Chiefs

There is more than one list of the Lenape-Delaware Chiefs and Sachems. Not all agree. At this point we are entering all entries without authenticating any particular listing. Editor

EARLY LENAPE-DELAWARE CHIEFS AND SACHEMS (As provided by http://www.lenapenation.org )

At one time there were both War Chiefs and Peace Chiefs. The peace chief, ruling when there was no war, was hereditary. The title of war chief could be bestowed on any brave warrior. After the white man came they helped to instigate the idea of having only one principal chief over all. They usually were chosen from the chiefs of the Turtle totem group, the Lenape believing the turtle to be the receptacle for the creation of man. In the 1800's, chiefs were chosen from local communities or family groups. This continued till the early 1920's when chiefs were elected by the general membership of the Nation.

1629 Quesqakons/Quesquackous & Easanques, chiefs of Manhattan Island Indians

1638 Mattahorn, Singnos, Pemenetta sold parcels of land to the Dutch.

1661 Pinna, Chief of Passyunk Lenape, made treaty of peace with Phillip Calvert, Governor. of Maryland.

1674 Chief Mehocksett of New Jersey and his brother Chief Pete Qquoque and Chief Socoroccett sold parcels of land.

1675 Renowewan, Manickty, Ipankickan, Ketmarius made treaty with Andros at New Castle, Pennsylvania.

1681 Chief Parritt of Sickneysinck, Delaware sold land.

July 1682 William Penn's emissary treatied with- Idquayhon, Janottowe, Sahopre, Merkekowen, Oreckton, Nannacussey, and Shaurwaughon, Swanpisse, Nahoosey, Tomackhickon, Westkekitt, and Towawsiz, all Lenape Chiefs who owned lands in Eastern Pennsylvania.

August 1, 1862 Pytechay, Essepamachatte, & Kekerappamand also came in and signed treaty for lands sold.

1862 Head Chief 1682 Tamanend (the Affable) Head Chief of the Lenape 1683. He signed treaty with William Penn. Legend tells of the Great Treaty under the Shackamaxon Elm at Philadelphia-the treaty that was "never sworn to and never broken". He was held in the highest veneration among the Lenape. The fame of this great man extended even among the whites and his memory is still preserved in the name of a town Tamanend. In 1772 a secret society the Sons of King Tammany was named for him, also the Society of St. Tammany and Tammany Hall. His brother was Weheeland. His sons were Yaqueekhon/Nicholas and Quenameckquid/Charles. He died in 1750 at age 97.

Tammany (from Tamanend, 'the affable.' Heckewelder). The common form of the name of a noted ancient Delaware chief, written also Tamanee, Tamanen, Tamanend, Tamany, Tamened, Taming, Teinane. In the form of Tamanen his name appears as one of the signers of a deed to William Penn in 1683 for lands not far north from Philadelphia, within the present Bucks county, Pennsylvania. The missionary Heckewelder, writing, in 1817, describes him as the greatest and best chief known to Delaware tribal tradition. "The name of Tamanend is held in the highest veneration among the Indians of all the chiefs and great men which the Lenape nation ever had, he stands foremost on the list. But although many fabulous stories are circulated about him among the whites, but little of his real history is known. All we know, therefore, of Tamanend is that he was an ancient Delaware chief, who never had his equal. He was in the highest degree endowed with wisdom, virtue, prudence, charity, affability, meekness, hospitality, in short with every good and noble qualification that a human being may possess. He was supposed to have had an intercourse with the great and good Spirit, for he was a stranger to everything that was bad. The fame of this great man extended even among the whites, who fabricated numerous legends respecting him, which I never heard, however, from the mouth of an Indian, and therefore believe to be fabulous. In the Revolutionary war his enthusiastic admirers dubbed him a saint, and he was established under the name of St. Tammany, the Patron Saint of America. His name was inserted in some calendars, and his festival celebrated on the first day of May in every year." Heckewelder goes on to describe the celebration, which was conducted on Indian lines, including the smoking of the calumet, and Indian dances in the open air, and says that similar "Tammany societies" were afterward organized in other cities. He states also that when Col. George Morgan, of Princeton, New Jersey, was sent by Congress about the year 1776 upon a special mission to the western tribes, the Delawares conferred upon him the name of Tamanend in remembrance of the ancient chief and as the greatest mark of respect that they could pay to Morgan. Haines, however (American Indians, 658,1888), in his chapter on the Order of Red Men, quotes a contemporary document from which it appears that the Philadelphia society, which was probably the first bearing the name, and is claimed as the original of the Red Men secret order, was organized May 1, 1772, under the title of "Sons of King Tammany," with strongly Loyalist tendency. It is probable that the "Saint Tammany" society was a later organization of Revolutionary sympathizers opposed to the kingly idea. Saint Tammany parish, Louisiana., preserves the memory. (From Ancestry.com)

