University of the State of New York BULLETIN OF THE New York State Museum Frederick J. H. Merrill Director No. 32 Vol. 7 February 1900 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK # By WILLIAM M. BEAUCHAMP S.T.D. ALBANY university or the state of NENV YORK 1900 Ms3m-Mro-2ooo PricC 30 CCIltS UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK University of the State of New York BULLETIN OF THE New York State Museum Frederick J. H. Merrill, Director No. 32 Vol. 7 February 1900 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK BY WILLIAM M. BEAUCHAMP S.T.D. ALBANY UNIVERSITY OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK 1900 f966 University of the State of New York REGENTS With years of election 1874 Anson Judd Upson L.ti.D. u.D. LL.D. Chancellor^ Glens Falls 1892 William Croswell Doane D.D. LL.D. Vice- Chancellor, Albany 1873 Martin 1. Iownsend M.A. LL.U. _ _ _ Troy 1877 Chauncey M. Depew LL.D. _ _ _ _ New York 1877 TT T* Tlx A T TT T~\ Charles E. Fitch LL.B. M.A. L.H.D. Rochester 1877 Orris H. Warren D.D. _ _ _ _ Syracuse 1878 Whitelaw Reid LL.D. - - - Ne\v York 1881 TIT TTTIT TVyTA HyT TA William H. Watson M.A. M.D. Utica 1881 Henry E. Turner ______ Lowville 1883 TV If TT" T T T T A T T T^ T^ T St Clair McKelway L.H.D. LL.D. D.C.L. Brooklyn 1885 Hamilton Harris Ph.D. LL.D. _ _ _ Albany 1885 -T-v T^l T~~\ T T Daniel Beach Ph.D. LL.D. _ _ _ - Watkins 1888 Carroll E. Smith LL.D. _ _ _ _ _ Syracuse 1890 Pliny T. Sexton LL.D. - - - Palmyra 1890 1 . Guilford Smith M.A. LL.D. C.E. - - - Bunalo 1893 Lewis A. Stimson B.A. M.D. _ ^ ^ New York 1895 Albert Vander Veer Ph.D. M.D. _ _ _ Albany 1895 Charles R. Skinner M.A. LL.D. Superintendent of Public Instruction, ex officio 1897 Chester S. Lord M.A. LL.D. _ _ _ Brooklyn 1897 Timothy L. Woodruff M.A. Lieutenant-Governor, ex officio 1899 Theodore Roosevelt B.A. LL.D. Governor, ex officio 1899 John T. McDonough LL.B. LL.D. Secretary of State, ex officio One vaca?icy Secretary Elected by regents 1900 James Russel Parsons jr M.A. directors of departments James Russell Parsons jr M.A. Administrative^ College a?td High School depUs Melvil Dewey M.A. State Library and Home Education Frederick J. H. Merrill Ph.D. State ?nuseum CONTENTS List of authorities referred to with abbreviations 5 Territories of aboriginal nations of New York ii Aboriginal occupation of New York l^ Geographic distribution of sites by counties: Albany 27 Allegany 29 Broome 30 Cattaraugus 31 Cayuga 35 Chautauqua _ 41 Chemung 49 Chenango . 51 Clinton 54 Columbia 57 Cortland 58 Delaware 58 Dutchess 59 Erie 60 Essex - 66 Franklin , 66 Fulton 67 Genesee 67 Greene 71 Hamilton 72 Herkimer 73 Jefferson 73 Kings 79 Lewis 80 Livingston 80 Madison 86 Monroe 92 Montgomery 100 Nassau , 105 New York 106 Niagara 107 'Oneida 109 Onondaga . 112 Ontario 125 Orange 130 Orleans 131 Oswego .. 132 Otsego 134 Putnam _ 137 Queens 137 Rensselaer 138 Richmond 139 Rockland 139 St Lawrence 139 Saratoga 141 Schenectady 142 Schoharie 143 Schuyler 144 Seneca 144 Steuben 147 Suffolk 148 Sullivan 150 Tioga 151 Tompkins 154 Ulster 156 Warren 157 \Vashington 158 Wayne 158 Westchester 159 Wyoming 164 Yates 164 L.IST OF AUTHORITIES REFERRED TO The following works are referred to in the bulletin by the abbreviations in the left margin. A. A. A. 6. American ass'n for the advancement of science. Proceedings. 1887. Camb. Mass. 1887. Adams Adams, William. History of Cattaraugus county. Syracuse 1893. Ainer. ant. American antiquarian; a bi-monthly journal. Amer. arch. American archeologist. 1898. Anringer Auringer, O. C. Of Troy, N. Y. Personal letters to Dr Beauchamp. Bailey Bailey, W. T. Richfield Springs and vicinity. Richfield Springs, N. Y. 1886. Bftird Baird, C:W. History of Rye. (see Scharf, J: T. History of Westchester county. 1886. 2 1643- 709'). Barber Barber, J: W. & Howe, Henry. Historical collec- tions of New York. N. Y. 1841. Bayles Beach Beauchamp Bolton Cfheney Child. Directory Bayles, B: M. Historical and descriptive sketches of Suffolk county. Port Jefiferson, L. I. 1874. Beach, Lewis. Cornwall. Newburgh, N. Y. 1873. Beauchamp, W: M. (see Onondaga's centennial, ''h. 3) Bolton, Robert. History of the county of Westches- ter, N. Y. 1881. Cheney, T. Apoleon. Ancient monuments in west- ern New York, (see 13th report of State cabinet of natural history. 1859. in Senate documents i860, no. 89 [e]) Child, Hamilton, comp. Gazetteer and business di- rectory of: Albany and Schenectady counties, N. Y. 1870-71. Allegany county, N. Y. 1875 Broome and Tioga counties, N. Y. 1869-70, 1872-73, p. la-aj Cattaraugus county, N. Y. 1874-75 Cayuga county, N. Y. 1867-86 Chautauqua county, N. Y. 1873-74 Chemung on the south side of Allegheny river in Buck- tooth township (now Red House) is on a steep hill above Red House creek. It is not quite circular and is 1060 feet in circum- ference. — Cheney, p. 42, pi. 5. His plan appears in fig. 16 on a scale of 260 feet to one inch. Larkin adds a little. 14 Several miles from this was a burial mound on the north side of the Allegheny, which was 10 feet high. — Cheney, p. 42 15 Several miles below this was a circular work on the east bank of the Allegheny^ 300 feet in diameter which seemed recent. Relics are found all along the river. Several other works are reported to exist at some distance from it. — Cheney, p. 42 16 Genesinguhta now Old Town was a Seneca village of the last century on the Allegheny in Elko. — Adams, p. 41 17 Tunesassa an Indian village at the mouth of Cold Spring creek. 18 There was a council house at Horse shoe bend on the Alle- gheny, in Great Valley, and two miles above was Killbuck a de- serted village. — Adams, p. 690 , 19 In Carrollton nearly opposite the village of Limestone is a circular work about 1000 feet around, in the valley of the Tunaeng- want. A large gateway, with breastworks led toward a stream on the north. Large quantities of bones were found, with hearths and caches. — Larkin, p. 29-30, fig. 8. His plan appears in fig. 22. French describes a work on the flats, in the form of a figure 8, which may be the same. Larkin adds, " The valley of the Tunaeng- want, together with that of Great Valley, Wright's creek and in fact nearly every stream that is bordered by fertile lands, were once occupied by the mound builders. Vestiges of ancient works are numerous, such as military fortifications, sepulchral mounds, flint arrowheads, mica and copper relics. As we pass up the Allegheny, from its junction with Tunaengwant, we find the faded remains of the ancient people at every step." — Larkin, p. 31 20 At Olean the canal passed through a burial mound, 40 feet wide by 60 feet long and 10 feet high. — Larkin, p. 31. There was a group of small mounds at the confluence of Olean creek and Alle- gheny river. — Macauley, 2:113 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 35 21 In Hinsdale, about five miles north of Olean, and near the west side of the creek was a circular fort of about three acres. Around it were abundant relics. — Larkin, p. 31. This was on Peake's and Gould's land. 22 Frank C. Dawley reports a fort at the Jackson school- house, two miles northwest of Versailles, and another half way, at the mouth of Castile creek. All those along Cattaraugus creek are on high points, formed by tributaries of that stream. All have a single and nearly straight bank, except that at the schoolhouse in which there is an opening in the bank. Under the guidance of Dr R. M. Evarts the writer examined the double-walled fort near the Jackson schoolhouse. The walls are about 20 feet apart and 12 rods long. The outside or eastern ditch is deep, and the in- terior one broad and shallower. The outside wall is now five or six feet high from the bottom of the outer ditch, and about four feet above the inner one. The gate is at the northeast end. An- other fort is at the mouth of Castile creek, a mile nearer Versailles. 23 The Indians report four forts between Versailles and Gowanda, within as many miles. 24 On N. E. G. Cowan's land, near Rutledge, was a mound 6 feet l»gh and 20 feet in diameter, in which were stone relics and ashes. Nine skeletons sat in a circle, back to back. — U. S. bur. of eth. 1890-91, p. 508. Cayuga county. The northern part of the county has few sites, the Cayugas living south of Seneca river and mostly between Cayuga and Owasco lakes, except a few villages in Seneca county where they may have had earlier homes. Squier mentioned a fort in Brutus, which was really near Jamesville, Onondaga county. In the Jesuit relations Cayuga was called Onoien in 1654. The three great villages of 1668 were Cayuga at the lake, or St Joseph, Thiohero or St Stephen, four French leagues from there; and Onontare or St Rene, two leagues below on the river. There are other notices in the Relations. In 1677 Greenhalgh said that the Cayugas had three open towns, a mile apart and two or three miles from Lake Tichero. In 1763 Sir William Johnson reported one large village at Cayuga lake, and several thence to the Susquehanna. 36 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 1 Many arrowheads and other articles are found around Spring lake, in Conquest. They would naturally occur along the trails leading to Lake Ontario. Some small burial mounds were a mile south of this village, and there were also fireplaces and shells toward the river. — Hinsdale 2 There were camps on Rowland island, in the Seneca river, and many relics have been found. 3 J. V. H. Clark says that the Onondagas had also cleared off what is called the salt fields, in the town of Cato, and had a small settlement there." — Clark, 2 :328 4 On the west shore of Cross lake just north of the Seneca river there is an early site with rude relics. 5 A burial place was found at Blufif point east of the Seneca river and near Fox Ridge in 1894. The relics were modern. The point is " about 20 rods north of the Central Hudson railroad tracks, a marsh separating them, and is parallel with the east bank of Seneca river. It contains about 27 acres of gravelly soil." The skeletons were found at the extreme south point. This was probably the burial place of Onontare. 6 Squier described a small work six miles northwest of Auburn and three miles from Throopsville in the town of Mentz, and by the road to Port Byron. Fig. 11 represents the plan on a scale of 200 feet to the inch. " The v/ork is built upon the crest of a narrow ridge, which extends nearly north and south, and along which the main road passes." The walls were then two or three feet high. Some comparatively recent relics had been found, as well as skeletons within and without the walls. There was one gate. He thought this might be a work mentioned by Macauley at Montezuma, which is four miles northwest and in the next town. That work has not been found. 7 There is a site of two acres in lot 28, Sennett, two miles north- east of Auburn, with relics of earthenware and stone. 8 The work at Fort Hill, Auburn, has been figured by Squier and Schoolcraft, of which a small part remains in the cemetery in front of the Logan monument. Fig. i gives Squier's plan which differs slightly from the other. The wall was not continuous and ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 37 may never have been so. This plan is 200 feet to the inch. James H. Bostwick furnished Schoolcraft's plan which will be found in his Iroquois report. The north and south axis from the outside base of the bank was 410 feet, and the east and west 416. He made five openings, and Mr Squier eight, two of which are narrow. The latter said of these, " It has been conjectured by some that the walls here have been washed away, but it is clear that there was slight necessity for defenses at this point, and that none ever existed beyond what may be traced." The descent was abrupt on all sides, and there were caches. The bank was two or three feet high in 1850, with a corresponding ditch. — Squier, p. 49, pi. 5, no. i 9 Macauley described another fort in Auburn, two miles north- east of this, containing two acres, with a bank, ditch and gateway. It was on North street, near the present railroad crossing. When the land was cleared about 1790, the bank was 7 feet high, and the ditch 10 feet wide. It was 350 paces in circumference, and had a gate to the northeast. Hammer-stones, earthenware and trian- gular flint arrowheads were found. Not far off was a mound filled with skeletons, probably a natural elevation. DeWitt Clinton more correctly said it was a mile north of the last, but he may have overestimated the area. He also stated that it had a north gate, the entrance of which must have been from the west on account of the overlapping of the wall. 10 There is a cemetery, etc. with modern relics on John IMorse's land three miles north of Cayuga. It is covered by an orchard. 1 1 North Cayuga, St Stephen's or Thiohero, was two miles north of Cayuga village, on lot 24, Aurelius. The site occupies three or four acres east of the canal and north of the highway. Jesuit rings and European articles are found. In an early cache near by was found a plate of mica and other curious articles. This and most of the following sites were reported by W. W. Adams of ]\Iaple- ton. Gen. J. S. Clark said that Choharo was the Tichero (Thiohero) or St Stephen's of the Jesuit relations, said to signify the place of rushes, at the foot of Cayuga lake on the east side, at the exact point where the bridge of the middle turnpike left the east shore. The trail across the marsh followed the north bank 38 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM of an ancient channel of the Seneca river. . . The salt springs mentioned by Father Raffeix in 1672 were on the west side of the marsh about half a mile north of the N. Y. C. railroad bridge." 12 In a burial place on Frontenac island, Cayuga lake, skeletons were found on the rock two feet under ground. 13 Stone relics alone are found on a site of 10 acres on Yawger's point, north of Union Springs, lot 92, Springport. Lodge sites appear over the whole field. 14 An early site on lot 85, on the same point, occupies two or three acres. The graves occupy 40 or 50 feet, each having from one to 20 skeletons. Long shell beads are found but nothing European. 15 J. W. Kales found bones of men, women and children in a pit a mile north of Union Springs and near the lake. There were no relics. — Smithsonian report 1881. Gen. Clark also mentions " Gewauga, a small hamlet on the present site of Union Springs . . . on the east side of Cayuga lake." 16 There are several early sites on Farley's point, south of Union Springs, and on lot 7, Springport. Mr Adams thought part of Cayuga Castle was on this point but found only early relics. The site comprises 8 or 10 acres and the graves occupy two or three rods. The relics are of stone and shell with clay and stone pipes and pottery. 17 Fig. 12 is a stockade in Ledyard, four miles southeast of Union Springs. It is still mostly undisturbed and was described by Mr Squier, whose plan is used on a scale of 400 feet to the inch. It seems recent and is on a point between two deep ravines. A somewhat pyriform space is inclosed at the end of the point which is about 300 feet in diameter. The curving stockade takes in about half of the outline; the holes are eight inches in diameter. There are caches within. From the extreme point of the plateau the " Indian path " follows a narrow spur to the water. The banks of the streams are 175 feet high. — Squier, p. 88, pi. 13. Morgan says that Gayagaanha, the principal village, was on Salmon creek, three miles south of Union Springs, one and one half miles from the lake. — Morgan, p. 423. It should read Great Gully brook. In ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 39 Sullivan's expedition Gen. J. S. Clark speaks of " Cayuga Castle, an Indian town containing 15 ven^ large houses of squared logs, on the south line of Springport ... on the north bank of Great Gully brook, and from one to two miles from the lake." 18 A site on lot 114 Ledyard is supposed to be Upper Cayuga. There are fireplaces and a few graves with European relics and many copper fish hooks. Gen. Clark speaks of Upper Cayuga, an Indian town of 14 very large houses, near the north line of Ledyard ... on the south bank of Great Gully brook and as appears on the map between one and two miles from the lake." The distance is greater. 19 East Cayuga, or Old Town, was a quarter of a mile west of Mapleton, on lot 95, Fleming. Area, 10 or 12 acres east of the creek. The relics are recent. Clark notes that East Cayuga, or Old Town, contained 13 houses, in the southeast corner of the town of Springport as indicated on the map from three to four miles from the lake. A site in the southwest corner of Fleming was a site of this town at about this time/' which was 1779. 20 Cemetery of half an acre on lot 89, west of Fleming village. Modern relics. 21' Site of ID to 15 acres at Scipioville, with recent relics. Nearly level ground. There was a burial place. 22 Clark says that " Chonondote was an Indian town of 14 houses on the site of the present Aurora; according to George Grant's journal it contained 1500 peach trees." 23 Stockade found on Isaac Carpenter's farm near the north line of lot 67, Ledyard, in 1887. Area two acres with potsherds, pipes, celts and broken bones and skeletons. It is a level point between two ravines; the general form is given in fig. 2. There was a simple stockade 100 feet long from Payne's creek on one side to a small stream on the other. 24 Macauley mentioned a similar work near Aurora. It was " two miles from the viflage, in a southwesterly (southeasterly) direction, the area triangular, containing two acres. Two of its sides were defended by precipitous banks, the third by an em- bankment and ditch. Fragments of earthen vessels and the bones 40 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM of animals had been found there enveloped in ashes." It is on R. Stewart's farm, lot 68, Ledyard, and also on Payne's creek. Part of the ditch remains. There are stone relics and earthenware but no graves appear on either of these two sites. 25 A cemetery of half an acre is two miles south of Ledyard post- office, on lot 83. The village site is a quarter of a mile farther south. Earthenware occurs. 26 A cemetery in P. Stafford's woods, west of the road and half a mile north of Kings Ferry. Nothing was found with the skele- tons^ which were in rows. 27 The Sterner site is a mile south of Genoa, occupying one or two acres on both sides of Salmon creek. It is on lot 17, with recent relics and occupied with graves. 28 A village site is on the west side of Big Salmon creek, lot 74, Venice, two miles south of Venice Center. The cemetery is east of the creek, on a small knoll one eighth of an acre in extent. Shell gorgets and European articles are found there. The village is on level land on the other side and farther south. 29 The Indian fields commence on the Hull farm, lot 88, ScipTo, and extend across Venice five miles into Genoa, being about a mile wide on the west side of the creek, while Myers is the only place of importance on the east. Recent relics are found on almost every farm, and in early days large quantities of brass were taken from them. 30 A stockade has been reported on a site of 10 or 12 acres east of Myers station, but not definitely. The village was south of the creek, on lot 97, Venice. The cemetery is east of the railroad on a sandy knoll. Early and recent relics. French mentions the fort east of the creek. 31 A site of two or three acres in Locke, half or three fourths of a mile west of Milan, is usually reported as a stockade, but Mr Adams in his hasty examination found no traces of this. It em- braces a space in the woods on a point between two streams. Such positions were rarely without defense. Earthenware is found. — Child, Directory, 1867-68, says that " Traces of an Indian burial ground are still visible, covering about two acres of ground between ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 41 two deep gulfs, half a mile west of Milan. The graves are dis- tributed in rows east and west." 32 Macauley says, On the east side of the Seneca river near Montezuma, there are still to be seen the ruins of a small fort. A small mound occurs not far from the fort; it is artificial." 33 There is a site on lot 15 Scipio, which yields no European articles. It emibraces two acres south of the creek. The cemetery is slightly raised. 34 Graves on the hillside about a mile west of Venice Center. 35 Mr Hildburgh reports the following. Recent graves two and a half miles north of Genoa.^ 36 Obliterated earthwork in the town of Niles, a little north of the Moravia line and a mile east of Owasco lake, on M. B. Duryee's farm. 37 Camp on the flats at the south end of Owasco lake. 38 In October 1899 an early cemetery was opened a little west of Throopsville station. Chautauqua county. Most of the sites reported in Chautauqua county are east of a meridian line through Chautauqua lake. Most of them may be referred to the Eries of an early day or to some kind»ed people, but there are traces of those much farther advanced in the arts. Some work was done by H. L. Reynolds in 1889, which appears in the report of the U. S. bureau of ethnology, 1890-91. The southwest part of the county might be expected to re- pay examination, for all this region is a border land between the Iro- quoian family and the earlier race a little farther south, for con- venience termed mound builders. All the plans given are from Mr Cheney's brief but interesting report published by the regents many years ago. It is to be regretted that he gave so little in- formation on the relics occurring there, but these seem to have interested him little. He chose rather the more impressive mounds and forts. Artificial roadways were reported by Dr H. C. Taylor, in his History of Portland. They were near Brocton, but prove to be natural beds of gravel as is the case elsewhere. Grooved axes are sometimes found. Arrowheads, gouges, etc. often occur along or 42 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM near Chautauqua lake. James Sherrard mentions fragments of pot- tery in Stockton, and a cache in Sheridan of " as much as two bushels of flint spalls or chips, and a number of arrow and spear- heads." Many fine and rare relics are found in various places. Rev. Samuel Kirkland said of the north part of this county, " On the south side of Lake Erie are a series of old fortifications, from Cattaraugus creek to the Pennsylvania line^ a distance of 50 miles. Some are from two to four miles apart, others half a mile only. Some contain five acres. The walls or breastworks are of earth, and are generally on ground where there are appearances of creeks having flowed into the lake." Little attention has been given to these works near the lake. The Jesuit relations of 1648 says, " This lake named Erie was formerly inhabited on its southern coast by certain peoples whom we call the nation of the Cat, who have been obliged to withdraw inland in order to get away from their enemies who are more toward the west. These people of the Cat have a number of fixed villages, for they cultivate the ground and are of the same language as our Hurons." They knew little of Europeans and their downfall came in 1654-55. 1 There were remains of extensive works in Westfield. — Young, p. 18. There was a bank in the village of Westfield, half a mile south of West Main street, on Hugh Neil's land. — Reynolds, p. 512 2 There were circular works and old roadways in Portland. — Young, p. 18. An elliptic work was on the west bank of Fay's creek Portland, on the central part of lot 38, T. 5. The Erie railroad runs through the north part of the fort and clay and stone pipes have been found there. — Reynolds, p. 512 3 A bank in Portland opposite the home of John L. Coon. — Reynolds, p. 512 4 Two circular works not connected with the Fredonia series were noted on the first terrace of Lake Erie. — Cheney, p. 47. Loca- tion not specified but presumably near Fredonia. 5 A work near the east line of Fredonia was on an abrupt emi- nence of 30 feet and was 190 feet long. It intersected the steep banks of the creeks on either side. The wall was semicircular. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 43 " The trace of a very large pit occurs in front of the embankment. The usual Indian relics, such as ancient pottery, etc. have been observed here." — Cheney, p. 46. Larkin says of the pit, ''A great amount of arrowheads and spearheads, some of which were com- posed of copper, together with a quantity of charred corn, were found in the pit. Adjacent to this intrenchment fragments of human bones have been disclosed in such an advanced stage of decay that they whitened the soil." — Larkin, p. 37. This was on Dr A. P. Phillips's land a mile east of Fredonia and on the bank of Canadaway creek in Pomfret. Reynolds makes it circular, with an area of one acre. — Reynolds, p. 511 6 A circular bank on the farm of Joel Button in the same town, two miles east of Fredonia on the Forestville road, is on both sides of a stream. It has yielded pottery, pestles and celts. — Rey- nolds, p. 511. Area 3 acres. Flat land. 7 A mound in the village of Fredonia was 7 feet'high. Skeletons and stone articles have been found. — Reynolds, p. 511 8 A circular work in the south part of Sheridan was on high ground and near a small stream. The diameter was 495 feet, and there were once several gateways. Pottery is found. — Cheney, p. 46 9 A mound in Fredonia, 30 feet high and 90 paces around, might be artificial, but Mr Reynolds thought it natural. It is known as the Indian mound. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 511 10 There was a large circular work near the Erie railroad cross- ing on the road from "Fredonia to Forestville. In and around this were stone relics and many pits, in pairs. In a large grave many human skeletons of all ages were mingled. — Young, p. 18. Mk* Cheney said this work was the largest he saw, having a diameter of 860 feet and inclosing 13^ acres. The road passes through it nearly east and west. There were two pits of unequal size without the wall. Pottery and entire skulls occurred. This work is " the last among the series of ancient fortifications which once extended along the Cassadaga and Canadaway creeks, and thence upon the hills bordering upon the waters of Lake Erie." IMany had been obliterated. — Cheney, p. 47, pi. 11. This work is on lot 35, 44 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM >' range ii, and Mr Cheney's plan is given in fig. 6, on a scale of 500 feet to the inch. 11 Mr Reynolds reported a circular work on J. G. Gould's farm^ 3 miles from Forestville on the Dunkirk road. It occupied about 3 acres on a blufif above Walnut creek, and there were 40 or 50 pits on the opposite side of the road. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 511. Mr Sherrard also referred to walls and ditches near that farm. " These fortifications are somew^hat numerous and extensive, reach- ing over into the town of Pomfret, where a hill known as Fort hill gives unequivocal testimony of the work of man." 12 Mr Reynolds reported a bone pit in front of Mr Gould's house in Sheridan. In this ossuary were human bones of persons of all ages and without arrangement. In a grave near this were 5 skeletons in a circle, with the feet outward. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 511 13 A circular mound, 30 feet in diameter and 7 feet high, is 40 rods from the east shore of Cassadaga lake. Decayed skeletons were removed in 1822. Many hearths were near the mound, which had an average breadth of 30 feet. The large stones showed intense heat. There were numerous caches, 4 feet broad and 2 feet deep. — Cheney, p. 46 14 Not far of¥ was a line of fortifications across a peninsula on the south shore, inclosing a large area. He described what he thought a gravel road. The numerous relics were of fine pottery, celts and iron implements. — Cheney, p. 46, pi. 10. Mr Cheney's plan of these two sites is given in fig. 20, on a scale of 500 feet to the inch. 15 Dr Larkin described a curious oblong mound on a point in the lower lake. It was on the southwest side, and had a long axis of 7 and a short axis of 5 rods. It was probably natural, but had abundant relics. On the edge of the plateau, 12 rods from this, was a bank 20 rods long, and in the rear of it another running from shore to shore. 16 A mound on the west shore of Chautauqua lake, on John F. Morton's land, is two miles above Lakeland. Several fireplaces and piles of flint were near. — Reynolds ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 45 17 A trench opened in Steadman in 1867 was full of human bones, but was without other relics. It was on the Hne of the town of Harmony. There were over 20 skeletons arranged in rows. — Young, p. 19 18 Two mounds were south of Fair point and west of Chautauqua lake. One was on Whitney's and the other on Billings's land. One was 4 feet high by 25 feet in diameter, and contained flat stones, human bones, flint knives, clay and stone pipes. The other was 31 by 38 feet in diameter. Ashes and a gorget were found in it. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 505 19 Not far from the mounds at the Narrows east of the lake was an old cemetery at Dewittville. Dr Larkin reported vast quanti- ties of relics in the vicinity and a cache of arrowheads. — Larkin, P- S8 20 On Bemus point are old and recent sites. Some were found by the writer at the end of the point. 21 An obliterated bank was on the lowland nearly half a mile back of Long point, two miles above Bemus point. — Reynolds, p. 506 22 At Griffith's point in Ellery, east of Chautauqua lake, are two mounds. — Young, p. 20. ^Ir Cheney placed them near the Nar- rows and 100 rods from the shore, directly in the rear of the point. They were 5 rods apart, 66 feet in diameter and 6 feet high. Fig. 21 is his plan reduced to 1000 feet to the inch. — Cheney, p. 47, pi. 12. They were afterward examined and reported as 40 feet in diameter. Three human skeletons were found, also one of a wolf, besides copper articles and mica. Still later Mr Reynolds described them as near Bemus point. One was 6 feet high and 39 feet in diameter. This contained copper articles and mica. The other was 5 feet high and 65 feet across. There were traces of an earthwork back of the point. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 505-6 23 There was a circular work one and a half miles south of Sin- clairville on lot 46, Gerry, with an area of 3 acres. It yielded skele- tons and rude stone implements. A large cemetery was 130 rods northeast of this, out of which 50 skeletons were taken in 1825 and 25 about 30 years later. They were in a sitting posture, the alternate 46 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM rows facing each other. — Young, p. 19. This was on B. F. Deruii- son's farm, on the Jamestown road near Sinclairville. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 510. There was also a nearly circular work 60 rods north of this and on William Scott's land. It had a depression in the center and a gate at the north. It is on lots 30 and 38. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 510. There are cinder heaps on the farm of John F. Phelps, a mile south of Sinclairville. 24 There were two breastworks on the north and south bounda- ries of Sinclairville, with a large circular work between them. The gate was on the south side. Six or seven acres were inclosed in the heart of the village. On a high bluff above Mill creek on the west was a circular work with deep excavations. — Young, p. 19-20. A slightly curved bank, without gateways and 100 rods long, crosses Sinclairville from bluflf to bluff, precipices defending the other sides. The area is nearly square. — Cheney, p. 45, pi. 9. Mr Cheney's plan is given in fig. 3, on a scale of 1000 feet to the inch. 25 There are two works on the farm of John Almy, South Stock- ton, a mile across the Cassadaga valley and nearly 60 rods from the dividing lines of Gerry and Ellery. The larger and southeast- ern one is in the shape of the letter D, the straight line fronting the eastern edge of the bluff. A northwest gateway connects with a ravine, across which is the gate of the smaller, opposite and circular work about 6 rods away. The latter incloses half an acre. — Larkin, p. 50, fig. 11. Dr Larkin's plan appears in fig, 17. There was a circular work 60 rods south of this, on the farm of S. M. Tower. It " was a true circle, facing the south and divided in the center by a straight line." This was on a plain on the west side of the Cassadaga valley. From the western side of the fort a ditch, 20 rods long, reached a stream at a hight sufficient to carry the water within the walls, inside of which were hearths, caches, pottery and arrowheads. — Larkin, p. 53. Mr Reynolds re- ports these rather differently. The one on the Tower farm is 80 rods south of the others, and is a circle inclosing two and a half acres. The others are in South Stockton, 4 miles southwest of Sinclairville, and both are called circular works. The smaller fort has a north and south axis of 132 feet, and an east and west axis of ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 47 1 129 feet. A thousand feet should be taken from this. The other is 163 feet away and has a north and south axis of 184 feet, the east and west being 151 feet. They are west of the vahey. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 510 26 An elHptic work is on a plateau 150 feet above Cassadaga creek and on the north side of a small stream. The bank is 495 feet around, with a gateway 10 feet wide. A trail leads to the stream and in the center of the work is a large and deep pit. — Cheney, p. 44, pi. 8, fig. I. Mr Cheney's plan appears in fig. 9, on a scale of 250 feet to the inch. 27 Another work is on high land 160 rods from Cassadaga creek, with a small stream on the southern side. Many skeletons wdthin had horizontal burial. Within and without were vast quantities of implements and large caches were near. From the gate in the northeast part a trail led to a cemetery 50 rods away. Here were three large rectangular graves with from 30 to 60 skeletons in a sitting posture. — Cheney, p. 45, pi. 8, fig. 2. ^^Ir Cheney's plan is given in fig. 4, on a scale of 500 feet to the inch. 28 In " the village of BuckHn's corners was an ancient cemetery where a great number of human skeletons have been exhumed." — Larkin, 'p. 50. Bucklin's corners, or Gerry center, is now in the village of Vermont. Three quarters of a mile south of this was an elliptic work of 7 acres, on high ground overlooking the Cassadaga valley. Much of this was visible in 1880 according to Dr Larkin. 29 Two miles southeast of Sinclairville was a circular work. — Young, p. 19 30 An oval work was 3 miles south of Sinclairville, on Shepard- son's farm. — Reynolds 31 Two semicircular works on Clear creek were reported by Mr Thatcher. They were 3 miles west of Ellington and a mile above no. 34. They were on bluffs and each had an area of one and one half acres. One was double-walled, the walls turning out at the gateway, in front of which was a small mound. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 509 32 Two works on opposite sides of Clear creek are 56 rods apart. One on a high peninsula is a parallelogram with rounded 48 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM angles, having' indications of bastions or towers on them. The gate was at the south and the area was less than two acres. The other is circular and about 800 feet around. The relics are of an early type. They are one and one half miles farther up the valley than the next. — Cheney, p. 44 33 An angular work is on a precipitous hill 125 feet high. It is in the form of a parallelogram, 290 by 627 feet. In the center of the south wall is a wide gatew^ay, " with elevated mounds upon each side to guard the entrance. , . Along the buttress, extending upon the northern side of the hill, were vast masses of stones," ap- parently for defense. Great quantities of relics have been found. — Cheney, p. 43, pi. 7. Dr Larkin places this a quarter of a mile from Ellington village, but Mr Reynolds assigns it to the Boyd farm, two miles above Ellington. There are stone relics. — U . S. bur. of eth. p. 508. Mr Cheney's plan appears in fig. 19, on a scale of 250 feet to the inch. 34 Two circular works 52 fods apart, are one and one half miles above Ellington. Each is about 650 feet around, and the ditch seemed inside. — Cheney, p. 43. Two circular works were on the north side of Clear creek two miles above Ellington, on F. Law- rence's farm. One was 190 feet in diameter. Opposite these, on the south side of the creek, was the large parallelogram work last described, two miles above -Ellington. Mr Reynolds gave a plan of one of these circular works, which is essentially reproduced in fig. 90. Another fort was almost beside it. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 508, fig. 334 35 The " Old fort " is an elliptic work in Ellington on the north bank of Clear creek, on a hill, the top of which it surrounds. The area is 175 by 320 feet and the two gateways, each 6 feet wide, are on the north and southeast sides. — Cheney, p. 43, pi. 6, fig. 2. Mr Cheney's plan appears in fig. 5, on a scale of 250 feet to the inch. It is on Sect's farm, just north of the village of Ellington. Mr Reynolds saw but one gateway and gives a plan. It contains 3 acres. Remcasurcment makes it 170 by 270 feet. A handcuff and part of an iron kettle have been found. He also reported a circular work of two acres in the village. This was south of the last, and on ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 49 S. G. Baldwin's bottom lands east of Clear creek. — U, S. bur. of cfh. p. 507 36 An elliptic work in Ellington, on Clear creek, is 168 by 218 feet. There is no trench and the wall is wide. A stone mound, 4 feet wide and 5 feet high, is 70 rods away and toward the creek. — Cheney, p. 42, pi. 6, fig. i. This plan appears in fig. 13 on a scale of 250 feet to one inch. It is on Charles Gapleson's land, south side of Clear creek and 2 miles east of Ellington. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 508 37 Two bone mounds were in Ellicott. One was near Dexter- ville and the other on Tiffany's farm. Near the latter were fortifica- tions. — Young 38 There w^re two mounds on Albert Tiffany's farm on the line of the Holland purchase, one and one half miles east of Jamestown on the Ellington road. A gorget was found in one. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 505 39 There was a semicircular bank near Falconer's, on the James- town and Ellington road. It was near a stream and was 540 feet long. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 505 40 An artificial mound containing large French knives and other relics, 'was opened near Jamestown a few years since. 41 Skeletons were found under a large stump in Frewsburg. 42 Large numbers of human bones have been found near Fen- tonville. — Larkin, p. 60 43 While digging a cellar on the lake front at Chautauqua, Sep. 27, 1898, the W'Orkmen exhumed 12 skulls and other bones. 44 ]\Iarcus Sackett reports a half circular fort near Hanover Center, through which the highw^ay passes. Obliterated. A few arrowheads are still found. Chemung county. This county seems to have been occupied about the time of the discovery by a nation of the Iroquois family at war with the Five Nations. They are thought to have been the people whose aid Champlain expected in his attack on the Iroquois fort in 161 5. Gen. J. S. Clark has no doubt that they were those mentioned in the description of Champlain's map as " Carantouanis a nation to the south of the Antouhonorons in a very beautiful and rich country wdiere they are strongly lodged, and are friends with 50 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM all the other nations except the Antouhonorons, from whom they are only three days distant." He thinks Spanish hill was their stronghold. The Antouhonorons were the Upper Iroquois or per- haps more strictly the Senecas. The Dutch had some early knowl- edge of these dwellers on the Susquehanna. On the maps of 1614 and 1616 they appear as the Gachoos or Gachoi, south of the Senecas, the common Dutch term for all the Upper Iroquois. The Iroquois and their dependents had villages there before the revolu- tion. 1 Runonvea was a village at Big Flats burned in 1779. 2 Site on the Weston farm about 3 miles north of Horseheads and on the ridges both sides of Catharine creek. Pottery and arrowheads. A trail followed the ridge. 3 Site west of trail and east of the Northern Central railroad a quarter of a mile north of Horseheads. Early reUcs. 4 Large 'site on Arnot estate a mile southeast of Horseheads. Pestles, celts and arrowheads. Trait and arrowheads on east bank. A number of these sites were furnished by Ward E. Bryan of Elmira. 5 On Latta brook road near the end of the ridge and two miles south of Horseheads was a site with fine relics and numerous pestles. 6 A mile southeast of Big Flats and northwest of the mouth of Sing Sing creek is a site with pottery, pestles and articles of stone. 7 Near the last and much like it. The trail ended here and graves have been found. 8 Site of one acre where a bridge from Big Flats crosses the river. Flint flakes, pottery and small arrowheads. 9 Fort Hill, Fort Henderson and Mount Zoar are names for an eminence southwest of Elmira and south of the river. A work there has been described and figured by several. Thomas Maxweirs plan and account are in Schoolcraft's North American Indians. He describes it as three miles west of Elmira and south of Chemung river with a bank 270 feet long, 3 to 4 feet high and 6 to 9 wide on top. There was a row of holes two feet apart east of the bank, with a vacancy of 12 feet in the center for a gateway. A larger post was on each side of this, which is a frequent thing. Prof. Horsford re- ported it for Mr Squier and his plan is given in fig. 23. There was ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK a bank about 200 feet long, 14 feet broad at the base and 34 feet high. A double Hne of holes about a foot deep extended along the top. There were several parallel furrows inside the bank partially crossing the area. It is on a ridge washed on one side by the Chemung.—Squicr, p. 53-54 10 Kanawlohalla, burned in 1779, was in Elmira at the junction of Newtown creek with the Chemung. Two other villages have been mentioned in Elmira, one near the Rathbun house and one near Wisner park. — Tozvncr, p. 24 1 1 A small village called Middletown between Newtown and Ka- nawlohalla was burned in 1779. — Sullivan, p. 128 12 On the Nichols farm opposite the Sullivan monument is a considerable site with many relics, but there are fewer aboriginal traces south of Elmira than north. 13 Chemung a town burned in 1779 having 50 or 60 houses. On the left or north bank of the Chemung west of the Narrows and three miles from the present Chemung village. — Sullivan, p. 127. Old Chemung on the same bank half a mile above the present vil- lage was also burned. — Sullivan, p. 125 14 A small and new village on both sides of Baldwin's creek and north eAst of the battle field was burned in 1779. Another village was near this. — Sullivan, p. 127 15 Newtown on the left bank of the Chemung was five miles below Elmira and a mile above the battle field of Aug. 29, 1779. — Sullivan, p. 127. The battle was near Lowman's. 16 A small village near the river on one of its tributaries and two miles above the battle field. — Sullivan, p. 127 17 The remaining Chemung sites were reported by Percy L. Lang. A village southwest of Lowman and another one and one half miles east on the river. 18 Camps on both sides of the river at Chemung. 19 Camps and a village north of the river, near Wynkoop creek. Chenango county, i. A horseshoe-shaped gravel bank, four miles north of Sherburne and a mile west of Handsome brook with a curious extension seems a natural formation, but arrowheads occur in the vicinity. — Hatch, p. 74 52 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 2 West of the river and opposite Sherburne were four or five open caches, close together and four to six feet deep and wide. In a field north were stone chisels, pestles, axes and arrowheads. — Hatch, p. 74. This was one and one half miles northwest of the village. 3 Human bones were also found in digging the canal on the west side of the river. — Hatch, p. 75 4 In the present burial ground on the south boundary of Nor- wich were human bones in great abundance, the skeletons buried nearly upright, on the farm of C. M. Rouse. Near the residence of the late Abel Chandler in Norwich was a mound much like western ones. — Randall, p. 13 5 The Indian fields a mile below the creek bridge at Norwich was a favorite Indian residence, and also the plain now occupied by Norwich. Large flint arrowheads have been found near that village and stone axes on the Unadilla. — Child. Directory, 1869-70. Mr Squier quotes from Clinton : " There is also a place at Norwich on a high bank of the river called the Castle^ where the Indians lived at the period of our settlement of the country, and where some vestiges of a fortification appear, but in all probability of much more modern date than those at Oxford." — Squier, p. 47. Randall says there was a recent work on the east side of the river a mile south of Norwich called the Castle, much frequented by the Indians when the whites came. There were traces of Indian villages near this. — Hist. mag. 1873, p. 13. On the west of the river, he adds, opposite this, was a space of a mile from north to south much fre- quented and called the Indian fields. 6 Skeletons were found in digging the Chenango canal four miles north of Oxford, near the old Gates tavern or Halfway house. — Hist. mag. 1873, p. 13. West side of the river. Along the river are found earthenware, drills, arrowheads and flakes. 7 A semicircular bank and trench in the village of Oxford oc- cupied an eminence three or four acres in extent. The river is on the west side of this eminence, which rises abruptly from the flats, and the descent to the water is precipitous. The bank was the base of the half circle and there were narrow openings at the ends for gateways. The area was three fourths of an acre. Mr Clinton says ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 53 it was densely wooded when first known to the whites. " The In- dians have a tradition that the family of the Antones, which is sup- posed to belong to the Tuscarora nation, is the seventh generation from the inhabitants of this fort, but of its origin they know noth- ing. . . No implements or utensils have been found, only some fragments of coarse pottery roughly ornamented." — Squier, p. 46. S. S. Randall says fliere were many Indian relics at this point and in the fort^ as stone axes, chisels and flint arrowheads. The absence of such things is a curious feature of some earthworks. 8 On the east side of the Chenango four miles south of Oxford on Padget's brook, were 25 distinct old embankments adjacent to each other. There were also traces of graves near by, lined above and below with cobble stones. The upper stratum of these had fallen in. — Hist. mag. 1873, P- ^3 9 In the township of Greene about two miles below the bridge and 30 rods from the river, was a circular burial mound which was originally 6 feet high and 40 in diameter. It was opened in 1829 and abundant human bones were found, and much deeper beneath them were others which had been burned. It was not an orderly burial, and the bones crumbled on being exposed. In one part were aliout 200 yellow and black jasper arrowheads, and 60 more in another place. " Also a silver band or ring about two inches in diameter, wide but thin and with what appeared to be the remains of a reed pipe within it. A number of stone gouges or chisels of different shapes, and a piece of mica cut in the form of a heart, the border much decayed and the laminae separated, were also dis- covered." — Wilkinson. This account is quoted by many. INIuch of the material discovered was a secondary burial. It is near the mouth of Geneganstlet creek. 10 An Oneida village has been described at Chenango Forks. The cemetery was on the east side of Tioughnioga river, on the site of the present village. It is reported that crouching bodies, covered with stones, were found. Modern relics. 11 "In the town of New Berlin adjacent to the Indian fields of Otsego county, gun barrels, stone tomahawks and human skeletons 54 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM >- have been plowed up." This was on the farm of Mr Scribner. — Child. Directory, 1869-70 12 Conihttnto was four miles below Unadilla on the west side of the Susquehanna, and was also called Gunnygunter. It was de- stroyed in 1778. — Sullivan, p. 23. But for the situation this might be supposed a corruption of Oneonta. There was also a Mohawk village farther down but north of Oquaga^ called Wauteghe and sug- gesting the later Otego. 13 A few hut rings one and one half miles north of Greene were on the river bank. Relics all the way to Greene. 14 Mr Hildburgh reports a camp site about three quarters of a mile north of. Greene and on a hill near the east side of the river. 15 Fishing camps along the river between Greene and Chenango Forks. 16 F. H. Williams, of Greene, writes, " There were many camp sites here, about 20 within five miles of Greene. In fact at any place along the Chenango river where a spring is or was found, you can be fairly sure of a camp site." He describes a very large one on Indian brook, two and a half miles south of Greene on the west side of the river. The site is a mile from the Chenango, and there are about 70 hut rings arranged in three groups. Those farthest down the brook are in two Hues, eight to 10 feet apart in the rows. The next group is similar and about 30 rods away. These might be long houses quite as well. The third is in the form of a crescent, and there are also a few scattered fire places. The relics are early. 17 There is a large camp at Stillwater flats, about five miles south of Greene on the east bank of the river. Clinton county. Though the place where the French and Iro- quois first met in battle, little was known of the aboriginal occupa- tion of the west side of Lake Champlain until 1878. Dr D. S. Kel- logg of Plattsburg then commenced investigations, and within four or five years located " 21 other dwelling sites in the Champlain valley from He Aux Noix in the River Richelieu, to Ticonderoga on Lake Champlain." He had just described a Plattsburg site, and the quo- ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 55 tations to be made are from a paper in Proceedings of A. A. A. S. 1887, p. 308. He knew of others on the east side of the lake and thought there were others as yet unknown. There are no earthworks or mounds and few graves had been found. The stone rehcs were of the usual kinds and at that date over 20,000 had been collected. " Grooved axes and nicely grooved hammers, pestles and ornaments are rare. The material of which the chipped implements were made is found throughout the whole region. The so-called flint is abundant in the limestone of the locality. On Butler's island in Lake Champlain detached pieces of the dark and striated flint, a foot or more in diameter, are so driven against each other by the action of the waves that their surfaces resemble the roughened surfaces of ordinary flint hammers. Of copper spearheads, hatchets and gouges, about two dozen have been found. These have been entirely surface or field finds. Not a copper relic has yet been obtained from a dw^elling site. Bone awls, punches and harpoons are found only in connec- tion with broken animal bones and other remains in some of the fire- places. Pottery, entirely in fragments, is abundant. In fact I should hardly claim a place to be a village site unless a considerable amount hi pottery were found in it. Pipes, both of pottery and of stone, plain, ornamented, and sometimes representing the head of a bird or of some other animal, are not very rare." Some of the aborigines however did not use pottery, but vessels of bark. The occurrence of naturally worked flints may be com- pared with the Jesuit account of the collecting of these near Crown Point in 1668. The occupation of Lake Champlain before the Huron war is attested by the French explorer. He saw four beauti- ful islands, 10, 12 and 13 leagues in length formerly inhabited, as well as the Iroquois river, by Indians, but " abandoned since they had been at war the one with the other." Looking at the Green Mountains, he " asked the Indians if those parts were inhabited. They answered me, Yes, and that they were Iroquois, and that there were in those parts beautiful valleys and fields fertile in corn." On the Dutch map of 1616 the east side of the lake is termed Irocoisia. 56 JSTEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Dr Kellogg gave an account of a Plattsburg site as a sample of others. The following list he sent without notes. They are mostly on the lake. 1 West side of the county on the south line of EUenburg at Mer- rill's north end of Upper Chateaugay lake, east side of the outlet. 2 On the east shore of Lake Champlain north of Rouse Point. 3 At Coopersville in the same town and east of Chazy river. 4 Two sites on the lake shore at the commencement and end of Pointe au Fer. 5 In the same town and on the lake shore, four sites from King's bay to the south line of the town. 6 Near the north line of Chazy on the lake shore and north of Little Chazy river. 7 In Beekmantown and near the north line. Two sites on the south shore of Monty's bay. 8 In the same town, on the north shore of Tredwell's bay. 9 A site north of East Beekmantown. 10 In town of Plattsburg near the north line. A site west of Woodruff pond and two between it and the lake. 11 Four sites at the head of Cumberland bay in the same town. 12 A site about half-way along the outside shore of Cumberland head. 13 One in the city of Plattsburg on the shore north of the Saranac river. 14 One in the same town a mile east of Morrisonville and on the northeast side of Saranac river. 15 At Fredenburg falls south of the river. 16 On the lake shore in the same town is a site south of a small creek and north of Bluff point. There are also two sites between Bluff point and a stream on the south. 17 A site is on the lake shore on a small creek at the south line of the town of Plattsburg. 18 A site on the west shore of Valcour island south of a projecting point. 19 A site in the town of Saranac near the east line. It is south of the Saranac river, and one and one half miles southwest of Elsinore. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 57 20 In Schuyler Falls, one and one half miles southwest of Mor- risonville. 21 Near the south line of Schuyler Falls and on the Salmon river a mile east of the village of Schuyler Falls. 22 On the lake shore at Port Jackson in Peru. 23 In the same town near the mouth of Little Ausable river. 24 Three between this and Bagg's on the Ausable. 25 In Peru on the end of Ausable point. 26 In Ausable near the north line on the Little Ausable, half a mile north of Harkness. 27 In the same town southeast of Ausable station, a mile north of the river and two east of the railroad. Another south of Arnold hill. 28 There is a workshop of half an acre a mile north of the Little Ausable, and about four miles from both Ausable Forks and Clinton- ville. Flint chips are abundant, with a few arrowheads. There is a site on the west shore of North Hero island at the south end and opposite Long point. Another is toward the south end of South Hero on the west shore and northeast of Providence island. Some remarkable relics have been found on the northeast shore of the lal^. Columbia county. This was in the jNIahikan territory and the title was early extinguished. There were some small villages of river Indians, but little has been reported. 1 A spring on the side of jMount Tom in Copake was called Tagh- kanick, and was a favorite Indian resort. 2 A place called by the natives Wawanaquassick, where the heaps of stone lie, being near the head of a certain kill or creek called Nanapenahakan, which comes out of a marsh lying near the said hills of the said heaps of stones, upon which the Indians throw one upon another as they pass by, from an ancient custom among theni." — Doc. hist. N. Y. 3 1693 . This was on the north line of Liv- ingston Manor and on the north line of Taghkanick also. Such heaps have been found elsewhere in New England and in New York. 3 In the state museum are arrowheads from Stuyvesant. 4 S. L. Frey reported a village site at Catskill station. 58 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Few sites have been reported in this county, but from the many Indian names and favorable places there should be more. Cortland county. Cortland county was little more than a thoroughfare for the aborigines, nor was it much used in this way until after 1700, when the Iroquois had frequent business with Penn- sylvania. An account of some curious caches in Homer has an ex- travagant sounds but others have been found between Cortland and the Tioughnioga river. FHnt arrowheads have been found im- bedded in trees on the west bank of this stream. Mr Goodwin opened a mound in 1855, which contained charcoal, fragments of mouldering bones and singularly wrought impressions on the sur- face of dark, slatish colored stones." — Goodzvin, p. 141. The locality was not given. 1 A small site on the west bank of the river north of Blodgett Mills, with arrowheads and other articles. 2 Dr Hunt built a house in 1794 a mile south of Marathon on the east side of the river. It was on a knoll where there were many circular depressions near together. About 1850 these graves were opened, and earthen vessels and human bones were found. — Good- win, p. 226 3 A camp in Lapeer south of Mr Genung's house on a bluflf near and overlooking Big brook. — Goodzvin, p. 259 Delaware county, i There was an Indian fort at Sidney Plains^ of three acres inclosed by mounds and surrounded by a ditch. It was on the Susquehanna in the northwest corner of Sidney. ''From early times the place has been called the fort grounds." — French, p. 264. This may be the fort of which David Cusick spoke as the second home of the giant, the first being at Oxford. 2 There was an Indian village at the mouth of Cole's brook, on the north side of the Delaware in Colchester. Some apple-trees re- mained. — French, p. 260 3 " Near the mouth of Mill brook and on the banks of the Dela- ware are certain remains which bear a strong resemblance to works of art. Many suppose them to have been ancient fortifications or works of defense. In the vicinity was once found what was sup- posed to have been a stone battle axe, and arrowheads existed in ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 59 great abundance in that immediate locality. . . They are two in number, each of a circular form, and they were surrounded by a high embankment protected by a deep ditch. The one on the cast side of the river has been passed over many times with the plow, but much of its original form and symmetry are still visible. The other, on the opposite side, farther down the stream, is still sur- rounded by a deep ditch, filled with growing trees and underwood, but has less regularity and will not so soon attract the attention of the antiquarian." — Gould, p. 50, 51. Mr Gould's plan appears in fig. 24. This may be the one to which Schoolcraft alluded in his report (p. 208) On branch of the Delaware a fort one thousand years old by trees." 4 T. L. Bishop reports this and the following. Relics occur near a large boulder at Ouleout postoffice, a traditional meeting place for Indians. 5 Several banner stones were found at the \'lie on the mountain three miles south of Oneonta. 6 An old Indian orchard is on the north side of Charlotte river, west of West Davenport, and an old trail. 7 Village of Adiquatangie at West Davenport. There were trails in this county and some Delawares lived near the head of the east branch of the Susquehanna. — Doc. Jiist. X. Y. 7 .'50. The Susquehanna valley is said to be rich in relics between Otego and Afton. Dutchess county. This county lies south of the ^lahikan terri- tory, though at one time some of this tribe were on Wappinger creek. The Wiccopees were above the Highlands on the east side of the river, and the A\'appingers lived on ]^Iatteawan creek and east- ward to the Taghkanick mountains. The Sepascots were at Rhine- beck, but of the exact location of their villages we have no definite notes. A few Esopus Indians were also on the east shore of the Hudson in 1663, opposite ]\Iagdalen island. I A recent village two miles south of Bethel or Pine Plains, was the Moravian mission of 1740. — Smith. Dutchess, p. 302. French places this in the town of Northeast, " at an Indian mission house at the north end of Indian lake. The remains of this old mission house are still visible on the farm of Douglas Clark." — French, p. 273 6o NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 2 Cemetery on lands of Myron P. Benton and also near Amasa D. Coleman's in Amenia. — Smith. Dutchess, p. 113 3 Council grove at the Nook, by the river in South Amenia, and some cabins at the outlet of Smith's pond. — Smith. Dutchess, p. 113 4 Some recent graves on Apple Sauce hill in Dover were probably Pequots. — Smith. Dutchess, p. 155 5 In October 1882 six skeletons were exhumed at Fox's point, Poughkeepsie. All the relics near these were early. Some were found east of the railroad. — Smithsonian report, 1883 6 A village with recent relics at Noxon meadow in Beekman. — Smith. Dutchess J p. 135 7 A cache of flint was found at Green Haven, in the west part of Beekman. — Smithsonian report, 1877, p. 307-8 8 In the same original town, but in the part now called La Grange, " On the Sprout creek, which rises in this town a great quantity of bones have been accidentally discovered, lying promis- cuously as if a vast pile of human bodies had here been made and left to rot." — Barter, p. 133 9 There were several cemeteries and orchards in Fishkill. — Smith. Dutchess, p. 175. A recent village was at Fishkill Hook. 10 J. W. Nelson of Cold Spring located many sites from Denning's point, Dutchess county to Croton point, Westchester co. He did most at Denning's point, at the mouth of Matteawan creek. There he found early fireplaces and graves, of which he sent in- teresting notes to the writer. A large grooved stone was obtained there and also a broken one. 11 This and the next are reported by S. L. Frey. Village site at Tivoli. 12 Village at Staatsburg. 13 Village at Milton Ferry. Erie county. Three Neutral towns were east of the Niagara river in 1626 but may have been in Niagara county. Two of them were Onontisaston and Ouaroronon, one of these being near the Seneca towns. In 1640 the most eastern Neutral village was On- guiaahra, probably west of the Niagara river. After the overthrow ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 6i of this nation the Senecas held their territory though the others had a common right to it. One early map has east of the Niagara river, " Ka Kouagoga, nation detruite." On Creuxius's map of 1660 there are placed west of the Senecas, and between them and the Niagara river, Pagus Ondataius and Pagus Ondiasacus as names of the land, and also P. Ondieronii. These names may more properly belong to Niagara county, though it is yet disputed whether the Neutrals or Eries occupied most of Erie county. A discussion of this would be out of place here. Dr A. L. Benedict of Bufifalo has kindly furnished a number of local sites but without notes. Those in Buffalo are mainly in two groups^ one about Forest Lawn cemetefry, and the other on both branches of Buffalo creek. Most earthworks however are from Air Squier's valuable work, which yet comprises but a part of what once existed here. 1 A site in the town of Tonawanda almost opposite the head of Grand island. 2 One on the river bank at Buffalo opposite Strawberry island. Many open air workshops occur along the river. 3 A large grave was found near the river in Black Rock. The skelet€)ns were in a circle, with their heads radiating from a large copper kettle which had been placed in the center and filled with bones." There were other early and modern articles. — Squier, p. ICQ. One of Dr Benedict's groups lay east of this and embraced eight sites. 4 A small mound, called Dah-do-sot or artificial hill by the Senecas, was toward Buffalo creek, and a mile nearer the center of the city than the old fort on that stream. It was originally 5 feet high, and nearly 40 feet around, with a corresponding depres- sion on one side. — Squier, p. 74, 75 5 An earthwork on Buffalo creek near the city is of about four acres. Red Jacket and Mary Jemison were originally buried there. It was near the old mission house; the council house was a mile away toward Buffalo. It was somewhat semicircular and had one gateway. Lodge sites and broken pottery were found within. It was the reputed scene of the last battle between 62 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM the Kahkwahs and Senecas. — Sqiiier, p. 73-75, pi. 9, no. i. Mr Squier's plan is given in fig. 29, the area being about four acres. 6 Site on Smoke's creek on the north side and west of the rail- road. 7 Site near West Seneca station with some more camps to the northeast. 8 A burial mound on Grand island has been explored and re- ported by H. L. Reynolds. . 9 North of the group in Lancaster, and five or six miles distant on the limestone plateau, was a series of works passing through Clarence and a mile or two apart. The first was two and one half miles south of. Clarence hollow (Clarence postoffice). It was a curved bank across a promontory, with two gates and broken pot- tery. — Squier, p. 78, pi. 10, no. 2. Openings of a few acres each wxre found at the settlement, west and south of Clarence hollow and along the Lancaster line. — Johnson, p. 133. Squier's plan is in fig. 32. A circular work in Clarence was a mile north of the last^ and about 300 by 400 feet in diameter. Flint flakes, pottery and caches were within. A cemetery was reported between this and the last, and also an ossuary half a mile northwest, 14 feet square and 4 or 5 feet deep. — Squier , p. 78, pi. 10, no. 3. His plan appears in fig. 28. Mr Reynolds reported this cemetery as large and two miles south of Clarence hollow. 10 A circular work was on the terrace two miles of¥, not far back of Clarence village. — Squier, p. 79. Another a mile beyond contained less than an acre. The bank and ditch were irregular in size and there were caches within. The work is on a sandy^ slightly elevated peninsula, which projects into a low tangled swamp." The outline is elliptic and a cemetery was near. On the plate it is said to be one and one half miles southwest of Clarence hollow, but the text seems to place it north. — Squier, p. 79, pi. 11, no. I. His plan is given in fig. 33. A mile eastward was an ossuary with 400 skeletons, and in the same field were recent and early relics. A rude sepulture was in the rocks. — Squier, p. 79 1 1 A few miles from Clarence the Batavia and Buffalo highway passed through the last of the Clarence works. It was on the ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 63 Vandewater farm. Clarence works are now obliterated. " Some bone-pits, in addition to those already mentioned, occur in Clarence township." — Squier, p. 80, 81 12 Five miles east of the last mentioned fort was one at Fisher's falls in Newstead, on the south side of Murderer's creek. It was somewhat oval and had caches. Squier thought it a work men- tioned by Kirkland in 1787. — Squier, p. 80, pi 11, no. 2. Fig. 30 represents this fort. 13 A small work on lot 2, Lancaster, was supposed to be the nearest to no. 4. It was four miles southeast of Lancaster village and near Little Buffalo creek. Almost circular, with four gates and several large caches. Area less than an acre. — Squier, p. 75, pi. 9, no. 2. All Lancaster sites are obliterated. Fig. 35 is from Squier's plan, on a scale of 200 feet to i inch. Another was half a mile southeast of this, on or near lot 6 Lancaster. The outline has been called a curving triangle with five gates. The area was over an acre and there were large caches. — Squier, p. 76, pi. 9, no. 3. His plan is given in fig. 27 on the same scale. On the north side of Little Bufifalo creek was a circular work, with five gateways, inclosing an acre. A mound was across the stream. — Turner, ^ol. 35. Apparently the same. 14 On the south side of this creek, opposite the fort mentioned, and between the creek and a small stream entering it, is a wall across the point. — Turner. Hoi. p. 35 15 In Lancaster, probably on lot 3 of the late reservation, was a curious work on the south bank of Little Buffalo creek. It is on a bluff nearly 200 feet high, and is not large. It was rectangular, but there were wide gaps between the perfect sections of banks. — Squier, p. 77, pi. 10, no. i. The plan is given in fig. 36. 16 Two miles southwest of this, on lot 29 of the same range and on the south side of Big Buffalo creek, was a similar work about 800 feet around, having three gateways, as well as an open space 10 rods wide at the southwest corner. Other works were reported at various places on the south line of the reserva- tion. — Squier, p. 77 17 Hundreds of French axes have been found on Cazenovia creek and on the adjacent hills a mile south of East Aurora. Many 64 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM also in Hamburg, Boston and elsewhere. There were also copper implements and several stoned-up springs. — Johnson. 28, 29 p. L. W. Calver adds items of interest on East Aurora sites from his explorations in 1882. A large recent village was tw^o miles from the village of East Aurora. Venetian beads were so abundant as to give one spot the name of Bead Hill. Brass kettles and medals were found and many graves. 18 Two hills in the north part of Aurora had circular works. Large human bones were near, and iron axes and pottery. — Wright, p. 283. North of East Aurora and close to the north line of the town were abrupt hills and muddy ponds. Tw^o hills had circular works. — Johnson, p. 124. Another account speaks of burial mounds. 19 Turner says there were more relics in Aurora than in any similar space in western New York. There were many in the village both old and recent. — Turner. Hoi. p. 30, 31. Relics and some skeletons are found in digging most cellars in East Aurora. — Comley. Mr Calver found ea^rly relics on Fort Elill, not far from the main street of East Aurora. Clay pipes occurred elsewhere. 20 There were several clearings near Boston Center. A fort in one inclosed two and one half acres^ and an artificial roadway ran thence to Hamburg. Celts were abundant. — Johnson, p. 121. The roadway was probably natural. 21 Eighteen Mile creek. Here are vestiges of the Indians, old forts, town sites, etc. Time and scrutiny are alone necessary to bring out its antiquities." — Schoolcraft. Report, p. 224. The writer found some slight traces at the mouth of the creek and learned of nothing more then. Afterward he saw early flint articles and gorgets from Hamburg and Idlewood. 22 A mound, probably natural, w^as at the mouth of Cattaraugus creek. It was quite large and when it was washed away in 1844 skeletons and recent rehcs were found. Marcus Sackett of Silver Creek described this and neighboring sites. 23 A semicircular work on the north bank of Cattaraugus creek one and one half miles from the lake and about 17 rods long. Area less than an acre. Recent. — Cheney, p. 38, pi. i, fig. i. His plan ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 65 is given in fig. 31. Mr Sackett found many iron axes there but no bank. 24 A point with a bank 15 rods long near H. Silverheel's house east of Cattaraugus creek with bone pits and European relics. Fig. 85 is a sketch of this by Mr Sackett. 25 Mr Sackett reported a mound a mile farther south, and Mr Cheney gives others or perhaps the same. His plan is in fig. 25. — Cheney, p. 38, pi. i, no. 2 26 Forest Lawn group in Buffalo, east of Black Rock, embracing eight small sites. 27 At some distance north of the mouth of Cattaraugus creek, where a road approaches the shore, was an early village. Another was near the creek, northeast of Irving. Visited by the writer with Dr R. M. Evarts in 1899. 28 Near schoolhouse no. i was a village between the creek and road. Southeast of this was another near the creek, possibly fortified. 29 Due east of the last was an earthw^ork on the edge of the bluff and half a mile from the creek. 30 Another fort w-as half a mile farther east, and half a mile beyoncf is a remaining mound about five feet high. It is in a level field. Dr R. M. Evarts, of Silver Creek, was the writer's guide through this interesting group. Mr Cheney reported a mound and excavation in this vicinity, p. 39, pi. i, no. 3. Fig. 26 is taken from this. 31 L. W. Calver found a large workshop in the village of Will- iamsville, with local and foreign materials. Some supplementary remarks may be made on Erie county, founded on the local collections of the Buf¥alo society of natural sciences. A string of rice shells, tinged with copper, came from a grave on Barnard street. Village sites east and southeast of Buffalo had early flint articles. Similar sites were north of the city, and others in the Parkside district and on Seneca street and on the Abbott road, A site on the Indian Church road was of a mixed character. The articles were mostly of the Iroquois type but there were early scrapers in the refuse. At this place and one other, perforated Melantho shells were found. 66 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM At several places on Smoke's and Cazenovia creeks were early- sites and fine serrated scrapers occurred on some of them. They have heretofore been found only at Canajoharie. Among the early articles near Buffalo are bird amulets and gorgets, with many articles of bone and some pottery. No native copper has been collected and no stone tubes. With one prominent exception the Iroquoian sites are at a considerable distance from the lake and river. The flint used was mostly of a light color and many very small and slender triangular arrowheads are found. This is a marked feature of the vicinity. Essex county. There are no important sites in this county, but many traces of early and late passage. On early maps the New York wilderness is called the hunting grounds of the Five Nations, and it was their tradition that it had never been otherwise used. The locations given will be of a general nature, though Dr Kellogg has examined some small sites along the west shore of Lake Cham- plain. Split Rock was the north'ern boundary mark of the Mo- hawks. Crown Point has been considered the scene of Cham- plain's battle with them. They collected flints for use nearly two miles north of Ticonderoga. 1 "The vestiges of Indian occupation in North Elba and the territory around the interior lakes leave no doubt that at some former time they congregated there in great numbers." — Watson, p. 216. A supposed recent village has been reported at North Elba. — Smith. Essex, p. 467 2 Arrowheads, etc. were abundant at Elizabethtown. — Smith. Essex, p. 467 . 3 Large arrowheads, pestles, mortars, chisels, gouges, knives, axes and pottery, occur in the north part of Ticonderoga, " along the creek, the flats of Trout brook, and especially near the rapids at the head of the outlet." Recent articles were also abundant. — Smith. Essex, p. 381 Franklin county. Burial mounds occur on islands in the St Lawrence, and camps along its banks, but settled towns were usually inland. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 67 1 St Regis is on the boundary line on the St Lawrence; the inhabitants are mostly of Mohawk. Onondaga and Cayuga lineage. The band has been rccentl}- taken in by the Six Nations of New York to supply the place of the Mohawks. A burial mound on St Regis island was opened in 181 8. The upper deposits of bones were well preserved. The lower ones were charred. — Squicr, p. 15; Hough, p. 25 2 Near this on the east bank of St Regis river another \vas after- ward opened. — Hough, p. 25 Fulton county, i It is said that there were two Indian villages in Garoga before the revolution, one near Garo,ga and the other near Stink lake. Flint arrowheads, etc. were found. — Frothinghaiii, P- 567 2 A site of four acres on Indian hill in Ephrata is on an oblong and steep sandy hill east of Garoga creek. Originally the palisade holes could be seen, but not when the writer explored it after it had been long cleared. Mr S. L. Frey says that the pits from which the clay for pottery was taken, are abundant along the foot of the hill near the small stream on the cast side. It is the oldest Mohawk site having pottery with human figures upon it, and one iong brass bead has been found. It was w^ell described by Mr Frey in the Auwrican naturalist in 1885, and was probably occupied about 1600. 3 An early stockade of about the same date on the east bank of Cayadutta creek a mile north of Sammonsville, was found in 1892. A trench across a ridge about 349 feet long, inclosed a triangle between two ravines. This was 369 feet long. Relics as in the last, even to the long brass bead. Fig. 34 is from R. A. Grider's measurement and plan. One by Robert M. Hartley, in Popuhir science ncz^'s, June 1896, is somewhat different. Area two and three fourths acres. Unio shells abundant. 4 There are many arrowheads on Summer house point, and on Sacondaga Vly town of Broadalbin. — FrotJiingJmni, p. 491 Genesee county. The state museum has articles from this county early and recent. Mr Squicr said there had been many interesting sites, but they were then hard to trace and some could not be defined. 68 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 1 " In the town of Alabama in the extreme northwest of the county, were once three of these works all of small size. . . This town adjoins the town of Shelby, Orleans co. on the south, and touches Newstead, Erie co. on the west. It will ultimately be seen that its ancient works constitute part of a chain extending from the lake ridge on the north, to Buffalo creek on the south- west, a distance of 50 miles. Not less than 20 ancient works are known to occur in this range." — Squier, p. 64 2 Tonawanda is a modern Seneca village on that reservation and along the Tonawanda creek. It seems to have been near here that Air Kirkland came to another fort on his way toward Buffalo, but farther east. " On the south side of the Tanawande creek at a small distance, are to be seen the vestiges of another ancient fortified town." — Yates, p. 18 3 " The old fort in Oakfield, has a ditch and bank inclosing 10 acres." — French, p. 327. It is half a mile west of Caryville, and was the best preserved of these works which Squier saw. There are five gateways, and a graded way to the water. The general outline is oval and the lodge sites were plainly seen. Broken pottery was found, as in all such works. There had been traces of palisades by . one of the gates. It was 800 feet long by 600 wide. — Squier, p. 65, pi. 8, no. 2. His plan is in fig. 38. 4 A mile northeast of this was a large work called the Bone fort, because a mound was inside " 6 feet in height by 30 at the base, which was entirely made up of human bones sliglitly covered with earth." Squier thought this certainly one of the works described by Rev. Samuel Kirkland in 1788. Six miles west of Batavia " he rode to the open fields and arrived at a place called by the Senecas Tegatainedaghquc, which imports a doubly fortified town or a town with a fort at each end. Here he walked about half a mile with one of the Seneca chiefs to view the vestiges of this doubly fortified town. They consisted of the remains of two forts, the first con- tained four acres of ground, the other, distant about two miles at the other extremity of the ancient town inclosed about eight acres. The ditch around tlie first was about five or six feet deep. A small stream of water and a high bank circumscribed nearly one third ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 69 of the inclosed ground. There were traces of six gates or open- ings, and near the center a way was dug to the water. . . At some places at the bottom of the ditch Mr Kirkland ran his cane a foot or more in the soil, from which circumstance he concludes that the ditch was originally much deeper. Near the western (?) fortification which was situated on high ground, he found the re- mains of a funeral pile, where the slain were buried after a great battle, which will be spoken of hereafter. The mound was about six feet in height by 30 feet diameter at the base. The bones ap- peared at the surface, projecting in many places at the sides." — Squier, p. 66, 67 Mr Squier's quotation from Yates and Aloulton's account of Mr Kirkland's journal is not exact, but the only material difference is a change from " northern fortification " in the original, to west- ern." — Yates, p. 16, 17. It will be noticed also that Kirkland speaks of the bone mound as being near the fort, as is probable, instead of inside. 5 Fort hill in Le Roy is three miles north of Le Roy village. Squier gave a plan by L. H. Morgan essentially reproduced in fig. 37. It is on a table-land bordered on three sides by the deep ravines of Fordham's brook and Allen's creek. The steep banks are nearly 100 feet high. The peninsula is 1300 feet from north to south and quite wide. A bank and ditch at the broadest part were 1500 feet long and nearly straight, the western end curving down the ravine. Skeletons, pottery, beads, pipes, stone axes and arrowheads were found. Baked clay beads are mentioned. — Squier, p. 69, 70, fig. 7. C. Dewey sent a similar plan to Schoolcraft, given in the latter's re- port but having some arbitrary features and variations. He made the north trench 60 rods and the east line 30 rods. At the north- west corner was a cemetery. — SeJwoIeraft. Report, p. 246-49. It has been described by others, but while there are plain signs of par- tial occupation the supposed work is now^ conceded to be natural. The clay beads " are long and coarse." 70 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 6 On what is called the Knowlton farm about one mile south of the town of Batavia is a small natural elevation which was used as a burial place by the Indians. It has been mistaken for a mound. Various relics have been discovered in plowing over it." — Sqiiicr, p. 71. "There are still traces of a mound on Knowlton's farm a mile from Batavia up the Tonawanda. Bones and glass beads have been plowed out of it." — Schoolcraft. Report, p. 215. It was about 50 rods from the creek, and eight feet above the general level. — Schoolcraft. Report, p. 282. This seems the one mentioned by Macauley as north (?) of Batavia, and originally ICXD feet around and 10 or 12 feet high. — Macauley, 2:113 7 One similar, two miles south of the last, and on high ground. It was of circular form and with a radius of about one rod." Both were discovered about 1810 and nothing was found in them but human bones. — Schoolcraft. Report, p. 282 8 " Two miles beyond the second was discovered a burial ground. At that place were plowed up shell, bone or quill beads. . . Beads of shell, bone or porcupine quills have often been found." — Schoolcraft. Report, p. 282. It is the tradition of the Onondagas that their first wampum was of bird (|uills, but this is the only statement the writer has seen of finding quill beads. If correct they could hardly have been old. On his way to Buffalo Mr Kirkland left the bights and came to a barren plain with " one very remarkable spot of nearly 200 acres, and passed a steep hill on our right in some places nearly 50 feet perpendicular, at the bottom of which is a small lake afford- ing another instance of pagan superstition. The old Indians affirm that formerly a demon in the form of a dragon resided in this lake, and had frec|ucntly been seen to disgorge balls of liquid fire, and that to appease his wrath many a sacrifice of tobacco had been made at the lake by the fathers. . . At the extremity of this barren plain we came again to the Tanawande river and forded it about two miles above the Indian town called by that name." — Yates, p. 18, 19 9 W. L. Hildburgh reports a small village site about a mile north of Lc Roy. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 7 1 10 A cemetery in a gravel bank six miles south and east of Bergen, has skeletons in a sitting posture, with and without early relics. There are fireplaces near. Reported by C. F. Moseley. Greene county, i There are sites near Leeds about four miles northwest of Catskill, on Catskill creek and on the plain. For notes on some sites thanks are due George H. Chadwick of Roches- ter. Others were furnished to Beer's History of Greene county, by Henry Brace. 2 The southwest corner of Jefferson flats, called Castle "hights, overlooks an old cemetery. On the plain below was a rude stock- ade. On the flat between the Catskill and Kaaterskill was another village, and on the hill nearly 600 feet north stood a fort. An Algonquin tribe lived on the plains below the junction of the creeks two miles from the river. There was a cemetery. — Hist. Greene co. p. 89, 90 3 On the south side of the Catskill about half a mile from the river and south of the town^ was a hamlet at the foot of the Hope- nose with abundant early relics. A work shop was a little south, and a cemetery was on the east side of the hill. — Hist. Greene co. p. 106 4 On t>ie north side of the creek at Femmen Hook was a ceme- tery with early relics. Also a village half a mile west of Catskill. 5 A heap of Unio coinplauatus shells on the river bank three miles below Catskill also contained traces of the aborigines. There were lodge sites for a long distance. 6 There were traces of a camp under a ledge near the old Cats- kill mountain house with pottery, etc. 7 " Old fort " is placed near High peak on a West Shore railroad map of 1893. This is in the town of Hunter, and may be incorrect. On the same map, Indian graves are placed near Sleepy Hollow, two miles northeast of the mountain house, but their existence is doubted. 8 Mr Chadwick locates an aboriginal battle ground on the west side of Rogers island in the Hudson just above Catskill. 9 A site on the plain on the northeast side of the Catskill near South Cairo. 72 ^ NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 10 W. H. Conkling also reported a camp on Hog island in Bingate's creek south of Catskill village. Hamilton county. There were no known villages in this county, only camps on lakes and rivers. Herbert M. Lloyd^ of New York city, furnished the following notes of sites. He said, " I have examined the shores of a number of Adirondack lakes with only negative results, excepting in the cases of Lakes Piseco^ Pleasant, Sacandaga (usually called Round lake) and Indian lake." 1 On the northwest and west shores of Piseco lake along Ironde- quoit bay and near the outlet, are a dozen places where early relics have been found. On a large rock on an island at the outlet, " are three parallel grooves about six inches long and half an inch apart evidently of artificial origin." 2 At the angle and the bay of the outlet below, were two camps yielding relics. i 3 Three similar camps on the south shore of the lake between Benton's and Rude's points. 4 Eight camps at the northeast end. 5 In H. P. Smith's Modern babes in the woods, p. 276, it is said that " traces of an Indian fortress are still apparent on Pine island," in Smith's lake. 6 On an island and on the main land on the east side of Sacan- daga lake there are two camps. 7 There are three camps on the outlet of the same lake. One of these is on the lake shore and the others on Lake Pleasant. 8 Another camp is on the north shore of Lake Pleasant at its inlet. These were reported by Herbert M. Lloyd. A camp on each side of this stream, on the north shore of Lake Pleasant. Another at the northeast angle of the lake, north side of the outlet. As the entire wilderness was but a hunting resort, the Iroquois thought it was not intended to be inhabited. On one early map it appears as " Cough-sa-ra-ge, the dismal wilderness." On another it is " Cough-sa-gra-ge, or the beaver hunting grounds of the Six Nations." Tliis name may come from Koh-sa-ke, zvinter, in allu- sion to the cold climate. On another map it appears as " Tysch- sa-ron-dia, where the Iroquois hunted beaver." An intelligent ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 73 Onondaga interpreted this^ Where they shoot. It may be but a variant of the other name. Herkimer county. Most of this county is Hke Hamilton. Though belonging to the Mohawks it was west of their earlier towns. Macauley says, " Kowogconugharie-gu-harie, at present German Flats and Herkimer, was abandoned some time before Nowadaga (Indian Castle). It contained several villages. The largest was on the south side of the Mohawk nearly opposite the village of Herkimer. Its site is still discernible from the number of holes which they dug to bury their corn during winter. It extended a mile or more, as these excavations would indicate." — Macauley, p. 297. This is very positive, but there certainly seems a mistake of sites, as there were no Mohawk villages so far west, nor could the writer learn of any Iroquois remains there. The name used seems that of Canajoharie. 1 On the north side of South lake, one of the sources of Black river, 20 miles east of Boonville, was a camp yielding relics with a burial place near, 2 Very early relics have been found near Mohawk village. 3 Indian Castle in Danube was so named from the upper Indian castle or fort, built in 1710 on the flat just below the mouth of Nowadaga creek. There was a mission church there in 1768; it was the home of Joseph Brant and King Hendrick. Jefferson county, i A traditional fort on French creek near Clayton, taken by the Oneidas. 2 A small burial mound opened in making the railroad to Cape Vincent. 3 Many graves and camp sites were at the portage at Point Peninsula. 4 Many graves were also on the Hoover farm at the head of Chaumont bay. 5 A fort and cemetery at Depauville. These three were reported by Mr Twining. 6 Circular mounds, with depressed centers about 30 feet across, are frequent on both sides of Perch lake and on Linnell's island. — Hough, p. 10. They are circular raised lodge sites 74 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM with burned stones and camp refuse around the edge. D. S. Marvin reported about 200, sometimes almost touching. There have been no graves found and but Httle pottery. 7 A work of the usual type in Hounsfield on the shore of Black River bay, between Muskallunge creek and Storr's harbor. — Hough, p. II. It was two and one half miles from Sacket Harbor. 8 A work in Hounsfield two miles from Brow^isville. — Hough, P- 13 9 An ossuary near Brownsville on Black river, 12 feet square and 4 deep. — Squier, p. 29. Hough mentioned this and said they were frequent. 10 A natiiral mound in East Hounsfield on Elmer Everett's farm, used for burial. It is two miles from Brownsville. 11 A bone pit in Rutland three miles east of Watertown was on a hillside and covered with large stones. Below these was a pit, 6 feet square by 4 deep filled with human bones. — Squier, p. 29 12 Half a mile west of Black River village and north of the river was a fort nearly square but with rounded angles. There was one gate and the area w^as one and one quarter acres. This was in Le Ray. Skeletons were found and the usual relics. — Squier, p. 25, pi. 3, no. 3. His plan is given in fig. 45. One figured and described by Mr Hough is said to be the same and is on Aaron Poor's land. The diameter is 14 rods. There are fireplaces within and W'ithout and a cemetery. — Regents, 1851, p. loi, fig. i. His plan in fig. 46 differs much from Mr Scjuier's. 13 Hough describes one on Matthew Parkison's land, a mile north of this, south of West creek. There are fireplaces within and without the walls. — Regents, 185 1, p. loi, fig. 2. His plan is given in fig. 52. 14 In the same town of Le Ray and four miles northwest of no. 12, was a lozenge-shaped work, the most regular Mr Squier had seen in New York. There were two gates, and a considerable interval along a steep bank. Skeletons w^cre found, and the usual relics. — Squier, p. 26, pi. 4, no. i. His plan appears in fig. 53. 15 A larger and similar work was three miles west of the last and near Sanfords Corners. There were graves and relics. — ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 75 Squicr, p. 2y, pi. 4, no. 2. This work appears in fig-. 54. It is now a garden. 16 Another work was on the edge of the pine plains a mile east of the road from Sanfords Corners to Black river. 17 Several other obliterated sites were known in Le Ray. One was near Felts ]\Iills. — Squicr, p. 27. There was a cemetery a mile south. 18 J. S. Twining reported a village site on a hill in Carthage. 19 An open village was nearly a mile north of Burr's Mills, with stone hearths. — Squicr, p. 23. This was on the Woodruff farm. Another of eight circular lodg"es was on the GifYord place two miles northwest of Burr's Mills. 20 A village of 15 circular lodg'es on O. Butterfield's place a mile west of East Watertown and on the north side of Rutland hollow. A^illage sites in this vicinity were reported by Henry Woodworth. There was a village on land of Mrs Woodworth and Mr Stewart a mile southwest of East Watertown. Stone and clay pipes and beads. 21. A cemetery and an irregular work are on the terrace two and one half miles southeast of Watertown. — Squicr, p. 22, pi. 2, no. 2. His plan ^appears in fig. 43. Hough reported two w^orks on lot 29 half a mile farther and another quite near. The one on Asa Good- nough's land had three gates. A few rods off was a smaller cir- cular work. — Rcgoits, 1851, p. 104, fig. 7. This is given in fig. 44. 22 A curving bank across a ridge on lot 31 half a mile east of Burr's Mills was a quarter of a mile from the Rutland line. — Hough, p. II. It was on the Lampson farm. — Regents, 1851, p. 104, fig. 6. The plan appears in fig. 50. 23 A village of 15 circular lodges half a mile north of East Water- town. A similar village on the Howland place a mile east of the same village. Also clay pits and fireplaces on the Durham place one and one quarter miles east. Another village on the Fulton place one and one half miles east, and another on the Normander farm a mile east of East Watertown. This had 30 lodges. 24 A slight work on the Allen place south side of Rutland hol- low with many skeletons suggesting recent occupation. — Squicr, p. 76 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 24, pi. 3, no. 2. This is given in fig. 39. This was on the old Tamblin farm. — Hough, p. 13. The site has been referred to several owners. — Regents, 185 1, p. 102, fig. 3. Hough's plan appears in fig- 47. 25 There was a work near Tylerville, (South Rutland postoflfice) in Rutland. — Hough, p. 13 26 A work on a bluff half a mile west of Burr's Mills has bone and stone beads, with the usual relics. There is a bank across the bluflf. — Squier, p. 22, pi. 3, no. i. This is shown in fig. 42. 27 A partly circular work on Dry hill, town of Watertown, is five miles southeast of that city and two miles north of a work near Appling. The area is eight acres. It was of long occupation and relics were abundant. A cemetery lay a little north. — Squier, p. 20, pi. 2, no. I. His plan is given in fig. 49. Really south of Water- town. 28 A work on a high terrace in Adams has seven gates and many caches. It is in the northeast part of the town and there were graves just outside the walls. — Squier, p. 17, pi. i. This plan appears in fig. 40. Near Appling on D. Talcott's farm. — Hough, p. II 29 A large work is one and one half miles southeast of this on a hill, one side of which is steep. A semicircular bank protected the sloping side. 30 At the head of Henderson bay is a curved stone bank just above the water called Indian wharf. A trail ended there. — French, p. 358 31 A work on Heath's farm, lot 25 near the west line of Rodman contained three acres. It was on the north bank of North Sandy creek above the forks. — Hough, p. 12 32 A work two miles north of Adams. — Hough, p. 12 33 A semicircular work was over half a mile northwest of Adams village on W. Benton's land and was 500 feet wide. The open part was toward marshy land and there were two or three gate- ways. — Squier, p. 28, 29. This seems one mentioned by Rev. John Taylor in 1802. 34 Hough reported several ossuaries in Ellisburg, and Mr Squier said that several old works once existed there. He figured one, ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 77 three miles northwest of Pierrepont Manor with an area of one and one half acres. It was mainly an ellipse except where an opening was defended by a stream. There were two gates. — Sqtiier, p. 27, pi. 4, no. 3. This plan is given in fig, 41. There was also a similar but larger work three quarters of a mile east of the last, and two and one half miles northwest of Pierrepont Manor. Caches and skeletons were found. — Squicr, p. 28, pi. 4, no. 4. The plan appears in fig. 51. 35 About a mile south of this group was another work on Mr Mendall's land. — Sqiiicr, p. 28. Pie mentions another at Clark's settlement. 36 There was an open village near Pierrepont Manor with pot- tery and many skeletons having horizontal burial. 37 There was a fort with several gates near Belleville on P. Durfy's farm. This is in Ellisburg, on North Sandy creek. One side is naturally defended.- — Hough, p. 12 38 There is a bone-pit in Ellisburg nearly opposite the old fort on South Sandy creek and near J. W. Ellis's house. — Hough, p. 14 39 On the south bank of Sandy creek three miles from the lake was a fort with one side naturally defended. There are several small sitefe in the town and undescribed open villages. — Hough, p. 13 40 An irregular crescent-shaped work of two acres was in the cemetery at Ellisburg four miles from the mouth of South Sandy creek. 41 There was a stockade on Snowshoe island outside of Sacket Harbor. — Squicr, p. 29 42 A work five miles from Watertown on the road to Evans Mills was nearly circular and had several gates. It was at Sanfords Corners, on a branch of West creek. — Regents, 1851, p. 103 43 A work on lot 2 in the northwest corner of Rodman is near J. Freeman's. There is a double bank inclosing a crescent- shaped area. It is about six miles from Watertown on a stream at the source of Stony crcQk.— Regents, 1851, p. 103, fig. 8. The plan is given in fig. 48. 44 A work described by Rev. John Taylor was in the forks of the Sandy creeks and near the lake. 78 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Some additional sites were furnished by Dr R. W. Amidon of New York and Dr A. A. Getman of Chaumont. 45 An Iroquoian prehistoric village at the mouth of Perch river on the w^est side occupies several acres but is scattered. The ashes were quite deep in spots. Few stone articles were- found, but many of bone and much pottery. Near the w^ater were fishing camps of a difYerent character. 46 A similar village is on the west branch of French creek, about 80 rods south of St Lawrence village. Pottery is abundant and the ashes deep. Few stone articles. 47 On two points west of Chaumont and south of Chaumont river were fishing camps of mixed character. Pottery with conven- tional faces is abundant. One small fragment has a face like those of Onondaga and is an important discovery. 48 Camps occur on Long point on the north side of Point Penin- sula. The pottery is old and crude. 49 There is a large site- at tlie w^est end of Pillar Point, with ashes and pottery. 50 Flint knives and arrowheads are found east of the stream and half way between Chaumont and Depauville. 51 Arrowheads and broken pottery have been abundant on the Indian river in the village of Theresa. In 1898 a fine and perfect clay vessel was found. It had no peculiar features. 52 Fishing camps near the mouth of Perch river. 53 Large village on west branch of French creek, a quarter of a mile south of St Lawrence village. Pottery and bone imple- ments, with few stone articles. Across a small stream are refuse heaps, in which a small double-pointed bone harpoon was found by Dr R. W. Amidon. On the other side Dr A. A. Getman found a barbed bone fish-hook without a knob. Nearly a mile northeast was a camp site on which arrowheads and pottery . were formerly found. This is on the north side of the road. A similar site was less than a mile beyond, but south of the road. 54 Hamlet on the end of Point Salubrious, near Chaumont. Pot- tery and pipes. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 79 55 Gamp on Long point. The pottery is mostly old and crude, but the writer found here some so indented within as to produce a boss without. 56 Fishing camps on south shore and southwest of head of " Long carrying place." Old and crude pottery. 57 Hamlets near Three Mile point. 58 Flint knives and arrowheads between Chaumont and Depau- ville, east of the creek. No county is more perplexing than tliis in locating sites from descriptions, partly from their number and partly from the number of authorities and their varying accounts. It will be seen that Messrs Squier and Hough did not always agree in their plans as has been the case elsewhere with others. That there are omissions is certain, that some errors will be found is probable, as there was time for but slight personal examination. It is an interesting field and mainly prehistoric. While many things are like those of Onondaga, ossuaries show Huron ideas not prevalent among the New York Iroquois, who traditionally came out of the ground here. Mounds are more frequent, and the circular lodge sites of Perch lake are of a type unusual in New York. I'lieir true relations are partly known but will not be con- sidered now. Local collections reveal peculiar articles while others are absent, and we gain some definite historic ideas from those called prehistoric. With slight exceptions the interior sites and all the forts are Iroquoian in character, while most of those near the St Lawrence and Lake Ontario are of earlier nations. Kings county. Few of the antiquities of this county have been reported except in a very general way, nor were they ever conspicu- ous. The Canarsies occupied this county and part of Jamaica. In Notes geographical and historical relating to the tozvn of Brooklyn, p. 27, (a reprint of the edition of 1824) it is said, " Heads of Indian arrows, beds of oyster and clam shells, denoting the former re- sidence of the aborigines, are frequently found in different parts of this town." I A few feet below the surface at the Narrows about 1837, " more than a wagon load of Indian stone arrowheads were found lying 8o NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM together. . . They were of all sizes from one to six inches long", some perfect, others partly finished. There were also a number of blocks of the same kind of stone found in the rough state." — Ftirman, p. 31 2 A barren sand hill in Brooklyn in 1826 was covered with vitrified and decomposed stones. From one and one half to four feet below the surface was a layer of ashes and cinders with broken clay pipes, coarse pottery and arrowheads. — Furman, p. 98 3 There are immense shell heaps at Canarsie or Flatlands, and on Bergen island. — Thompson^ p. 66 4 An old cemetery was found in South Brooklyn in 1897, on Avenue U, and near Ryder's pond and Sheepshead bay. Deep beds of oyster shells had the outer side of the shells uppermost. Pottery was found and over a dozen skeletons. There were a few other shells and fragments of bone. — Amer. arch. 1898 Lewis county. Few sites have, been reported here but the state museum has a few ' relics from Martinsburg. J. S. Twining furnishes the following notes. 1 On the Kinsman farm, Martinsburg, skeletons and pipes, one of these having orifices for stems. 2 On the east bank of Black river across from Deer River sta- tion are many very old hut rings with stone gouges, arrowheads and spears. 3 Another site at Gates's nlill yard is two miles above. Livingston county. This was the later territory of the Senecas and they may have partially occupied it at an earlier day. Most of the sites however are recent. 1 Dynneganooh a recent village on the northwest margin of the great spring in Caledonia. Besides hatchets and copper kettles, curious pottery has been found there. — Doty, p. 82-83. This was one of the magic springs of the Senecas. 2 Three miles south of the Wheatland forts on the Genesee and probably in Caledonia, was a mound once 8 feet high and filled with unarrangcd human bones. — Squicr, p. 60 3 In surveying the Kanawagcas reservation in 1798 Judge Porter found an old fort on the open flats which included nearly two acres. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 8 1 He said^ " It corresponded in situation and appearance with many Others which I have seen in this part of the country and which seem to bear a high antiquity." — Sqtdcr, p. 6i. On the west side of Genesee river, nearly opposite Avon springs, was Canawaugus the birthplace of Cornplanter. Iron axes, flint arrowheads and stone hammers are found there. — Doty, p. 75. There was a work in Avon on the flats of the Genesee, and not far from Avon springs, described by W. H. C. Hosmer. — Squier, p. 61. An inclosure on the flats 30 rods north of the residence of the late Col. Jones. — Doty, p. 75 4 A similar work existed in the northeast part of Avon about two and one half miles from the village of Lima. — Squier, p. 61. This would be northwest of Lima and close to the town line. 5 W. L. Hildburgh reports a cemetery two and one half milcc north of Lima with European articles. This or one nearer Honeoye Falls seems the Keinthe of Greenhalgh or the Gandachiragou of the Jesuits. 6 Sgahisgaaah, a recent Seneca village, was at Lima. European articles are found. " There were traces of an old fortification on the ridge where the Indian village had been located, the west end of the ditch crossing the present highway on the ridge, a short distance west of the center of the modern village, and remained visible for several years after 1798." — Doty, p. 100-2. A separate site, but perhaps belonging to this, is a cemetery a mile north of Lima vil- lage where hatchets and knives occur with skeletons. Some skele- tons were found here in 1822, with earthen pots in their laps filled with squirrel bones and corn. Reported by Mr Reynolds who took his account from Doty. Of the first site, the latter says that the pipes had human faces, deer and other heads. This is supposed by some to be Greenhalgh's Keinthe of 1677. Squier says that the cemetery was large and partly covered by the present village. Raymond Dann describes a village on the electric road, half way between Honeoye Falls and Lima. The cemetery was on a knoll rising from a swamp. The relics are modern, but include an un- usual number of discoidal beads. A place west of this is called Fort Hill, and has modern relics in small numbers. 7 There was a stockade in Livonia two miles northeast of Livonia village, perhaps of later date than that on Boughton hill. It was 82 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM on a broad swell of land not commanded by adjacent bights, and a fine spring had a basin of loose stones. There were large cemeteries on the north and west with recent articles. The area was lo acres and length 1050 feet. — Sqnicr, p. 91-92, pi. 14, no. 2. The plan is given in fig.' 55. Doty seems to describe this as in Avon two miles north of IJvonia center and on the farm of John Caton and John Clary, but that town is too far west for his location if this was in- tended. Beads, stone axes and hammers are yet found. He calls this the early Gannounata (Dyudoosot), which is commonly as- signed to Ontario county. — Doty, p. 72 8 Three miles eastward was a large work now obliterated which is said to h^ve been octangular. — Sqnicr, p. 93 9 There was a work of at least 16 acres on a commanding hill in Livonia, three miles northeast of Livonia village on Mr Haddock's farm. It was a long oval earthwork with four gates, one opening toward a fine spring, and was one and one half miles northward of no. 8. — Squier, p. 62, pi. 8, no. i. The plan is given in fig. 58. On James Haydock's farm, and the timber on it was quite small in 1806. — Doty, p. 71 10 On Fort hill, 30 rods northeast of Bosley's mills and by the Avon road near the outlet of Conesus lake, was a line of banks. The spot was covered with shrubs at the settlement by the whites and European articles occur. — Doty, p. 73. Apparently the site of 1779 but occupied earlier. 11 Conesus or Gahnyuhsas was a small Seneca village half a mile south of the head of Conesus lake. Pouchot called it Onistade. — Doty, p. 96 12 "It is said that a mound containing a large number of human bones occurs near the head of Hemlock lake in the township of Springwater. At various places in the county large cemeteries are found, but most, if not all of them, may with safety be referred to the Senecas. Indeed many articles of European origin accompany the skeletons." — Squier, p. 63. Southeast of the lake two and one half miles. — Doty, p. 73 13 Byuhahgaih, an Oneida village which adhered to the English in the revolution, was on the cast bank of the Genesee a mile below North's mills. — Doty, p. 97-98 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 83 14 On Austin Wadsworth's Big Tree farm were two early burial mounds of interest. They are described in the Report of the U. S. bureau of ethnology, 1890-91, p. 515. 15 Ohagi was a Tuscarora vihage of 1779, on the west side of the Genesee river two or three miles north of Cuylerville. — Morgati, p. 434. It was a mile north of Big Tree town on the west side of the river. — Doty, p. 84. A note to Sullivan's Campaign says, " Several writers claim that Canawaugus on the west side and Ohadi and Big Tree on the east side of Genesee river were destroyed in this cam- paign. . . No villages are mentioned in any account as exist- ing on the east side of the river, nor is mention made of any portion of the army being on that side. — Sullivan, p. 133 16 Gaundowaneh or Big Tree was a Seneca village on a hill one mile north of Cuylerville. — Morgan, p. 434. It was on the west side of the river on the farm of E. P. Slocum in Leicester, and was the last town occupied by the Senecas. — Doty^ p. 85-86 17 Deonundagaa or Little Beard's town was a Seneca village west of the Genesee at Geneseo. Ga-nah-da-on-twa was another Seneca village near this. — Morgan, p. 434. Genesee Castle was the great village of the Senecas, between Cuylerville and the Genesee in the town of Leicester. It is Chenandoanes on Evans's map of 1776, was mentioned as Chenandanah in 1754 and is often called Little Beard's town. Sullivan said that it had 128 houses, mostly large and ele- gant. — Sullivan, p. 133. Dyu-non-dah-ga-seh, Steep Hill creek, is best known as Beardstown and was in the east part of Cuylerville. There was a cemetery a mile south on Hiram Jones's farm. Relics are still found on the old village site. — Doty, p. 87-88. After De Nonville's invasion the Senecas had a large town at the mouth of Canaseraga creek. It was moved near Cuylerville and 100 years ago was called Little Beard's town and Genesee Castle. — Harris, p. 33 18 Geneseo, or Chenussio, is a recent village in a way, and Gen. J. S. Clark makes it the successor of the town above mentioned at the mouth of the Canaseraga. — Sullivan, p. 132. Gath-she-gweh-oh, a Seneca village near Williamsburg at the mouth of Canaseraga creek. — Doty, p. 99. At the confluence of the Canaseraga and 84 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Genesee and east of the latter. In old maps and journals it appears as Chenussio and Zonnesschio, and was the home of the trouble- some chief Gaustarax. — Doty, p. 132 19 F. H. Crofoot, of Sonyea, says the old Seneca council-house was on the east side of the river, half a mile south of Geneseo. A mile farther was a large village at a spring. This had early relics. Half a mile farther, at Fall brook, is a recent site of 30 acres. 20 On the farm of Mr Brimmer west of the Geneseo and Mount Morris road and 20 rods south of the road to Jones's bridge is an inclosure of two acres. — Doty, p. 77. Two parallel banks across a ridge between two ravines two and one half miles south of Geneseo and 60 or 70 rods west of the Mount Morris road leading to Jones's bridge across the Genesee. — Reynolds, p. 515. Apparently the same. There are no relics. The site at the mouth of Canaseraga creek F. H. Crofoot describes as the largest but one near the Genesee river. It has a frontage of half a mile on the creek and river, and extends back 50 rods. The relics are of a recent nature. A mile south of this and on the east bank of the creek is a similar site of about five acres. Still another is a mile farther south, on the same side with an area of six to eight acres. 21 Ganundasa was a village at Moscow in Leicester. — Morgan, p. 435. A site of 10 acres, one and one half miles south of Fall brook, has both early and recent relics^ and some pieces of steatite vessels. 22 Squakie Hill is on the west side of the river opposite Mount Morris, and there was a council house there. Also a cemetery. — Doty, p. 89. " The White Woman's spring " was unearthed there Aug. 18, 1898. The stone which covered it had many figures on it. This is near White's canning factory. 23 At Mount Morris an old mound was opened in 1835, which contained skeletons and early stone and copper articles. Some were of polished slate. — Barber, p. 248. Doty however says it was re- moved in 1820 and was on the site of Gen. Mills's residence. It was ICQ feet in diameter and 8 or 10 feet high. Skeletons, arrowheads, brass kettles and knives were found. The place was not called Sonojowauga after the chief but from a large brass kettle used in ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 85 distilling. — Doty, p. 95. It was the only recent Seneca town on the east bank of the GtnQS^Q.— Morgan, p. 437. Judge Porter knew of two earthworks on Smith and Jones's flats," near Mount Morris.— Squicr, p. 61. Works on flats are elsewhere rare. A slide east of the Genesee exposed many human bones when J\Iary Jemison first came to the valley. 24 " Gathsegwarohare was seven miles directly west of Kanagh- saws on the east side of Canaseraga creek about two miles above its confluence with the Genesee." It is at present occupied by the " Hermitage " and was the home of the Squakie Indians in 1779. — Sullivan, p. 132. On the east bank of Canaseraga creek, 2 miles from its exit from Groveland, Mr Crofoot reports camps on both sides of a ravine. There are early relics but no pottery. 25 Ganasegago was at Dansville. — Morgan, p. 435. Kanuskago was the door of the Six Nations, (1756) whence none before had come to Fort Johnson. — Doc. hist. N. Y. 7 : 57. Many metallic relics were found there. — Doty, p. 93. " Before the revolution, according to tradition, a battle took place on a hill a few miles distant, between the Canisteo Indians and those living in this vicinity, during which a chief of the latter was killed. When the whites first settled here the spot where he fell was marked by a large hole dug in the earth in the shape of a man with arms extended. An Indian trail led by the place and the Indians on passing were always accustomed to clear away the dry leaves which had blown in. This chief was buried in an old Indian burying ground, which stood on the site of the present Lutheran church which was thickly covered with graves to the extent of two or three acres. His monument consisted of a large pile of small stones, gathered from time to time by the natives from a hill a mile distant, who, on passing, were accustomed to take one in their hand and add to the heap." — Barber, p. 250-51. Two rows of parallel holes, possibly for palisades^ were two miles north of Dansville. — Doty, p. 79. Half a mile west of Dansville, south of the Ossian road, was a fort where clay vessels and pipes, ashes, skeletons and articles of stone and horn have been found. — Doty, p. 75. It was west of Canaseraga creek, and fig. 88 shows Mr Doty's plan. 86 JfEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 26 A circular mound of black earth and cinders once stood a few rods cast of the Havens's tavern, on the road from Dansville to Grovcland. The earth was scraped into a deep pit near by. — Doty, p. 76 27 Another similar but smaller mound was on the road between Dansville and Scottsburg in Sparta. — Doty, p. 77 28 The remainder are reported by Mr Crofoot, three being on the east side of Canaseraga creek. One of seven acres is five and a half miles from the town line of Groveland, measured along the creek, and seems very old. Fragments of worked steatite are found here. 29 Close to -the creek and two and one half miles south of the last is a site of half an acre, and 2 miles farther is another of four acres. 30 A mile south of the Groveland station of the Delaware, Lack- awanna and Western railroad is a site of 15 acres, on both sides of a ravine, with early implements, including steatite. 31 The remaining sites are on the Craig Colony lands, near Son- year station: they were reported by Mr Crofoot. Here he places Sonoyawa, on the west side of Kishaqua creek, and near the Erie railroad station. The relics are early and the ashes deep. The Senecas camped there recently, which may account for some modern articles. The site contains more than 20 acres. The blufif above the new laundry building was occupied for summer camps, and another camp was at the new industrial building. Flint implements occurred from the old sawmill to the railroad station. Madison county. The early homes of the Oneidas were in this county and most of the later ones. They were near Munnsville, and just east of Oneida creek when Van Corlaer visited them in 1634. His is our first account of their town. They received the Tuscaroras into their ample domain early in the i8th century. David Zeis- berger gave the names of several Tuscarora villages on the main trail, one of which has survived. 1 A small burial and fishing place at Oneida lake on the east bank of Chittenango creek. Bone relics. 2 A camp with flint implements and flakes on the east side of Chittenango creek, east of lot 15, Manlius. A little north of this ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 87 was a stockade on a high bluff at a bend of the stream, perhaps the one built by Sir William Johnson for the Tuscaroras, this being then called Tuscarora creek. The Turtle tree was there. 3 A trail from Oneida to Chittenango crossed the creek a little above the turnpike bridge and passed by an old stockade and orchard on Col. Sage's farm near Chittenango village. — Clark, . I :384. The farm was once known as the Moyer and later as the Osgood farm. — Hammond, p. 602. Perhaps the Zeniinge of Zeis- berger. 4 A cemetery north of Cazenovia lake and. two miles east of Oran, on the Hitchcock farm. Recent articles. There are lodge sites also. 5 ]\Iany small camps at the head of Cazenovia lake and many signs of recent tillage. 6 The plan of the stockade west of Cazenovia village in Clark's Onondaga and copied by Squier, is too large and wide. Fig. 60 by the writer represents the actual form. It is on the Hunt farm and is on a narrow ridge between two deep ravines. It was occupied not far from 1600 but no European articles have been found. A barbed bone fishhook suggests some knowledge of Europeans. Potteryf with human forms and faces as ornaments, and some peculiar clay pipes are among the relics. The post holes across the ridge at either end from north to south are yet (1898) distinct. The east line is about 330 feet long and the length from east to west about 790 feet, rapidly descending the ridge. Nearly midway the width is about 100 feet. There is one gate near the northeast corner and two at the west end. The total area is about four and one half acres. There are caches at the west end. 7 Lodges and relics occur near the village at the foot of Caze- novia lake and there was a fish weir in the outlet. There are also confused stories of a fort in the village. 8 L. W. Lcdyard reported a fort on the Swetland farm about four miles southwest of Cazenovia village whence he had a fine grooved stone. He could give no farther account of it, but it has since been reported to the writer as a circular earthwork four miles 88 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM south of Cazenovia and one and one half miles east of Delphi. It has flint arrowheads. 9 Mr Ledyard said there were graves on Quarry hill two miles southeast of Cazenovia. Tliis may refer to a place on the Jackson farm one and one half miles southeast of Cazenovia village where A. G. Richmond got a large grooved boulder in 1897. This lay a little west of a comparatively modern Indian village site. 10 Mr Ledyard reptDrted an inclosure three miles northeast of Cazenovia village, east of Bingley and near the quarry. This or another has been described a mile west of Fenner. In the History of Madison county, p. 200, a breastwork with early relics is men- tioned east of -schoolhouse no. 5. A skeleton was found in 1861 while placing a flagstafif at the school. 11 The Nichols's pond site in Fenner three miles east of Perry- ville, has been thought the fort attacked by Champlain in 161 5 and has more points of agreement than others. The identification is due to Gen. John S. Clark of Auburn, but the site is in the Oneida territory^ not the Onondaga. A limestone boulder on the site and near the pond and which is over 12 feet long, is probably the original Oneida stone. The usual Iroquois articles are found but no traces of a palisade. Four lines of pickets may have furnished their own support without holes. The stockade must have extended some distance into the very shallow pond, now sometimes dry, in order to secure an abundant supply of water. This is but a few inches deep. Ridiculous estimates have been made of the size of the village, which was- not more than 500 by 700 feet, not including the pond. The site is a low plateau, extending over 800 feet from the road on the east to the inlet and low land on the west. ReHcs occur only on the west side; nothing appears in the stony ground eastward. The northern part is a thin woodland, and no traces wxre found in a plowed field south of this and 500 feet from the west bank. The village was confined to that part east of the inlet. Not far ^rom the mouth of this the outlet leaves the pond, flowing east southeast. Some caches appear on the northeast bank. The site is secluded, with no natural defense. The low lands on the west are subject to overflow, but the site fairly agrees with Champlain's ac- ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 89 count. The Onondagas were then hving near Limestone creek. Fig. 59 is a general plan of the site by the writer, who has carefully examined it twice. Till recently only prehistoric articles have been reported there, but in 1899 several French iron axes were found, confirming its reputed date. 12 Clay and stone pipes are found along the ridge in Lenox, a little farther north, but it is impossible to locate a work described and figured by Mr Schoolcraft. He places it in Lenox 10 miles northwest of Oneida Castle, which would be in Oneida lake. It should read southwest. He adds that it was on a stream a few miles above an iron cupola, probably Lenox furnace. He thought it a French fort, but his plan is unsatisfactory and the real traces seem aboriginal. It may have been near Merrillsville or on the other branch of the creek. 13 Near Wampsville in Lenox there was an Indian village since the white settlement. — Hammond, p. 489 14 The Oneidas moved northward in the i8th century, but still clung to their ancient valley and its vicinity. Canowaraghere, or Kanoalohale, the present Oneida Castle, was new in 1762, the old castle being still retained. This was 12 miles from Oneida lake, and a fort W3i% built there. There were then two villages one being near the lake. The fort seems to have been east of the creek. 15 On the hills directly south of Oneida Castle, and two or three miles distant, is a reputed battle ground from the abundance of arrowheads and which is probably a village site. 16 Canaseraga was the principal Tuscaror* town, but may not at first have occupied the present site. In 1792 it was west of the creek, and so many Oneidas lived with the Tuscaroras that it was often called the Oneida town. There were many houses there when the whites came, 10 or more on the hill west of the creek. 17 A large deposit of human bones is on Dunlap's farm in the northeast part of Stockbridge and there are graves on William Smith's farm. — Hammond, p. 733 18 A fort in the southwest part of Stockbridge. — French, p. 393. This seems one reported by Gerritt Smith. A curved bank and ditch are said to remain, but the accounts given the writer indicate go NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM a natural formation, with actual relics and some possible occupation on a hillside. 19 Near Munnsville and east of Oneida creek the Oneidas lived a long time, removing short distances as occasion required. They were in that vicinity when Van Corlaer visited them in December 1634. This is the first record of them as a distinct people. Gen. James Grant Wilson accidentally discovered his journal a few^ years since and had it translated and published. From this a few notes regard- ing the town are given. " Before we reached the castle we saw three graves, just like our graves in length and height; usually their graves .are round. These graves were surrounded with palisades that they had split from trees and they were closed up so nicely that it was a wonder to see. They were painted with red, white and black paint; but the chiefs grave had an entrance, and at the top of that was a big w^ooden bird, and all around were painted dogs and deer and snakes and other beasts. We marched boldly to the castle, where the savages opened to let us pass, and so we marched through them by the gate, which w'as three and a half feet wide, and at the top were standing three big wooden images like men, of carved wood, and with them I saw three scalps fluttering in the wind. . . This castle has two gates, one on the east and one on the west side. On the east side a lock of hair was also hang- ing, but this gate was one and a half feet smaller than the other one . . . This castle is situated on a very high hill and was sur- rounded by two rows of palisades. It was 767 paces in circum- ference. There are houses but much better, higher and more finished than all the others we saw. A good many houses had wooden fronts that are painted with all sorts of beasts. There they sleep, mostly on elevated boards, more than any other savages." In 1677 Greenhalgh said that Oneida was about 20 miles from a small river which comes out of the hills to the southward and runs into Lake Teshiroque, (Oneida) about 30 miles distant from the ]\Ia(|uacs river, which is to the northward. The town is newly settled, double stockaded, but little cleared land.'' 20 miles should be two from Oneida creek. In 1696 De Vaudreuil encamped on Oneida creek " within a (French) league of the village." Next ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 91 morning he crossed to the east side of the stream and destroyed the town. The sites in the vicinity will be described under one number. According to Schoolcraft the Oneida stone was of syenite and stood on a commanding eminence in Stockbridge. The White stone at the spring was also known as this. This had been placed in a fence by Job Francis, the owner. Another noteworthy stone of limestone was on Gen. Knox's farm a mile or more south. — School- craft. Report, p. 46-48. The truth is that there were several of these stones, and some were portable. There is a tradition that the Oneidas carried one to Wisconsin, but this is denied there. French describes it as a boulder of gneiss on the farm of James H. Gregg in Stockbridge, and now at the entrance of Utica cemetery. — French, p. 458. ]\lr Kirkland said it was a stone which a strong man couM carry, standing by a chief's door but sometimes placed in a tree. Xone of these seem to agree with the Council rock east of the creek and southeast of iMunnsville. It is said to have been carried away piecemeal. " Thomas Rockwell settled on East hill in Stock- bridge in 181 3. The Council rock was on his farm which has been known as Prime's hill. 50 acres of tliis, including the council ground, were sold by him." — Hamnwiid, p. 745. Prime's hill council ground i^^ 1805 was a clearing of half an acre with an .entrance through the bushes on the east. In the center was a circle, 20 feet in diameter and two feet above the general level, covered with fine coals. \\'ithin a radius of three miles aroiuid were many graves, with iron axes, brass kettles, pipes, etc. — Hauiinoiid, p. 102 " There are evidences that the whole range of high hills east of Oneida creek was once thickly peopled. . . Their burial grounds have been discovered in several places, from the south line of the town (Stockbridge) to the north on this range." The farms of Taylor Gregg, Ichabod Francis and William Smith are mentioned. The articles are mostly recent. — Hammond, p. y^i-^Z- The Council spring is on the farm of ^Nlary Doxtater at the foot of West Hill. — Hammond, p. 743 20 Under this is placed a group of sites northeast of ]\Iunnsville. French says there was a burial ground a mile southeast of that place on the hillside. There is a small one there, but the reference 92 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM is probably to a site two miles northeast examined by the writer in 1892. It is northeast of Mr Ellenwood's house and has abund- ant modern relics but no brown pottery. Skeletons are rarely found but it seems a long peopled and rather recent village. A little south is the Hog's Back where some have located a stockade, perhaps doubtfully. Half a mile farther south are old corn hills in Mrs Cummings's woods. 