USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Glastonbury > Glastenbury for two hundred years: a centennial discourse, May 18th 1853 > Part 2
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5. MATTABESICK, Or MATTABESETTS. Below the PYQUAGS dwelt the MATTABESETTS, or Black-Hill Indians,t whose sa- chem bore rule over the Indians of Wethersfield and Glasten- bury, and of whom the settlers made their first purchase. The name by which this chief is first known in history, is, Sow- HEAG, or SAUHEAK; but this was properly the name of the sa- chemdom, and not of the man, and signifies South country, or kingdom .¿ The proper name of this chief seems to have been SEQUASSON, sometimes lengthened into SUNCKQUASSON, and at other times shortened to SEQUIN, or SEQUEEN,§ if that be not a modification of SACHEM. The significance of the name SE- QUASSON appears to be Hard-stone, as that of SUNCQUASSON is Cold-stone.|| Turning the word SACHEM into its correspond- ing English meaning, king or lord, and the meaning of this chieftain's full title, SEQUASSON-SEQUIN-SOWHAG, will be Hard- stone, King-of-the-South-Country. His son and successor bore the presuming title of MANITTOWESE, or MANTOWESE, signify- ing Little-god, whose totem, a large bow in readiness for shooting, spoke forth the daring indicated by the name.IT
* This name is one of frequent occurrence. There was one near Hadley, called PAQUAYYAG, (C. R. II. 353,) and another near Hudson, called PAQUAYAG, and PAQUIAG. C. R. II. 472. PAUOCHAUOG, they are playing, or dancing. R. W.145.
t Roger Williams writes the word METEWEMESICK, and derives it from ME- TEWIS, black earth.
# From Sow, or SAU, South, and AKE, land, country. Bar. 1. §Deforest, 54.
[[ SIOKKE, hard, HUSSUN, stone. Cot. 24. Elliot 10. SUNKQUASSON, if not a modification of SEQUASSEN, would be from SONQUEU, cold, and HUSSUN, stone. Cot. 7.
I MANIT, god, and WESE, little. R. W. 45, 109, 111, Lamb. 46.
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6. SICCAOG. Above the PYQUAGS, at what is now Hart- ford, dwelt the family of the SICCAOG, at a place, or on a river called SICCANUM. In the absence of all history, it is im- possible to say what is the precise meaning of this word. It may be (1) that SICCANUM is merely a dialectic variation of HIGGANUM, made as SNIPSIC was by the Indians,* from NIP- sIc, a pond, and SUMHUK, from AMIK, a beaver, by prefixing a sibilant (s,) or as SKUNKSCUT has been made from KONGSCUT, by the whites, in the same manner. Or (2) it may have been compounded of SIOKKE, hard, and NAMAS, fish, signify- ing simply hard fish, and probably clams, the name of which was SICKISSUOG. It may reasonably be conjectured, there- fore, that the SICCAOG, were a family or tribe that dealt in SICKISSUOG, or clams, and that SICCANUM was the place of their residence. This would seem to indicate that it was a place where clams might be obtained, either because they grew there, or had been brought there, making Hartford then, as now, prominent for its trade. Or (3) it may have been compounded of SEQUI, black, and AKE, earth, and hence SE- QUI-AK (pron. Sik-ki-âk,) would signify black-earth, that is rich soil. Which of these is to be preferred must be determined by history or tradition, if there is any bearing on the point.
The other Indians of the vicinity were the TUNXIs or Crane Indians, habiting on TUNXIS SEPUS, or Little-Crane-river ; } the POQUONNUC Indians, or those living at a battle-field,§ the PODUNKS, living, as the name seems to import, at the place of fire, or place of burning, || and the SCANTICS, who seem to have taken their name from the low, watery country in which they lived. IT
* NIPSIC, from NIP, water, and sic, place of, is the name of a place where there was formerly a pond in Glastenbury. SNIPSIC is the name of a pond now ex- isting in Tolland, which furnishes water for the enterprising and thrifty village of Rockville.
t R. W. 103.
