Little Beard's Town facts for kids

Little Beard's Town, also known as Chenussio (in Seneca) and "Genesee Castle", was an important Seneca town. It was located in the Genesee River Valley in what is now Livingston County, New York. Today, the village of Cuylerville stands in its place, near Leicester.

The town was situated around the area that is now Route 39, between Geneseo and Cuylerville. Seneca villages often moved about every 10 years. When it was destroyed, Little Beard's Town was on the west side of the Genesee River. Ten years before, it had been on the east side.

Who Was Little Beard?

The town was named after its founder, Little Beard. He was a respected Seneca sachem, or leader, in the late 1700s. Little Beard's Town was known for its beautiful surroundings. It had very productive vegetable gardens, fruit orchards, and fields of corn.

The town had about 130 houses. These were "finely built log cabins with ample furnishings." Some even had glass window panes. There was also a large council building. It was built around a central square. Three other Seneca towns were nearby. All of them were destroyed during the Sullivan Expedition in the American Revolutionary War.

Little Beard's Town During the American Revolution

The Seneca and three other Iroquois nations fought on the side of Great Britain during the American Revolutionary War. Little Beard and his warriors took part in battles like the Cherry Valley massacre and the Boyd and Parker ambush. In the ambush, two soldiers were captured. They were brought to Little Beard's Town and faced harsh treatment.

After these events, soldiers from the Continental Army attacked. Major General John Sullivan led these troops. They attacked Little Beard's Town and other Iroquois settlements. These settlements were in the Genesee and Mohawk valleys. The soldiers destroyed buildings and crops. The people living there had to flee for safety.

Little Beard's Town was burned by Sullivan-Clinton’s forces on September 14-15, 1779.

Life After the Attack

One famous resident fled with the Seneca people. She went to safer villages near Niagara Falls. This was Mary Jemison. She was a Scots-Irish immigrant colonist. She had been captured by the Seneca when she was 15 years old. Most of her family was killed. Mary was adopted by the tribe and married into it. She lived with the Seneca people for her entire life. She fled with her three children.

The soldiers in Sullivan's Army were very impressed by the land. They saw corn ears that were 22 inches long. They also saw fine vegetable gardens and fruit orchards. Many soldiers decided they wanted to return and settle on this land after the war.

Later History of the Land

The site of Little Beard's Town was set aside as a Seneca reservation in 1797. This was part of the Treaty of Big Tree. Five other areas on the Genesee River were also reserved. However, the Seneca later sold these lands to the Ogden Land Company in 1826. The modern Seneca Nation of Indians does not agree that this sale was valid.

In 2004, people marked the 225th Anniversary of the Groveland Ambuscade and the Boyd-Parker Massacre. Local historical groups set up a civilian camp for re-enactors at the site of Little Beard’s Town.