Chalahgawtha
Encyclopedia
Chalahgawtha was the name of one of the five divisions (or bands) of the Shawnee
, a Native American
people, during the 18th century, as well as the name of the principal village
of the division. The other four divisions were the Mekoche
, Kispoko
, Pekowi
, and Hathawekela
. (All five division names have been spelled in a great variety of ways.) Together these divisions formed the loose confederacy
that was the Shawnee tribe.
leadership for the tribe. A famous Chillicothe leader was Chief Blackfish
.
was a large Shawnee town on the Ohio River, founded about 1738 by Shawnees. The name of the town was not recorded, but scholars believe it may have been "Chillicothe". The town grew to be a major trading hub in the years leading up to the French and Indian War
, although it was of lesser political importance than Logstown
, upriver on the Ohio. Members from most if not all five Shawnee divisions lived in the town, as well as an assortment of other Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans, with an estimated total population of 1,200 or more people. Lower Shawnee Town was abandoned after the fall of Fort Duquesne
in 1758.
The next Chillicothe (1758–1787) was one of seven Shawnee villages on the west bank of the Scioto River
, near Paint Creek
and the present U.S. city of Chillicothe, Ohio
. The village may have been settled in the 1750s as Shawnees were returning to the Ohio Country
after having been driven out and scattered by the Iroquois
decades earlier. Cheeseekau
, older brother of Tecumseh
, was probably born here about 1761. Tecumseh may have been born here in 1768, or at nearby Kisposko town. In 1762, Chillicothe contained about 300 warriors (perhaps 1,200 people), which meant that the majority of Shawnees then living in Ohio lived there.
European influences, especially in trade goods such as guns, kettles, and clothing, were prevalent among the Shawnee at this time. David Jones, a British missionary, visited the town in 1773 and noted that a British fur trade
r named Moses Henry lived there.
In the early 1770s, the Shawnee towns on the Scioto were the focus a Shawnee-led movement formed to resist British colonial expansion following the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix
. The Shawnees were ultimately unsuccessful in forging a large alliance, however, and fought Dunmore's War
in 1774 with little support from other tribes. An army from Virginia
marched to the Scioto villages and forced the Shawnees to accept the boundary established in the Stanwix treaty.
After the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
, many Chillicothe residents relocated northwest to the Little Miami River
. Shawnee villagers continued to live on the Scioto, along with some Cherokee
s, until the village was attacked by Americans in 1787 during the Northwest Indian War
.
. Settlement of the village began in 1774. Located on the Little Miami River, the area is now known as "Oldtown", near present Xenia, Ohio
.
Chillicothe was the home of Blackfish, war chief of the division. From here the Shawnees staged numerous raids into Kentucky
, where they hoped to drive out the American settlements. Frontiersman Daniel Boone
was captured in Kentucky in 1778 by Chief Blackfish and brought to Chillicothe with other prisoners. Boone was adopted into the tribe and lived for several months at Chillicothe. According to a popular tradition, the village was the birthplace of Tecumseh, the famous Shawnee leader. Tecumseh, however, was born in 1768, before this Chillicothe was settled. As mentioned above, he was likely born at a village on the Scioto River.
After Chief Blackfish unsuccessfully besieged Boonesborough, Kentucky
in 1778, Kentuckians crossed the Ohio River and attacked Chillicothe on 29 May 1779. Blackfish successfully defended the town, but was shot in the leg and later died when the wound became infected. In 1780, in retaliation for Bird's invasion of Kentucky
, George Rogers Clark
led the Kentucky militia up the Little Miami River. Chillicothe was abandoned as Clark approached. Clark burned the town and destroyed the surrounding crops. (By some accounts, the Shawnees had burned the town before fleeing, to deny the Kentuckians plunder and supplies.) Clark marched further north and fought a battle at Pekowi town.
(1780–1782) was settled after the destruction of the previous village. Although a British army surrendered at Yorktown
in October 1781, the war on the frontier continued unabated. In Kentucky, the Americans were defeated at the Battle of Blue Licks
in August 1782, the worst defeat of the war for the Kentuckians. In retaliation, in November Clark led another expedition into Ohio, the last major campaign of the war. Chillicothe and four other villages were destroyed.
