Significant Research on the First "Indian Deed" Reflecting the Dutch Purchase of Lands that Included Today's Pelham

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This is one of the most significant and, to me at least, exciting posts I have had the pleasure to publish to the Historic Pelham Blog in years.  

Nearly every Pelhamite with even a passing interest in the history of our Town is familiar with the so-called "Indian Deed" executed by Thomas Pell and local Native Americans on June 27, 1654.  Referred to variously as the "Pell Deed," the "Pell Treaty," the "Pell Indian Deed" and by other names, the deed reflects Thomas Pell's acquisition of the lands that include today's Town of Pelham.  Immediately below is an image of a seventeenth century copy of the original deed.  This copy is believed to be in Thomas Pell's handwriting and is on display at the Thompson-Pell Research Center in Ticonderoga, New York.

17th Century Copy of Pell Deed Signed by

Thomas Pell and Native Americans on June 27,

1654. Believed To Be in Thomas Pell's Handwriting.

NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

While most Pelhamites are familiar with the Pell Deed, fewer are aware that the Pell Deed likely was not the first "Indian Deed" conveying Native American lands that encompassed today's Town of Pelham to European settlers.  Officials of New Netherland claimed to have acquired the same lands from local Native Americans before Pell obtained his deed.    

For nearly sixteen years I have tried to locate an actual copy, or reliably-transcribed text, of the elusive first "Indian Deed" reflecting the sale by local Native Americans to the Dutch of the lands that included today's Pelham.  Dutch authorities reputedly instructed Cornelis Van Tienhoven to acquire lands that included today's Pelham in 1640.  Some authorities suggest that the acquisition occurred in 1640 and was reaffirmed by deed issued in 1649.  Other authorities suggest that no acquisition actually occurred until 1649.  

I am now able to confirm that my research has located a reliably-translated version of a 1649 "Indian Deed" published as part of the New Netherland Project work of Charles T. Gehring who has been engaged in nearly a fifty-year effort to translate extant New Netherland papers.  I have yet to locate any purported "Indian Deed" executed in 1640 covering the lands that form today's Town of Pelham.  Locating the 1649 deed, however, is a significant step in the right direction.

For those who might wish to learn more about my quest to locate copies, or reliable text, of the purported 1640 and 1649 "Indian Deeds" conveying land to the Dutch and to read more about the 1654 "Indian Deed" reflecting the sale of these lands to English settler Thomas Pell, see: 

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

Tue., Dec. 5, 2006:  Where is Evidence of the 1640 Dutch Purchase from Native Americans of the 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., Mar. 18, 2014:  The First "Indian Deed" Reflecting a Sale by Native Americans of Lands that Became Pelham.

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

Immediately below is the transcription of the "Indian Deed" by which local Native Americans reaffirmed their conveyance of lands that included much of Westchester County to the Directors of the West India Company on July 14, 1649 as translated from the original Dutch records that survived the great New York State Capitol Building and State Library Fire of 1911.  These portions of the records were published in 1980.  This Indian Deed covers all of today's Pelham, the northeast Bronx, and much of today's Westchester County.  It covers basically the eastern half of the mainland beyond the Harlem River and includes lands bounded by today's Byram River all the way to today's Harlem River.

The text of the deed demonstrates that on July 14, 1649 the Director-General and Council of New Netherland acquired a vast swath of land that included today's Pelham, Northeast Bronx and much of Westchester County -- six years before Thomas Pell acquired much of the same lands from different Native Americans.  The so-called "Indian Deed" shows that the Dutch traded the following for the land:  "6 fathoms of duffels [i.e., cloth for jackets], 6 fathoms of seawant [i.e., wampum, a form of shell currency]; 6 kettles, 6 axes; 6 adzes, 10 knives, 10 awls, 10 corals, 10 bells, 1 gun, 2 staves of lead, 2 lbs. of powder; 2 cloth coats."  

