Norwalk, history from 1896, Part 9

Author: Selleck, Charles Melbourne.
Publication date: 1896
Publisher: The author,
Number of Pages: 553


USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Norwalk > Norwalk, history from 1896 > Part 9


Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).


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The "East Rocks" springs gave value to the Camp estate of former times. The new New York City St. Mary's Hospital for children, now in process of erection, has found water of fine quality upon that portion of said estate which has this year become the prop- erty of that institution.


The "Rocks Bending Ground" (of spring origin) is a present curiosity.


Indian Brook wound near the Saugatuck portion of Ludlow's purchase, and Ralph's Brook near Rusco Creek in the (South Norwalk) Partrick purchase.


Daniel Lockwood's Brook received the water as it trickled down the north side of Grumman's Hill, and the west side of what might now be termed the Morgan Woods, (anciently Hanford's uplands,) at the head of the 1896 "Morgan Avenue."' From the "Lockwood boggs," a small stream issued, and took for a few rods a northerly and then westerly direction. It formed a small " basin," (immediately north of residence to-day be- longing to the estate of James H. Bailey) whence it proceeded across the lower portion of Norwalk Green, and running down "Knapp's," afterwards "Hubbell's Hill," it emptied into Norwalk river.


Dry and Stony Hill brooks are of old mention.


There was a fountain of pure water on "Longe" (Norwalk) island.


Rev. Thomas Hanford's well of cooling water, and the well of Thomas Barnum (an- cestor, so believed, of all the Barnum's in America) stand to this day.


NORWALK SALT WATER ESTUARIES, CHANNELS AND EMBRACINGS.


Between Compo (Sherwood) and Noewanton creeks were a number of sea-water inlets, among which the Saugatuck and the Norwalk were the largest.


The "hithermost wading place," west of "Bluff Point,"2 was well known by the first settlers, whose visits to the "Great Marsh" at Saugatuck were frequent. Adjoining the


Named in 1896 by the Common Council of the City of Norwalk, in honor of the late Henry T. Mor- gan of New York City, who married a daughter of


Col. Buckingham St. John Lockwood of Norwalk. 2From this Point to Cockenos Island, one in for- mer times and at perigee tides, could almost wade.


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southeast Enos place of 1896, was Duck Pond.' This pond and Stephen's Island were acces- sible from a small creek in the vicinity of Campfield's Island, which was separated from Half-' Mile Island by Campfield creek, through which, at certain states of the tide, passage was had to Fruitful Spring. In the days of Gregory's pottery, (page 51, note 3) this creek was of business service. Round-Beach channel afforded a short cut to the inner harbor. Charles Creek, known from early days as such, made of Gregory's Point a promontory, and Greg- ory's Creek was kept free from boggy growth by the current flowing from Mill-Brook Ist. through the Cove (tide-mill pond.) Hayes' Creek was a little north of Gregory's Point. Pine Island and Rusco Creeks were on the west side of the channel, between "Old Well" and " The Bridge." Barren Marsh creek2 set innerward from near Judah's (Peach) Island, and Barren Marsh channel, formed said island. Cockenoes passage on the east, Mamachi- mons in the center and Roaton's on the west, connected the harbor with the Sound. Pam- paskeshanke formed the modern Belden's or Wilson Cove, while " Noewanton" marked the westward Norwalk Creek limits.


Its diverse salt-water-bordered beaches and banks have long been Norwalk features. Compo was a coveted Indian point, a fact which the whites were not slow in recognizing. Robert Beacham, of Jessup connection, was an early fortunate possessor of a portion of it. The Hayes's, of old Scotch ancestry, there staid until coast invaders drove them to The Oblong. Its marine vista probably drew the Kent blood to that part of Compo now known as Hendricks Point. "There is much in the setting of a precious stone," and its sea-setting unquestionably adds to the loveliness of this east Saugatuck estate picture. On the last evening but one of 1770, a "blessed mother," the parent of the world-eminent Chancellor James Kent, passed from that to the thither shore.


Above Hendricks-on-Saugatuck lies Point Imperial, a picturesque promontory, which deserves to remain as God made it. So charming to Manhattanville cruisers did the late Noah Bradley section of "Saugatuck Playne " appear, that they (see page 53) then and there quit their vessel and founded a habitation.


