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
To go myself, and leave him, was more than I felt able to do; for he
had been kind to me, and was one on whom I placed great dependence. The
Chiefs refusing to let him go, was one reason for my resolving to stay;
but another, more powerful, if possible, was, that I had got a large
family of Indian children, that I must take with me; and that if I
should be so fortunate as to find my relatives, they would despise them,
if not myself; and treat us as enemies; or, at least with a degree of
cold indifference, which I thought I could not endure.
Accordingly, after I had duly considered the matter, I told my brother
that it was my choice to stay and spend the remainder of my days with
my Indian friends, and live with my family as I had heretofore done. He
appeared well pleased with my resolution, and informed me, that as that
was my choice, I should have a piece of land that I could call my own,
where I could live unmolested, and have something at my decease to leave
for the benefit of my children.
In a short time he made himself ready to go to Upper Canada; but before
he left us, he told me that he would speak to some of the Chiefs at
Buffalo, to attend the great Council, which he expected would convene
in a few years at farthest, and convey to me such a tract of land as I
should select. My brother left us, as he had proposed, and soon after
died at Grand River.
Kaujisestaugeau, was an excellent man, and ever treated me with
kindness. Perhaps no one of his tribe at any time exceeded him in
natural mildness of temper, and warmth and tenderness of affection.
If he had taken my life at the time when the avarice of the old King
inclined him to procure my emancipation, it would have been done with
a pure heart and from good motives. He loved his friends; and was
generally beloved. During the time that I lived in the family with him,
he never offered the most trifling abuse; on the contrary, his whole
conduct towards me was strictly honorable. I mourned his loss as that of
a tender brother, and shall recollect him through life with emotions of
friendship and gratitude.
I lived undisturbed, without hearing a word on the subject of my land,
till the great Council was held at Big Tree, in 1797, when Farmer's
Brother, whose Indian name is Ho-na-ye-wus, sent for me to attend the
council. When I got there, he told me that my brother had spoken to him
to see that I had a piece of land reserved for my use; and that then
was the time for me to receive it.--He requested that I would choose
for myself and describe the bounds of a piece that would suit me. I
accordingly told him the place of beginning, and then went round a tract
that I judged would be sufficient for my purpose, (knowing that it would
include the Gardow Flats,) by stating certain bounds with which I was
acquainted.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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