John Eliot's First Indian Teacher and Interpreter Cockenoe-de-Long Island and The Story of His Career from the Early RecordsTooker, William Wallace
History
John Eliot's First Indian Teacher and Interpreter Cockenoe-de-Long Island and The Story of His Career from the Early Records
Tooker, William Wallace
Cockenoe-de-Long Island, active 1649-1687; Eliot, John, 1604-1690; Indians of North America -- New York (State) -- Long Island
In the confirmation deed for Smithtown, dated April 6, 1660,[51] by
_Wyancombone_, the land is stated to have been laid out by some of the
chief men of the tribe; these men are named in _Pauquatoun's_
testimony. In the copy recorded in the office of the Secretary of
State at Albany, N. Y., _Cockenoe_ is named as a witness in the
corrupt form of _Achemano_. He united on August 16, 1660,[52] with the
rest of his tribe at Montauk, in the first Indian deed to the
inhabitants of East Hampton for "all the aforesd Necke of land called
_Meantaquit_,[53] with all and every parte thereof from sea to sea."
About this time the _Meantaquit_ Indians petitioned the Commissioners
of the United Colonies of New England for protection from the cruelty
of the Narragansetts[54] with the result that the latter were ordered
not to come within six miles of the English plantations, and the
former not to begin any new quarrels, but to behave themselves
quietly, without provocation. The fact that _Cockenoe_ was then living
at Montauk is proof that he must have been one of the petitioners.
Thomas Revell, a merchant of Barbadoes, and a resident of Oyster Bay,
L. I., was engaged with Constant Sylvester, one of the owners of
Shelter Island, together with James Mills of Virginia,[55] and John
Budd of Southold, in the West India trade. Through his partners, or
otherwise, he became well acquainted with our friend _Cockenoe_, and
employed him as an interpreter in buying some land from the Indians in
Westchester County, N. Y. We find that Cockenoe was with him at
Manussing Island, at the head of the Long Island sound, where he gave
Revell a deed, witnessed by John Budd and others, dated October 27,
1661, which reads: "I _Cockoo Sagamore_ by vertue of a full and
absolute power and order unto him and intrusted by _Mahamequeet_
Sagamore & _Meamekett_ Sagamore & _Mamamettchoack_ & Capt.
_Wappequairan_ all Ingines living up Hudson River on the Main land for
me to bargaine & absolutely sell unto Thos Revell.... And fardder more
I doe promise and ingauge myself in behalf of the prenamed Ingaines &
ye rest of those Ingains which I now sell this land for and them to
bring suddenly after ye date hereof, for to give unto Thomas Revels or
his order quiet and peacable possession," etc., etc. This tract of
land thus conveyed was in the present township of Mamaroneck,
Westchester County, N. Y. The power of attorney given to _Cockenoe_ by
these Indians reads: "One of our Councill _Cockoo_ by name an Ingaine
the which we do approve of and do confirm whatsoever the said _Cockoo_
shall doe in bargaining and selling unto Thos Revell of Barbadoes,"
etc. This power of attorney by some means was dated two weeks after
the execution of the deed, and in the litigation which ensued over the
purchase this fact ruined the case for Revell. This deed and the power
of attorney were both recorded at Southampton, L. I.,[56] and are
quoted in full, with particulars of the suit, in Sharf's History of
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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