CAPT. JOSEPH KELLOGG {71} <1.2b.3a.4f.5c.6e.7c>, son of Martin {26} <1.2b.3a.4f.5c.6e> b. 8 Nov. 1691; m. 10 Mar. 1720, Rachel Devotion, dau. of Rev. Ebenezer Devotion of Suffield, Conn.

He d. 1756, in Schenectady, N. Y., while with Governor Shirley on his unfortunate Oswego expedition.

At the sack of Deerfield, he was taken captive and carried to Canada, where he remained with the Indians a year and was then delivered to the French with whom he spent the ten years succeeding. During this time, he traveled with traders and acquired the French language as well as that of all the tribes of Indians with which the French were engaged in traffic. Of the dialect of the Mohawks his knowledge was especially thorough. In this manner, to use his own expression, he "got into a very good way of business so as to get considerable of moneys and other things, and handsomely to support himself, and was under no restraint at all.". During his captivity, he made a voyage in 1710 to the Mississippi river, being probably the first native-born white New Englander to see that river. The following account of that voyage is taken from the register book of the Royal Society of London, 1722-24, folios, 132-136:

"A short account of a trading Voyage performed by Joseph Kellug, an English man of New England, in Company with six French men from Canada to Mifsisippi in the year 1710, in two Canoos made of Birch Bark, with some general Remarks made by the said Kellug. (Read May 11, 1721.)

"His departure was from mon-real which is an Island in Canada River Sixty Leagues above Quebeck (it would be best to have a map of north America before you while you are reading) from thence they went not up the River Iriquois and so to the falls of Niagara, but a northwest Course up the grand River, as high as Mattawan, and then carried their canooes a short League over land to the small Lake Nippising (which should be placed nearer to Mattawan and the grand river) and from thence by a small River called the french River, they went into one of the great Lakes, viz., the Lake Huron.

"The country from Mattawan to Lake Huron is as miserable as you can suppose. He observed no pine or spruce from Canada to Mifsisippi, but abundance of black walnut. Mr. Senexes Map of North America calls the Lake Huron by the name of Michigan, but this Mr. Kellug affirms to be a mistake, and the alias dict. of Michigan (or otherwise called Michigan) should be placed upon the Lake Hinois: for that is often call'd by the name of Michigan. Here also it may be remark'd once for all that these great Lakes are never frozen (unlefs round the Edges) but the main body of their waters are always open like the Sea, being near fifty Leagues in length.

"Having enter'd the Lake Huron they coasted it along on the north side of the Island Manytavalin till they came to the northwest end of it, keeping always pretty near the Shoar: for there is no venturing far off in a Birch Canoe. They wintered in a Village of the Outawas an Indian Tribe not very numerous, settled between the three Lakes; the name of the Village was Michalmakinas, which in the language of the Outawas signifies a Turtle. Here again Mr. Kellug, having Mr. Senexes Map Upon the Table, offer'd another Correction as to the Situation of the Lake Superior, for he seem'd confident that the Map had placed that Lake too near the other two lakes, by at least twenty or thirty Ieagues. The Streights or Communication between the two Lakes Huron and Hinois or Michigan are about two Leagues over, and frozen every winter. Here they found very good fishing for Trouts, and confirmed father Hennysins account of their prodigious bignefs. Mr. Kellug himself hall'd up severall of more than fifty pound weight. The Water clear, sweet and fresh forty fathom deep. Having pafs'd these Streights, they enter'd the lake Hinois or Michigan: Here again Mr. Kellug observed a mistake as to the Situation of the Lake; for whereas, ye map places the length of it north and south, he afsures me that it lies near North North east and South South-west, or as his phrase was, the South End should be placed more to the westward: This great Lake also they coasted till they came near the south west end of it, and then carried their canoos over Land a full League to a branch of the River Hinois, and this is called Chigaquea.

"About the head of the River Hinois are fine large Savannahs or meadows of forty miles in Length some of the richest Land the world affords. This River Hinois is one of the great Rivers that falls into Mifsisippi and runs a Course of one hundred & thirty Leagues before it empties itself into Mifsisippi. Into this River Hinois comes the River Miamis or St. Joseph, as the French call it, ifsuing from the Lake Hinois.

"Mr. Kellug in his return went up that river into the Lake; there they met with Sturgeon of ten foot long.

"The Savvannahs before mention'd are the noble pastures of thousands of Buffaloes and wild cattle, and which they saw in great herds, and to their surprise in some of the feeding or lodging places of these wild cattle they discover'd bunches of true Clover grafs.

"As they went to the River Hinois they rais'd an infinite number of wild fowl, such as Cranes, Geese, Duck; and Swans in great abundance that feed upon wild Oats, are call'd by the Indians Mauthomine, by the French Fol-avoine, and are very good grain, and may be boild and eat as rice, and will swell from one quart to ten or twelve. They grow in such abundance by the banks of the River as it runs through Savannahs that a man may fill a Canoo with the grain in a few hours.

"Upon this River Hinois they found wild Apple Trees and Plumb trees, the Apples bitter and sour, but the plumbs good: and a fruit much like Cucumber that grow upon small Trees or Shrubs. They call them Raisimins.

