USA > Connecticut > New Haven County > Derby > The history of the old town of Derby, Connecticut, 1642-1880. With biographies and genealogies > Part 8
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There is one more story belonging to the early history of Litchfield, which it is proper to record here. It illustrates, like other incidents which have been mentioned, the Indian mode of warfare, but at the same time brings to view some of the better traits of the Indian nature. It is taken, in a some- what abridged form, from the "Travels in New England and New York," of President Dwight of Yale College, who vouches for its authenticity.
Not many years after the settlement of Litchfield, a stranger Indian came one day to a tavern in the town, in the dusk of even- ing, and asked the hostess for some drink and a supper. He
1xxxix
THE INDIAN AS A FRIEND.
told her he could pay for neither, as he had had no success in hunting, but promised payment at some future time. The hostess refused him, called him a lazy, good-for-nothing fellow, and told him she did not work hard to throw away her earnings upon such creatures as he. A white man who sat by, saw in the Indian's face that he was suffering severely from want and weariness, and directed the woman of the house to feed him at his expense.
When the Indian had finished his supper, he turned to his benefactor, thanked him, and assured him he would remember his kindness and if possible repay him for it. For the present he could only reward him with a story. "I suppose," said the Indian, "you read the Bible ?" The man assented. "Well," said he, "the Bible say, God made the world, and then he took him and looked on him, and say, 'It's all very good.' He made light, and took him and looked on him, and say, 'It's all very good.' Then he made dry land and water, and sun and moon, and grass and trees, and took him and looked on him, and say, ' It's all very good.' Then he made beasts and birds and fishes, and took him and looked on him, and say, 'It's all very good.' Then he made man, and took him and looked on him and say, 'It's all very good.' Then he made woman, and took him and looked on him ; and he no dare say one such word."
Having told his story, the Indian withdrew, with a sly glance at the landlady.
Some years after, the man who had befriended him, having occasion to go some distance into the wilderness between Litch- field and Albany, was taken prisoner by an Indian scout and hurried away to Canada. When he arrived at the principal seat of the tribe, on the southern bank of the St. Lawrence, it was proposed that he should be put to death ; but an old In- dian woman demanded that he should be given to her, that she might adopt him in place of a son whom she had lost in the war. He was given to her, and spent the succeeding winter in her family. The next summer, while at work alone in the for- est, an unknown Indian came to him and asked him to meet him at a place which he pointed out, on a given day. The cap- tive agreed to the proposal ; but before the day arrived, his ap- prehensions of intended mischief had increased to such a degree
L
XC
INDIAN HISTORY.
that he determined not to keep the engagement. Soon after, the Indian found him at his work again, reproved him for break- ing his promise, and made another appointment with him for another day and hour. This time, the white man was true to his word. When he reached the spot, he found the Indian provided with two muskets, two knapsacks and ammunition for both. The Indian ordered him to follow him, and set off to- ward the south. Within a short time the white man's fears subsided, although his companion preserved a profound silence concerning the object of their expedition. In the day-time they shot such game as came in their way, and at night kin- dled a fire and slept by it. After a tedious journey of many days through the wilderness, they came one morning to an em- inence whence they beheld a cleared and partially cultivated country and a number of houses. The man knew his home ; it was Litchfield ! His guide reminded him that some years before he had relieved the wants of a famished Indian at a tav- ern in that town, and said, "I that Indian ! now I pay you! go home." Without another word he bade him farewell, and the white man hastened joyfully to his own house.
The Indian looks out no more from any hill-top upon the cultivated fields of Litchfield, or any part of the valley which was once his own hunting ground. He is gone, and the suc- ceeding race is glad to be well rid of him. The only remains, except the title deeds and traditions to which reference has been made, are the few names of places which echo on the white man's lips the strange tones of their language, and the stone implements which are turned up by the plough in our fields. He is gone. But it is pleasant to think of him, the untutored child of the woods, and to reflect that he had much that was good in him, and not a little that is worthy of remem- brance. It may be hoped that what is here given will serve to interest us in his character and render us wiser and kinder in our estimate of those who bear the same name, who in the far West are still carrying on the same hopeless fight with the re- lentless forces of the Anglo-Saxon civilization.
xci
INDIAN NAMES.
