Township, Jackson Co., where his first wife died; there were two children by this marriage--Charlotte ( now wife of RICHARD DEMOSS, Jackson Co., Iowa}, Ageline ( now Mrs. ANDREW GRACEY, of this township); in the latter part of 1854, Mr. French returned to Clay Township, and in 1856, married his present wife, GRACIE C BEAVER; their children are William N. ( was married AGNES ORR), Marry J., James M., Sarah J. and Amanda A. ..Mr. French owns 240 acres of land; his farm is finely improved, and he is one of the well-to-do farmers of Clay Township.”
From: The History of Jones County Iowa, Western Historical Company (Chicago) 1879: 703

You can find Joseph and Cathrine Sinkey French in the 1850 census for Noble County Indiana, Sparta Twp. Page 218B. They are listed with other Sinkeys and a few Greens as you scroll down the page.

Go to this site for the census: http://ftp.rootsweb.com/pub/usgenweb/in/noble/census/1850/pg0211a.txt

Does this line of Sinkeys carry the Blackfoot oral history?
Good luck
Bess

[techteach]

Bess,
Thanks! You know that this places these people where my Rhoads were. I knew they were connected somehow. I see a few names that show up in my family on that site : Mayfield, Green, Sinkey, French. In fact, I believe that I might have a picture of Orin Sinkey's headstone in Jackson County cemetery. I am not certain how this group is related. Deb has a better Sinkey line than I do. I think William is the son of my Rev. War ancestory. I will have to make sure she checks out your posting.
My family distanced themselves from the Sinkey line. Until two years ago, I only knew them as a family who had kids in my school. But I remember a woman in church named French who told me we were related. I thought at the time that it was through my father whose German immigrant family settled in Jones county somewhat near the Sinkeys. I don't even think my mother knew - it was kept so hidden. She is interested now.
As for Blackfoot ID, Deb's family rumor says that the Ralstons were Indian while my family rumor says that the Sinkeys (and Potters) were Indian. Now, most family members who have been communicating with me as we searched for our ancestor, Andrew Huston, agree with my hypothesis. The Blackfoot ID may have been the Sinkeys but both Deb and I had Ralston ancestors who married natives and came with them to Iowa. My grandmother was named McLane while Deb's was McClellen. They settled in a place where two Hustons settled. Bill found a person in PA where the Sinkeys were who was named McCallum who married a Huston and had an Andrew who could have been our mutual ancestor who was rumored to have been native. McLane, McClellen, McCallum (??) we think that they were related and here is the Blackfoot ID. Both Deb and I have it through these grandmothers whose family marries into the Sinkeys and Ralstons.
Thanks again. Another piece to the puzzle. I looked at my Green genealogy and found lots in Noble County, IN, but I didn't look closely at this, because they were not in my direct line. And few Sinkeys are on this Green genealogy unless they marry into this line. My Sinkey genealogy is pretty much a direct one to me with no other sibling lines. Deb has more Sinkeys in her genealogy. I will let her know to drop by. Thanks.

Cindy

[robert kubena]

deb

i have not followed your sankey-sinkey connection. but, there is still one sankey listed in the county. ( walter, 724 335 5832 )

it might be worth a call. i have had some of my best luck on the phone.

also, you might like to check with the westmoreland county historical society (starofthewest.org).

i assume that the manor hill methodist cemetery is in westmoreland county. there is a methodist church near manor. i will call the church and see if i can find the cemetery or an index.

rob

[techteach]

Bess and Deb:
I found one more piece of possible evidence that the Sinkeys, etc. were involved with the Moravians - we have Edwards in the family and I found that another missionary for the Moravians was named Edwards : http://www.heritagepursuit.com/Seneca/SenChapIII.htm who was taken to Detroit with other Moravian missionaries and their Christian Indians by the British.

Cindy

[Linda]

Bess, good to see you here. I've missed you.

[Bess]

Hello Linda, I hope you are doing fine and the best to you and your family.
Glad to get back; there is a lot of new material to digest.

Cindy, you are welcome. I only wish that my posts help in your search.

I looked up some records in Noble County, IN. The earlier pattern established by your Greens, Mayfields, Sinkey, Ralstons and Potters in locating on the frontier, also, expressed itself in Northeast Indiana. They came to the area of what becomes Noble County just before and during the time when the resident native peoples were being driven off. The Mayfields came first in 1839. This was when the Miamis, Pottawatamies, and others were still living in this area. In fact in 1850, the Greens, Mayfields Sinkey, French etc., listed in the census for that year as residents of Sparta Twp, Noble county, were in fact living within the bounds of a former Indian reservation. It was called the “flat Belly Reservation” which encompassed parts of Sparta and Washington Townships in Noble County and portions of the adjoining, Kosciusko County. (From-Atlas of Noble County Indiana. Andreas &Baskin, Chicago, Il (1874):58) The Greens and Mayfield stayed on in this location for decades, but the Sinkeys and Frenches left between 1850-1860. For info on the Flat Belly Reservation check this site: http://yesteryear.clunette.com/indians2.html

Other tribes, not just the Miamies, were living on the reserve.