'A creek put into Duck Pond, and permission was given, in 1677, to Francis Bushnell and Jas. Bene- dict to there erect a dam " to stop out the tide." Pleasure or profit lay at the base of the petition, but the dam must be built within seven years, or the pro- perty would revert back to the town .- Norwalk Town Records.


i


Duck Pond, the eastern upland of which was recently a Ketchum site, but now the site of the lower Enos place, was anciently infested with game. Jos. Lockwood Marvin, son of Capt. Ozias Marvin of Westport, and the father of the late William Marvin of East Norwalk, was wont to mention to his child- ren and grand-children that foxes would watch at Duck Pond for their game-prey, and that these sly animals would there dive into and under the water,


and seize sometimes several wild ducks, which fox captors and their captured birds would be shot upon the former's appearance again, above water.


Wm. Marvin moved from Westport to Norwalk in Dec. 1835. He had recently married a Raymond daughter, and himself and wife distinctly saw, as they approached their new Norwalk home, the sky car- mine streakings of that month's " great fire " in that city.


Duck Island, mentioned by Goodrich as " near Westport," was at the eastern end of Long Island Sound.


Elbow Creek was the name of a small estuary in the vicinity of Duck Pond.


-The grove-mouth of this Creek was an old pic- nic ground.


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Not a jot of the original beauty of Saugatuck Point has been sacrificed by the Eno changes, which in late years have there been made. The eye, in roving over the locality, falls on the same blue waters that the fathers' saw, but it rests upon a water-side, the delightful desirability of which has been highly enhanced by modern liberality and taste.


The border-mentions in the last three paragraphs, however, can hardly be considered as salt-water "embracings." These, strictly speaking, refer to the Beaches, Hammocks, Islands, Rocks, Reefs, etc., which are sea - surrounded. These, alphabetically enumerated, are as follows :


BELL ISLAND,I BETTS BOUTON “


Otherwise known as Raymond, Comstock and Keyser Island. BUTLER ISLANI),2 CALF PASTURE ISLAND, CAMPFIELD


JUDAH ISLAND, 5 Modernly Peach Island.


KITTS ISLAND, In Saugatuck harbor.


L'HAMMOCK,6 LITTLE L'HAMMOCK, LITTLE TAVERN ISLAND,


LONG BEACH,7


LONGE ISLAND, S Otherwise known as Smith's, Sheffield and Norwalk Island. MIDDLE GROUND,


At the head of Norwalk Creek. OAK KNOLL,9 Vicinity of Tinker's Point, N. E. of Pine Island. PINE ISLAND,


RACE ROCKS, Off Calf Pasture.


RAM'S ISLAND, "Big " and " Little." RAYMOND REEFS, Off Betts' Island. ROUND BEACH, SENSION BEACH,


An island at extreme tides.


SEYMOUR ROCK,


Mouth of Saugatuck harbor.


CHIMMONS ISLAND, (Mamachimons.)


COCKENOES ISLAND,


CONTENTMENT ISLAND, COPP 66


CROW :


DOG HAMMOCK,3 EAST WHITE ROCK, FISH ISLAND, GOOSE ISLAND,


TAVERN ISLAND, 1 WEST WHITE ROCK, WOOD ISLAND.


'Its original name was Roaton (afterward Ray- mon 1) Point. The hotel at what, in 1896, is known as Roton Point, stands on the old ROUND ROCK POINT, and the present wharf at said Point occupies old PINE POINT.


zWest entrance to Five Mile River harbor.


3 In Ram's Island Bay, where are also Great Hammock and Harriett Island.


+Extends one mile from high-water mark, west by south from Norwalk Island. Has both spar and bell buoys at its extreme end, the object of the latter being to give warning at night and in foggy weather. The U. S. Government has had in recent contem- plation the removal of the present lighthouse on Norwalk Island to the further extremity of Green's Reef, expecting the lantern thereat to serve the pur- pose of the Norwalk harbor as well as Long Island Sound light. Norwalk Island and Eaton's Neck, L.I. lighthouses are five and six-tenths nautical miles apart.


