History Timeline 1700s
By Mike Stailey
1701
French trader Lamothe de Cadillac persuades the Wyandot to migrate from Michilimackinac (present day Mackinac Michigan)
and settle near Fort Pontchartrain (present day Detroit Michigan) to continue trade with the French
Jesuit Father Etienne de Carheil of the Michilimackinac mission tries to persuade the Wyandot to stay but they leave for
Fort Pontchartrain.
Jesuits burn their house at the mission and return to Quebec Canada
1702
The Wyandot establish villages in the south eastern part of the Michigan territory at Detroit Michigan
1728
Jesuits re-establish mission on south side of Detroit River in Sandwich (present day Windsor Ontario)
Part of the Michigan Wyandot establish a village at Sandwich
1730
More of the Michigan Wyandot migrate and settle on the south shore of Lake Erie in the Ohio Territory
1738
Remainder of Michigan Wyandot in Detroit area move their villages to lower south eastern Michigan and northern Ohio territories
1742
Jesuits transfer Sandwich mission to Bois Blanc Island (present day Bob-Lo Island Ontario) and near Anderdon Ontario
(present day Amherstburg) Part of the Canadian Wyandot establish villages at Anderdon and across the Detroit river in Michigan territory at Brownstown (present day Gibraltar MI) and Maguagua (present day Wyandotte MI)
1749 - 1753
The French preparing to defend it’s territories from the British invasion look to the Wyandot as an ally
1754 - 1763
French and Indian war with British, with the British being the victors
At the conclusion of the war and to ease tension with the Native Americans, Great Britain declares proclamation no colonists to settle west of the Allegany mountains (present day Pennsylvania) and requires those already settled in those regions to return east
1764
Treaty with the British Government at Presque Isle (Present day Erie PA)
British treaty states no hostilities will be taken against the Wyandot for their part in the French – Indian war and current territories occupied by the Wyandot will remain with them forever and a new trade agreement is made
The Wyandot have villages and have resided in the south eastern Michigan, northern Ohio and south west Ontario territories
since 1702, some 62 years
1775 - 1776
Revolutionary war between Great Britain and American colonies. Declaration of Independence is signed
1781
Jesuit Father Pierre Potier missionary at Assumption (Sandwich Ontario) dies. Jesuit abandon all missions in Ontario with the
Wyandot
1785
Treaty of Fort Mc’Intosh with the United States Government (326k, PDF Format)The Wyandot cede a portion of the Michigan and Ohio territory
The U.S. establishes what part of the Ohio territories to be held by the Wyandot and proclaims non-Native American
settlers in said territory will not be protected by the United States and will be dealt with by the Native Americans as they please
That a Wyandot Chief to be held by the U.S. Government until all prisoners held by the Wyandot are released
to the U.S. Government
1789
Treaty of Fort Harmar with the Unites States Government (947k, PDF Format)
Treaty restates the conditions of the Fort Mc’Intosh treaty but did not address grievances by the Wyandot or other Native Americans
that New Englander colonists were settling on Native American territory given them by the United States
That said territory boundaries granted the Wyandot from the Mc’Intosh Treaty shall remain theirs forever
1790
Treaty number 2 with the British Government (817k, PDF Format)
Large portions of the south western Ontario territory are ceded to the British Government
The British Government grants 2 reserve territories, Sandwich and Anderdon for the Anderdon Wyandot to inhabit for ever
1794
Jay Treaty between the United States and British Government (123k, PDF Format)
Article III of the Jay Treaty declared the right of aboriginal peoples (people indigenous to Canada and/or the US) to trade and travel between the United States and Canada
Ontario, Michigan and Ohio Wyandot fearing loss of more land enter into battle (Fallen Timbers in the Ohio Territory – present day Maumee OH) with the United States led by General Anthony Wayne at the direction of President George Washington
1795
Treaty of Greenville with the United States Government (1,166k, PDF Format)
The Wyandot cede a large portion of their Ohio territory granted them from the treaty of Fort Mc’Intosh and Harmar
U.S. mandates all people of the United States are allowed passage by either land or water through territory held by the Wyandot in
Ohio territory .U.S. Government to hold a Wyandot Chief prisoner until Wyandot Nation releases U.S. prisoners captured at Fallen Timbers.
References:
Early Canadiana Online
Indian Affairs: Laws and Treaties - Charles J. Kappler
Oklahoma State University Library Electronic Publishing Center
The Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents - Travels and Explorations of the Jesuit Missionaries in New France 1610—1791
Handbook of North American Indians - Elisabeth Tooker
Wyandot Treaties with United States 1785-1867 - Gertrude Free
Wyandot Treaties with Canada 1790-1892 - Gertrude Free
The Avalon Project at Yale Law School - The Jay Treaty of 1794