Your comment on the Edwards line correctly raises the possibility of another link between your family and the Moravian Delaware. (Could you give more details as to where, when and who in the family of Potters, Mclanes, Ralstons, Sinkeys etc connects to the said Edwards. Was it in Ohio, Penn. Or Iowa?) Yet, the significance of the possible connection goes beyond the Delaware, to the Tutelo also. This is because at various places and times, individual Tutelo have been identified living among the Delaware, in general and among the Moravian converts, in particular.
Let us follow the trail of the Moravians Indian Converts, headed by William Edwards and David Zeisberger, to their destination in Detroit in 1781. Once there, they organize a new settlement on the Huron River (now called Clinton River) and named it New Gnadenhutten. It was located a dozen or so miles north of the city along the river in what is today Macomb County, Michigan.
Zeisberger wrote a diary detailing the developments at New Gnadenhutten. It was later published as follows : Bliss, Eugene F., trans. and ed. Diary of David Zeisberger, a Moravian Missionary. Cincinnati, Ohio: Robert Clarke & Co. for the Historical and Philosophical Society of Ohio, 1885.
Now if we open Ziesberger’s diary to page 114 (October 9, 1782), he tells of the coming of some important visitors:

“Two Tutelee Indians, one from friendship for Shikellimy came with them here from Niagara”
“Tutelee” is a variant for Tutelo. It is well known that Shikellimy had extensive and intimate contact with the Delaware and Tutelo at Shamokin Pa in the 18th century, so it should not surprise us that they show up among the converts.
So if your Edwards, link pans out to the Delaware, then the Blackfoot tradition in your family may (?) come through the Edwards line also.

[Linda]

Another great contribution, as usual, Bess. I'm told by a friend at Six Nations, that the Tutelo are still called Tutelee up there. Somewhere on here I've given the citations on a report that Schickellamy married a Tutelo women in the last year or two of his life. I believe it's the Moravian records, actually.

Techteach, where's that thread where you mentioned you'd found some of your ancestors near mine in PA, who were also nearby in another state? I've been meaning to investigate that further, but it's slipped by me.

There's a story about Schickellamy I've remembered that I thought very funny. Conrad Weiser was his associate and fellow traveller. There's a story they were canoeing past an island when Shickelammy told Reiser that he'd dreamt about Weiser's rifle. The subtext is that, by custom, if someone tells you they've dreamt about something of yours, you're supposed to give it to them. Weiser knew this was the deal, so he retorted by telling Shickellamy, 'no kidding, I just dreamt I owned that island."

Shickellamy responded, "That's fine, you can have the island, but that's the last time I'll dream with you!"

[techteach]

Bess and Linda:
Bess: The Edwards appear to come to Iowa around 1837, coming originally from Pennsylvania (not sure where), then Delaware County, OH, and finally Emeline, Iowa (near Maquoketa - very hilly like PA). They heavily intermarry with the Streets. The Streets are relatives of the Huston/Green bunch from near Huntington, PA (Hustons) and Shepherdstown, WVA (Greens).
Another name that intermarries with this family is Mitchell. I found the pattern you found in the Sinkey family in Indiana, that is living on a reservation (Thanks a bunch, BTW). In a 1910 census in Mellette County, South Dakota, a Mitchell family appears there with a Sinkey as their hired man. This land appears to be Rosebud reservation land.
Linda: My comment referred to the fact that Harris appears with the Sinkeys near Huntington, PA and then again in Licking County, OH and finally near my group in IA, WI. Deb did find and comment on a genealogy book about Harris that lists names that connect with us, Payne. Oh, here's a description : http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~confido/annah.html

Cindy

[Tom]

As you already know my folks were were real thick all through these later areas Iowa, Maquoketa infact aswell as Wisconsin, something huge was going on here.
Some of my family married Williamsons from Indiana and the Groat's who were long time residents in Iowa maybe prior to
the 1800's.
Something that I may not have posted is that where ever my family lived they located along Rez. lands and amongst high native populations! At one time they lived on a Rez. in Kansas.

[techteach]

Tom:

There are lots of Hardins and a few Williamsons buried in the same cemetery, Hickory Grove, as my Blackfoot ancestors. If you check the Jackson County, IA genealogy site, http://www.rootsweb.com/~iajackso/ , there are several other cemeteries near Maquoketa that have Hardins also. I think I posted which ones to look for before.

Techteach