Pane-Joyce Genealogy
Wyandance.
Wyandance died in 1659.
From Historical Sketeches of the Romer, Van Tassel and Allied Families, and tales of the neutral ground, by John Lockwood Romer, Buffalo, NY, 1917, pages 128-133:
WYANDANCE, GRAND SACHEM OF LONG ISLAND.
When the Europeans came to Long Island, the Indians, who had been greatly reduced in number, were divided, so far as we can learn, into thirteen distinct tribes. Each of these tribes had its sagamore or chief. At one time they were all united in a confederacy at the head of which was a powerful chief, the Grand Sachem of Paumanacke, or Sewanhacka. The Montauks were the ruling tribe.
Montauk was a place of distinction by the fact that it was a great burial place. The dead, particularly chiefs and warriors of note, were brought from all parts of the island to be buried there.
The Indian government was a monarchical despotism. In their person, they were tall, of proud and lofty movement, of active bodies, and as straight as an arrow. They were warlike in their habits. Their chiefs and their braves were distinguished above those of the other tribes of the island, for prowess in the field, for a recklessness of life in battle, and for the bold and daring onset with which, uttering their war scream, they rushed upon their enemy.
The chiefs of the Montauks were the grand sachems of the confederacy. The most distinguished of these was Wyandance. (The name Wyandance is derived from “wyan” wise; “dance,” to speak out; as a whole, “The Wise Speaker.”) He was always the unwavering friend of the whites. The New England Indians often sought to involve him in a coalition against the new settlers, but he never yielded, and uniformly communicated their designs £o Lion Gardiner, between whom and himself entire confidence and friendship existed.
Captain Lion Gardiner, as stated in his family Bible, came with his wife from London to New England in 1635, and dwelt for four years at Saybrook Fort at the mouth of the Connecticut River, he being in command of that fort. Here his son David and daughter Mary were born, the latter on August 30, 1638. Thereafter he purchased from the Indians an island called by them Manchonock (by the English, Isle of Wight), now known as Gardiner's Island, containing 3,500 acres of land, where another daughter was born on September 14, 1641. The price paid by Gardiner for the island was one large black dog, one gun, some powder and shot, some rum and a pair of blankets.
When Chief Ninigret and his Narragansett braves made an attack upon the Montauks, and carried away fourteen of their chief women, including the daughter of Wyandance, Captain Gardiner interested himself in the matter and had the women taken to the home of Richard Smith, at Wickford, now North Kingston, R. I., where the Indhn princess remained until ransomed and restored to her father by Gardiner. The old chief in recognition of Captain Gardiner's kindness and services in the matter gave him a deed to a large tract of land where Smithtown is now located, a copy of which deed is as follows :
Deed. East Hampton, July 14, 1659.
Bee it knowne unto all men, both English and Indians, especially the inhabitants of Long Island, that I, Wyandance, Sachem of Pamanack, with my wife and sonne Wyankanbone, my only sonne and heire, having deliberately how this twenty foure years wee have been not only acquainted with Lyon Gardiner, but from time to time have received much kindness from him, and from him not only, by councell and advice, in our prosperity, but in our extreamity, when we were almost swallowed up of our enemies, then wee say hee appeared to us, not only as a Friend, but as a Father, in giving us of his money and goods, whereby wee defended ourselves, and ransomed my Daughter and Friends. And wee say and know that by his means wee had great Comfort and relief, from the most Hond’ble of the English Nation here about us. So that seeing wee yet live, and both of us being now old, and not that wee at any time have given him anything to gratify his Love, care and Charge, wee have nothing left that is worth his acceptance but a Small Tract of Land, w ch wee desire him to accept of for himselfe, his heires, Executo’rs and assigns forever;
Now that it may be known how and where this Land lyeth on Long Island wee say it lyeth between Huntington and Seatancut the westerns Bounds being Cowharbour, easterly Actaamunk and southerly cross ye Island to the end of ye great hollow or valley or more than half through the Island southerly, and that this is our free Act ind Deed doth appear Our hand and Markes under written.
Signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of
Richard Smith
Thomas Chatfield
Thomas Talmage
Wyandance, X his mark
Wyankanbone, X his mark
The Sachem's Wife, X her mark
All of the native tribes of the Island, as far as the Canaries’ territory, were at one time tributary, in a greater or less degree, to Poggatacut, the elder brother of the Montaukett sachem, who resided on Shelter Island, as sachem over the Manhassett tribe, and as great sachem of all Long Island. In 1651, the Montaukett sachem, Wyandance, succeeded his brother, then deceased, as great sachem of Long Island, and had under him from ten to fifteen sachems, with whom his word was law, and over whom he exercised despotic sway.
