Return to Native American Index

Return to Milestones Vol. 5, No. 2

KING BEAVER'S TOWN. The name of a former Indian village, at the mouth of the Beaver River, also called Shinga's Town; the name of a village at the junction of the Big Sandy with the Tuscarawas River, in Ohio-this village was also called Tuscarawas. Both of these villages were named in honor of "King Beaver" (Tamaque, or Amochk), the leading chief of the Delawares, who belonged to the Unalachtigo, or Turkey tribe. He was a brother of the no less famous Shingas, whom he succeeded as leading chief. He was himself succeeded by "Captain Johnny," who was succeeded by "White Eyes." Tamaque, or The Beaver, was a relentless foe of the English settlers, as were nearly all of the leading chiefs of his tribe, or, rather, clan. The Turtle tribe, on the contrary, was almost without exception friendly to the English and also to the Americans. This may have been due to the first treaties of the Penns having been made with this tribe, which occupied the Delaware River region, between the Munsee, or Wolf tribe, and the Unalachtigo, or Turkey tribe. According to Delaware traditions, the Turtle tribe held the hereditary chieftainship. The chief place of residence of Tamaque was at Shingas Town, or Beaver Town, as it was later called. He also lived at Kuskuski and Kittanning. Until the time of Braddock's defeat, 1755, he was friendly towards the English. After that time he and his brother Shingas became the leaders of many of the expeditions against the white settlements. He was present at the Council with C. F. Post at Kuskuski in 1758, just previous to the advance of thearmy of General Forbes against Fort Duquesne. He was the chief speaker at all of the conferences which were held. He was present at many of the Councils which were held with the English. After the capture of Fort Duquesne he removed to the village on the Tuscarawas, which then became known as "King Beaver's Town." This town was on the trail which ran directly westward from the Beaver River to the Tuscarawas and Muskingum. During the Indian uprising of "Pontiac's Conspiracy." as it is called-though why "conspiracy" any more than the American Revolution was a "conspiracy," it is difficult to discover-he was a leader of the Indian raids into the frontiers of Penna. After Bouquet's expedition into the Tuscarawas region in 1764, he entered into peace with the English, through necessity. Shortly before his death, in 1770, he became a convert to Christianity at one of the Moravian Missions. He died, urging his people to become Christians.

From Donahoo's Indian Place Names In Pennsylvania