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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A Selection From The Thursday, December 17, 1772 Diary Of Joseph Johnson (Mohegan/Brothertown)

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Brothertown Historical Documents, Brothertown Indians, Eeyawquittoowauconnuck, Founders, Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Journal, Laura Murray, Mohegan

Taken from the Laura Murray book, To Do Good To My Indian Brethren

Some punctuation and spacing added

Well I remember home
O Mohegan O Mohegan
The time is long before I shall be walking
my wonted places which are on thee
Once there I was
but perhaps never again
but still I remember thee

In you is lodged my father and mother dear
and my beloved sisters and brothers
Keep them in thy womb Mohegan
til thou dost hear the voice of God
“O Mohegan give up thy dead”
then no longer prisoners
shall they be unto thee

The joyful hour is approaching
My soul, come meditate the day
and think how near it stands
when you must leave this house of clay
and fly to unknown lands
Hast my beloved fetch my soul up to thy Blest abode
fly for my spirit longs to see my Savior and my God

Mohegan is a lonesome place
oft have I sighed but sighed in vain
desired but desired in vain
cast down but no one to comfort me
in distress no one to relieve me
No friend to open my heart and vent my sorrows
I opened my mouth to the open air and told the stones my sorrow

Thus, O Mohegan have you treated me
and thinkest thou I can forget thee
or thy inhabitants
Thinkest thou or thine inhabiters
that I am desiring to be on thee
or with them?
Far far from me be such a thought

But still there is a precious few in thee
which causes my mind often to meditate of thee
Perhaps in due time
I may once more come on thy borders
But first I have to go, to distant lands; and far country
and different nations I have to walk through
before I see thee.

Thus, O Mohegan
I must bid you farewell
and shut the door of my heart
against thee
for I have a truer friend
to entertain in my heart
so good night

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!

2018 Upcoming Brothertown Events

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brotherton, Brothertown Indians, brothertown new york, cemetery project, donate, Joseph Johnson, Samson Occom

Sunday, February 25^th at 6:30pm CT/7:30 ET, Brothertown Forward will be hosting an online community discussion on the Thomas Commuck shape note singing event held at Yale on February 3rd.   This event is open to everyone; whether you attended and would like to discuss your experience there or would simply like to hear how it went.  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.

For a sneak peek of the day itself, please see https://youtu.be/h42vaBNZLUo.

Sunday March 4^th 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 founders.  The log in information for this discussion is the same as the one above.

Saturday June 2^nd, we will be meeting in “Old Brothertown” New York to perform annual cleaning and maintenance at our Brothertown cemeteries.  In addition to overgrowth and the accumulation of trash, normal yearly rainfall causes dirt to run over onto the slabs where grass and weeds quickly begin to grow. Without yearly maintenance, the graves of our ancestors not only fall into ruin and decay but run the risk of being lost to us forever.  Please consider donating one weekend every year, or even every few years, to go to New York and fulfill your duties to those who have walked ahead.  We are working on putting carpools together as well as trying to obtain sponsorship to defray the cost of lodging, eating, and other travel-related expenses.  If you would like to donate your time but travel costs are prohibitive; if you are willing to drive or looking to carpool; if you can’t attend but would like to make a donation; or if you’d simply like to be put on a contact list for future trips, please contact me at brothertown citizen at aol.com.

For a calendar listing additional Brothertown-related dates, please see the Tribe’s website at BrothertownIndians.org.