Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation
Encyclopedia
The Golden Hill Paugussetts are the Connecticut state-recognized tribal descendents of the Paugussett (also Paugusset) Nation of Native Americans
that occupied much of western Connecticut
prior to the arrival of Europeans. While state-recognized, they have been denied federal recognition
.
, where it has a 106 acre (0.42896716 km²) reservation, and also has a 1/4 acre reservation in Nichols
section of Trumbull, Connecticut
. The Nichols reservation is considered to be the oldest continuing reservation in Connecticut and the smallest in the US.
In 2009, a state court dismissed a challenge to their heritage, refusing to eject members of the Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe and their chief from reservations in Trumbull and Colchester.
-speaking nation, unlike the Iroquoian Pequots to the east, occupied a region bounded roughly by the coast of Long Island Sound
from Norwalk
to New Haven
and the inland areas along the Housatonic River
and Naugatuck River
as far as they were navigable by canoe. The tribe was divided into four primary sub-groups, the Paugussett Proper in what is present day Milford
, Derby
and Shelton
; the Pequonnock, along the coast; the Pootatuck in Newtown
, Woodbury
and Southbury
and the Weantinock
in New Milford
. They were a farming and fishing
culture, cultivating corn, squash, beans and tobacco and fishing in both fresh and saltwater. The size of shell heaps along the coast and the amount of cleared land attested to both a long period of occupation and a high degree of social organization.
epidemic
in 1633—35, and news of war against the Pequots
in 1637, English settlers first arrived in Paugussett lands in 1638—39 when settlements were established in New Haven, Guilford, Milford, Stratford and Fairfield.
and Turkey Hill in present-day Derby
. In 1802, Golden hill was sold by the tribal overseer. The last of Turkey Hill was sold in 1826 "for their own benefit".
neighborhood in Bridgeport, though the Bureau of Indian Affairs
disputed this point.
. Lack of federal recognition has stymied economic development plans such as opening a tribal casino in southwestern Connecticut.
Lack of federal recognition has also made it difficult for them to pursue their claims to much of the land that was historically part of the Paugusset nation. They have claimed legal rights to 700000 acres (2,832.8 km²) of land running from Orange/Woodbridge
in New Haven County
though Fairfield County
to Greenwich
and extending North into Eastern Litchfield County
up to the Massachusetts
border, though these claims have since been dropped. In 2006, a federal judge dismissed the Golden Hill Paugussetts' 14-year-old lawsuit claiming lands in Orange, Trumbull and Bridgeport citing the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs
' rejection of the tribe's request for federal recognition.
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
that occupied much of western Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
prior to the arrival of Europeans. While state-recognized, they have been denied federal recognition
Native American recognition in the United States
Native American recognition in the United States most often refers to the process of a tribe being recognized by the United States federal government, or to a person being granted membership to a federally recognized tribe. There are 565 federally recognized tribal governments in the United States...
.
Present day
The tribe lives in Colchester, ConnecticutColchester, Connecticut
Colchester is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 14,551 at the 2000 census. In 2005 it was ranked 57th on the "100 Best Places to Live" in all of the United States, conducted by CNN...
, where it has a 106 acre (0.42896716 km²) reservation, and also has a 1/4 acre reservation in Nichols
Nichols, Connecticut
Nichols, a historic village in southeastern Trumbull on the Gold Coast of Fairfield County, was named after the family who maintained a large farm in its center for almost 300 years. The Nichols Farms Historic District, which encompasses part of the village, is listed on the National Register of...
section of Trumbull, Connecticut
Trumbull, Connecticut
Trumbull, a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut in the New England region of the United States, is bordered by the towns of Monroe, Shelton, Stratford, Bridgeport, Fairfield and Easton along Connecticut's Gold Coast. The population was 36,018 according to the 2010 census.Family Circle magazine...
. The Nichols reservation is considered to be the oldest continuing reservation in Connecticut and the smallest in the US.
In 2009, a state court dismissed a challenge to their heritage, refusing to eject members of the Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe and their chief from reservations in Trumbull and Colchester.
