History of Westchester County, New York, Volume 1. Frederic Shonnard
Ukhokpeck; it signifies snake water or water where snakes are abundant and that they lived by the side of a great water or sea, whence they derived the name of the Muhheakunnuk nation. Muhheakanneuw signifies a man of the Mahheakunnuk tribe Muhheakunneyuk is a plural number. As they were coming from the west they found many Teat waters, but none of a How and ebb like Muhheakannuk until they came to Hudson's River Then they said to one another, this is like Muhheakannuk, our nativity. And when they found grain was very plenty in that country, they agreed to kindle a fire there and hang a kettle whereof they and their children after them might dip out their daily refreshment. (Massachusetts Hist. Soc., coll., ix., 101)
The name given by the Mohicans and the Lenapes to the Hudson River was the Mohicanituk, or River of the Mohicans, signifying " the constantly flowing waters." By the Iroquois it was called the Cohatatea.
The Mohicans belonged to the great Algonquin race stock, which may be said to have embraced all the Indian nations from the Atlantic to the Mississippi. Its different branches had a general similarity of language, and while the separate modifications were numerous and extreme, all the Indians within these bounds understood one another.
The Mohican power is regarded by Ruttenber as hardly less formidable than that of the Iroquois, and he points out that notwithstanding the boasted supremacy of the Iroquois in war there is no historical evidence that the Mohicans were ever brought under subjection to them or despoiled of any portion of their territory. Yet it is unquestionable that the Iroquois exacted and received tribute from the Long Island Indians; and this could hardly have happened without previously obtaining dominion over the Mohicans. On the other hand, it is certain that the Mohicans never tamely submitted to the northern conquerors. "When the Dutch first met the Mohicans," says Ruttenber, "they were in conflict with the Mohawks (an Iroquois nation), and that conflict was maintained for nearly three-quarters of a century, and until the English, who were in alliance with both, were able to effect a permanent settlement.''
Although the Mohican name was generic for all the tribes on the eastern side of the Hudson, it never occurs, at least in the southern part of New York State, in the numerous local land deeds and other documentary agreements drawn by the settlers with the Indians. The tribal or chieftaincy name prevailing in the district in question is uniformly employed. This finds a good illustration in the affidavit of King Nimham, executed October 13, 1730, in which the deponent says that "he is a River Indian of the Tribe of the Wappinoes (Wappmo-ers) which tribe was the ancient inhabitants of the east shores of Hudson's River, from the City of New York to about the middle of Beekinans patent (in the northern part of the present County of Dutchess); that another tribe of river Indians called the Mayhiccondas (Mohicans) were the ancient inhabitants of the remaining east shore of said river; that these two tribes constitute one nation." There was however, an intimate understanding among all the associated tribes and minor divisions of the Mohicans, which in emergencies was given very practical manifestation. The Dutch, in their early wars against the Indians of Westchester County, were perplexed to find that the Highland tribes, with whom, as they supposed, they were upon terms of amity, were rendering assistance to their enemies.
The Mohicans of the Hudson should not be confused with the Mohegans under Uncas, the Pequot chief, whose territory, called Moheganick, lay in eastern Connecticut. The latter was a strictly local New England tribe, and though probably of the same original stock as the Hudson River Mohican nation, was never identified with it.
The entire country south of the Highlands, that is, Westchester County and Manhattan Island, was occupied by chieftaincies of the Wappinger division of the Mohicans. The Wappingers also held dominion over a large section of the Highlands, through their subtribes, the Nochpeems. At the east their lands extended beyond the Connecticut line being met by those of the Sequins. The latter, The entire country south of the Highlands, that is, Westchester County and Manhattan Island, was occupied by chieftaincies of the Wappinger division of the Mohicans. The Wappingers also held do minion over a large section of the Highlands, through their subtribes, the Nochpeems. At the east their lands extended beyond the Connecticut line, being met by those of the Sequins. The latter, having jurisdiction thence to the Connecticut River, were, it is believed, an enlarged family of Wappingers, " perhaps the original head of the tribe, from whence its conquests were pushed over the southern part of the peninsula." The north and south extent of the territory of the Sequins is said to have been some sixty miles. They first sold their lands, June 8, 1633, to the Dutch West India Company, and upon them was erected the Dutch trading post of " Good Hope; " but ten years later they executed a deed to the English, embracing "the whole country to the Mohawk country." On Long Island were the Canarsies, Rockaways, Merricks, Massapeags, Matinecocks, Corchaegs, Manhansetts, Secatogues, Unkechaugs, Shinnecocks, and Montauks. The principal tribes on the other side of New York Bay and the west bank of the Hudson (all belonging to the Lenape or Delaware nation) were the Navesinks, Raritans, Hackinsacks, Aquackanonks, Tappans, and Haverstraws.