21 There were Indian cornfields near Madison lake in Madison, and an Indian opening in the same town. — Hammond, p. 602 22 Woodman's lake and Leland's ponds belonged to the Oneida fisheries when their villages were near. These are in the pine woods in Eaton. — Hammond, p. 281 23 Many relics have been found at Earlville and Poolville. — Hammond, p. 431 24 The Windfall party built a church in Lenox, three miles south of Oneida Castle on the road to Knoxville. — Hammond, p. 114. St Peter's church also stood on a hill in Vernon, southeast of the butternut orchard near Oneida Castle. A cemetery was opened west of the West Shore railroad depot, where the head of each skeleton rested on a modern brick. 25 In 1794 the Christian party were at the foot of Stockbridge hill near the Five Chimneys tavern. A few Oneidas remain. 26 At one time 40 families lived near Hatch's lake and swamp in the southwest corner of Eaton. — Hammond, p. 293 27 Two miles below Hamilton was a recent camping ground. — Hammond, p. 414 28 As late as 1810 some Oneidas lived at Canastota. Some mounds were reported at Owen's point, Chittenango creek. Monroe county. Mr George H. Harris has given an excellent account of the sites and trails of Monroe county in the first 15 chapters of the Semi-centennial history of Rochester, 1884. Before his death these were issued separately, and entitled the Aboriginal occupation of the lower Genesee country. Tie spared no pains to make this full and accurate. Mr Squier also did some good work there. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 93 1 In the town of Greece the Erie canal forms the northern boundary of George H. Lee's farm. In digging it in 1820 or 1822, 20 skeletons were found, but no articles with them. — Harris, p. 27 2 Mounds and burial places have been found at various spots along a supposed trail westward from Hanford's landing below Rochester. Large skeletons, copper ornaments, etc. were found in these. Half a mile east of the Lee farm on that of Samuel Trues- dale in Greece, several skeletons were exhumed in 1878, one of these being very large. This was separate from the rest under a low mound and with a piece of mica and an arrowpoint. — Harris, p. 26 3 A mound was reported in Chili a few miles northwest of Scott?- ville. — Squier, p. 60 4 E. P. Clapp reports an early village site half a mile north northwest of the river bridge between Scottsville and Henrietta, east of the river. There are many mussel shells but no graves. There is also an old cemetery west of and near Scottsville, in a gravel pit. The skeletons are drawn up, but no articles are found except a flat stone at the feet of each. There is another cemetery 80 rods sG^th of the last, with large bones. The faces turn down and the hands are under the heads. A grave was found half a mile southeast of Scottsville, a fine pipe lying with the skeleton. Some pottery occurs farther east. There was a Seneca village at Scottsville below Ohagi. — Morgan, p. 434 5 Southwest of Rochester and within three miles of Scottsville in the town of Wheatland were four old works. — Barber, p. 271. Others say two, and Kirkland visited two in 1798. The first he found about two miles west of Allen's residence, which was on an extensive flat at a deserted Indian village near the junction of a creek (probably Allen's) with the Genesee, eight miles north of the old Indian village of Kanawageas and five miles north of the magic spring, so called by the Indians, (Caledonia) who believed its waters had the power of petrifying all things subjected to their influence. This work inclosed about six acres and had six gates." 94 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM It was nearly half circular with a natural bank on the fourth side. There was a covered way to the water. — Yates, p. 15-16. Squier also quotes this and adds that the usual relics were found. Half a mile north of this on higher land Mr Kirkland found a smaller and stronger work. Both had Allen's creek on one side. Mr Squier said that nothing indicated these spots " except the greater abundance of stones on the line of the former embank- ments." — Squier, p. 59-60 6 Frank Kingsbury three miles east of Mumford plowed up bones in 1898 and then dug up five well preserved skeletons. 7 At the upper Charlotte ferry and near by have been found arrowheads- and stone pestles, bullets, etc. — Harris, p. 43 8 A break in the cliff on the east bank of the Genesee, half a mile below the lower fall, makes a natural landing place which was a great camping ground. There were two mounds not over 100 feet from the edge of the bluff, which have been levelled, but skele- tons and relics have been found. This is Brewer's landing, half a mile north of Hanford's which is on the other shore. — HarriSy p. 23-26 9 Squier vainly searched for a work between the river and Iron- dequoit bay, five miles north of Rochester. — Squier, p. 58. Harris found this. ''An ancient fortification stood near the ford of a brook which rises in the little vale southeast of Rattlesnake point. It was the ruins of this fort for which Mr Squier searched in vain in 1848." — Harris, p. 42 10 Traces of a town and cemetery were found on Daniel Leake's farm on the east side below Brewer's landing. — Squier, p. 42 11 Most of those in Rochester are grouped under this number. There was an old fort in front of Mr Hooker's house near Hooker's cemetery and North avenue. A large settlement was on the sand knolls half a mile west of the Culver farm and near North avenue. Another large town was on the top of the hill over which Lake ave- nue passes, and all the slope thence to the river and north to Han- ford's landing was used for camps. Work shops for flint were numerous toward the river end of Frauenberger avenue. There were camps at the Indian spring, at the corner of Spring street and Spring alley, and all the way thence to Hanford's. Near Elm- ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 95 wood avenue an early town covered all Oak hill. Stone relics were found all the way from the feeder down to Red creek. Indian huts were scattered about the bluf¥ near Franklin and North St Paul streets until 1819. — Harris, p, 39-42 12 A work at Hanford's landing- then three miles north of Rochester was " a semicircular embankment the ends of which extended to the very edge of the immense ravine. . . It had three narrow gateways placed at irregular intervals." — Sqiiicr, p. 58. There was no cemetery and the nearest known west of the river was two miles away. — Harris, p. 41 13 There was a cemetery at the sand cut of the New York Cen- tral railroad east of the Allen's creek embankment. Many skele- tons and recent relics were exhumed in 1876. " Between the ceme- tery and the Pittsford road quantities of stone relics have been found indicating the site of a prehistoric town. West of this is located the great cairn of limestones." — Harris, p. 43. Mr Harris adds that the Senecas used to fish in some large ponds north of Mendon Center and many signs of camps occur along Allen's creek. — Harris, p. 61 14 Dr A. L. Benedict of Buffalo opened some graves six miles south of Q'enesee junction near Rochester. Mr Clapp reports a site at West Henrietta, near Red creek. 15 There was a village at the present East Rush cemetery. — Harris, p. 60. Stone implements occur on the Thomas farm, one and one half miles southwest of East Rush. This is south of Honeoye creek and near the mouth of Stony brook. 16 Northwest of this and half a mile southwest of West Hen- rietta Corners was another on ]\Iarvin Williams's farm. — Harris, p. 60. ^Ir Clapp reports a camp two miles southwest of West Hen- rietta, just east of Sanger creek. There are fine arrowheads, and pottery. Half a mile southeast a large stone was found, laid on a good stone foundation. The stone was 5 by 8 feet across, and a foot thick. It was covered by eight inches of soil. An old camp was half a mile southeast of this. A fine pipe and other relics came from a gravel pit half a mile southeast of West Hen- rietta. 96 ^ NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 17 Two considerable inclosures were in Rush near the village of West Rush and on the banks of Honeoye creek, which defended one of these on one side. The other was on higher ground 100 rods southward. Each w^as of four acres and had caches and broken pottery. — Squier, p. 60. Piles of stones of uniform size^ a little larger than a hen's egg, were found on Isaac Cox's farm, one and one quarter miles northeast of West Rush. Skeletons were found a mile northwest of West Rush. Many iron tomahawks and war arrowheads have been found in a slight gully three fourths of a mile northwest of West Rush, and 12 skeletons were exhumed in digging a cellar about the same distance north of that village. Across the road others w'ere found. These w^ere on the land of Peter Martin and J. B. Hamilton. A little east of these were early traces of an earthw^ork. Similar traces have been reported north of Honeoye creek, over a quarter of a mile north of West Rush. At another village site half a mile wxst of West Rush, betw^een the N. Y. C. railroad and the creek, Mr Clapp says "Two distinct races have been found; the platycnemic man and also another race. There are many relics in the graves of the latter. Also pottery, pipes, etc., on the surface." 18 " On the shore of Lake Ontario on a high bluf¥ near Iron- dequoit bay in 1796 the bank caved ofif and untombed a great quantity of human bones of a large size." — Turner, P. & G. p. 428. It was a natural sand mound west of the present w^est angle of the bay. "As late as 1830 human bones of an unusually large size w^ere occasionally seen projecting from the face of the bluff or lying on the beach." — Harris, p. 22. Others are placed under this number. " Two mounds occupy the high sandy grounds to the westward of Irondequoit bay where it connects with Lake Ontario. They are small, the largest not exceeding five feet in height." They had been opened and only charcoal and pieces of bones remained. Early relics were on this hight. — Sqiiier, p. 56-57» pl- 7y no. 2. Squier's plan is given in fig. 57. They were on the hill south of the Sea Breeze hotel about 30 feet northeast of the observatory. Plarris was told that W. H. Penfield opened them in 1817 and found a " sword scabbard, bands of silver, belt ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 97 buckles " and like ornaments. — Harris, p. 46. There was a gully east of these and a cemetery a few rods beyond. Harris says that the small island on the west side of the bay on which the Schneider house stands is of artificial origin. It was elliptic and 17 feet high, built of alternate layers of clay and sand, which were removed. In the center 15 feet below the surface was a bushel of fine stone implements. — Harris, p. 46. The French built Fort des Sables neai the Sea Breeze site in 17 16. — Harris, p. 63 19 From Irondequoit landing to the lake all is historic according to Harris. There was an Indian cemetery just north of the float bridge road with 200 grave mounds in rows. There were great corn hills in the woods near by and there was a landing place on Plum Orchard point just below. — Harris, p. 45 20 A trail ran near the lake to Sodus. The village last occu- pied by Seneca Indians in Webster was located on the ridge near this path about one mile east of this bay, and the latter day Mis- sissauges camped on the same ground." Near this and in a hollow north of the landing 12 skeletons were found in a circle like the spokes of a wheel with feet to the center, wdiere were rude stone relics. Alodern relics occur all about Rochester on high lands. Graves in#hollows or ravines have early ones. A mound on a blufif north of Dunbar hollow yielded many stone implements. — Harris, p. 45 21 On the east shore of the bay opposite the mounds on the west side was a large sepulchral mound. — Squicr, p. 57 22 A trail ran to a salt spring one and one half miles east of the bay and half that distance from the lake. There the Indians camped and made salt. — Harris, p. 45 23 Squier could learn nothing of a fort in Penfield mentioned by Macauley. — Squier, p. 58. Harris identified it with an oblit- erated fort on the sandbar trail north of the ridge and quite large. The arrowheads were large and broad. — Harris, p. 45 24 Capt. John Schuyler built a trading post at the noted Indian landing on Irondequoit creek in 1721. The foundations were found in 1798. This was a place of resort.— Harr/^, p. 67. Half a mile south of this landing at some springs were many camps and relics. — Harris, p. 39 98 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 25 There were springs and camps on the west side of this creek near a rift famous as a fishing place. — Harris, p. 43 26 On a sand ridge in the town of Pittsford south of the Iron- dequoit valley and a mile east of Allen's creek is a heap of Hme- stone boulders with no others near. The Indians looked on them with reverence. — Harris, p. 21 27 Greenhalgh said that Tiotehatton was 30 miles west of Cana- gorah and had about 120 houses mostly large. Harris says " Totiakton was distant from Gannagora just 11 miles in a north- west direction. Its former site was located by O. H. IMarshall in 1847." Its name alludes to the bend in Honeoye creek, on the west bank .of wdiich it stood. Part of Mr Harris's general plan of the site is given in fig. 61. " It is in the town of Mendon on the northeasternmost bend of the Honeoye outlet two miles north of Honeoye Falls exactly 12J miles in an air line due south of the center of Rochester. The ground has been under culti- vation 75 years, yielding an annual harvest of antiquities. . Three cemeteries have been discovered. . . all skeletons unearthed have been found in a sitting posture facing the east." Mr Sheldon found a square stockade of half an acre on the edge of the bluf¥ and near the creek. It w^as " built of logs 12 feet long, set closely together in the earth to the depth of four feet." This is a very modern style, though Mr Harris thought it was made just after De Nonville's invasion. — Harris, p. 58, 59. This was La Concepcion of the Jesuits which was burned in 1687. Ac- cording to George S. Conover it was removed to the vicinity of Canandaigua and called the second Seneca castle. It was visited by La Salle, and may have been abandoned soon after. 28 Half a mile east of the village of Penfield on the bank of Irondequoit creek was a sepulchral mound once about eight feet high. There was a depression near showing whence the earth had come. — Squicr, p. 57, pi. 8. no. 3 29 A few rods southwest of Rush Junction were many skeletons of a large race. There were many pipes and other relics. An early cemetery half a mile southwest of this had hardly a perfect skeleton, and no relics. A similar spot is half a mile directly south ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 99 of the last and a few rods from the river. These three are north of Honeoye creek, and were reported by Mr Clapp. An early cemetery was at the mouth of Honeoye creek. Early relics are scattered along the river thence to Avon and probably farther. 30 The age of this site is somewhat confused. G. S. Conover thought it the early Keinthe, and placed it a mile southwest of Honeoye Falls. Gen. J. S. Clark gives it nearly the same location, but more to the north, and calls it the Totiacton of 1687. He identi- fies Sonnontouan and Totiacton, of missionary days, with a site in Mendon, one and one half miles north northwest of Honeoye Falls. He adds, A second location, and probably the one occupied in 1687 when destroyed by fire, was on the Ball farm, a mile west of Honeoye Falls village. Here, on a space of about 20 acrec, a great abundance of relics have been found, of copper, glass and iron, brass crosses, medals and rings, and hundreds of iron axes bearing evidence of having passed through the fire." Raymond Dann, on whose father's farm the site is, says it is on a little stream flowing into the Honeoye creek near Sibleyville. The site is of about 20 acres, and he had explored about four acres of the cemetery. A local story was that this was a Totiacton built after 1687. Tht writer has carefully examined Air Dann's very fine col- lection of relics and feels certain the village could not have been built after De Nonville's invasion. This is the view of both Conover and Clark, though they differ in identifying the village. Many of the articles found passed out of use among the Mohawks and Onondagas before 1650, but others are of a later type. On the whole it seems reasonable to suppose it one of the villages destroyed by the French. A later examination by the writer showed two cemeteries and also some neighboring early camps. 31 A cemetery about seven miles southeast of Bergen has some early relics. 32 A cemetery in Churchville is by the West Shore railroad, and there are arrowheads toward the creek. 33 All of the following were reported by E. P. Clapp. A camp west of the river, and 200 yards south of the bridge between Scotts- ville and Rush. Many flint implements. Many fine arrowheads lOO NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM have been found on the Warren farm, one and one half miles south of Scottsville. Some are serrated. 34 Bony hill, in Wheatland, has its name from the human bones which covered it when the country was first settled. In digging the Valley canal in 1839-40, many bones were found, which seemed buried in trenches. They were very large. The hill was north of the Lehigh, and west of the W. N. Y. & Pa. railroad. 35 Skeletons were found in a sand pit 150 feet north of the town line in Henrietta, and 200 feet from the river. A skull and kettle were plowed up 200 feet east of these. Some skeletons were also found on the line of the Erie railroad 200 feet north of the town line. 36 A series of camps occurs on the upper waters of Red creek, two miles from West Henrietta. 37 The following are in Rush. A fireplace was found two and a half feet underground in the river bank, three fourths of a mile north of the bridge between Scottsville and Rush. A skeleton was found in a gravel knoll a quarter of a rnile north of Scottsville station. Mr Clapp says of this, " Found in a lying position, on right side, head to the south, hands and feet drawn to the chin. Facial angle of the lowest type; scarcely any forehead, retreating chin, protruding teeth. A fireplace was 30 feet from this, under 20 inches of un- disturbed soil." A large early village was 80 rods south of Scotts- ville station, but produced only flint implements and chips. Another early village was half a mile south of the last. A large village site and cemetery are just west of the Colt pond, one and one fourth miles south of Scottsville station. A cemetery two miles ^ from the river and just south of the town line between Henrietta and Rush. Montgomery county. The Mohawks seem to have entered their historic valley late in the i6th century, having a few predecessors at intervals. At first, being refugees from Canada, they sought retired positions on tributaries of the river, drawing nearer to that as they acquired confidence and strength. Like all the Iroquois they moved often and a wide border land separated them from their enemies on the Hudson river. At one time they had a castle east of Schoharie creek but were driven from this in 1626 and 4 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK lOI found that stream on the east and the Mohawk on the north con- venient barriers against their foes. Arent Van Corlaer found them thus grouped within a space of about 14 miles when he visited them in 1634. A careful computation makes each of his miles average about two English miles, and his itinerary, based on this, is interesting. The first day he traveled 16 miles and lodged near Vyoge (Oiogue) a Mohawk word for at the river," mentioning it as a stream which ran past their castles. Next morning they went about two miles and crossed this river, following its course westerly for 20 miles farther. When morning came the river was recrossed and they were soon at Onekagoncka, the first castle of the Mohawks, a mile farther on or about 39 miles from Albany. They then went to Canowarode a mile farther. Senatsycrosy was passed at the end of another mile and another three miles brought them to the second castle Canagere, 44 miles from Albany. Two miles beyond this they forded a deep stream swollen by heavy rains. A mile beyond was the third castle Sohanidisse, 47 miles from Albany. A mile farther was Osguage, and another swollen stream even more dangerous. Cawaoge was at the end of the next mile. Two miles beyond was the fourth castle Tenotoge, about 51 miles from Albafiy and east of the present Canajoharie. In this space were four castles and four villages. That this estimate is approximately correct appears from the farther itinerary where the miles may have been less exact. They left the river, as was customary, and took the direct but more hilly trail to Oneida, then a little east of Munnsville on Oneida creek. The five days' journeys were respectively 14, 15, 15, 16 and 9 English miles on this basis, or 69 miles, making a total dis- tance from Albany to Oneida of 120 miles. The N. Y. C. railroad distance to that stream is 122 miles. Others make dififerent esti- mates, but the writer has carefully considered the matter and believes his statement correct. The return march is summarized but the party followed the same route, finding the cabin burned where they had hoped to lodge after leaving the lower castle. Four miles by guess, east of that castle, the savages pointed out a high mountain where they had I02 *' NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM had a fort nine years before. Presumably this would be seen to the southeast, looking across the river from somewhere near Amster- dam. This was east of Schoharie creek. By retiring to the other side of this and drawing their other villages to the south side of the Mohawk they were defended by two large streams, which was a very great advantage. Both field work and history testify to these frequent changes. The castles and villages shifted from side to side of the valley. They were south of the Mohawk at this time and for many years later. In 1677 all were on the north side. When the Mahikan war was over they lived less compactly and spread up and down the river. No attempt therefore will now be made to follow these changes though occasional allusions will be made. Dominie Johannes Megapolensis (1642-70) said that the Turtle tribe had " made a fort of palisades, and they call their castle As- serue. Those of the Bear are next to these, and their castle is called Banagiro (Kanagiro). The last (the Wolf) are a progeny of these and their castle is called Thenondiogo." In 1677 Went- worth Greenhalgh said, they were all on the north side of the river and their villages were called Cahaniaga, Ganagora, Canajorha and Tionondogue. The French knew these by several names. On Adrian Van der Donck's map (1656) three castles appear on the south side of the river. The first is Carenay, the second Canagero, the third tTonnontego. Above the latter and north of the river is the word Sehanatisse and above the first appears Ounjune or Assereawe. The maps of 1614 and 1616 place them north of the river but they were on both sides at an early day. 1 A cemetery two and one half miles west of St Johnsville. 2 A modern village and cemetery a mile northwest of Palatine Church on the Nellis farm. 3 A recent cemetery two and one half miles northwest of Nellis- ton and north of the river on the Smith farm formerly Lipe's. Northeast were about 20 caches and 50 rods north a village of two acres with recent relics. This is east of Palatine Church. 4 A fine and elevated village site east of Garoga creek over- looking Wagner's hollow. It is about five miles northwest of ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 103 Canajoharie with an area of several acres and contains recent articles. 5 A recent village site in Jonas Rice's woods two miles east of Stone Arabia. 6 About six miles northeast of Palatine Bridge 40 or 50 large caches are closely grouped in England's woods. Lodge sites are near, with early and recent articles. 7 Small recent village on the old Frey farm one and one half miles west of Palatine Bridge. 8 Recent village on Dewandalied's farm two miles north of the same place. 9 A curious cemetery fully described by S. L. Frey in the American naturalist for 1879, P- 637-44. It was explored by him and A. G. Richmond in 1878. Copper and shell beads were found and several stone tubes. The graves were all lined with flat stones and in several graves large stones were placed above. This is a mile east of Palatine Bridge. Prehistoric camps on the river flats and ridge at Palatine Bridge and for two miles east. 10 A small village two miles northeast of Palatine Bridge on the Sitterly farm. Coarse flints and rude pestles. 11 A vilkge at Schenck's gulf four miles east of Palatine Bridge and two miles from the river. Perhaps the Canagara of 1723. 12 Another near Yost's station three miles east of last. 13 A prehistoric site four miles north of Yost's. 14 In 1667 Gandawague was the nearest Mohawk village to the Mahikans, sometimes called Mohegans, who attacked it in 1669. Gen. J. S. Clark placed it north of the Mohawk on a high plateau on the west bank of Cayadutta creek and north of the road to Stone Arabia. ReHcs are found. L. H. Morgan said that Gano- wauga was a small village north of the river at Fonda. 