Buckongahelas facts for kids
Buckongahelas (born around 1720 – died May 1805) was a very important Lenape chief, leader, and warrior. He was known across many Native American groups. He fought in several wars, from the French and Indian War to the Northwest Indian War. These wars happened as American settlers moved onto Native American lands, especially beyond the Appalachian Mountains and the Ohio River.
Buckongahelas joined a group of mostly Algonquian-speaking peoples. They worked together to stop American settlers from taking their lands. He led his Lenape group from what is now Delaware all the way west to the White River area in today's Muncie, Indiana. Buckongahelas was one of the strongest war chiefs on the White River. Even the Americans respected him as a leader, though he didn't usually handle political talks.
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His Early Life
Buckongahelas was born in what is now Delaware around the year 1720. His parents were Lenape people. The British colonists called the Lenape "Delaware" because they lived near the Delaware River. This river was a very important part of their homeland. The Lenape people, who spoke an Algonquian language, lived all over the mid-Atlantic region.
The name Buckongahelas means "Giver of Presents" in the Lenape language. He was also known as Pachgantschihilas and Petchnanalas. These names mean "one who succeeds in all he undertakes" or "a fulfiller."
Family and Moving West
Buckongahelas got married when he was young and started his family. As more colonists moved into their lands, he felt pressure to move his group westward. It is thought that he lived for some time with his people in what is now Buckhannon, West Virginia.
His son, Mahonegon, was killed there in June 1773. A local legend says that the Upshur County Courthouse is built over Mahonegon's grave. Another local story suggests Buckongahelas got revenge on his son's killer years later. However, historical records show that Buckongahelas was already in Ohio by 1781. He was moving his group further west to escape the colonists.
Fighting in the American Revolution
During the American Revolutionary War, Buckongahelas led his followers against the American forces. He chose to break away from other Lenape leaders, like White Eyes, who were neutral or supported the Americans. Buckongahelas took his group west to live near the war chief Blue Jacket of the Shawnee. The two chiefs became very close friends and allies.
During the war, some Lenape had become Christians. They lived in villages run by Moravian missionaries. In April 1781, at the Ohio village of Gnadenhütten, Buckongahelas warned these Christian Lenape. He told them that an American militia from Pennsylvania would likely kill any Native Americans they met, no matter if they were Christians or not. He urged the Lenape to follow him even further west. He said that by moving "from the rising sun," they could live where the land was good, and his warriors would protect them. The Lenape did not listen to his warning.
John Heckewelder, a Moravian missionary, wrote about Buckongahelas' speech. He said it was told "with ease and an eloquence not to be imitated." Heckewelder also noted that "Eleven months after this speech was delivered by this prophetic chief, ninety-six of these same Christian Indians... were murdered at the place where these very words had been spoken." This terrible event, known as the Gnadenhutten massacre, happened on March 8, 1782.
After the War: A Fight for Land
After the Revolutionary War, the United States claimed the Ohio Country. They said they won it by defeating Great Britain. In the late 1780s, Buckongahelas joined a group of Native American nations led by the Shawnee. They wanted to stop American settlers who were moving west of the Appalachian Mountains and using the Ohio River to enter their lands.
This group won several battles against the Americans in the Northwest Indian War. In 1791, Buckongahelas led his warriors to a huge victory against General Arthur St. Clair. St. Clair lost 600 troops. This was the most devastating military defeat ever for the United States by Native Americans. The Lenape people even compared Buckongahelas to their own George Washington. He was described as strong and muscular, standing 5 feet, 10 inches tall. Some said he looked like the famous American statesman Benjamin Franklin.
However, the Native American group was finally defeated at the Battle of Fallen Timbers in 1794. After this battle, the British did not support the Native American group anymore. Buckongahelas then signed the Treaty of Greenville on August 3, 1795. With this treaty, his group and other Lenape gave up a lot of land in Pennsylvania and Ohio to the United States. Sometimes, different tribes claimed the same lands, so it was not always clear if the chiefs signing the treaties truly had the right to give away those lands.
On June 7, 1803, Buckongahelas signed the Treaty of Fort Wayne in Indiana. This treaty set new boundaries for the Lenape and other nations. They also gave up control of salt springs. Algonquian tribes gave large areas of land to the United States. Finally, he signed the Treaty of Vincennes on August 18, 1804, in Vincennes, Indiana. The Lenape gave up lands between the Ohio and Wabash rivers. This treaty helped open up the Ohio and Indiana territories for European-American settlement. Buckongahelas could not read or write, so he made an "X" mark on all three treaties.
Later Years and Lasting Impact
Buckongahelas spent his last years living with his people on the White River near today's Muncie, Indiana. He died in May 1805 at the age of 85. He likely died from diseases like smallpox or influenza.
Many local Native Americans thought these deadly illnesses were caused by witchcraft. Their traditional medicines and healers could not stop the diseases. Because of this, they began to hunt for "witches" and killed several Lenape people they suspected. These difficult times, filled with defeat and sadness, led to the rise of the Shawnee prophet Tenskwatawa. He promised renewed power for Native Americans against the European Americans. His brother, Tecumseh, later became a very important chief. Tecumseh led a new group of Native American nations against the Americans in the early 1800s.
Remembering Buckongahelas
- A 650-pound bronze statue in Buckhannon's Jawbone Run Park honors Chief Buckongahelas and the loss of his son Mahonegon. This statue shows the chief holding his son's body. It was placed there because settlers admired his alliance with British colonists during the Seven Years' War.
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