Although the Susquehanna River Valley has no Thanksgiving story equal to the pilgrims’ landing at Plymouth Rock, area residents should be grateful for the successful relationship between Shikellamy, who attended to the affairs and interests of the Six Nations of Iroquois, and Conrad Weiser, negotiator and interpreter for the Provincial Council of Pennsylvania.
John Bartram, early American botanist, horticulturist and explorer, noted in his journal of trip observations from Pennsylvania to Lake Ontario in 1743 that Shikellamy was a Frenchman born in Montreal, captured and adopted by the Oneida, although he claimed to be a Cayuga. Sources of Bartram’s information are unknown, but Conrad Weiser believed Shikellamy was indeed a Cayuga. Shikellamy assumed his duties as vice regent of the Six Nations and arrived in the Susquehanna River Valley in 1728. He lived at Shamokin, which was originally located on the West Branch of the river between Warrior Run and the Chillisquaque Creek, according to Isaac Taylor’s map of 1727.
Sometime before 1737, the Iroquois Nations moved Shamokin to the present location of Sunbury at the Susquehanna’s confluence. It served as the American Indian Capital of the Province of Pennsylvania until, as tension mounted, the tribes abandoned it in 1755.
Shikellamy traveled to Philadelphia often to meet with the Provincial Council. He represented tribes throughout Pennsylvania and assisted in settling a dispute between the Conoys and the Province of Virginia. He and Conrad Weiser valued each other’s trust and friendship and became the official go-betweens in all affairs involving the provincial government and the Six Nations. Shikellamy’s diplomacy and peace-keeping abilities were admirable and respected by all, but as the provincial government applied more pressure to acquire additional land to accommodate new settlers, his decisions became increasingly difficult.
Taking a drastic step, Shikellamy threatened to cease peaceful relations if the Provincial Council failed to regulate the sale or trade of rum and other liquor to his people as alcohol abuse became a growing and serious problem. Shikellamy befriended the Moravian missionaries who settled near Shamokin, and they ministered to him and his people and repaired and made tools for them.
On Dec. 6, 1748, Shikellamy died after a brief illness. Assisted by the Moravians, his family buried the great statesman near his home at Shamokin.
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