Iroquois prosperous settlements in the 19th century, supporting themselves via farming and the sale of sleds, snowshoes, boats, and baskets. In 1884, about 100 Canadian Iroquois were hired by the British government to serve as river pilots and boatmen for the relief expedition for the besieged General Charles Gordon in Khartoum in the Sudan, taking the force commanded by Field Marshal Wolsely up the Nile from Cairo to Khartoum. On their way back to Canada, the Canadian Iroquois river pilots and boatmen stopped in London, where they were personally thanked by Queen Victoria for their services to Queen and Country. In
Owego (village), New York Owego (village), New York Owego is a village in and the county seat of Tioga County, New York, United States. The population was 3,896 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Binghamton Metropolitan Statistical Area. The name is derived from the Iroquois word "Ahwaga", meaning "where the valley widens." The Village of Owego is by the west town line of the Town of Owego and is west of Binghamton, New York. Owego is one of only twelve villages in New York still incorporated under a charter; all other New York villages have incorporated or re-incorporated under the provisions