George Croghan facts for kids

George Croghan (born around 1718 – died August 31, 1782) was an Irish-born fur trader. He became a very important person in the Ohio Country (which is now part of the United States).

In 1746, he was chosen to be part of the Onondaga Council. This was the main governing group of the Iroquois people. He stayed on the council until 1777, when he was forced to leave the frontier during the American Revolutionary War.

Croghan moved from Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1741. He became a successful trader by visiting Native American villages. He learned their languages and customs. He worked in areas where mostly French traders had been before him. During and after King George's War in the 1740s, he helped the British make new agreements and friendships with Native Americans.

In 1756, Croghan became a Deputy Indian Agent. His main job was to work with the tribes in the Ohio region. He helped Sir William Johnson, who was the British Superintendent of Indian Affairs for the Northern District. Johnson was based in New York and had strong ties with the Iroquois.

Starting in the 1740s, Croghan gained huge amounts of land. This land was in what is now western Pennsylvania and New York. He got it through official grants and by buying it from Native Americans. From 1754, he was a rival of George Washington for power in the Ohio Country. Croghan remained much more powerful there for over 20 more years.

During the American Revolutionary War in 1777, he was wrongly accused of being a traitor. He was found innocent the next year. However, the American authorities did not let him return to the Ohio territory.

Historian Alfred A. Cave says that Ohio's recorded history truly begins with Croghan's actions in the mid-1740s. He was a fur trader, an Iroquois leader, and a go-between for Pennsylvania. Cave believes the treason charge that ended Croghan's career was made up by his enemies.

Early Life and Becoming a Trader

We don't know much about George Croghan's early life. He was born in Ireland around 1718. He moved from Dublin, Ireland to Pennsylvania in 1741. His mother, stepfather, half-brother, and cousin also came to America. The men worked for him.

Within a few years, Croghan became one of Pennsylvania's top fur traders. A big reason for his success was setting up trading posts right in Native American villages. This was different from most British traders. He also learned their languages and customs, just like the French traders did.

Most British traders would set up their posts in one spot and wait for Native Americans to come to them. But Croghan learned at least two Native languages. These were Delaware and probably Seneca. These were the languages of the two main Native American groups in the region.

Croghan also learned Native American customs, like exchanging gifts. He set up his first trading base in a Seneca village. This village was at the mouth of the Cuyahoga River on Lake Erie. This area later became Cleveland, Ohio. In his early years, Croghan's main business partner was William Trent.

Family and Marriages

Croghan got married in the 1740s and had a daughter named Susannah. He married again later. His second wife was Catherine (Takarihoga), a Mohawk woman. She was the daughter of a Mohawk chief.

Their daughter, Catherine (Adonwentishon) Croghan (born 1759, died 1837), would later become the head of her mother's Turtle clan. She also became the third wife of Joseph Brant. He was a famous Mohawk war leader during the American Revolutionary War. Brant's sister, Molly, was a long-time partner of Sir William Johnson. This meant Croghan had strong connections to important British and Mohawk families.

King George's War and New Alliances (1744–1748)

During King George's War, Britain blocked French ports. This made French trade goods very expensive in the Ohio Country. This was great for British traders like Croghan. The French worried because Native American trade and diplomacy were closely linked. Croghan's trading activities threatened French influence.

Croghan quickly took advantage of the war. He set up new trading posts in villages of the Wyandot and Miami tribes. These tribes had traded with the French before. The French encouraged their Native American allies to attack Croghan.

In 1745, the Seneca people protected Croghan from being captured. In 1746, Croghan was adopted by the Seneca. He became one of their hereditary leaders on the Onondaga Council. This council had 50 chiefs from the Six Nations. Sir William Johnson, who would become Croghan's boss, was already on the council.

In 1747, Wyandot warriors killed five French traders at Sandusky. This started a Native American uprising against the French, which Croghan had encouraged. The Wyandot chief Nicholas Orontony led it at first. Then Memeskia, a Miami chief, took over.

The uprising didn't drive out the French, but the tribes became closer to the British. Croghan was said to have encouraged the revolt so the Natives would trade with him. Memeskia moved to Pickawillany, where Croghan built a fort and trading post.

In 1748, Croghan helped organize the Ohio Confederation of tribes. This group lit a "council fire" on the Ohio River, separate from the Six Nations. Croghan also brought the Miami into an alliance with Great Britain. This was made official in a treaty in July 1748 in Lancaster, Pennsylvania.

A British agent, Conrad Weiser, held a meeting in August 1748. He told the Ohio Confederation that Britain had signed a peace treaty with France. This meant the British had no more war supplies for them, so he gave them gifts instead. Pennsylvania then made Croghan its negotiator with the Ohio Country Indians.