Wyandance himself was tributary to the Pequots, a people residing on the shores of the Connecticut and Mystic rivers, more fierce, cruel and warlike than any of the tribes around them, and who at one time numbered four thousand able warriors. Their large canoes enabled them to transport across the sound any number of men, and their frequent visits to the island, overawed the tribes, and secured a continuance of their dominion.
At the first settlement by the whites, the Montauketts were yet numerous. They raised great quantities of corn and vegetables; their woods were well stocked with animals and birds, and their bays and ponds with water fowl. Their canoes, in which they visited the neighboring islands and the continent, as far east as Boston, and as far south as New York, were of the largest class; and that of Wyandance, was so large as to require the strength of seven or eight men to draw it from the water upon the shore, and on one occasion it suffered injury from the waves at Gardiner’s Island for want of a sufficient number of persons to place it beyond the reach of the sea.
In the year 1658, Wyandance, Sachem of Montaukett, plaintiff, prosecuted Jeremy Daily, defendant, for an injury done to his “great cannow.” The case was tried by the “three men,” and the Jury in the case rendered a verdict for the plaintiff, as appears by the record, viz:
January 25th, 1658.
Waiandanch, Sachem of Meantaquit, Pit, hath entered an action of damage against Jeremy Daily defendant.
Mr. Lion Gardiner testifieth that hee was at the Hand when my son and Goodman Daily came over, and I heard that the Great Cannow was coming, and I went Down to meet them, and made a noise for them that were in the house, to follow me, and I mett my sonn and Goodman Daily coming up, and I asked them whie they puled not up the canow, and they said it was time enough, and I called them to goe to gett it up, and we all went, and could do nothing, and then we went again, and she was full.
John Rose testifieth, that when the canow was brought into the South harbor, my Brother Anthony Waters and Goodman Daily, did mend the canow, by putting 2 pieces into the side of her and upon that account they were to have the use of her, when their time was out, to carrie over their things.
The verdict of the Jury — they find for the Pit. 10s. Damage, and court charges.
The Court charges is £l 1s 0d.
Town records, Book No. 2, p. 65.
The decease of the sachem Poggatacut was an important event with the Indians. His remains were transported for burial from Shelter Island to Montauk. In removing the body, the bearers rested the bier by the side of the road leading from Sag Harbor to Easthampton, near the three-mile stone, where a small excavation, afterwards known as the “Sachem's Hole,” was made to designate the spot where the head rested. From that time for more than one hundred and eighty years, this memorial remained as fresh, seemingly, as if but lately made. No leaf, nor stone, nor other thing, was suffered to remain in it. The Montaukett tribe, though reduced to a pitiful number of some ten or fifteen persons, retained for many years the memory of this event, and no individual of them passed the spot in his wanderings without removing whatever may have fallen into it. The place was to them holy ground, and the exhibition of this pious act does honor to the finest feelings of the human heart. The excavation was about twelve inches in depth and eighteen in diameter.
Wyandance, at one time, learning that Ninicraft was upon Block Island, proceeded there with a formidable force and arrived about midnight; when coming upon the Narragansetts he slaughtered about thirty, two of whom were personages of great note and one the nephew of the sachem. Subsequently, Ninicraft passed over to Montauk, burned the wigwams, sacked the barns, destroyed the corn fields, killed many of the principal warriors of the tribe and made captive fourteen women, among whom was the only daughter of Wyandance. The deep affliction of the father at the loss of his daughter can well be imagined, and the ardent affection which he maintained for his child was in part evidenced in the present he made upon her redemption.
In 1656, the Massachusetts Commissioners declined to render any further assistance to the Long Island Indians, and aid was for a short time given them by the colonies of Hartford and New Haven. Wyandance, in the same year, visited the Commissioners, at Boston, and in consideration of the distresses which had befallen him, obtained a remission of the tribute which had been exacted of him since the Pequot war. He was now left to contend alone against a vastly superior force, and the war was continued between the Narragansetts and Montauketts with great cruelty; but as it was confined to the Indians, few of the events were known. Roger Williams refers the trouble between these tribes to the pride of the rival sachems: “He of Montaukett was proud and foolish, — he of Narragansett was proud and fierce.”