5Bore this name as late as the sale of the same for $100 on Dec. 29, 1803, by Josiah Smith to Absalom Day. Mr. Smith bought the island on Feb. 3 pre- viously, of the executors of Eliakim Raymond, and he received for its three acres twenty-five cents more


than he paid for it. On the day of Josiah Smith's purchase Mr. Raymond's executors sold the " sedge flats" at the island to Thomas Benedict, for $5.50.


6This and Little L'Hammock are located in Ram's Island Bay.


7Site of the Government beacon.


SDescribed in a deed executed Jan. 24, 1804, as "Little Long Island," and also " White's Island."


9There were twin knolls at this place. At the time of the late LeGrand Lockwood West Avenue acreage purchase, a bridge scheme ( to Earl's East Avenue hill) from a point near these knolls, was entertained.


10 In Long Island Sound and within the limits of the State of New York.


"An old designation. Capt. Nathan Roberts, born Oct. 8, 1815, a still living Norwalk pilot, built in 1848, with Oliver W. Weed, the house on Tavern Island now tenanted by pilot Joseph Merrill, the tim- ber and lumber having been purchased of Charles Thomas, at " Norwalk Bridge." The island was at first leased by Capt. Roberts from, in part, Moses Byxbee. A well was there found in 1848. The new occupants subdued about one-third of an acre, using the Wilson estate oxen for breaking-up purpose.


SHEEP ROCK, Vicinity of East White Rock.


SOUND REEF, 10 Submerged. SPRITES ISLAND, STEPHEN'S ISLAND, STUART ISLAND,


CEDAR HAMMOCK, Between Bouton ( Keyser) and Tavern Islands.


GRASSY HAMMOCK, GREEN'S REEF,+ HALF-MILE ISLAND),


HAY ISLAND,


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As far as is known Adrian Block was the first white man to set eyes on the Norwalk Islands. The Indians had without doubt enjoyed, perhaps explored, but probably not em- ployed them. This it fell to the settlers to do. Succeeding the "canoe," the " scow " was, presumably, the second island ferry-boat. This primitive craft was used as a transport for cattle, a practice of as recent indulgence as the Smith occupancy of Longe or Norwalk Island. Island isolation was one of the new settlement's conditions of which the pioneers took immediate advantage, and not only were the young of the kine thence transferred for safe pasturage, but the pasturage itself, because of the islands' encircling and enriching aqueous distillation-effects, was prized. By slow degrees some of the islands would seem to have become tenanted. Access-difficulty was a drawback, but the facts that game was there abundant, and the fishing excellent, and of the islands' bivalve wealth and vigorous vegetable growth were compensatory considerations. Fish Island is the first Norwalk salt water circumvented territory passed as one sails from the metropolis to the town. Shore- ward from it lay Butler and Contentment Islands, which were farm properties in early times. Bell Island, formerly Roaton Neck, is now a seat of summer villas.


As far back as the days of Robert Stuart, the settler, Stuart Island, facing on the southeast Ely's or Belden's Neck, and near by "Stuart landing," was cultivated.


Tavern Island, the pilot-fastness at the present time of Capt. Joseph Merrill, and the southwesterly Gibraltar-like extremity of which has been serviceableness-redeemed by Drs. Parker, and Lambert of New Canaan, and made to constitute a sort of "Brighton" adjunct to their New Canaan summer homes, is of rocky conformation of surface. It has several hammock belongings, and was once sold (May 10, 1794) for five English pounds.


"Longe" or Norwalk Island, acreage largest and a most prominent section of sea- girt territory, merits a more extended mention than in this exact place in this work is con- sistent. .


Betts, Chimmons, Copps, Crow and Hay Islands are conveniently and pleasantly clus- tered. "Chimmons," (Mamachimons) one of this quintette of Norwalk islands, is Sachem- named, and the site to-day of the water-surrounded, warm season residence of Warren, son of the late Edward Smith of Brooklyn, N. Y., but formerly of the Smith's Island family of that name. The old Smith home, admirably situated on Longe or Norwalk Island, at once attracted passenger attention in the days when the first form to be seen emerging from the pilot-house as the Norwalk steamboat was making its landing at the opposite "Belden's Neck," was that of the tall, energetic, business-dashing and successful Lewis O. Wilson, who, having from that sea-view elevation, enjoyed his "up-Sound" sail, was disembarking at his Wilson Point home-seat.


