Cornplanter, Seneca chief, 1732?-1836

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Cornplanter (born between 1732 and 1746–February 18, 1836), was a Seneca war chief and diplomat of the Wolf clan. As a chief warrior, Cornplanter fought in the French and Indian War and the American Revolutionary War. In both wars, the Seneca and three other Iroquois nations were allied with the British. After the war Cornplanter led negotiations with the United States and was a signatory of the Treaty of Fort Stanwix (1784). He helped gain Iroquois neutrality during the Northwest Indian War.

In the postwar years, Cornplanter worked to learn more about European-American ways and invited Quakers to establish schools in Seneca territory. Disillusioned by his people's poor reaction to European-American society, he had the schools closed and followed his half-brother Handsome Lake's movement returning to the traditional Seneca way and religion. The United States government granted him about 1500 acres of former Seneca territory in Pennsylvania in 1796 for "him and his heirs forever", which became known as the Cornplanter Tract.

After Cornplanter's lineage died off, the tract was planned by the federal government to be flooded as the site of a man-made reservoir after 1965 by completion of the Kinzua Dam on the Allegheny River. The remains of Cornplanter, his descendants, and an 1866 monument to him were relocated. Most of the remaining residents were forced to relocate to the Allegany Reservation of the federally recognized Seneca Nation of New York; they lost much of their fertile farmland.

Archival Resources
Role Title Holding Repository
creatorOf Seneca petition, 1790. Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
referencedIn Documents relating to the Delaware and Seneca Indians, holographic copies Cornell University Library
referencedIn Biography file--Indians, 1914-1984. Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. Library.
referencedIn Wallace, Anthony Francis Clarke. Anthony F. C. Wallace Papers. 1920-2000. American Philosophical Society Library
referencedIn John Adlum papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, General Assembly Records, 1783-1859 (bulk 1790-1838). Library company of Philadelphia
creatorOf Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Indian Committee. Records, ca. 1502-1983. Haverford College Library
referencedIn Some account of a visit paid to the Friends at Junesassa, and the Indians living on Allegany and Cataraugus Rivers agreeably to an appointment of the Committee on Indian affairs in the 8th month, 1806 : typescript, 1929 Jan. 9. Newberry Library
referencedIn John Adlum papers William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Associated Executive Committee of Friends on Indian Affairs Haverford College Library
referencedIn Letter Pittsburgh, Pa., to Thomas Mif[f]lin, [Philadelphia], Pa., 1791 Apr. 14. Newberry Library
referencedIn Josiah Harmar papers 1681-1937 Harmar, Josiah papers William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Book relative to Indian affairs journals to treaties, 1791-1794. Newberry Library
Papers Relating to Indian Affairs National Archives at Washington, D.C
referencedIn Account of a visit made by Penrose Wiley, John Letchworth, Anne Mifflin, Mary Bell, and others to the Seneca Indians settled on the Allegany River Cornell University Library
creatorOf Report of a meeting with the Seneca Nation Council, 1812 July 17. New York State Library
referencedIn Isaac Bonsall journals William L. Clements Library
referencedIn Draper Manuscripts: Newspaper Extracts Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
referencedIn Marian S. Carson collection of manuscripts, 1656-1995 Library of Congress. Manuscript Division
creatorOf Receipt for payment to Indians, 1812 May 27. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
referencedIn Draper Manuscripts: Draper's Notes Wisconsin Historical Society Archives
referencedIn Isaac Bonsall journals William L. Clements Library
creatorOf Letters : to Cornplanter, 1803 Feb. 11 and July 24. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
creatorOf Talk given to Seneca chiefs, 1823 Mar. 14. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
creatorOf Receipts for payments to Indians, 1805-1815. Buffalo History Museum, Research Library
Role Title Holding Repository
Relation Name
grandchildOf Abeel, John, 1667-1711. person
associatedWith Adlum, John, 1759-1836 person
associatedWith Adlum, John, 1759-1836 person
associatedWith Associated Executive Committee of Friends on Indian Affairs. corporateBody
associatedWith Bonsall, Isaac. person
associatedWith Bonsall, Isaac Edward, 1765-1831 person
associatedWith Bonsall, Isaac Edward, 1765-1831. person
associatedWith Calhoun, John C. (John Caldwell), 1782-1850. person
associatedWith Carson, Marian S., person
associatedWith Carson, Marian S., person
associatedWith Carson, Marian S., collector. person
associatedWith Coats, Isaac. person
associatedWith Gilbert, Mary. person
associatedWith Harmar, Josiah, 1802-1848 person
associatedWith Hoops, Robert, fl. 1812. person
associatedWith Irwin, John, 1753-1808. person
associatedWith Jackson, Halliday, 1771-1835. person
associatedWith Jefferson, Thomas, 1743-1826. person
associatedWith Museum of the American Indian, Heye Foundation. Library. corporateBody
associatedWith Parrish, John, 1729-1807. person
associatedWith Philadelphia Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends. Indian Committee. corporateBody
associatedWith Shoemaker, John. person
associatedWith Stewardson, Thomas. person
associatedWith United States. War Dept. corporateBody
associatedWith Wallace, Anthony F. C., 1923- person
Place Name Admin Code Country
Canawaugus NY US
Cornplanter (historical) PA US
Avon NY US
Subject
Indians of North America
Seneca Indians
Occupation
Chiefs, Indian
Farmers
Landowners
Activity

Person

Birth 1732?

Death 1836-02-18

Information

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SNAC ID: 83705413