USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 15
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > East Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 15
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > South Windsor > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 15
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Bloomfield > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 15
USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor Locks > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 15
USA > Connecticut > Tolland County > Ellington > The history and genealogies of ancient Windsor, Connecticut : including East Windsor, South Windsor, Bloomfield, Windsor Locks, and Ellington, 1635-1891 > Part 15
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squaw, and then stabbed himself to death.' Thus ignobly perished the last of Tontonimo's tribe, the most fearless and warlike of the clans of Ancient Windsor. It was also somewhere in the Podunk wilds of Windsor that Miantonomah, the great Narragansett chief. met his death at the hands of Uneas, his Mohegan conqueror, probably Sept. 28, 1643. For, as recorded in Winthrop's Journal, the Commissioners- from Con- neetient on their return to Hartford from the general meeting of the Commissioners of the United Colonies at Boston, where the fate of the captured chieftain had been decided. sent for Uneas and announced their decision. Miantonomah was delivered into his hands, and two Englishmen from Hartford were directed to remain with the prisoner as witnesses of the deed. Uneas lost no time in obeying the order. "Taking Miantonomah along with him, in the way between Hartford and Windsor (where Onkus hath some men dwell), Onkus' brother, following after Miantonomah, clave his head with a hatchet." Miss Caulking' Hist. Norwich, p. 35-37, says, " this slaughter of the Narragansett chief undoubtedly took place on that tract south of the Podunk which was claimed by Uncas and inhabited by scattered families under his jurisdic- tion. The narrative of Winthrop is explicit in stating that Uncas led his captive to this district, and that he was executed suddenly on the way, probably as soon as they had passed the English boundary and entered upon Indian territory. We cannot doubt that the Commission- ers had this special tract in view when they directed Uncas to carry his captive . into the next [i. e. the nearest] part of his own government and there put him to death.' Winthrop, who records the event, understood evidently that the execution took place in this Mohegan claim between Hartford and Windsor - that is, in the present East Hartford and East [now Sonth] Windsor; and he probably derived his information from the Englishmen that were designated to witness the act and see that it was done without failure. We are thus, in a manner, compelled to admit that Miantonomah was executed in some unknown spot, near the old boundary line of Hartford and Windsor." Miantonomah's monu- ment, it is true,-is erected near Norwich on the site of a monumental stone-heap - doubtless originally a Mohegan pile - a trophy erected by the tribe on the spot where they were victorious, and where Miantonomah was captured. But the ' place of sacrifiee' in the woods of Windsor- the spot where he received the fatal blow - was left unmarked, and must remain forever unknown."
It cannot be supposed that the extinction of the Podunks was any great cause of sorrow to the now rapidly increasing whites. Their fero- cious temper and unbroken spirit firmly resisted all the friendly over-
1 Dr. McClure's MSS. in Conn. Hist. Soc'y - the church referred to was probably Rev. Mr. Edward's church, near the old burial ground in South Windsor.
119
THE INDIAN TRIBES OF WINDSOR.
tures of the latter, who never felt quite safe from some unexpected out- break of savage violence.
In 1657, the pions Mr. Eliot, hearing of the Podimk Indians, de- sired that the tribe might be assembled, so as to afford him an oppor- tunity to give them some religious instruction. They were at length in- duced to come together at Hartford, where Mr. Eliot preached to them in their own language, and endeavored to instruet them in the knowledge of a Saviour. Having closed his sermon, he asked them if they would accept Jesus Christ as a Saviour, as he had been offered to them. But the intractable warrior chieftain, turning from him with great seorn, utterly refused, saying that the English had taken away their lands, and were now attempting to make them servants. - Trumbull.
