Straight Tail Meaurroway Opessa
Straight Tail Meaurroway Opessa (1630–1709 or 1710), or simply known as Meaurroway, was Chief of the Pekowi, a subdivision of the Shawnee Native American tribe. He was also the Chief of the Turtle Clan, one of the most religious orders of the tribe.
Biography
Straight Tail was born in 1630 in present-day Ohio, to the Chief of the Pekowi and an unnamed Pekowi Woman. Nothing is yet known of his childhood or teenage years, but what is known is that he succeeded his father at the age of 40 in 1670, as both Pekowi Chief and Chief of the Turtle Clan. Each division of the Shawnee had control over different aspects of the whole tribe's lifestyle, and the Pekowi managed the Shawnee's state of order, duty and celebration of religion. As Chief, Straight Tail was in charge of these important aspects of tribal life. Meaurroway was a strong leader, leading his people on massive migrations:
1677: Leads his people to present-day Illinois and Miami to join up with other bands of Shawnee and various tribes.
1680–1693: Leads his tribe to the area around present-day Tennessee, Kentucky, Virginia and North Carolina, frequently moving throughout that area over the course of 13 years.
1697: Straight Tail settles down with his tribe in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania.
Straight Tail eventually gave up his rank of Chief of the Pekowi and the Turtle Clan to his son, Opessa, in 1697. Opessa would later sign a peace treaty with William Penn in 1701, and have good relations with Pennsylvania governor John Evans. Straight Tail's grandson Peter Chartier became chief of the Pekowi in 1737.
Straight Tail Meaurroway Opessa died in Pennsylvania in either 1709 or 1710.
Children
Straight Tail married a Pekowi woman in 1650, having the following children:
Wolf Straight Tail: born about 1654.
Sewatha Straight Tail: born about 1660 in Ohio, USA. Married to Martin Chartier about 1693. Mother of Peter Chartier. Died in 1759 in Illinois.
Cakundawanna Straight Tail: born about 1662.
Opessa Straight Tail: born about 1664. Great-grandfather of Tecumseh, famed Shawnee leader during the War of 1812.
Snow White Straight Tail: born about 1666 in Ohio, USA.
John White Straight Tail: born about 1670 in Ohio, USA.
Daughter Straight Tail: born about 1680 in Illinois, USA.
Legacy and intermarriages
Unlike other Native American Chiefs before him, Straight Tail did not discourage interracial marriage. He encouraged a good relationship with the Europeans. His daughter, Sewatha, married a prominent French trader, Martin Chartier, who explored the Great Lakes region of America with Rene-Robert de la Salle. Other children and their descendants also married whites. His grandson was Peter Chartier, who was active in opposition to the British in the French and Indian War.
Because of these marriages, many of his modern-day descendants include people that have Caucasian features.
Bibliography
http://shaybo-therisingtide.blogspot.com/2011/10/shawnee-collins-family.html