The French attacked pro-British tribes who were left without weapons. In 1749, a French expedition tried to claim the Ohio Valley for France. They wanted to drive out the English traders. Days before the French arrived, the chiefs at Logstown sold Croghan 200,000 acres of land. This land was in the area, but it didn't include two square miles at the Forks of the Ohio for a British fort.

Croghan soon learned that his land deeds would be invalid if the land was part of Pennsylvania. So, he worked against Pennsylvania's plan to build a fort. Instead, he led the Ohio Confederation to let Virginia's Ohio Company build it. In late 1753, Virginia sent George Washington to the Ohio Country.

Seven Years' War (French and Indian War)

The Seven Years' War (1756-1763) in North America, also known as the French and Indian War, began in 1754. French forces took control of the Ohio Country. They forced British fur traders out or arrested them.

By May, Croghan and Montour were in Winchester, Virginia. The governor made them captains under Colonel George Washington. Croghan was supposed to get food for the expedition and advise Washington on Indian matters. Washington later blamed Croghan for a defeat at Fort Necessity.

During the Braddock Expedition in 1755, Croghan led eight Indian scouts. General Braddock upset the other friendly Indians. Croghan helped the badly wounded general off the battlefield.

In 1755, friendly Indians again sought safety at Croghan's home. Croghan made it into a fort called Fort Shirley. This was one of four forts he built on the frontier. In 1756, he moved to New York. He began a 15-year job as Deputy Superintendent of Indian Affairs under Sir William Johnson.

In 1758, Croghan saw a big British attack on Fort Ticonderoga. He later joined General John Forbes's forces. Croghan used his influence with the Indians to help the British. He was likely the first to see that the French had burned Fort Duquesne to stop the British from using it.

Forbes asked Croghan to bring the Delaware warriors for a peace treaty with the British. In 1760, Croghan helped in the Montreal Campaign. This led to the French giving up to the British. Soon after, Croghan went with Major Rogers to Detroit, which was also captured.

In 1761 and 1762, Croghan negotiated treaties with thirteen western tribes. He got them to accept British rule in areas the French had given up. These treaties were made official in 1761 at a conference in Detroit.

General Jeffery Amherst did not understand Native American culture. He thought giving gifts was foolish. He cut costs for the Indian Department. By stopping gift-giving, he insulted the Native Americans. He also limited gunpowder and lead, which the Natives needed for hunting and trade. Amherst ignored Croghan's warnings that an Indian war was coming.

The French had given up all their claims and trade relations to the British in the Treaty of Paris. This included lands from the Allegheny to the Ohio River and Mississippi. Native Americans had gotten along well with the French. They resented Amherst's insulting treatment. They joined Pontiac's War to drive the British out.

Pontiac's War

When Indian attacks started in Ohio Country in 1763, Croghan was in Philadelphia. He heard that his trading post was burned and Fort Pitt was under attack.

General Amherst ordered Croghan to Fort Pitt to find out why the uprising happened. Croghan helped calm fearful settlers. He also hired people to carry supplies to forts. He reached Bedford, but thought it was too dangerous to travel further west. He fed hungry families and helped the soldiers there.

Croghan later resigned as Deputy Indian agent. He sailed to London. While in London, Croghan was seen as a very rich and powerful person. The Lords of Trade agreed to free the Indian Department from military control. They also considered moving the Proclamation Line of 1763. This line was meant to stop British settlers from moving west.

When Croghan returned, he was ordered to go with an expedition against the Ohio tribes. But he was busy setting up his new home near Philadelphia. He sent his assistant, Alexander McKee, to handle the negotiations.

From 1764 on, Croghan worked very hard to keep the peace on the frontier. He was successful despite many challenges.

In 1765, Croghan's first shipment of gifts and trade goods to Pittsburgh caused trouble. Frontiersmen led by James Smith attacked it. Smith's group, called the Black Boys, burned most of Croghan's gifts. They threatened his life if he returned to Cumberland County.

Despite this opposition, Croghan gathered enough goods to trade with the Ohio Indians in Pittsburgh. He then set off for Illinois Country. His group was attacked by Kickapoo and Mascouten warriors. Croghan was injured, and his camp was robbed.

However, Croghan managed to make peace with several tribes. This peace was confirmed in a big meeting that included Chief Pontiac. Croghan then held an even larger meeting in Detroit. This brought more tribes into the British trading system. At the time, Croghan was celebrated as a national hero for ending the Indian war.

Croghan led a group of people, including Benjamin Franklin, who wanted to buy land in the Ohio Country, Illinois Country, and New York. On September 6, 1765, Croghan was given a grant of 10,000 acres.

George Croghan's Otsego Patents

By spring 1766, Croghan continued his mission to the Illinois tribes. He traveled by boat to Fort Chartres. There, he successfully negotiated with 22 tribes.

Later Life and Challenges

Croghan returned to New York in January 1767. He tried to convince General Thomas Gage to create a new colony in Illinois. When Gage refused, Croghan publicly resigned as Deputy Indian agent. However, Sir William Johnson convinced him to withdraw his resignation.