# TAUNCK, cranc. R. W. 87. SEPEOSE, little-river. R. W. 89.
§ POQUONNUC, PECONNUC, PUGHQUONNUC, and POCATONNUC, were Indian names of places in Connecticut, and are all (unless it be the last-mentioned) evidently derived from PAUQUA, to destroy, kill, slaughter. R. W. 118, 151. They apparently denote slaughter place, and probably in battle.
|| POTAW, fire, and UNCK, place of. R. W. 48, and hence POTAUNCK, or Po- DUNK, or POTUNK, as it was sometimes written. T. C. R., II. 336.
I SOKEN, to pour out, R. W. 34, and SOKENUM, rain, R. W. 81, are evidently
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The peaceable dwelling of the whites with the natives in Glastenbury, for so long a period, led to the preservation of a very large number of Indian names, most of which are still familiar to our ears. On the south, situated partly in Chat- ham, and partly in Glastenbury, is a mountain called in the records, MESOMERSIC, but colloquially SOMERSIC, a mountain abounding in rattlesnakes, from its first discovery to the pres- ent day. These reptiles were so abundant at the first settle- ment of the town, that it was found necessary for many years to offer a bounty for their destruction, which was generally at " sixpence a tail," to copy the language of the record. The Indian name of the mountain testifies to the same pe- culiarity, ME-SHOM-AS-SECK, signifying great rattlesnake, or abundance of rattlesnakes .*
On the south verge of the town, near Chatham and Col- chester lines, JOHN SADLER established himself at a very early period, as the keeper of an inn or ordinary, on the road to MONHEAG, or New London, probably within the present limits of Marlborough. Here the Indians seem to have re- sorted for many years, and here a considerable body of them dwelt for a long time. Clustering around this valley, early known as "Sadler's Ordinary Meadow," are several hills which have .retained their Indian names, though some of them have now become nearly obsolete. In this vicinity is a hill called PAHEGANSIC, or PEGANSIC, evidently signifying Bear-hill, that is, a place where bears abounded, though the name in the records, "bare-hill," celebrates it for its barren- ness .¡ In the same neighborhood, is a mountain called MA- BAUTAUANTUCKSUCK, in a deed of THOMAS EDWARDS, to his son- in-law, JOHN GOODRICH, of land given to Edwards previous to 1673, by TARRAMUGGUS, an Indian chief residing at Weth- ersfield. This name seems to denote the place of morning ; that is, the place where the first appearance of morning could
the same word from which some of the N. E. dialects had ASQUAN, water. So- KENTUCK, or ASQUANTUCK, place of water, might very readily change to SKANTIC. * MISHIOM, great, and SESEK and ASSEK, rattlesnake. R. W. 84, 96, 100.
+ PAUKIEN, PEKUN, in PAUKUNNAW-NTIO, I hunt the bear ; PAUKUNNAWAW, the sign of the great bear. R. W. 94, 143.
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be discovered by those who employed the name .* In this region also, occurs the hill called by the Indians, AMANAN- TUCKSUCK, Or AMONONTUCKSUCK, subsequently turned into ANONTOOSUCK, and again still corrupted into the present PAN- TOOSUCK, known in the records as " the Pine Hill," but sig- nifying place for hunting deer.t This hill extends nearly from Kongscutt to Marlborough. In the same vicinity is the re- gion now known as WASSUC, first called WASHIACK, and afterwards ASSAWASSUC, and HASSAWASSUC .¿ The original name WASHIACK, may mean either place of bears, or place of paint. Many circumstances seem to indicate that the last is the true meaning, and that it was so named because of an abundance of painting materials found there. In the same vicinity, but near the south bounds of the town, is a place called SEAUKUM. This word is something in doubt as to its etymology, but seems to be from SAUK, contracted from PUSSOUGH, or SOUGH, a wild-cat, and hence denoting place of wild cats, which are known to have abounded in the region of dark hollow.§ A little east of the centre of the town, is a mountain range, bearing, in the colloquial language of the people at present, the barbarous name of SKUNKSCUT, to which allusion has already been made. In all the early records it is called KONGSCUT, and was no doubt derived from HONCK- SIT, signifying goose country.| Its high and precipitous ledges afforded a secure retreat for wild geese in summer, while the clear and limpid waters of Diamond Pond, lying
* MATAUBON, by transposition and lengthening the vowels MABAUTAUAN, morning, with the terminations TUCK and SUCK. R. W. 67. G. L. R. II. 19S. t AUNAM, a fawn, deer. R. W. 143. G. L. R. IV. 95, 242.
¿ In some of the N. E. dialects, WASsoos signified bear. Morse's Rep. Ind.
52. The Conn. Indians did not use this word for bear, yet called bear's meat, WEEYOUS. WUSSUCK, painted. R. W. 154. ASSAWASSUCK seems to have been compounded of ASUHWETII, other house, Cot. 20, and WASSUC, Sadler's Ordin- ary, was the first house in that neighborhood. Mr. Josiah Willard's seems to have been the second, and it was to this, that the term was at first applied. G. L. R. II. 198.
§ R. W. 95, gives PUSSOUGH as the name for wild-cat, but that it was also abridged into SouK, we have evidence in Soucook, which signifies place of wild-cats. C. E. Potter, MS. Lect. 1852.
|| HONCK, goose, AUSIT, Or SIT, place of, country. R. W. 86, 87.
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just beyond, furnished the necessary means of their recreation and comfort.
In the north-eastern part of the town, rises the bold and rugged MINNECHAUG, whose productions still prove its title to the name of berry-land,* as the Indian name imported. Nearly in the centre of the town lies the elevated plateau of NIPSIC, so called from a pond bearing that name, and signi- fying place of water.t The pond itself, however, has disap- peared before the enterprise of the farmers there, whose far reaching vision, catching a glimpse of its rich bottoms, found means of draining it, and have thus obtained some of the most valuable land in town. But though the pond is gone, " Nipsic Pool," whose ferruginous waters have given it at times the name of "Red Spring," still remains ; a clear, cool, bubbling fountain, whose waters have wrought some impor- tant cures. Another important portion of country, yet known by its Indian name, is the broad plain extending from Roaring Brook to Hartford line, still known as NAUBUC. Various etymologies of this word suggest themselves. If derived from NEEPUCK, blood,¿ it perpetuates the memory of the blood that had been shed there, in the battles with the Mohawks. Or the name may have been compounded of two words, ANUE-PAKHE, signifying more clear, or open, in allusion to the plain and level aspect of the country, and would then merely denote the plains; hence might come both NAUBUC and HANABUC,§ names used interchangeably. But there is still another origin which seems to me more probable than either. There is no evidence that the word was used when the whites came here, and it does not ap- pear in the records until some time subsequent, when it is used to describe land on the east side of the "Great-river." The term, the east side, being so often employed by the Eng- lish, the Indian may have joined his Nor, east, and uc, ||
* MINNE, berry, UK Or AWK, place of, from AKE, land.
t See note, p. 15.
Į R. W. 158.
§ Cot. 21, 97, 103.
|| Nor-atin, east-wind. R. W. 83. The Massachusetts Indians called the islands east of them NOPE, apparently signifying simply the east. Cot. 122.
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locality, place, side, and made Nopuc, or NAUBUC, signifying the east side.
Another place, the extent of which is not known, was in the eastern part of the town, adjoining Hebron, and bore the name of SECHENAYAUG. The identity of the name NAY- AUG, with that of the stream bearing this name, taken in con- nection with the fact that some of the branches of the NAY- AUG or Roaring Brook, rise in this vicinity, might lead to the natural inference that it signifies the head or beginning of Roaring Brook. But there is another, and we are not sure but a preferable interpretation. The first part of this com- pound, SEKEN or SEQUEN, signifies water or rain. If, then, NAYAUG denotes roaring, the inference is obvious and just, that SECHENAYAUG, must be the place of rains-roaring, in allusion, as it would seem, to the fact that the rain there pro- duced an unusual and remarkable degree of noise .*
PURCHASE OF EASTBURY.
The first purchase of Glastenbury, as we have already seen, was made of Hardstone, king of the south country. The second purchase, made in 1673, was made of seven Indians, for themselves and their respective families or tribes, as ap- pears by the following deed.