John Copp, for whom another of the quintette group is named, did eminent public service, in his day, in Norwalk. He was a surveyor, a teacher and a physician. In Nov., 1699, (at the age of twenty-five) he removed, temporarily, to Bedford, N. Y., which town, recognizing the honor thus conferred upon it, at once granted him forty acres of West-


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chester land, and purchased from him a "grindle stone," for which it generously allowed him "six acres of pasture land." He returned to Norwalk and married the widow of mer- chant John Belden. He died May 16, 1751, having will-disposed, (see Belden lineage) of a handsome competency.


Crow Island is so called on account of it being, for some cause, the haunt of the bird-species of the crow and like order.


The sunken reef near Grassy Hammock has proven disastrous to Norwalk harbor navigation. Here the excursion steamer Tolchester "stranded" in 1896. Quite to the eastward of this hammock is the submerged rock "Dunder," which lays invisible at low water about one half-mile southeast of Cockenoes Island.


Sprites Island was the ownership from April 3, 1771, to Feb. 7, 1772, of Rev. Wil- liam Tennent, whose father figured in the Colonial history of New Jersey, and was so universally distinguished for his wonderful "trance." Mr. Tennent was the Congregational pastor of Norwalk. He sold the island immediately subsequent to his dismission, in 1772, from the Norwalk church.


Unlike the "Isles of Greece," the "Norwalk Islands" are association-unclassical, but when gleamed the Orient, or when upon their sky-bristling pines the sun down-poured his noon radiance, or when the king of day, at eve arriving, threw their shapes against Seawan-Hacky's (Long Island) line of purple, they were objects of admiration to the settlers, and have never, 'mid the vicissitudes of time and change, entirely lost their charm to the fathers' children.


NORWALK MALE DOCUMENTARY CENSUS.


1650-1700. ABORIGINAL.


PONUS.'-Sachem of the Rippowams and Sagamore of the Toquams prior to 1650. A resident not within but a little outside of the confines of "Norwake," (west New Canaan) from whose wigwam a path (Ponasses) led to this town.


CATONAH .- Sagamore, successor of Powahay, who was son of Onox, the elder, and grandson of Ponus. Catonah was also a Norwalk non-resident. His official title was Sachem of the Ramapo Indians of the Province of New York, and his "sachimo comaco" called "Cantatoe,"2 occupied a commanding height a few miles beyond the line of the original northwestern boundaries of Norwalk. Upon these


'The General Court, held at Hartford, April 5th, 1638, ordered that " where any company of Indians doe sett down neere any English plantacons that they shall declare who is their Sachem or Chiefe," etc .- Col. Rec.


2A part of the Bedford, Westchester County, N. Y., Jay estate, and recently the property of Edward Pellew of Bedford, a son-in-law of Hon. John Jay. Cantatoe is situated in a beatiful region of country near Katonah Station on the Harlem Railroad.


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high grounds, marked to-day by two granite boulders, are the traditional tombs of the Sachem and his Squa Sachem. Catonah possessed, presumably, influence with the Indians of Norwalk, and had dealing with its settlers. Aratomah was his neighbor.


PIAMIKIN .- Sagamore of Rooton (Five-Mile River). He was well known by both Stam- ford and Norwalk settlers.


NARAMAKE .- Sachem of Pampaskeshanke (Belden Point). The Connecticut and the Hudson Rivers betwixt-lands seem to have been interspersed with independent Indian villages, one of which, tradition relates, was built in the vicinity of what has since been known as Belden Point. Here ruled a Mohican chieftain by the name of Naramake, whose descendant (probably son) NARAMAKE 2. figured also in old Norwalk history.


MAMACHIMONS .- One of the latest Indian Chiefs. He was useful to the settlers in assist- ing in the work of establishing the ancient bounds. Several localities were named for him, as Mamachimons Island, Mamachimons Meadow, Mamachimons Bridge.


MAHACHEMO .- Sachem, and supposed to be a hunter. Mahachems seems to have been the name of a Norwalk clan. Some three acres along the west bank of the Sau- gatuck, and near the Eno estate of 1896, were allotted to Mahachemo.


