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Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.Ruttenber, Edward Manning

History

Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.

Name: Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.
Author: Ruttenber, Edward Manning

Ruttenber, Edward Manning

Indians of North America -- New York (State); Names, Geographical -- New York (State); Names, Indian -- North America

Basha's Land and Basha's Kill, familiar local terms in Sullivan County,
are claimed to have been so called from a squaw-sachem known as Elizabeth
who lived near Westbrookville. "Basha's Land" was one of the boundmarks
of the Minisink Patent and Basha's Kill the northeast bound of the
Maghaghkemik Patent. Derivation of the name from Elizabeth is not
well-sustained. [FN-1] The original was probably an equivalent of
_Bashaba,_ an Eastern-Algonquian term for "Sagamore of Sagamores," or
ruling sachem or king of a nation. It is met of record Bashaba, Betsebe,
Bessabe, Bashebe, etc. Hubbard wrote: "They called the chief rulers,
who commanded the rest, Bashabeas. Bashaba is a title." "Chiefs bearing
this title, and exercising the prerogatives of their rank, are frequently
spoken of by the early voyagers." [FN-2] (Hist. Mag., Second Series, 3,
49.) The lands spoken of were the recognized territorial possession of
the chief ruler of the nation or tribe. The "squaw-sachem" [FN-3] may
have held the title by succession or as the wife of the Bashaba.

                          * * * * *

 [FN-1] Basha's Kill was applied to Mamcotten Kill north of the village
 of Wurtsboro, south of which it retained the name of Mamacotten, as
 written on Sauthier's map. Quinlan, in his "History of Sullivan County,"
 wrote: "The head-waters of Mamakating River subsequently became known
 as Elizabeth's Kill, in compliment to Elizabeth Gonsaulus. We could
 imagine that she was the original Basha, Betje, or Betsey, who owned the
 land south of the Yaugh House Spring, and gave to the Mamakating stream
 its present name; but unfortunately she was not born soon enough.
 Twenty-five years before her family came to Mamakating, 'Basha's land'
 was mentioned in official documents." It appears in the Minisink Patent
 in 1704.

 [FN-2] A. S. Gatschet, of the Bureau of Ethnology, wrote me: "The Bashas,
 Bashebas and Betsebas of old explorers of the coast of Maine, I explain
 by _pe'sks,_ 'one,' and _a'pi,_ 'man,' or person--'First man in the
 land.'"

 [FN-3] _Squaw,_ "Woman," means, literally, "Female animal." _Saunk-squa_
 stands for "Sochem's squaw." "The squa-sachem, for so they call the
 Sachem's wife." (Winslow.)

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Opening the text

History

Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.

Ruttenber, Edward Manning

Indians of North America -- New York (State); Names, Geographical -- New York (State); Names, Indian -- North America

Basha's Land and Basha's Kill, familiar local terms in Sullivan County,
are claimed to have been so called from a squaw-sachem known as Elizabeth
who lived near Westbrookville. "Basha's Land" was one of the boundmarks
of the Minisink Patent and Basha's Kill the northeast bound of the
Maghaghkemik Patent. Derivation of the name from Elizabeth is not
well-sustained. [FN-1] The original was probably an equivalent of
_Bashaba,_ an Eastern-Algonquian term for "Sagamore of Sagamores," or
ruling sachem or king of a nation. It is met of record Bashaba, Betsebe,
Bessabe, Bashebe, etc. Hubbard wrote: "They called the chief rulers,
who commanded the rest, Bashabeas. Bashaba is a title." "Chiefs bearing
this title, and exercising the prerogatives of their rank, are frequently
spoken of by the early voyagers." [FN-2] (Hist. Mag., Second Series, 3,
49.) The lands spoken of were the recognized territorial possession of
the chief ruler of the nation or tribe. The "squaw-sachem" [FN-3] may
have held the title by succession or as the wife of the Bashaba.

                          * * * * *

 [FN-1] Basha's Kill was applied to Mamcotten Kill north of the village
 of Wurtsboro, south of which it retained the name of Mamacotten, as
 written on Sauthier's map. Quinlan, in his "History of Sullivan County,"
 wrote: "The head-waters of Mamakating River subsequently became known
 as Elizabeth's Kill, in compliment to Elizabeth Gonsaulus. We could
 imagine that she was the original Basha, Betje, or Betsey, who owned the
 land south of the Yaugh House Spring, and gave to the Mamakating stream
 its present name; but unfortunately she was not born soon enough.
 Twenty-five years before her family came to Mamakating, 'Basha's land'
 was mentioned in official documents." It appears in the Minisink Patent
 in 1704.

 [FN-2] A. S. Gatschet, of the Bureau of Ethnology, wrote me: "The Bashas,
 Bashebas and Betsebas of old explorers of the coast of Maine, I explain
 by _pe'sks,_ 'one,' and _a'pi,_ 'man,' or person--'First man in the
 land.'"

 [FN-3] _Squaw,_ "Woman," means, literally, "Female animal." _Saunk-squa_
 stands for "Sochem's squaw." "The squa-sachem, for so they call the
 Sachem's wife." (Winslow.)

Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.

Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.

Footprints of the Red Men: Indian geographical names in the valley of Hudson's river, the valley of the Mohawk, and on the Delaware: their location and the probable meaning of some of them.

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