Two Identities, One Man: Spemica Lawba of the Shawnee

In the days before centralized record keeping, verifying personal identity and family information was sketchy at best.  Even now, researchers must often rely on family history or rumor when there is no paper trail and DNA science hasn't advance to the point of connecting one person to one ancestor over several generations back.  This obstacle has led to some interesting puzzles, such as that involving a mixed-race Shawnee or Shawnee/Miami army scout known as Spemica Lawba (c 1774-1812).

Theory one, held by descendants of the Renick family and personal acquaintances of Spemica Lawba holds that on July 25, 1757, Robert Renick was murdered during a Shawnee raid and his family captured.  While most of the family were ransomed at some point, Joshua Renick remained with the Shawnee and became assimilated to their culture.  He was raised by the family of Tecumseh, whom he knew well.  At some later point, Joshua went to live with the Miami and took a wife from that tribe.  He had two sons by her, one of whom he named James.  James also received the Native name of Spemica Lawba, which has been translated as "High Horn".  How or when he received this name remains unclear.  While he was a young boy, High Horn was captured by General Benjamin Logan during his campaign against the Shawnee in 1786.  One object of the raid was to retrieve from the Shawnee any white or mixed race captives to repatriate to White society.  Logan found James Renick and learned something of his family history.  Logan might have known the Renick family as he was, like Robert and Joshua Renick, from Augusta County, Virginia, and both Logan and Joshua Renick had been baptized by the same parson. 

Logan took James Renick home with him to Kentucky and gave him an English education, teaching him to read and write.  In gratitude, James Renick adopted Logan's last name.  Later, James decided to return to Native society and General Logan respected his choice.  James never forgot his English upbringing and, years later, military officers who came into contact with him remarked on his ability to speak English and his love for fine horses.  He became a prosperous farmer and settled in Indiana, marrying a woman who, like himself, may have been of mixed ancestry. 

Theory two was first brought to light in the 20th century, by researchers independent of the Renick and Logan families, such as Allan Eckert of The Frontiersmen fame.  In Eckert's book, James Renick-Logan is referred to as Johnny Logan, or by the White nickname for him, Captain Johnny.  According to this theory, Johnny was a full Shawnee child captured by Logan, raised by him and later returned of his own accord to the Shawnee.  He took the name John Logan in gratitude to General Logan, but chose his Native heritage. 

When the War of 1812 broke out, James Logan joined a cavalry regiment to fight the British.  As with many men on the frontier who had either lived with or had mixed race ancestry, his skills and knowledge of the Natives would come in handy.  He quickly rose to the attention of William Henry Harrison.  In 1812, James Logan was sent to assist with the evacuation of women and children during the Siege of Fort Wayne.  He performed that task and later, Fort Wayne was relieved by Harrison's men.  In November, 812, James Logan was sent on a scouting mission along the Maumee River.  He was captured by warriors under Winnemac, whom we've met earlier, and was shot trying to escape.  He reached safety, but died of his wounds.  His commander, reporting the death to Harrison, wrote that, "more firmness and consummate bravery has seldom appeared in the military theater."  Captain Logan's remains were carried to his home village of Wapakoneta, Ohio and a grave stone placed there.  Later, a tombstone made out to Johnny Logan was erected in Defiance, Ohio.