The next Chillicothe was on the St. Mary's River (1783–1790). Another Chillicothe (1788–1792) was located on the Maumee River
, near present Fort Wayne, Indiana
. A Chillicothe (1787–?) was located on the west bank of the Mississippi River
, north of present Cape Girardeau, Missouri
.
Shawnee
The Shawnee, Shaawanwaki, Shaawanooki and Shaawanowi lenaweeki, are an Algonquian-speaking people native to North America. Historically they inhabited the areas of Ohio, Virginia, West Virginia, Western Maryland, Kentucky, Indiana, and Pennsylvania...
, a Native American
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
people, during the 18th century, as well as the name of the principal village
Village
A village is a clustered human settlement or community, larger than a hamlet with the population ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand , Though often located in rural areas, the term urban village is also applied to certain urban neighbourhoods, such as the West Village in Manhattan, New...
of the division. The other four divisions were the Mekoche
Mekoche
Mekoche was the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee, a Native American people, during the 18th century. The other four divisions were the Chalahgawtha, Kispoko, Pekowi, and Hathawekela. Together these divisions formed the loose confederacy that was the Shawnee tribe....
, Kispoko
Kispoko
Kispoko is the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee, a Native American people that existed during the 18th century. The Kispoko were the smallest of the five divisions. They lived among the Creek as early at 1650, having been driven from their Ohio country homeland by the Iroquois...
, Pekowi
Pekowi
Pekowi was the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee, a Native American people, during the 18th century. The other four divisions were the Chalahgawtha, Mekoche, Kispoko, and Hathawekela. Together these divisions formed the loose confederacy that was the Shawnee tribe.All five Shawnee...
, and Hathawekela
Hathawekela
Hathawekela was the name of the group Chalaiwa/Chalaka was the name of one of the five divisions of the Shawnee, a Native American people, during the 18th century. The other four divisions were the Chalahgawtha, Mekoche, Kispoko, and Pekowi...
. (All five division names have been spelled in a great variety of ways.) Together these divisions formed the loose confederacy
Confederation
A confederation in modern political terms is a permanent union of political units for common action in relation to other units. Usually created by treaty but often later adopting a common constitution, confederations tend to be established for dealing with critical issues such as defense, foreign...
that was the Shawnee tribe.
Chillicothe division
By tradition, each Shawnee division had certain roles it performed on behalf of the entire tribe, although these customs were fading by the time they were recorded in writing by European-Americans. The Chillicothe division often provided politicalPolitics
Politics is a process by which groups of people make collective decisions. The term is generally applied to the art or science of running governmental or state affairs, including behavior within civil governments, but also applies to institutions, fields, and special interest groups such as the...
leadership for the tribe. A famous Chillicothe leader was Chief Blackfish
Chief Blackfish
Blackfish , known in his native tongue as Cot-ta-wa-ma-go or Mkah-day-way-may-qua, was a Native American leader, war chief of the Chillicothe division of the Shawnee tribe.-Biography:...
.
Chillicothe villages
The village where the chief of the Chillicothe division lived was also known as "Chillicothe". When this principal village was relocated, often as a result of war or the expansion of European-American settlement, the new village would be again be called "Chillicothe". Not all Shawnees living in the town belonged to the Chillicothe division, and some residents were from tribes other than the Shawnee. There are numerous Shawnee Chillicothe villages in the historical record, which has occasionally caused some confusion.Chillicothes on the Scioto
Lower Shawnee TownLower Shawnee Town
Lower Shawneetown , also known as the Bentley Site, Shannoah and Sonnontio, is a Late Fort Ancient culture Madisonville horizon archaeological site overlain by an 18th century Shawnee village located near South Portsmouth in Greenup County, Kentucky...
was a large Shawnee town on the Ohio River, founded about 1738 by Shawnees. The name of the town was not recorded, but scholars believe it may have been "Chillicothe". The town grew to be a major trading hub in the years leading up to the French and Indian War
French and Indian War
The French and Indian War is the common American name for the war between Great Britain and France in North America from 1754 to 1763. In 1756, the war erupted into the world-wide conflict known as the Seven Years' War and thus came to be regarded as the North American theater of that war...
, although it was of lesser political importance than Logstown
Logstown
The riverside village of Logstown was a significant Native American settlement in Western Pennsylvania and the site of the 1752 signing of the treaty of friendship between the Ohio Company and the Amerindians occupying the region in the years leading up to the...
