The voice of freedom. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1839-1848, 1847-06-24


! Connecticut, from the gear 1912 to 1916 =
BY NOAH A, PHELPS.
(EXtracts continued.)
At the commencement of the settlement, the
number Of Indians belonging to Massacoe, is
not known, though it is manifest from histor.
ical data, that it must have amounted to sew.
eral hundreds. Until after the war of 1876
they vastly exceeded the white population
They are supposed, originally, to have been
revolters, or seceders, from other tribes more
powerful, hostile and warlike, from whom
they withdrew to repose in greater security
and peace in these vallies. Though not i'm.
beetle, nor cowardly, they clearly were not
imbued with those warlike propensities which
prevailed more generally with the race in the
eastern sections of the Colony, or with the
Nlohawks, ut the west. Their location las well
as their peaceabe carriage, probably afford.
ed them some protection against the assaults
Of more powerful tribes. Between their set
Element and that of the Mohawks on the
North river, there were none of their race
except few weak tribes on the Housatonic
river; and at the north there were none near.
er than Deerfield, who were particularly dis
tinguished for their attachment to war And
yet, there is evidence tending to prove that
these now peaceful meadows had been the
theatre Of war, and crimsoned with the blood
Of the red man, long before they were settled
by the English The arrow-heads found ARE
quite too numerous to allow the supposition
that all of them could have been used for
peaceable purposes.
If the MASSACRE Indians belonged to dis
tinct tribe, as was probably the case, they
10 in tr,h
to the Tunxus, or Pennington Indians, and
with them, subject to some sort Of allegiance
to Sohedg, the sachem of Mattabeset now
Middletown, who was the most powerful, OF
all the Indian chiefs in this part Of the Colo
ny.
The wigwams of the Masacoes were upon
or in the vicinity Of the meadows, patches OF
which were cleared and on which they cult
waited corn. The river, and brooks, abound
ing with fish, and the forests with game, fur
nished them with the chief means Of subsist-
ence When the white man appeared he was
not only received with hospitality, but was
encouraged to settle with them. He had, at
pleasure, their meadows, and other lands, at
prices SO low as to preclude all just notions Of
valuable consideration paid for them. The
first deed from them, Of the Massacoe lands
is from Manahanoose, one Of the chiefs, or
headmen, who, as before stated, conveyed to
Mr.. John Griffin all his right in these lands,
in consideration Of having destroyed, by fire,
d quantity Of pitch and tar belonging to the
grantee. At about the same time, there was
given to Mr.. Griffin another deed, or more
correctly speaking contract to convey to
HIM the same territory, signed by three other
principal Indians, and given in consideration
of the aforesaid destruction of property, and
that the offender, " their friend" who was in
custody, had been released and restored to
them. These deeds, in 1861, were assigned
to committee for the benefit of the Massa-
coe plantation. 1t is supposed that few 9th
er deeds were given to sundry individuals,
though they do not appear on record. But
such conveyances were illegal, being prohib-
tied by the laws of the Colony, and transfer.
red no title.
The first purchase of the right of soil from
the natives by a formal deed, having the ap-
probation Of the government, was made in
1850. 1t is signed by Neschegan, Seakets
Totoe ,Aupas, Manconumph, and three squaws
and was approved by Waquaheag, alias Cher.
ry, who was Tunxus Indian, and, as is sup
posed, chief of that trihc,-and conveys to
"Major John Talcott, Capt. Benjamin New
berry, Capt. Daniel Clarke, and Sergean
John Griffin, in behalf of the inhabitants anC
proprietors, of the land belonging to the town
ship of Massacoe, alias Simsbury, and theil
heirs and assigns forever, all that tract Of lane
lying and being situate on Pennington bounds
southwark, and from thence to run ten largo
miles northerly, land from the bounds of Wind
sor town, on the east, to run ten large mile
westward, the tract or parcel Of land being
ten miles square large" The deed contains
a reservation Of two acres Of land to Maman
to, husband of one of the squaws who haC
signed IT'D lying in Weatauge, and to the
grantors and their heirs, the right a. al
times " to hunt, fowl and fish" on the convey
ed premises. The consideration, expressed
in the deed, consists Of the aforesaid convey
ances made to Mr. Griffin, and others, and {
" valuable sum paid in full satisfaction" thu
amount of which is not stated. The deed i
quite formal and technical-is witnessed b,
three white men, and five Indians, duly &C
knowledged, and is recorded on the town re
cords of Simsbury, and the State records a
Hartford.
The consideration of this deed, whatever
it was, not having been paid according t.
agreement, the Indians pressed Major Tai
colt for payment, and las stated on the record
" made grievous complaint to the Major,anC
being necessarily urged for their Dues" the
town " to still their acclamations and to bring
to issue the said case, and to ease the Major
of those vexatious outcries, made by the In
dams for their money" ordered the sale Of
one hundred and fifty acres Of land, to raise
funds by which to extinguish the debt.
In February, 1859, the inhabitants, appre.
bending danger from the Indians, took meas.
ures to strengthen themselves, by living more
compactly together The people Of HoE
meadow proposed to those living at the north
or :" lower meadows" and at Salmon brook ,tC
remove to and dwell in their settlement, offer.
ing to exchange lands with them. The Offer
was accepted, and many of these people re-
moved to Hop meadow, though subseq uently
some of them returned to their former habi