USA > Connecticut > Fairfield County > Fairfield > This is Fairfield, 1639-1940 > Part 2
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In English:
"Father ours in Heaven. Admired in highest manner be thy name. Like done thy will on earth as like in Heaven. Let us be forgiven evil doings of ours, as we would forgive wrong doers to us. Not guide us into snares, but help us to escape from evil. Thine thy powerful kingdom, thine the strength, thine the greatest glory. Always, Always me wish so".1
VOCABULARY - PEQUOT2
Ea cuttuwaneage (what you hear by)
Eye skeezucks (plural)
Nose
kuchijage
Mouth
cuttoneege
Teeth
neebut (singular)
House
wigwam
Shoes
muckasons
Sun
meun
Moon
weyhan
Fire
yewt
Water
nupp
Rain
sokghean
Snow
souckpoun
Tree
mattuck (plural)
Dog
nahteah
Bear
awaussens
One
nuguut
Two
neeze
Three
shweh
1 "The Story of the War with the Pequots Re-Told" by Howard Bradstreet. Tercentenary Commission of the State of Connecti- cut. 1933.
1 Pg. 39, History of "The Indians of Connecticut" John W. DeForest.
2 From pg. 491, History of "The Indians of Connecticut" John W. DeForest.
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Four
yauh
Five
nuppau
Six
nucquuddosh
Seven
nezzaugnsk
Eight shwausk
Nine
pauzsacougeu
Ten
puigg
The late Cyrus Sherwood Bradley did a great deal of research on Indians generally and he tells us that when the English came to Connecti- cut there were two small tribes living in our area. They were the Sasqua Indians and the Pequonnock Indians. Sasqua means "marsh meadow-open green country, land or place". There were about one hundred Sasqua Indians and their land went from Mill River on the east to Muddy Brook (Greens Farms) on the west. Their village was in Southport, west of the swamp. There were about twenty wigwams in their village. Their cornfield was in Mill Plain.
John Wampus who married Ann, daughter of Romanock, Sachem of Aspetuck, claimed Sasqua. The Indians sold Sasqua in 1661 for "thirteen coats, 2 yards a piece and ye rest in wampum". The settlers in turn then gave the Indians three reservations:
1. Rocky Neck-now Rose Hill in Southport.
2. Clapboard Hill-in Greens Farms
3. Actual spot is unknown.
The Southport reservation or Rocky Neck was sold to the Town in 1703 for seven pounds cur- rent money and one coat. The Clapboard Hill reservation in Greens Farms was sold to the Town for eight pounds five shillings.
The arrow heads of these Indians were almost always made from a white quartz cobble, prob- ably picked up on the nearest beach. The Indian basket sellers used to camp on the west side of Center Street just north of the Pequot swamp, perhaps not too far from the swampy area where the warriors made their escape during the Swamp Fight.
Aspetuck also belonged to the Sasqua Indians. Romanock, a great warrior who got many wives by killing the sachems and marrying their wid- ows, took possession of both Sasqua and Aspe- tuck. Their village was in the Great or Middle- brooks swamp in Aspetuck. Their Chief lived on a rocky island in the middle of the swamp. The village amounted to about fifteen wigwams.
The Pequonnocks lived in the western part of old Stratford, now Bridgeport. Their land ex- tended as far west as Mill River. They were
strong enough at one time to defeat the dreaded Pequots. Their name means 'cleared land'. Pa- quanock was the Sachem or Chief of the Pe- quonnock Indians. They lived on the west side of the river commonly called the Uncoway Riv- er. Their lands extended to the Housatonic River on the east. They were a numerous group- probably about four hundred of them. There were three villages of them: one near the pond in Grasmere, another in Black Rock near the Fairfield Avenue Railroad crossing (this one for the defense against the inner tribes), and the third one at the foot of Golden Hill. Unco- way was purchased from the Pequonnock In- dians and they were called the Uncoway Indians in later years.
There are many other Indian names about Fairfield today and each has a bearing on the past. They too, are included here.
Crocreecrow-an inhabitant of Pequonnock. He was 15 when he was with the Pequots in the Swamp Fight.
Nepas-ye Indian-meaning "The little riser" -the action of going or coming, continuing to approach.
Nonopoge-aged 58 years, testified for the town in the Sasqua land case-means fresh water or fresh pond.
