Kyashuta was a Seneca leader born around 1725 in New York. He played a key role in Indian affairs in the Ohio Valley and what is now West Virginia. In 1753, he traveled with George Washington on a mission to warn the French to leave the region. After 1755, Kyashuta became the main Iroquois leader in the area.

He led attacks during the French and Indian War and Pontiac’s Rebellion, forcing settlers to leave the Greenbrier and Monongahela River areas. In 1774, after the killing of Indian families, Kyashuta tried to prevent more fighting, but he couldn't stop Cornstalk and Shawnees from battling Virginia militia at Point Pleasant.

During the American Revolution, he helped lead Indian forces but later became a strong supporter of peace.