MARYLAND Indians


Thanks to Alice Miller, this picture above was found in her book "Cecil County, Maryland, a Study of Local History" The same being with some of my information on the text I have used. However below are notes I have taken from George Johnston's "History of Cecil county, Maryland".


Beginning History from Johnston's History of CECIL COUNTY
compiled by Mim Baughman

In summer of 1608, John Smith of Virginia left Jamestown and preceded to the head of the Chesapeake Bay, where he explored Cecil County and partially the Susquehanna , North East, Elkton and Sassafras Rivers.The Susquehanna did not adapt well to his search as, after two mile up the river, many rocks made the trip very difficult. Indians could make it in their canoes in two days. The Giant Indians were friendly and met them with gifts of skins, bows and arrows, targets, beads, swords, and tobacco pipes. They were dressed in an indescribable manner of animal remains. Smith called the Susquehanna, "Smith Falls" and the highlands east of North East, "Beacon Hill."
As remains and skeletons have been uncovered, it confirms the fact these Indians were unusually large in statue. One place in particular where archives were dug, was the Octoraro Creek Bridge area, (which was bridge of Columbia and Port Deposit Railroad.
In 1726, it was revealed, through company papers of Principio Iron Works, that an Indian was employed there. Susquehannocks occupied between North East and the Susquehanna. The eigth district is rich in artifacts. These Indians were of the Iroquois stock.
The Lenape Indians were the principal tribes in Cecil County, on Palmer's Island; now Watson's Island. The first settlement of English in Cecil County appears to have been a trading post established by William Clayborne. Palmer's Island is recorded as early as 1652, but when and by whom it was named has not been documented. Cecil became a county in 1674.
George Calvert, a Catholic , was first Baron of Baltimore, and founded Maryland. James the First reined in England about the time,1638, the Dutch established the trading post of New Amsterdam. Papers were found in the hands of George Simco of Bay View, 400 acres was patened 7/20/1658 to William Carpenter, not far from the mouth of the Principio Creek, under the name of Anna Catherine Neck. First permanent settlement in Cecil Countyis farm found on map short distance northeast of Carpenter's Point fishery.
There was a fort on east bank of the Susquehanna, a short distance above the mouth of the Conestoga Creek in Lancaster county near a hill called Turkey Hill. *Ice cream, anyone?
The very last of the Susquehannocks, after nearly being exterminated by the English in Western Maryland gathered along the Susquehanna near Conestoga Creek in Lancaster county, hense their being called the Conestoga Indians.
Paragraphs below gleaned from "Uppershoreman"
THE INDIANS OF CECIL COUNTY

Most of the Indians in Maryland belonged to a large family of tribes known as Algonquins. The Massawomeks, the Tockwoghs and the Susquehannocks were some of the tribes found in Cecil County. The Tockwoghs lived along the Sassafras River, while the Susquehannocks inhabited the Susquehanna, which means "smooth flowing stream." The Massawomeks, or Iroquois were chiefly a wandering tribe, but they had a vllage for a time near North East.

Of these tribes the Susquehannocks seemed most able to live and get along together. They had a village called Poppemetto about three miles from Port Deposit. A group of Susquehannocks also once inhabited the area between North East and Bay View called Indian Falls. The Falls are located in a woodland forty feet west of the Mechanics Varley Road. The huge stones that are the foundations for the faIls have in them deep round holes in which the Susquehannocks pounded out their maize.



Between 1606 and 1662, the Susquehannocks were very powerful. They gave the early settlers so much trouble that they were declared public enemies by Governor Calvert. In 1652 , a treaty was signed in which the Susquehannocks reserved all the land between the North East and Susquehanna Rivers. In 1675, the Susquehannocks were defeated by the Senecas. Captain Smith who had had dealings with the Susquehannocks described them as large, great and well proportioned" men which seemed like "Giants to the English."

The Southern part of North East covers the site once occupied by an Indian Village. This village was situated a short distance south of Arundel Creek which is now commonly called the Run. These Indians were the Shawnees. When they were threatened with extermination by the surrounding tribes, they left their village and migrated southward. They appear finally to have been absorbed by the more powerful tribes near which they settled. Some of· them stopped in Elk Neck and for many years afterward that part of Elk Neck was called "Shawnah." Many from this tribe are said to have been industrious basketmakers and successful fishermen. Several were converted to Christianity by the ministers of the St. Mary Anne's Church. One building still standing today which was named for the Shawnah is Red Men's Hall located on Thomas Avenue North East across from the elementary school.

THE TWO WOLVES One evening an old Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that was going on inside himself. He said, "My son, it is between 2 wolves. One is evil: Anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority,lies, false pride, superiority and ego. The other is good: Joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith". The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather, "Which wolf wins?" The old Cherokee simply replied, "The one I feed." INDEX BELOW; as we develope this site each of the subjects below will be our topics. Click on the category you wish to visit concerning Rising Sun: