Eastern Delaware Nations People/Places

Lochabar

Lochabar translates as "Lake where the deer shed horns." Here can be found wolf dens 40 feet in diameter and 80 feet deep, with perpendicular walls, subterranean streams, and caverns. The Giant's Pool has vertical walls of limestone and a depth of 300 feet, which must be crossed in a single leap.

The original trackof land included 1500 acres. It was sold in 1700 to William Penn by the Chief of the Susquehanock (AKA Andastes) Indians for " a parcel of English goods." The story goes that Chief Wi-Daadh died of a broken heart when he realized he'd sold this treasured land for a few worldly goods.

Lochabar is to the ancient Susquehannocks what Jerusalem is to Christian, Moslem and Jewish faiths. It was the center of their spiritual monotheistic religion, and the residence of Wi-Daadh, the light of his people. The wolf den caves were underground temples and cathedrals where spiritual leaders and their students made contact with the spirit world. The spring that begins Antes Creek is located here. The creek flows about three miles into the Susquehanna River.

A great stone column marks the gravesite of Chief Wi-Daagh. In 1900, this Ionic column was removed from the fire-ravaged captial building in Harrisburg, and brought to Lochabar by Colonel Sanderson. It is 45 feet high and weighs 41 tons. Colonel Sanderson was the great grandson of Indian scout Robert Covenhoven.
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Woapalanne

At the entrance of Brandon Park in Williamsport, PA is a monument to Munsee Chief Woapalanne (Bald Eagle). Many local areas still bear his name: Bald Eagle Creek, Bald Eagle Mountain, Bald Eagle's Nest (now Milesburg), and Bald Eagle Township in Clinton County.

During the Revolutionary War Woapalanne lead war parties from Bald Eagle's Nest against settlements in the West Branch Valley. He reputedly killed James Brady near Williamsport in 1778. Woapalanne was killed in June 1779 by James' elder brother Sam, near Brandy's Bend in Clarion County.
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Friedenshutten "Huts (or tents) of Peace" (Compiled from various sources)

Monument to Delaware Moravian Mission Town stands near Wyalusing PA

         In 1765, David Zeisberger and John Woolman established a Moravian Mission called Friedenshutten near Wyalusing, to bring Christianity to the Delaware Indians who called the area M'chwihilusing. (Anglicized as Wyalusing.) This missionary settlement lasted from May 9, 1765, to June 11, 1772.

          A clan of the Minsis (sic) Indians, under Chief Poppanhauk settled on a cove at the mouth of Wyalusing Creek after their chief met with Moravians near Bethlehem, and was favorably impressed with them and their Christian teachings.
          In May 1760, Christian Fredrick Post of Bethlehem, who was on a mission of danger to the Six Nations, came to that Wyalusing village and spent the night. John Hays accompanied him. They described the village as a "religious band of Indians on the east side of the river." They estimated the village as "twenty well-built Indian houses."
At the request of Chief Poppanhauk's people, Post tarried a day and preached to the villagers. This sermon was the first church service in northern Pennsylvania. Back to top

           When David Zeisberger came to the area as a missionary in 1763 he baptized Chief Poppanhauk. John Woodman, an evangelist of the Society of Friends, (Quakers) reputedly visited the village before the arrival of Zeisberger.
During the Pontiac Rebellion Chief Poppanhauk's people moved to Philadelphia where they were protected by the Moravians.
In 1765, Pappanhauk and 170 of his people returned to their village. They cleared and fenced land for crops, augmenting their food supply by hunting and gathering wild foods.
        These peaceable, friendly Indians were aided by the Colonial Government. The site of their first village was on the Ira Brown farm in old Browntown, about five miles south of the present Wyalusing Borough.
         In 1776, with tensions mounting in the region, they moved their village to the site now marked by the Friedenshutten Memorial monument. The new village was designed with streets lined by thirty-five huts and cabins moved from the original location. The church was also moved and set in the center of the plat near an 'excellent spring'. A log dwelling was built for the missionaries. In January 1767 a larger church house was built of square timbers. It was 32' x 22'. In 1768 it was covered with a shingle roof and four sash and glass windows were installed. The following year a belfry and bell were added.
         Over the next seven years revivals greatly increased the number of Indians living in the village. There were now forty well-built houses of squared logs and shingle roofs, a large, new church, "with a neat cupola and bell on top." Gardens were surrounded by paling fences, and the young orchards were beginning to bear well.
         At this time the Iroquois reputedly sold the land where the village was located to English speculators. They sent two Spanish dollars to the Christian Indians as their share of the purchase money. The people decided to leave their village for the banks of the Muskingum River, where other Delaware had invited them to settle. They removed the church bell and hung it in the bow of Timothy's canoe that headed the procession away on the river. It reputedly tolled mournfully as the voyageurs embarked for Allegheny country.
         Worn and weary, they reached Muskingum River banks where they knelt in simple prayer of thankfulness. Here the new-comers built three villages: Shonbrum, Lichtenau, and in memory of one burned near Philadelphia a third, 'Gnadenhutten'.
It was to be a bitter prophesy.  In 1781 American militiamen bludgeoned and scalped 90 innocent Moravian Delaware adults and children, execution-style in the new Gnadenhutten, avenging American deaths perpetrated by other, hostile tribes.
         In 1792 the remnants of the Moravian Delaware founded a mission named Schonfeldt (fairfield) in Ontario, Canada.
         In 1795 The Greenville Treaty, concluded a war by the Delaware in confederacy with other tribes. This Treaty required the Delaware to move out of the Ohio Valley and into Indiana territory.
         In 1818 by bribing Delaware chiefs to sign a treaty, The U.S. government forced the Delaware out of Indiana and Ohio, across the Mississippi and into Missouri.
         In 1829 the U.S. government and the Delaware negotiated a new treaty, which moved the Delaware into Kansas. They were later moved into Oklahoma.

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