Wyandanch (sachem) facts for kids

Wyandanch was an important leader, called a sachem, of the Montaukett people. He lived in the mid-1600s on eastern Long Island. At first, he was a smaller chief. But he was very good at making friends and working with the European colonists. The colonists gave him strong military and money help. Because of this, he became a very powerful "alliance chief." This meant he was a leader who kept peace between his tribe and the settlers.

Wyandanch's Early Life and Choices

Tribal territories in Southern New England around 1600

Wyandanch was born on Long Island around 1620. This was about the time the Pilgrims arrived in Plymouth Colony in Massachusetts. When he was young, in the late 1630s, Wyandanch heard about the Pequot War. This war almost completely destroyed the Pequot people.

He learned that it was best to get along with the English colonists. These colonists lived in southern New England and on Long Island. Wyandanch decided to try and understand them.

Signature of Wyandanch/Wayandance as he gives land to Lion Gardiner. This happened on July 14, 1659. At that time, Native Americans did not have a written language. So, his signature shows two stick figures shaking hands, like an agreement.

Dealing with Other Native American Leaders

For most of the mid-1600s, Wyandanch was part of a big power struggle. He faced two other famous Native American leaders. They were Uncas, the sachem of the Mohegan tribe, and Ninigret, the sachem of the Niantic tribe.

Wyandanch had the support of the colonists. This helped him stand strong against these other Native American leaders. He made sure his tribe stayed connected to the colonists.

Stopping a Big Plan

A man named Lion Gardiner said that Wyandanch stopped a rebellion. This rebellion was planned by Miantonomoh, a sachem of the Narragansett tribe. Miantonomoh had helped the colonists during the Pequot War. In 1638, a peace treaty was signed. It was between the English colonists, the Narragansetts, and the Mohegans.

But Miantonomoh became upset as English colonies grew. In 1640, he asked Wyandanch to join a big Native American alliance. The plan was to attack the new colonial villages. Wyandanch reminded Miantonomoh about what happened to the Pequots. He talked about the terrible Mystic massacre. This made Miantonomoh wait and not attack the colonists right away.

In 1643, the Narragansetts went to war against the Mohegans. The Narragansetts lost. Uncas captured Miantonomoh, and the colonists allowed his execution. Miantonomoh had tried to turn other Montaukett chiefs against Wyandanch. He wanted their help against the Mohegans, but Wyandanch refused. So, Miantonomoh's defeat made Wyandanch's position stronger within his own tribe.

Wyandanch's Growing Influence

In 1644, Wyandanch was likely still a less important chief among the Montauketts. His older brother, Poggaticut, was the main sachem. This is shown in an agreement from that year. The tribe sold 31,000 acres (130 km²) of land near Southampton to English colonists. Other chiefs signed the document before Wyandanch. This showed they were more important at that time.

But in 1649 and 1650, Wyandanch cleverly used his role as an "alliance chief." He became more respected. He helped calm a tense situation between the Shinnecock tribe and the colonists. This was after a female colonist was killed. This killing was in return for an earlier murder of a Shinnecock Indian.

Because of his actions, Wyandanch gained the right to manage and sell Shinnecock land. He also became responsible for stopping Shinnecock attacks on colonists and other tribes.

Conflict with Ninigret

Soon after, Ninigret, the Niantic sachem, tried to kill the Shinnecock chief, Mandush. This was because Mandush had made an alliance with Wyandanch. But the attacker was caught before he could act. Wyandanch and Mandush executed him. They then burned his body to insult the Niantic leader.

Ninigret tried to get revenge in 1652. This was after the First Anglo-Dutch War began. Roger Williams said that English colonial leaders quietly promised not to get involved in a Niantic-Montaukett war. So, Ninigret attacked a Montaukett settlement. He killed thirty men and took fourteen prisoners. Among them were two Montaukett sachems and Wyandanch's own daughter.

Soon, peace was made, and the prisoners were set free. The exact details of the agreement are not clear. Ninigret said Wyandanch promised to be loyal to him and pay tribute. He also claimed Wyandanch let him sell Montaukett land. But Wyandanch said he just paid money to free the prisoners. He said Lion Gardiner helped him do this. Roger Williams also said the English helped make the peace happen.

Wyandanch broke the agreement in 1654. Maybe he did this to show he was independent. He launched a surprise attack against the Niantics. At the same time, Wyandanch helped his tribe and the English colonists on Long Island agree on cattle grazing rights. By 1655, he received a lot of military help from the colonists in his war against Ninigret. This included a colonial sloop (a type of boat). It patrolled Long Island Sound and sank any Niantic canoes trying to cross.

Ninigret then tried to use colonial courts against Wyandanch. He accused the Montaukett sachem of three things:

• Breaking the peace treaty.
• Personally murdering an Englishman named Drake.
• Practicing witchcraft to try and kill the Mohegan chief Uncas. (Uncas made a similar charge.)

Wyandanch was found innocent of all charges. Ninigret's witnesses did not show up on time. Also, English colonists from Long Island spoke for Wyandanch in the Plymouth court. This trial showed that Native American tribes were using colonial courts more often.

Wyandanch's Later Life

In the late 1650s, Wyandanch had become very powerful. The colonists saw him as the main "alliance chief" on Long Island. He helped connect English colonists and Native Americans. He calmed a tense situation between colonists and some Shinnecocks. The Shinnecocks were accused of setting fires. They were ordered to pay a huge fine. Wyandanch appealed for them, and the fine was reduced.

He also approved land sales and made sales himself. He helped solve arguments about land deeds and payments. Eventually, the English colonists agreed that any land transfer needed Wyandanch's approval first.

In late 1658, Wyandanch let an English colonist, Jeremy Daily, use his canoe. This canoe might have been up to 40 feet (12 m) long. Daily was to transport goods across Long Island Sound. In return, Daily was supposed to fix the canoe before the trip. After arriving on Gardiners Island, Daily did not take good care of the boat. It was damaged in bad weather.

So, Wyandanch sued Daily in colonial court. This was one of the first times an English person was a defendant and a Native American was the plaintiff in English colonial history. Wyandanch won his case. Daily had to pay him ten shillings for damages and extra fines for court costs.

Wyandanch's Death

In 1659, Wyandanch gave some of his land to Lion Gardiner. This land later became the town of Smithtown. He also made Gardiner the guardian of his young son, Wyancombone, until he grew up. Gardiner later said that Wyandanch was poisoned. But he did not say why or by whom.

Wyandanch's wife and son died soon after him. This was due to a plague that hit the Algonquian tribes in southern New England at that time. After Wyandanch died, the role of "chief sachem" and "alliance chief" became less important. The colonists completely ended these roles after they took over New Netherland.

Legacy

The town of Wyandanch, New York is named after him.

Images for kids

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  Tribal territories in Southern New England around 1600

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  Signature of Wyandanch/Wayandance as he gives land to Lion Gardiner. This happened on July 14, 1659. At that time, Native Americans did not have a written language. So, his signature shows two stick figures shaking hands, like an agreement.