Croghan went to Fort Pitt in May. He helped prevent an Indian war caused by settlers and illegal trade. The governor of Pennsylvania asked Croghan for help with surveying the borders between the colonies.

The next year was tough for Croghan's Indian diplomacy. The Black Boys threatened to kill him. Croghan found a quiet place at his large land parcel at Lake Otsego. He built a "hutt" (a small house) there.

Before the Fort Stanwix Treaty was finished in November 1768, the Six Nations sold Croghan 127,000 acres in New York. They also sold land to his friends. At the large meeting, the Six Nations asked the British Crown to recognize these land sales. They also asked for a large land grant to Trent and his friends. The Crown did not approve these private land requests.

Croghan faced financial problems. He was sick with gout and chased by people he owed money to. He sought safety at Croghan Forest, which was over 250,000 acres. But his money problems followed him there.

Croghan Hall gave him a place to hide from lawsuits. But he could only watch as settlers moved onto land he believed was his.

George Washington bought land from Croghan's 1749 Indian grant. Croghan wrote that he sold land to Washington. Later, Washington won a court case against families who had bought their land from Croghan.

Croghan's luck seemed to change when the Crown agreed to a new colony called Vandalia. He was to be its Indian agent and largest landowner. But Crown agents were not allowed to start such ventures. So, Croghan resigned from the Indian Department in November 1771. Alexander McKee took his place.

Croghan felt great sadness when his friend Andrew Montour was murdered in January 1772. The British left Fort Pitt that fall. Croghan had McKee tell the Indians it was done to please them.

A year passed, and Vandalia was still not approved. Croghan borrowed money and spent a lot on gifts for 400 Indians. He held a meeting about the proposed colony. The governor of Virginia, Lord Dunmore, decided to claim Virginia's western lands. He agreed to recognize Croghan's Indian land grant. Dunmore appointed Croghan as president judge for Augusta county court in Pittsburgh.

American Revolution

Croghan led Pittsburgh's committee of correspondence, formed in May 1775 after the battles of Lexington and Concord. In July 1775, Croghan bought 6,000,000 acres from the Six Nations. Two days later, Congress created an Indian Department.

In the summer of 1777, Croghan visited Williamsburg, Virginia. He talked with Governor Patrick Henry about frontier defenses. When he returned to Pittsburgh, General Edward Hand was suspicious. A Loyalist plot had been found. General Hand ordered Croghan to Philadelphia.

Two weeks after he arrived, the British captured Philadelphia. Croghan was too sick to escape. He was brought before General Howe and criticized for leading Pittsburgh's Committee of Safety. He was ordered to stay in town under British watch. He learned that his home, Monckton Hall, was burned.

When the British left Philadelphia in June 1778, they left Croghan behind. Pennsylvania officials accused him of working with the enemy. But Croghan was found innocent in November 1778.

General Hand did not let him return to his home in western Pennsylvania. Croghan spent the next two winters in Lancaster, Pennsylvania. To pay off debts, he mortgaged his home. He gave 74,000 acres of his Indian land grant to the Gratzes, who paid his bills. He tried again to get Virginia to recognize his Indian land titles, but failed.

Croghan died at his home in Passyunk Township on August 31, 1782. He was buried in the churchyard of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Philadelphia. His grave marker was lost for many years.

Croghan's Legacy

Historical marker honoring Croghan in Cooperstown, New York.

Croghan's personal belongings were not worth much when he died. But his large land holdings were estimated to be worth a lot of money. He left his entire estate to his daughter Susannah. Susannah died in 1790, leaving six children. For many years, they tried to claim Croghan's land in lawsuits.

Since the late 1900s, historians have started to see Croghan's importance in the Ohio Country. He was a bold and ambitious person. But he was also very skilled at diplomacy and working with Native Americans.

Croghan's descendants continue to have an impact. The female line of his Mohawk daughter Catherine still inherits her position and power in the Turtle Clan. Catherine was the head of the Turtle clan, the highest rank in the Mohawk Nation. It was her birthright to name the main leader of the Mohawk nation.

Land speculation in New York led to many unfair deals. In 1786, William Cooper bought 40,000 of Croghan's acres for a very low price. Cooper founded the town of Cooperstown, New York. He built his mansion on the site of Croghan's old home. Croghan's heirs watched as the land's value grew much higher.

How to Say His Name

There has been some discussion about how to say Croghan's name. Some old records suggest it might have sounded like "Craon" or "Crohan." Today, his descendants often use the "CROG-han" pronunciation. This seems to be the standard English way to say it.

Honors and Recognition

• In 2008, the Sons of the American Revolution added a new marker to Croghan's grave.
• In 2012, a historical marker honoring Croghan was placed near Rostraver Township's building in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania.
• In 2020, another historical marker for Croghan was placed at his original trading post site in Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania.