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Archiver > Scotch-Irish > 2008-12 > 1228371187


From: "tangara" <>
Subject: Re: [S-I] Indians vs. soldiers
Date: Thu, 4 Dec 2008 01:13:07 -0500
References: <d5b.378eaf9e.3668699a@aol.com><BLU128-W381F482C48B9127C3FC70AED020@phx.gbl><012e01c955af$7f70b3a0$0200a8c0@Annandale>
In-Reply-To: <012e01c955af$7f70b3a0$0200a8c0@Annandale>


The 'sales pitch' is actually excerpted from a piece written about the
history of the park where Mary is now buried. Here is the url of the park:
http://www.letchworthparkhistory.com/jem.html
Her grave had to be removed from its original cemetery when the reservation
was sold and it was threatened. I haven't read the full book, but I have
heard that it is well done, and is base on personal interviews with the
living woman. Francis Slocum (Maconaquah, "The Little Bear") is another
famous example of a white captive who stayed with her adopted tribe. She was
found by her family when she was quite old, and she didn't want to return
because she was content, and too old to make the change. Her story is here:
http://www.gbl.indiana.edu/archives/miamis21/M78_1a.html

Coming from an area where there were many people killed and taken captive
during the early Indian troubles right after the walking purchase, I am
familiar with a number of stories passed down through families of people who
were taken captive and lived with the Indians. Some never wanted to return,
especially the women, because they indeed had a much better life in Indian
tradition, where women were highly respected. Some returned but retained a
lot of their Indian ways, which they found to be superior. Even after the
hostilities, there were many instances of intermarriage in my area between
Indians and settlers, especially the Germans.

The US system of government was supposed to have been modeled after the
Iroquois system, however, the white men left out one of the most important
things - the final say in all decisions was given to a council of elder
women, who had the ultimate say. They made the choice over who they would
like to be chief, and then it was brought to final vote of the rest of the
tribe. All major decisions were done in this way. This may be the reason why
there was so little mistreatment of women. There was too much social
pressure against it. Can you imagine how different our political system
would be if all the candidates for office had to be approved by the elder
women who know him well, and could be removed instantly by them if he didn't
uphold the standards of the tribe?

It's hard for white people to believe, since the history beign taught in the
schools has a very negative bias towards Indians, but if you go back and
read some of the original documents, you can find a completely different
story of what native society was really like. Instead of Brainerd, try
reading some of Heckewelker's works, or the writings of William Penn. The
troubles with the Indians really escalated after William's sons stole lands
from the Indians after the walking purchase. Until then, in my area, there
was an extremely peaceful relationship between the Indians and the settlers.

Sherri
Eastern PA
descended from settlers who arrived in 1728, and Indians with whom they
intermarried.


----- Original Message -----
From: "Cliff. Johnston" <>
To: <>
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 8:27 PM
Subject: Re: [S-I] Indians vs. soldiers


> Having read the "sales pitch" copy it sounds as if they were most
> interested
> in titillating the public and selling books. This was common and is to be
> expected. Money is the name of the game, not necessarily the truth, and
> the
> advertising copy for the book certainly suggests this.
>
> Cliff.
> "May the best you've ever seen,
> Be the worst you'll ever see;"
> from A Scots Toast by Allan Ramsay
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Jeanne Swick" <>
> To: "List - " <>
> Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 6:19 PM
> Subject: Re: [S-I] Indians vs. soldiers
>
>
>>
>> If anyone on this list hasn't read this early account of a white woman
>> being kidnapped, it is fascinating.
>>
>> http://womenshistory.about.com/library/etext/bl_nlmj00.htm
>>
>>
>> Jeanne
>>
>>
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