Building Brothertown: March 13, 1773-March 13, 2023

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Brothertown, Brothertown Indians, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, founding, Joseph Johnson

‘March 13, 1773’ as envisioned by a Brothertown Youth (c)Brothertown Citizen

250 years ago today, on March 13, 1773, our ancestors gathered in Mohegan to discuss plans to form their own Native town, away from the decimating and demoralizing influence of the Europeans. Joseph Johnson (Mohegan/Brothertown), “the first mover of this design”¹, called the Indians of Mohegan, Montauk, Narragansett, Niantic, Farmington, Stonington, and Groton together.

It was decided to ask the Oneida, our northwestern brethren, for a tract of land upon which we and our children could live in peace. Then, as now, our Oneida brothers welcomed us. In 1774, a land agreement was signed.

In March and April of 1775, the ablest individuals left their homes in Farmington, Montauk, and Narragansett, and went on ahead to forge the new town. They built homes and planted corn. Among them were Joseph Johnson, Elijah Wampy (Tunxis/Brothertown), David Fowler (Montauk/Brothertown) and Samuel Niles (Narragansett/Brothertown)². More people followed.

A couple of years later, forced to flee for their lives amidst the dangers of the Revolutionary War, the majority of our people found temporary shelter with the Stockbridge in Massachusetts. After seven years, when the fighting had ceased, we returned to our Oneida home, bringing our Stockbridge brethren with us. Since then, our two tribes have been inseparable.

Shortly after their return, through the help and pen of Reverend Samson Occom (Mohegan/Brothertown), our formal naming and founding was memorialized. On Monday, November 7^th, 1785 Occom wrote in his journal, “But now we proceeded to form into a body politick, we named our Town by the Name of Brotherton, in Indian Eeyawquittoowauconnuck.”

Happy 250^th anniversary, Brothertown!

 

For a more in-depth look at the formation of the Brothertown Indians, please see “Building Brothertown: From Farmington To Brotherton” at https://brothertowncitizen.files.wordpress.com/2022/12/tunxis-project-final-draft-122922.pdf or find the video presentation at the bottom of this page: https://brothertowncitizen.com/stories-of-the-brothertown-indians-podcast-episodes/

¹ See Joseph Johnson’s June 2, 1774 letter to Governor Jonathan Trumbull and the Connecticut Assembly in To Do Good to my Indian Brethren, by Laura Murray, pp233-234.

²See “Joseph Johnson to Colonel Guy Johnson” March 25, 1775 pp 255-256, and “David Fowler to Colonel Guy Johnson” Saturday, April 8, 1775 pp 259-260, in To Do Good to my Indian Brethren, by Laura Murray.

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March 13, 1773: The Beginning of Eeyawquittoowauconnuck/Brothertown

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1773, Brothertown, Brothertown Indians, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, founding, History, Johnson, march 13, New York Indians, Samson Occom

Today in Tribal History: On March 13, 1773, representatives from 7 Native communities met in Mohegan to discuss emigration to Oneida lands in upstate New York. Brothertown/Eeyawquittoowauconnuck is underway! That was 249 years ago today. Mark your calendars for March 13, 2023!

“March 13, 1773” (C) 2019 by a Brothertown youth

Coincidentally, it would be exactly 2 years later, March 13, 1775, when the first settlers would begin the trip to the new tribal lands in NY.

Check out the new Brothertown podcast now on Spotify-“Stories of the Brothertown Indians”: https://open.spotify.com/show/2NWo6wxOp4pEX4zmygBmo3?si=IeV2viGsSSSc9q1oqqa7UA.

Don’t forget to click subscribe!

Upcoming Samson Occom Day

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eeyamquittoowauconnuck, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, founding, July 14, november 7 1785, occom, Samson Occom, Samson Occom Day

Just a reminder that Samson Occom Day is coming up this Wednesday! For those who may have missed the news, in 2020, the Brothertown Indian Nation Council established July 14th as an annual Brothertown Indian Nation holiday. It is the 2nd national holiday instituted by our tribal nation. The other is Eeyawquittoowauconnuck Day which is celebrated on November 7th; the day Occom recorded in his journal as the date of the formal founding of our “body politick”.

How do you plan to celebrate?

For further reading on Samson Occom, please follow this link:
https://brothertowncitizen.com/2020/07/13/july-14-2020-the-brothertown-indian-nation-celebrates-first-annual-samson-occom-day/

Joseph Johnson Presentation This Sunday

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brotherton, Brothertown, Brothertown Indians, eeyamquittoowauconnuck, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, founding, Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Laura Murray, Native American, New York Indians

This Sunday, March 4th at 6:00pm CT/7:00 ET, Ms. Laura Murray, author of To Do Good to My Indian Brethren, will be speaking to us about her research and book on Joseph Johnson, the youngest of our Brothertown founding fathers. Not only is this a unique opportunity to gain insight and to speak with a knowledgeable researcher and author on Joseph Johnson, but it is also a great opportunity to connect with your Brothertown family no matter where you live. Don’t miss out!

To log in, please go to https://zoom.us/j/2529226987 or dial +1 646 876 9923 and enter the Meeting ID: 252 922 6987.

This is a family-friendly event and is open to the public. See you there!

“What’s In A Name?”

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brotherton, Brothertown, eeyamquittoowauconnuck, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, Farmington, founding, Johnson, New York Indians, occom, Oneida, Sir William Johnson, Wimpey

 

Part I: An Introduction to Brothertown

While it may be tempting to believe that our Brothertown ancestors, with their agricultural lifestyle, European clothing, Colonial homes, and English speech, were doing everything they could to leave their “Indianness” behind them, that would be an erroneous notion.  On the contrary, preserving their race and heritage was extremely important to the Brothertown founders.  There are a number of examples one could offer as proofs of this but none so starkly evident as that line from Occom’s journal entry of November 7, 1785, which reads, “We named our town by the name of Brotherton; in Indian Eeyawquittoowauconnuck (emphasis added)(1).”

The formation of this town was not undertaken lightly.  Plans began at least as far back as March 13, 1773, when members of seven Native communities met in Mohegan (2).  Long trips were taken on foot through the snow(3), letters were written(4), Oneida headmen and local leaders like William Johnson(5), the area’s British Superintendent of Indian Affairs, were consulted.  A “Colony Law Book” was obtained (6), a layout of the new town was drawn up, and agreements were made on how the town would be run and who would oversee certain positions (7).  Primarily due to the American Revolution, nearly 15 years passed between that first meeting in Mohegan and the day they finally “formed into a body politick” on their new land.  This was a well-planned and long-sought-after venture.  The name they gave to their town could not have been bestowed lightly either; it too was well considered.

…..to be continued

 

(1)Occom, Samson. Journal entry November 7, 1785.

(2)Murray, Linda. To Do Good to My Indian Brethren: The Writings of Joseph Johnson, 1751-1776, p 207.

(3) Hutchins Report, https://www.madisoncounty.ny.gov/motf/brothertownone%5B1%5D.pdf,p.24.

(4) Ibid p23ff.

(5) Ibid

(6)Wimpey, Elijah. Letter to the House of Representatives of the Colony of Connecticut, May 25, 1774. Available online through the Yale Indian Papers Project.

(7)Occom, Samson. Journal entry of November 7, 1785