The Wappinger sub-tribes or chieftaincies of Westchester County, thanks chiefly to the careful researches of Bolton, are capable of tolerably exact geographical location and of detailed individual description. Bolton is followed in the main by Ruttenber, who, giving due credit to the former while adding the results of his own investigations, is the final authority on the whole subject at the present time. No apologies need be made for transferring to these pages, even quite literally. Ruttenber's classification of the Indians of the county, with the incidental descriptive particulars.
1. The Reckgawawanes, better known by the generic name of Manhattans and so designated by Brodhead and other New York historians. Bolton gives to this chieftaincy the name of Nappeekamaks, a title which, however, does not appear in the records except as the name of their principal village on the site of Yonkers. This village of Nappeckamak (a name signifying the " trap-fishing place" ) was, says Bolton, situated at the month of the Nepperhan or Sawmill River. The castle or fort of the Manhattans or Reckgawawanes was on the northern shore of Spuyten Duyvil Creek, and was called Nipinichsen. It was carefully protected by a strong stockade and commanded the romantic scenery of the Papirinemen or Spuyten Duyvil and the Mohicanituk, the junction of which two streams was called Shorackappock. It was opposite this castle that the fight occurred between Hudson and the Indians as he was returning down the river. They held Manhattan Island and had thereon three villages, which, however, it is claimed, were occupied only while they were on hunting and fishing excursions. In Breeden Raedt their name is given as the Reckewackes, and it is said that in the treaty of 1643 Oritany, sachem of the Hackinsacks, declared he was delegated by and for those of Tappaen, Reckgawawanc, Kicktawanc, and Sintsinc. The tract occupied by the Reckgawawanes on the mainland was called Keckesick, and is described as " lying over against the flats of the Island of Manhates." In its northern extent it included the site of the present City of Yonkers, and on the east it reached to the Bronx River. Their chiefs were Rechgawac, for whom they appear to have been called, Feequesmeck and Peckauniens. Their first sachem known to" the Dutch was Tackerew (1639). In 1682 the names of Goharis, Teattanqueer and Wearaquaeghier appear as the grantors of lands to Frederick Philipse.
2. The Weckquaesgecks. This chieftaincy is known to have had, as early as 1644, three intrenched castles, one of which remained as late as 1663, and was then garrisoned by eighty warriors Their principal village was where Dobbs Ferry now stands. It is said that the outlines of it can still be traced by numerous shell beds. It was called Weckquaesgeck, and its location was at the mouth of Wicker's Creek (called by the Indians the Wysquaqua or Weghqueghe). Another of their villages was Alipconck, the "place of the elms", now Tarrytown. Their territory appears to have extended from Norwalk on the Sound to the Hudson, and embraced considerable portions of the towns of Mount Pleasant, Creenburgh, White Plains, and Rye, being ultimately very largely included in the Manor of Philipsborough. Their sachem in 1649 was Ponupahowhelbshelen; in 1660 Aekhough; in 1663 Souwenaro; in 1680 Weskora or Weskomen, and Goharius, his brother; in 1681 Wessickenaiaw, and Conarhanded, his brother. These chiefs are largely represented in the list of grantors of lands to the whites.
3. The Sint-Sincs. These Indians were not very numerous. Their most important village was Ossing-Sing, the present Sing Sing. They had another village, called Kestaubuinck, between the Sing Sing Creek and the Kitchawonck or Croton River. Their lands are described in the deed of sale to Philipse, August