Early Life
Cornplanter was born into the Seneca tribe. His mother was a Seneca. His father was a trader. He also fixed guns. He was Dutch. Cornplanter’s father did not stay with the family. He lived in Albany, New York. Cornplanter was raised as a Native American. The Native Americans feel that a child’s race is the same as his mother’s.

During the Revolutionary War
The Seneca were part of the Iroquois League. There were many Senecas. They were divided into groups. Cornplanter belonged to the Chenussio group. Cornplanter’s uncle was named Kiasutha. He was the chief of the Chenussio people. The Chenussio knew both English people and American colonists.

The American Revolution started. England and the Americans were at war. Both groups told the Native Americans not to take sides. They should stay neutral. After a while the British decided to ask the Iroquois for help. They offered them generous gifts. The Iroquois League met together to decide what to do. They met in Oswego in July 1777.

Kiasutha and Cornplanter went to the meeting. They spoke for their tribe. They voted to stay neutral. Most of the Iroquois voted to fight with the British. Everyone had to accept the group’s decision. After that their tribe fought for the British. Cornplanter was a “captain” of Indians.

General Washington was angry with the Iroquois. He sent soldiers to destroy their homes and crops. This was done in 1779. That winter was very cold. It was called “the winter of the deep snow.” Many Iroquois died of hunger. Many starved to death. This did not help them to like the Americans. They kept on fighting with the British.

A Meeting with his Father
In 1780 Cornplanter led a raid into the New York area. One day his father was captured. Cornplanter spoke to his father. He told who he was. He invited his father to live with him. His father preferred his white family. Cornplanter sent him back to his home in safety.

Relations with the New United States
The war finally ended. The Americans had won. Cornplanter was now a chief. The British had promised to take care of the Seneca. They did not. Cornplanter was practical. He wanted good treatment for his people. He decided to make friends with the Americans.

In October 1784 the Iroquois met with people from the new United States. They met at Fort Stanwix in Rome, New York. They made a bargain. The Iroquois gave up a large piece of their hunting land. The United States gave them five thousand dollars. Now settlers could build homes on the hunting land.

Other Native American tribes also used the hunting land. Some of them wanted to stop the settlers. Some of the Seneca felt that way too. Cornplanter knew that if his people tried to stop the settlers they would all be killed. He told them not to fight. Some Seneca, including his relative Red Jacket, thought that he was wrong. He did what he thought he had to do to protect his people. He hoped to get some land where they could live in peace.

A Meeting with President Washington
In 1790 Cornplanter and his brother Half-Town went to Philadelphia. They complained that their people were not being treated well. President Washington and Governor Mifflin promised to protect the Iroquois land.

In 1791 Red Jacket became the leader of the Seneca. Cornplanter still tried to stay friendly with the Americans. When he heard about raids, he warned the nearby fort. He tried to keep the nearby tribes peaceful. He did not always succeed. In 1794 a group of Native Americans rebelled. Cornplanter could not stop them. General Anthony Wayne brought many soldiers. At the Battle of Fallen Timbers the Native Americans were defeated. Cornplanter kept his own people out of the fight. They were not harmed.

Land for the Seneca
Pennsylvania gave Cornplanter a piece of land on March 16, 1796. It was in Warren County. The land was a gift to thank him for helping the state. He took his people to live there. It was called the Cornplanter Tract. By 1798 400 Seneca lived on the land. It was not a reservation. The land belonged to Cornplanter and his people.

Relations with the Quakers
Cornplanter admired the peaceful Quakers. They had taught one of his sons. In 1798 Cornplanter invited the Quakers to come to his land. He asked them to set up schools. They taught the people to read and write. They taught them how to farm and build good roads. The settlement did well with the help of the Quakers.

An Offer of Help
In 1812 the United States was at war with Britain again. Cornplanter offered to bring two hundred warriors to help with the fighting. The army did not accept his offer.

Later Life
In 1821 Warren County tried to make Cornplanter pay taxes on his land. He said he did not need to, because the land was his. After much talk, the state agreed that he did not owe any money.

Cornplanter had a half brother named Handsome Lake. Handsome Lake warned the people that the ways of the white man were bad. He said they must turn back to their old ways. Cornplanter felt ashamed that he had welcomed the new ways. He closed the Quaker schools. He burned his army uniform. He broke his sword. The Quakers moved out, but settled nearby. They were friends with Cornplanter for the rest of his life.

Cornplanter died on February 18, 1836. He wanted a grave with no marker. In 1866 the State of Pennsylvania put up a marker to honor him.

What happened to the Cornplanter Tract?
Cornplanter’s people lived on the land. As time went on, some people moved away. Some went to other larger reservations. After a while people only lived on the land in the summer. In 1964 the last person moved away. Pennsylvania built a dam and flooded the area. Today it is a reservoir.

Where we see his name today
There is an area in Forest County named for Cornplanter. The Cornplanter Forest District is 1,256 acres of land.

Researched and written by Melissa Yates