| "Keepers of the Western Door" |
| The Tonawanda Indian Reservation is located on the west side of the town of Alabama. It is home to the Seneca Indians, one of the Six Nations of the Iroquois. Prior to the establishment of Genesee County in 1802, the Seneca Indians - "Keepers of the Western Door" - inhabited a large region of Western New York. |
| The Big Tree Treaty of 1797 opened the lands west of the Genesee River and allotted 200,000 acres of land for reservations, Tonawanda being 45,509 of those acres. By 1856 the Tonawanda lands had been reduced to 7,547 acres. |
| Through several treaties, over 100 years, the size of Indian land had deminished in NY State. The geographic area that the Tonawanda Reservation covers today is as follows: 151 acres in the Town of Royalton in Niagara County; 1,153 1/2 acres in the Town of Newstead in Erie County; and 5,759 acres in the Town of Alabama in Genesee County. |
| Explore the links below to learn more about the history of the Seneca Nation of the Tonawanda Reservation and the Iroquois Confederacy. There are also links to other web sites on my "Favorite Links" page that deal with history as well as current events of the Native American Indians. At the bottom of this page you will find a list of suggested reading material as well. |
| Cindy Amrhein - Historian, Town of Alabama, NY |
| The Six Nations, theClan divisions, meaning of the Longhouse. |
| Brief history of the Iroquois in New York from 1715 to 1797. |
| One of the deeds to part of the lands agreed upon at the 1797 Treaty at Big Tree. This one is the deed to the Cattaraugus Reservation. |
| What happened to the land after the Indian title was extinguished. |
| Cemeteries on the Tonawanda Reservation (Links at bottom of my Cemeteries Page), |
| Tombstone Inscriptions. |
| Brief history of how the Senecas retained title to the Reservation, deed conveying title to the Tonawanda Indians. |
| History tidbit on education in 1897, Tonawanda Reservation. Map showing former school house locations. |
| Famous Iroquois buried at Forest Lawn Cemetery in Buffalo, NY. (photos!) |
| 1915 Census for the Tonawanda Indian Reservation. |
| Tonawanda Seneca Sachem and Chief, Union Officer, Grant's personal secretary |
| (Produced by PBS and the Rochester Museum) |
| Links for genealogy, history, Native American Sites, military records and much more! |
| EXCELLENT CHOICES FOR BOOKS TO READ |
| THE DEATH AND BIRTH OF THE SENECA by Anthony F. C. Wallace. Copyright 1969, published by Alfred A. Knoff, Inc. (384 pgs.) History and culture of the Iroquois and the visionary Handsome Lake. |
| WARRIOR IN TWO CAMPS - ELY S. PARKER by William H. Armstrong. Copyright 1978. First paperback edition 1989. Syracuse University Press. (230 pgs.) The life of Ely S. Parker, Union General, personal secretary to Ulysses S. Grant, first native American to serve as Commissioner of Indian Affairs, and Seneca Chief. (You may purchase this book through the Holland Land Office Museum by calling (716) 343-4727.) |
| OUR COUNTY AND ITS PEOPLE A Descriptive and Biographical Record of GENESEE COUNTY edited by Safford E. North. Published by the Boston History Company, 1899. (698 pgs.) The first 80 pages covers a great amount of Iroquois history and the Holland Purchase. With excerpts from correspondences. You will probably only find this at a local library. |
| PIONEER HISTORY OF THE HOLLAND PURCHASE by O.A. Turner. published by Geo. H. Derby and Co. 1850. You might only find this in a local library as well. Howerver I believe some company did reprint it. This contains a great amount of history on the Seneca Nation as it pertained to the different councils that were held and the transfer of the land. Also excerpts of corospondences. |
| GOOD CHOICES FOR BOOKS TO READ |
| GENESEE COUNTY SENECAS by Irene A. Beale. Copyright 1992. (120 pgs.) Printed by Chestnut Hill Press. About the Seneca Nation from the known beginning up until 1992. For more information on purchasing this book write to Chestnut Hill Press, 5320 Groveland Road, Geneseo, NY 14454. |
| LIBERTY ! The American Revolution by Thomas Fleming. Copyright 1997. Penguin Putnam Inc. (394 pgs.) This history book is a little more honest about events. Excellent Color Illustrations. |
| AFTER COLUMBUS The Smithsonian Chronicle of the NORTH AMERICAN INDIAN by Herman J. Viola. Copyright 1990 The Smithsonian Institution. (278 pgs.) There is not a lot on the Iroquois but it covers all of the American Indians from the arrival of Columbus to present 1990. It illustrates how history has effected the Indian culture of today. Wonderful photographs as well. |
| BAD CHOICES FOR BOOKS TO READ |
| Almost any History Text Book your child brings home from school. |
| This section of the "Historian's Page - Alabama, NY" is a work in progress and will be added to periodically as time permits. Besides, if I post everything now.....you might not stop back again! |
| Cindy Amrhein, Historian |
| "Letter from your Historian" is to inform you what's new at this web site, projects I am working on, etc. Updated 3/27/2009 |