Papurah-first signer Stratford Confirmation, April 28, 1684-means a winter fish which comes up in the brooks and rivulets, some call them frost fish.
Pequonnock-a name common to all cleared land-from which the trees and bushes had been removed to fit it for cultivation.
Ponuncamo-Ponuncamus first signer March 20, 1660-61-name means he paddles or rows a boat-succeeded Shouamouten as chief of Sasqua.
Romanock-late sachem of Aspetuck and Sas- quanaugh-being a great warrior and often fighting with strange Indians. Romanock came here as a captain not belonging to any of these seaside parts.
Sasapequan-means he spreads out.
Uncoa-Uncaway means a valley, a landing place, the shellfish, the old place, borders, looking forward. The Town meeting minutes spelled this Indian name for Fairfield-Unco- way. The colonial records used the spelling Uncoa or Uncowaye. Today we are all aware of another spelling, Unquowa. The accent in Uncoa and in Uncowaye came on the second syllable.
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Winnepoge-He was a witness for the town in the Sasqua land case. At that time he was sixty years old and was the brother of Nono- poge. His name means pleasing water.
Saugatuck-means outlet of the tidal river.
Siacus-means he is hard, hard fighter, stout man. Siacus signed a deed in Fairfield. He moved to Gaylordsville in New Milford and was a kindly remembered old Indian.
Tahmore-means hearts together.
Taquoshe-means he is short, low of stature. Algonquin-a member of a group of North American Indian tribes formerly along the Ottawa river and northern tributaries of the St. Lawrence.
Creconoof-means he goes among, mingles with them. There is a tradition that the chief, Creekino, lived and was buried on an island "about as large as a garden spot" in the brook which bears his name, southwest of the brick house, built by Samuel Wakeman on the north side of the second cross highway, at a place called Hollow or Pankhorn, in Deer- field, Greenfield.
Tunxis Hill-Tunksus Hill. This hill, sometimes called Holland Hill, in the eastern part of Fairfield. The name may have been trans- ferred to it from Rooster River which half encircles it, though at a considerable distance -means the little bend.
Sachem-The chief of the Indian tribe or chief of a confederation of Indians.
A large rock, near Samp Mortar Rock which was seventy-two feet high, was sometimes called Owens Rock, from the circumstances of a man by the name of Owen, who had lost his way, walking off this seventy foot precipice in a dark night. His body was found the next morning. Dr. Timothy Dwight, who was the minister at the Greenfield Hill Congregational Church, preached his funeral sermon. This would have been about 1790.
Samp Mortar Rock has long since been a fa- vorite picnic destination1 for young and not so young alike. The "mortar" is a natural pot hole on the verge of the cliff. This was of course, once in the stream bed. There are sculptured foot prints on either side of the "mortar". Another pot hole has been found further back from the ledge of the cliff. South of the large rock there
is a rich valley and at one time in this valley stood a large Indian village. At the very foot of the precipice there apparently was a burying ground. It is possible that this mortar was the only common mill of the settlement.
The "Legend of Samp Mortar Rock", written a good many years prior to 1869, has not been repeated of late so it is being added at this par- ticular point-especially since Tahmore's suitor Sassacus was the Sachem of the dreaded Pequots.
"THE LAST OF THE PEQUOTS" "A Legend of Samp Mortar Rock"
In the southwestern part of Connecticut, about two miles to the north of where the pleasant village of Fairfield now stands, is a granite rock, which is the termination of a ridge of the same substance, and which I shall designate by the title it has owned for a century past. It is called "Samp Mortar Rock," from the circumstances of its having on its top "an excavation in the form of a mortar, and of suffici- ent dimensions to contain upward of half a bushel of corn or other grain. The tradition is, that it was used by the native Indians for the purpose of pound- ing their corn". This rock, on the south, forms a precipice thirty feet high, and seems like a barrier of nature's own handiwork, placed there to protect the lovely valley at its foot from the chill northern blast. At the time when the scenes which we are about to relate were transacted, this valley was the site of a small Indian village and burying ground, some faint traces of which are to this day visible. It is indeed a lovely spot; and he who now looks upon it with a knowledge of what it has been, cannot but admire the choice of those rude children of the for- est in selecting that spot for their dwelling place; even while he blushes to think of the rapacity and cruelty of his own civilized race, which, with iron hand, and an unrelenting heart, wrested from its rightful proprietors the very soil on which he stands.
