"GIANTWAHIA, THE CORNPLANTER."
Upon the die on the same side, is inscribed,
"John O'Bail alias Cornplanter, died at
Cornplanter town, February 18, 1836, aged about 100 years."
On the die fronting south, the following inscription is handsomely lettered:
"Chief of the Seneca tribe, and a principal Chief of the
Six Nations, from the period of the Revolutionary
war, to the time of his death. Distinguished for
talents, courage, eloquence, sobriety and love of
his tribe and race, to whose welfare he devoted
his time, his energies and his means,
during a long and eventful life."
On the die upon the East side is engraved:
"ERECTED BY AUTHORITY OF THE LEGISLATURE OF PENNSYLVANIA,
BY ACT JANUARY 25, 1866."
Desiring to make the munificence of the State as gratifying to the family and friends of the good old Chief as possible, I appointed a time for the erection and dedication of the monument, and was fortunate enough to procure the services of Col. James Ross Snowden, of Philadelphia, to prepare an address suitable to the occasion, commemorative of the character and services of the distinguished Chief.
These ceremonies took place on the 18th of October last, in presence of the family and descendants of Cornplanter, about eighty in number, and a large assembly of native Indians, remnants of the once formidable Six Nations, from the Allegheny, Cattaraugus and Tonnawanda reservations in the State of New York, and also a large concourse of the pale faces from the surrounding country. Everything went off most satisfactorily, and to the high gratification of our aboriginal friends. The exercises of the day were conducted according to the following programme: