What We Know of Early So-Called "Indian Deeds" Transferring Pelham Lands

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Most histories of the little Town of Pelham virtually begin with the birth of Thomas Pell and, later, the execution of the Pell Deed between Thomas Pell and local Wiechquaeskeck Natives (not "Siwanoys") on June 27, 1654 (Julian Calendar).  The Town's human history, of course, extends ten thousand or more years before that date, preceded by the eons of fascinating geological history that have shaped modern Pelham and its modern history.  

One confusing and little-considered area of research regarding Pelham history involves so-called "Indian Deeds" that pre-dated the Pell Deed but may have included lands that later became part of the Manor of Pelham.  Today's Historic Pelham Blog article attempts to document a little of this early history of the little Town of Pelham.  

A 1640 Sale to the Dutch of the Lands that Became Pelham?

For two decades this author has struggled to locate an actual copy, or reliably-transcribed text, of the supposed first "Indian Deed" purportedly reflecting the sale of Manor of Pelham lands by local Natives to the Dutch in 1640.  It seems that Dutch authorities merely instructed Cornelis Van Tienhoven to acquire Wiechquaeskeck lands (likely including Pelham) in 1640.  Many believe, or have assumed, that the instructions were discharged and that the acquisition was completed, but no reliable evidence of any such transaction yet seems to have been found.  See: 

Tue., Sep. 02, 2014:  More Research on the First "Indian Deed" Reflecting the Dutch Purchase of Lands that Included Today's Pelham.

Tue., Mar. 18, 2014:  The First "Indian Deed" Reflecting a Sale by Native Americans of Lands that Became Pelham.

Tue., Nov. 06, 2007:  Is This Another Dead End in the Search for the Text of an Indian Deed to Lands That Included Today's Pelham Sold to the Dutch?

Tue., Dec. 05, 2006:  Where is Evidence of the 1640 Dutch Purchase from Native Americans of the Lands That Became Pelham?

Mon., Dec. 26, 2005:  The Dutch Acquired Lands Including Pelham From Local Native Americans in 1640.

Clearly the Dutch believed they had dominion and control of Pelham lands shortly after 1640 because they allowed Anne Hutchinson and her family, among others, to plant budding settlements in the area of today's Pelham Bay Park and Throggs Neck.  (Of course, perhaps the Dutch were more than willing to allow Anne Hutchinson, her family, and other English, to "test" what the Dutch hoped would be an ability to survive such budding settlements without clear Dutch title to the region.)  

Those settlements by New Englanders, of course, were decimated and many of their occupants murdered by Natives in 1643 during the broad and long conflict that included both the Pequot War and Kieft's War.  This suggests, of course, that local Natives believed the Dutch had no formal or recognized dominion or control of Pelham lands at the time.  It further suggests, perhaps, that there never was formalized any Dutch transaction to acquire from local Natives the lands that included a portion (or all) of the Manor of Pelham.

There is another piece of evidence that suggests that no 1640 deed exists and that the Dutch never truly formalized purchase of the lands that included today's Pelham that year.  That evidence suggests that there may have been an effort by the Dutch in 1645 to purchase some or all of the same region in a transaction that, likewise, may not have been properly documented.

Evidence of an Effort to Purchase Local Lands in 1645

As early as 1645, a Native American described as "Sauwenare, sachem of Wieckqueskeck," together with "Amenameck his brother" and "others, all owners, etc." reportedly sold lands north of Manhattan "called Wieckquaeskeck" to a man named "Wouter Van Twiller."  See Ruttenber, Edward Manning, History of the Indian Tribes of Hudson's River:  Their Origin, Manners and Customs; Tribal and Sub-Tribal Organizations; Wars, Treaties, Etc., Etc., p. 366 (Albany, NY: J. Munsell, 1872) (stating "In Albany Records, III, 379, is this entry:  'Personally appeared Sauwenare, sachem of Wieckqueskeck, Amenameck his brother, and others, all owners, etc., of lands situated on North river called Wieckquaeskeck, and declared that they had sold the same to Wouter Van Twiller in 1645.").  Significantly, "Sauwenare" is believed by a number of Munsee scholars (and by this author) to be one of many spelling variants and phonetic corruptions of the name of the "Saggamore" who was the first signer of the Pell Deed on June 27, 1654:  Shawanórõckquot.  See Fri., Jun. 15, 2018:  Who Was Shawanórõckquot, a Native American Sachem Who Signed the Pell Indian Deed on June 27, 1654?

Research has not revealed to this author any extant deed or deed transcription that reflects any such transaction by the great Saggamore of the Wiechquaeskecks selling local lands in 1645 as the entry quoted by Ruttenber suggests.  Moreover, there is evidence that the "transaction" -- if there was one -- was not properly documented.  To make matters even more muddled, a later Dutch document suggests that the 1645 transaction, if there were one, involved a sale to a local Native -- NOT the Dutch.  That later document stated that the 1645 sale was to a "blood relation" of the Native sellers known as "Pechquakor (by the Dutch called Wouter").  See immediately below.

