Loyalhanna, Pennsylvania

Loyalhanning’s name was given by the Delaware (Lenape- “the original people") Indians. Loyalhanna is derived from the word Laweellhanne, meaning the place of the middle river/stream. The Loyalhanna creek is the reason it was given its name. The Indians occupied the Loyalhanning area in 1727 after leaving the Susquehanna area. Being one of the two largest powerful Native American groups, did not stop them from trying to resolve conflict with peace. These Indians were the first to interact with the English upon their arrival to North America allowing the sharing of land under certain agreements. Both the British and Lenape people understood the land with different meanings, resulting in some violent conflict. The British and their trade with the Indians were fair at first, but quickly later decided to take over more land by way of the unfair agreement of The Walking Purchase of 1737. This betrayal by the Whites was the final straw for the Delaware Indians, resulting the Indians to team up with the French. Ultimately, leading to the French and Indian War. Despite the Delawares attempts to stay, they were eventually run out of their home by the White settlers and relocated west. During their time in Pennsylvania the Delaware were oppressed, abused, taken advantage of, misunderstood, and overall had a difficult time. 

The Loyalhanning is a village that was settled by the Delaware (Lenape) Indians after their departure from the Susquehanna River in 1727(Loyalhanna Creek.). According to historians, specifically John Heckwelder, the Delaware Indians gave names to many of the rivers, streams, and areas within the state of Pennsylvania (Busch). The word Loyalhanna is generated from the word Laweellhanne which signifies “the middle stream” according to the Delaware language (Busch). “Lawel” means middle, “hanna” means a river or stream, and “ing” means at the place of (Loyalhanna Creek). This was the given name due to the Loyalhanna creek that runs through the Loyalhanning area. This creek was used for fishing, trade, and more. Although this is the name that has been given since the early 1600s, when the first Delaware Indians encountered the Europeans, it is still up in the air about whether the name was supposed to be Loyalhanning. In John McCullough's narrative, he discovered that the Delaware had a hard time pronouncing the word “rum”. Instead of rum they would say “lum”, with this information many are questioning whether the name was to start with an R but sounded like an L (Busch). Loyalhanning is in Ligonier Pennsylvania in Westmoreland County and is within walking distance of Fort Ligonier. East of where Latrobe is presently located.   

As mentioned previously, the Loyahanning is a village that was settled by the Delaware Indians. But who were the Delaware Indians? The Delaware Indians settled in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York, and Delaware (Pennsylvania's Native American Indians). They originally called themselves the Lenape people which means “The Common People,” or in some cases “The Original People.” The name Delaware was given to them because they lived along the Delaware river. The river was named after the Governor of the Jamestown colony (Lord de la Warr). After this, the Delaware name began to be applied to all Lenape people (Delaware Tribe of Indians). The Delaware Indians were tall with straight Black hair. Broad shoulders with small waists and a reddish-brown complexion with no facial hair. Their musical instruments of choice were the drums, rattle, gourd, and a flute-like instrument. The most famous instrument was one that allowed them to emit a howling noise (Pennsylvania's Native American Indians).  

These Indians were one of the two largest and most powerful Native Americans in North America (Monck, C.). Other tribes would ask permission to stay or pass-through areas the Delaware was occupying, such as the Shawnee towns that were making their way toward the Loyalhanna creek and Iroquois (Wallace, P. A.W). The Lenape people were often referred to as the “Grandfathers” due to the respect given to them by other tribes and were considered the peacemakers because they often settle disputes between tribes (Delaware Tribe of Indians). Overall, the Delaware Indians were peaceful Native Americans unless threatened. When threatened they were warriors that fought hard and tenaciously.   

When the Europeans arrived and were showing great interest in their land. The Delaware did not understand why because to them, the “creator” put that land there for shelter and food for their people (Delaware Tribe of Indians). When the Delaware saw all the people come off the ship from their long trip, they decided to let them share the land (Delaware Tribe of Indians). Due to the diverse cultures, the Delaware viewed the Europeans gifts as a thank you while the Europeans saw their own gifts as a price for the Natives land. In the beginning, the Europeans were fair in their interactions with the Indigenous people. Then once the colonial government realized they wanted more land they would take the Delawares material when they would go hunting or fishing at the Loyalhanna creek (Monck, C.). Conflict arose and the settlement between the two became more violent.  

The Walking Purchase of 1737 was being placed and was all based on how much land the Penn family would be purchasing. The original idea of this agreement was clearly unfair. Each group would “walk” for a day and a half and that would be the land they would obtain (Monck, C.). This was an unfair agreement because the White settlers cheated by teaching their men to run for miles, had horses to carry their heavy load, and cutting underbrush along their journey (Monck, C.). With all this help they were able to gain over 1200 square miles of land (Leiser, A.). This “Walking” Purchase was the final straw for the Delaware Indians. After the Lenape protested this Purchase, the Pennsylvania government asked the Iroquois Indians to help them evict the Delaware because they have done it before (Leiser, A.).   

Due to the Walking Purchase of 1737, this time was considered the period that “’set the stage’ for the Delawares’ alliance with the French during the French and Indian War of 1755” (Leiser, A.). This alliance originally formed because the French themselves were having disagreements with the British Colonists (Kyle Voigt). The French and British were fighting over the control of the Ohio Valley (Kyle Voigt). The French and British were looking to expand their land. Thus, the Delaware and French having conflict with the British, they began to team up and fight for what they thought was theirs (Leiser, A.). Soon after in 1757, the Fort William massacre, led by the French, officially started the French and Indian War (Leiser, A.).  

Unfortunately, the Delaware were unable to hold their ground any longer and were slowly pushed out of the Loyalhanning area and relocated west after the British won the French and Indian war (1763). Now, they live in southern Oklahoma (Delaware Tribe of Indians). Along the journey small contingents of the Delaware went to Canada and Ontario to be known as the Munsee Delaware Nation (Delaware Tribe of Indians). In 1867, the Delaware Indians decided to relocate to Oklahoma and live with the Cherokee Nation and were identified as Cherokee’s (Delaware Tribe of Indians). After years of negotiation, the Delaware Tribe of Indians regained their federal recognition in 2009 (Delaware Tribe of Indians). Overall, the Delaware Indians were robbed of their land, tricked, oppressed, and abused by the white settlers during their time in Pennsylvania. Thus, causing them to lose their home, family, tradition, and even their own recognition to be identified as a Delaware Indian. The migration of the Delaware Indians in the Loyalhanning was important to the history of Westmoreland County because of the legacy left behind. Focusing on the definition of legacy, this specific case means, the amount of land left behind for another through will. When looking at the Lenape's experience in the Loyalhanning area, they were forcefully moved out of the land and had left much more for the British Colonists to take. See, with a legacy it needs to be left through will, but for the Indians this was not the case. The land was violently stolen from them. The Loyalhanning area was used however necessary by the British. Now, it is a historical landmark meant to inform others of the continual misunderstanding between the British and Indigenous. 

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Loyalhanna Creek. (n.d.). Wikipedia. Retrieved May 29, 2022, from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loyalhanna_Creek

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