INDIAN NAMES.
The following Indian names are attached to deeds recorded in Derby, and three or four deeds in Stratford. Some of the different spellings are given :-
Ackcutrout.
Aennhe.
John Cuckson, in 1731 (and John Cock- shure, in 1742. In a Waterbury deed, Cocoesen).
Agonahog.
Ahennosse, sagamore.
John Howde, alias Towsowan, (the suc- cessor to Cockapatana).
Ahuntaway (Huntawa), sachem.
Amonequon.
Ke Kesumun.
Ansantaway (Ansantawa), sachem.
Lyonson.
Arkumi.
Machet Numledge, Machetumhege. (Ma- chet means " bad.")
Atownhood.
Atrechanasett, Chetrenaset.
Mamook.
Manchero.
Manomp.
Mashekes. (Mashok-ees.)
Matach (Mataret).
Cherakmath.
Will Mashok.
Chesousamoke, sagamore. Chenamash.
Mawquash. Melook Took (Tock).
Meskilling (Skilling).
Mohemat.
Munsock.
Chetemhehu.
Nannatouse, son of Creahore.
Nanawaug (Nanawauk) sagamore.
Nanatoush (Nanoques).
Cheroromogg.
Nasquero.
Cheshconeeg.
Chuse, sachem.
Neighbor Putt.
Cockapatana (Cockapatanay, Cockapa- tanah), sachem.
Nesinpas. Okenuck (Ochenung, Okenug, Okenac, Akenants, Ackenack), sachem.
Cockapatouch. Coskoske.
Oranquato. Oshoron. Pagahah.
Chubbs (Chupps).
Creahore, brother of Puckwhompe, Cre- hero, Kehore (Kehow).
Curens (Curex),
Papiscounos.
Durgen.
Papuree. Pawanet (Paquonet)
Hannah Tous.
Howxon (Heuxon).
Peowse.
Husks. Indian Shot. Jacob.
Piunquesh. Pocono.
Ponomskut.
James. Johns. John Banks.
Poquanott.
Pomuntock.
Puckwhomp.
1
Atterosse, sagamore.
Caapatonce.
Charles.
Chawbrook (Chebrook).
Chushamack, Cheshushumock, Cosho- shemack, Chushawmack, and prob- ably Momanchewaug alias Cush (or Chuse) at Pootatuck, sachem.
Musquatt.
Chickins. Chips.
Nebawkumme.
Pagasett James (Pagasite James).
xcii
INDIAN HISTORY.
Punwan.
Pussecokes.
Quoconoco.
Toto. Jack Toto. John Toto. Will Toto.
Raretoon.
Rashkanoot (Rashkanute).
Rawneton.
Tom's Squaw.
Ringo.
Totoquan.
Robbin.
Towtanemo (Towtanamow, Towtanemoe, Tountonimo), sachem.
Rowangasuck.
Rourkowhough.
Towsowwam, squaw.
Sagnett.
Untaguenock. Younkitihue.
Sasaoso (Sasaouson, Sassoughsough). Sashwake James (Susqua James).
Yyou Pon (Yyouson).
Sauquett.
Wampegon, sachem.
Sasepaquan (Sassapagrem, alias Piun- quesh).
Sowsonnamon.
Secochanneege.
Shoot Horn.
Wasawas.
Shoran.
Watakis (Wattaki).
Siacus.
Watagunock (Wataquenock).
Sisowecum.
Watiens.
Squaw Sarah.
Waukacun.
Stastockham.
Succuscoge.
Weepooks.
Suckcoe (Suckskow).
Wequacuk.
Sunkaquene.
Weroces.
Tackamore, or Sackamore (Tatiymore). Tarshun (Tazchun).
Wesonco. Wetupaco.
Will Doctor.
Will Mashock,
Towheag (Powheak). Tone.
Winham.
Wookpenos.
The following names are found in deeds recorded in Water- bury, Litchfield and Farmington, relating to early sales of land in the upper Naugatuck valley. Some of them are included in the foregoing list, but are reproduced here because attached to a different series of deeds :-
Alwaush, Awowas, Wawowas, Wowo- wis.
Arumpiske, described as "Curan's squaw."
