History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 1. Frederic Shonnard
since no deposits of native copper exist in this region. And Indian relics of various kinds are constantly found which bear no connection to the prevailing remains of the locality where discovered, but on the other hand are perfectly characteristic of other localities.
For purposes of exchange, as well as for ornament, the Indians used wampum, a name given to a certain class of cylindrical beads, usually one-fourth of an inch long and drilled lengthwise, which were chiefly manufactured from the shells of the common hard-shell clam (Venus mercenaria). The blue or violet portions of the shells furnished the material for the dark wampum, which was held in much higher estimation than that made of the white portions, or of the spines of certain univalves. According to Roger Williams, one of the earliest New England writers on the Indians, six of the white beads and three of the blue were equivalent to an English penny. The author of an instructive treatise on "Ancient and Aboriginal Trade in North America" (from which some of the details in the preceding pages are taken) says of the wampum belts, so often mentioned in connection with the history of the eastern tribes:
They consisted of broad straps of leather, upon which white and blue wampum-beads were sewed In rows, being so arranged that by the contrast of the light and dark colors certain figures were produced. The Indians, it is well known, exchanged these belts at the conclusion of peace, and on other solemn occasions, in order to ratify the transaction, and to perpetuate the remembrance of the event. When sharp admonitions or threatening demonstrations were deemed necessary, the wampum belts likewise played a part, and they were even sent as challenges of war. In these various cases the arrangement of the colors and the figures of the belts corresponded to the object in view: on peaceable occasions the white color predominated; if the complications were of a serious character, the dark prevailed; and in case of a declaration of war, it is stated, the belt was entirely of a somber hue, and, moreover, covered with red paint, while there appeared in the middle the figure of a hatchet executed in white. The old accounts, however, are not quite accordant concerning these details, probably because the different Atlantic tribes followed in this particular their own taste rather than a general rule. At any rate, however, the wampum belts were considered as objects of importance, being, as has been stated, the tokens by which the memory of remarkable events was transmitted to posterity. They were employed somewhat in the manner of the Peruvian guipu, which they also resembled in that particular, that their meaning could not be conveyed without oral comment. At certain times the belts were exhibited, and their relations to former occurrences explained. This was done by the aged and experienced of the tribe, in the presence of the young men, who made themselves thoroughly acquainted with the shape, size, and marks of the belts, as well as with the events they were destined to commemorate, in order to be able to transmit these details to others at a future time. Thus the wampum belts represented the archives of polished nations. Among the Iroquois tribes, who formed the celebrated " league," there was a special keeper of the wampum, whose duty it was to preserve the belts and to interpret their meaning, when required.
The civil institutions of the Mohican Indians were democratic, showing but slight modifications of the purely democratic principle.
" Though this people," says Van der Donck, " do not make such a distinction between man and man as ether nations, yet they have high and low families, inferior and superior chiefs." Their rulers were called sachems, the title usually remaining hereditarily in the family, although the people claimed the right of election. It does not appear that the sachems ever assumed oppressive powers, or, on the other hand, that rebellious or intrigues against their authority were ever undertaken to any noticeable extent. The sachem remained with the tribe at all times, and was assisted in the government by certain counselors or chiefs, elected by the people. There was a chief called a "hero," who was chosen for established courage and prudence in war; another called an " owl," who was required to have a good memory and be a fluent speaker, and who sat beside the sachem in council and proclaimed his orders; and a third called a " runner," who carried messages and convened councils. The Indian sachems and chiefs of the Hudson have left no names familiar to the general reader — certainly none comparable with those of Massasoit, Miantonomoh, Uncas, and Philip, of New England, or Powhattan, of Virginia. Even to the local historian, indeed, their names have little importance beyond that attaching to them from their connection with notable transfers of land and with rivers, lakes, and localities to which they have been applied.
In the geographical nomenclature of Westchester County, as well as of the whole country from the Atlantic to the Pacific, are preserved numerous permanent memorials of the vanished aboriginal race. The following article on the pure or derived Indian names of our county has been compiled specially for this work. It is not, however, presented with any claim to minute completeness.
AMERINDIAN NAMES IN WESTCHESTER COUNTY.
BY WILLIAM WALLACE TOOKER.
The Amerindian names of localities in Westchester County represent several dialectical variations of the great Algonquian language. While some are of the Mohegan dialect and akin to those of Connecticut, others partake more of the Delaware or Lenape characteristics as spoken in New Jersey and Pennsylvania. Where either of these have been retained unchanged in their phonetic elements, and without the loss of a syllable or initial letter, the task of identification and translation of their components has been comparatively easy. Many, however that have been handed down colloquially without having been recorded m deed or record, have become so altered that even the Amerind himself, should he reappear from the « happy hunting ground," would be utterly unable to recognize the present sounds of the terms as part of his native speech. Those of the personal names bestowed on places are especially difficult to analyze, owing to their construction and the changes already noted Many of the place names were translated many years ago by Schoolcraft, Trumbull, and others, some correctly, and others more often incorrectly. Some of the latter were so erroneous that they have been passed by the writer without notice. The present attempts are based upon the comparative rules of Algonquian nomenclature, and are therefore not the hasty generalization of misapplied Chippeway root terms so often used by Schoolcraft and followed by others The names mostly are descriptive appellations of the localities where originally bestowed, and as such do not differ from those retained in other parts of the country where the same language was spoken.
Acquehounck. — Var., Aqueanounck, Achqueehgeuom. Hutchinson's Creek, Eastchester Creek, and a locality in West Farms. The variations of this term are quite numerous. Delaware, Achwowdngeu, " high bank." See Aquehung, another variant.
Alipkonck. — "A place of elms." This interpretation, given by Schoolcraft in 1844, is probably correct. Allowing for the interchange or permutation of l and w, as well as b and p, occurring in many dialects, we find its parallel in the Otchipwe Anip, Abnaki, anibi, " elm tree," which with the locative completes the analysis.
Apawquammis. — Var. , Apawammeis, Apawamis, Epawames. Budd's Neck, in Rye. The main stem of this name, Appoqua, signifies " to cover;" mis, " the stock or trunk of a tree," a generic, hence " the covering tree," possibly a descriptive term for the birch tree, and used as a personal name.
Appamaghpogh. — Var., Apparaghpogh. Lands near Verplanck's Point, also a locality east of Cortlandt. The main stem of this term is the same as that in the previous name, with the suffix plug, " a water-place " or " pond." " The (lodge) covering water-place," i.e., a place where the cat-tail flag (Typha latifolia) was cut. The flags were used for mats and covering wigwams.
Aquehung. — A locality on the Bronx River. The name of Staten Island is the same, Acquehonga, " a high bank or bluff;" also Hockqueunk, "on high."
Apwonnah. — Rye. It means "an oyster," or " the roasted shell-fish."
Armonck. — See Cohamong.
Armenperal. — Var., Armenperai. Sprain River. probably greatly corrupted. Its meaning has not been ascertained. A district on the Schuylkill River, was called Armenveruis (Col. Hist. N. Y., Vol. I., p. 593), probably the same name, for the v should be p.
Askewaen. — A personal name, meaning not ascertained.
Aspetong. —