When Shikellamy Lived "half a mile below Milton, on the union county side"

Shikelemo, or Chief Shikellamy, moved to Shamokin [current day Sunbury]. He died there, and was buried in old Indian Burial grounds near what was later to become Fort Hunter.  But before that, according to historians, Shikellamy lived "half a mile below Milton, on the Union County side".  

There's a monument at Central Oak Heights, where Shikellamy's camp was located:

More about Central Oak Heights:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/08/central-oak-heights-west-milton-pa.html

For more about Chief Shikellamy:

Copied from Otzinachson, written by Meginness about 1889:

At the mouth of Chillisquaque * Creek there was a small Indian village. Conrad Weiser, as early as 1737,made a journey up the river while en-route for Onondaga. On the 7th of March he writes in his journal:

An old Shawano by name Jenoniawano, took us in his canoe across the creek at Zilly Squache (Chillisquaque). On the 8th we reached the village where Shikelimo lives, who was appointed to be my companion and guide in the journey . He was, however, far from home on a hunt. Weather became bad and the waters high , and no Indian could be induced to seek Shikelimo until the 12th , when two young Indians agreed to go out in search of him . On the 16th they returned with word that Shikelimo would be back next day, which so happened . The Indians were out of provisions at this place . I saw a new blanket given for about one-third of a bushel of Indian corn.

Hon. John Blair Linn, in his Annals of Buffalo Valley, thinks there is no doubt but Shikellimy's village was located on the farm of Hon. George F . Miller, at the mouth of Sinking Run, or Shikellimy's Run, as it was formerly called , at the old ferry, one half mile below Milton, on the Union County side. The Reading Railroad now runs through where it probably stood.  It is a beautiful spot for a village, as it was protected on the north by a range of hills , with the river much narrowed in front, giving easy access to the Northumberland side.

On the other side of the river from Shikellimy's town, and nearly opposite the mouth of Buffalo Creek , on the Nesbit farm ,the early settlers discovered an Indian mound which had been used for burial purposes. It was twenty - five or thirty feet in diameter. When it was opened it was found to have a floor laid with flat stones, on which the bodies of the dead appeared to have been placed in a sitting posture. This was evident from the fact that the skulls all rested on top of the other bones. When the bones were exposed to the air they soon crumbled to dust. The tomb contained no implements of war, but a few rude stone pipes were found. On the summit of this mound an ash tree was growing, when it was opened, — more than fifty years ago , — which was hollow . The concentric circles in the solid part of the trunk showed it to be 70 years of age. The tree was probably much older and had grown on the mound after it was thrown up. When or by what tribe it was built is unknown. But that the

builders belonged to a pre -historic race there is no doubt.

There were some Indian habitations where New Columbia stands, but they were small in number. Many relics, however , have been picked up in this locality , showing that straggling parties were there frequently . But the most important point, before reaching Muncy, was what is known as Warrior Run .

Here was a hunting cabin occupied at one time by a son of Shikellimy. It was a tarrying place for parties working their way up or down the river. Bishop Spangenberger, accompanied by Zeisberger, Conrad Weiser , Shikellimy, Andrew Montour and others, when he made his great journey to Onondaga, tarried here on the night of June 7 , 1745. 

Read More About Shikellamy Here:

https://susquehannavalley.blogspot.com/2021/02/shikellamy-white-mans-best-friend-among.html

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* Corrupted from Chililisuagi, signifying the place of snow birds. - Heckewelder. Scull's map locates an Indian village of the same name at the mouth of the creek . Conrad Weiser says in his journal that when the old Indian ferried him in his canoe across the creek , he gave him some needles and a pair of shoe strings.

"They called it the " Warrior's Camp," because “ it was the custom ," says the biographer of Zeisberger , “ of the Moravian missionaries, in those days, when passing through the wilderness, to give their camping grounds names, the initials of which were carved on trees, and remained as landmarks for other evangelists. In the course of time the valleys of the Susquehanna, and the forests of New York ,were full of mementos of pious zeal; and as the localities were described in the journals of the itinerants, and the appellations used by subsequent visitors, a geographical nomenclature grew into existence which was peculiarly Moravian. The arrival of two Iroquois warriors, who noiselessly glided to the fire, suggested the name for this particular camp. They belonged to a band that had been defeated by the Catawbas, escaping with nothing but their lives. One of them , at the request of Weiser, hurried on to Onondaga, the next morning, in order to announce the coming of the party" - continuation of the above article from Otzinachson.

According to Linn the first wedding occurred in Buffalo Valley  December, 1772. Peter Swartz married Magdalena, widow of  Michael Vreeland. They then moved upon the place described  as containing 300 acres at Sinking Spring, at Shikellimy's old  town, a short distance below Milton, on the Union County 

side. On the 8th of December Mrs. Swartz took out letters of  administration upon her former husband's estate. They were the  first issued in Northumberland County. Her account was filed  September 8, 1774, in which Peter Swartz adjoins. On the debtor  side of the account is an item for a deer skin, accepted for a debt  due the estate from Captain John Brady. 

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Sites of Early Indian Settlements & Camps, as mentioned  by past historians.