USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Stratford > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 3
USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Bridgeport > A history of the old town of Stratford and the city of Bridgeport, Connecticut > Part 3
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The Report of the Committee.
" Loving neighbors of Stratford we whose names are underwritten have according to the order we had from Gen-
2
18
History of Stratford.
eral Court, without any respect to persons considered of the value that Fairfield men shall pay to Stratford for the 80 acres of land that the Indians do possess at Paquanocke with a due consideration of the land and the place where it lies, wherein we are agreed and do appoint that the Fairfield men shall pay to the Stratford men for the 80 acres of land that the Indians do possess at Paquanocke, twenty pound ; this to be paid in beefe, porke, wheat and pease. Of beefe 2 barrels, [and] of porke, good and merchantable, which we value at twelve pound, and 8 pounds to be payd in wheat and pease ;- wheat at 4 shillings 6 pense the bushill, pease 3 shillings 6 pense the bushell. good and merchantable, and this to be payed of Fair- field to Stratford men betwixt this and the first day of March next ensuing. This being our agreement we have set to our hands
Narwoke May 2, 1660.
Matthew Camfeyld Thomas Fitch."
When this settlement was effected in obedience to the directions of the Court, an arrangement was made directly with the Indians.
Agreement between the Indians of Pequannock and the inhabit- ants of Stratford.
" Whereas there hath been a difference between the Indians of Pequanack and the inhabitants of Stratford, for the issuing of which it is agreed the Indians aforesayd acknowl- edging their former irregular carriage and misdemeanor and promising reformation in the particulars hereafter mentioned, it is then agreed that the aforesaid Indians shall have liberty to plant and improve the land between the fence that the Indians made and the bounds which the committee laid for the aforesaid Indians, till they shall forfeit the same in the apprehension of the inhabitants of Stratford by breaking their engagement in the particulars following :
" The Indians do hereby ingage not to kill or any way molest our cattle and swine.
19
Indian Obligations.
" They ingadge to medle with none of our corn or pease to steale from us.
" They do ingadge so to mayntayne their fence which joynes to the fence of the Inhabitants of Stratford that the corn may be secured, and if any damage comes through any defect in their fence they are to make satisfaction.
"They are further, to keep up their fence winter and summer to prevent damaging either them or us.
" They do further engadge to suffer none of the in- habitants of Fayrefeyld and those of the farmers to get in or drive any cattle through the aforesaid ground which the Indians improve, that is to say the whole bounds layed out by the committee upon and about Golden Hill.
" The Indians aforesaid are well satisfied with what the committee had done, every particular, and concerning the two highways likewise.
" These Indians have subscribed in the name of all the rest, this 24th Aprill 1660.
Musquattat's mark Nimrod's mark
Nesuposu's mark
Nomledge's mark
Pechekin's mark."
Thus rested the question of the ownership of the Soil of the Stratford township at the end of twenty years of occu- pancy by the English. It had not been purchased by the whites, not a rod square of it so far as has been ascertained unless it had been one piece bought by Moses Wheeler-deed dated April 12, 1659-as he alleged in 1684, but which was never recorded on Stratford records, although he said he made the purchase at the request of the principal men of the town; and therefore all the statements by historians that Stratford territory was purchased in 1639, by Mr. Thomas Fairchild or any others were made for want of information, which might easily have been obtained from the Stratford first book of Town Records.
,
CHAPTER II.
INDIAN DEEDS AND RESERVATIONS.
CARCELY had the proceedings instituted before the General Court come to a close declaring that Stratford, in 1659, already owned the land it claimed, before the In- dians began to clamor for pay for their long possessed inheritance, and the people of the town began to yield in hope of obtaining a peaceful end, and to buy the land at the most favorable terms possible.
The first deed of purchase which has come to light was recorded in the first book of land records for the Colony at Hartford and was received by Moses Wheeler and dated April 12, 1659, and seems to have been executed while the question of title was before the Court at Hartford. It was a deed of "a parcel of ground lying along the side of Potatuck river, the east end of it being on a small river, which they say is Nayump, the west end bound- ing to a great rock [from which the name-nai-ompsk ' point of rock' was derived] which reacheth the full length of all that plain piece of ground, and also to have two miles and a half of ground on the upland and all the meadow within that bounds."1 " Moses Wheeler alleged that the pur- chase was made at the solicitation of the principal inhabitants of Stratford, to prevent it from falling into other hands and that it cost him upwards of forty pounds." After the Court in 1659 decided that the territory belonged to Stratford with-
Col. Land Rec., i. 213, 214.
