Native Americans Ol'
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Native Americans ol' Clarendon, Vermont *This is only a report of my early findings. This is subject to charge as new evidence and facts arise. I\rly research has led me to cliscover two groups of Native Americiurs that could have resided in Clarendon and one other that may have simply passed through time to time. The tribe of Native l[mericans that has the highest likelihood of being in Clarendon isi the Mahican, specifically the subdivision Mahican proper. Their territory extended from Poughkeepsie, New York to Deerfield, I\4assachusetts, and extended flrttrest north in Rutland. It is important to mention that tlhey are not to be mistaken with the Mohegan tribes of Connecticut; however, they do have lineage witkr one another. As a side note, the Mahicans have lineage with the Lenape and ['equot. Other names for the Mahicans is as follows: Akochakanen (koquois name that means "Those who,speak a strangertongue"), Canoe Indians (Given by colonists), Hikanagi/Nhilcana (Given by the Shawnee), Laups (Given by the French), Orunges (,Given by a school textbook author, Chauvignerie, who rvas referring to a specific Mahican tribe in 1736), River Indians (Given by the Dutch), and Uragees (Again given by an author, Colden, in reference to a specific tribe of the.Mahicans 1747). Mahicans were hunters of southwestem and western Vermont. lheir langrllge belonged to the linguistic family of the Algonquian, spoken with an r-dialect. Sieldom did they settle anywhere in Vermont to stay due to the fact that they were typically hLunters, hotvever, it is not irnprobable that they had permanent selllements in Clarendon.r Historic territory of the |tdahicans l Swanton, John R., The lndion Tribes of North America,1953 pg. 1g, 34 r\n important aspect to kno'w about the Mahicans is that they folkrwed and travelled along active waterways;almost exclusively. When they traveled and made settlement they made sure to be along riversi, small creek, and the like. In fact, one of their permanent settlements, called WinooskeeJk, was located at the mouth of the Winooski River by .Lake Champlain. This r:haracteristic eamed them the names Canoe Indians and River lruJians by Europeans.2 Now, rvith this in mind, since the Mahican had a settlement at the Winooski River and Clarendon has the Otter Cteek, Cold River, and the Clarendon Gorge; which have origin from Lake Champlain, it would make sense that wilerway travelling people would find their way down to Clarendon. ilhe second group of Native Americans that could have inhabited Clarendon at least temporarily is the Pocorntuc. Despite that their home territory was the Deerfield River Valley in lvlassachusetts they had settlements in Vermont and they had close ties to the Mahicans. Their territories overlapped and they spoke a similar or even the same lirnguage.3 One important espect of th,e Pocomtuc that would lead me to believe that they had been to Clarendon is that they had fought rngainst the Mohawk during the 1660's during the Beaver War. Interestingly, the Mahican fo,ught against the Mohawk during the Beaver War as well.a However, I am uncertain of this, the iMahican and the Pocomtuc might have been allies during that time of war. I am inclined to believe this due to the fact that they had such close ties to one another through land, language, ard common enermy. Lastly, I wc'uld be inclined to believe that the Mohawk Indians made their way to Vermont and possibly Clarendon. The orrly reason why I find this viable is because of their opposition to the Vlahicans and Pocomtucs during the Beaver War. Granted, it is highly unlikely that they ever settled in Vreffiont or, more specifically, Clarendon; despite having their territory border Lake Champlain. However, it may be possibly that a skinnish or even battle between the Mohawk and Itr{ahican or Pocomtuc took place in Clarendon. Siomething, important to merntion is that I have yet to find if there was Colonist and Native Itmerican fighting or discornse in Clarendon. However, I have reason to believe that there might have been. John Henry Lydlius received a deed from the Mohawk Indians in l732that gave him a24 mile w.ide and 60 mile long south of the Otter Creek stretch of land. And the deed was approved b}'Gov. Shirley of Massachusetts in 1744.s Now, the lvtohawks essentially sold land to a colonist that was not theirs, for Mahicans still resided in the area and it was considered their 2 Swanton, Jof^rn R., The tndion Tritbes of North Americo,1953 pg.41 3 Swanton, Johrn R., The tndian