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Stone's Trace Historical Society
Stone's Tavern & Stone's Trace Regulators
Five Medals
August 3, 1795, at fort Greenville, Ohio Country, a treaty of vital importance was signed, Present were familiar names: "Mad"Anthony Wayne, Little Turtle, William Henry Harrison, Blue Jacket, William Wells, White Pigeon, William Clark, Topinabee, Merriwether Lewis, Winamac, and a well-re-guarded chief of the St. Joseph River Band of Potawatomi named Wonongaseah, or(Wa-weeg-she), as his name was ascribed into the treaty next to his mark.
Wonongasaeah was known by several names which roughly translated to the medals which adorned him ans he became re-guarded simply as Five Medals. Five Medals lived on the Elkhart River, northwest of present-day Ligonier, IN. He traveled with Little Turtle to Philadelphia in 1796, where he met with President Washington, and in 1801 to Washington DC, where he met with and delivered an oration to President Jefferson. He was present and gave an oration at the famous Mississineway Conference of September, 1809.
Following 1795, Five Medals' village was served by successive agents, William Wells and John Johnston. There were at least two other important villages to the northwest of Fort Wayne, and the main route passing across the grounds on which Stone's Trace stands today was worn by both Native-Americans and European- Americans.
The events put into motion by the Battle of Tippecanoe on November 7, 1811, swallowed the entire region. Five medals found himself caught in the storm which ultimately placed him at the Siege of Fort Wayne in September, 1812. General Wm. H. Harrison's troops relieved the siege and immediately dispatched columns to conduct punitive raids. A spectator standing at the future Stone's Trace could have witnessed warriors traveling to Fort Wayne in early September, and their return followed by fast-moving troops commanded by William Wells' brother, Col. Samuel Wells. On September 14, 1812, Five Medals' village was raided and burned to the ground.
On June 10,1813, future Vice-President of the US and soon-to-be proclaimed hero of the Battle of the Thames, same ground on a return raid against Five Medal' village.
Stone’s Trace sits at a crossroads of history for our region. To think that important leaders and people who earned lasting fame passed this way is a humbling and reverent thought. Five Medals at the Trace is dedicated to them, to those who strive to re-enact our history through Living History programming and to you, our visitor.
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