2 Mr. C. H. Hoadly in Col. Rec., iii. 164.
21
Indian Deeds of Stratford.
out paying for it, the town allowed Moses Wheeler to keep his land twenty-five years and then began to lay it into divis- ion lots among its own members without regard to Moses Wheeler, although he was one of their own citizens. But they were brought to time by the General Court in October, 1684, by a profitable suggestion, thus: " This Court do rec- ommend it to the town of Stratford to come to an agreement with Moses Wheeler, sen. about the purchase he made of the Indians of a tract of land within their bounds," and some of the townsmen were required to appear at the next court and report the proposition of settlement to be ratified by the Court, which they did by giving Mr. Wheeler half of the land. Charity suggests that possibly these brethren of Moses Wheeler had forgotten, or were taking a little nap on, the subject of the golden rule as the reason why they left him with the expense of the land for twenty-five years, without fulfilling their agreement.
On June 5, 1660, a little over one year after the Court rendered its decision in favor of Stratford, a deed from the Indians for Stratford land was received by Bray Rossiter of Guilford,3 and this act by one outside of the town, set the ball
3 " June 5, 1660. An agreement betwixt Wampeagy, Ansutu, Wampeug, Aquiump and Onepenny, Indians of ye one party and Bray Rosseter of Guilford ye other party as followeth : All the afores'd Indians do passover, assign and sell (for a debt due) unto ye sd. Bray Rosseter one hundred acres of land on ye west side of ye river yt passeth up by Stratford ferry, (a little below ye land of Milford men at Paugesutt) the said hundred acres to begin at ye River and to take all ye breadth betwixt two small brooks and soe backward until ye said sume be made upp, with all ye privileges ot ye River for fishing lying before ye said land, and ye sd Indians doe further promise and ingage to sell what other lands ye sd Bray Rosseter shall desire to buy behind ye same father in ye woods uppon like indifferent terms, in witness our hands.
A marke of Wampeagy. A marke of Aquiump. The marke of Wompeug. The marke of Nansuty. The marke of Onepenny.
Wampeagy, Nansutu and Onepenny desired to set down ye names of Wum- peug and Aquiump, Sagemes, affirming yt they consented unto ye same in pres- ·ence of, etc.
Wampeagy approved the above before Andrew Leete, Assistant at Guilford Feb. 28, 1684."
22
History of Stratford.
moving, or rather set the Indians crazy to sell the land they had just been told they did not own. This piece of land seems to have been on the west side of the Housatonic about one mile above the two mile Island in that river, but whether Mr. Rossiter held it or not after 1684 has not been ascer- tained.
Another deed4 was given by the Indians of land called by the English at the time Mohegan Hills, bounded on the west with the " near sprayne " (or stream, or branch) of the Farmill river, the date being 1661, but the name of the month being obliterated. The peculiar item in this deed is the informa- tion that there was then " a hop garden hard by ye River though on ye other side." In 1654 Edward Wooster was the first settler in Derby for the special purpose of raising hops
4 This writing made ye - 1661.
" For and upon good consideration moving me thereunto I make over alienate and freely give to my loving friend Joseph Judson of Stratford in ye jurisdiction of Connecticot, to him, his heirs and assigns (to have and to hold without molesta- tion or trouble from any Indian or Indians whatsoever laying clayme or challenge) forever a parcell of land bounded on the northwest by ye lower part of Moose hill, on ye west with ye nere sprayne of ye far Mill River, on ye south at ye parting of ye spraynes of ye far Mill River called by ye English ye Trapfalls, and on ye east by ye northwest spraine of ye far Mill River, soe running to ye pine swamp at ye head of ye River. This parcell of land called by ye English ye Mohegan Hills and by ye Indians Ackquunokquahou I Amantaneag doe give as aforesd with all ye privileges and appertenances, the meadow or what else belongs thereto as wit- ness my hand and seale ye day and date above written.
There is also a hop garden hard by ye River, though on ye other side, which I doe also freely give to aforesaid Joseph Judson and his forever.
The mark of
Amantaneag.
The mark of Akenotch,
Sagamore of Pagasett.
The mark of
Ansantaway.
Acquiumps his mark.
Acquiumps doth hereby confirm this act of Amantaneag's witness his hand the 4th of 10th, 1663.
Per me John Minor.
Poidge, his mark.
Patequeno, his mark.
Chepon, his mark."
Witnesses : The mark of Suchsquoke. The mark of Wunnubber.
23
Indian Deeds of Stratford.
on the bottom land now a little way below Ansonia, and here in what is now Huntington was another hop garden only seven years later, and may have been there several years earlier than 1661.
