Skenandoa
Sign in to saveAlso known as Shenandoah, Schenando, John Skenandoa, Oskanondonha
John Skenandoa (; – March 11, 1816), also called Shenandoah () among other forms, was an elected chief (a so-called "pine tree chief") of the Oneida. He was born into the Iroquoian-speaking Susquehannocks, but was adopted into the Oneida of the Iroquois Confederacy. When he later accepted Christianity, he was baptized as "John", taking his Oneida name Skenandoa as his surname. Based on a possible reconstruction of his name in its original Oneida, he is sometimes called "Oskanondonha" in modern scholarship. His tombstone bears the spelling Schenando ().
Wikidata facts
- Instance of
- human
- Gender
- male
- Place of birth
- Iroquois
- Place of death
- Oneida
- Occupation
- traditional leader or chief
- Religion
- Christianity
- Image
- Skandogh, the old Oneida chief (h-s, (3)) LCCN99613974.jpg
Show 4 more facts
- date of death
- 1816-03-11
- ethnic group
- Oneida
- date of birth
- 1706-00-00
- described by source
- Appletons' Cyclopædia of American Biography
Sources (1)
via Wikidata · CC0
~7 min read
Encyclopedic overview
4 sectionsContents
- Name
- Life
- Legacy and honors
- References
John Skenandoa (; – March 11, 1816), also called Shenandoah () among other forms, was an elected chief (a so-called "pine tree chief") of the Oneida. He was born into the Iroquoian-speaking Susquehannocks, but was adopted into the Oneida of the Iroquois Confederacy. When he later accepted Christianity, he was baptized as "John", taking his Oneida name Skenandoa as his surname. Based on a possible reconstruction of his name in its original Oneida, he is sometimes called "Oskanondonha" in modern scholarship. His tombstone bears the spelling Schenando ().
During the colonial years, Skenandoa supported the English against the French in the Seven Years' War. Later, during the American Revolutionary War, he supported the colonials and led a force of 250 Oneida and Tuscarora warriors in western New York in their support. He met George Washington, who wrote at least one letter of recommendation for him.
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Skenandoa” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.