The area in Pennsylvania where our hometown is located had been populated by native Americans long before 1850 when Tyrone was organized. By researching the numerous reference material available, I was able to compile a biography of the most notable Indian in this area, John Logan, of the Cayuga Tribe.
John was given the title of “Captain” and also “Chief” by white settlers. In the 1700s Captain John hunted over the rocks and hills in our area and helped to trap the British foes in the Revolutionary War days. He was the most prominent, friendly Indian who ever resided here. By 1916 there were numerous places in Pennsylvania named for this famous Indian. Some in the local area are:
- Logan House — Altoona
- Logan’s Springs — Antis Township
- Logan Spring — Tyrone
- Logan Run, branch of Tipton Run
- Logan’s Run, Warriors Mark Township
- Logan Township
- Logantown
- Logan Mills
- Logan Valley
In 1718 Tachnechdorus (later known as “Captain John Logan”) was born at Butternut Creek, in New York State. There were many interesting people in his family. His father, Shikellamy, vice-regency for the Iroquois tribe, who died in 1748, was the son of a Frenchman and a Cayuga mother. He married Neanoma (of the Oneida tribe) and fathered six children — the oldest being Captain John and the second being Tahgahjute (Captain James).
Shikellamy and his family resided in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. When his father died in 1748 Captain John should have taken his father’s place as vice-regency but was disqualified due to blindness in one eye caused by an injury.
The word “Mingo” often was used in connection with the Logan brothers — especially with James, the orator. The Mingos were made up of members of the Iroquois tribe who left the villages of the main body before 1750 and formed new settlements in Pennsylvania, along the Ohio River, and in the neighborhood of the Shawnee, Lenni Lenape, and other tribes.
Captain Logan led a tragic life. About 1738 he married a Shawnee half-breed, Vastina. The wedding was performed by a Moravian missionary. They had six children, but the happiness of the family was doomed to be short lived. During 1747 Vastina and five of the six children died of what the Indians called “river fever.” Only a son, Little Logan, survived.
About 1754 John settled with Little Logan in the valley east of Martin Bell’s Furnace (Pinecroft). The valley became known as Logan’s Valley, later changed to Logan Valley. For food, they hunted buffalo, moose, elk, bear, and deer. From the rivers they caught salmon, shad, and trout.
When the Revolutionary War broke out Captain Logan moved to the mountains near present-day Clearfield, where he served as a spy for the settlers and rendered valuable services. During the war Captain Logan had strong attachments to Army Captain Ricketts, of Warriors Mark. Captain Logan told Ricketts about the plot of the Tories, under John Weston and his men, to eliminate the white settlers.
In his travels he passed the beautiful spring near the mouth of the Bald Eagle Creek (later to be in the heart of Tyrone City). Logan built a log hut in the vicinity of the spring where he lived with his son, Little Logan, and at times with his youngest brother, John Petty.
John’s brother James had a cabin at the famous Logan Spring, in Reedsville. In 1771 James took his family to wilder Ohio to live. In 1774 news of the foul murder of James’ family by white settlers reached Captain John. In 1775 James visited Captain John in Tyrone.
Captain John Logan also spent time living in Clearfield; upon his return to Tyrone he tried to purchase what he had thought to be his property. Unfortunately, not knowing the legal procedure for claiming land, he was chased from the property by an envious white man. He returned to Clearfield and built a comfortable cabin. A settler named Earon, who had a patent from the Penn Family, put Captain Logan off this land too. Captain Logan then returned to the Juniata Valley, where he camped for a while in Riggles Gap.
From the end of the war until 1785 Captain Logan lived peacefully at Tuckahoe on property owned by the Bell families. He considered these the best years of his life. In 1791 he went to New York to live with his son, Little Logan, and his wife, Polly, daughter of Chief Cornplanter. From here he went on trips at the end of every summer.
In the spring of 1820 he stopped to visit at the Smith home near Clearfield where he supposedly died peacefully at the age of 102 years. Throughout his life, John maintained cheerful manners and true friendship for the white people.
General Sherman, of Civil War fame, said, “There is no good Indian except a dead Indian.” Would he have said this if he had known Captain John Logan? From records we learn Captain Logan never drew his knife or bow against any red or white man except for a just cause.
Share your memories