There are also in this deed as well as others that follow several local names of interest.
A second deed' was given the same year, probably a
6 " This present writing witnesseth yt I Wampegan who am ye lawful heir to all ye Indian Rights and privileges yt did aforetime belong to ye Sachems and my grandfather and since to other Sachems my uncles who were ye legall proprietors of a great tract of land lying west from ye farr mill River at Woronoke bounded on ye east with a pine swamp at ye east spraine of ye far mill River bounded on ye west with ye west spraine of Paquannuck River, on ye South with ye lower part of Moose hill and bounded on ye north with ye Assuntokereag a place soe named about a mile and a half north from ye upper part of Moose hill, and norwest with a place called Manantock running as far as Pootatuck path ; I say I Wampegan doe not only hereby confirm what hath been form- erly granted and freely bequeathed to Joseph Judson of Stratford in ye Jurisdic- tion of Connecticut by Weenepes my uncle, I being a witness to what he did and it being for substance ye same which I do at present, but also I doe hereby give and freely bequeath to ye aforesaid Joseph Judson ye aforementioned tract of land, to him his heires and assignes forever to have and to hould without molestation or trouble from any person or persons Indian or Indians whatsoever yt shall lay clayme or challenge to any part of ye sd land by virtue of any title or interest whatsoever therein ; I say I give and freely bequeath the aforesaid land with all ye appurtenances and privileges belonging, as hunting, &c., with all dues to said land as if I were personally to enjoy the customs thereto belonging myself. The aforesaid Joseph Judson promising yt upon this consideration Wompegan his first cousins named Poidge, Heenummojeck, Momowetah shall have free liberty to hunt for deare, &c., uppon ye aforesd tract of land. For ye assurance hereof yt this is my act and deed is written freely and subscribed, this ninth of September one thousand six hundred and sixty-one, 9th Sept., 1661.
Wampegan, his mark. The mark of Akenotch the Sagamore of Pagusett. The mark of Ansantaway.
"This writing made ye 14th May, 1662, witnesseth yt I Acquiumph upon good consideration doe confirm ye abovesd gift by Wompegan or any before, to Joseph Judson of Stratford. I Acquiumph Sachem of Pootatuck doe confirm ye same in every particular by subscribing ye day and date above written.
The mark of Quiump, Sachem of Pootatuck being related to Wampegan. Poidge. his mark. Chepenett, his mark."
24
History of Stratford.
month or two later, of land lying west from the Far-mill river, extending west to the west branch of the Pequannock river. "There was a Pootatuck path " bounding the land on the northwest. Pootatuck was at that time the name of the Indian settlement occupying land now covered by the south- ern part of the village of Shelton in Huntington, the place of the same name in Newtown not being then established. This deed was given by another party than the latter previ- ous one, and was confirmatory of the other, yet the same Sachem signed both. This strikingly illustrates the separate interests in the lands by the Indians and also the relation between the Pequannocks or Stratford Indians and the Pau- gasetts, the Paugasett chief signed both deeds.
A third deed® was given in the year 1661, which was by Towtanimow and his mother the wife of Ansantaway, the old chief of Milford, who also signed the deed. Towtanimow was the chief Sachem at Paugassett at that time, but died that same winter, for in the spring-April, 1662-Okenuck
6 " This indenture made the 4th day of December, in the year of our Lord Christ one thousand six hundred and sixtie one between Towtanamy and his mother the wife of Ansantaway being the Chief Sagamore of Pagusit on the one parte and Samuel Sherman and John Hurd and Caleb Nichols, Townsmen in the name of the inhabitants of the town of Stratford in the colony of connecticoute on the other part : Whereas the said Towtanimy is now lawfully seized to him and his heayers and asigus forever of and in all that plat of land lying and being between the nerer Milne River and the father Milne River comonly so caled by the English and being the bounds south and northeast upon Stratford River and west with the bare swamp caled by the Indians Makoron, northwest on black brook's mouth : now this indenture witnesseth that the sayd tantanimy and in the name of all the rest of the Indians of pawgasit for and in consideration of twelve pound [worth] of trading cloath and one blankit to him in hand payd before the writing hereof by the say'd Samuel Sherman, John Hurd and Caleb Nichcols and for other considerations him the sayd towtanamy thereunto moving hath given, granted, bargained, sould enfeoffed and confirmed by these presents do give . . . . to Samuel Sherman, John Hurd and Caleb Nichcols and the inhabi- tants of Stratford aforesayd for ever all and every part of the sayd parcell of land above written being between the Mill Rivers ; and all the sayd Towtanamy's right and interest thereunto.
