Although some describe Shikellamy as having the tact to deal with the Delaware Indians, others claim that the Delaware were scorned by Shikellamy. This is due in a large part to the bad reputation of their chief, Sassoonan, who was also known as Allummapees. Upon Allummapee’s move to Shamokin he had been introduced to “firewater”, known to us as alcohol, and had very quickly become addicted. He was seldom sober enough to keep up with his leadership duties and as a result allowed disorder to infect his tribe, causing him to lose Shikellamy’s respect. In efforts to promote his own authority Shikellamy claimed that the Deleware cheated the blacksmith, drank too much, and were led by “an inebriate (Allummapee)”. When Allummapee died in September of 1747, Shickellamy, Weiser, and their comrade Logan, spoke with the Philadelphia officials and were able to prevent Pisquitomen, Allummapee’s heir from assuming authority.   


By 1720 the Iroquois had denied them of their only real freedoms, the rights to make war and the rights to sell land and as a result they were bitter, angry with their lack of authority, and tired of being pushed around.  Those who could began to move out and at this point the tribe began to scatter.  The majority of Delaware descendents today live in Oklahoma.