Montaukett
Encyclopedia
The Montaukett is an Algonquian
-speaking Native American
group native to the eastern end of Long Island
, New York
and one of the thirteen historical indigenous
centers. They were related in language as well to Native American tribes who lived across Long Island Sound
in what is now Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Native relics and ruins are still visible at Theodore Roosevelt County Park
, just east of the village of Montauk, New York
. Their language was an Algonquian Y-dialect, similar to their New England neighbors
, the Pequot
and the Narragansett
. Native Americans living on Long Island eventually became identified by European settlers by the place name in which they lived, such as the Montauk and the Shinnecock
, artificially identifying the peoples separately and erroneously into "tribes", although they all shared the same culture and language. The Native Americans of the east end of the Island shared a common culture with each other and with other groups along most of the northern shore of what is now called Long Island Sound, while the west of Long Island were the culturally and linguistically distinct Lenape
groups that lived in all of what is now New Jersey and in parts of what is now eastern Pennsylvania and the northern shore of Delaware.
The Montaukett derived great wealth from the wampompeag (or wampum
) available on Long Island, but its value contributed to competition, attacks and their demise. Since it became desired for trade and payment by Native Americans and the English and Dutch colonial powers, the Montaukett were raided and made politically subject by more powerful New England tribes, who demanded tribute or just stole the wampum. Introduced infectious disease
s, such as smallpox
, to which they had no natural immunity
, and intertribal warfare, combined for great population losses, similar to that suffered by other Native American groups.
In the late 17th century, Chief Wyandanch
signed a treaty transferring much of the territory of Long Island to English settler Lion Gardiner
. The Montaukett reportedly thought they were signing a treaty with the colonists for alliance and protection from the Narragansett
tribe, rather than losing control of their land. This interpretation may also have been due to differing cultural concepts about land and its uses. According to legend, Chief Wyandanch was poisoned by tribesmen in retaliation for selling the land to the colonists.
Mohegan
missionary
and preacher, Samson Occom
, formed the Brothertown group along with members of the neighboring Shinnecock band. They moved from Long Island to escape colonial encroachment, to Oneida County, New York
. Later most of the people relocated to Wisconsin. Today they are part of the Brothertown Indians
movement.
Many Montaukett remained in the area around Montauk, chiefly because the land was often considered inaccessible. At the end of the 19th century, the most notable Montaukett was Stephen Talkhouse
(Stephen Taukus “Talkhouse” Pharaoh). He was known to walk 30 to 50 miles round-trip per day from Montauk to East Hampton or Sag Harbor. Various stones on his routes, part of the present-day Paumanok Path
hiking trail, have been marked with this account. P.T. Barnum featured Pharaoh as "The Last King of the Montauks", despite his being neither a king nor the last Montaukett!
In 1879, an extension of the Long Island Rail Road
reached Montauk. Arthur W. Benson
began buying up land in the area with an eye to future development. In the court battles that ensued, the Montaukett lost their legal status and right to compensation.
About 500 members are currently listed on the rolls.
The tribe is related by historic language and culture to the federally recognized Shinnecock Indian Nation
in neighboring Southampton
.
Algonquian 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 Native American
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
group native to the eastern end of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
and one of the thirteen historical indigenous
Indigenous peoples
Indigenous peoples are ethnic groups that are defined as indigenous according to one of the various definitions of the term, there is no universally accepted definition but most of which carry connotations of being the "original inhabitants" of a territory....
centers. They were related in language as well to Native American tribes who lived across 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...
in what is now Connecticut and Rhode Island.
Native relics and ruins are still visible at Theodore Roosevelt County Park
Theodore Roosevelt County Park
Theodore Roosevelt County Park is located approximately east of Montauk, New York. The park is in size, running from Montauk Highway north to Block Island Sound and is bordered on the east by Montauk Point State Park...
, just east of the village of Montauk, New York
Montauk, New York
Montauk [ˈmɒntɒk] is a census-designated place that roughly corresponds to the hamlet with the same name located in the town of East Hampton in Suffolk County, New York, United States on the South Shore of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the CDP population was 3,851 as of 2000...
. Their language was an Algonquian Y-dialect, similar to their New England neighbors
Mohegan-Montauk-Narragansett language
Mohegan-Pequot is an extinct Algonquian language formerly spoken in parts of present-day New England and Long Island.As of 2010, the Shinnecock and Unkechaug nations of Long Island, New York, had begun work...
, the Pequot
Pequot
Pequot people are a tribe of Native Americans who, in the 17th century, inhabited much of what is now Connecticut. They were of the Algonquian language family. The Pequot War and Mystic massacre reduced the Pequot's sociopolitical influence in southern New England...
and the Narragansett
Narragansett
Narragansett may refer to:*Narragansett , a Pennsylvania Railroad train*Narragansett , an Amtrak train*Narragansett **Narragansett land claim*Narragansett, Rhode Island, a town*Narragansett Bay*Narragansett...
. Native Americans living on Long Island eventually became identified by European settlers by the place name in which they lived, such as the Montauk and the Shinnecock
Shinnecock Indian Nation
The Shinnecock Indian Nation is a federally recognized tribe, headquartered in Suffolk County, New York, on the south shore of Long Island. Shinnecock are an Algonquian people from Long Island...
, artificially identifying the peoples separately and erroneously into "tribes", although they all shared the same culture and language. The Native Americans of the east end of the Island shared a common culture with each other and with other groups along most of the northern shore of what is now called Long Island Sound, while the west of Long Island were the culturally and linguistically distinct Lenape
Lenape
The Lenape are an Algonquian group of Native Americans of the Northeastern Woodlands. They are also called Delaware Indians. As a result of the American Revolutionary War and later Indian removals from the eastern United States, today the main groups live in Canada, where they are enrolled in the...
groups that lived in all of what is now New Jersey and in parts of what is now eastern Pennsylvania and the northern shore of Delaware.