A Possibly-Aborted Effort in 1655 to Document the Supposed Sale to Wouter Van Twiller in 1645


Ten years later, in 1655, the Director General and Council of New Netherland prepared a form of deed that seems to have been intended effectively to nullify this 1645 "transaction" (if there were such). Significantly, the form was never completed, contained blanks that were never filled in, and was designated as "canceled" in the records.  The aborted form would have provided for "Sauwenare, sachem of Wieckqeskeck, [and] Annenameck, his brother" to re-convey the property to the Director and Council.  The canceled form stated that "their deceased brother Pechquakor (by the Dutch called Wouter) and other [of] their blood relations delivered over and donated in the year 1645 to the honorable director general and council."  See New York Historical Manuscripts:  Dutch Translated and Annotated by Arnold J. F. Van Laer, Vol. III - Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1648-1660, pp. 413-15 (Baltimore, MD: Genealogical Publishing Co., 1974). 

This suggested that "Wouter Van Twiller" (to whom Sauwenare, Amenameck, and others supposedly conveyed Wiechquaeskeck lands in 1645) was a "blood relation" related to Sauwenare (i.e., Shawanórõckquot) who, in the same year, reportedly "delivered over and donated in the year 1645 to the honorable director general and council" those lands. Of course, the fact that such a draft "form" was prepared suggests a lack of any meaningful documentation of the 1645 transaction. Moreover, the fact that the form was not completed and was designated "canceled" also calls into question whether the Dutch truly, formally, and effectively acquired Wiechquaeskeck at any time prior to 1655 (or thereafter).

Perhaps Thomas Pell, who paid local Natives 500 Pounds Sterling for the lands that became the Manor of Pelham, had the better title to the lands after his June 27, 1654 transaction. . . . See Fri., Sep. 29, 2006:  Intriguing Evidence of the Amount Thomas Pell Paid Native Americans for the Manor of Pelham.  See also Thu., Oct. 05, 2006:  Additional Evidence That Thomas Pell Paid 500 Pounds Sterling for the Lands That Became the Manor of Pelham.  

"Thomas Pell" by Thom Lafferty from an Original by an Unknown

Artist Who Imagined Pell as He Would Look. There Are No

Known Images of Thomas Pell.NOTE: Click on Image to Enlarge.

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Below is the text of the 1655 "form" that seems never to have been completed but addresses the purported sale of Wiechquaeskeck lands to "Wouter Van Twiller" in 1645.

"Deed from the Indians to the director general and council of New Netherland of land on the North River called Wieckquaeskeck

[134e]  On this day, date underwritten, personally appeared Sauwenare, sachem of Wieckqeskeck, Annenameck, his brother [Footnote 1:  "1  The contract is canceled and left incomplete.  It is not listed in the Calendar of Dutch Manuscripts.  1.  Other names left blank.]

all right owners and proprietors of the lands situated on the North river, called Wieckquaeskeck and all the lands appertaining thereto, beginning at [Footnote 2:  Blank space.]

being in length along the North river about [blank] miles, and declared before the honorable director general and council of New Netherland and the undersigned witnesses, although the aforesaid lands were by their deceased brother Pechquakor (by the Dutch called Wouter) and other their blood relations delivered over and donated in the year 1645 to the honorable director general and council, that they now approve of and ratify the aforesaid donation and de novo henceforth convey, transfer, cede and surrender to the Hon. Director General Petrus Stuyvesant and the council in New Netherland all their patrimonial right, authority, jurisdiction, ownership and other prerogatives; therefore constituting the said honorable director general and council and their successors in their stead, real and actual possession thereof, giving them full and irrevocable power and authority to enter upon, possess in peace and use the aforesaid land and its appurtenances thereof as they might do with other their lawfully obtained lands, without the said grantors' having, reserving or retaining any more authority over the same in the least, but the said grantors relinquishing the same forever for themselves, their descendants or those whom it might in any way concern, hereby promising to free the aforesaid parcel of land from all claims and incumbrances to be set up or to be made thereto by any one in the world.  They further declare that in compensation and in satisfaction of their right they have been fully paid and satisfied before the execution hereof by the honorable director general and council for account of the General Chartered West India Company, chamber of Amsterdam, in cargo goods, as is specified below.  All in good faith, without fraud or deceit.

In testimony and token of the truth this is signed by them and the witnesses hereto invited.  Actum in Fort Amsterdam in New Netherland, the 26th of July A o. 1655.  [Footnote 3:  "3  The original document is canceled."]

Source:  New York Historical Manuscripts:  Dutch Translated and Annotated by Arnold J. F. Van Laer, Vol. III - Register of the Provincial Secretary, 1648-1660, pp. 413-15 (Baltimore, MD:  Genealogical Publishing Co., 1974). 


Archive of the Historic Pelham Web Site.
Home Page of the Historic Pelham Blog.
Order a Copy of "The Haunted History of Pelham, New York"
Order a Copy of "Thomas Pell and the Legend of the Pell Treaty Oak."