Nicholas Orontony facts for kids

Nicholas Orontony (born around 1695, died 1750) was an important leader of the Wyandot people. He lived in the 1700s, before the French and Indian War. Orontony tried to help his people escape the control of New France (which was what Canada and parts of the US were called then). He wanted to move them away from the Detroit area.

His goal was to resettle in the Ohio Country and create a group of Native American tribes that would stand against the French. His efforts to organize resistance, especially in 1747, are sometimes called the "Conspiracy of Nicholas." He was a pioneer for other famous Native leaders like Pontiac, Blue Jacket, and Tecumseh.

Orontony's Early Life and Name

We don't know much about Orontony's early years. He was likely born in a Huron village. This village was near St. Ignace, a French settlement. It also had a Jesuit mission and an Odawa (Ottawa) village.

The name "Orontony" was a special title. It was given to the leader of the Wyandot Turtle clan. He also received the name "Nicholas" after he was baptized. A French Catholic missionary, possibly Father Armand de la Richardie, baptized him in Detroit after 1728.

Moving to the Ohio Country

In the mid-1600s, the Wyandots settled near Detroit. But soon, they had problems with the nearby Ottawas. By 1739, the Wyandot people feared for their safety. Orontony and two other leaders asked to move closer to the center of New France.

In 1740, Orontony personally asked the Governor of New France, Charles de la Boische, Marquis de Beauharnois, for this move. The French leaders were slow to decide. So, some Wyandots moved on their own. They went to "Little Lake Sandusky" (Sandusky Bay), near what is now Sandusky, Ohio.

There, they met British traders. They also met a mixed group of people, including Iroquois. This group lived on the Cuyahoga River, near present-day Cleveland, Ohio.

Standing Up to the French

Life in the region was becoming difficult. The French were trying to control trade. They wanted to stop non-French traders, especially those from Pennsylvania. Orontony did not trust the French, which made things worse.

When King George's War started in 1744, open fighting began. In the spring of 1747, five French traders were killed near Cuyahoga. Orontony's group was involved. The French commander in Detroit, Paul-Joseph le Moyne de Longueuil, became very worried.

The British encouraged Orontony's group. George Croghan asked Pennsylvania for help. In November, ten Iroquois warriors from Ohio responded. The Pennsylvania government gave them a gift of 150 pounds. They also gave 50 pounds to the group at Cuyahoga.

The Iroquois did not declare open war on the French. But the French soldiers in Detroit were scared. Orontony gained support from Mikinak, the Potawatomis, and the Ojibwas. Relations with the French became very tense.

British traders continued to meet Orontony at Sandusky. He encouraged the Miamis to destroy a French trading post. Orontony then went to Detroit to ask for peace. However, while he was there, a group of Native Americans killed three Frenchmen near the fort. They then hid on Bois Blanc Island.

Later Years and Legacy

Detroit received more soldiers in September 1747, but it didn't help much. Orontony destroyed the French fort. He then moved his group to Coshocton, Ohio. Other Wyandots moved further east. They built a new town at Kuskusky, near modern New Castle, Pennsylvania.

Orontony and other leaders continued to be contacted by people like Conrad Weiser, an agent from Pennsylvania, in 1748. However, these agents did not realize when the fighting between the British and French stopped. They also didn't know when Orontony died. He probably died around 1750 from a smallpox sickness.