"Before the River Hinois falls into the Mifsisippi, it is join' d by the Curamani, which in the Indian signifies vermillion, and so may be named upon the Map.

"The next Stage down this River was the Fort Louis, alias Creve Coeur. Here again happens a considerable mistake in the map: for whereas the Fort is placed at the lower End of the little Lake Pimetawi, it really stands thirty Leagues above the Lake. Below the Lake Pimetawi, the River Hinois is joined by two considerable Rivers, and at length empties all its water into the great river.

"The River Mifsisippi, where the River Hinois joins it, is more than half an English mile broad, and very deep water.

"Here Mr. Kellug found himself in a new world, compar'd with the River Canada.

"The climate Temperature, everything gay and pleasant, abundance of fine fruit Trees, stocks of small Parrots in the woods, that which he remark'd of them was that the hinder part of the head was yellow, the forepart green, and at the end of the Bill a ring as red as blood. The Winter is here so moderate, that the snow seldom lies above 24 hours, and no more than two or three inches deep.

"Five Leagues from the mouth of Hinois bring you to the mouth of another great River that joins Mifsisippi from the west side, the name of it is Mifsouris, and is a very great rapid River and much bigger than Hinois. Below Mifsouris, the next place on the Map is the Village Tamaroa alias Cawhukah. The little River below Tamaroa is called Meschgamme, and deserves a name in the map; for there is a french Village settled upon it, where they raise excellent Wheat, very good Indian Com, have a windmill, and have a stock of Cattle, make a very good sort of wine.

"Mr. Kellug says they had severall hogsheads of it when he was there; it is of a red colour and has a rough taste.

"The land produces excellent Melons, good Beans, turneps and all sorts of Garden herbs; the woods Oak and several sorts of wallnuts.

"Just over the mouth of Tamaroa River on the other side of the Mifsisippi are abundance of Salt Springs, where natives are supplied with Salt. They lye just above a small River called LaSalme in the map, near to which little River it might be said Salt Springs.

"The next River towards the Sea that falls into the Mifsisippi is Quebache. This River Quebache (taking in the River Acansea which joins it near the Mifsisippi) is a great River of at least 60 Rod broad, as one of the largest that falls into the Mifsisippi. The River Acansea goes among the natives by the name of Ohiyew which with them signifies fine or beautiful River. Here also Mr. Kellug says it is a noble country, vast numbers of wild Cattle that make great and open roads for many miles together; & hereabouts Mr. Kellug's Company ended their trading Voyage, and so returned back to Canada."

In 1714 his brother, Martin, went to Canada to induce him to return to New England and two years later he was placed in the pay of the government. He made several journeys to Canada, Albany and other distant places. In 1723 the General Court of Massachusetts voted to build a block house above Northfield and to post in it forty able men, English and Western Indians to be employed in scouting at a good distance up Connecticut River, West River, Otter Creek, and Eastwardly, above Great Monadnock, for the discovery of the enemy coming toward any of the frontier towns, etc. A fort was built on the west bank of the Connecticut in the southeast corner of the present town of Brattleboro, Vt., and was called Fort Dummer. The fort was built of yellow pine and was about one hundred and eighty feet square. He was stationed at this fort for more than twenty years, either in command or as interpreter.

He was Lieutenant in 1722, under Samuel Barnard; acted also as interpreter. From that time until his death he was constantly occupied as a scout or interpreter. The General Court in 1727 granted him two hundred acres of the unappropriated land in the County of Hampshire. ^[1] His skill in Indian signals, modes of ambush and warfare enabled him to meet the savage foe on terms almost equal. The History of Northfield says: "Capt. Kellogg was one of those brave, true natures that are not appreciated while living and receive little renown when dead. Unselfish, fearless, conscientious, always ready to go where duty called, he gave the strength of his manhood to the defense of these frontiers. He lived to see doubtful beginnings become sturdy growths; he lived to see the question settled that the French rule would never be dominant in the Connecticut valley. Northfield owes it to him that it was not a third time destroyed."

He was employed as interpreter in Rev. Seargent's Indian mission at Stockbridge for nearly two years. In 1756, though broken in health, he was persuaded by Governor Shirley to accompany him to Oswego as interpreter, but his strength was not equal to the journey and he died and was buried in Schenectady. He was regarded as the best interpreter of his day in New England.

Children:

JONATHAN {294} <1.2b.3a.4f.5c.6e.7c.8a>, b. in Northfield, 23 Aug. 1721; m. Lucy Kent.

RACHEL {295} <1.2b.3a.4f.5c.6e.7c.8b>, b. 14 July 1724; m. Lieut. Elijah Kent.

JOANNA {296} <1.2b.3a.4f.5c.6e.7c.8c>, b. 26 Dec. 1727; m. Seth Dwight.

REBECCA {297} <1.2b.3a.4f.5c.6e.7c.8d>, b. in Fort Dummer, 8 Apr. 1729; m. Elihu Kent.

MARTIN {298} <1.2b.3a.4f.5c.6e.7c.8e>, b. 26 May 1734; m. Phylis Kent.