In King Philip's War several of their young warriors were suspected to have gone off and joined the enemy.1
We have been unable to satisfactorily ascertain the existence of any considerable tribe of Indians in the present town of Ellington. There is a tradition that, at the time of Samuel Pinney's settlement there, about 1717, there was a part of a tribe of Indians dwelling a few rods north of where the grist and saw mills now stand, and that they were sometimes troublesome. Our own opinion is that it must have been a portion of some Windsor tribe, and that they occupied the ground rather as a hunt- ing ground during particular seasons of the year, than as a permanent residence.
Tradition tells us that the Indians on the east side of the Connecti- ent River were intimate friends of the Tunxis (or Farmington ) Indians. Whenever the latter made them a visit they returned with them to the west side of the river at parting, bringing with them provisions for a feast, consisting of pouruled corn, and, if in the spring, maple sap, aud such other simple laxuries as they possessed. And having arrived at the meadow hill, they feasted together and smoked the pipe of peace.
This is probable, for it is very evident that all the Windsor tribes were intimately connected. not only with each other, but with all the other Connectient elans. Any one who attempts, from deeds and the slender data which remain, to define, with any degree of positive accuracy, the boundaries and distinctions of these tribes, will find himself in a labyrinthian maze of doubt and confusion. Misspelling and the ancient orthography of names; indefiniteness of the boundaries mentioned, and the changes which time has wrought in them, are some of the difficulties which will assail him. Added to this he will find, as will be seen in our next chapter, that our ancestors, when they purchased land from the natives, were in the habit of procuring the signatures, not only of the
Dr. Mcclure in Maxs. Hist. Society Collections, vol. x., says that the tribe contained between 200 and 300 men, who went off in that war, and never returned.
F-
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
owners, but of all the relatives and friends, and. sometimes it would seem, of all the Indians in the neighborhood, whether they had any interest in the property or not. This was done for the sake of greater security, and however politie in that day, is sometimes exceedingly annoying to the patient investigator of later days. These remarks may serve to explain the apparent discrepancies which sometimes appear in the discussion of these subjects; and the author trusts that they will sufficiently apologize for any mistakes which the critic may hereafter discover in these pages. Confident we are that those who are most acquainted with the subject and its inherent difficulties will be the most lenient in their criticism.
The subsequent history of the Windsor Indians is both melancholy and brief. They seem to have gradually removed to Farmington, Salis- bury, and Sharon, where, in 1730, they became united with the remnants of the Simsbury, Farmington, Wethersfield, and other Connecticut River tribes, and finally, in 1763, were removed to Stockbridge, Mass. About the year 1786, by invitation of the Oneidas, they moved to Stockbridge, N. Y. Here, on a tract three miles long by two miles in breadth, granted to them by the hospitable Oneidas, they, together with a number from the Mohegan and other tribes of Connecticut, formed a tribe called the Brothertons. Their first pastor was Sampson Ocenm, a native Mohegan, who removed to New York State with them, and died there in 1792.
In 1834 they commenced, together with the Stockbridge tribe, to emigrate to Calumet County, Wisconsin. By 1840 there were 300 of the Brothertons and 230 Stockbridge Indians in the county, and had commeneed to build saw and grist mills. In 1839 the Brothertons obtained the rights of United States citizenship. In 1850 they munhered 400 ont of a population of 1746 in Calumet County, where they now form a large, civilized, and prosperons community.1
In 1774 there were but sir Indians residing in Windsor, and in 1786 there was but one old squaw, Betty Mammanash, who was supported by the State and who died the same year.
In East Windsor there were but xix Indians (probably Seantics) in 1774, and in 1º06 there was one family who were unable to trace their origin or tribe. Within the whole limits of Ancient Windsor but one Indian is know to have been converted or baptized. This was Sarah, whose life has been made the subject of a tract, published by the American Tract Society, an abridgment of which was also published in London. This individual resided at the north end of Shenipset Pond in Ellington. The publication referred to is little better than entire false- hood. Although she was a full-blooded Mohegan, possessing the natural
1 Wisconsin Hist. Society Coll., i. 103.
2 Muss. Hist. Society Coll., 1st Series, x.
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INDIAN NAMES OF WINDSOR LOCALITIES.
self-respect of the aborigine, and spoke the English language as well as old people generally, the author, apparently to give zest to the narrative, attributed to her the abject spirit and broken speech of the African race, which, in the opinion of those who knew her, was not only far from the truth, but also degrading and unjust to the individual herself.
