A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary JemisonSeaver, James E. (James Everett)
History
A Narrative of the Life of Mrs. Mary Jemison
Seaver, James E. (James Everett)
Jemison, Mary, 1743-1833; Seneca Indians
My sisters would not allow me to speak English in their hearing; but
remembering the charge that my dear mother gave me at the time I left
her, whenever I chanced to be alone I made a business of repeating my
prayer, catechism, or something I had learned in order that I might not
forget my own language. By practising in that way I retained it till
I came to Genesee flats, where I soon became acquainted with English
people with whom I have been almost daily in the habit of conversing.
My sisters were diligent in teaching me their language; and to their
great satisfaction I soon learned so that I could understand it readily,
and speak it fluently. I was very fortunate in falling into their hands;
for they were kind good natured women; peaceable and mild in their
dispositions; temperate and decent in their habits, and very tender and
gentle towards me. I have great reason to respect them, though they have
been dead a great number of years.
The town where they lived was pleasantly situated on the Ohio, at the
mouth of the Shenanjee: the land produced good corn; the woods furnished
a plenty of game, and the waters abounded with fish. Another river
emptied itself into the Ohio, directly opposite the mouth of the
Shenanjee. We spent the summer at that place, where we planted, hoed,
and harvested a large crop of corn, of an excellent quality.
About the time of corn harvest, Fort Pitt was taken from the French by
the English. [Footnote: The above statement is apparently an error; and
is to be attributed solely to the treachery of the old lady's memory;
though she is confident that that event took place at the time above
mentioned. It is certain that Fort Pitt was not evacuated by the French
and given up to the English, till sometime in November, 1758. It is
possible, however, that an armistice was agreed upon, and that for a
time, between the spring of 1755 and 1758, both nations visited
that post without fear of molestation. As the succeeding part of the
narrative corresponds with the true historical chain of events, the
public will overlook this circumstance, which appears unsupported by
history. AUTHOR.]
The corn being harvested, the Indians took it on horses and in canoes,
and proceeded down the Ohio, occasionally stopping to hunt a few days,
till we arrived at the mouth of Sciota river; where they established
their winter quarters, and continued hunting till the ensuing spring,
in the adjacent wilderness. While at that place I went with the other
children to assist the hunters to bring in their game. The forests on
the Sciota were well stocked with elk, deer, and other large animals;
and the marshes contained large numbers of beaver, muskrat, &c. which
made excellent hunting for the Indians; who depended, for their meat,
upon their success in taking elk and deer; and for ammunition and
clothing, upon the beaver, muskrat, and other furs that they could take
in addition to their peltry.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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