Kikthawenund (1757–1831), also known as William Anderson, was a leader of the Unalatchgo

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

people. The city of

Anderson Anderson or Andersson may refer to: Companies * Anderson (Carriage), a company that manufactured automobiles from 1907 to 1910 * Anderson Electric, an early 20th-century electric car * Anderson Greenwood, an industrial manufacturer * Anderson ...

in Indiana is named after him.

Early life

Anderson was born along the banks of the

Susquehanna River The Susquehanna River (; Lenape: Siskëwahane) is a major river located in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States, overlapping between the lower Northeast and the Upland South. At long, it is the longest river on the East Coast of the ...

in or about what is today

Marietta, Pennsylvania Marietta is a borough in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. The population was 2,633 at the 2020 census. It is located on the east bank of the Susquehanna River northwest of Columbia. Geography Marietta is located in western Lancaster County at ( ...

close to what was then called Anderson's Ferry. The Ferry was operated by his father, John Anderson, a man of Swedish descent. John Anderson was married to a daughter of the Lenape chief

Netawatwees Netawatwees or King Newcomer (c. 1686–1776, Lenape) was Sachem (principle Chief) and spiritual leader of the Delaware. His name, meaning "skilled advisor" or "first in council," is spelled in a variety of ways including Netaut Twelement, Na-tau ...

. This woman's name has not been recorded. William Anderson married young. In 1784 after his first wife had died he married Ahkechlungunaqua. They had three children together including

Mekinges Conner Mekinges Elizabeth Conner (1785 – ca. 1861) was a Lenape woman. Little is known about Mekinges Conner considering her role in the history of Hamilton County, Indiana. Many articles have been written about her husband William Conner, a pioneer in ...

. Little is recorded of Anderson's early life. He had moved to what is now Ohio by the 1790s and was one of 14 Lenape leaders to sign the

Treaty of Greenville The Treaty of Greenville, formally titled Treaty with the Wyandots, etc., was a 1795 treaty between the United States and indigenous nations of the Northwest Territory (now Midwestern United States), including the Wyandot and Delaware peoples, ...

. It was about then that Anderson moved to the site that was later named after him:

Anderson, Indiana Anderson, named after Chief William Anderson, is a city in and the county seat of Madison County, Indiana, United States. It is the principal city of the Anderson, Indiana Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses Madison County. Anderson is ...

. The move seems not to have happened until 1798 based on later statements of Anderson's son Sarcoxie. Anderson built a log house within the current boundaries of the city of Anderson.

Chief

In 1806 an assembly was held at Anderson's village where he was recognized as chief by those present. In 1811 Anderson refused to back

Tecumseh Tecumseh ( ; October 5, 1813) was a Shawnee chief and warrior who promoted resistance to the expansion of the United States onto Native American lands. A persuasive orator, Tecumseh traveled widely, forming a Native American confederacy and ...

. Later that year Anderson and his followers relocated to

Piqua, Ohio Piqua ( ) is a city in Miami County, southwest Ohio, United States, 27 miles north of Dayton. The population was 20,522 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area. It was founded as the village of Washington in ...

at the urging of

William Henry Harrison William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...

. In 1815, Anderson returned to his village in Indiana, which had been burned by the

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

while he was away, and began to rebuild it. In 1818 Anderson was one of the signatories of a treaty at St. Mary's, Ohio in which the Lenape agreed to leave Indiana and relocate west of the Mississippi. In 1821 Anderson along with about 1,350 other Lenape relocated from Indiana to the banks of the Current River in Missouri. In 1830 Anderson and his followers relocated to what is now Kansas, where he died the following year.

Sources

article on Chief Anderson
{{DEFAULTSORT:Anderson, William, Chief 1757 births 1831 deaths Lenape people Native American people from Indiana Native American people from Pennsylvania People from Marietta, Pennsylvania