As a matter of interest to our readers, we subjoin the translation of some of the Indian names which oceur in the previous chapters, derived from the History of Glastonbury, Conn., by the late Rev. Alonzo B. Chapin. We are not versed in Indian philology, and therefore cannot vouch for their entire accuracy, but we believe that they are the result of much labori- ous and conscientious research into the subject, and, as far as we are competent to judge, are supported by gool authorities.
UNCAS, signities the bold. Users-wonk, holdt-ness (Cot. 8); ONKQUE, cruel tyrant (Cot. 21).
ARRAMAMET. signifies dy's-tongue. Seems to be compounded of ARUM, the Indian word for dog (R. W. 96) and MEENAT, or WEENAT, a tooth (compare Ell. 10: .R. W. 59). The change which this etymology supposes the word to undergo is pre- cisely like that in the Indian word WUTTUMMAGEN, a pipe, from WOTTON, mouth, and EGEN or EAGUN, thing, instrument, etc.
NESSAMEGON, signifies instrument of death, from NISSIn, killing, and EAGUN, instrument (R. W. 115. 123. See also Schoolcraft Miss. App. 200).
WEQUASH. Com (R. W. 86).
SEAKOT, rild-cat.
SEQUANSON. hardstone ; SEQUIN, SOWHENG, King of the South Country.
TUNXIS SEPU'S, signitied the Little Crane Rirer, from TAUNCK, Prane (R. W. 8), SEPOSE, little river (R. W. 89).
POQU'ONNOC, significa a battle field. Poqvonnoc, Pequonnoc, Pughquonnuc. Pocatonnuc, derived from PACQrA, to kill or slaughter (R. W. 118, 151). These words apparently denote a slaughter place, and probably in battle.
PODUNK. the place of fire, or place of burning, from POTAW, fire, and UNCE, place of (R W. 48). hence POTAUNCK, or PODUNK, or POTUNK (T. C. R. II. 347).
SCANTIC. seems to refer to the low watery country in that neighborhood, from SOKEN, to pony out (R. W. 34), and SOKENCM, min (R. W. 81); evidently the same words from which some of the New England tribes had ASQUAN, water, SOKENTUCK, ASQUANTUCK. place of water, might very readily change to SCANTIC.
SHENIPSET, SNIPSIC. NIPSIC, from NIP, water, and SIC, duce of.
HOCCANUM, fishing ground.
VOL. I. - 16
CHAPTER VI.
NOTES ON THE PURCHASES OF WINDSOR'S LANDS FROM THE INDIANS.
West of the Connecticut River.
AROM reasons alluded to in the previous chapter, it is now alinost impossible in many cases to define the exact boundaries of the differ- ent purchases. The Indians, when selling their lands to the whites, were parting with that which had no great value in their own eyes, and of which they had a superabundance ; consequently they did not haggle about a mile or so, more or less, and adopted the natural features of the country as the most convenient landmarks and boundaries. The ancient names of these various localities are now obscure, and often lost ; and the appearance of the localities themselves has undergone some change during the lapse of years. Many of these purchases, also, overlap pre- vious purebases, and land was often repurchased by our honest ancestors - in cases where some doubt seems to have existed as to the validity of a former title, or of the full terms of the contract having been properly fulfilled.
