ONEIDA, L-ni'da. A central tribe of the Iroquois Confederacy (q.v.). The name by which they arc commonly known is a corruption of their proper name, Oncyotka-ono, commonly rendered 'people of the stone.' referring to the tribal palladium, the celebrated 'Oneida Stone,' a large granite boulder near the site of their ancient village on Oneida Lake. Their territory was about the lake of the same name, in central New York, and extending southward to the waters of the Susquehanna. They were con sidered a younger member of the confederacy. and never attained any special prominence in its affairs, seeming always to have acted con trary to the spirit of the league, being usually friendly to the French and Jesuits, of whom the majority of the Iroquois were the determined enemies; at a later period they, almost alone of their kindred, took sides with the Americans in the Revolutionary War. Their friendship for the Americans during this struggle was due chiefly to the influence of their Congregational missionary. Samuel Kirkland, and drew down upon them the vengeance of the hostile Iroquois under Brant,who burned their villages and forced them to take refuge within the American settle ments until the close of the war, when the main body returned to their former homes, while a considerable number emigrated to Canada and settled upon Thames River. Ontario, where they
still remain. Between 1820 and 1835, having sold most of their lands in the State of New York, the majority of the Oneida removed to a reservation at the head of Green Bay, Wis., where they now reside, being fairly prosperous and civilized, as are also those in New York and Canada. The whole tribe numbers at present considerably over 3000 (being probably more numerous than at any former period of its his tory), distributed as follows: Oneida reservation, Wisconsin, 19S0; Oneida and other reservations, New York, 270; 'Oneidas of the Thames,' Ontario, SOO; with Six Nations on Grand River, Ontario, not specified.