of New Jersey and a great number of Planters and citizens of Philadelphia.

The formalities of the Conference having been settled in a manner nearly similar to those of 1756, the Assembly entered upon the consideration of the great objects which had called them together. The Indians generally were loud in their complaints against the English for having made encroachments upon their lands, and declared that this was the cause which had provoked them to hostilities. Tadeuscund, who acted as ambassador for most of the tribes, and who had been principally instrumental in forming the Assembly, explained to the tribes the general object of the meeting and the principles upon which he, as their representative, had made overtures of peace. The Chief of one of the Six Nations on the other hand expressed in strong language his resentment against the British Colonists who had killed and imprisoned some of his tribe, and he as well as other Chiefs of those Nations took great umbrage at the importance assumed by Tadeuscund whom, as one of the Delawares, they considered in some degree subject to their authority. Tadeuscund however supported the high station which he held, with dignity and firmness, and the different Indian tribes at length became reconciled to each other. The Conference having continued eighteen days, and all causes of misunderstanding between the English and the Indians being removed, a general peace was concluded on the twenty sixth day of October. At this treaty the boundaries of the different pur

chases made from the Indians were more particularly described, and they received an additional compensation for their lands consisting of knives, hats, caps, looking-glasses, tobacco-boxes, shears, gun-locks, combs, clothes, shoes, stockings, blankets and several suits of laced clothes for their Chieftains; and when the business of the treaty was completed, the stores of rum were opened and distributed to the Indians, who soon exhibited a scene of brutal intoxication.*

Peace with the Indians continued until the Year 1763, when a war again broke out between the English and the Indians about the same time that peace was concluded between the English and French, and notwithstanding the pacification between those nations hostilities between their Colonies and the Indian tribes continued until the Year 1765.

Having thus brought down the Indian History of Wyoming from the earliest accounts to the time of the first settlements commenced by the Whites in the Valley, we shall next take a view of the causes which led to those settlements and the controversy which they produced between the Governments of Pennsylvania and Connecticut.

"Minutes of Conference.-Smollet.

CHAPTER II.

Origin of the English claim to North America-Plymouth Company formed-Their Grant included Wyoming-Proprietors of Connecticut purchase part of the Plymouth Grant-Connecticut Charter obtained-New York first settled by the Dutch-Conquered by the English-Pennsylvania Charter obtained-Indian Treaty at Albany-Susquehanna Company formed, and Wyoming purchased of the Indians-Attempt to settle Wyoming and Coshutunk--Peace with the Indians First settlement of Wyoming-Legal opinions concerning the different claims to Wyoming-Murder of Tadeuscund-Destruction of the Wyoming Settlements by the Savages-Militia of Pennsylvania sent to the relief of Wyoming Christian Indians settle at Wyalusing

Indian Treaty at Fort Stanwix-Wyoming purchased by the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania -Settlements resumed at Wyoming, and a seperate Colony formed there-Settlements commenced at Wyoming under the Proprietaries of Pennsylvania-Settlers at Wyoming made prisoners by the Pennsylvanians-Settlement re-established, and Fort Durkee built-Attempt to form an amicable settlement of the controversy-Expedi tion under Col. Francis-Surrender of Fort Durkee-Wyoming plundered by Ogden's forces-Ogden's Block-house taken by the Connecticut Settlers-Governor Penn applies to General Page for assistance-Fort Durkee again taken by the Pennsylvania Troops-Fort Durkee recaptured by Troops under Capt. Stewart.

IN the preceding Chapter, sketches of History are given which may be familiar to almost every reader, and which, at the first view, may not appear necessarily connected with the History of

Wyoming. It has been done that the reader might, by having them presented to view, discover the influence and effect which these transactions have had upon the measures and conduct of the different Indian Tribes that successively inhabited Wyoming Valley. In this and the following Chapters extracts will be made in a similar manner, that such part of the subject as is connected with the History of other times, and of other States, may be more readily understood.

The

After the discovery of America, the different nations of Europe severally claimed such parts of the American Continent as had been discovered by their respective subjects; and all that part of North America from Florida to the latitude of 58° having been discovered by Sebastian Cabot in 1497, was claimed by the English Government. discovery by Cabot appears to have been confined principally to the general figure and position of the coast, and not to have extended to the various bays and rivers with which it is indented, and it does not appear that the English had any knowledge of those particulars for more than one hundred years after the first discovery of the country.

When a portion of the people of England began to manifest a design of forming settlements in America and to take measures for that purpose, it became necessary, in order to secure the different adventurers in their respective rights, that Charters from the Government should be obtained, defining as nearly as possible the territorial limits of each Colony or Province. In 1606 two companies

D

were formed in England, with a view of forming settlements and opening a trade with America. One of them obtained a Charter the same year for the Southern part of the English claims which they called “ Virginia," where they had commenced some small settlements. The other Company continued to trade with the Indians, but did not obtain their Charter until 1620. On the third day of March of that year, King James I. granted them Letters Patent under the great seal of England, Incorporating the Duke of Lenox, the Marquises of Buckingham and Hamilton, the Earls of Arundel and Warwick, and others, to the number of forty Noblemen, Knights and Gentlemen, by the name of "The Councils established at Plymouth in the County of Devon for the Planting, Ruling and Governing of New England in Americu." The powers of this Corporation were to be exercised in England, where it was established i but its laws and regulations were to extend to "the ruling and governing of New England." There was, by the same Charter, granted to them and their assigns all That part of America lying "and being in breadth from the forty degrees of "the said Northerly latitude from the Equinoctial "line to forty eight degrees of the said Northerly "latitude inclusively, and in length of and within "all the breadth aforesaid throughout the main "land from sea to sea," &c., concluding with the following condition: “ Provided that any of the said

*Trumbull.

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