USA > Connecticut > Hartford County > Windsor > The history of ancient Windsor, Connecticut > Part 10
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1 Barber, who also says, " the path between these two places still retains the name of the King's Path." This name I think, is not an Indian name, as is generally supposed, but is derived from Edward King, an Irishman, one of the first settlers in this vicinity, who owned land here.
2 Trumbull's Hist. Conn. De Forest considers Wahquimcut, who first visit- ed the English at Boston in 1631, with an invitation to settle in Connecticut, as a chief of the East Windsor tribes.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
Mohegans. On our early records, this tribe is never called " the Podunk Indians." The first settlers undoubtedly called them Mohegans, which has led some writers to infer that the friendly Indians who accompanied Capt. Mason in the Pequot war, resided near New London. Uncas, their leader in his expedition, was indeed a Pequot or Mohegan, of the " blood royal."1 Previous to the coming of the English, however, having quarreled with the Pequot monarch, Sassacus, he had found a home with the river tribes, among whom his high lineage, talents, and the dominant characteristics of his race, rendered him an important personage. He identified himself at an early day, with the interests of the white settlers, whom his saga. cious mind foresaw, it would be safer to have as friends, than as enemies. And when the Pequot expedition was proposed, the wily savage eagerly seized the opportunity which it offered, to testify his allegiance to his new friends, and at the same time to avenge his own wrongs upon his kindred.
Nor from that hour, whatever may have been his faults, is there any reason to doubt his fidelity to the whites. He was probably for a longer or shorter time, a resident in this neigh- borhood; and at all events allied by marriage to the Matianuck and Podunk Indians2. We are therefore inclined to believe that the 70 Mohegan warriors who followed Uncas into the Pequot fight, were mostly, if not all, from the Podunk and Scan- tic clans. This opinion is strengthened by a sentence in a : letter written by Mr. Ludlow of Windsor, during the absence of that expedition, wherein, speaking of the latest advices from the army, he says that the enemy had killed "one Siacock Indian that went with us."3 The word Siacock we think was a syno- nyme for Scantic.
Be this as it may, however, Uncas and Tontonimo were not
1 Both in the paternal and maternal line. Trumbull thinks that the Mohe- gans were a part of the Pequot nation, so named from their location.
2 Arramemet, chief of Matianuck in 1672, deeded lands on which he then resided at Podunk, to Nautahan, alias Joshua, his son-in-law, the son of Uncas.
3 See Mass. Hist. Collections.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
always on friendly terms. In 1656, "a Podunk Indian, named WEASEAPANO, murdered a sachem, who lived near Mattabeseck, now Middletown. Sequassen, the existing sachem of that tribe, complained of the outrage to the magistracy of Connecticut; and said that the Podunk Indians entertained the murderer and protected him from merited punishment. Sequassen, at the same time, engaged Uncas in his cause; who also complained that Tontonimo enticed away many of his men; and protected an Indian who had murdered a Mohegan. Upon these com- plaints the magistrates summoned the parties before them. Sequassen and Uncas, after observing that the murderer was a mean fellow, and that the man murdered was a great sachem, insisted that ten men, friends of Weaseapano, should be deli- vered up, to be put to death, as a satisfaction for the crime. Tontonimo insisted that the satisfaction demanded was excess- ive; particularly as the murdered sachem had killed Wea- seapono's uncle. The governor endeavored to convince the complainants that the demand was excessive; observing, that the English, in cases of murder, punished only the principal, and such as were accessory to the crime.
Tontonimo then proposed to make satisfaction by the pay- ment of wampum; but it was refused. They fell, however, in their demands to six men, instead of ten. This proposition was rejected by Tontonimo. The magistrates then urged him to deliver up the murderer. This he promised to do. But, while the subject was in agitation, he privately withdrew from the court, with the rest of the Podunk sachems; and retired to the fortress belonging to his nation. Both the magistrates and the complainants were offended by this behavior of Tontonimo. However, the magistrates appointed a committee to persuade the Indians to continue at peace with each other. At their solicitation, Uncas at length consented to accept the murderer, and promised to be satisfied, if he should be delivered up; but the Podunk Indians told the English they could not comply with the condition, because the friends of Weaseapano were numerous and powerful, and would not agree to the proposal. The governor then addressed them in form; urging them to continue in peace, and endeavoring to persuade the complain-
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
ants to accept the wampum. This they again refused and with- drew; after it had been agreed on all hands, that the English should not take any part in the controversy; and after the Indians had promised that they would not injure either the persons or possessions of the English, on either side of the river.
Soon after, Uncas assembled an army, for the purpose of avenging his wrongs. But being met near Hockanum River, by an equal number of the Podunks, and considering the issue of the battle as doubtful, he prudently retired, after having sent a message to Tontonimo, in which he declared, that if the Podunk sachem persisted in withdrawing the murderer from justice, he would send to the Mohawks, to come and destroy both him and his people.
Not long after, the crafty Mohegan accomplished his purpose in the following manner: He sent a trusty warrior, furnished with some Mohawk weapons, to Podunk, directing him to set fire in the night to a house near the fort, and then to leave the weapons on the ground in the vicinity, and immediately return. The warrior executed his commission. When the Podunks came in the morning to examine the ruins, they found the weapons; and knowing them to belong to the Mohawks, were so alarmed with the apprehension that Uncas was about to execute his threat, that they delivered up the murderers and sued for peace. 1
The independent and fearless character of the Podunks, kept them constantly embroiled in war, not only with their weaker neighbors, but even with the powerful and dreaded Mohawks. Tradition says that a party of the latter once visited the tribe who resided at the mouth of the Scantic River. "As one of the
1 This is the story as told in Dr. Dwight's Travels, and is authenticated by the colonial records.
President Stiles, however, in his Itinerary, preserves the following version of the story ; "About 1654, he [Uncas ] had a quarrel with Arramemet, sachem of Mussaco or Simsbury, which brought on a war. Uncas sent one of his warriors to take and burn an out-wigwam in the night, kill and burn, and leave the marks of the Mohawks. His orders were executed. Arramemet, supposing the Mohawks had done the mischief, went in search of them to
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INDIAN HISTORY.
Mohawk women was crossing the river on a log she was pushed off into the stream and drowned; upon this the Mohawks with- drew, determined upon revenge. In the meanwhile the Scantic Indians sent a runner to the Podunk Indians for assistance; after collecting their forces, a battle took place, in which the Mo- hawks were defeated and fled; they remained in the vicinity, and whenever they found a straggler from either tribe, they inflicted summary vengeance. As one of the settlers by the name of Bissell was at work at hay in the meadow, a Scantic Indian came running toward him and implored his protection. Directing him to lie down, Mr. Bissell rolled a cock of hay upon him, and he was in this manner effectually concealed. He had hardly done this, before the Mohawks came running furiously in pursuit, who wished to know of Mr. Bissell if he had seen the fugitive. He pointed in a particular direction, in which he gave them to understand he had seen him run, which they eagerly followed, and thus the life of the poor Scantic was saved.
The feud which had thus arisen, between the Podunks and the Mohawks, at length resulted in the utter defeat of the former. It seems that a young Indian and a squaw of the Po- dunks having been to gather whortleberries, it was so late before they had gathered a sufficient quantity, that they were afraid to cross the meadows after dark, on account of the Mo- hawks, who were prowling in the vicinity. They accordingly remained for the night at the house of Rev. Mr. Williams, of East Hartford, and early in the morning the young woman set out upon her return. Soon after, the report of a gun was heard by the inhabitants in the neighborhood, and they immedi-
the north-west. Uncas gained time to equip his men, and afterwards sub- jugated Arramemet. Podunk, near Hartford, was ever afterwards tributary to Uncas."
It is easy to see that this is a garbled account of the affair, and not so well entitled to credence as Dwight's. Pres. Stiles was somewhat credulous, and not always a safe guide in matters of tradition. Yet however mistaken in the name, it is quite possible that there may be a germ of truth in the last line, which we have italicized.
13
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
ately set out to ascertain the cause. They found the young squaw weltering in her blood, having been shot by two Mohawks. The Podunks were aroused, and having mustered some 16 or 18 warriors, went in pursuit. After being out several days, they came to a corn field, and began plucking the ears. A party of Mohawks, who were lying in ambuscade, rose upon them, and killed the whole party, with the exception of two who made their escape. This severe blow had the effect of breaking up the Podunks as a distinct tribe. They separated into two parties, one of which joined the Pequots towards New London.1 The time of this occurrence can not be very accurately stated. A remnant of the tribe existed in East Windsor, in 1745, but had quite disappeared in 1760. Tradition says that COGGERY, the last male survivor of the Podunks, lived in a swamp not far from the site of the church in the First Society, and while intoxicated murdered his squaw, and then stabbed himself to death.2 Thus ignobly perished the last of the Ton- tonimo's tribe, the most fearless and warlike of the clans of Ancient Windsor.
