Wyandanch's Gift
Source: Newsday.com
After
Englishman Lion Gardiner rescued the kidnaped daughter of
Wyandanch in 1653, the grateful Montaukett chief gave the settler
land between Huntington and Setauket.
The deed seen here is a duplicate of the 1659 document that
sealed the exchange. It was copied by hand in 1665 for public
record.
http://www.newsday.com/extras/lihistory/3/hs30121a.jpg
The deed's text appears below (spellings are updated for ease of
reading). Wyandanch, his son and wife used marks to sign the
deed. Richard Smith, founder of Smithtown, was a witness. Notes
in the margin reveal the subsequent transfer of the land from
David Gardiner, Lion's heir, to Smith in 1665.
East Hampton, July 14th, 1659.
Be it known unto all men both English and Indians, especially the
inhabitants of Long Island, that I, Wyandanch, sachem of
Paumanack, with my wife and son Wyankanbone, my only son and
heir, having deliberately considered how this twenty-four years
we have been not only acquainted with Lyon Gardiner, but from
time to time have received much kindness of him, and from him not
only by counsel and advice in our prosperity, but in our great
extremity, when we were almost swallowed up of our enemies --
then, we say, he appeared to us, not only as a friend, but as a
father, in giving us his money and goods, whereby we defended
ourselves, and ransomed my daughter and friends.
And we say and know that by his means, we had great comfort and
relief from the most honorable of the English Nation here about
us. So that, seeing we yet live, and both of us being now old,
and not that we at any time have given him anything to gratify
his love, care and charge, we having nothing left that is worth
his acceptance but a small tract of land, we desire him to accept
for himself, his heirs, executors and assigns forever.
Now that it may be known how and where this land lyeth on Long
Island, we say it lyeth between Huntington and Setauket, the
western bound being Cow Harbor [now Northport], easterly
Acataamunk, and southerly, across the Island to the end of the
great hollow or valley, or more than halfway through the island
southerly; and that this is our free act and deed, doth appear by
our hand marks under written.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
[Signed] Richard Smith, Thomas Chatfield, Thomas Talmage,
and Wyandanch, Wyankanbone, the Sachem's Wife [with their marks]
This page last updated September 22, 2003.