Upon arrival of Governor Kieft, in 1638, to take charge of the Dutch settlement at New Amsterdam, it was found that the settlers under two former governors had been in an impoverished condition, and on account of their pitiable state, the Indians had shown them great kindness, had taken some to their wigwams, had supplied corn, maize, dried clams, etc., and taught them to sew furs and make moccasins, and had given them their daughters for companions, some of whom had borne children.
The Dutch, under Kieft, had, in 1638, set up the Royal Standard on a tree at Cow Bay to mark their boundary. This was removed by some English from Connecticut and a fool's face substituted. This provoked the Dutch, and in the fight which followed several Indians were killed, which so exasperated the Indians that they resolved to annihilate the Dutch on Manhattan Island, and word was sent out to the tribes to assemble all warriors, canoes and boats at Canarsie for that purpose. Governor Kieft, learning of this, sent two commissioners to see them. During the conference one of the chiefs described the early friendly relations existing, as already stated, and further said that the Dutch by killing the Indians were destroying their own offspring and for that reason they had resolved to exterminate the entire settlement, which they came very near doing in 1649.
Wyandance died in 1659, leaving a wife, Wuch-i-kit-tau-but, and two children, one a son named Weon-com-bone, and a daughter, Catoneras, wife of Jan Cornelius Van Texsel. It was that daughter that Lion Gardiner had ransomed from captivity.
From Historical Sketeches of the Romer, Van Tassel and Allied Families, and tales of the neutral ground, by John Lockwood Romer, Buffalo, NY, 1917, pages 134-136:
He [Wyandance] appointed Lion Gardiner and his son, David Gardiner, to be the guardians of his son Weon-com-bone, as appears from a deed dated February 11, A. D. 1661, a copy of which is as follows :
Copy Deed of 1661.
Be it knowne unto all men by these presents, that I, the Sunk Squa of Meantuck, wife of Wiandanch, of late years Deceased, and also I Wionkombone, Sonne of the foresaid Deceased partie, Sachem of Long Island, together with Pokkatonn, Chief Counsellor, and the rest of our trusty Counsellors and associates, send greeting. Know ye, that Whereas there was a full and firm Indenture made between Mr. Thomas Baker, Mr. Robert Bond, Mr. Thomas James, Mr. Lion Gardiner, Mr. John Mulford, John Hand, Benjamin Price, Together with their associates, the Inhabitants of Easthampton upon Long Island, ye one partie, and I sunk Squa, and also me Wionkombone, with the full Consent of my Counsellors and Servants, as also of my two Guardians, left by my deceased Father, viz : Mr. Lion Gardiner of Easthampton, and Mr. David Gardiner, of ye Isle of wight, yc other partie, in ye years of or Lord One Thousand Six Hundred Sixtie, upon ye sixt day of August, whereby we did fully and firmly sell unto the said parties, our neck of land called Montaukut, from sea to sea, from ye utmost end of that neck Eastward called wompenanit, to our utmost bounds westward, Called Napeale, with all priviledges and appurtenances belonging to the same, upon Condition there and then specified in that foresaid Indenture, and a Counterbond, bearing ye same Date, signed and sealed to us by ye foresaid parties, Inhabitants of East-Hampton, by virtue of which Counterbond we had free libertie granted if wee see cause to sit down again upon ye said land, this being the full purpose of us the Sunk Squa, of Wionkombone, Sachem, together with our associates in Convenient time to sit down to live at ye said Montaukut ; know yee allsoe, that whereas of late years, there havving beene sore Distress and Calamities befallen us by reason of ye Cruel opposition and Violence of or most Deadly Enemies Ninnicraft, Sachem of Narhigganset, whose Cruelty hath proceeded so farr as to take away ye lives of many of or Deare friends and relations, soe that we were forced to flie from ye said Montouquit for shelter to our beloved friends and neighbors of Easthampton, whom wee found to be friendly in our distress, and whom wee must ever owne and acknowledge as instruments under God, for ye preservation of or lives and ye lives of our Wives and Children to this Day, and of that Land of Montakut from ye hands of or Enemies, and since or Coming amongst them ye relieving of us in or Extremities from time to time; and now at last wee find ye said Inhabitants of Easthampton, our Deliverers, Cordial, and faithfull in their former Covenants, leaving us freely to or own libertie to go or stay, being ready to perform all conditions of of ye foresaid agreem't. After serious debate and deliberation, in Consideration of that love which we have and doe bear, unto these our trustie and beloved friends of Easthampton, upon our owne free and Voluntarie motion, have piven and granted, and by these presents do give and grant and Confirme unto these our friends, ye Inhabitants of Easthampton, Excepting such as have Exempted themselves from ye former agreement; and