This Indian Deed also is significant because it makes clear that those who sold the land and, presumably, controlled it and, perhaps, resided on it lived in an area that they and the Dutch called "Wiequaes Keck" according to the deed.  The area extended throughout much of Westchester County (and all of today's Pelham).  There is no mention of Siwanoys.  This is further evidence that the Native Americans that once populated the area in and around Pelham were Wiechquaeskecks -- not "Siwanoys."  See Wed., Jan. 29, 2014:  There Were No Native Americans Known as Siwanoys.   

While some may scoff at what seems to be a meager offering of items in exchange for thousands and thousands of acres of land, it must not be forgotten that at the time two vastly different cultures were colliding.  The items traded by the Dutch for the land were technological marvels not otherwise available to the Native Americans.  The nature of the exchange was far more complex than over-simplified suggestions that the Native Americans did not understand that they were giving up their land.  

"GG 222 INDIAN DEED TO THE DIRECTORS OF THE WEST INDIA COMPANY FOR LAND IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY

On this day, the date underwritten, appeared before us, the Honorable Lords, the Director-General and Council, Megtegichkama, Oteyochque, and Wegtakochken, the rightful owners of the land located on the east bank of the North River of New Netherland called Wiequaes Keck; extending in breadth through the woods until a stream called Seweyruc [Byram River], with a boundary line running north and south from Greenwich on the East River to a stream called Kechkawes [Mianus River].  This same land is located between the two streams, dissecting the woods between the North and East River, so that the western half remains with the aforesaid owners; while the other eastern half, which is divided by a north-south line through the woods, the aforesaid owners acknowledge in the presence of the chief Seyseykimus and all the remaining friends and blood relatives to have sold the aforesaid parcel of land to the honorable Petrus Stuyvesant, Director-General of New Netherland, for a certain amount of merchandise, which they acknowledge to have received  and accepted before approval of this document, namely 6 fathoms of duffels, 6 fathoms of seawant; 6 kettles, 6 axes; 6 adzes, 10 knives, 10 awls, 10 corals, 10 bells, 1 gun, 2 staves of lead, 2 lbs. of powder; 2 cloth coats.  

Therefore, the aforesaid owners transfer, cede and convey the aforesaid land to the Lord-General or his successors in true and lawful ownership, renouncing for themselves and their descendants now and forever all claims thereon, and resigning herewith all rights and jurisdiction, transferring it to the aforesaid Lord-General and his successors, to do with as they please, without being molested by them, the conveyors, or anyone of them, whether it be person or property.  It is further agreed that the western most half may be purchased for the same amount as above whenever the Director-General desires to pay for it; and they, the grantors, promise to sell the part still in their possession on the North River for that price and not to sell it to anyone without informing the Director-General.  They further promise to maintain and uphold this conveyance firmly and inviolably under the penalty prescribed by law.  Thus was this signed in the presence of the witnesses below on 14 July 1649 at New Amsterdam in New Netherland.

This is the mark

[Signed]

of Pomipahan, made himself.

This is the mark

[Signed]

of Meytehickhama.
This is the mark

[Signed]

of Wegtakachkey.

This is the mark made by

[Signed]

the chief, Seyseychkimus, as witness."

Source:  Gehring, Charles T., ed. & trans., New York Historical Manuscripts:  Dutch Volumes GG, HH & II Land Papers, pp. 62-63 (Baltimore, MD:  Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc., 1980) (Published under the direction of The Holland Society of New York).
For another earlier translation of the same record, see:   

O'Callaghan, E. B., ed., History of New Netherland; Or, New York Under the Dutch, Vol. II, pp. 96-97, n. 1 (NY, NY:  D. Appleton and Company, 1848) (citing "Book of Patents, G. G. 507.").

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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?

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I warmly invite comment -- by email or by comment link below -- to this posting as it addresses an issue on which I have worked for a number of years.

Those who follow the Historic Pelham Blog, including a number of experts on early Dutch settlement of New Netherland and surrounding areas, know that I have worked for quite some time to locate the text of early deeds by which the Dutch purportedly acquired lands from local Native Americans including the area known today as Pelham. For example, see Tuesday, December 5, 2006: Where is Evidence of the 1640 Dutch Purchase from Native Americans of the Lands That Became Pelham?

