Neucheconeh facts for kids

Neucheconeh (lived 1732–1748), also known by many other names, was an important Pekowi Shawnee chief from what is now western Pennsylvania. From 1732 to 1745, Neucheconeh shared leadership of the Shawnee people in western Pennsylvania with another chief named Kakowatcheky. During this time, he asked the Pennsylvania government to control the sale of alcohol in Shawnee communities. He also helped many Shawnees move into the Ohio River Valley. This move helped them get away from European settlers and find more animals for hunting. In 1745, he joined Peter Chartier and other Shawnees who chose to support New France (the French). But after three years, he returned to Pennsylvania and apologized. We don't know when or where he died.

Early Life and Records

Like many Native American leaders of his time, we only know about Neucheconeh through old government papers, agreements, and letters from the colonial period. The Shawnee people did not keep written records until much later. His name, Noochickoneh, first appears as a chief's signature on a letter to Governor Patrick Gordon in June 1732. This letter explained why the Shawnees suddenly moved from Pechoquealin (now Smithfield Township, Pennsylvania) to Wyomink in August 1728. The move was so quick that they didn't even harvest their corn. At that time, Neucheconeh was called "chief of the Shawnees at Allegheny."

The letter said that the Five Nations had suggested the Shawnees join them in attacking English settlements. They said, "Our land is going to be taken from us. Come, brothers, help us. Let us fight the English." The Shawnee refused. The Five Nations then told them to move to Wyomink. They also said the Shawnee should "look back toward Ohio, the place from where you came; and return there." Another reason for leaving their old homes was that many enslaved people ran away and came to live among them. The Shawnees thought the English would blame them for this. Starting in 1728, many Shawnees began moving into the Ohio Valley.

Asking for Help with Traders

In 1734, the Pennsylvania government received a letter from "Nechikonner" and other Shawnees living in "Allegania" (now Kittanning). This letter was a reply to Pennsylvania's repeated requests for the Shawnees to return to the Susquehanna Valley. The letter complained about certain traders who sold too much rum to the Shawnees. They asked that these men be stopped from trading with them.

They then named several traders they wanted to allow to trade with them. They especially welcomed Peter Chartier, saying, "we reckon one of us, and he is welcome to come as long as he pleases." They also asked that no trader be allowed to bring more than 30 gallons of rum, only twice a year. They explained that too much drinking was causing problems for the Shawnee people.

A Pledge to Stop Drinking

Neucheconeh also signed a letter on March 20, 1738, sent to Thomas Penn and Acting Governor James Logan. This letter explained a big decision the Shawnee people had made: "All our people gathered together, we held a council to stop drinking for four years. We all agreed to it, thinking about the bad things that happen because of it. Two of our brothers, the Mingoes, died in our towns because of rum. We want to live in peace and become a different people."

The letter continued, "The idea of stopping rum and all strong drinks was made to the rest of the tribe in the winter, and they all agreed. As soon as it was decided, all the rum in the towns was broken open and spilled. This included rum belonging to both Native Americans and white people, about forty gallons in total, which was thrown into the street."

The Shawnees also said they had chosen four men to break open any rum or strong drinks brought to their towns for the next four years. They asked the government to tell traders not to bring rum to their hunting cabins or nearby towns. They had even sent wampum (special beads used for messages) to the French, the Five Nations, and the Delaware to tell them not to bring any rum. They said they were sorry when traders' rum was broken, but they wanted traders to be warned.

This letter came with a pledge signed by ninety-eight Shawnees and Peter Chartier. They all agreed that rum should be spilled and that four men in each town would make sure no rum was brought in for four years. Neucheconeh signed as "Newcheconneh, Deputy King." He was likely acting as a leader for the heir of Opessa, who was the chief of the Shawnees at Conestoga. Neucheconeh shared leadership of the Pennsylvania Shawnee with Kakowatcheky until 1745.

Meeting with Thomas Penn

On July 27, 1739, Cacowatchike (Kakowatcheky), Newcheconneh, Tamenebuck, and Meshemethequater traveled to Philadelphia from Wyoming and Allegheny. They met with Governor Thomas Penn. The colonial leaders were worried because Shawnee and Lenape communities were moving from Pennsylvania to the Ohio River valley. They feared these groups would become allies of New France (the French).

More and more European settlers were arriving, which meant less land for hunting. This caused problems for the Native American groups who relied on hunting for food, especially in winter. This movement of Shawnee communities westward led many to the Ohio River Valley. Secretary James Logan told the Shawnee leaders, "Since your nation first left their home near Paxtang, on the west side of the Susquehanna, and moved so far away to the Ohio River, our government has always wanted to talk with some of your chiefs."

