James Le Tort
He established trading posts at several remote Native American communities in Pennsylvania and Ohio and became fluent in the Delaware and Shawnee languages.
[4]: 166 Pennsylvania authorities including William Penn suspected that Le Tort and other coureurs des bois such as Peter Bisaillon were spying for the French, that they were "very dangerous persons" who "kept private correspondence with the Canida Indians and the French," who "entertained strange Indians in remote and obscure places," and who "uttered suspicious words.
[5] In June 1703, records show that "James Le Tort, who about two years ago went out of this Province to Canada, and returned last spring, having been upon his return examined before several of ye Council and magistrates, and no great occasion found to suspect him of any evil designs against the Government, he having been bred in it from his infancy, had hitherto behaved himself inoffensively, and was seduced to depart in time of peace by the instigation of some others, without any evil intentions that could be made appear in himself; and being now in town, together with Peter Bezalion, another Frenchman and Indian Trader, it was judged necessary to call them both before Council, and for further satisfaction, to take security of them for their behavior towards the Government.
[6] He submitted a petition to the Provincial Council, stating that "he had alwayes been faithful & bore true allegiance to ye Crown of England & was ready to give such further Security as should be thought reasonable, Yet was abriged of his Liberty and detained a prisoner, and praying for relief therein.
[4]: 165 In February 1707, Le Tort, along with Martin Chartier, Peter Bisaillon, and two other Frenchmen accompanied the Swiss explorer Franz Ludwig Michel to the upper branches of Potomac at Antietam and Conococheague creeks, in what is now Franklin County, Pennsylvania, where Michel believed they would find silver ore. Intending to set up a mine, they built several cabins and asked the Conestoga Indians living nearby for assistance, promising that the Provincial Government of Pennsylvania would pay them for their service.
After 1701 Godin operated a trading post near Paxtang and became well-known for "using endeavors to incense these people [the local Shawnees], to stir them up to enmity against the subjects of the Crown; and to join with our public enemy, the French, to our destruction.
[9]: 475 [10][11] Le Tort was formally licensed to trade with the Indians in January, 1713[4]: 167 and his name is listed on the first tax-list of Conestoga Township after it was founded in 1718.
[4][15][16]: 113 In his petition in 1722 to the Chester County Court, he asked for the renewal of his trading license on the grounds that he had then been "a Trader amongst the Indians for the past twenty-five years.
[4]: 167 John Taylor's 1727 map of the forks of the Susquehanna River shows James Le Tort's store to the east of Shamokin.
The letter was signed by Neucheconeh and four other Shawnee leaders and witnessed by Le Tort, Chartier, Larey Lowrey and Jonas Davenport.
[24][7] Following a conference at Shamokin in May 1722, Le Tort was named as interpreter to relay the response of the Lenape chiefs Sassoonan, Opekasset, and Manawkyhiokon to the Pennsylvania Council.
In April, 1728 Le Tort reported to Governor Patrick Gordon that Manawkyhickon, a Munsee Delaware chief who lived at Muncy Creek, and with whom he had consulted about making a trading trip to the Miamis, had discouraged him by saying that "he might happen on his way to see some Indians who come to hunt for scalps.
"[7]: 295–298 Le Tort discussed the matter with Madame Montour, who had promised to accompany him to the Miami country, but now informed him that she could not do so because she had heard "that a Delaware Indian woman whose son had been killed by the Shawanese had brought Manawkyhickon a long belt of black wampum of twelve rows, desiring that by means thereof her tears might be wiped away; that Manawkyhickon had sent this black belt to the Five Nations; and that the Five Nations sent the same to the Miamis, with a message, desiring to know if they would lift up their axes and join with them against the Christians; to which they agreed; that thereupon, Manawkyhickon had sent four belts of wampum to those of his nation who were abroad hunting, ordering them quickly to return home.
[4]: 187–88 The Governor immediately sent Le Tort and John Scull with messages and presents, and he instructed them to deliver the same to Allumapees, to Madame Montour, and to Manawkyhickon.
Reassuring answers came in response to the Governor's messages and on 15 May, Anthony Sadowski and John and Nicholas Scull were sent with additional presents for Allumapees, Opekasset, and Manawkyhickon.
Governor Gordon then informed the Pennsylvania Council that "some little differences had accidentally arisen between the Traders and the Shawanese,"[20]: 194 and that he was making every effort to calm the frightened colonists and soothe the Delawares and Shawnees in order to keep tensions from rising.
Le Tort and the other Indian traders who had frequent contact with Native American communities were instrumental in carrying messages and gifts, clearing up misunderstandings, and in keeping all sides informed of events.
In his examination, Le Tort states that he "is lately come from Allegeny, where there are several settlements of Delaware, Shawanese, Asswikalus, and Mingoe Indians, to the number of four or five hundred; that for these three years past, a certain French gentleman, who goes by the name of Cavalier, has made it his practice to come every spring amongst the Indians settled there, and deals with them but for a very small value; that he particularly fixed his abode amongst the Shawanese, with whom he holds frequent Councils; and, 'tis generally believed, with a design to draw them off from the English interest.