This writting witnesseth that we Tarramuggus, Massacuppee Wesumpshye One peny Nesaheeg Seorcket and Pewampskin for and in consideration of a valuable sum to us in hand well and truly paid or secured to be paid by Lieut. John Chester Mr Samll Talcot Mr James Treat Sargt. John Nott and Hugh Welles of Wethersfield in the County of Hartford who were chosen by the Town to purchase a tract of land on the east side of the great River, the receipt thereof is hereby accknowledged by us the said Tarramug- gus Masecuppe Wesumpshye One peny Nesaheege Seorcket and Pewamp- skin and themselves therewith fuly sattisfied contented and paid and thereof and of every part and parcell thereof doe hereby fully clearly and absolutely aquit and discharge the said comitty and the inhabitants of the town of Weth- ersfield their heirs executors and Administrators and every of them for ever by these presents and for divers other valuable good causes and considera- tions us the said Tarramuggus Massecuppe Wesumpshye One peny Nesa-
* Cot. 91. R. W. 34, 81. G. L. R. III. 54, 55; IV. 232, 234; V. 282.
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heeg Seockett and Pewampskin hereunto especially moving have given granted bargained sold assigned set over and confirmed and doe by these presents for ourselves our sucksessors fully clearly and absolutely give grant bargain sell assign sett over and confirm unto the said comitye of Wethers- feild for the use of the inhabitants of the said plantation their heirs executors and administrators and assigns for ever all the estate right title interest use property claime and demand whatsoever we the said Tarramuggus Massa- cuppee Wesumpshye One peny Nesaheeg Seockett and Pewampskin have had or in time to come might ought or should have in or to one tract of land containing thirty large miles square that is to say from the east end of Weth- ersfeild old bounds to run five large miles into the contry east and six large miles in breadth the said tract of land is scituat lyeing and being on the east side of conticot River bounded withe the said Wethersfeild lands west and the desert east the side against some part of Midletown bounds South and lands not yett granted and Hartford bounds North to have and to hold the thirty square large miles as aforesaid with all the proffitts privileges and apur- tenances to the same belonging unto the said comitty in the behalf of the in- habitants of Wethersfeild and to their heirs and sucksessors for ever and to the only proper use and behoof of the inhabitants of Wethersfeild their heirs and sucksessors for ever and the said Tarr*[amuggus] [Mas ]secuppee We- sumpshye One peny Nesaheeg Seockett and [Pewampskin] for ourselves our heirs and sucksessors and [evry of them] doe covenant promiss and grant to [and with the said] comitty in the behalf of the inhabitants of Wethers- field their heirs and sucksessors and to and with every of them by these presents in manner and form as followeth that is to say that the said Tarra- muggus Massacuppe Wesumpshye One peny Nesaheege Seockett and Pe- wampskin are sceized of a good estate in fee simple in the premisses and that they have full power good right and lawfull authority to give grant bargain sell and confirm all the above bargained premisses and every part and par- cell thereof unto the inhabitants of Wethersfeild their heirs and sucksessors for ever without any condition limitation use or other thing to alter change or make void the same and that the said eomitty and tlie inhabitants of Wethers- field their heirs and sucksessors shall and may on the day of the date hereof and from time to time forever hereafter by force of these presents have hold use occupy possess and enjoye all the above bargained premises and every part and parcell thereunto there own proper use and beloof forever without the lett sute trouble molestation eviction ejection or denial of the said Tarra- muggus Massecuppee Wessumpshy One peny Nesaheeg Seockett and Pe- wampskin or any other person or persons whatsoever by their or any of there act meanes default consent or procurement and against them the said Tarramuggus Wesumpshy Massacuppe One peny Nesaheeg Seocket and Pe-
* The words and parts of words contained in brackets are wanting in the Wethersfield copy, a part of the leaf being gone. It is supplied from the Hart- ford copy. T. & L. I. 132.
