Early American Indian Relations

American Minute from William J. Federer

Indians along the Delaware River called themselves "Lenape," meaning in Algonquin "the people," and were in three clans: Turtle, Wolf and Turkey. William Penn, called "Miquon" meaning quill, and Turtle chief Tamanend made a peace treaty JUNE 23, 1683, under an elm tree in what was to be Philadelphia. The Peace Treaty with the peaceful Quakers lasted 70 years.

In 1697, Tamanend's last message before he died was "We and Christians of this river have always had a free roadway to one another, and though sometimes a tree has fallen cross the road, yet we have removed it again and kept the path clear."

During the French & Indian War, the Turkey clan attacked English settlers.

In 1778, Turtle clan chief Gelelemend signed the first Indian treaty with the U.S. Government and later was converted to Christianity by German Moravian missionaries. The Wolf clan converted, being called Christian Munsee, but were mistakenly confused with hostile Indians and tragically many were killed. The Lenape Indians fled to Canada, Kansas and Oklahoma, where in 1861, John Henry Killbuck, great-grandson of Chief Gelelemend, was born.

John attended the Moravian Seminary and in 1884 was one of the first Christian missionaries to the Yupik Indians in Alaska.

William J. Federer is a nationally recognized author, speaker, and president of Amerisearch, Inc, which is dedicated to researching our American heritage. The American Minute radio feature looks back at events in American history on the dates they occurred, is broadcast daily across the country and read by thousand on the internet.