Atumtacko, Atumtockquo (that is, Atum-
patucko. He was the son of Pa- tucko). Aupkt, Abuck. Caranchaquo.
Chere. Chusquanoag. Conquapatana (known as Konkapot). Cocapadous (that is, Konkapot-oos).
Cocoeson. Corkscrew (elsewhere Coksure, Cotsure). Curan. Hachatowsock (elsewhere Hatchet Tou- sey ?)
Wankascum.
Warrashgonoot.
Waskawakes, alias Tom. (Waskawases, possibly the same as Wasawas).
Wauwumpecum.
Tijackomo (Tisachomo). Thomassoot (Thomasseet).
Tom (son of Cockapatana).
NAMES OF PLACES.
xciii
James (Pagasset James). John a-Compound. Judas.
Kehow, Kehore (elsewhere Creahore ?) Kekasahum.
Mansumpansh.
Sepunkum (elsewhere Wussebucome).
Spinning Squaw.
Suckquunockqueen (elsewhere Wussockan- ockqueen; " Suckquunock's squaw"?).
Mattaneage. Mercy, described as " Sepus's squaw." Momantow's squaw.
Nenapush squaw.
Tonhocks.
Toweecume.
Toxcronuck.
Uncowate.
Warun-Compound, described as "Nesa- heag's son."
Wechamunck, described as "Cocoe- sen's sister."
Wenuntacum. Weroamaug (elsewhere Waramaug).
Werumcaske, described as "Cocoesen's sister."
Wognacug. Wonposet.
INDIAN NAMES OF PLACES.
The following place-names, mostly in the Naugatuck valley, are either of Indian origin or embody some reminiscence of the period of Indian occupancy. They are arranged geograph- ically, beginning at the lower end of the valley.
POOTATUCK, POHDERTOKE, ETC.
An ancient name of the (lower) Ousatunnock River ; also of a tribe of Indians ; also of a village on the same river ; called later the " Pootatuck Wigwams" : at the present time it is the name of a brook which flows through the town of Newtown.
PAUGASUCK, PAGASSET, PAWGASETT, ETC.
The original name of Derby, applied by Governor Eaton and others to the Ousa- tunnock River, perhaps also to the Naugatuck River.
SQUANTUCK, originally WESQUANTOOK.
A small place on the Ousatunnock, at the mouth of Four-Mile brook, in the town of Seymour; the name also of the school-district in which it is situated.
HESSEKEE MEADOW.
A meadow at Great Hill, about three miles below the village of Seymour. Hesse- kee Meadow Brook separates Seymour from Derby.
Nesaheagun (perpetuated in the name of an Odd Fellows' Lodge as "No- sahogan": the old style e was mis- taken for an o).
Norkgnotonckquy.
Notamunk, described as "Curan's sis- ter."
Patucko, Patuckquo, Puttcko. Patucko's squaw.
Petasus, described as "a [female] grand- child," probably of Awowas (" her mark ").
Pethuzo. Poni.
Quatowquechuck, described as "Tap- how's son."
Querrimus, Queramousk.
Quiump (elsewhere Aquiomp?). Sebocket (Aupkt, Abuck?).
Mantow, Momantow.
Maquash.
Taphow.
Tataracum.
xciv
INDIAN HISTORY.
PUNKUPS.
A small place on the Ousatunnock, at the mouth of Eight-Mile brook. Perhaps named after the Indian Puckwhomp.
NAUGATUCK, NAWCATOCK, ETC.
The original name of the spot where Seymour now stands ; said to mean "one tree "-nequut tukh. At an early date it was applied to the River (" the river which cometh from Nawcatock") by those in the lower part of the valley. The town to which the name is now attached was formed from Waterbury, Bethany and Oxford in 1844, and the "Naugatuck Railroad Company " was incorporated in 1845.
CHUSE-TOWN.
The name given to Seymour when it was the camping-ground of Joe Chuse (Joseph Mauweehu) and his band, and by which the place was known until it became Humphreysville.
INDIAN FIELD and INDIAN HILL.
Localities in the village of Seymour, a little north of the Falls. The Hill is on the south part of the Field.
RIMMON FALLS and ROCK RIMMON.
