Iroquois Central High School - Iroquoian Yearbook (Elma, NY)

Page 6 text:

THE IROQUOIS CONFEDERACY Its Influence on our Community Very often residents of our area make the mistake of thinking that this is a young community. In reality, the traditions and customs left by our Indian brothers reach far back into history. The roots of the Iroquois Confederacy lay for the most part in the Onondaga and Mohawk nations, for there were foilnd two fine leaders in Hiawatha and Dekanawida. These two In- dian statesmen worked out a peace plan acceptable to the five powerful nations and the League of the Long House” was established. Each tribe elected representa- tives to a supreme council which made and enforced laws. The decisions of this court were final and its power over the tribes absolute. In addition to the court, which was previously mentioned, there was an executive branch of the government composed of speaker, fire-keeper, wampum-keeper, door-keeper, and head war chief. The legislative” power was vested in a congress of “sachems which transacted the business of the league and had supreme authority on questions of peace and war and all others relating to the general welfare. Amazingly like our own system of govern- ment, the states (tribes) reserved the management of their ordinary affairs. In peace, all power was con- fided to the sachems, but in war the chiefs took over and were supreme. It is interesting to note that the Seneca Indians, who inhabited the very soil on which our homes are built, were the most powerful tribe in the confederacy and always provided the principal war chief. Now that we have seen how the Iroquois Confed- eracy became a strong union, let us see how it fits into the history of our own community. The county of Erie was originally in the possession of the Kahquahs or Neuter Nation and to the Northwest dwelt the Al- gonquins or Hurons. To the East of the Neuter Na- tion, quoting from the History of Erie County by Johnson, was the “home of those powerful confeder- ates whose fame has extended throughout the world, whose civil policy has been the wonder of the sages, whose warlike achievements have compelled the ad- miration of soldiers, wrhose eloquence has thrilled the hearts of the most cultivated —the brave and sagacious Iroquois.” To be brief, the more powerful Iroquois exterminated the Eries, Hurons, Kahquahs, and other inferior tribes between 1640 and 1655 and gained con- trol of an unbelievably large empire. The only impor- tance of the Neuter Nation to us is that they were the only Indians to reside in Erie County until after the American Revolution when the Seneca made their homes here. For a complete picture of the Iroquois Indians, we must look at some of their customs. The right of heir- ship was in the female line and a man's heirs were his brother (his mother’s son) and his sister's son. The prime factbr of the Iroquois’ success was the system of clans which ran through all the tribes. These had the structure of an artificial family for no matter what tribe they were from, members of a clan were consid- ered brothers. This prevented war between the tribes, because any uprising would result in civil war within the clans. The religion of the Iroquois consisted of a somewhat vague belief in a “Great Spirit” and several inferior evil spirits. To charm these spirits, the Iroquois held a “corn dance” and performed a ritual known as “the burning of the white dog.” All labor was performed by the women. Polygamy in moderation was practiced. Through their history and customs, which we have touched upon only briefly, the Iroquois have left us a rich cultural heritage. They knew something of which we should often remind ourselves, that peace can come only through the realization of a brotherhood that reaches beyond one’s blood relations. We, at Iroquois, come from differing backgrounds of ancestry, religion, and previous schools but now we are all “Iroquoians,” loyal to our school and each other. In a community filled with hope and promise for the future let us strive to become citizens worthy of the heritage with which we have been endowed by our founding fathers, who, like us, lived and worked in a rural community.

Page 5 text:

IROQUOIS CENTRAL HI H SCHOOL PRESENTS ITS FIRST YEARBOOK- ELM A, NENS yORlC 1956 The title Iroquoian was submitted by seniors, Judith Burkhard and Judith Upton.

Page 7 text:

