Meshemethequater

He was a chief by 1738 and was present with his father and other Shawnee chiefs at a peace treaty conference in Philadelphia with William Penn, from 27 July to 1 August, 1739.[2] Although he voiced approval for the treaty, his signature does not appear on the printed page.[3]

After a series of violent conflicts between Indians and white settlers, Meshemethequater and other chiefs from the Six Nations (including Shikellamy), the Tuscaroras, and the Lenape met with Conrad Weiser and Andrew Montour at Shamokin, Pennsylvania on 4 February, 1743, and received wampum from Weiser, who was trying to persuade the Shawnees not to attack English traders living on the Allegheny, to prevent war from erupting. Weiser described Meshemethequater as "A captain of war, and a very noted man among the Shawonese; the English call him the Great Huminy."[4]^:139 Ultimately, the negotiations were successful.[5]^:84

He was with his cousin Peter Chartier and about 400 Shawnees on 18 April 1745, when they robbed eight English traders of their goods on the Allegheny River.[4] He then went with Chartier to the Ohio River Valley and stayed in Lower Shawneetown until 24 June 1745,[6] when he went with Chartier to Kentucky, where they established the community of Eskippakithiki.[7][8] In 1747 he accompanied Chartier's band of Shawnees to Tennessee, Alabama and South Carolina. In mid-1748, Meshemethequater and other Shawnee leaders apparently had misgivings about leaving Pennsylvania and returned to Lancaster with part of Chartier's band. In council with Scarouady on 20 July they submitted an apology for having joined with Chartier.[4] In a letter to Conrad Weiser dated 23 June, 1748 Anthony Palmer, President of the Pennsylvania Provincial Council, says of the repentant Shawnees:

...they relented, made acknowledgment to the Government of their error in being seduced by Peter Chartier, and prayed they might be permitted to return to their old Town, and be taken again as sincere penitents into the favor of the Government.[9]

Meshemethequater returned to Lower Shawneetown in 1750, and met George Croghan, Andrew Montour, Robert Callander and Christopher Gist there on 30 January, 1751,[10] during which he was the chief speaker for the Shawnees and made a warm speech which concluded: "We hope that the Friendship now subsisting between us & our Brothers will last as long as the Sun Shines or the Moon gives light." On 8 February, 1752 he signed a letter to Governor James Hamilton, pledging to support the English against the French after the French reportedly killed some Twightwee warriors.[11] Big Hominy, Loapeckaway (Loyparcowah, Opessa's son), Nickiphock, and Lawackamicky were named as among the chiefs at the Lower Shawneetown in 1752.[4]^:139

Meshemethequater and his wife are believed to have died in 1758 during an epidemic.[1]