RUNCKINGHEAGE .- Ruler of Rooton. Much of his upland realm overlooked, for many miles, the waters of Long Island Sound, and among others, the Warren's from "Queen's Village," L. I., were early drawn to the spot.


WINNIPAUKE .- Sachem ; owner of one of the Norwalk Islands, and evidently a particular friend of Rev. Thomas Hanford, the first minister in Norwalk, to whom he be- queathed, in 1690, his island property. His home appears to have been about fourteen miles due north from Roton Point, on the height to the southward of the upper Norwalk reservoir, and known from earliest times as Winnipauke's Ridge.


TOMAKERGO, TOKANEKE, PROSEWAMENOS .- Signers, with Mahachemo, of the Ludlow, 1640, deed.


AASHOWSHACK, CHACHOAMER, ANNANUPP, ANTHITUNN .- Mentioned in the Partrick- Goodyear "Confirmation" deed, but have no certain Norwalk status.


COMPOW .- Belonged to the territory east of the Saugatuck.


The following alphabetical roll is largely taken from an almost faded-out page of the Norwalk Records. It is a curiosity in that it is the formal testimony of an ancient


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Registrar as to the names and number of the red men inhabiting Norwalk in 1667. Care has been taken to accurately copy the well-nigh obliterated original ; and a little study will enable one to give a not altogether inharmonious pronunciation to several of said names.


ANNANUP, MAGISE,


POPPERG, (doubtful.)


SUKERING,


BENHOWONON,


MAQUSHETOWES,


PORONHUM,


SUWAXUN,


COCKENOE,


MATUMPUN,


POXANOWE,


TOMATOOTUMAN,


CONCUSKENOW,


MEXANDER,


PRODAX,


TOWNETOM,


COWNEFIUS,


NOXANOWE,


PUMPOWIN,


WAMPASUM,


JAMES,'


PAMPASKESHANKE,


RUNCKEMUNUTT, WAWNTON, (doubtful. )


JONAS,


PEMANANTE,


SASSAKUN,


WOMASUNNE.


JOVUS, (doubtful)


POBHEAG,


SHOAKECUM,


WONUMON. (doubtful.)


JOSEPH,


POKESAKE,


SOANAMATUM,


LAXETT,


POOVAWAUGH,


SOWASAN,


There is strong ground for the belief that the Norwalk Indians belonged to the Mohicander family, small branches of which spread gradually over the country east of the Hudson, finding the way first to upper western Connecticut, and finally to the sea-shore. There is mention of this tribe's clan-occupancy of the wilderness a dozen miles to the north of Norwalk, and the tradition that after the arrival of the English, at least one of the Norwalk Sachems (Naramake 2d.) departed to the Mohawk territory, is not, it is prob- able, entirely baseless. This people, beyond doubt, gave the "Norwalk Companie " trouble, as certain repressionary measures prove, but as a rule the red man with his "trappes, dogges and arrowes" was not altogether savagely disposed toward the whites, while a vote passed in town meeting, as early as 1656, to the effect that "if any man, either English or Indian, take away any man's canoe from any landing-place without leave, he shall forfeit five shil- lings," would seem to indicate a decided but impartial spirit on the part of the founders. The Indians were allotted land in the planting field, (Benedict's and Marvin's farms,) and as long as they "kept them up well with their fences," all went smoothly. They grew a little lax in this particular in 1664, and were consequently reminded of their agreement.2


It is not for a moment to be supposed that, following the Ludlow assignment in their favor, the Norwalk colonists met with no after challenge, land-wise, from the native race, nor in view of the fact of the territory-area need there be surprise that, notwithstand- ing the explicit terms of the Ludlow-Partrick covenants, controversies should have arisen. Still, there was probably no "overwhelming" difficulty in this direction. Ludlow had been fifteen years absent when Thomas Fitch and Matthew Marvin were chosen3 to treat with


IHe probably lived east of the Saugatuck, on the border of Compow's territory. In the Indian quit- claims to Fairfield, bearing date Oct. 6, 1680, occurs the signature of "Norwake James."


2Town Records, 1663-4. Action in same direc- tion again taken on Christmas-day, 1669, when an un- mistakably worded " voted and ordered " resolution was acted upon.