1682 An old chief, Ockanickon (Turtle) on his dying bed named his brothers son, Jahkursoe, as his successor.
July 1682 Swanpisse was chief of the Turtle Land. He was present at the signing of the Penn Treaty whereby the Lenape sold land for the Penn Estate to be built. He died with Penn and attended the Quaker Sunday Meeting.

1694 Hithquoquean/Hetkoquean, Lenape orator chief with Tamany at the treaty with Penn told.

Head Chief Sassoonan/Olumapies (Keeper of the Wampum Records). A Unami Chief. Early home on Schuylkill, later (1709) living at Paxtang (Harrisburg). in 1712 he & delegation took wampum north to their Uncles the Iroquois. He signed the treaty of 1718 with William Penn. He was assistant to Shickellamy in 1743. He died in 1747 at Shamokin. Manangy (left Handed) Chief of Lenape near the falls. He signed several land treaties.

1709 Skalitchy/Gollitchy. He was Lenape Chief in early 1700's. In 1709 he met with the Pennsylvania. Governor and was orator of his group. 1712 he appeared with a group of 12 Lenape Chiefs before Governor Gookin of Pennsylvania. Skalitchy was spokesman for the group and showed 32 belts of wampum they were taking to the 6-Nations.

1709 Owechela. Named as one of the chiefs on July 26,1709 who met Gov. Gookin at Philadelphia. He lived in 1709 at Paxtang now Harrisburg.

1709 Passakassy another Lenape chief who met the Governor at Philadelphia and lived in Pennsylvania

1728 Shicellamy/Swataney (Our Enlightner) a man of strong character and statesman like vision. The Iroquois confederacy appointed him as "King" of the Lenape in 1752 to replace Shingas. He was part Lenape and was go between for the Lenape and the Pennsylvania Government. He died at Shamokin in 1748. He had 4 sons. John Shickellamy and Tahgahjute who later became John and James Logan. Head Chief.

1734 Nutimus (turkey). A good blacksmith and famous Indian doctor from New Jersey, was chief of the Lenape on the Forks. He met with James Logan in 1735 and was shown a copy of a false deed where the Lenape had sold land to Penn-The famous Walking Purchase. This false deed was upheld and Nutimus and his people were forced to move to the Susquehanna. 1756 he met with Sir William Johnson who removed the "petticoat and placed a hatchet in the hands of the Lenape to use against the French. Head Chief

1728 Netawatwees/King Newcomer-(Skilled Advisor) a Unami Lenape, said to have been born in 1678 in Pennsylvania. Signed treaty of Conestoga in 1718. Became chief of Unami after the death of Sassoonan and became keeper of the wampum and other records. He died in Pittsburgh, Oct. 31, 1776 and was succeeded by Capt. White Eyes.