A small tribe of Mohicans inhabited this place, numbering perhaps fifty warriors. The chief was Onee-to, brave and generous. He had but one child, a daughter, beautiful, full of activity and fairy-like lightness. Her flowing locks were glossy as the ra- ven's wing, and when wreathed with wild flowers gathered from the rock which overhung her father's wigwam, she might have gone forth among her sex and not found her superior in beauty, either in the drawing rooms of princes, or even in the far-famed courts of Eastern lands. Her beauty was that of nature, and therefore perfect, and all the decorations to which art resorts to increase this much desired and highly esteemed quality, would have been em- ployed on her in vain. Who would enhance the beauty of the summer cloud, when the setting sun pours upon it a flood of golden and purple light? Who would heighten the beauty of the calm lake, embossed in the depths of the forest, when the clear, full moon makes its surface silver? Who would im- prove Niagara's foaming waters? Or Vesuvius, with its top in mid air, spouting forth rolling clouds of
1 June 12, 1884-Fairfield Advertiser:
"The Bridgeport Pleasure Club will take their next ride to that romantic spot-Samp Mortar-next week. The Club has 8 or 10 members."
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smoke and rivers of liquid fire? Nature in her sim- plicity is far more beautiful than art: so the beauty of Tahmore, from the very circumstance that all cffort to improve was absent, shone with the greatcr splendor.
She was the object of admiration of all the young men of her tribe; and even those braves, who, full of ambition and warlike schemes, were indifferent to the other maidens, could not withstand her charms. Onee-to was proud of his daughter; and when many a bold warrior solicited of him her hand, he always referred the matter to herself, with full liberty to act at her own pleasure in accepting or rejecting the petition. Hitherto her heart had been, or appeared to have been untouched; and much won- der had she caused among the maidens by rejecting so many suitors. There was doubtless a cause for all of this; and when it is disclosed, if her own people wondered, my readers will not, at the appar- ent insensibility of Tahmore's heart.
About two miles south of the village of Uncoway, which we have described above, in the bosom of the forest, a single pioneer had made a clearing and constructed a dwelling. This man's name was Har- wood. He had been a gentleman of some note in England, but having met with disappointments, and been deceived by professed friends, he became sick of the world, and sought to escape its perplexities and its cares, in the wilds of America. As soon, therefore, as he had landed on the shores of the Western continent, he proceeded in search of a spot favorable to agriculture and which would not be like- ly to be soon encroached upon by other settlers. Pleased with the strong fertile soil of the plains adja- cent to Long Island Sound, he purchased of the natives the tract, in the center of which stood his house. Always attending to his own business-strict- ly honorable and upright in his dealings with the Indians-he had never incurred any of the molesta- tions, which were sure to trouble those, who sought by fraud to deprive the Aborigines of the lands and rights they had inherited from their ancestors. So far from that indeed, he had interchanged many kind offices with them, always receiving ample recompense for any little favor he might have con- ferred.
It is a well known trait of the character of the North American Indian, that he never forgets a kindness or forgives an injury: certain it is, that Mr. Harwood never had reason to repent of his conduct toward them as kindness thrown away.
His family consisted of his wife and several sons, of whom the eldest, George, was now twenty years of age. He had been well educated, was possessed of an amiable disposition, and a mind rather above the ordinary level. In person he was tall, well formed, of great muscular strength, and remarkably active. Hunting was his pastime; and like Jugartha, "he was the first, or among the first, to strike" the wolf or bear, or whatever beast of the forest chanced to cross his path.
Onc day, soon after their settlement here, he went out as usual with his rifle in his hand, attended by his dog, a powerful mastiff brought with him from the old world. His search for game had been fruit-
less, till suddenly a piercing shriek, as of some one in distress, rang upon his ear. He hastened in the direction whence the sound proceeded and soon reached the spot. Here he beheld a scene which made his pulse throb more quickly, and which at once aroused all his energies. It was a lovely spot, a small green glade surrounded on three sides by tall craggy rocks, through the crevices of which sprang huge oaks and chestnuts, and all varieties of forest. From one of the rocks, gushed a small stream of pure water flowing through the opposite opening of the glade, and gurgling music as it ran. But all this was, for the present, unseen by our huntsman-his attention was absorbed by objects of deeper inter- est. On the ground lay a huge panther, or cata- mount, with its heart transfixed with an arrow; and writhing in the agonies of death. On a tree a few feet distant was another, and still large, preparing to spring upon its prey. A short distance from the foot of the tree stood a young Indian girl, with her arms folded upon her breast which heaved with the excitement. She stood as if knowing escape to be impossible; and as if determined to meet her fate in a becoming manner, even though there was no eye to witness it.
