364 THE INDIAN OCCUPANCY 



that they were perfectly well known to them at that time and it 

 is quite probable that these sites were never entirely without 

 occupants. 



From some time unknown until 1656 the southern portion of 

 the Frontier was occupied by the Eries, a nation of Iroquoian 

 stock. They lived at one time on the shores of Lake Erie but 

 were driven thence by enemies from the west and compelled to 

 settle farther inland. Their northern frontier was, perhaps, at 

 Eighteen Mile Creek, in Erie County, though they had no large 

 villages farther north than Cattaraugus Creek. They were de- 

 stroyed as a nation by the Senecas in 1656. There is ample evidence 

 of their occupancy in the Relations of the Jesuits. 



From some unknown date until 1652 the Frontier was occu- 

 pied by the strong Neutral Nation. Their villages were farther 

 west in the Niagara Peninsula but one existed at "Kienuka", 

 Site No. 39, Eewiston; one at Site No. 57, Wheatfield N. Y.; 

 one at Site No. 30, Grand Island; two small ones on the Sites 1 

 and 2, Bertie; one at Port Colborne; one possibly on the river 

 bank at Fort Erie; one, the location of which is also unknown, 

 but whose burial place was in the "Sand-pits" near St. David's, 

 was perhaps the "Atiragenrega" of Franquelin, perhaps the 

 ' 'Niagagarega' ' of Creuxius. ' 'Kienuka' ' may have been the ' 'On- 

 dieronius" of Creuxius or the "Ouaroronon" of Father Dallion. 

 By these words each meant more probably, "Wenrohronon". 



Of the Neutral occupancy of three or four villages east of 

 the Niagara River we have the word of the Jesuits and this is 

 corroborated by archaeology. The artifacts at Cambria, are 

 undoubtedly Neutral. Of the Neutral occupancy of the sites 

 named west of the river there is also ample historic proof which 

 is corroborated by their archaeology. 



From an unknown date until 1639 a portion of the region 

 east of the Niagara River was occupied by the Wenrohronons 

 who were either a branch of the Neutrals or a separate nation of 

 the Iroquoian stock. They lived in two or perhaps three villages. 

 One of these villages is represented by the group of sites, Num- 

 bers 7 and 8, Buffalo; 34 and 35, West Seneca and possibly No. 

 22, East Hamburg. A second is represented by the group of 

 three sites at East Elma. A third perhaps was at Shelby, N. Y. 

 A site at Oakfield may have been Wenro. It was a defended 

 site and the remains found there indicate a people of Iroquoian 