EARLY HISTORY OF THIS DISTRICT The area of land now composing the Iroquois Central School District is approximately eighty square miles. The land which makes up the Towns of Manila and Elma was part of the Buffalo Creek Reservation. Here along the banks of the big and little Buffalo creeks, lived a part of the Seneca tribe, the strongest member of the Iroquois Nation. First settlement in the area of the present Central District, took place in the present town of Wales which was then part of the Town of Willink, formed from a purchase by the Holland Land Company. The first settlers were William and Ethan Allen; soon many more personalities, such as Adams, Woods, Paine, Hall, Osborn, and many others, became settlers in the new area. By 1821, the Town of Wales was formed, officers were elected, and John Cole became the first supervi- sor. In 1826, additional land was purchased from the Indians by the Ogden Land Company and Wales be- came larger. Hall's Hollow, now known as Wales Cen- ter, was the central point of business in the new area. Many of the present inhabitants of the Town of Wales and the eastern part of the Town of Aurora, are direct descendants of these early courageous pio- neers. During this early settlement of Wales a group of settlers moved into the eastern part of the present Town of Marilla. A small group of residences of early settlers, engaged in the shingle manufacturing busi- ness, at the present Marilla Village site, were tabbed with the name “Shanty Town.” In 1826, by treaty, the Indians ceded to the Ogden Land Company, all of that part of the present Town of Marilla east of Two Rod Road, and a milestrip which ran across Northern Wales and Southern Elma. This treaty was not finally effected without the re- monstrances of Red Jacket” the veteran orator of the Senecas. Two Rod Road, which was then laid out and surveyed from Porterville to Alden, bordered on the Indian lands and the newly ceded strip. Marilla was founded on December 2nd, 1823. The first settler in the Marilla territory was Jesse Bartoo who settled there in 1827. This pioneer, an ancestor of District Principal, A. Donald Bartoo, later became the first Supervisor of the Town of Marilla which was organ- ized March 7, 1854. Jesse Bartoo lived but a short time in Marilla, moving to a farm near Porterville. He built a saw mill there on the Buffalo Creek named Bartoo Mills,” later changed to Porterville. Many other early settlers including Carptenter, Adams, Al- len Bauder, Willis Clark, Mason, came to Marilla fol- lowing the 1826 purchase. The first Town meeting of Marilla was held at the home of Niles Carpenter on March 7, 1854. Niles Carpenter's store, the first in Marilla, stood where die present G. C. Monchow store is located. Marilla held its Centennial celebration in 1954, paying tribute to its proud and hard working citizens and their fore- fathers. Settlement of the Town of Elma began in the Mile- strip which ran across the Southern border, including a part of the present Town of Aurora. This land was ceded in the 1826 Treaty. Prior to this, isolated set- tlers moved into the Indian Lands” and carried on trade with the Indians. By 1840, there were 180 set- tlers in the milestrip area of Elma. In 1841, the first log school house in the Milestrip was built at the corner of William and Billington roads on Lot No. 15. This later became Elma No. 4 School District, and the site is now occupied by the new home of District Prin- cipal A. Donald Bartoo. A treaty was negotiated in 1838, whereby the Seneca tribe was to cede all of the remaining part of the Buffalo Creek reservation (in present Erie County) to the Ogden Land Company. In return for this, the United States Government was to provide a reservation in the West, (Kansas) and build thereon: churches, schools, mills, etcetera, and also give a grant of money. Many of the Chiefs re- monstrated, and the treaty was never signed until 1842. There was doubt as to the legal signing of the treaty since less than half of the authorized chiefs ac- tually attached their names to the pact. By 1844, the last simulated war dance was held in the barn of Clark Hurd in the present village of Elma, and the Indians moved out. They never did go to Kansas, but mi- grated to the Allegany reservation near Salamanca. In 1841, Bowen and Girdle Roads were laid out through the wooded Elma, and in 1849, a plank road was built from Aurora through the Milestrip to Buf- falo. This is now referred to as Buffalo Road or Sen- eca Street. This improved road gave an easier outlet for the hauling of lumber from the area to Buffalo. By 1852, a post office was established and received its name from the Elm tree that stood at Bowen and Bullis Roads. In 1856 the Town was organized and the first election held in 1857. The first Supervisor was Paul B. Lathrop. New England pioneers were the first settlers into the Elma territory and such names as Hurd, Briggs, Bullis, Adams, Williams, and others are written in its annals. As the area was deeply wooded, the develop- ment of lumber and its related industries was the largest enterprise. Elma grew rapidly, however, and like Marilla and Wales, saw its share of hard times as well as “sunshine.” There are many interesting stories of individual heroism, sacrifice and toil in the develop- ment of this area. Elma is planning its Centennial cele- bration for next year. Today, the many descendants of these early pioneers can be justly proud of their forefathers, and the herit- age which is theirs because of these forefathers. The people of the Iroquois Central School District today ar trying to keep faith with this heritage, by building good schools, good churches, good homes, and good government. 3