But there was one eye that saw it; the eye of one who well knew how to appreciate the moral sub- limity of the scene. It was indeed, the height of that sublimity to see that girl-hardly yet old enough to be called woman-stand thus- despising fear, with eyes fixed upon that fierce beast with calmness that would not disgrace the boldest warrior of her tribe. She looked like Ajax, defying the lightnings of heaven. Her attitude was one of perfect grace; and as George Harwood gazed for the first time upon her intellectual beauty-as he admired the firmness and resolution of soul, which could uphold her at such a moment, he felt that he had no longer a heart that he could call his own. But her deliverance from danger was first to be thought of-and with the quickness of thought his rifle was at his shoulder- his eye glanced along the barrel, and the ball sped on its errand. But it was a moment too late, for at that instant the animal sprang, and the shot served only to exasperate the before sufficiently ferocious beast. As he struck the ground he was met by the gallant dog, and a terrific contest immediately en- sued. The combatants were nearly equal in size, and apparently in strength. The forest rang with their cries. The panther repeatedly bounded into the air, and attempted to alight upon the back of his ad- versary, and was as often repulsed. Their eyes looked like balls of fire, and their jaws were soon red with each other's blood. It seemed doubtful on which side the victory would turn, and perhaps both would have died upon the spot had no person been there to decide the contest. George had reloaded his rifle as soon as possible, and at a moment when both were locked together on the ground, he boldly ad- vanced, and placing the muzzle of his piece close to the panther's head, put an end to the bloody scene. As soon as the panther was dead, the girl fell at Harwood's feet and thanked him for her rescue. She spoke in English, and he was much surprised at this. He thought too, that he had never before heard
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any voice so strangely musical. Her tones, deepened by the excitement of the scene she had just wit- nessed, and by the real gratitude she felt toward her deliverer, fell upon his ear as the most perfect har- mony; and if anything had been wanting to com- plete the conquest she had unconsciously made over his spirit, it was supplied by the music of that voice -and by the ease and gracefulness, yet dignity and sincerity of the manner in which she thanked him for her life.
When she had done this she turned to depart, but George caught her by her hand, saying, "Will not the beautiful maiden tell me her name that I may see her again?"
"My name is Tahmore," said she, "and I am the daughter of Onee-to."
"Nay," then answered George,-"may I not even accompany her to the tent of her father. I am the friend of her people, and they will be glad to see the young eagle, as they call me, and welcome me to their wigwams."
Tahmore's eyes kindled as he spoke, and he real- ized that she was by no means displeased with his proposition. On the way to the village, he could not sufficiently admire the modesty and artlessness, of her manner. She told him how that Uncas, who was a relative of her father, and well acquainted with the English, had often visited them, and had taught her the language of the white men. He had told her that the English used things which they called books, which told them many strange things. And then she regretted that, although the daughter of a chief, she was nothing but a poor Indian girl, and could never hope to be like the women of his race, whom she heard were all beautiful. And then she told him that she often set out alone- for she loved to gaze upon the wild woods, and the hanging crags, and the dashing torrent-and that she loved and worshipped the great spirit who made all these beautiful things. But she had not heard that the white people wor- shipped another spirit-and she asked George to tell her something about that being; and then she described her meeting with the panther, she had been out with her bow and arrows to shoot birds, to obtain feathers with which to deck her hair-and on returning home she was surprised by the fierce beast. To fix her last arrow on her string was but the work of a moment-the next, and the winged shaft whizzed through the air and the monster fell with his death wound. From him had come the shriek, so nearly human, which had called George to her rescue. She then felt that she must die, but felt con- scious that she should go to places still more lovely than any that were here-where there were no wild beasts-and where everything would be good and happy.
