The Cornplanter Memorial / An Historical Sketch of Gy-ant-wa-chia—The Cornplanter, and of the Six Nations of Indians.

by James Ross Snowden

Here, at the grave of the venerated Cornplanter, we can see the results of his principles, his measures and example. Here he rests from his labors, but his works do follow him. I see this in the evidences of civilization, industry and competency around me. I see it in the countenances of these intelligent and respectable people of the Indian race, who are endeavoring to imitate his example, and who come here this day to do honor to his immortal memory.

The Indian name of the venerable Chief, to whose memory this monument is erected, is written in different manners, in publication documents and papers, which have come under my notice. At the treaty of Fort Harmer, his name was given thus: "Gy-ant-wa-chi-a;" and this orthography I prefer. It means The Planter. But it is, also, elsewhere written, "Gy-ant-wa-hia," and in this form it appears on this monument; also "Ki-on-twog-ky," "Gy-ant-wa-ka," "Ki-end-twoh-ke," and "Cy-ent-wo-kee." In Mr. Day's historical collection of Pennsylvania, and Mr. Stone's Life of Red Jacket, and in some other modern works, he is named, "Ga-nio-di-euh," or "Handsome Lake;" but this is an error. That was the name of a half-brother of our Chief, who was also designated as the prophet, to whom I shall hereafter have occasion to refer. Our Chief was frequently designated as Captain O'Bail, or ABeel, (Captain being the highest military distinction known to the Indians;) but he was generally named and best known as Cornplanter or The Cornplanter.

He was born at Ganowaugus, otherwise written Connewaugus, an important town of the Seneca Indians, situated on the Genessee river, and on the trail or main road through the country of the Six Nations, to Niagara.

We have no precise knowledge of the date of his birth. He has been heard to say, that he and General Washington were about the same age. This would place his birth in the year 1732. In 1831, Thomas Struthers, Esq., of Warren, visited Cornplanter at his house, in this town, on which occasion the Chief, in answer to the question, "How old are you?" replied, "One hundred years." I saw him in the summer of 1834. At my interview with him, Mr. George Powers, of Franklin, Venango county, acted as interpreter. On that occasion he said he was more than one hundred years of age. A learned writer,[G] speaking of a younger brother of Cornplanter, named "Ganeodiyo, or Handsome Lake," says "he was born at the Indian village of Ga-no-wau-ges, near Avon, about the year 1735." He was a half-brother of our hero, having the same mother. Mr. Thatcher, in his Indian biography, and some other writers, have fallen into the gross error of making their relationship through a common father. I refer, in this connection, to the statement of the time of the birth of "Handsome Lake," in conjunction with the other facts mentioned, as corroborative of the probability, that the subject of these remarks was born about the year 1732.

[G] Mr. Morgan.

At that period, the trade with the Six Nations was chiefly in the hands of the English. One of their principal traders was John ABeel,[H] generally named O'Bail or O'Beel; his name is mentioned in the annals of that period on several occasions. At one time it is stated, that he made presents of considerable value to the Indians. It was one of the hospitable customs of these people, to give their friends a wife. John ABeel had his Indian squaw, and Cornplanter was the fruit of that temporary union. Although we have no certain information on the subject, I think it probable that the mother was the daughter of an Indian Sachem. I infer this from the fact, that the best and most respectable traders of that period, were regarded with great favor by the Indians, and also from the important circumstance, that three of her sons were recognized as Chiefs of the Seneca tribe, namely: her celebrated son, Cornplanter, and her younger sons, Ga-ne-o-di-yo, or Handsome Lake, and Ta-wan-ne-ars, or Blacksnake.

[H] I have recently been informed that John ABeel, the father of Cornplanter, was a Hollander or Dutchman. The inaccurate way of writing the name O'Bail, has given rise to the statement, generally believed, that he was of a different nation. I learn that Cornplanter visited a nephew of John ABeel, who resided in the city of New York, and their relationship was recognized. I have this information from a great-grandson of the nephew referred to. The original manner of writing the name was ABeel. The family now write it Abeel. I regret that the name is inaccurately engraved on the monument erected at Jennesadaga.

We may also reasonably infer that she faithfully and carefully discharged her duty to her offspring, in accordance with the light and knowledge which she possessed. It was the Indian woman who planted the fields of corn, and kept the wigwam, when the hunter was in the forest, or the warrior was upon the war path. Their attachment to localities was greater than that of the Indian men. It sometimes happened that Indian women interposed to prevent grant of lands by the chiefs and warriors. They desired to preserve their wigwams, their fields and their orchards. The father of Cornplanter being absent, chiefly residing at Albany, or on the Mohawk river, the mother's influence was uncontrolled. I think it highly probable that the remarkable attachment to the land, exhibited by Cornplanter on all occasions, was the result, in some good degree, of the teachings of his mother. When he speaks at the treaties, or sends a "talk" or a message to the Chief of the thirteen tires, or to "Corlaer," (New York,) or to "Onas," (Pennsylvania,) he says: "We do not want money or goods; we want homes; we want land; the trader's goods soon wear out, the land lasts forever."