A new agreement was made at this meeting. It stated that the Shawnees had moved to the Allegheny from their old home on the Susquehanna. This agreement was signed for the Shawnees on the Juniata River and Susquehanna River by Kaycowockewr (Kakowatcheky), chief of those at Wyoming, and by Newcheconner and Tomenebuck, for the Shawnees of Allegheny.

Peace Talks in 1743

After some violent clashes between Native Americans and white settlers, Meshemethequater and other chiefs from the Six Nations (including Shikellamy), the Tuscaroras, and the Lenape met with Conrad Weiser and Andrew Montour at Shamokin in April 1743. Weiser gave them wampum, trying to convince the Shawnees not to attack English traders on the Allegheny. This was to prevent a war.

When the council at Shamokin discussed the messages sent to the Shawnees, a speaker shared their answers. He started with Neucheconeh's reply to the Governor of Pennsylvania: "Brother, the Governor of Pennsylvania: I live on this Ohio River, harmless, like a little child. I can do nothing; I am but weak; and I don't intend mischief. I have nothing to say or do; therefore, I send these strings of wampum to Kakowatcheky, the chief man, again. He will answer your message, as he is the older and greater man."

In the end, the talks were successful. Neucheconeh might have shown respect to Kakowatcheky because he was thinking about moving to French-controlled land in the Ohio Valley. Problems with English traders on the Allegheny led Kakowatcheky himself to move to Logstown in 1744.

Working with Peter Chartier

Around 1730, Shawnees from Opessa's Town on the Potomac (now Oldtown, Maryland) moved to the Allegheny. Over the next four years, most of the Pekowi Shawnees living in the Cumberland Valley followed them. By 1744, the main Shawnee town on the Ohio was Neucheconeh's Town. Traders also called it Chartier's Town because Peter Chartier was the most important trader living on the Allegheny at that time.

In April 1745, Chartier was upset that the Pennsylvania government wasn't stopping the sale of rum in Shawnee communities. This was causing serious problems. So, he left Chartier's Town and moved to Lower Shawneetown. He took Neucheconeh, Meshemethequater, and about 400 Shawnees with him. Chartier stayed at Lower Shawneetown until late June. Then, he led his group of Shawnees into Kentucky to start a new community called Eskippakithiki. In 1747, Neucheconeh went with Chartier's group to Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina.

In the summer of 1748, more than a hundred Shawnees, led by Chartier's cousin Meshemethequater, returned to Pennsylvania. Chartier's decision to support the French had worried the British. The government feared that other Shawnee groups and possibly other tribes would also join the French. In July, the Pennsylvania Provincial Council sent a group to meet with the Shawnees who had returned. This group was told to ask carefully about their actions during King George's War and how much they helped Peter Chartier. They also needed to know where Chartier was and what he had been doing. The Shawnees had to clearly admit their mistake and promise to be loyal in the future.

In a meeting with Scarouady on July 20, 1748, Meshemethequater apologized for joining Chartier. He said, "Grandfathers and Brethren: We, the Shawonese, were led astray, and we secretly worked with the French without telling you or our English friends. We traveled secretly through the woods to Canada, and the French promised us great things. But we found ourselves tricked. We are sorry that we had anything to do with them. We now see that we were blind, even though the sun was shining. We truly want you to ask our English friends for us, the ones left at Ohio, so that we can be friends again and be seen as before, as part of the same family."

Even though Kakowatcheky had not followed Chartier like Neucheconeh and Meshemethequater, he took part in the apology. The Pennsylvania leaders praised him for staying loyal to the British. The Pennsylvania officials agreed to welcome the Shawnees back into their friendship. But they also sent a belt of wampum through the Six Nations chiefs. They asked them to scold Neucheconeh and his group for their bad behavior: "Take this string of wampum and use it to scold Neucheconneh and his group very strongly. Then tell the Shawnees who made mistakes that we will forget the past, and we expect them to keep their promises better from now on."

In a letter to Conrad Weiser dated June 23, 1748, Anthony Palmer, President of the Pennsylvania Provincial Council, said, "...they changed their minds, admitted their mistake for being tricked by Peter Chartier, and asked if they could return to their old Town."

Neucheconeh's name does not appear in records after 1748. It is thought that he lost his influence because of his short time working with Peter Chartier. He might have returned to live in Lower Shawneetown. We do not know the exact date or place of his death.