Cornplanter, Jesse J., 1889-1957

Jesse J. Cornplanter (September 16, 1889 – March 18, 1957) was an actor, artist, author, craftsman, Seneca Faithkeeper, and World War I decorated veteran. He illustrated several books about Seneca and Iroquois life.

Jesse Cornplanter was born in 1889 to Seneca parents Nancy Jack and Edward Cornplanter on the Cattaraugus Reservation in New York. His father (Seneca name Sosondowah) was a Faithkeeper of the Longhouse religion. His mother was of the Snipe Clan of the Tonawanda, and the matrilineal traditions of the tribe passed the Snipe Clan designation to the children. He had six sisters and three brothers, but because of childhood diseases, only two of his sisters survived, Carrie and Anna. He was the last male direct descendant of Cornplanter (Gyantwachia), an important 18th-century Haudenosaunee leader and Seneca war chief during and after the American Revolutionary War. Jesse Cornplanter’s Seneca name was Hayonhwonhish (He Strokes the Rushes).

Although his formal education never progressed past the third grade, his knowledge of Seneca customs, songs, and rituals made him a popular resource on Seneca information, sought both from within and also outside the tribe.

In 1906, Cornplanter accompanied his father Edward, acting and singing in the Hiawatha pageant for many months. His travels with the troop also took him to England and Europe where his performances were favorably noted.

When Cornplanter was only in his teens, he was already gaining recognition for his skillful portrayals of his tribe. He never received formal art training, but became successful as an artist.

Arthur C. Parker (Seneca), later Director of the Rochester Museum, commissioned Cornplanter as a youth to sketch scenes of contemporary Seneca life. This launched an eight-year collaboration between the two starting in 1901.

Frederick Starr commissioned Cornplanter to illustrate Iroquois Indian Games and Dances (circa 1903), a book of drawings depicting rituals, dances, and games of Iroquois life. The young artist was credited as illustrator on the book's cover as "Jesse Cornplanter, Seneca Indian Boy." In selecting the 12-year-old Cornplanter for the commission, Starr recognized the talent of the artist in showing "firmness of line, boldness, and good skill in grouping" in his drawings. The proceeds from sales of Jesse's illustrations were used to produce and award the Cornplanter Medal every two years to a person best contributing to the research and knowledge of the Iroquois.

Cornplanter was the first Native American to play a lead in a feature film. He played the part of Hiawatha in Frank E. Moore's silent film Hiawatha, released in 1913 (a year before the notable Western The Squaw Man). The feature film is stated to be the first to include Native Americans in the cast, and was looked upon favorably when compared to other contemporary Hollywood films portraying Native Americans. Moving Picture News called Cornplanter "a real matinee idol."

During World War I, Cornplanter enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1917 and served in Europe as part of the 147th Infantry, 37th Division until he was honorably discharged in 1919. He was wounded during the war and received the Purple Heart. While he was serving in the war, his father died. This was followed by the deaths of most of his remaining family in the 1918 flu pandemic, including his mother Nancy, sister Carrie, and nieces and nephews. Only his sister Anna and two orphaned children of Carrie survived. Cornplanter helped support and rear the surviving children upon his return from Europe.

After the war, Cornplanter held many respected positions within his tribe. These included the ceremonial chief of the Long House and the chief of New Town, a traditional village. He sang for the Great Feather Dancer and was head singer for many ceremonies. He worked with researchers Arthur C. Parker, William N. Fenton, and Charles E. Bartlett to record Seneca rituals and songs to insure their preservation for subsequent generations.

Cornplanter published two of his own books documenting Iroquois life: Iroquois Indian Games and Dances (1903), and Legends of the Longhouse (1938), which records many Iroquois traditional stories. In addition, he illustrated The Code of Handsome Lake (1933), a manuscript collaboration between his father and Arthur C. Parker.

Cornplanter’s paintings are considered to be in the Iroquois Realist Style. This tradition dates to the 1820s work by brothers, David and Dennis Cusick (Tuscarora).

Although best known for his illustrations, Cornplanter was also a traditional wood carver. He greatly influenced successive generations of Haudenosaunee artists.

Cornplanter was married to Elsina Billy (Seneca name Yoweh'sonh) of the Beaver Clan of the Tonawanda.

Because Jesse Cornplanter left no heirs, his death in 1957 marked the official expiration of a treaty granting Cornplanter's (Gyantwachia’s) heirs a perpetual Pennsylvania land grant, called the Cornplanter Tract, of about 1500 acres along the Allegheny River. Much of this land was submerged by the Allegheny Reservoir after completion of the Kinzua Dam in 1965. The US Army Corps of Engineers acquired the land and built the dam for flood control, hydropower and recreation. This was in addition to 10,000 acres along the Allegheny River the COE took by right of eminent domain from the Seneca Nation.