It can not be supposed that the extinction of the Podunks, was any great cause of sorrow to the now rapidly increasing whites. Their ferocious temper, and unbroken spirit, firmly resisted all the friendly overtures of the latter, who never felt quite safe from some unexpected outbreak of savage violence.
In 1657, the pious Mr. Elliot, hearing of the Podunk Indians, desired that the tribe might be assembled, so as to afford him an opportunity to give them some religious instruction. They were at length induced to come together at Hartford, where Mr. Elliot preached to them in their own language, and endeavored to instruct 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 scorn, utterly
1 Barber's Hist. Coll. of Conn., 78.
2 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.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
refused; saying that the English had taken away their lands, and were now attempting to make them servants. 1
In King Philip's War, several of their young warriors were suspected to have gone off and joined the enemy.2
We have been unable to satisfactorily ascertain the ex- istence 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 trouble- some. Our own opinion is, that it must have been a portion of some Windsor tribe, and that they occupied the ground rather as a hunting ground during particular seasons of the year, than as a permanent residence.
Tradition tells us that the Indians on the east side of the Connecticut 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 part- ing, bringing with them provisions for a feast, consisting of pounded corn, and if in the spring, maple sap, and such other simple luxuries 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 Connecticut clans. Any one who attempts from deeds, and the slender data which remain, to define with any degree of positive accuracy, the boundaries and distinc- tions of these tribes, will find himself in a labyrinthian maze of doubt and confusion. Mispelling, and the ancient orthography of names; indefiniteness of the boundaries mentioned, and the changes which time has wrought in them, are some of the diffi- culties which will assail him. Added to this, he will find, as
1 Trumbull.
2 Dr. McClure in Mass. Hist. Soc'y Collections, vol. x, says that the tribe contained between 200 and 300 men, who went off in that war, and never returned.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
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 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 politic 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 melan. choly and brief. They seem to have gradually removed to Farmington, Salisbury and Sharon, where in 1730 they became united with the remnants of the Simsbury, Farmington, Weth- ersfield 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 Occum, a native of 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 commenced to build saw and grist mills. In 1839, the Brothertons obtained the rights of United States citizenship. In 1850 they numbered 400 out of a population of 1746 in Calumet County, where they now form a large, civilized and prosperous community.1
In 1774, there were but six Indians residing in Windsor, and in
1 Wisconsin Hist. Soc'y Coll., 1, 103.
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INDIAN HISTORY.
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 six Indians (probably Scan- tics) in 1774, and in 1806, there was one family, who were unable to trace their origin or tribe.1 Within the whole limits of Ancient Windsor, but one Indian is known to have been con- verted or baptized. This was Sarah, whose life has been made the subject of a tract, published by the American Tract Society; an abridgement of which was also published in London. This individual resided at the north end of Shenipset Pond, in Elling- ton. The publication referred to is little better than entire falsehood. Although she was a full blooded Mohegan, possess- ing the natural 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 trans- lation of some of the Indian names which occur in the previous chapters, derived from the History of Glastenbury, Conn., by the late Rev. Alonzo B. Chapin. We are not versed in Indian philology, and therefore can nut vouch for their entire accuracy, but we believe that they are the result of much laborious and con- scientious research into the subject; and as far as we are com- petent to judge, are supported by good authorities.
UNCAS, signifies the bold. UNQus-wonk, bold-ness, (Cot. 8); ONKQUE, cruel tyrant, (Cot. 21).
ARRAMAMET, signifies dog's tongue. Seems to be com- pounded 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 precisely the like that in the Indian word WUTTUMMAGEN, a pipe, from WUTTON, mouth, and EGUN or EAGUN, thing, instrument, etc.
NESSAHEGON, signifies instrument of death, from NISSIH,
1 Mass. Hist. Soc'y Coll., Ist Series, x.
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
killing, and EAGUN, instrument (R. W. 115, 122. See also School- craft Miss. App. 200).
WEQUASH, swan (R. W. 86).
SEAKOT, wild cat.
SEQUASSON, hardstone; SEQUIN, SOWHEAG, King of the South Country.
TUNXIS SEPUS, signified the Little Crane River, from TAUNCK, crane (R. W. 8), SEPOSE, little river (R. W. 89).
POQUONNOC, signified a battle field. Poquonnoc, Pequonnoc, Pughquonnuc, Pocatonnne, derived from PAUQUA, to kill or slaugh- ter (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 UNCK, 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 pour out (R. W. 34), and SOKENUM, rain (R. W. 81); evidently the same words from which some of the New England tribes had ASQUAN, water. SOKENTUCK, ASQUAN- TUCK, place of water, might very readily change to SCANTIC.