Triibes of North Americo,1953 pg. a 23 www. B rita n n ica. co m/topic/ pocomt u c " CIa rendon, Vf 1767-1976, 197 6,1982, 2004 pg. 9 land. That [eads me to belir:ve that the Mahicans may not have been necessarily pleased with the ldohawks or the colonists moving onto their land and may have been hostile. If so, that may rnake the idea and possibilitty of a fortified location near the Alfrecha Road, Middle Road, and lvloulton Avenue intersection more likely. Last to be nrentioned is the fact that, thank )iou to Mr. Underhill, iLt has been discovered that there was a Native American settlement found in Clarendon, on a farm first owned by Henry Hodges in 1810 and bought by Joseph Congdon after Hodges death. The settlement was on the west side of the road lrom where the larm house was built and a half of a mile northwest of the Clarendon church. Thre piece of land lvhere the settlement had been was called "John's Lot" in accordance 6 to a Tory who had lived on the lot previous to the Revolution. f'his fact also improves the possibility of the fortification previously mentioned existing. In addition a pamphlet written by a N4ary Louise Anderson stated that a Thomas Daniels of Orwell, Vermont discover 70 Native llmerican sjites in Rutlancland the surrounding areas. These sites consisted of campsites, work- shops, rock shelters, and utilized caves. Daniels claims rthat they'were seemingly used primarily cluring the winter months.T In conclusion, I believe we can conclude that Native Americans existed and made a home of Clarendon. However, there is more to be discovered. From here I will examine further into what €iroup exactly inhabited Clarendon and the settlement that is mentioned in the attached clocument, so as to have no doubt. Also, I will see if the Native Americans here were hostile, e,xactlY when they left Clarendon; either before or after the Revolutionary War, and if they had any involvement in it. " lSee attachted t fU/a (Wittfincl pamphlet again to provide information) Works Cited 'oClarendon, VT 1761-1976",1976,1982,2004,Academy Books, Rutland, Vermont Swantono John R. "The Indian Tribes of North America" 1953, United States Government Printing 0ffice www. Britannica.comltopiclPocomtuc 7/18t2017 llenry Hodgos.jpg 566 VIDIi:MOlli-,t IIISTOB,I'3A L M -{.elz ILNE. Smith, se<;ond.ly, Johrr Rich.arrdson. o[ Fair- eIlorls to secure :i!, he euccee'led but partially. fax: *ncl [Iary marrie.l to R*ndall Rice, for Noveltheless, he rvag all hiis life a etudious rrany y€arcs a leuiing magisrirat* in Clarcn- r€a'1,3r of $'ell-ch,erBen works, aqil bhug became doa. Rrcrhel flqrJg€s" the or:,ly darrghter of posstsseJ of more ttri,n usucrl coltrrre and in- his se{ond wifq rarlrrial first, .lohn.A,, Graham, forma,tion. lor thlrt eection a,nd period. Few LL. D., o'f Rutiland, Bfl;erw:r,rcls of .New York. men, in bis day,, equdled h,im in the ertrn,! By hi:m she wix mother of O:,mmoilore John and accuracy oli' his historical irrformatioa. FI. Gratraru. vrhr: entered thc U. li. Navy, at To this he add<rd a wonilerful capacity for tire ag.e of twrllv'e, Iosl; his Lep; on l:oard Com. reme,rnberi:og ev,ery one whom h,e hail erler I{cDonorrylh's Shilp at Pl,attsburS;, arr.d has knorva, ardl for iosight into their cbaracte,rs. ever sinc;e renlai,ned irr the, s,:r'{iclr, and now His ,courtely aor:l suavity er€r€ au,cb, witb.al, resides ert Newlbtrrgh, N. lf. SL,e married, a:r hr comliel hi:r ebaqncb political oppocent, aeconclly, Rog;er Fuller, of Sudbrrry" and Juilgo Harringtoa, [o make [he noLed coa- aftern'arikr of .Brandon. cession, " i[ iberr: is a polite man in the Coun- By his thir:cl ,wife, the I)octor lefb four by' oll Rutlanil, I.larry Hodgps is the man." sons,--Henry, S'ila"r Tfyll'gs, Geor.-ge T- and As miglrl; be expecied ire enjoyed aa uausu&l Hanni:bal, a nollic€ olf ear:h o[ rvtrom will lilegr'ee of public favor. I{is firm adherence follow, arnd tlvo dlaughtenr, I'ia.: lJus:ru. who I to tbe Fecleral p<r icy prevented hirn for mcny marriod C,alvin lRobinrion, :r, l:lrge Land owner lye,ars, ho'wever, from receil'iug arry popular in Shr;wcL'ury,, a,nd le,[t orr]y dau;gb.ters, and hooors I irr a torvn which lyas unrder stroag Sophi:r, nrarriiedi iBenj:r,min Deruocratir: to lioberts, of I rule. lVhes bher asperi:ty of party lVfancheskrr, a;adi merther of s,evertl children lhrd died away, l[is populariuy was rery so,on One of thtrm, t[)el" Geo. T. ]!,oberts, fielt at the i manifested. He representetl tbe iorvn for { head of l;he Vermrcnt iith llei;irnen,t, at, Baton years, beginoingi in 1819- Io 1ll9t, he re- Rouger, La,., irr 1861.