15 There was a recent village at Tribeshill. 16 P. M. Van Epps reported a cache of 100 flints in a bed of ashes in Amsterdam. They were of the usual cache pattern and he knew of similar finds. This was near the east line of the town and one and one half miles north of the river. 17 There was an early work in the town of Minden four miles south of Fort Plain on the Otstungo creek, a branch of the 104 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Otsquago. A rocky precipice bounds the stream and defends the fort on one side. There is a ravine on the other. About 700 feet from the point was a bank from side to side, about 240 feet long and sHghtly curving at the ends. Tlje area was about six acres. Squier reported European articles but later explorers find none. His plan is given in fig. 73 but is there reduced. — Sqiiier, p. 82, 83, pi. 12. The articles are fine and of the best Iroquois types. Few graves have been found. 18 There is a small recent site a mile southwest of Fort Plain. 19 Canajoharie, the middle castle in 1730, was on Prospect hill in Fort Plain and on the east side of Otsquago creek. There are many recent graves and relics. This was described in the survey of 1723 as " the Cassel of Ta-re-gi-o-rus." There were one or two earlier Canajoharies. 20 There are two sites in Happy hollow on Brown's farm two miles west of Canajoharie and on the south side of the river. They have small cemeteries, one old and one recent, with corresponding burial. Pottery with human figures occurs here as in several other places. 21 A fishing hamlet on the south side a quarter of a mile above Canajoharie. Also a large village and cemetery on the hillside just west of Canajoharie, with recent articles. 22 A recent cemetery on the Van Alstine farm just east of the east corporation line of Canajoharie. 23 A small village at Sprakers on a hill south of the river. Gen. Clark thought this Theonondiogo, the western castle of 1642. This would correspond with the writer's estimate for 1634. 24 A small village two miles southeast of Canajoharie. 25 A recent village at Lasher's two miles east of Sprakers. 26 A village site and cemetery at or near Auriesville where Gen. J. S. Clark locates the most easterly town of 1642, on the south side of the river and half a mile south of Auriesville. The site is a quarter of a mile from the river on the farm of Victor A. Putnam 130 or 150 feet above the river." Here a shrine is a memorial of the death of Father Jogues. Recent relics are found. There was a recent village of a temporary character on the hill west of Auriesville. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 27 Tehondaloga, the lower ]\Iohawk castle, was on the west side of Schoharie creek at its mouth. — Morgan, p. 416. There was a modern village at Fort Hunter and relics occur all the way to Auriesville, with some graves. 28 Gen. Clark thought Andagoron, the Bear castle of 1642, was on the south side of the river half way between Sprakers and Auriesville or two miles west of Fultonville. Mr Frey how- ever placed it at Fultonville in 1666. 29 On the north bank of the IMohawk at Amsterdam were paint- ings on the rocks mentioned by many writers. 30 Four or five miles east of the first castle, a castle was pointed out on a hill on the south side of the river, where the ^Mohawks had lived in 1626. This was in 1635. This hill was east of the Schoharie creek and may be one on which is an angular earth- work described by W. ^lax Reid. Its character is doubtful. 31 A cache of celts^ was reported by Isaac Swart north of the river and about two miles from the east line of the town of Amsterdam. 32 A village was on the east side of Kauderback creek in Palatine and about 3 miles from the river. A quarry or deposit of flint chips was* a mile south of this. 33 A village near the west line of ^lohawk was on the south side of Brings' creek. Another was north of this in the forks of Briggs and Wemple creeks. A prehistoric village was on the west side of Wemple creek and farther north than the last. 34 A village was on the north side of the river, opposite the west line of Glen. 35 A village on the east side of ^lartin's creek was near the river. Another was two miles northwest of this. 36 A village near ]\Iill Point was west of Schoharie creek. These five sites were reported by G. \V. Chapin, who gave more exact details of some others. Nassau county, i \Y. W. Tooker places a fort of the IMarsapea- gues one and one half miles west of Amityville. Lodge sites extend westward to Bellmore. Io6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 2 An old village and a single grave were reported at Port Wash- ington in 1889. 3 Corn fields on Oyster bay had been abandoned in 1650. There are large shell heaps near the shores. 4 Judge Samuel Jones said that when that part of Long Island was first settled there were two Indian forts on Fort Neck near Oyster bay. The one on the south part was a square earthwork. The other was a palisade on the meadow. — Sqider, p. 94. One was stormed by the whites in 1653. Prime says this was built in 1649, and measured 30 by 50 yards. — Prime, p. 96 5 The Rockaways lived in the south part of Hempstead and left large shell heaps. They had several villages but were prin- cipally at Near Rockaway. Some were at the head of Maspeth creek and others on Hog island in Rockaway bay. — Thompson, p. 67 6 The Merikokes had a large settlement on Hicks neck and on other points between there and Merrick. — Thompson, p. 67 7 Warlike implements have been found at Success pond, near Lakeville. — Mandeville, p. 94 New York county. Alexander Chenoweth's discoveries about Inwood and Harlem excited interest in 1890, and he collected some good articles. L. W. Calver and J. B. James of New York have summarized these ^ and other sites now grouped under a few numbers. 1 A large site of about 14 acres in Van Cortlandt park, west of the lake. The relics occurred mostly in bowl-shaped fireplaces two to three feet deep and wide. Shells were packed in these and four skeletons were found in them. Nine were buried elsewhere. Pot- tery, bone and stone articles v/ere found. These were discovered in grading in 1890. A shell heap was on the topmost knoll south- east of the lake. 2 Shell heap east of Fieldston road and north of W. 247th street. Another north of same street and west of Pascal avenue. 3 Shell heap on the Hudson north of Riverdale station. 4 Shell heap on the Hudson opposite W. 240th street. Others opposite W. 235th and 232d streets. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 107 5 Chenoweth's Cold spring site near Harlem river Vv'ith horn articles and pottery. Cave shelters near on south side. 6 Wooded knoll with graves northeast of Inwood near Seaman avenue. Another of these occurs near Dyckman street, and various shell heaps are found on the west side of Harlem river near the former site of the Fordham foot bridge. There are shell heaps near Columbia university, below In- wood station, and at the mouth of Spuyten Duyvil creek. In the notes to Denton's New York, p. 26, it is said that the village of Warpoes was on Chatham square and that of Lapinikan at Greenwich. Excavations on Pearl street also reached old shell banks. In the Gocde zroiizv of Mana-ha-ta, p. 39 Mrs John K. Van Rensselaer speaks of a castle on a hill called Catie- muts overlooking a small lake near Canal street. The neighbor- hood was called Shell Point. Niagara county. This county was once occupied by the Atti- wandaronks or Neutral nation of Canada. Father de la Roche d'AlHqn visited them in 1626 and seems also to have been in New York. He was at Onontisaston and was visited by those of Oua- roronon li\^ng a day's journey from the Seneca border. — Le Clerq, p. 268. There was a town near the Niagara called Onguiaahra. When the Jesuits visited them in 1640 the New York towns are referred to again. On this side of the river (in Canada) and not on the other, as some map marks it, are the greater number of the towns of the Neutral nation. There are three or four beyond, arranged from east to west toward the nation of the Cat or the Erieehro- nons." — Jesuit relations, 1641, p. 71. This accounts for European relics toward Niagara river. Afterward it became Seneca territory. 1 There was a small Seneca village near the mouth of Niagara river in 17 18. — Doc. Hist. N. Y. 9:885. This was Oniagara but they frequented the river much earlier. Early relics occur. 2 The rocky fort of Kienuka is on the Tuscarora reservation three and one half miles from Lewiston, on a spur of the mountain ridge. "A burial ground and two elliptical mounds or barrows that have a diameter of 20 feet and an elevation of from four to Io8 ^ NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM five feet. The sites of habitations are marked by remains of pot- tery, pipes and other evidences." — Turner. Hoi. p. 26. Schoolcraft gives a plan and description but it may refer to a mere rocky ledge with a village site. Gen. Lincoln gave an account of the two Tuscarora villages at that place in 1793. Land had been cleared and they found a wall around it, the banks of which w^ere visible at this time." Stone axes were obtained. — Mass. hist. 5:127. This may have been the work examined by Mr Reynolds on the north line of the reservation. Its area was one and one half acres and there was no wall on the north. A recent monumental stone heap was near it. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 512 3 A quarter of a mile west of this fort were 118 pits. — U. S. bur, of eth. p. 513 4 Three ossuaries half a mile west of the fort, with 100 skeletons and three copper rings in one. This was 9 feet in diameter. — U. S, bur. of eth. p. 513 5 Near Tonawanda creek and two miles east of Hofifman's sta- tion was a camp site. 6 Several skeletons were exhumed at the Lewiston end of the electric road in April 1895. Pipes and arrowheads were found. Mr Larkin mentioned two large burial mounds in this town. 7 There are traces of Indian graves on Goat island. — French, P- 450 8 A mound in the town of Wilson contained human bones, and was 10 or 12 feet high and 100 feet around. It was three quarters of a mile from the lake. — Macauley, 2:113 9 A mound, fort and cemetery were on a ridge in Cambria, eight miles east of the reservation. Turner saw the mound opened in 1823. Six acres were occupied, with a wall in front on the circular verge of the mountain. In the center was an ossuary four or five feet deep " filled with human bones, over which were slabs of sandstone. Hundreds of both sexes and all ages seem to have been thrown in promiscuously. Numerous barbs or arrow points were found among the bones and in the vicinity. . . Rude frag- ments of pottery, pieces of copper and iron instruments of rude work- manship have been plowed up within the area; also charred wood. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK corn and cobs." — Tttrncr. Hoi. p. 27. Compare this with the ac- count of Huron burial in Jesuit relations and allied documents. Schoolcraft and Squier quote this, the former adding that the pit was 24 feet square. 10 Mr Reynolds examined a stone mound in 1889 on Mr Sharp's land a mile west of Lockport. — U. S. bur. of eth. p. 512 11 Also a mound at Gasport. 12 A circular mound was once on the upper end of Tonawanda island. Bones, arrowheads and beads were found. — Turner. Hoi. p. 34. A larger mound once 15 feet high was opened by Squier in 1848, Below was a circle of stones perhaps 10 feet in diameter^ within which were small heaps of bones each comprising three or four skeletons. The bones are of individuals of all ages and had evi- dently been deposited after the removal of the flesh. Traces of fire were to be discovered upon the stones. The skulls had been crushed by the superincumbent earth." There were bone and horn articles. — Squier, p. 97 13 Open air workshop opposite Tonawanda island at the mouth of Tonawanda creek. About an acre strewn with flint. — Turner. Hoi. p. 34. Others occur on the river. 14 Dr J^. L. Benedict furnished the following without notes. On Cayuga island south of La Salle station Niagara Falls. 15 Near the railroad and river a httle northwest of North Tona- wanda. A ring fort was reported in the Pioneer history of the Holland purchase of western New York p. 29 at the head of a deep gorge a mile west of Lockport. On examination Mr Reynolds thought this natural. Oneida county. Very little of this county was occupied at first by the Oneidas whose homes were mostly in ]\Iadison county. Some later villages were in the western part. North of the Mohawk river are a few small villages and camps of earlier tribes. I There were Indian camps toward Oneida lake on Wood and Fish creeks and specially on the ridge where the Royal blockhouse stood. These were early. In August 1899, Dr Hinsdale made some explorations near Sylvan Beach and found a large workshop, no NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM and a fishing hamlet well provided with flat sinkers. An ordinary village site had early relics. A large site was found on the south side of Fish creek near the mouth, with a cemetery, and he reports another cemetery. 2 Graves with European articles were found in 1891 near the shore of Oneida lake. A fort and burial place were two miles south of Oneida lake on Oneida creek of which the writer has often heard. Schoolcraft said that traces of the fort still existed. It was on the farm of James Sterling a little south of Oneida Valley, near the southeast angle of the lake. On the east side of the creek skeletons and recent relics occur. This may have been the village at the lake mentioned in Belletre's expedition. 3 Indians lived in Annsville quite recently. At the forks of Fish creek hearths were exposed by the washing of the banks and large potsherds were found three feet under ground. Stone im- plements occur in the town. — Jones, p. 82. The Oneidas held their annual fishing feast here in the spring, using hurdles. — Jones, p. 71 4 W. S. Valiant reported many camps and relics as well as burial places in and about Rome. The finer relics do not appear, as the tide of early travel did not set that way. Some banks near Rome are of doubtful origin. 5 Burial place of whites and Indians west of Fort Bull and south of the canal. 6 Camps on Canada, Mud and Whittle's creeks and on Brandy brook near Rome. Small sites are frequent and were explored by Mr Valiant. 7 An early village site on Steuben creek, six miles northeast of Holland Patent, near the mouth of the creek. The sites in this prehistoric group average about an acre and were reported by H. A. Pride of Holland Patent. 8 One west of Steuben and north of the creek. 9 One at Trenton village four miles east of Holland Patent and on Cincinnatus creek. ID A village east of Holland Patent and quite near it on the south side of the creek. 1 1 A village west of South Trenton. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK III 12 One near Stittville on the east side of the creek and half way between the next and Holland Patent. 13 Two small hamlets w^est of the Nine IMile creek and near its mouth in Marcy. One was quite near the creek, the other farther west and opposite the Oriskany monument. There are others in this town not definitely located. 14 In enlarging the canal in Oriskany in 1849, more skele- tons were found in logs hollowed out by burning. They had medals and ornaments. One medal of George i was dated in 1731. The others were dated from 1731 to 1735. In two instances the heads of three or four skeletons were placed together and the bodies radiated from these. There are ear and nose ornaments of red slate and some pipes. — Jones, p. 829 15 A recent cemetery on the north side of the Mohawk opposite the mouth of Oriskany creek. The tradition is that the Indians who fell at Oriskany were buried there. The relics j\Ir Pride found there however were all early. 16 On the north bank of the IMohawk, in Alarcy and half a mile east of Oriskany, a spot on the table-land w^as called the castle. On this was a second growth of timber in 1796. Iron axes w^ere found there and from 20 to 30 deep caches. A low mound was 18 inches high and from 8 to 10 feet across. — Jones, p. 244 17 A line of lodge sites extends all through Marcy to Deerfield on the terrace north of the river. All but one are early. One is midway and none have pottery. Articles rude. 18 Three skeletons were exhumed near Hamilton college. The middle one lay in an opposite direction to the others and had a metallic cross on the hrt2.s,i.— Jones, p. 829 19 Alter the revolution the Oneidas left Oriskany and part came to the Mile square in Augusta, which had long before been occupied by them. — Jones, p. 96 20 Near Oriskany creek on both sides in Marshall and Kirkland lived 400 Brotherton Indians mostly near Deansville. — Jones, p. 247 21 Hatch's mound, west of Rome and near Green's Corners, is reputedly of Indian origin but this is more than doubtful. A small mound and excavation near may be artificial. XI2 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 22 There was a recent fort on Cranston's farm at Oneida castle east of the creek, probably the one built by Johnson in 1756. St Peter's Indian church was there also before the Oneidas went to Green Bay. The cemetery west of the station was cut into by the West Shore railroad. 23 "At the orchard the first Methodist mission house was built. The orchard is an old and very large one situated in the southwest corner of Vernon. It was set out by the Indians long before the arrival of the first white settlers, it being apparently an old orchard in 1794." The noted Orchard party had its name from this. — Hammond, p. 114 24 Dr Hinsdale reported a large site less than a mile west of the village of North Bay, with stone relics. 25 He found a large straggling site near the mouth of Oneida creek, and another large village lialf a mile from the mouth, with early articles of bone, clay and stone. Net sinkers are common near the mouth of the creek. Onondaga county. This county was the historic center of the powerful Iroquois league and there the great council fire burned, though not always in the same place. For nearly or quite a cen- tury the Onondaga towns were on the hills bordering the valley of Limestone creek. About 1690 or a little earlier they shifted to the east bank of the Butternut creek, a mile south of Jamesville. The next half century found them in the Onondaga valley east of the creek, but by 1750 nearly all were on the west side. Their present location is quite recent. While part of this nation seem to have been immigrants but little over three centuries since, it is probable that they united with some of the same family who had preceded them, settling near Seneca river. Another group of this family was in Elbridge but may not have united with them, their natural as- sociations being farther west. Preceding the Onondagas and their kindred, and mainly in the northern towns, were those visitors who left so many interesting relics on the Seneca and Oneida rivers and the adjacent lakes and streams. Tliese came from many places, but when, we can not tell. In this field the writer has worked for many years with the ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK "3 hearry aid of conscientious collectors, and perhaps no part of New York has been given more thorough and systematic study, though a vast amount yet remains to be done. Its navigable rivers and abundant fishing places drew many here at an early day, while others found safety in its hills. 1 Camps with the usual early relics in Lysander, lot 42, on the west side of the Oswego river at Phoenix. There was also a fishing village there in 1654 at which Father Le Moyne stopped. 2 Two camps or more on the land of D. Porter and A. Haikes, lot 71, on the west bank of the Seneca river. Early relics and a little pottery. At this rift the first English military road crossed the river. 3 A hamlet on a bold hill on A. Start's farm, lot 70 Lysander. Arrowheads and pottery. 4 Two hamlets on and by the Adams farm on the west side of the Seneca river and another north of the mouth of the state ditch, lot 96. FHnt arrowheads and rude stone implements and but little pottery. 5 A village on the Hickey farm, lot 75 with fine stone inplements but no pottery. It is a little back of the river. Just northeast of this on saryiy land are fireplaces with a few arrowheads, drills and coarse pottery. A small hamlet lies farther west by the Voorhees brook on lot 74, and near this a cache of flints was found. 6 The above camp on sandy land is on lot 75, formerly U. M. Kelly's land. Just below it is a stone eelweir with three bays of unequal length reaching up the river as it tended toward the north shore. It was built of field stone and was about 1200 feet long. It reaches the surface now only in very low water. Part of another is below the Jack's reef bridge, and others are found elsewhere, as the Onondagas built many within historic times. 7 Two hamlets of considerable size on J. Adsit's land, lot 76 close to the river and on both sides of a brook. They seem dis- tinct and have the usual relics but no pottery. There are several camps between this and the last. 8 Apparently a stockade town on the hilltop back of what was Charles Emerick's house and high above the river road on lot 78 114 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM north of the Seneca river. All the usual relics and abundant pot- tery but no drills or scrapers, which are absent from all Iroquois forts. A fine spring on the terrace below. Shells of Unio com- planatiis abound. A bone fishhook was found. 9 Two hamlets and a cemetery on G. A. Bigelow's land on the hill in the north part of Baldwinsville. In the hamlets were pipes, arrowheads and celts. There were no relics with the skeletons which lay horizontally, with the knees drawn up. There were camps all through the present village. 10 Extensive hamlet on the south side of Float bridge, lot 86 on the east bank of the river. A great deal of pottery with other relics but no scrapers or drills. 11 A camp south of the railroad bridge and east of the river on lot 87 with early relics and pottery. On the opposite bank were fireplaces with pottery. There was another small hamlet at the Red rock rift, lot 93 half a mile below. 12 A circular earthwork on lot 89 of about three acres is now obliterated. It was about 360 feet in diameter and the road passes through the center. Pottery is abundant with the usual Iroquoian articles. It is about three miles from Baldwinsville and one and one half miles from the river on either side, but flat sinkers are found, suggesting a question of use. Clark reported a ditch around it four feet deep with a bank on each side of this, and a gateway. A man who cleared the land told the writer that there were merely two broad depressions. It is on level land and there is a small site half a mile away. 13 Two or three hamlets near th-e north end of Cold Spring bridge, lot 100 on both sides of the road with abundant relics and with pottery on the east side. 14 Three hamlets on the south shore of Cross lake, on lots 31, 32 and 33 Elbridge. Stone relics but no pottery. 15 Three hamlets and scattered lodges on lot 34 mostly on the Elliott farm. The central one was long occupied and yielded many fine relics but scarcely any pottery. t6 There was a camp on the river just west of Carpenter's brook and several east on lot 35. One hamlet was at the mouth of the ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK II5 brook and two farther east on the Bidwell farm. The cemetery for the latter place was south of the road with both early and recent relics. Clark says, ''At Jack's reef when the whites first settled this town the Onondagas had a large settlement with an extensive clearing and a valuable orchard." — Clark, 2 1328. No early travelers mention this. 17 Northeast of these on the Somes farm, lot 16 Van Buren is a hill where relics are said to have been abundant and where an old settler of good judgment remembered a palisade line. The writer found no traces of occupation on the hill but there were small camps toward the river. 18 Besides scattered sites farther down the Seneca river there was a hamlet on lot 4 and west of Dead creek. It was an early site but not long occupied. fg Two hamlets were east of Dead creek on the river bank. These were on the Wright farm, lots 4 and 5 and were quite dif- ferent in character, the eastern one having rude relics. The west- ern one probably represented several camps. 20 An extensive stockade was on the Crego farm, lot 6 near the south bank of the river. The area is about 400 by 500 feet and the usual relics ftre found, among the rest the sharp barb of a bone fishhook and a flat Unio bead. Another stockade was directly across the river. 21 Two hamlets and several camps were on the river bank on the west line of Baldwinsville, town lot 7. One camp was recent. Others occur at intervals along the river as far as the island. These are mostly early. 22 On the south side in Baldwinsville a village and cemetery were a little southeast of the village cemetery. Relics are found with the skeletons. Another village was mostly on the east side of Syracuse street. A few lodges and graves were on the west side. All these were on land sloping to Crooked brook. A few rods southeast was a cemetery in sand loam out of which the writer saw 20 skeletons taken at one time. No special order was observed in burial but the knees were generally drawn up. Under almost every head was a small pebble, the loam being free of stones. In Il6 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM laying pipe a few rods southeast of the bridge in 1895 an extended but small skeleton was found betw^een two layers of cobblestones. No articles were in the grave, 23 There was a circular stockade on L. Tallmage's farm, lot 13, and one and one half miles south of Baldwinsville, south of a small stream and west of the road to Warner. A plan is given in fig. 75. It occupied, a low broad hill, commanded by a higher one across the stream. It had a gate on the north side, and the diameter was about 300 feet. The postholes were a step apart. 