Wampum
Wampum are traditional, sacred shell beads of the Eastern Woodlands tribes of the indigenous people of North America. Wampum include the white shell beads fashioned from the North Atlantic channeled whelk shell; and the white and purple beads made from the quahog, or Western North Atlantic...
) available on Long Island, but its value contributed to competition, attacks and their demise. Since it became desired for trade and payment by Native Americans and the English and Dutch colonial powers, the Montaukett were raided and made politically subject by more powerful New England tribes, who demanded tribute or just stole the wampum. Introduced infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
s, such as smallpox
Smallpox
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"...
, to which they had no natural immunity
Immunity (medical)
Immunity is a biological term that describes a state of having sufficient biological defenses to avoid infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion. Immunity involves both specific and non-specific components. The non-specific components act either as barriers or as eliminators of wide...
, and intertribal warfare, combined for great population losses, similar to that suffered by other Native American groups.
In the late 17th century, Chief Wyandanch
Chief Wyandanch
Wyandanch was a sachem of the Montaukett Indians in the mid 17th century on eastern Long Island...
signed a treaty transferring much of the territory of Long Island to English settler Lion Gardiner
Lion Gardiner
Lion Gardiner , an early English settler and soldier in the New World, founded the first English settlement in what became the state of New York on Long Island. His legacy includes Gardiners Island, which is held by his descendants.-Early life:...
. The Montaukett reportedly thought they were signing a treaty with the colonists for alliance and protection from the Narragansett
Narragansett (tribe)
The Narragansett tribe are an Algonquian Native American tribe from Rhode Island. In 1983 they regained federal recognition as the Narragansett Indian Tribe of Rhode Island. In 2009, the United States Supreme Court ruled against their request that the Department of Interior take land into trust...
tribe, rather than losing control of their land. This interpretation may also have been due to differing cultural concepts about land and its uses. According to legend, Chief Wyandanch was poisoned by tribesmen in retaliation for selling the land to the colonists.
Mohegan
Mohegan
The Mohegan tribe is an Algonquian-speaking tribe that lives in the eastern upper Thames River valley of Connecticut. Mohegan translates to "People of the Wolf". At the time of European contact, the Mohegan and Pequot were one people, historically living in the lower Connecticut region...
missionary
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
and preacher, Samson Occom
Samson Occom
The Reverend Samson Occom was a Native American Presbyterian clergyman and a member of the Mohegan nation near New London, Connecticut...
, formed the Brothertown group along with members of the neighboring Shinnecock band. They moved from Long Island to escape colonial encroachment, to Oneida County, New York
Oneida County, New York
Oneida County is a county located in the U.S. state of New York. As of the 2010 census, the population was 234,878. The county seat is Utica. The name is in honor of the Oneida, an Iroquoian tribe that formerly occupied the region....
. Later most of the people relocated to Wisconsin. Today they are part of the Brothertown Indians
Brothertown Indians
The Brothertown Indians are Native American descendants of the Pequot and Mohegan tribes in southern New England...
movement.
Stephen Talkhouse
Stephen Talkhouse was a Montaukett Native American of the late 19th century who was famed for his 25-50 mile daily round trip walks from Montauk, New York to East Hampton and Sag Harbor...
(Stephen Taukus “Talkhouse” Pharaoh). He was known to walk 30 to 50 miles round-trip per day from Montauk to East Hampton or Sag Harbor. Various stones on his routes, part of the present-day Paumanok Path
Paumanok Path
The Paumanok Path is a hiking trail from Rocky Point, New York to Montauk Point State Park on Long Island, New York.It travels through five towns -- Brookhaven, New York, Riverhead, New York, Southampton , New York and East Hampton , New York....
hiking trail, have been marked with this account. P.T. Barnum featured Pharaoh as "The Last King of the Montauks", despite his being neither a king nor the last Montaukett!
In 1879, an extension of the Long Island Rail Road
Long Island Rail Road
The Long Island Rail Road or LIRR is a commuter rail system serving the length of Long Island, New York. It is the busiest commuter railroad in North America, serving about 81.5 million passengers each year. Established in 1834 and having operated continuously since then, it is the oldest US...
reached Montauk. Arthur W. Benson
Arthur W. Benson
Arthur W. Benson was a president of Brooklyn Gas Light who developed the New York City suburbs of Bensonhurst and Montauk.Benson founded the Brooklyn Gas Light company in 1823, when Brooklyn had 9,000 people....
began buying up land in the area with an eye to future development. In the court battles that ensued, the Montaukett lost their legal status and right to compensation.
About 500 members are currently listed on the rolls.
The tribe is related by historic language and culture to the federally recognized Shinnecock Indian Nation
Shinnecock Indian Nation
The Shinnecock Indian Nation is a federally recognized tribe, headquartered in Suffolk County, New York, on the south shore of Long Island. Shinnecock are an Algonquian people from Long Island...
in neighboring Southampton
Southampton (town), New York
The Town of Southampton is located in southeastern Suffolk County, New York, U.S., partly on the South Fork of Long Island. As of the United States 2000 Census, the town had a total population of 54,712...
.
Books
- John A. Strong, The Montaukett Indians of Eastern Long Island (Iroquois and Their Neighbors), New York: Heart of the Lakes Publishing, June 1998. (ISBN 0-8156-2883-8)
External links
- "Montaukett", Gurney's Quarter Website