IROOUOIS MYTHS AND LEGENDS 



15 



breezes sometimes become gales that lash the waves to fury and 

 bring disaster to unwary barks. This the emigrating couple 

 discovered almost at the outset of their voyage. A violent storm 

 came up as they coursed down the North channel which wrecked the 

 ship and tossed it upon the shores of County Down in Ireland. 

 The unfortunate couple found refuge in a fisherman's cottage on 

 the shore where, about a month later, June 15, 1770, a son was 

 born, whom they named Guy. The Maxwells and their baby 

 son continued in Ireland for months when, in 1772, they em- 

 barked again for America. Upon their arrival they settled in 

 Carlisle, Pa., but soon removed to Virginia, where they made 

 their home in Martinsburg, Berkley co., and where today are 

 many descendants of the Scots, and prominent among them, 

 descendants of the Maxwells. 



When young Guy Maxwell was 18 years of age he took up his 

 residence at Tioga Point where he entered into the firm of Colonel 

 Hollenback. His extraordinary acumen is attested by the fact 

 that Governor Mifflin in 1788 appointed him justice of the peace, 

 then an office of greater importance than at the present day. 

 He was less than 19 years of age when he took the appointment 

 which he held for many years. Guy Maxwell occupied many 

 positions of trust during his early years and contemporary history 

 tells us that he was a shrewd business man. He removed from 

 Milton, Pa., in 1794 to the present site of Elmira where he pur- 

 chased a town lot. He dealt extensively with the Indians especially 

 the Senecas, by whom he was greatly esteemed because of his 

 uniform courtesy and strict honesty. In those days it was a com- 

 mon thing to treat Indians with respect but the quality of honesty 

 was oftentimes a rare one when dealing with them. The Senecas 

 appreciated his integrity and sought to express their regard by 

 bestowing upon him the name, Ta-se-wa-ya-ee, meaning Honest 

 Trader. His love for the red men of the forest was shared by his son, 

 Thomas, who was born in Athens, Pa. 



Thomas Maxwell. Thomas Maxwell during his early boyhood 

 became a great friend and favorite of the Indians who made Elmira 

 a trading post and often spent days in the forest with them. His 

 skill with the bow and his speed on the trail excited their admira- 

 tion. Finally after some deed of heroism and endurance, they 

 acclaimed that he was a red man at heart, though his skin was 

 white, adopted him in the Wolf Clan, told him to call Red Jacket 

 his father and that his name was henceforth, He-je-no and meant 

 Brave Boy. For years Thomas Maxwell was county clerk of 