shall from this our grant, all that piece or neck of land belonging to Montakut Land, westward to a fresh pond in a beach on this side, Westward to that place where the old Indian Fort stoode on ye other side, Eastward to ye new fort that is yet standing; the name of ye pond being Quanuntowunk on ye North and konkhonganik on ye south, together with all priviledges and appurtenances belonging to the foresaid land from south to north, To have and to hold ye same at free Commonage, to be ordered and disposed of for the benefit of ye aforesaid Inhabitants of East Hampton, themselves, their heirs, administrators, Executors and assigns forever ; to possess the same freely and quietly, without any matter of Challenge clayme or demand of us, ye said Sunk Squa and Wionkombone Sachem, or our associates, or of any other person or persons whatsoever, for us or in our name, or for our cause, means or procurement. And without any money or other things therefor to be yielded, paid or done only for ye said Land, to us or our heires forever, and shall Justifie the possession of this foresaid Land, by these said Inhabitants of Easthampton, against any shall Questin their propertie in the same. Know ye allso, yt this is not only the Deed of mee, ye Sunk Squa, and Wionkombone Sachem, but allso the act and Deed of all our associates and subjects, who have hadd formerly any propertie in ye foresaid Land they having manyfested their consent freely by a Voate, not one contradicting the same, as allsoe with ye consent of Mr. Lion Gardiner and Mr David Gardiner, Whome the Deceased Father left as Overseers and Guardians of the aforesaid Wiankombone Sachem; know yee also yt for ye securing of ye Easterne part of Montaukut Land, which ye Indians are to live upon, yt the Inhabitants of ye foresaid Easthampton shall from time to time, keep up a sufficient fence upon ye North side of ye foresaid pond, and the Indians are to secure ye south side of ye foresaid pond, from all cattle, Dureing ye time their Corn is upon the ground. And then Easthampton Cattle shall have Libertie Eastward, according to former agreement ; and that ye Indians of Montaukut shall have libertie if they see cause to sett their Houses upon Meantauk land, Westward of ye said oond, and to have firewood from time to time, on ye foresaid land. Know also, that whatever Connoe or Deer shall come a shore on ye North side on any part of Meantauk Land, Easthampton Inhabitants shall not hinder ye Sachem of them. And Whereas ye deceased Sachem in his life, freely gave to Mr. Lion Gardiner, and Mr. Thomas James what Whales should at any time be cast upon Meantauk Land, as allso confirmed by me, Sunk Squa and Wionkombone Sachem since, and ye rest of our associates, which not being minded when former agreement was made, I, Sunk Squa. and allso I, Wiankombone Sachem, together with our associates, doe freely give to ye said Lion Gardiner and Thomas James, to be Equally divided between them, the first Whale shall be cast upon Montauket, to them and their heirs or assigns forever, wee give ye one halfe of all such Whales as shall be cast upon Montakut land, and the other half to be Divided as the said Inhabitants of Easthampton stand Engaged to us for as the said Inhabitants of Easthampton stand Engages to us for pay for that land Eastward of ye foresaid pond, soe wee allso standEngaged, neither Directly nor indirectly, to give, let or sell any part of that land, without consent of Easthampton. Know yee allso, yt if at any time hereafter, if Either through sickness or warr, or any other means, it shall come to pass yt ye Indians belongin to Montakut be taken away, soe yt it shall not bee safe for them to Continue there, that then those that survive shall have libertie to come to Easthampton for shelter, and be there provided of land, and to have the former agreement fulfilled, and to remaine as firme and sure, as though there never had been any such act or Deed as here is specified, and that duringe lihe time of the Indians abode at Montakut, they shall be careful of doing any wrong to the English either by their owne persons or doggs, or any other way whatsoever. In
Witness of ye premises wee do here set to our hands. Dated att Easthampton, Feb. 11, Anno. Dom. 1661.
Signed by the marks of the “Sunk Squa,” “Wiankombone Sachem,” and nine other Indians, in behalf of the rest.
Sealed, Signed and Delivered in presence of us,
Edward Codner,
William Miller.
Wyandance admitted no equal in the government of his people, but stood alone chief of the tribe. While he exercised the sovereignty as great sachem of Long Island, though he suffered most severely in the wars with the Narragansetts, his proud, independent spirit would yield to no terms derogatory to the prowess of his nation. In his death, the English lost a warm and devoted friend. His attachment for the whites, though he sometimes suffered from them great provocation, never wavered, and the commanding influence which he possessed over the Indian tribes of the island was ever exercised to prevent any hostile movements against them.