Indian Will

Who is Indian Will?

Indian Will was a well-known Native American who lived in a former settlement of the Shawnee Indians at the site of prevent day Cumberland, Maryland in the 18th century. This site was abandoned by the Shawnee's prior to the first white settlers arriving in the region, however 'Indian Will' stayed behind living in a hut on the mountain side. Will was a local legend in his time, and he is even credited with the original ownership of the present day Wills Creek and Wills Mountain.

According to Lowdermilk, Will was a full blooded Indian, who with family and a few followers remained in the land of their forefathers despite the approach of the white man did not remove their wigwams, but received their strange visitors with a kindly greeting, and lived in intimate friendship with them'.

Will's home was in a small cove about three miles from the mouth of the stream that bears his name. It was close to the rocky formation west of Cumberland known as the 'Devil's ladder'. It is also recorded that he had an Indian friend known as Eve. We could find no further reference to her.

Governor Bladen of Maryland persuaded Col. Thomas Cresap to survey the land in that area named 'Will's Town'. Apparently Will's claims to ownership of this land were respected. When the early explorers decided to build a cabin here they never failed to give the Indian some trifle as a pretended compensation for the land.