#newberrylibrary

Captain Jacob Turkey his mark

Possibly Munsee, Paugussett or Schaghticoke (if our readers have more information, please let us know in the comments!). Jacob Turkey’s homelands in so-called southwestern Connecticut. This document signed for lands at the place today called Ridgefield, Connecticut, bounded to the east by so-called Danbury and to the north by so-called New Fairfield.

Jacob’s kin: his mother, Betty, whose mark we shared in a previous post.

Creston, Iowa-In the station waiting room | Newberry Library | CARLI Digital Collections

Here’s a guy getting his nap on in this photo from the “Daily Life Along the Chicago Burlington and Quincy Railroad” collection, dated 1948. I feel a yawn coming on. Is it time to go home yet? (More about this collection.)

Tanneyarh his mark

Presumably Mohawk, with connections to Mohican and Schaghticoke, Tanneyarh’s mark appears here on a transfer of land at present-day Schenectady where he is identified as a sachem of Kannesyoharre (today spelled Canajoharie). Tanneyarh’s homelands exist in parts of so-called “Upstate New York” along the Mohawk River. This deed, written in Dutch, outlines land “situated on the north side of the Magauge River.. And up the river to the Kanide Kills, near the flats…” (place names spelled as they appear in the deed). The land transferred for “155 pieces of 8” a value that is exceedingly hard to quantify in today’s dollars, but could perhaps be the equivalent of a few thousand (2,000-3,000) dollars today.

If you have more information about Tanneyarh to help us to update this caption, please let us know in the comments!

Sachemus his mark

Presumably Wampanoag. Unfortunately, the top left portion of this land transfer document, and therefore much of the text, is missing from the Newberry Library’s copy. Another deed (also a later copy of an original) signed on the same date, complete but with different wording (so perhaps another land transfer facilitated by the same people on the same day) is part of the collection of the Sturgis Library (third slide). The Sturgis deed identifies Sachemus as the “Sachem of Satuckett” [sic] and the pictograph mark is the same. Here, Satuckett or Satucket is suggested to be the place now commonly referred to as “Dennis, Massachusetts.” Both signed December 3, 1663.

Crow his mark

Possibly Munsee, Schaghticoke or Paugussett.** Their homelands in and around what is now called western Connecticut.

Crow is identified in this document as one of several “Indians belonging to long pond or Wepack” for land at present-day Ridgefield, Connecticut. The deed spells out the specifics of the parcel of land to be deeded to white settlers in exchange for an unspecified, “valuable reward.” Dated March 7, 1729.

Seen at the Newberry Library.