We have, therefore, rather than attempt any very close and acent- ate adjustment of these various purchases, preferred to set the matter before our readers in its simplest light, by presenting the different deeds. either in full or in abstract, just as we find them on the Land Records of Windsor, simply arranging them in the order of time, and connecting them by a slight framework of suggestions and notes. Thus, we believe that, with the aid of the Map of Indian Purchases, the reader will be able, easily and satisfactorily, to trace out and comprehend the whole subject. In the construction of this map we have been greatly indebted to the researches and labors of our friend, Mr. Jabez H. Hayden of Windsor Locks, Conn. Indeed, the outline or skeleton. so to speak, of the chapter is his work : ours has been its arrangement and the elabora- tion of detail, in every step of which we have to acknowledge his aiding and guiding hand.
We have not thought it worth while to give the references to our extraets of deeds, etc. They are derived from the First and Second Book of Land Records of Windsor. The first volume was carefully
MAP
WEST HARTFORD
1
1
5
ILLUSTRATIVE at the INDIAN PURCHASES OF Ancient Windsor CONN.
BLOOM FIELD
E
HARTFORD
NROYS
-
GE. HARTFORD
Ge
PINE Mrino
Armi Bacon
WINDSOR LOCKS
SUFFIELD
T
RE
RIVER
E
1
GAUTIER
AST
1
CATCH BARN*
WINDSOR
ELLINGTON
RICHARDSON ST NY
CRzamanalMT his Mark
Farsunile of the mark of Aramamet, the Windsor Sachem, 1636.
ENFIELD
FRES PUTEA BADOR
MANCHESTER
SOUTH WIND S
SIMSB
129
LAND PURCHASES FROM THE INDIANS.
copied by order of the town in 1710-12. From the original, which is still in existence, although somewhat the " worse for wear," we have made our notes, supplying all lost words and passages from the better conditioned ropy. The Indian signatures, having no uniformity, have no value as autographs, and are. therefore, not reproduced.
One fact is most conclusively proved by this array of documentary evidence, that the whole of Ancient Windsor was honestly bought, and even rebought by our ancestors, of the native proprietors. A strict sense of justice actuated our fathers in all their dealings with the Indians, and, so far as we can learn, no taint of dishonesty or over-reaching rests upon the broad aeres of old Windsor.
I.
When the Plymouth Company erected their trading house at Matia- nuek, in 1633, they purchased " for a valuable consideration," from Se- quassen and Nattawanut. " the rightful owners," a tract of land west of the Connectient River. This purchase, extending from the great swamp near the bounds of Hartford on the south. to about a quarter of a mile above Mr. Francis Stiles's (the Ellsworth Place) on the north: bounded cast by the Connecticut. and on the west extending - into the country as far as Sequassen and Nattawanut's proprieties," was the first land owned by the English within the present town of Windsor, and was transferred to the Dorchester settlers in 1637.
This whole tract was afterwards (July 14, 1670) repurchased by the town of Windsor from Nattawannt's successors, Arramamett and Repe- quam. In this sale, which was probably a mere matter of confirmation, the lands are described as extending from Hartford to - Nassahegan's propriety already sold to the inhabitants of Windsor " ( Poquonnoe), and from the Connecticut River running seven miles westward "into the wilderness." They were sold, "with all the trees, woods, underwood. brooks, rivers, waters, and ponds lying therein, for a valuable parrel of Treking cloth." - Windsor Land Record.
The north line of this purchase is indicated on the accompanying map by a dotted line.
II.
