The Map above is from the Cumberland County Library Site, where they
have done an online publication of:
THE UNALACHTIGO OF NEW JERSEY
"The Original People
Of
Cumberland County
ANNE SCHILLINGSBURG WOODRUFF
and
F. ALAN PALMER
(Adobe
Version ) (Web
Version)
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Spectacular
Site!!!
But is it true, I have received emails for
and emails against?
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When the Europeans arrived here the indigenous
people living in the area were members of the Lenni-Lenape Tribe.
The Lenni-Lenape were divided into three
groups: the Wolf, Turtle, and Turkey clans, which was determined at
birth from the maternal side. The Wolf Clan claimed the land in North
Jersey and southern New York. The Turtle Clan controlled Central
Jersey between the Raritan and Mullica rivers and eastern Pennsylvania. The
Turkey Clan had all of New Jersey below the Mullica River and northeast
Delaware.
They traveled with the seasons, making full use of the
area resources. During the spring the
planted gardens around their permanent settlements. In the summer,
they went to the shore to catch
oysters and clams and stay cool. In the fall, they would move back to
their village and harvest their crops. In the winter, they hunted deer and
other animals.
The early Quaker settlers in New Jersey
"bought" the land from the Lenni Lenape. The question being,
could they understand the idea of owning land. It is not likely that they
understood the concept, but still, at least for their time. They treated
the natives much more humanly then most. Still their numbers were decimated
by death and disease and culture clashes.
By 1758, there were only a couple hundred Lenape. Again,
New Jersey (in their opinion) at least made an attempt to do the right
thing and created the first Indian Reservation at Brotherton.
Rev.
John Brainerd, a dedicated Indian missionary was in charge of supervising the
reservation. Brainerd left in 1774 and the decline continued.
In 1796, the tribe in New Stockbridge, NY, invited the
Brotherton tribe to come spread their mats at our fire.
In 1801, the NJ legislature agreed to sell the
reservation and give the proceeds to the remaining tribe members, fewer
then 85. They went to New York and then later some to Canada and some to
Wisconsin and some to Oklahoma and here some there... |
