My Pictures 083Photo taken by Mr. Dennis Gramentz.  Pictured left to right are Jessica Ryan, Jerry Walentoski, Loretta Metoxen, and Caroline Andler in front of a table of some of the items in the collection.

In 2010, the Oneida Nation, on behalf of the Brothertown Indian Nation, purchased, and continues to archive, a collection of Brothertown related artifacts. This purchase was the culmination of a 10+ year effort begun by Brothertown Tribal Genealogist, Caroline Andler, and furthered by Oneida Tribal Historian, Loretta Metoxen.

The collection had been inherited by a Mr. Jerry Walentoski from a friend of his who had inherited it from his own non-native grandfather, Otto Heller. After years of persuading, Mr. Walentoski finally accepted the Oneida Nation’s generous purchase offer and on October 7 a check presentation ceremony was held (see photo at top).

While consisting of hundreds of original documents, photos and artifacts, following are some of the items specifically remembered by Mrs. Caroline Andler.

Orsamus Fowler’s Appointment as Major in the 29th Reg during the Civil War 2-18-1858
Avery Samson Probate 1-5-1852
Many original Land Patents signed by President Tyler in 1842
Rachel Abner and Isaac Dick’s personal inventory 1847
Phebe Fowler’s dementia and her daughter’s legal papers
William Dick appointed as Peacemaker by Gov. DeWitt Clinton, NY 3-6-1822
Edgar Dick’s Notary License 1894
Last Will and Testiment of Harriet Niles
Lawsuit Graves v. Fowler 4-24-1863
Official Election resuls Orsamus Fowler elected Calumet County Treasurer 1852=1854Original paperwork of 1st lawsuit filed by an Indian tribe against the US government
Personal correspondence in several hundred envelopes -including 119 letters written by Brothertown men fighting during the Civil War and writing to relations back home in Brothertown
Correspondence from those still living in Brothertown, NY, detailing how hard life is for them 1850

Hundreds of photos – most named – including many in little red velvet boxes of our Civil War soldiers

Dozens of tiny school and church books
The Court Book
Thomas Commuck’s book of hymns
An original copy of Samson Occom and the Christian Indians of New England
A couple of Stockbridge history books including one telling of those Stockbridge thrown off their land for back taxes and served by John Crosley Hammer, First Sheriff of the new county

Most valuable are the two maps which divided up the Brothertown Township into lots and signed by G.H. Feathersonbaugh on July 13th, 1840

Some later articles
The Baptist celebration which was held in Phillips woods plays written and preformed, speeches, photos of the gathering.

Beautiful marriage certificates preformed in Utica, NY, mostly Fowler and Johnson.

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**photo of John Hammer’s blacksmith shop from the below referenced Wisconsin Historical Society Magazine

For further information and photos on the over 1000 items in this collection, please see the 2008-2009 winter edition of The Wisconsin Magazine of History Vol.92, number 2 entitled, “The Relocation of the Brothertown Tribe in Territorial Wisconsin”. The magazine is available through the Wisconsin Historical Society and can be found online at http://content.wisconsinhistory.org/utils/getfile/collection/wmh/id/49801/filename/print/page/download/fparams/forcedownload**

Another great story about the obtaining of this collection can be found within the Patty Loew book, Seventh Generation Earth Ethics: Native Voices of Wisconsin. In part, Loew recounts the visit of Mrs. Andler’s ancestor, Joseph Johnson, to Oneida in January, 1774 and the quote recounted by Mrs. Andler from the 2010 ceremony with the Oneida Tribe wherein they acknowledged her Johnson ancestor and told us Brothertown that, “We {are} their brothers and will always be protected by them.”

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