Chief Opessa "Opeththa" Straight Tail

Residence of Origin: Old Fields VIllage Site, Registered on National Historic Landmarks, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shawnee_Old_Fields_Village_Site

Opessa aka Opethatha-Wapatha-Wopatha-Hopesha-Opessa Straight Tail – Pekowi born 1664 OH-died latter 1760 OH – son of Straight Tail-Meaurroway/1630 & Pekowi Woman/1635, Turtle Clan, moved 1677 with band to IN, moved 1680 to IL, 1689 moved with band to TN-NC-KY-VA, by 1693 living in Cecil Co MD, about 1693 a Pekowi Chief under his father in Cecil Co MD, 1697 moved to Lancaster Co PA with band, 1697 succeeded Straight Tail as Pekowi Chief in Pequea PA, signed Treaty 1701 with William Penn with Lemoytungh & Pemoyajagh, 1706 Council Philadelphia, 1707 Conference at Pequea Lancaster Co PA with Governor John Evans, 1710 Conference at Conestoga PA with John French & Henry Worley, resigned 1711 to move to Sassoonan’s Delaware village-Shamokin PA, succeeded 1711 as Pekowi Chief at Pequea PA by his brother Cakundawanna/1662, 1715 Conference Philadelphia with Sassoonan, 1722 moved to Old Town MD-upper Potomac & replaced his brother Cakundawanna as Pekowi Chief again by 1723, by 1734 moved to AL with band, by 1738 returned to western MD/southeast PA, Aug. 1749 Council Philadelphia, 1750 moved to OH, 1752 succeeded Pheasant-Kakawatchekee/1680 as Head Pekowi Chief on the Ohio River, May 1756 Council Tioga Point, Aug. 1760 Council Ft. Pitt, brother in law (through sister Snow White) of Peter Chartier/1690, connected with Poxinosa, White Fish (1) & Okowellos Cornstalk, great-grandfather of Tecumseh/1768, husband 1st by 1684 IN of Margaret Pekowi/1670, 2nd 1711 PA of Polly-Daughter of Sassoonan/1695-Delaware, father with Margaret of children/1685-94, daughter Snow White/1695, sons Tecoomteh/1698, Wawwaythi/1700, Loyparkoweh/1705 & Lawaquaqua-Pride Opessa/1710-all Pekowi, children with Polly unknown

This tree comes from the books: Green, Don with Schultz, Noel. Shawnee Heritage I. Second Edition. Published by Lulu.com. 2008. ISBN 978-1-4357-1573-8./ Green, Don. Shawnee Heritage II. First Edition, Published by Lulu.com. 2008. ISBN: 978-0-557-03605-9.

Opessa Straight Tail was born 1664 and died after 1760. His first wife was Margaret Pekowi, who had been born about 1670 and died 1710 in Maryland. Their children were:

• 1. Children Opessa 1685-1684
• 2. Snow White Opessa born 1695 Cecil County, MD and died 1737 PA. She was the namesake of her aunt, Snow White Straight Tail. She was the wife of Peter Chartier who had been born about 1690.
• 3. Tecoomteh Opessa born 1698 or 1700 PA and died after 1738 PA.
• 4. + Wawwaythi / Waywayti Opessa born about 1700 and died after 1750.

NOTE: Could this be: Pride Wawwaythi Lawaquaqua Lawachkamikee Lawpkawat Opessa (Pekowi)

• 5. + Loyparkoweh Straight Tail aka Loyparkoweh Opessa born about 1702 PA or 1705 MD died after 1760 OH
• 6. Pride Opessa aka Lawaquaqua was born about 1710 MD and died 1753 SC

+ NOTE These brothers [ Wawwaythi / Waywayti Opessa & Loyparkoweh Straight Tail aka Loyparkoweh Opessa] were married to sisters and in 1738 they switched spouses.

GEDCOM Note

Bear Clan Straight Tail

A member of the Turtle Clan. 1677 - moved with band from mid-Ohio valley to Indiana-Illinois-Miami & Illinois River valleys

 1689 - moved with band from Illinois-Indiana to Tennessee-North Carolina-Kentucky Virginia corner
 by 1693 - living in Cecil County, Maryland
 1693 - a Pekowi Chief under his father in Cecil County, Maryland
 1697 - moved to Lancaster County, Pennsylvania with band and succeeded Straight Tail as Pekowi Chief in Pequea, Pennsylvania
 1701 - signed Treaty with William Penn
 1706 - Council Philadelphia
 1707 - Coference at Coestoga, Pennsylvania with John French and Henry Worley
 1711 - resigned as Pekowi Chief to move to Sassoonan's Delaware village - Shamokin, Pennsylvania
 1715 - Conference Philadelphia with Sassoonan
 1722 - moved to Old Town, Maryland
 1723 - replaced brother Cakondawanna as Pekowi Chief
 by 1734 - moved to Alabama with band
 by 1738 - returned to wester Maryland/southeast Pennsylvania
 August 1749 - Council Philadelphia
 1750 - moved to Ohio
 1752 - succeeded Pheasant-Kakawatchekee as Head Pekowi Chief on the Ohio River
 May 1756 - Council Tioga Point
 August 1760 - Council Fort Pitt