, upriver on the Ohio. Members from most if not all five Shawnee divisions lived in the town, as well as an assortment of other Native Americans, Europeans, and Africans, with an estimated total population of 1,200 or more people. Lower Shawnee Town was abandoned after the fall of Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne
Fort Duquesne was a fort established by the French in 1754, at the junction of the Allegheny and Monongahela rivers in what is now downtown Pittsburgh in the state of Pennsylvania....
in 1758.
The next Chillicothe (1758–1787) was one of seven Shawnee villages on the west bank of the Scioto River
Scioto River
The Scioto River is a river in central and southern Ohio more than 231 miles in length. It rises in Auglaize County in west central Ohio, flows through Columbus, Ohio, where it collects its largest tributary, the Olentangy River, and meets the Ohio River at Portsmouth...
, near Paint Creek
Paint Creek (Ohio)
Paint Creek is a tributary of the Scioto River, 94.7 mi long, in south-central Ohio in the United States. Via the Scioto and Ohio Rivers, it is part of the watershed of the Mississippi River. It drains an area of 1,143 mi²...
and the present U.S. city of Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
. The village may have been settled in the 1750s as Shawnees were returning to the Ohio Country
Ohio Country
The Ohio Country was the name used in the 18th century for the regions of North America west of the Appalachian Mountains and in the region of the upper Ohio River south of Lake Erie...
after having been driven out and scattered by the Iroquois
Iroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
decades earlier. Cheeseekau
Cheeseekau
Cheeseekau , better known as Matthew, was a war chief of the Kispoko division of the Shawnee Nation. Also known as Pepquannakek , Popoquan , Sting, and Chiksika. He was also known as "The Shawnee Warrior" by the Cherokee...
, older brother of Tecumseh
Tecumseh
Tecumseh was a Native American leader of the Shawnee and a large tribal confederacy which opposed the United States during Tecumseh's War and the War of 1812...
, was probably born here about 1761. Tecumseh may have been born here in 1768, or at nearby Kisposko town. In 1762, Chillicothe contained about 300 warriors (perhaps 1,200 people), which meant that the majority of Shawnees then living in Ohio lived there.
European influences, especially in trade goods such as guns, kettles, and clothing, were prevalent among the Shawnee at this time. David Jones, a British missionary, visited the town in 1773 and noted that a British fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
r named Moses Henry lived there.
In the early 1770s, the Shawnee towns on the Scioto were the focus a Shawnee-led movement formed to resist British colonial expansion following the 1768 Treaty of Fort Stanwix
Treaty of Fort Stanwix
The Treaty of Fort Stanwix was an important treaty between North American Indians and the British Empire. It was signed in 1768 at Fort Stanwix, located in present-day Rome, New York...
. The Shawnees were ultimately unsuccessful in forging a large alliance, however, and fought Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War
Dunmore's War was a war in 1774 between the Colony of Virginia and the Shawnee and Mingo American Indian nations....
in 1774 with little support from other tribes. An army from Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
marched to the Scioto villages and forced the Shawnees to accept the boundary established in the Stanwix treaty.
After the outbreak of the American Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
, many Chillicothe residents relocated northwest to the Little Miami River
Little Miami River
The Little Miami River is a Class I tributary of the Ohio River that flows through five counties in southwestern Ohio in the United States. The Little Miami joins the Ohio River east of Cincinnati. It forms parts of the borders between Hamilton and Clermont counties and between Hamilton and Warren...
. Shawnee villagers continued to live on the Scioto, along with some Cherokee
Cherokee
The Cherokee are a Native American people historically settled in the Southeastern United States . Linguistically, they are part of the Iroquoian language family...
s, until the village was attacked by Americans in 1787 during the Northwest Indian War
Northwest Indian War
The Northwest Indian War , also known as Little Turtle's War and by various other names, was a war fought between the United States and a confederation of numerous American Indian tribes for control of the Northwest Territory...
.
Old Chillicothe
Because of its prominence in the American Revolutionary War, Old Chillicothe (1774–1780) was the most famous of the Shawnee Chillicothe villages in American history. It is often known in historical writing as "Old Chillicothe" in order to distinguish it from the present Ohio city of ChillicotheChillicothe, Ohio
Chillicothe is a city in and the county seat of Ross County, Ohio, United States.Chillicothe was the first and third capital of Ohio and is located in southern Ohio along the Scioto River. The name comes from the Shawnee name Chalahgawtha, meaning "principal town", as it was a major settlement of...