The Falls are at the centre of Seymour; Rock Rimmon is the name of a bold and craggy hill on the east side of the Naugatuck, near Pines Bridge. The names are probably not of Indian origin.
JACK'S BROOK. .
A tributary of Little River, in Oxford. It is supposed to have been so called after an Indian who bore the English name of Jack.
SKOKORAT, originally SCUCURRA.
A long hill or ridge to the east of the Naugatuck, about a mile back from the river, and lying parallel to it, and along Bladen's brook. Also called " Snake Hill" (the Indian for "snake " is askug).
NYUMPHS.
A school district in the town of Beacon Falls, about two miles back from the Naugatuck. In a Stratford deed of 1659 the name Nayump is attached to a " small river " emptying into the Pootatuck, apparently some miles below Derby.
HOCKANUM.
A brook which flows southward and empties into Lebanon brook about a mile east of where the latter empties into the Naugatuck, at Beacon Falls. (There is a Hockanum river that empties into the Connecticut at East Hartford.) The base of the name is Hocquan, meaning "hook-shaped."
TOBY'S ROCKS.
A precipitous ledge on the west side of the Naugatuck, the northern extremity of which is now known as "High Rock." It extends about a mile southward from " High Rock Grove," at Sherman's brook. The name was derived from an Indian - who was once the slave of Colonel Ebenezer Johnson, and to whom land was deeded by the town of Derby.
LOPUS.
A plain in the north-west part of the town of Beacon Falls; also called Loper's plain ; probably not an Indian name.
XCV
NAMES OF PLACES.
1
TOWANTUCK, TOANTICK.
A pond on the borders of Oxford. The name occurs, along with nineteen others, designating small parcels of land in the southern part of Mattatuck (the original town of Waterbury) in a deed of 1685. The other names, now obsolete, are as follows :
WECOBEMEAS.
" The land upon the brook or small river that comes through the Straight north- ward of Lebanon [at Straitsville ?], and runs into Naugatuck river at south end of Mattatuck bounds, called by the English Beacon Hill brook."
PACAWACKUCK or AGAWACOMUCK.
WATAPECK.
PACAQUAROCK. MEGUNHATTACKE. MUSQUAUKE.
MAMUSQUAKE.
SQUAPMASUTTE.
WACHU (the "mountain," probably Beacon Hill).
These "nine parcels of land lie on the east side of the Naugatuck river, betwixt Beacon Hill brook and the hither end of Judd's meadow." (Deed of 1685.)
SQONTK, the same as SQUANTUCK.
This name, which has occurred before, is the name given in the deed to "the hither end of Judd's meadow." The ten names which follow, together with To- wantuck, designate "eleven parcels of land on the west side " of the Naugatuck.
SURACASKS.
PETOWTUCKI. WEQUARUUSH. CAPAGE.
COCUMPASUCK.
MEGENHUTTACK.
PANOETAN (perhaps PANOOTAN.)
MATTUCKHOTT.
COCACOKS.
GAWUSKESUCKS.
ACHETAQOPAG or MARUSCOPAG.
These are the two names given in the deed of 1685 to the point at which the eastern boundary line crosses the Naugatuck. In both the name Capage, given above, reappears-which stands perhaps for kuppo-oke, meaning "narrow place "- possibly the narrows in the river at Beacon Hill.
MATTATUCK.
The old name of Waterbury, designating a territory of much greater extent than the present town. It has survived until recently as a name of East Litchfield. In the earliest records it is Mattetackoke (Matta-tuhk-ohke), meaning perhaps "place with- out trees."
xcvi
INDIAN HISTORY.
KISSEWAUG.
A name said to belong to Long Meadow Pond, which empties by Long Meadow Brook into the Naugatuck at Naugatuck village.
MALMANACK.
A locality in Waterbury, lying south-west of the Town Plot, about two miles from the centre. of the city. It is a high ridge or knoll, said to have been the site of an Indian camping-ground.
MANHAN.
The spot known as "the Manhan," lies half a mile west of Centre Square, Water- bury, on both sides of West Main street. It was originally an island-whence the name. The name was taken some years ago by a manufacturing company.
ORONOKE (the same as ORENAUG, WARONOCO, etc.)