Towtanomow, Sagamore, his mark.
Ansantaway, his mark.
Uncktine, his mark.
Chipes, his mark."
Dec. 4, 1661.
Indian Deeds of Stratford. 25
signs a deed in which he states that he is the only Sachem of Paugassett.
In April, 1662, a deed' was given by Okenonge (more com- monly called Okenuck, on Derby deeds) of land at the western boundary of Paugassett lands, which is a matter of interest although not quite explainable. West and northwest of this land is met the territory controlled and decded by Pocono, then the Sachem at Weantinock (New Milford), for he gave a deed in 1671 to Henry Tomlinson for more than twenty thousand acres apparently extending to or into Newtown. This deed to® Henry Tomlinson was secured upon a permit by the General Court for establishing a plantation, and was recorded in Stratford, where Mr. Tomlinson resided, claim- ing seven miles in length, three miles wide from the river on each side, or six miles in breadth, which was to be three miles up, and three down the river from Goodyear's' Island in the Housatonic just below Falls Mountain in New Milford. This locality, if not the most, is one of the most sublime, on the Housatonic river, but the lower half of the territory covered by the deed was of small value in consequence of the steep rocky hills along the river.
The accompanying cut is a good representation of Falls
7 " Know all men by these presents yt I Okenonge ye only Sachem of Pagasitt doe freely give and bequeath unto my loving friends Ensign Joseph Judson and Joseph Hawley and John Minor of Stratford in ye Colony of Connecticott a parcell of Land bee it more or less lying on ye west of ye land wch ye aforesd Town of Stratford hath purchased of mee and it being all yt lyes on ye west of wt is already purchased yt belongs to me and Pagassett Indians. That I give the above sd tract of land to ye aforenamed persons to have and to hold wthout molestation or trouble by any Indian or Indians wtsoever: I say to them and theire Heires forever as witness my hand this 22d April 1662.
Witnessed by us
Okenonge his marke."
Nansantaway's
marke
Chipps
his marke "
8 Deed to Henry Tomlinson for 26,880 acres signed by the following Indians :
Pocono, his mark. Mataret, the Sachem's Toto, his mark.
Ocomunhed, his mark. eldest son.
Mohemat, his mark.
WVesonco, his mark. Tomo, his mark, the sec- Chetemhehu, his mark.
Pomuntock, his mark. ond Son of Mataret.
Othoron, his mark. Ringo, his mark. Quocanoco, his mark.
Papisconas, his mark.
Coshushamock, his mark. Weekpenos, his mark.
.
FALLS MOUNTAIN ON THE HOUSATONIC RIVER.
27
Indian Deeds of Stratford.
Mountain at the gorge looking up stream from the northern extremity of Goodyear's Island. The river just below the gorge has been called the Cove and Fishing Place since the first settlement of New Milford, because here the shad and herring were stopped in their progress up the river, and hence afforded a great supply of fish for the whole region of country-shad having been sold there many times at one penny each; and the most advantageous part of the west shore having been rented in the early settlement of the town, for 999 years, for one shad of every thirteen that should be caught there. The gorge is over half a mile long, at the upper end of which are the Great Falls where now is located the large Wood-finishing Mill built by Bridgeport men, and where in olden times were caught by Indians and whites immense numbers of lamprey-eels. These falls are not very high but are called the great falls in comparison with smaller ones two miles further up the river. The Island was named Goodyear's Island from the fact that Mr. Stephen Goodyear of New Haven about the year 1642 built a trading house upon it or near it, for purposes of commerce with the Indians.
The point of rocks on the right hand in the picture is called Lover's Leap from a legend said to have been historic of an ancient chief's daughter, but the legend being about the same in all its parts as is told of several other localities in Connecticut, receives but little credence.
The Indian name of the Great Falls was Metichawan, denoting an " obstruction " or "turning back,"' and hence since the fish stopped at the cove except the eels, the name may have been applied more immediately to the cove by the Indians.
The falls are celebrated as having been the locality- adjacent on the west bank-where was built the wonderfully ornamented bark tent of the renowned chief Warhaumaug, the last but one of all the chiefs of the Indians of Western Connecticut, or of the original Pootatuck tribe.10
The old chief Warhaumaug's monument stands on the
9 See Trumbull's Indian Names.
10 See "Indians of the Housatonic Valley."
28
History of Stratford.
hill a little to the east of Lover's Leap. Sometime within later years the white people have piled the stones, which lay scattered about for one hundred years at the old chief's grave, into a monumental pile, as represented in the accompanying cut. From it there is a beautiful outlook over the surround- ing country, for which reason the old chief requested to be buried there.
