Document: Indian deed for Staten Island

Holding Institution
Document ID
NYSA_A1810-78_V12_61
Description

Indian deed to Lubbertus van Dincklage, attorney of Henrick van der Capelle tho Ryssel, for the whole of Staten island, called by the Indians Eghquaons. [1657] The deed includes a small drawing or doodle of native Americans and a Dutchman smoking a pipe.

Document Date
1657-07-10
Document Date (Date Type)
1657-07-10
Document Type
Document Type Unlinked
Indian Deed
Full Resolution Image

Translation
Translation

We, the undersigned natives of North America, hereditary owners of Staten Island, Sackis of Tappaan, Taghkoppeauw of Tappaan, Temeren of Gweghkongh, Mattenou of Hespatingh, Waerhinnis Couwee of Hespatingh, Weertsjan of Hackingsack, Kekinghamme of Hackinchsack, Wewetackenne of Hackinghsack, Neckthaa of Hackinghsack, Minquasackyn of Hweghkongh, Terincks of Hweghkongh, Mikanis of Gweghkongh, Mintames Seevio of Gweghkongh, Acchipior of Hweghkongh, certify and declare for ourselves and our descendants in presence and with the knowledge of the underwritten witnesses, to have sold and conveyed as a free hereditable property now and forever without any further claims to be made by us or our descendants to Lubbertus van Dincklaecken, attorney for his right honorable Henrick van der Capellen tho Rijssel, the whole of Staten Island, by us called Eghquaons, for the goods hereafter specified, to be brought from Holland and delivered to us, the owners.

10 boxes of shirts; 10 ells of red checked cloth; 30 pounds of powder; 30 pairs of Faroese stockings; 2 pieces of duffel; some awls; 10 muskets; 30 kettles, large and small; 25 adzes; 10 bars of lead; 50 axes, large and small; some knives.

We further promise that if any other Indians or nations should commit insolence, molestation or force against the inhabitants of Staten Island at any time, we shall assist in preventing and resisting them.

In witness whereof we the owners have signed this with the witnesses in due form of law on the land of Waerhinnis Couwee at the Hespatingh near Hachinghsack in New Netherland the 10th of July 1657.

Waerhinnis Couwe
Nechtan
Saccis
Mattenouw
Taghkoppeeuw
Temeren
Weertsjan
Kekinghame
Wewetachamen
Minqua Sackingh
Nuntuaseeuw
Teringh
Achspoor
Oratam
Pennikeck
Keghtackaan
Keghtakaan
Teringh
Waerhinnus Couwe
Mattenouw

NAHC Annotation: An alternate interpretation of the drawing on this deed is that it was made by the Native Americans who signed. Some of them signed more than once, and perhaps they also made self portraits as part of 'ratification' of what had been agreed. The drawing does appear to show figures wearing wampum belts and leg ties.

References

From the collections of the New York State Archives, Albany, New York.  https://www.archives.nysed.gov/  

Translation link see: http://iarchives.nysed.gov/xtf/view?docId=tei/A1810/NYSA_A1810-78_V12_61.xml

Published bound volume is also available: Translated in: Correspondence, 1647-1653, trans. and ed. Charles T. Gehring ("New Netherland Documents Series") (Syracuse: Syracuse University Press, 2000).

Copyright to the published bound volume is held by the Holland Society of New York.
A complete copy of this publication is available on the New Netherland Institute website.

Location
Modern Location
Locations (Unlinked)
New Jersey|Staten Island
To Party 1
To Party 1 Text Unlinked
Henrick van der Capelle tho yssel
To Party 1 Entity
To Party 1 Entity Role
To Party 2
To Party 2 Text Unlinked
Lubbertus van Dincklage
To Party 2 Entity
To Party 2 Entity Role
From Party 1
Document Location