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wampskin our heirs and all and every other person and persons whatsoever Lawfully elaiming any estate Right title interest use property possession claime or demand of in or to the same or any part or parcell thereof from by or under them or any of them shall and will warrant and forever defend by these presents in witnesse whereof the said Tarramuggus Masseeuppe We- sumpshy One peny Nesaheeg, Seoeket and Pewampskin have hercunto sett our hands and seals this tenneth day of October in the year of our Lord one thousand six hundred seventy and three
Signed sealed and delivered in the presents of these wittnesses
John Talcott
Sarah Sasakenams
Daniell Clarke
Tarramuggus his mark
Richard Ely
Maseeup his mark
hanah I one peny
Wesumpshye his mark
Wasanuniun his mark
One peny
his mark
Joseph his mark
Nesaheeg his mark
Sarah won peny
Seockett his mark
Pewampskin
his mark
Wethersfield, April 13th, 1853.
The above and foregoing is a true copy from the records of this town, Vol. III., pages 61 and 62. ALBERT GALPIN, Town Clerk.
The names of the signers of this deed, are first, TARRA- MUGGUS, which, according to the interpretation given to Dr. Barratt, by an Indian, signifies bear-catcher .* The second signer is MASSECUPPE, which may denote that he was a man of great height and size, or, of great fierceness.t The third signer, WESUMPSHYE, seems to have been a great eater .; The name written " One peny," should, no doubt, have been WUMPENE, signifying belt of wampum. And the same may be said of the two witnesses bearing this name.§ The fifth signer, NESAHEEG, seems to be the same as NESSAHEGAN, spoken of in another place, and signifying an instrument of death. SEOCKETT, the sixth signer, is evidently from the
* TAHQUI, to catch. Cot. 42. M'QUOH, a bear. Gal. 341.
+ MASSA, great, and CUPPI, thick, or CHEP, a root signifying to be fierce, as in CHACHEP, fierce, CHEPE-WESSIN, north wind, CHEPEWESS, a northern storm of war. R. W. 83, 75, 133.
# WUSSUMUPPWONK, gluttony, Cot. 17, by dropping the ending ONK, and sub- stituting ESU, denoting man, becomes WUSSUMPESU, or WESUMPSHYE.
§ WOMPAN, white money. R. W. 130. Names similar to this were common among the Indians of Conn., the totem of which is uniformly a belt of wampum. See Hall's Norwalk, 37. Lamb. N. H. Col. 153. Bar. I. P. M. 2.
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same root as SEAUKUM, and hence denotes wild-cat. PE- WAMPSKIN, the last of the signers, was fair complexion .* WASSANUNIUN, a witness, may, perhaps, have been painted fish,t while SASAKENAMO, was evidently the idle, or the sloth- ful .¿
At an earlier period TARRAMUGGUS had granted two hun- dred acres of land to Thomas Edwards, to which allusion has been already made, and still earlier an Indian named RECHAUN, had given Robert Boltwood a pond and a quanti- ty of land adjoining. This RECHAUN, if we may judge by the name, could not have been a native of this vicinity, scarcely a name of place or person occurring in this region, beginning with R. We find many names, however, in the western part of the State, and in the parts of New York ad- joining, beginning with this letter. The land given by TAR- RAMUGGUS to Thomas Edwards, long bore the name of the giver, even so late as 1746, as we learn from a vote of the society of Eastbury, passed that year.
" Voted, [a certain sum] to John Kimberley for his service in going to TU- RAMUGUS to prevent the Stone House people from being set off from us."
This vote determines the locality beyond a reasonable doubt.
Very little is known of the boundaries of the country claimed by the various families or tribes of Indians. In 1666, an agreement was entered into by the Indians in re- spect to this point. On the one part was UNCAS, whose name signifies the bold.§ On the other, was ARAMAMET, (the son of UNCAS,) at that time acting sachem of the PODUNKS,|| whose name seems to have indicated his character, if as we imagine, it signified dog's-tongue, {[ and with him are SEAU-
* Bar. Ind. P. M. 2. t WUSSA-NAMAS.
# Cot. 18. SASEKENEAMOONK, slothfulness.
§ UNQUS-nonk, bold-ness, Cot. 8; ONKQUE, cruel tyrant. Cot. 21.
| Trumb. Col. Rec. I.
