Junundat, alternatively known as Junandot, Ayonontout, and Sunyendeand, was a

Wyandot Wyandot may refer to: Native American ethnography * Wyandot people, also known as the Huron * Wyandot language * Wyandot religion Places * Wyandot, Ohio, an unincorporated community * Wyandot County, Ohio * Camp Wyandot, a Camp Fire Boys and ...

Indian village located at the mouth of the

Sandusky River The Sandusky River ( wyn, saandusti; sjw, Potakihiipi ) is a tributary to Lake Erie in north-central Ohio in the United States. It is about longU.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National ...

, near modern-day Wightmans Grove, Ohio. Junundat was founded in 1739 by a tribe of Wyandots moving south from the vicinity of Detroit under the leadership of

Nicholas Orontony Nicholas Orontony (c. 1695–1750) was an 18th-century Wyandot leader who, in the years before the French and Indian War, tried to escape the domination of New France over Native people in the Detroit region by resettling in the Ohio countr ...

, after migrating to escape the aggressive

Ottawa Ottawa (, ; Canadian French: ) is the capital city of Canada. It is located at the confluence of the Ottawa River and the Rideau River in the southern portion of the province of Ontario. Ottawa borders Gatineau, Quebec, and forms the core ...

tribe. The village was a hub for trade in the region, until it was abandoned in 1747 following French aggression.

Name

Junundat is alternatively known as Junandot, Ayonontout, or Sunyeneand. It is also incorrectly referred to as Sunyendeand or Junqueindundeh, though these describe other towns in the same region. The name "Junundat" means "one hill", while Junqueindundeh means "it has a rock".

Location

Junundat was located near the mouth of the Sandusky River. The site had a good water supply, food, and arable land, making it attractive to both Indians and European settlers. The village's exact location has not been definitively determined, because of conflicting historical accounts and erosion in the area. Junundat was most likely located near present-day Wightmans Grove, Ohio, given a description of its location in Frederick Webb's ''Handbook on American Indians''.

History

Nicholas Orontony, an 18th-century Wyandot leader, moved south from

Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at ...

in 1739, and founded the village of Junundat. Orontony's goal was to distance himself from the aggressive

tribe. However, this move was viewed as a defection by the French to the

English English usually refers to: * English language * English people English may also refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * ''English'', an adjective for something of, from, or related to England ** English national id ...

, as part of the lead-up to the

French and Indian War The French and Indian War (1754–1763) was a theater of the Seven Years' War, which pitted the North American colonies of the British Empire against those of the French, each side being supported by various Native American tribes. At the st ...

. After the founding of the village, Orontony emerged as the leader of the Ohio's Wyandots. The Wyandots did trade with the English more than the Franch, due to their higher-quality and cheaper goods. Junundat welcomed English traders, becoming a trading hub in the region. The French attempted to stop the Wyandots from trading with the English, by attempting to bribe and intimidate them. The Wyandots continued trading regardless, fortifying Junundat in 1746, and launching attacks against the French. Orontony's attacks were referred to as the "Conspiracy of Nicolas" and "Orontony's Rebellion". In September 1747, French reinforcements began to arrive in the area. France, feeling threatened by Orontony, responded with significant force. Orontony viewed the battle as hopeless, abandoning the area with his tribe and traveling south. He settled a new village named

Conchake Muskingum (also known as Conchake) was a Wyandot people, Wyandot village in southeastern Ohio from 1747 to 1755. It was an important trade center in the early 1750s, until it was devastated by smallpox in the winter of 1752. The town was repopulat ...

, near present-day

Coshocton, Ohio Coshocton is a city in and the county seat of Coshocton County, Ohio, United States approximately 63 mi (102 km) ENE of Columbus. The population was 11,216 at the 2010 census. The Walhonding River and the Tuscarawas River meet in Co ...

References

Bibliography

* * * {{refend History of Ohio Populated places established in 1739 1739 establishments in North America Native American populated places Former Native American populated places in the United States