As George listened to her simple story, he thought how noble a task it would be to raise such a pure and lofty mind from ignorance, and to teach and to assist it to fathom the deep things of nature and of God; and he felt convinced as he conversed with her on the pure enjoyment to be derived from the attainment of that knowledge of which she had spoken, that she might easily become well qualified
to adorn any station in life to which it might be in his power to raise her.
They had now reached the village, and as he pre- dicted, every one was ready to welcome him, and to urge upon him the hospitalities of their rude dwellings. But when, declining them all, but in such a manner as not to give offense, he proceeded direct- ly to the tent of Onee-to, and Tahmore, related to her father what had taken place in her own lan- guage and impressive manner; when Onee-to, with sincere joy and gratitude depicted on his counte- nance, grasped his hand, and thanked him for his kindness in rescuing his only and beloved daughter from a cruel death, he felt that he should be proud to own such a man for his father, and that his hap- piness depended upon a single point: whether he might gain the pure being before him for his bride. He had then and there learned, what many in our day seem not to be aware of-that under a rude and unprepossessing exterior, may exist the finest quali- ties that ever dwelt in the human heart.
Days rolled on, and as they rolled, each succeed- ing one found George Harwood in company with the Indian girl-either rambling through the glades of the green forest, or scaling the craggy heights, or angling in the mountain stream, or yet under the shade of some majestic oak, and there he read to her from some favorite book. And ever and anon her rich clear voice would break out into some of those wild strains which characterize the songs of her race; and as the echos of that voice came back from the depths of the forest, and from the hill side, it seemed as if some instrument was there, touched by a fairy hand which sent forth those strains of witching melody. And ere many weeks had passed she too had learned to read-to commune with the spirits of those who had gone before. She had learned to admire the rich strains of poetry and song, she had begun to climb the hill of science and as she mounted step by step towards its summit, her character acquired new energy, faculties which be- forc had remained dormant were roused into action, and her whole soul was gradually elevated from that state of ignorance in which the man is but a step above the brute, to a well deserved rank among the choice spirits of the earth. And when the Book of Books was placed in her hand, and the light of revelation poured in upon her soul and her mind led to aspire after pleasures higher and brighter than this world can afford, it was like placing your heart in the heavens, which freed the earth from the dark- ness and horror of chaos and imparted to its surface that vivifying principle that causes it to bring forth those beautiful things which our eyes behold, clothed in a garb of green, emblematic of the joys ever fresh and ever new, reserved for "the spirits of the just made perfect", in the bright sunshine above.
Two years passed in this manner, and George Harwood had found no reason to repent of his de- termination to make Tahmore his wife. From his father he experienced no opposition to his wishes. Mr. Harwood was one who had too often witnessed the dreadful effects of compelling the young to wed where their affections were not centered; and he had often deplored the infatuation of parents who would
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exercise their authority in bringing about such a re- sult. And perhaps treated as he had been by the world, he felt more real respect and esteem for those unsophisticated savages, than for the great mass of the civilized world.
George was now looking anxiously forward to the consummation of his hopes and happiness. A few weeks more and he might call the object of his love his own. But what all this time was the state of Tahmore's heart? Of course, she esteemed him who had saved her life, of course she respected him who had led her in the paths of knowledge; and of course, then, I might say, she loved the man for his own sake; for respect and esteem are but the road of love, and it is a difficult task for a tender maiden to shield her heart from all the arrows of the "Rosy God", while constantly in the presence of a youth whom she respects. Such was the case with Tahmore, and her warm heart lavished on the object of her affections a rich tide of gushing love.
Her whole soul, her very being was wrapped up in him; and she too was anticipating the day when she might prove to him that his kindness to her would not go without its reward.
Here I must leave them, while I introduce new characters and scenes.
About three miles in a southwesterly direction from Samp Mortar and the village of Uncoway which were described it the commencement of our story, was the great swamp of Sasco. This marsh is several miles in extent, and is rendered nearly im- penetrable by the thick growth of small trees and underwood with which it is covered. It stands there now as it stood then, a gloomy, dismal swamp.1 Here the proud and warlike, and once powerful chief of the Pequots, Sassacus, with his little band, took refuge. Here they were compelled to secrete them- selves, in order to escape the general destruction of their nation; and here they might have remained without fear of discovery, had it not been for the untamed passion of their haughty prince.
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