THE HISTORY OF STRATFORD

Golden Hill Indians
The Housatonic
The Wepawaug
Cupheags and Pequannock
Weantinock
Goodyear's Island
Indian Slaves
Indian Remnants
Indian Troubles
New Indian Papers

THE HISTORY OF STRATFORD

Wm. Howard Wilcoxson

Stratford Indians

Trouble with the Indians

Establishing Title to the Land

Indian Deeds and Relics

White Hills Purchase

FORREST MORGAN

Lifestyles, Government, Religion and War

Indian Titles and Mohegan Land Troubles

Sowheag, Uncas, and Miantonomo

Owenoco, the Son of Uncas

THE HOUSATONIC

CHARD POWERS SMITH

The Promised Land
Heathen in the Land
The Lord's Scouts

The Land and The Lord

The Next Seven Tribes

ALEXANDER JOHNSTON

Connecticut Indian History

The Pequot War

THE HISTORY OF STRATFORD – WILLIAM WILCOXSON

Again the General Court in another attempt to secure satisfaction among the Indians and peace and quiet to their English neighbors, made another effort to settle the matter among all parties by the following order:

“Hartford, March 7, 1658-59. By the Court of Magistrates. This Court having taken into consideration the business respecting the Indians pertaining to the plantations of Stratford and Fayrefeyld and finding in the last agreement made with the Indians while Mr. Willis and Mr. Allen were down there, that those two plantations aforementioned are ingaged to asure and alow unto those respective Indians pertaining to each town sufficient land to plant on for their subsistence and so to their hearyres and successors:

“It is therefore, ordered by this Court, and required that each plantation forementioned exercise due care that the agreement made by the magistrates be fully attended without unnecessary delay, that so the Indians may have no just cause to complayne against the English, but rather may be incouraged to attend and observe the agreement on their parts, that peace may be continued on both sides; and further it is desired that the Indians may be allowed to improve their ancient fishing place which they desire.”

“To the forthwith published and sent to Fayrfield to be published and record d by the Register.” (Vol. 1 page 79)

Three days after the above record the Court took further action:

“March 10, 1658-59. This Court having considered the agreement with the Indians as also for other reasons as particularly that which the town of Fayrfeyld pleaded why their bounds should be enlarged was because they might provide for heir Indians which were many, do therefore order that the towne of Fayrfeyld shall forthwith attend the order as above sent from the magistrates and alow and lay out unto theire Indians that formerly did and now do belong unto that plantation, sufficient planting land for the present and future, that so there may be no disturbance twixt the Indians and the towne of Stratford about any former improprieties which we find are renounced for the future by the last agreement. And the Court judges that the Indians that have for so many and several years been inhabitants of Fayrfeyld bounds shall now and for future be accounted as those that do properly belong to that plantation.

Two months later he Court made some very definite orders respecting the difference between the two plantations and Pequannock Indians as follows:

“General Court, May 1659. This court having considered the business respecting the Indians at Pequannock and the difference twixt Stratford and Fairfield about the said Indians; do see cause to order that according unto the desire of the Indians they may quickly possess and enjoy from henceforth and for the future, the parcel of land called Gold Hill; and there shall be forthwith so much land laid out within the liberties of Fairfield as he committee appointed by the Court shall judge fit, and in as convenient a place as may best answer the desire and benefit of the Indians forementioned, for the future. And the said committee is to see so much land laid out within the bounds of Fairfield, for the use and accommodation of Stratford as that golden Hill forementioned is, for quantity and quality, and as may be most convenient for the neighbors of Stratford. And in case Stratford men are willing to accept of and, then the committee shall appoint how much and in what kind the inhabitants of Fairfield shall pay unto Stratford unto Pequannock Indians, according to the premises, shall be full satisfaction from them unto the Indians, forenamed, and that neither they nor their successors shall make any further claims or demands of land from Stratford, but shall henceforth be accounted as Fairfield Indians, or belonging to Fairfield, to be provided for by them for future as is forementioned in the order. And it is ordered that in case these Indians shall wholly at any time relinquish and desert Gold Hill, that then it shall remain to Stratford plantation, they repaying to Fairfield, the one half of that which they received in consideration of the said land.

The committee appointed by the Court to see this order put into execution are, of Norwalk, Mr. Canfield, Mr. Fitch, Richard Omstead, Nathaniel Elye, who are to bound out the lands at Gold Hill, about 80 acres, beginning at the foot of the hill where the wigwams stood, and to run upwards on the hill and within Fairfield bounds, as is above mentioned. And the said committee is to make return to the Court in October, what they do in reference to this order.” (Col. Rec. Vol. 1 page 335)

Under this order establishing the Golden Hill reservation in 1659, nearly twenty years after the first settlers came, Stratford was required to furnish the land and Fairfield to reimburse Stratford for the value thereof. About a year after the Court’s order, a paper was recorded given the agreement made between the two towns as above referred to.

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