History
While the history of the Paugussett Nation dates back to earlier times, written records begin with the arrival of Europeans on North American shores. At the time explorers first arrived, The Paugussets, an AlgonquianAlgonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
-speaking nation, unlike the Iroquoian Pequots to the east, occupied a region bounded roughly by the coast of Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound
Long Island Sound is an estuary of the Atlantic Ocean, located in the United States between Connecticut to the north and Long Island, New York to the south. The mouth of the Connecticut River at Old Saybrook, Connecticut, empties into the sound. On its western end the sound is bounded by the Bronx...
from Norwalk
Norwalk, Connecticut
Norwalk is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the population of the city is 85,603, making Norwalk sixth in population in Connecticut, and third in Fairfield County...
to New Haven
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
and the inland areas along the Housatonic River
Housatonic River
The Housatonic River is a river, approximately long, in western Massachusetts and western Connecticut in the United States. It flows south to southeast, and drains about of southwestern New England into Long Island Sound...
and Naugatuck River
Naugatuck River
The Naugatuck River is a river in the US state of Connecticut. It carves out the Naugatuck River Valley. The river flows from northwest Connecticut southward into the Housatonic River in Derby, Connecticut. One of the river's main uses is hydropower, which is used to power industrial plants...
as far as they were navigable by canoe. The tribe was divided into four primary sub-groups, the Paugussett Proper in what is present day Milford
Milford, Connecticut
Milford is a coastal city in southwestern New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located between Bridgeport and New Haven. The population was 52,759 at the 2010 census...
, Derby
Derby, Connecticut
Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...
and Shelton
Shelton, Connecticut
Shelton is a city in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 39,559 at the 2010 census.-Origins:Shelton was settled by the English as part of the town of Stratford, Connecticut, in 1639...
; the Pequonnock, along the coast; the Pootatuck in Newtown
Newtown, Connecticut
Newtown is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 27,560 at the 2010 census. Newtown was founded in 1705 and incorporated in 1711.-Government:...
, Woodbury
Woodbury, Connecticut
Woodbury is a town in Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 9,198 at the 2000 census. The town center is also designated by the U.S. Census Bureau as a census-designated place . Woodbury was founded in 1672....
and Southbury
Southbury, Connecticut
Southbury is a town located in western New Haven County, Connecticut, USA. Southbury is located north of Oxford and Newtown; it also is east of Brookfield. Southbury's population was 18,567 at the 2000 census....
and the Weantinock
Weantinock
The Weantinock were a Native American tribe that existed during and prior to colonial times in western Connecticut, USA. They were a sub-group of the Paugussett Nation and lived in what is present day New Milford...
in New Milford
New Milford, Connecticut
New Milford is a town in southern Litchfield County, Connecticut, United States north of Danbury, on the Housatonic River. It is the largest town in the state in terms of land area at nearly . The population was 28,671 according to the Census Bureau's 2006 estimates...
. They were a farming and fishing
Fishing
Fishing is the activity of trying to catch wild fish. Fish are normally caught in the wild. Techniques for catching fish include hand gathering, spearing, netting, angling and trapping....
culture, cultivating corn, squash, beans and tobacco and fishing in both fresh and saltwater. The size of shell heaps along the coast and the amount of cleared land attested to both a long period of occupation and a high degree of social organization.
Encroachment by settlers
Preceded by a smallpoxSmallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease unique to humans, caused by either of two virus variants, Variola major and Variola minor. The disease is also known by the Latin names Variola or Variola vera, which is a derivative of the Latin varius, meaning "spotted", or varus, meaning "pimple"...
epidemic
Epidemic
In epidemiology, an epidemic , occurs when new cases of a certain disease, in a given human population, and during a given period, substantially exceed what is expected based on recent experience...
in 1633—35, and news of war against the Pequots
Pequot War
The Pequot War was an armed conflict between 1634–1638 between the Pequot tribe against an alliance of the Massachusetts Bay, Plymouth, and Saybrook colonies who were aided by their Native American allies . Hundreds were killed; hundreds more were captured and sold into slavery to the West Indies. ...
in 1637, English settlers first arrived in Paugussett lands in 1638—39 when settlements were established in New Haven, Guilford, Milford, Stratford and Fairfield.