T ARAMAMET seems to be compounded of ARUM, the Indian word for dog, in Connecticut, R. W. 96, and MEENAT, or WEENAT, a tooth. Comp. Ell. 10, R. W. 59. The change which this etymology supposes the word to undergo, is
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KET whose name has already been mentioned and explained, and NESSAHAGEN, whose cognomen described him as an in- strument of death,* and QUANAMPEWIT, or Long-tooth,t who are described as "Gentlemen of Connecticut."# The boun- dary line according to this agreement, began at a place called ASHOWAT, or the other house,§ a place lying south of Glastenbury, in what town is uncertain, but probably in Chatham. From ASHOWAT the line was continued to WONGGUNSHOAKE, which seems to have been WASHIACK, On or at the head of Wonggum-brook, (WONGGUM- WASHIACK= WONGGUMSHOAK,) thence to WASHIACK, of which we have already spoken, and thence in a northerly course, without any prescribed limit. But though the NAYAUG Indians cer- tainly, and the WONGGUNKS probably, were included within the limits of ARAMAMAT, he was restrained from appropriating any land to himself south of the road leading from Thomas Edwards to Monheage, now New London, as appears from the following agreement, copied from the Colonial Records.
" This writeing witnesseth that Vncass, Sachem of Moheag, in behalfe of himselfe and people of Mohcag and Nahantick, doe hereby engage him and them to Aramamatt, Seacut & Nessaheagen, Gentn of Conecticut, in behalfe of the Indian people at Windsor, Podunk and Hartford, that they will carry it peaceably & neighbourly towards them and the aforesaid Indians and that they will not either secretly or publiquely contriue or practice any evil or mischiefe against ym. And the aforesaid Aramamat etc. engage that they & the aforesaid Indians on the River will carry it peaceably towards ye afore- said Sachem and his people and that they will neither plot nor practice any evil against the said Vncass or his people. And whereas there is a difference about the bounds of Lands and Royalties belonging to ye said Sachem and Aramamat, It is agreed between them that the devideing bounds shalbe at Ashowat to Wonggunshoake and soe to Washiack and from thence northerly, from wch bounds the Land and Royalties on the east shalbe and remain to Vncass and his heires, and from ye said bounds on ye west to Conecticut Riuer shalbe to Aramamat and his heires; & this our agreemt, and that we
precisely like that in the Indian word WUTTAMMAGON, a pipe, from WUTTON mouth, and EGUN, Or EAGUN, thing, instrument, machine, etc.
* From NISSIH, killing, and EAGUN, instrument. R. W. 115, 122, and see Schoolcraft's Miss. App. 200.
t QUNIH, long, and WEEPIT, Or MEEPIT, tooth. See Ell. 10, R. W. 59.
# Col. Rec. II.
§ ASUHWETII, another house. Cot. 20.
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oblige ourselues & or heires to stand to ye same, wee testify by subscribing or marks.
It is agreed that Aramamat shal not imprpriate vnto himself any of ye Land yt is on the south of ye path that goes from Thomas Edwards to Monheage.
Vncass X his mark
Aramamat X his mark
Seacut X his mark
Nesahegen X his mark Quanampewet X his mrk
This writinge aboue was signed and d'd in presence of vs who were ap- pointed by the Gen11 Assembly to hear and indeauor the said Indians com- pliance, wth yo ful and free consent of both parties
John Allyn, Willm Wadsworth Tho: Stanton
Recorded out ye Originall, this Augst 3d, 66. pr Daniel Clark, Secry .*
AGREEMENT.
Whether the NAYAUGS ever owed any actual subjection to the PODUNKS, is uncertain, for though seemingly included within their limits in 1666, in 1675 they were certainly inde- pendent, and entering into a league with the WONGGUNKS, made choice of OWANECO, another son of Uncas, as their chief,t whose name and totem, both signify goose .¿ The combined forces of these two tribes received authority from the colonial legislature in November, 1675, to erect a fort at WONGGUM or NAYAUG, as they might think best, and which was subsequently erected on the banks of the river at Red- hill, nearly west of the place now occupied by Col. Elijah Miller, the land having been given by Lieut. Hollister, for that purpose.§ In October previous, the house of Mr. John Hollister, on the east side of the river, had been fortified, and the Indians and the whites were laboring side by side to se- cure their corn, in order to convey it to some place of safety, where it might be secure against an expected invasion. |
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