A school district in the western part of Waterbury, extending from Westside Hill to Middlebury.
SAUL'S SWAMP.
A swamp lying about half a mile from the Park Road, in the western part of Waterbury; so named from Saul, one of the Indians who lingered in "the Park " until recent times.
QUASSAPAUG.
This beautiful lake can hardly be said to be in the Naugatuck valley, as it flows through Eight-Mile brook into the Ousatunnuck, but it is much visited by Water- bury people. Mr. Cothren, in his History of Woodbury, gives the meanings " Rocky Pond " and "Beautiful clear water." Possibly the name represents quunosu-paug, that is "Pickerel Pond " (compare Mr. Cothren's reference to the fishing there).
ABRIGADOR.
A high hill half a mile south-east of the centre of Waterbury, now a thickly set- tled district of the city. The name is sometimes supposed to be of Indian deriva- tion ; but it seems to be a Spanish word (abrigado) meaning "a place of shelter." The occurrence of a Spanish name in such a connection is remarkable, and invites investigation. There is a cleft rock on the south-west side of the hill which used to be called the Indian's House.
TUCKER'S RING and PTUCKERING ROAD.
"Tucker's Ring" is a locality on the borders of Waterbury and Wolcott. It is so called from Potucko, one of the signers of the first Waterbury deed, who is said to have kindled a fire in the form of a large ring around a hill, in hunting deer, and to have perished within it. (It is at least a curious coincidence that in the Indian language p'tukki means "round.")
JACK'S CAVE.
A large shelving rock, in the town of Wolcott, on the old Indian trail from Far- mington to Waterbury, where the Indians used to encamp at night.
WOODTICK.
A district on the borders of Wolcott, commonly supposed to have been so called from an insect of that name. (For the tradition, see Orcutt's History of Wolcott, note on p. 182.) As it is no special honor to a place to be named after an insect too insignificant to be mentioned in Webster's "Unabridged," no harm will be done by suggesting that the name is of Indian origin. At all events, wudtuckqun, in Roger
NAMES OF PLACES.
xcvii
Williams's " Key " means "a piece of wood," and in Eliot's Bible Wuttuk means a " branch " or " bough," hence "wood for burning."
SPINNING SQUAW'S LAND.
A locality in the north part of Waterbury, apparently well known in early times, and mentioned in one of the first deeds.
WIGWAM SWAMP.
Also in the north part of Waterbury, drained by a stream which empties into Hancock brook, and thus into the Naugatuck at Waterville.
THE WIGWAM.
The name given to a strip of land about a mile long, lying along the West Branch of the Naugatuck, which empties near Reynolds Bridge. It is said to have been the residence of an Indian in late years. The West Branch used to be called Wigwam Brook.
BANTAM.
The original name of Litchfield, which still survives in Bantam River, Lake, Falls, and Village. There has been much discussion as to whether the name is of Indian derivation or not. Its origin is shrouded in mystery.
RED MOUNTAIN.
One of the hills of Torrington; the southern end of the oblong hill which lies between the east and west branches of the Naugatuck. The name is said to be de- rived from the fact that, previous to the settlement of the town, a white man shot an Indian on this mountain. (See Orcutt's History of Torrington, note on p. 169.) SHAWNGUM.
The name of a hill and a valley in Torrington, above Wolcottville. The hill rises from a plateau between the east branch of the Naugatuck and Still River. The valley to which the name is attached lies along these two streams. "It was originally called the Shawngum valley after an Indian, or an Indian tradition."
M
Samuel Orcutt
HISTORY OF DERBY.
CHAPTER I.
PAUGASUCK AND PAUGASSETT.
1642-1674.
ERBY is situated at the junction of the Ousatonic and Naugatuck Rivers, nine miles by the old turn- pike road from New Haven and thirteen miles from Bridgeport on Long Island Sound. The land at this, place, lying between these rivers, is formed by high rocky bluffs on the Ousatonic, and, in the general, descends gradually towards the Naugatuck, and to the Point whereon is situated the village of Birmingham, and is one of the most beautiful locations for a city, in either the valley of the Ousatonic or Naugatuck Rivers. The land east of the Naugatuck rises eastward gradually, except at the lower portion where it is a little abrupt and culminates in what has been called, from the earliest settlement, Sentinel Hill,1 from which a most charming view of Long Island Sound and the surrounding country may be had. The portion of land between the rivers in the rear of Birmingham has been called the Neck from the first laying out of farms in that quarter. Northward of the Neck the territory of the original town is hilly, and Great Hill being the largest elevated portion was well named, and the most elevated part of it affords one of the finest views of the surrounding country and the Sound, that there is in the State.