Golden Hill and Turkey Hill
Within a few years, the Paugussetts had been divested of the vast majority of their lands and left with several small reservations, including Golden Hill, site of a spring sacred to them, in present-day BridgeportBridgeport, Connecticut
Bridgeport is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. Located in Fairfield County, the city had an estimated population of 144,229 at the 2010 United States Census and is the core of the Greater Bridgeport area...
and Turkey Hill in present-day Derby
Derby, Connecticut
Derby is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 12,391 at the 2000 census. With of land area, Derby is Connecticut's smallest municipality.The city has a Metro-North railroad station called Derby – Shelton.-History:...
. In 1802, Golden hill was sold by the tribal overseer. The last of Turkey Hill was sold in 1826 "for their own benefit".
Little Liberia
In the early 19th century, Paugussetts, including Joel Freeman from Derby, may have relocated to the urban enclave of Little Liberia, an African AmericanAfrican American
African Americans are citizens or residents of the United States who have at least partial ancestry from any of the native populations of Sub-Saharan Africa and are the direct descendants of enslaved Africans within the boundaries of the present United States...
neighborhood in Bridgeport, though the Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
disputed this point.
Colchester and Nichols
In 1993 the tribe made national headlines when it opened a tax-free cigarette shop on the Colchester reservation. An armed standoff with state police ensued that ended without violence when Chief Moon Face Bear agreed to close the shop.Quest for federal recognition
The Golden Hill Paugussetts have repeatedly been denied federal recognitionNative American recognition in the United States
Native American recognition in the United States most often refers to the process of a tribe being recognized by the United States federal government, or to a person being granted membership to a federally recognized tribe. There are 565 federally recognized tribal governments in the United States...
. Lack of federal recognition has stymied economic development plans such as opening a tribal casino in southwestern Connecticut.
Lack of federal recognition has also made it difficult for them to pursue their claims to much of the land that was historically part of the Paugusset nation. They have claimed legal rights to 700000 acres (2,832.8 km²) of land running from Orange/Woodbridge
Orange, Connecticut
Orange is a town in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,233 at the 2000 census. A 2007 Census Bureau estimate puts the population at 13,813. The town is governed by a Board of Selectmen.-History:...
in New Haven County
New Haven County, Connecticut
New Haven County is a county located in the south central part of the U.S. state of Connecticut. As of the 2010 Census, the county population is 862,477 making it the third most populated county in Connecticut. There are 1,340 people per square mile...
though Fairfield County
Fairfield County, Connecticut
Fairfield County is a county located in the southwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The county population is 916,829 according to the 2010 Census. There are currently 1,465 people per square mile in the county. It is the most populous county in the State of Connecticut and contains...
to Greenwich
Greenwich, Connecticut
Greenwich is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 61,171. It is home to many hedge funds and other financial service companies. Greenwich is the southernmost and westernmost municipality in Connecticut and is 38+ minutes ...
and extending North into Eastern Litchfield County
Litchfield County, Connecticut
Litchfield County is a county located in the northwestern corner of the U.S. state of Connecticut. Litchfield County has the lowest population density of any county in Connecticut but is geographically the state's largest county. As of 2010 the population was 189,927...
up to the Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
border, though these claims have since been dropped. In 2006, a federal judge dismissed the Golden Hill Paugussetts' 14-year-old lawsuit claiming lands in Orange, Trumbull and Bridgeport citing the federal Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs is an agency of the federal government of the United States within the US Department of the Interior. It is responsible for the administration and management of of land held in trust by the United States for Native Americans in the United States, Native American...
' rejection of the tribe's request for federal recognition.
Tribal Leaders
- Aurelius H. Piper, Sr.Aurelius H. Piper, Sr.Aurelius H. Piper, Sr. , also known as Big Eagle or Chief Big Eagle, was the Hereditary Chief of the Golden Hill Paugussett Indian Nation of Connecticut from 1959 until 2008.-Early life:...
(Chief Big Eagle - Hereditary Chief), deceased August 2008, aged 92 in Trumbull. - Aurelius H. Piper, Jr. (Chief Quiet Hawk - tribal leader)
- Shoran Piper-Baez (Clan Mother White Fawn)