. Settlement of the village began in 1774. Located on the Little Miami River, the area is now known as "Oldtown", near present Xenia, Ohio
Xenia, Ohio
Xenia is a city in and the county seat of Greene County, Ohio, United States. The municipality is located in southwestern Ohio 21 miles from Dayton and is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area...
.
Chillicothe was the home of Blackfish, war chief of the division. From here the Shawnees staged numerous raids into Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
, where they hoped to drive out the American settlements. Frontiersman Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
was captured in Kentucky in 1778 by Chief Blackfish and brought to Chillicothe with other prisoners. Boone was adopted into the tribe and lived for several months at Chillicothe. According to a popular tradition, the village was the birthplace of Tecumseh, the famous Shawnee leader. Tecumseh, however, was born in 1768, before this Chillicothe was settled. As mentioned above, he was likely born at a village on the Scioto River.
After Chief Blackfish unsuccessfully besieged Boonesborough, Kentucky
Boonesborough, Kentucky
Boonesborough is an unincorporated community in Madison County, Kentucky, United States. It lies in the central part of the state along the Kentucky River. Boonesborough is part of the Richmond–Berea Micropolitan Statistical Area....
in 1778, Kentuckians crossed the Ohio River and attacked Chillicothe on 29 May 1779. Blackfish successfully defended the town, but was shot in the leg and later died when the wound became infected. In 1780, in retaliation for Bird's invasion of Kentucky
Bird's invasion of Kentucky
Bird's invasion of Kentucky during the American Revolutionary War was one phase of an extensive planned series of operations planned by the British in 1780, whereby the entire West, from Quebec to the Gulf of Mexico, was to be swept clear of both Spanish and colonial resistance.While Bird's...
, George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark
George Rogers Clark was a soldier from Virginia and the highest ranking American military officer on the northwestern frontier during the American Revolutionary War. He served as leader of the Kentucky militia throughout much of the war...
led the Kentucky militia up the Little Miami River. Chillicothe was abandoned as Clark approached. Clark burned the town and destroyed the surrounding crops. (By some accounts, the Shawnees had burned the town before fleeing, to deny the Kentuckians plunder and supplies.) Clark marched further north and fought a battle at Pekowi town.
Other Chillicothes
Chillicothe on the Great Miami RiverGreat Miami River
The Great Miami River is a tributary of the Ohio River, approximately long, in southwestern Ohio in the United States...
(1780–1782) was settled after the destruction of the previous village. Although a British army surrendered at Yorktown
Siege of Yorktown
The Siege of Yorktown, Battle of Yorktown, or Surrender of Yorktown in 1781 was a decisive victory by a combined assault of American forces led by General George Washington and French forces led by the Comte de Rochambeau over a British Army commanded by Lieutenant General Lord Cornwallis...
in October 1781, the war on the frontier continued unabated. In Kentucky, the Americans were defeated at the Battle of Blue Licks
Battle of Blue Licks
The Battle of Blue Licks, fought on August 19, 1782, was one of the last battles of the American Revolutionary War. The battle occurred ten months after Lord Cornwallis's famous surrender at Yorktown, which had effectively ended the war in the east...
in August 1782, the worst defeat of the war for the Kentuckians. In retaliation, in November Clark led another expedition into Ohio, the last major campaign of the war. Chillicothe and four other villages were destroyed.
The next Chillicothe was on the St. Mary's River (1783–1790). Another Chillicothe (1788–1792) was located on the Maumee River
Maumee River
The Maumee River is a river in northwestern Ohio and northeastern Indiana in the United States. It is formed at Fort Wayne, Indiana by the confluence of the St. Joseph and St. Marys rivers, and meanders northeastwardly for through an agricultural region of glacial moraines before flowing into the...
, near present Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne, Indiana
Fort Wayne is a city in the US state of Indiana and the county seat of Allen County. The population was 253,691 at the 2010 Census making it the 74th largest city in the United States and the second largest in Indiana...
. A Chillicothe (1787–?) was located on the west bank of the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
, north of present Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau, Missouri
Cape Girardeau is a city located in Cape Girardeau and Scott counties in Southeast Missouri in the United States. It is located approximately southeast of St. Louis and north of Memphis. As of the 2010 census, the city's population was 37,941. A college town, it is the home of Southeast Missouri...
.