The course of the Naugatuck through the town is south, that of the Ousatonic, on the western boundary, south-east, and these rivers, after their union, form a beautiful water view, from Birmingham, of nearly three miles in extent, closed in on each side by wooded hills.
1 The story that Sentinel Hill was so named from sentinels being stationed on it in the Revolution, to watch war vessels on the Sound cannot be true, since the name is recorded more than a hundred years before the Revolution.
2
HISTORY OF DERBY.
The territory of the town as granted by the General Court in 1675, and for which a satisfactory charter was not obtained until 1720, extended from Two Mile Brook on the south, twelve miles northward, and on the southern boundary, eastward from the Ousatonic two and a half miles, and on the northern bound- ary seven and a half miles, making an area of about fourteen thousand acres, in the original township. At present, however, the extent of territory does not equal half the original, by reason of parts having been taken to form other towns.
In 1642, four years only after the settlement of New Haven, some workmen were employed by Mr. John Wakeman of New Haven2 within this territory, now known as Derby, but then called Paugasuck by the Indians, and afterwards named Pau- gassett by the English, and because thus employed, they were excused from standing on night guard for the protection of New Haven. The object of Mr. Wakeman in this work appears to have been the building of a trading house for the establish- ment of direct mercantile relations with the Indians in the valleys of these rivers, and perhaps to secure trade with the Mohawk Indians also.
This was the beginning of the Englishman's work on these hills and along these rivers, and the end to which this work has now come is to be the story of this book. The present number of inhabitants is about ten thousand ; in 1860, it was 5,443, and in 1870, 8,027.
At this mercantile enterprise at Paugasuck, the suspicious and eager Dutchman, holding the honorable position of gov- ernor of New York, took exceptions in 1646, and sent a charac- teristic letter to the governor of New Haven. The action of the New Haven court in regard to this deliverance is thus re- corded : "A protest from the Dutch Governor was read in court and an answer to the same sent, and directions given to them that keep the trading house. And it was fully and satisfyingly voted, that the court would make good their titles here, and at the trading house, and leave the issue of things to God, what- ever they may be."3
As these letters are in reality a part of the history of Derby,
2New Haven Col. Rec., I. 74.
3New Haven Col. Rec., I. 265.
3
THE TRADING HOUSE.
the one containing remarkable geographical inaccuracies, the other, an illustration of pure Pilgrim independency and clever- ness, they are given in full.
The protest came in Latin, and the reply was made in the same.
THE GOVERNOR'S LETTER.
" We Willyam Kieft, General Director, and the Senate of New Neth- erland, for the high and mighty Lords the States of the United Belgicke Provinces for his excellency the Prince of Orange and for the most noble Lords the Administrators of the West India Company. To thee, Theophilus Eaton, Govenor of the place by us called the Red Hills in New Netherland, (but by the English called New Haven.) we give notice, That some years past, your's, without any occasion given by us, and without any necessity imposed upon them, but with an un- satiable desire of possessing that which is ours, against our protestations, against the law of nations, and against the antient league betwixt the king's majesty of Great Britain and our Superiors, have indirectly entered the limits of New Netherland, usurped divers places in them and have been very injurious unto us, neither have they given satisfac- tion though often required. And because you and yours have of late determined to fasten your foot near Mauritius River in this Province, and there not only to disturb our trade of no man hitherto questioned, and to draw it to yourselves, but utterly to destroy it, we are compelled again to protest, and by these presents we do protest against you as against breakers of the peace and disturbers of the public quiet, that if you do not restore the places you have usurped and repair the loss we have suffered, we shall by such means as God affords, manfully recover them, neither do we think this crosseth the public peace, but shall cast the cause of the ensuing evil upon you.
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