WARHAUMAUG'S MONUMENT.
The gathering of the Indian tribes from the south and east with the old chief Warhaumaug at the falls was the last of any considerable number until they concentrated at Scata- cook, where now only a few families are left.
29
Indian Decds of Stratford.
Warhaumaug seems to have been the chief "Tom King" of Turkey Hills in Milford and of Coram in Stratford, in 1714, who coming to this locality took his name, which means "good fishing place," from the place. He died about 1735, being attended in his last sickness by the Rev. Daniel Boardman of New Milford.
Henry Tomlinson's deed was. reaffirmed" with an addi- tional grant in 1702 extending it northward " five miles and a half in length from the Still River, to run southwest to a small brook called Susumene Brook and so in breadth three miles on both sides the great river." This was given to Richard Blackleach and Daniel Shelton, who had probably inherited or purchased it from Henry Tomlinson or his heirs. This was the land that John Read was heir to from his father who resided in Stratford as one of its first settlers. Mr. Read, who afterwards settled at Reading, Conn., and from whose family that town took its name, and who became very celebrated in the profession of law in Boston, sued the New Milford company for trespass when they settled there ; gained his suit before the Hartford Court fifteen times but lost it on the sixteenth, and then surrendered his claim.12
In the year 1671, the inhabitants of Stratford having become tired of purchasing the soil by piecemeal which they already owned, entered into an agreement to purchase all the claims of the Indians, within the town, except the reserva- tions sanctioned by the Court, and in order to make a full end of the matter brought it before the General Court, by their deputies, and the Court ordered a full settlement,
11 Henry Tomlinson's deed confirmed with addition to Richard Blackleach and Daniel Shelton, August 9, 1702, and signed by the following :
Indian witnesses.
Werneitt, his mark.
Sachem of Oantenocke.
Paquahim,
his mark.
Siccus, his mark.
Nunhotuho, his mark, the
Mattecus, his mark, Poconos' son.
Poconos, his mark.
Papepetito, his mark,
Cush, his mark.
Metach, his mark.
Indian interpreter.
12 See History of New Milford, Conn.
30
History of Stratford.
appointing the deputies to attend the execution of the matter and make report. The agreement with the Indians, and the deed are both recorded. In this deed13 they acknowledge all previous agreements and confirm all sales. They restate the boundaries as follows :
" The line running from ye southward to ye northward twelve miles as it is now settled by ye court and from that north line, ye north end of it to runn away easterly to a pine swamp and so to a little River commonly called ye halfway River and soe to ye gt River called Stratford River-the north bounds being ye half-way River, ye east bounds Strat- ford River and ye South bounds ye Sound on ye Sea, ye west bounds Fayrefeyld as aforesd."
It was agreed that the Town of Stratford shall pay or cause to be paid for and in consideration of the premises of Musquatt or his assigns, ten coats and five pounds of powder and twenty pound of lead. By this purchase was secured, or rather the Indians released from any claims, a large propor- tion of what is now the northern half of the township of Huntington in which there were some sandy hills of light color, and hence the name " White Hills Purchase," by which the territory was designated on the town records, and the name is still retained in the White Hills school districts.
This purchase, which cost the town of Stratford accord- ing to the tax list made specially for this purpose, over £40, quieted the Indians just thirteen years, when another squad of claimants had grown up, or at least made their appearance, and doubtless for a consideration-as whenever did they with- out-confirmed the previous sale, thus: " We whose names are hereunto subscribed have had a full understanding of the contents of the above written bill of sales,-we do fully con- cur with those that formerly signed the same, and do approve
13 This deed which secured particularly the White Hills was dated May 25, 1671, and signed by the following Indians :
Indian witnesses.
Musquatt, his mark.
Sucksquo, his mark.
Nesumpaw, his mark.
Susqua James, his mark.
Sasapaqun, his mark.
Peonseck, his mark.
Shoron, his mark.
Totoquan, his mark.
Tackymo, his mark.
31
Indian Deeds of Stratford.
thereof and do oblige ourselves and our heirs to stand thereto, Golden Hill as stated by the Court excepted."14
Thus ended apparently all Indian claims to Stratford lands, except in the reservations at Golden Hill and Coram. Of those who signed this last release two deserve a passing notice. Siacus, who signed a deed in Fairfield, retired to Gaylordsville in New Milford where he resided some years after the Gaylord family settled there about 1724, and where the site of his hut is still pointed out, as having stood in the midst of an orchard of apple-trees. He was a kindly remem- bered old Indian.
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