. The land described in the foregoing deed of confirmation as - Nas- sahegan's propriety already sold to the inhabitants of Windsor," was situated in the Poquonnoe Distriet. It was bought some time in 1635. by William Phelps, Sen., who afterward, not being able to prove full
124
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
payment of the same, honestly bought it over again. The transaction is thus detailed in a derd, dated March 31. 1665:
"These presents testify, whereas there was a parcel of land purchased formerly by Mr. William Phelps, Sen , living at Windsor, about 30 years since, of Schat, an Indian. a Paquanick sachem, and I [Phelps] not being able to prove full payment of the sud purchase, in consideration whereof I now engage to make up the full payment by pay. · ing to the said Sehat's kinsman, Nas-abegan, sachem of Paquanick. 4 trucking coats. or what upon agreement shall satisfy them to the value thereof. The said Nassahegan en. gaging to make said parcel of land free as shall be expressed from any challenge or de- mands for future time of himself. his heirs, or successors, or any other Indian or Indians whatsoever. And Coggerynosset. Schat's son and his sister, and the said Nassahegan's own sister shall subscribe to the said premises. The said parcel of land is thus bounded. as it takes in all the first meadow bounded by the rivulet. the Indian name being Tau chag; and half the 24 meadow according to the running of the river, the Indian name being Pabachimusk; the parcel of land bounds south by a little brook that falls into the river, about 40 rods from my now dwelling house, and to extend in length from the river westward upon a line three miles, all the breadth the said land from the south brook 10 the middle of the 2d meadow; which said agreement is made and assigned to by us whose names are underwritten this year of the Lord, 1665. March 31st. Owned already paid in two coats and 40x. in wampum for a third coat, and six bushels of Indian corn, and fifteen shillings in wampum for the fourth eoat; and fifteen shillings in wampum is at six a penny.
"[Signed by]
" Witnesses
SAMUEL PHELPS. MATTHEW GRANT, JOHN BARTLETT. TIMOTHY BUCKLAND,
COGGERYNOSSET. ASCTHEW. Coggery nomet's sister. PATACKHOUSE, Naxsthegan's sister.
AMANNAWER, ..
NASSAHEGAN."
In February, 1666, " whereas there are several men that have land within the limits of it [the purchase aforesaid] both meadow and upland, besides Mr. Phelps and his sons, it was therefore concluded that each man according to his proportion of land capable of plowing or mowing, should pay 12 pence per acre to Mr. Phelps." And each one paying to Mr. Phelps should afterwards have a clear title to their several shares of land. We much doubt whether that land could now be purchased for twelve pence per acre.
III.
The next slice of land acquired by our ancestors extended from the north line of the Plymouth purchase of 1633 to Stony Brook, and from the Connecticut River to the west side of the Simsbury Mountains. This large tract, as will be seen, covered the whole of the present town of Windsor Locks, the northern third of Windsor, and the southern part of Suffield. It was purchased " about the time of the Pequot war" (1637) by Messrs. George Hall, Humphrey Pinney, Thomas Ford, and Thomas Lewis, for the inhabitants of Windsor, from the sachem Tebano or Nehano. In a deed of confirmation given May 19, 1687, by his
125
LAND PURCHASES FROM THE INDIANS.
daughter. Quashabuek, widow of Coggeryuosset of Poquonock, deceased, she testifies that " her father received full satisfaction therefor," and as she is his only child she makes over her right and title to Capt. Benja- min Newbury, Capt. Daniel Clark, Mr. Simon Wolcott, Mr. Henry Wolcott, and Return Strong, as representatives of the town of Windsor. Aushqua, her son (by Coggerynosset), also confirms the same. This land is more fully described in the deed as " between Gunn's Brook down to Connecticut River, which brook falls into the river at a place called New Brook [present Hayden's Station], at upper end of land formerly William Hayden's, deceased, and since to his son Daniel, and from the brook it runs north to the Stony Brook ( which enters Connecticut River opposite the great island on the falls), and hounds easterly on the Connecticut River, and thence runs west to the westward side of the mountains, and continues all along the same breadth as at the east end."
IV.
" Know all men by these presents, that I. Nassahegan, of Paquaniek, sachem, have freely given and granted and do hereby alienate and assign unto John Mason of Wind- sor, all my right and interest in all my land lying between Powqnaniock and Mas aqua [Maissacoe, or Sim-bury] westward and south and eastward as far as he has any right, only excepting a part of a meadow at Paquanick now in the occupation of the Indians, there to be enjoyed fully and freely without any future disturbance, by the said John Mason, or his as-igus. Witness my hand this 13th of March, Anno Domini, 1642.
