lost treasure of Borie / Pennsylvania

Yes I agree, however we maybe able to see if there are any trails that were established through that area.  If no, then take a look at the topography and see what is a likely trail when pulling wagons and traveling as a group. That may narrow down the search area before more specific resarch into Seneca legends.  Also I had seen a sight which linked to some Jesuit maps.  I need to find it again, it was in one of the other groups.  I am not sure of the time frame or area.

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Hello All

Thank you Which-way way for an interesting post. I have not heard that Senecas treasure legend before?

And Thank you Seldom for the wonderful information you found on the legend.

I am with BA on this one. So it forced  me to due a little digging.

Do you think it possible that this alleged earlier story is a corruption of another story about the French explorations in the area?


I have some thing else that may or may not be connected to the legend?

In 1749 the French sent Celoron de Blainville down the Allegheny and Ohio Rivers as a show of force to the British. Blainville buried lead plates at major river junctures along the way as proof of French ownership. Bonnecamps accompanied the expedition and prepared this manuscript map that is now at the Bibliotheque Nationale in Paris. It shows 'Lac' Ontario and Erie and the route down the Allegheny, the Ohio, up the Great Miami River and then down the Maumee back to Lake Erie. Bonnecamps' journal and map appear in the Jesuit Relations and the map is reproduced in Smith's Mapping of Ohio and in Hanna, which is the image shown here.

This lead plaque was placed at the junction of the Kanawha and Ohio Rivers in 1749 by Captain Pierre Joseph C?leron de Blainville. Five other plates were laid along other tributaries of the Ohio River to assert France's claims to all the lands watered by those rivers. Under its 1609 charter, Virginia claimed those lands, too. News of the lead plates reached Williamsburg and young George Washington was sent west to expel the French. This is the only plaque that survives intact.

Translation of the Lead Plate Buried at Point Pleasant

In the year 1749, reign of Louis XV., King of France, We, Celeron, commandant of a detachment sent by Monsieur the Marquis de la Galissoniere, Commandant General of New France, to re-establish tranquillity in some Indian villages of these cantons, have buried this plate at the mouth of the river Chinodashichetha, the 18th August, near the river Ohio, otherwise Beautiful River, as a monument of renewal of possessions, which we have taken of the said river Ohio, and of all those which fall into it, and of all the lands on both sides, as far as to the sources of said rivers; the same as were enjoyed or ought to have been enjoyed, by the preceding Kings of France, and that they have maintained it by their arms and by treaties, especially by those of Ryswick, Utrecht, and Aix-la- Chapelle.



What I find interesting is that the alleged gold treasure was alleged buried near a rock. One of the lead plates was allegedly buried near this rock called God rock.



Indian God Rock is found along the banks of the Allegheny River in Western Pennsylvania. The rock has been an eminent landmark for centuries to those who have voyaged the Allegheny. Ancient petroglyphs found on its surface have given it a lasting notoriety. The symbols found on the rock were carved hundreds of years ago. They could date back as far as 1200 A.D. It is still unknown who put them there or exactly when.

The hard sandstone rock is about 20 feet long and 14 feet wide. It is situated on about a 45? angle. The figures drawn on the rock represent different animals, man and there are some bows & arrows which probably typify hunting. The inscriptions on the rock have been worn down over the years due to annual high water and ice jams but they are still readable. Some ethnologists believe they are Algonquin in origin. The Algonquin were a tribe whose territory included this area long ago. They say it is not the work of the Seneca tribe who occupied the area later.

Early settlers noticed that the local Indians had much reverence for the rock and thus named it "Indian God Rock". Ironically, American Indians worshipped no idols or images other than the Great Spirit. There is evidence that it was known before whites settled in the area.

In 1749 de Celeron of France buried several lead plates claiming the Allegheny and surrounding area for the kingdom of France. One of the plates was buried near Indian God Rock. He described the location as a large rock with many crude figures engraved on it. He placed the rock "four leagues" below the French Creek tributary of the Allegheny River. The rock is about 7 miles south of French Creek which flows into the Allegheny in Franklin, PA.

Extensive excavations of the area around the rock have been done but the lead plate was never found. It may have washed away or been stolen. There was a plan to relocate the rock to a nearby park in Franklin but that didn't happen. It was feared the rock might be damaged. The only access to the rock today is by boat or bike. Several years ago, a paved bike trail was put down over an abandoned railroad bed. An observation platform was built next to the trail overlooking Indian God Rock. In 1984 it was placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

Perhaps the Seneca treasure legend is based on this 1749 event?

Hardluck




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Hello All

Here is a more detailed map of the 1749 expedition and approximate locations of the plates.

Hardluck.

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I am not finding any info about this treasure in the printed word with the exception of one of Jameson"s books. Granted most of my library is about Texas the gulf coast and the southwest but still if this treasure is real there should be more info on it.

Right now I am with Hardluck thinking that the lead plate and gold coins tails got mixed up.

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You right on all points Hardluck I got to go to the library tomorrow will see if I can find anything new.

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