In that December 5, 2006 posting, I outlined many of the references in secondary sources suggesting that on April 19, 1640 the Dutch acquired a large swath of land north of Manhattan Island that may have included today's Pelham. However, despite following up on the citations contained in the sources I studied, I found only dead ends -- never the text of any such "Indian Deed" as some sources described it.

I recently located the text of a 1649 deed by which Peter Stuyvesant, Director General of New Netherland, acquired lands north of the Island of Manhattan. The heading added to the translation of the deed published in 1881 reads: "INDIAN DEED FOR WESTCHESTER COUNTY, EASTERN HALF." If that heading were accurate, then the area likely would include today's Town of Pelham.

It seems to me, however, that the heading added by the editor is inaccurate. Indeed, if I am correct, the land encompassed by the deed covers an area between today's New York / Connecticut border extending northward to Greenwich. I still have work to do to establish this. I invite comment as to whether those who review the text of the deed below agree. Assuming the accuracy of the two footnotes in the reference that identify the rivers listed in the deed by their Native American names, the deed would seem to encompass an area bordered: (1) on the south by "Byram's river"; (2) on the north by the "Maharnes river, Conn."; (3) on the west by a north/south line separating the mainland between the Hudson River and Long Island Sound into a westerly half and an easterly half; and (4) on the east by a north/south line extending southward from Greenwich.

If I am reading the text of the deed correctly, it does not encompass today's Pelham and does not even encompass the eastern half of Westchester as the heading indicates. This seems to depend, of course, on whether "Byram's river" was north or south of today's Pelham and Westchester County. My initial work tentatively indicates that Byram's river has marked the southern border of the Connecticut - New York boundary.

If my tentative conclusions are correct, this would seem to be yet another dead end that will require me to continue my search for the text of the April 19, 1640 deed. I hope those of you who read this can help by providing me with your comments! Am I reading the deed correctly?

The text of the deed appears immediately below, followed by a citation to its source.

"INDIAN DEED FOR WESTCHESTER COUNTY, EASTERN HALF.

This day, date as below, appeared before the Hon ble Director-General and Council Megtegickhama, Oteyockque and Wegtakachkey, stretching in breadth through a wood to a kil called Seweyruc, * [Footnote * reads: "*Byrams river."] dividing it at the East river by a North and South line from Greenwich on a kil called Kechkawes. † [Footnote † reads: "†Maharnes river, Conn."] This land between the two kils runs to the middle of the woods between the North and East rivers, so that the westerly half remains to the abovesaid proprietors and the other easterly half is divided from it by a line drawn North and South through the centre of the wood. The aforesaid owners acknowledge in the presence of the chief Seyseychhimus and all their other friends and blood relations to have sold the said parcel of land to the Nobel Petrus Stuyvesant, Director-General of New-Netherland, in consideration of a certain lot of merchandise, which they acknowledge to have received and accepted before the passing of this act, namely 6 fathoms of duffels, 6 strings of wampum, 6 kettles, 6 axes, 6 addices, 10 knives, some iron, corals, one gun, 9 staves of lead, 2 lbs of powder, 1 coat of duffels.

Therefore the aforesaid owners of the said land transfer, cede and convey it to the said Director-General and his successors as a true and lawful property, renouncing for themselves and their descendants now and forever all claims thereupon and resigning herewith all rights and jurisdiction, delivering it to the said Hon ble General and his successors, who may do with it as they please, without being molested by them, the sellers or any one of them. It is further agreed, that the Western half may be bought for the same amount as above, when the Director-General desires to pay for it, and they, the sellers, promise to sell the part still in their possession on the North river for that price and not to sell to anybody without informing the Director-General. They further promise to maintain and uphold this contract firmly and invioably and sign it in presence of their chief the 14th of July 1649 at New-Amsterdam in New-Netherland.

This is the mark [symbol] of MEGTEGICKHAMA
This is the mark [symbol] of POMIPAHAN.
This is the mark [symbol] of WEGTAKACHKEY
This is the mark [symbol] made by the chief SEGSEYCHKIMUS as witness."

Source: Fernow, Berthold, Documents Relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York, Vol. XIII, p. 24 (Albany, NY: Weed, Parsons and Company 1881).

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