" Signed and &#: led in the presence and witness ot WILLIAM PHELPS. WILLIAM HILL.
NASSAHEGAN.
" This copied from the original by me, Matthew Grant. Register, February, 1665."
This deed evidently extinguished Nassahegan's title to all the land (except the reservation at Indian Neck above mentioned) in Windsor south and west of the Tunxis, not included in the previous sale to Phelps.
Even the small - part of a meadow at Paquaniek," mentioned in the foregoing deed. was soon absorbed by the insatiable white man, for we learn that in
V.
"April 21, 1650. George Griswohl hath by purchase of certain Indians, by name Wattowan, Quockhom, Wannappoush, the wife of Wattowan, otherwise called Towanno [Nehano or Tehano] a certain neck of land lying at Poquonnock made over in a convey- ance ander the hand and marks of the Indians, now in the keeping of George Griswold; the land in quantity by the Indian'sestimation, is nine acres more or less, since by more exact measure is found 10 acres more or less, as it is bounded northwest by a small swamp in a straight line from river [to riv]er: every way else it bounds by the river. Which said parcel of land it shall be lawful for the said George Griswold, his beirs, executors, administrators and assigns forever to have and to hohl, possess and enjoy. as freely as we the said Indians above named, had both liberation and counsel from
126
HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
our friends of a long time,' and we now do engage ourselves and heirs to maintain and defend [all] right and claim that we have sold and made over unto George Griswold, con- firming the said land to he good and right, and that we are the true owners of the said land, and stand bound, both we and our heirs to make good our part of sale and delivery; and free the said land from all claims, demands, debts, dues of every nature or kiad whatsoever that are or have been upon the said land, from the beginning of the world to this present day." &e.
" George Griswold hath reserved to himself, in the Indian neck of land, out of the general purchase that be made with the Indians, two aeres and a half and teu rod- as it is new bounded, lasides an allowance for a way to go by the river side on the east end of it, bounded on the porth by the land of James Enno, south by Elward Gri-wohl, west and cast by the river." Perhaps this is the land referred to in the following town vote of Dec. 10, 1556.
" It was voted that if the corner of land that is in the Iulians' possession be judged by the town meet to be purchased, that thea their neighbors of Poquonock, jointly. shall purchase, and none other shall buy it from them, but these shall have it to thetn- selves." Town Arts. 1. 32
VI.
" Sept. 11. 1662. I. Nassahegan, of Poquoneck, do own myself indebted to George Griswold 93: 5%, which shonhl have been paid him in the year 1659. in March, which 1 delaying to pay do now give for full payment to the foresaid George Griswold, all my land in the Indian Neck, which parcel of land by estimation is two acres, more or less, as it lies bounded cast and west by the river, north by the land of Samuel Phelps, south [by] the land of Josiah Ellsworth, and also all the islands iving in the river from the land that is Aaron Cook's to the lower cud of the Indian neck."
May 26, 1670: " Derd by Sepanquet son of Nasahegan, in consideration of a sum of money to be paid by Samuel Marshall in my behalf of me for a fine to the County of Hartford, and 5%, more that I am to pay to Jacob Gibbs, of an island upon Windsor Rivulet, at a place called by the Indians Matumpseek."
This island is supposed to be the one about opposite the point called Indian Neck.
April 19, 1659. Cowcherowind sold to George Griswold, 200 rods of marsh or mowing land under the east side of Massaro [Simsbury ] Hills. bounded by a little brook which divideth the land of Samuel Phelps. west by the foot of the mountains, also the upland to the top of the same.
April 2s. 1665, Nassahegan, sachem of Poquonock, sold to Jonathan Gillet. Son .. of Windsor, a piece of land, swamp, or marsh, containing twelve acres. called by the Indians Matacomacok. This was situated without the west bounds of Windsor, southerly of the swamp belonging to John Moore and Edward Griswold.
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