SHENIPSET, SNIPSIC, NIPSIC, from NIP, water, and sIo, place of.
HOCCANUM, fishing ground.
£
MAP ILLUSTRATIVE of the
-
OF
Ancient Windsor CONN.
B L
0
SIMSBURY
OMFIELD
m
5
I
O
D
R
WINDSOR LOCKS
SUFFIELD
1ST MEADOW
Havy
MEADOW.
OF
LITTLE MEADOW
AOCH
PLYMOUTH MEADOW
RIVER
GREAT/S.
S
GREAT
NAME RICK OR
FRESH WATER BADON
D
PODUNK R.
CATCH BROOK
WINDSOR W I
0
ELLINGTON
RICHARDSON SC. N.Y.
MANCHESTER
0 SOUTH WIND S
THE
MAYLUCK & RO-
SCANTIC R
EAST
ENFIEL
E. HARTFORD
MILL BROOK
2: MEADOW
PABACHIMUSK"
3: MEADOW
STRAWBERRY MEADOW
HARTFORD
INDIAN NEEM
" TAUCHAD'
PINE MEADOW
KETTLE BROOK
STONY BROOK
GREAT MEADOW
No. 2 MAP.
INDIAN PURCHASES
WEST HARTFORD
N
CHAPTER VI.
INDIAN PURCHASES
West of the Connecticut River.
" HITHER THE NEIGHBORING INDIAN KINGS RESORT, AND JOIN WITH THEM IN ARTICLES OF PEACE, AND OF THEIR LANDS MAKE FIRM CONVEYANCES ; AND BEING NOW BY DEEDS AND LEAGUES SECURE,
THEIR TOWNS THEY BUILD, THEIR PURCHASED LANDS MANDRE." Roger Wolcott.
Notes on Indian Purchases would perhaps be a more proper heading to this chapter. From reasons alluded to in the previ- ous chapter, it is now almost impossible in many cases, to define the exact boundaries of the different 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 locali- ties themselves has undergone some change during the lapse of years. Many of these purchases, also, overlap previous pur- chases, and land was often repurchased by our honest ances- tors - in cases where some doubt seems to have existed as to the validity of a former title - or of the full terms of the con- tract having been properly fulfilled.
We have, therefore, rather than attempt any very close and accurate adjustment of these various purchases, preferred to set the matter before our readers in its simplest light, by pre-
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HISTORY OF ANCIENT WINDSOR.
senting 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 elaboration 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 extracts of deeds, &c. They are derived from the 1st and 2d Book of Land Records of Windsor. The first volume was carefully copied by order of the town in 1710-12. From the original, which is still in existence, altho' some what the " worse for wear" we have made our notes, supplying all lost words and passages from the better conditioned copy. 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 docu- mentary evidence, that the whole of Ancient Windsor was honestly bought, and even rebought, by our ancestors, of the native pro- prietors. 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 overreaching rests upon the broad acres of Old Windsor.
I.
When the Plymouth Company erected their trading house at Matianuck, in 1633, they purchased "for a valuable con- sideration," from Sequassen and Nattawanut, " the rightful owners," a tract of land west of the Connecticut 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
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INDIAN PURCHASES.
east by the Connecticut, and on the west extending "into the country as far as Sequasson 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 Nattawanut's successors, Arra- mamett and Repequam. In this sale, which was probably a mere matter of confirmation, the lands are described as extend- ing from Hartford to " Nassahegan's propriety already sold to the inhabitants of Windsor" (Poquonnoc), and from the Con- necticut River running seven miles westward "into the wilder- ness." They were sold " with all the trees, woods, underwood, brooks, rivers, waters and ponds lying therein for a valuable parcel of Trucking cloth."1
The north line of this purchase is indicated on the accompany- ing map by a dotted line.
II.
The land described in the foregoing deed of confirmation as "Nassahegan's propriety already sold to the inhabitants of Windsor," was situated in the Poquonnoc District. It was bought some time in 1635, by William Phelps, Sen., who after- ward, not being able to prove full payment of the same, honestly bought it over again. The transaction is thus detailed in a deed, 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 Sehat, an Indian, a Paquanick sachem, and I [Phelps] not being able to prove full payment of the said purchase, in consideration whereof I now engage to make up the full payment by paying to the said Sehat's kinsman, Nassahegan, sachem of Paquanick, 4 trucking coats, or what upon agreement shall satisfy them to the value thereof. The said Nassahegan engaging to make said parcel of land free as shall be expressed from any challenge or demands for future time of himself, his heirs, or successors, or any other Indian or Indians whatsoever. And Coggerynosset, Sehat'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
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