The benefits derived by the Senecas at Alleghany, from their attention to agriculture, encouraged other branches of the nation to apply for assistance. The chief of the Tonewanta village, about one hundred miles distant from Friends’ settlement at the Alleghany, in a pathetic speech, applied to Friends to assist them with saw-mill irons, farming utensils, &c. which request was granted, with the addition of a yoke of oxen, and chains.
The young man who went out as a blacksmith, returned home this fall; two of the Indians having acquired such knowledge of his business as to answer their necessities.
Although the improvements at this place were gradually progressing, obstructive causes at times occurred, difficult to combat. This induced Friends, among them, to believe that a change made in their situation, so as to render them more independent of the natives, might subject them to less difficulty in the further prosecution of the concern. The improvement heretofore made on their own land, for a time, had a good effect; but their ideas were weak, and for want of more sensibility in some of the intentions of Friends towards them, it had led to a dependence, which evidently impeded their progress in civilization. This dependence seemed to increase, as they saw the increase of produce from the land that Friends cultivated. Some of the Indians had increased their stock of cattle faster than the means of supporting them through a long and rigorous winter. When their hay and other fodder become reduced, they applied to Friends to give them some. These requests could not be complied with, to an extent proportioned to their necessity, without reducing Friends to alike state of want; and fearing, least in future winters, a renewal of similar requests, without the means of supplying them, might disturb that harmony which had hitherto subsisted between Friends and the Indians, it was thought adviseable by the committee to embrace an opportunity which now presented, of purchasing from a company of white people, an adjoining tract of land, in order to make such improvements thereon, as might accommodate a family or more, of such, who from time to time, might feel desirous to assist in the instruction of the Indians, and thus by making it a more permanent establishment, entirely independent of the natives, be enabled to extend more efficient aid to other branches of the Seneca nation.
In the spring of 1803, this proposal of a removal of Friends’ settlement was communicated to the Indians, and they generally coincided with it, provided the move should not be far up the river. They had several councils on the occasion, and communicated to Friends their views; and although their prophet, Connediu, had, in time back, been somewhat opposed to the views of Friends in changing the customs of the Indians, he was now entirely friendly, and strongly recommended industry and perseverance in the plans which Friends had recommended to them. The following paragraphs from one of his speeches on this occasion, may be worthy of notice.
“My friends, Quakers, attend.—It is now a long time since you first came amongst us. It has even exceeded the time that was first proposed. I now speak the united voice of our chiefs and warriors to you, of our women also, and of all our people. Attend, therefore, to what I say. We wish you to make your minds perfectly easy—we are all pleased with your living amongst us, and not one of us wants you to leave our country. We find no fault with you in any respect, since you come amongst us; neither have we any thing to charge you with. You have lived peaceably and honestly with us, and have been preserved in health, and nothing has befallen you. This we think is proof, also, that the Great Spirit is pleased with you living here, and with what you have done for us.”
“Friends, Quakers—we now all agree to leave you at full liberty, either to remain where you now are, on our land, or to remove up the river and settle on land of your own, only that you settle near us, that you may extend further assistance and instruction. For although we have received much benefit from you, and some of our people have made considerable advancement in useful labour, yet we remain very deficient in many things, and numbers of us are yet poor.”
As the important change proposed to be made in conducting the affairs at Alleghany, required serious consideration, four of the committee proceeded to that settlement, and on conferring with Friends there, were satisfied of the propriety of a removal from their present station, to one more independent of the Indians, and less subject to their control.
A tract of land adjoining the Indians’ reservation on Tunesassa creek, which empties into the river on the east side, about two miles above Genesinghuta, was agreed upon, and afterwards purchased, as the most eligible place for a settlement; inasmuch as it furnished an ample situation for water works, and much of the tract was covered with excellent pine timber. The tract included about seven hundred acres.