1729 Checochinican - Leader of the Brandywine Lenape. His chief assistants were Chilykon, Peyeashickon, and Wililikyona. In 1729 he wrote a letter to the Governor of Pennsylvania, complaining they could get no help so they moved to the Susquehanna among the Mingos. Some settled at Paxtang where they gradually merged with Sassoonan people the Unami Lenape. 1730 Teedyuscung/Honest John-Not of Chiefly lineage, but because of his unusual abilities and influence among the Indians in the Susquehanna Valley he became known among the Whites as "King of the Delawares". He was born about 1700 in N.J. the son of Capt. Harris. He was a broom-maker. About 1730 he moved to the Forks of the Delaware. Capt. Bull was his son. Chief Joseph Montour is a descendant who moved to Canada. 1744 Allemewi/Solomon-Chief of the Delaware Valley Indians forced to move to Shamoken. He was a Munsi Sachem and was blind. He accepted the Moravian belief and was baptized by Zeisberger. 1758/Ninsi John-A Munsie Lenape prophet born about 1705. In 1758 he established a village at Wyalusing. At first he urged his people to keep ancient Lenape ways and reject the White man's culture. Later he was converted and baptized in 1765. He conducted the Moravian Lenape to Philadelphia for safety.

1758 Echpalawehund Peyrus - Righthand man to Netawatwees, became a Moravian convert but retained on the Council body. He was killed at the Massacre of March 8th 1782 of the Christian Lenape.

1759 Wendocalla- A Sachem (Chief) under Chief Beaver. He was present at meeting with Gov. James Hamilton at Lancaster, Pennsylvania in 1759.

1764 Custaloga (Wolf Chief) Keeper of the Wampum under Shingas. Lived at Venango, Pennsylvania. He met George Washington in 1753 when Washington was at Venango. He was an uncle of Capt. Pipe and on his death Captain Pipe succeeded him. He signed the treaty with brother Onas in 1765.

1764 Captain Pipe. A hereditary sachem and head chief of the Munsee. During the Revolution he was pro-British.

1766 Neolegan - A Munsee Chief of the Minisink. He was baptized on May 12, 1774.

1768 Glickhican - Head chief of the Munsee Lenape. He was baptized Isaac on Christmas Eve 1770. He was among the 90 Christian Indians who were killed by Pa. and Va. Militia in 1782

1772 Capt. Johnny - Leader of the Turkey clan who early in the Revolution visited Washington at army Headquarters in New Jersey. He was listed as 2nd chief under Netawatwees. He was a convert to the Moravians and was murdered on March 8, 1782 along with other Lenape converts.

Head Chief -1700-1778 White Eyes - Famous Sachem of the Turtle clan. Served as a Lenape Captain during the Revolution. He was a personal friend of George Washington. He became a Colonel in 1778 in the American Army. He died in Pittsburg.

* * *

RECENT KANSAS DELAWARE PRINCIPAL CHIEFS
With their entries from the continuation of the Lenape Delaware origin legend, THE RED RECORD, Chapter 7

Verse 1. The people of the East, had difficulty, danger and bad war, from the white men in their homeland.
Verse 2. Homes were destroyed, by murders and blood shed, by the white man's establishment.
Verse 3. To the setting sun, now they went. Many were those who westward went.
Verse 4. West to those left behind, West to those in the South. West, visiting all there, went the people of the East.
Verse 5. In anger, weaving westward and southward, some went away, in secret.
Verse 6. To their homeland, Kansas, in the great plains, west of the Mississippi, the people lit the council fire
Verse 7. The white man's establishment was the sub divider. Much evil southward.
Verse 8. Many were those who left, and went to the southland, under the authority of the white man's establishment.
Verse 9. The people remaining in Kansas, for many harvests, were rebellious and unwilling, to leave their homeland.

Wanda Weeks
Verse 10. Much honored woman, then became the mother sachem. The establishment prospered, written records were founded.
Verse 11. All their children, all their friends, they visited to make council.
Verse 12. Befriending all, united them all, was this great sachem of the Kansas people.

Thomas F. "Strong Swiftwater" Hahn
Verse 13. The kindred, the hunters, the pioneers, meeting in council.
Verse 14. All declared, Swiftwater, Noble Elder, thou art sachem here.

Mary Jane "Tamaganat" Leiter
Verse 15. The sachem was, the Peaceful One. Always there, was this sachem.

Shawn Bauswell
Verse 16. After her, the sachem was Constantly on Guard, maintaining the Delaware in Kansas.