3" At the same meeting it was voted that Mr. Fitch, and Matthew Marvin, junior, are desired and apointed, and it is left to their discretion, to treat with the Indians touching the lands between the West branch of Norwalk river and Saketuk river; to git it to be marked out and bounded twelve miles up the contery at the least, and that it may be dun and finished according to law, and being so bounded and marked, the Indians are to have their 4 coates."


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the Indians in relation to the country between one of the branches of the Norwalk River and the Saugatuck. This domain was, of course, included in the Ludlow deed-description, but the action of January 22, 1669, may have been (quite likely was) due to an imperfect conception, by the whites, of the plantation's original geography. Mamachimon seems to have comprehended the situation, and to have been authority in Indian matters.' He evidently was upon the spot, and his familiarity with the same caused him to be a power. It is possible that Mahackemo was now dead, and that Winnipauke's and Naramake's remote residenceship militated against close touch with the settlers' every day transaction- interests. In either or any case, Mamachimon was unquestionably a leading spirit .-


On the first day of summer. 1670, Lieut. John Olmstead and John Gregory, Sr. were added to the former Indian boundary committee, for the purpose of settling the matter as to mid-Norwalk and Saugatuck Rivers' lands, but just before this (see proprietors record, Apr. 12, 1670,) there would seem to have been ruffled sailing Indian-wise, which, from the nature of the case, was to be expected. The lords of the soil must, with natural reluctance, have surrendered the babbling brooks, the forest glens, the game districts, the pine patches, the rock fortresses and their tribes' resting-places, to all which during numberless moons, they had been endeared, and consequently, if not inch by inch, yet portion by portion, have disputed the pale faces' inevitable possession-progress. There is no registration of any particular " conciliation-crisis " in Norwalk Indian history, nor of over mastering trouble with the primitive proprietors of the lands, but it is only reasonable to suppose that the latter did not yield without something of a struggle.


A portion of Chestnut Hill bearing the name of Indian Field, was early assigned to the aborigines, as was another section called the same, and lying between the settlement and Saugatuck. Ely's Neck, to some extent, was also subsequently made over to them. The reservations more particularly allotted them became visiting points for Indians from abroad. To such an annoying extent was this the case that notice was formally given, in 1702. "to all stray Indians to depart from town to their own places where they properly belong." This act might possibly have been a sequel to the 1698 Game Law, which it was made the special duty of Andrew Messenger and John Keeler, deputies, to bring to the attention of the aborigines. Our red predecessors raised indian corn and beans, and lived largely upon "succotash" and shell and sea fish and wild fowl. In the 1635 record of Killian Van Rensselaer's agent, is mentioned that the Mohawks of central New York made dishes of dried strawberries, dewberries and blackberries, and their Connecticut descend- ants may have done the same. The nearest Indian "mill" of importance seems to have


*** Dec. 25, 1669. Voted and concluded that Ma- machimon shall have fowre cotes paid to him by the towne, when he shall have settled the bounds of the land up the country, 12 miles at the leaste, against all claims whatsoever."


2His name is also affixed to a Sasqua (Fairfield)


deed. The following roll of "Indians in Fairfield to east of Norwalk," is found in the records, from 1689-1701, of the former town: CHERORAMOGE, JA- KAIS. MACHOKA, MATTANKE, NIMRODD or POCIMOE. OLD ANTHONY, PASCOG, PENOMSECT, PONEES, SHA- GANOSET, WAIMPOM, WASHUM.


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been the " Pequot Mills," in the upper portion of the settlement, now New Canaan, where was a " sett" of granite grinding bowls.' After the arrival of the English, they probably either bought, bartered for or begged their meals, for which, however, there was a constantly lessening demand, as they were fast decreasing in number. The shell-filled cavities near Wilson's Point and back of Platt's Hill, near Barren Marsh, and the shell-heaped-up hol- lows near Saugatuck were, until a comparatively recent period, a pathetic sight. There Naramake's, Pemenante's and Compow's children rest, close by the water they loved and feared, and many of them facing, as do, if tradition be reliable, the remains of their greater chieftain Catonah, the rising full moon which they almost adored. In 1774 not a single red man mentioned in the foregoing list was living, and only nine of their immediate sur- vivors. These, as the years rolled along, passed away, until there was the Cayuga orator's "not one" left to mourn for Logan.




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