24 A small hamlet was on Mrs C. Lamerson's farm, lot 41. Arrowheads, etc. are found. 25 On lot 17 there are lodge sites near the river. 26 There are also camps on the farms of Messrs Spore and Pel- ton on lot 3 near the river. 27 Others occur on H. B. Odell's farm on lot 2 and all along the valley of Dead creek implements are found. 28 There are lodges near the river on Lester's and Tallmage's farms, lot 14. 29 In E. L. Tallmage's woods, lot 21 were two large stone heaps covering human bones. 30 Two mounds and two or more hamlets were near the Onon- daga outlet in Geddes. One hamlet now lies east of the present outlet. One is on the top of the hill west of this and on the south side of the road. Camps lie westw^ard of this along the bluff. The relics are all early. One burial mound in the woods at Long Branch was 12 feet long and 3 feet high when examined by the writer, but w^as once larger. Six skeletons and some early relics w^ere afterward taken out. This mound was oblong but the other was circular and much farther southeast at the base of the sandy blufif. In it were skeletons and stone relics. Fig. 89 shows the position of these mounds west of the outlet. 31 There w^ere several camps about Pleasant beach near the west shore of Onondaga lake, yielding fine relics and extending from the outlet nearly to Nine Mile creek. No Iroquois traces are found on the west side of Onondaga lake and but few on the east. 32 The Kaneenda site of 1700 is the only recent site near Onon- daga lake except about the old French fort south of Liverpool. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 117 Kaneenda was on the creek and south of the lake, within the city limits. An early site may be placed with this on an elevated spot in the marsh west of the creek where Dr Hinsdale has discovered much of interest. There is also a small early site with rude imple- ments, in the third ward of Syracuse near the creek. Besides these there was a recent village as well as a cemetery not far from the present high school. 33 There were early and late camps at Brewerton on both sides of the river and many stone plummets and bone harpoons are found. Burial places are also found on both sides, the one on the south side being in the present cemetery. Not far south some hamlets were mentioned by early missionaries. 34 There were small camps on lots 32 and 33, Cicero about South Bay on Oneida lake, and another farther east on the Eastwood farm lot 46. 35 A Httle west of Bridgeport was a hamlet on lot 73. 36 Another was on the lake shore, lot 47 and east of the present cemetery, and another on the same lot near Chittenango creek. It may be added that there are other small camps, as on the islands in Cicero swamp and on Frenchman's and Dunham's islands in Oneida ^ake. 37 There was a cemetery with some lodge sites on the Childs farm_, lot 22, Clay. Earthen vessels were found with the skeletons near the Seneca river. 38 Cemetery and hamlet on lot 16, Clay east of Schroeppel's bridge on a bluff south of the river. Early and fine reHcs. Camps also on the north side. 39 Hamlet on the Walters farm, lot 23 and north side of the road. Many fireplaces but rude articles. 40 Another on lot 74 has afforded fine relics. There are other scattered camps of little note. 41 South of the canal in Elbridge was a group of notable earth- works now obliterated, which seem to belong to the Cayuga group. In early notes these are referred to Camillus but the division of the town placed all in the present town of Elbridge. The one on Fort hill, lot 70, Elbridge was first mentioned by Rev. Thomas Il8 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Robbins in 1802, in his recently printed journal. He described it. as ''nearly four square, the corners a little rounded, facing very nearly the cardinal points. It is a little more than 20 rods from north to south and from east to west a little less." He differs from others in describing two gates on the west side with one on the east, but was probably correct. He said, " On the west side are evident marks of violence, places in the wall being thrown down into the ditch." De Witt Clinton described it as " elliptical in shape " and said that it covered three acres. — Sqider, p. 32. Mr Clark made it a square of four and one half acres. He adds that " on the south side were numerous holes about 2 feet deep and 6 feet apart as if an intrenchment or circumvallation had been commenced and not finished." In his plan these appear in a straight line. They were probably caches. — Clark, 2:326. The writer examined the spot with Mr Hunter, who had owned the place since 1840, and part of the results appear in fi^. 64. The work was on a broad elliptic hill and extended some distance down the sides. The long axis was from north to south and the area about two and one half acres. Relics much as usual with fresh water shells. It was an earthwork. There proves to be an account of the forts on lots 70 and 81, Elbridge, in a journal kept by Lieut. Col. William Stevens, who visited them in October 1791. In Onondaga's centennial, p. 685, these are incorrectly located on lot 84. The description is good, but has few details regarding the smaller work. The timber seemed a second growth in and around the fort. The work on lot 70 was elliptic, the longest diameter being north and south, inclosing about two and three fourths acres. There was a gate in the east as well as the west bank. " The butments on each side are plain to be seen." In both cases the trees on the wall were larger than the others, but this was due to the more rapid growth in made soil. 42 The writer also gives his own plan of the small fort on lot 81, half a mile southeast of the last, and a mile west of Elbridge village on the old Squire Munro farm. Fig. 62 represents this. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OK NEW YORK II9 Mr Clinton described this as half as large as the last and of the same form. Unto shells are also found here. — Sqiiier, p. 32 Mr Clark said the bank and ditch could easily be traced in 1793 and that the area was one and one half acres. It seems less than this. He said there was a gateway on the west side about 12 feet wide. His figure makes this wall slightly convex and all the others straight. — Clark, 2\2,2^. There is an abrupt descent on the west side into a deep ravine and on the south there is a quick slope to the Munro house. The east and north walls were on level land. 43 INIr Clark also described a fort on lot 73 a little east of El- bridge village. " On the site of Mr Caleb Brown's house and garden, including a portion of the highway, was an ancient circular fort, containing a little over an acre of ground, within which were evidences of a blacksmith shop," and many common relics. — Clark, 2:327. All Elbridge forts, however, were prehistoric. 44 The same writer says, " On lot 84, on the farm now owned by Caleb Brown, esq., (1849) about 40 rods south of the road was a circular fort which covered over three acres of ground." There was a wide gate on the west and a smaller one on the northeast side. A cache was mistaken for a well and near " the western gateway \^^ere found several pieces of timber, having the marks of iron tools upon them." Pottery and shells were abundant. Mr Clark's plan appears in fig. 65. 45 He also described an open village on lot 83 south of Elbridge village where he said hundreds of grooved stone axes had been found, and numerous arrowheads as well as a stone for sharpening tools. — Clark, 2:324. Grooved axes are so rare in New York that the writer made special inquiries and found that this was an error. None are known there. 46 Two or three camps occur on lot 62, Salina near the north- east angle of Onondaga lake and scattered lodges toward the out- let. The spot shows no permanent occupation and relics vary greatly in character. 47 Farther south there are camps and hamlets toward the north line of Liverpool and east of the lake and on both sides of the 120 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Stream on L. Keith's farm. Relics of an early character occur at intervals all along this shore. 48 The French fort, and mission of 1656 were on lot 106 north of the railroad bridge in Salina. Early and recent relics are found there. The plan of the fort in Clark's Onondaga, however, is of that erected by Frontenac in 1696. The plan was made by Mr Geddes in 1797. Clark erroneously said that some of the pickets remained in 1794, adding that the work embraced half an acre. Rev. J. W. Adams said that traces of this fort could still be seen in 1834, and that Dr Holbrook, a settler of 1795, told him that there was a picket of four acres, with a fort of one, having a blockhouse in the northeast corner, and a bastion at one angle. It is probable all these accounts are somewhat confused with the fort of 1756, built at Onondaga Valley by Sir WilHam Johnson. Frontenac's fort seems to have been built on the old mission site. Around the latter some Onondagas lived. 49 Early relics have been found all along the line of salt vats on the bluff. Clark reported a large cemetery at Green point but gave no details. It was at the base of the bluf¥. 50 North of the marsh and half a mile east of the lake is a recent camp or hamlet. 51 There were no villages in Skaneateles but small camps and occasional relics appear, some being of early types. One camp was on the farm of Henry Moses, lot 20. 52 Relics were frequent on R. Curtis's farm, lot 22. 53 There was quite a camp on the east side of a stream and south of the direct road to Marcellus on lot 29. Early relics. A few articles have been found near Skaneateles village and Mandana. 54 20 skeletons were taken out of a gravel bed in 1878 on lot 42, De Witt now East Syracuse. Early relics were found. 55 The Deep Spring of early note is on the courity line east of Fayetteville. Tradition places a stockade there but there are no traces of permanent occupation. Arrowheads and recent relics were once frequent. 56 A hamlet on the Mason farm, lot 68 Spafford was about a mile east of Five Mile point on Skaneateles lake. The relics there and near by are early. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK T2I 57 A few years since some graves were opened on lot 72, Otisco which contained several long stone tubes. This was near Amber east of Otisco lake, and several caches of flint pieces have been found in that vicinity. Arrowheads occur all along Nine Mile creek to Onondaga lake. 58 A little north of Onondaga Hill village there was a large cemetery with hundreds of graves. — Clark, 2:136 59 Half a mile south of Onondaga Valley village, on Webster's mile square and on the first terrace west of Onondaga creek, was the stockade built for the Onondagas by Sir William Johnson in 1756. It was 150 feet square with blockhouses on two corners. It was burned in 1779 but traces were found by the first settlers. The stone graded way to the creek remains. 60 A village was burned a mile farther south and another beyond this. 61 There are several burial places on the east side of the creek, where the Onondagas lived from about 1720 to 1750. The relics are mostly recent of course. 62 Many early articles occur near the old arsenal on the east side of the valley, lot 121 Onondaga. 63 A sn#all site on the Henderson farm, lot 161. This was an early hamlet having pottery and arrowheads. Lodges were farther south. 64 Council house and village on the present reservation. Some relics appear along Onondaga creek and in South Onondaga but no villages. 65 Near the east line of the reservation and on lot 13, La Fayette was a recent village with an orchard. This was visited by John Bartram in 1743 when it had 10 lodges. The graves were very regularly arranged. — Clark, 2:270 66 There was a cemetery west of Butternut creek and about a mile south of Jamesville in the same town. Recent relics. 67 The stockade burned at Frontenac's invasion was on the Wat- kins farm a mile south of Jamesville and east of the reservoir. This was on lot 3, La Fayette, and the change in the town has occasioned much confusion. Squier quoted an account from the 122 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Nezv York magazine for 1792 and was led to place it in Cayuga county. It has been described as two places, one in Pompey and the other in La Fayette. According to the French it was a triple stockade built under English supervision. Clark's plan which appears in fig. 63 indicates an earthwork, almost rectangular surrounded by an elliptic double stockade intersected by a cross line at the short axis. At the white settlement the lines were distinct. At the northwest corner was a bastion and there were several heaps of refuse. A curving ditch 40 rods north was a puz- zling feature. There were caches and abundant recent rehcs. Frontenac described the fort as large and strong. The town ap- pears on Romer's map of 1700 on the east side of Kiechioiahte creek. 68 A recent site on the Gates farm, lot 5 Pompey is known as Bloody hill. It is two and one half miles southeast of Jamesville, and is largely a cemetery. 69 A large early village on a hill on J. Christopher's farm, lot 6, a mile east by south of the last. Iroquois rehcs. 70 A smaller early village on the Reed farm half a mile north- west of Watervale on lot 19. 71 Recent and early cemeteries on the Sedgwick farm, lot 2/, two miles northwesterly from Pompey Hill. Mostly recent relics. 72 Recent cemeteries on lots 28 and 29 a mile west of Water- vale. 73 Cemeteries on Luke Fitch's farm near the road to Watervale and on adjoining land on lot 19. There was also a recent village site here a little farther north. This seems the village mentioned by Greenhalgh in 1677. 74 From a recent site on the Hibbard farm, lot 6 great quanti- ties of iron and other articles were taken. Circular elevations sup- posed to be for lodges were reported regularly arranged in rows. Clark says also that " On the late Dr Western's farm could be distinctly traced the remains of a small fortification with a burying place. . . Not far from this last, on the farm of the late John Clapp at an early day were plainly traceable the lines of an earthen fortification." All relics were recent. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 123 75 Indian hill is on lot 9 north of the road and was described by Clark as the farm of Isaac P. Jobs. The French who came there in 1654 and in following years speak of the palisade and gates. In 1677 Greenhalgh said it had no defence. Clark said that early settlers remembered distinctly an earthwork there with walls four or five feet high, which had one gateway and was circular with a diameter of from 300 to 350 feet. The writer traced the general site under favorable circumstances and made the village an ellipse about 1050 feet long by 450 feet wide. It is two miles south of Manlius village occupying the full width of the hill. The large cemetery is farther north and on the edge of the east ravine. Recent relics. There are many memorials of the French missions and a boulder remains on which the Onondagas sharpened thei*- implements. 76 Clinton said that there was a cemetery of three or four acres a mile eastward. This was on the Scoville farm, lot 11. 77 Indian fort is in Pompey, on lot 23, not lot 33 as usually stated. A bank and ditch crossed it, running in a southeast line according to Clark, but really southwest. This was 300 feet long and there were lodges on both sides. It has always been called a recent sflte but the writer found no evidence of this fact and defers to others. The large grooved boulder has been removed. 78 There was a cemetery near Hill's, lot 33. South of this, but in }\Iadison county, was the stockade already described, but which was an Onondaga town. 79 A stockade was on the Indian knolls, on the Lawrence farm, lot 68^ a mile south of Pompey Center, east of the creek. In- dian and European articles are found but no French. It was re- ported at an early day as an oblong stockade of two acres. It is somewhat triangular as represented in fig. 77 and is about 675 feet long with a width of 360 at the broad end to the south. No council wampum appears and but few shell beads. It may be dated about 1640. 80 East of this and of the road is Indian spring on a small stream. On either side of this stream were the two grooved boulders now 124 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM in the state collection. Farther east on the hillside was a scattered early site with graves. 81 Mr Clark mentioned the Sheldon site on lot 69 but only- said it resembled other forts. It occupies the most commanding situation of any in the county, and is on a high and steep blufif south of the Hollow road and of a stream flowing into East Lime- stone creek. The blufif is nearly or quite 300 feet high, precipitous on the north side with an abrupt slope on the east and south. There is a depression on the west. The summit is a plateau of about 450 feet from north to south with a width of 350 feet at the north end and of 230 feet at the south. It was occupied for some years and recent articles are found. There is higher land beyond the western depression. The probable date is about 1630. Fig. 87 shows this site, the town covering the whole plateau. 82 A maile south of Delphi was a stockade between two ravines on H. Chase's land, lot 99 with a cemetery on the south just over the Fabius line. Clark located it on lot 100 which it almost reaches. His plan is too large and broad; a better one is given in fig. 74. Most of the fort is now obliterated, but it was long and narrow, about 250 by 750 feet. Most of the lodges were near the north end. The two grooved boulders in the southeast corner have been removed. Postholes yet remain in a shallow trench, averag- ing about two feet from center to center, half the distance stated by Clark. He said that bodies were buried here " one row with their heads to the west and the next row with their heads to the east." Another odd statement of early settlers was that " the pali- sades were set in the bottom of a ditch which was in some places 6 feet deep." Recent articles are found. 83 On the south line of Pompey, lot 98, extending into lot 8, Fabius was a circular stockade on a hill of which fig. 76 is a plan. Nearly a quarter of the fort is still in woodland and it had a diameter of about 225 feet. Some European articles are found but it was an early village located two and one half miles south- west of Delphi. 84 About a mile northwest of the last, on lot 97, west of Car- penter's pond was a cemetery with brass kettles. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 1 25 Many small sites have been omitted, others are not distinctly known at present. Clinton said there were 80 cemeteries in Pom- pey. Clark was much more moderate saying, These places of defence and burial were very numerous in the township of Pompey. There are not less than 15 which have been pointed out to us and which we have visited. They are scattered through several of the neighboring towns." Nearly all of these are of the historic period, Pompey being the early home of the Onondagas till after 1700. Most of the sites in this county were described by the writer in Onon- daga's centennial. Ontario county. When first known the Senecas lived entirely in what is now known as Ontario county and in a small part of Monroe county, occupying several villages and having two con- spicuous divisions. Tradition points to Yates county for their origin and it is probable that forts in that direction may have been occupied by part of the nation. One of the most important local maps yet issued is that prepared by Gen. J. S. Clark, whose painstaking w^ork is well known. It will be found in the Ea7'ly chapters of Seneca history, by Rev. Charles Hawley, D. D. It gives the Seneca castles and mission sites from 1650 to 1750, and may be briefly summarized. In Mendon are placed Sonnontouan of 1669, and southwest of this Totiacton of 1687, both near the west line of the town. In Avon is Duy-do-o-sot on the east line, and Gah-nyuh-sas on the south. Gandachioragou is at Lima, and two villages appear in the northwest corner of the town. Another is toward the south line. Two contiguous villages are near the north line of Livonia. The village in West Bloomfield is southwest of the present village, and in thus locating it at first the writer followed Clark. South of Victor village is Gandagaro of 1687, and just west of it the small fort of the same year. Gan- dougarae of 1657 is on the north line of East Bloomfield, and another village is in the center of the town. Honeoye of 1779 is at the foot of that lake, and in the north part of Bristol are the burning springs visited by La Salle in 1669. Kanandaigua of 1779 is southwest of the present village. Another is northeast of this, another on the west line of the town, and a fourth near the north line. Onahee of 1700 is near the west line of Hopewell, with m 126 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM another village a little farther north. West of Geneva is the Kana- desaga of 1779, with two villages northwest of this. Ganechstage of 1720 is south of Kanadesaga, and to the southwest of this is the Ganechstage of 1760. Gothseunquean of 1779 is on the west bank of Seneca lake. 1 Irregular work on Boughton hill a mile south of the village of Victor, which was destroyed in 1687 by De Nonville. The small fort of that year was on Fort hill over a mile west. Squier's plan is given in fig. 78, showing a work nearly 1500 feet long with an area of 20 acres. This was Canagora, the St Jacques of the missionaries. Greenhalgh visited it in 1677 and said it was much like Onondaga. The village site is on R. B. Moore's farm, and there is a cemetery less than a mile south of this on the farm of George Ketchum, which has European articles. Turner also men- tions articles at Victor Flats. 2 Fort hill a mile west of Boughton accurately corresponds with De Nonville's account of the picket fort at the top of a little mountain scarped on all sides." 3 Canaenda was also called Gandougarae or St Michael and was a village of adopted Hurons. Hon. George S. Conover said that it is usually located in East Bloomfield, three and one half miles from Boughton hill near Mud creek, but thought it needed farther investigation. He thought the village was moved into the town of Seneca after 1687 and placed on Burrell creek about two miles southeast of White springs. W. L. Hildburgh had European relics from the former place. Greenhalgh placed Canaenda four miles south of Boughton hill. 4 There was a burial place on lot 98, Manchester. 5 Rev. J. W. Sanborn explored a recent burial mound at Clifton Springs in 1889. Irving W. Coates reports an early village site just south of CUf- ton Springs, nearly a mile south of the Canandaigua outlet. It occupied a little over two acres, with fireplaces very numerous and close together. It seems to have been long inhabited and was of early date. There are fragments of decorated pottery, fine celts and arrowheads. Articles of bone have been found, but none of shell. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 127 There is an early village reported by ^Lr Coates, which is one and a half miles west of the one at Clifton Springs. The relics are similar, excepting that no bone articles have been found. It was a small village, but the few fireplaces are large and deep. The site is a mile south of the Canandaigua outlet, a quarter of a mile west of Fall brook. 6 On his map of the Seneca country Gen. J. S. Clark placed an Indian village almost in the center of the town of East Bloomfield. Mr Hildburgh reported a cemetery there. A village site and ceme- tery are on Mud creek, east northeast of East Bloomfield village, with European articles. A similar site a mile west of this, is near the bank of a small creek. 7 Gen. Clark placed another village near the north line of the town of Canandaigua. 8 He also locates another just south of the village of W est Bloom- field. This was east of Honeoye creek and had two cemeteries early and recent. Both long and discoid shell beads were found. This may be the one reported a little west of West Bloomfield, which should be placed farther north on the map. It is on the road from West Bloomfield to Lima, and the cemetery is on the east bank of Homeoye creek. The village was on a steep hillside. 9 N. W. Randall reported a village eight miles south of Victor and as much westerly from Canandaigua, a little east of 'Mud creek. It seems the site placed by Gen. J. S. Clark near the town line. The village was recent but there was a prehistoric cemetery half a mile away. Clark located the Gandougarae of 1657 near the northeast corner of East Bloomfield. This seems the village men- tioned by Turner with European relics. There are several ceme- teries with early relics in the vicinity. ID A small cemetery was three miles south of Canandaigua, west of the lake. II Honeoye, at the foot of Honeoye lake half a mile east of the outlet and south of IMill creek, was burned in 1779. — Siilliz'aii, p. 130. There were recent articles on Phelps's flat near the old Indian castle at the foot of the lake. — Turner. P. & G. p. 199, 203. Clark placed the village on his map west of the outlet. The name of Honeoye may have come from Onaghee. 128 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 12 Randall reported a small cemetery three miles west of Canan- daigua on a flattened ridge. 13 Macauley quoted a reference to three old forts near Canan- daigua. — Macauley, 2:113. A mile east of Canandaigua was an oval work on a hillside overlooking the lake, with one gateway and half the wall remaining. The turnpike road from Canandaigua to Geneva passed through it. An early cemetery also. — Squier, p. 55, pi. 6, no. 2. This appears in fig. 66. Schoolcraft placed it on Fort hill a mile north of Canandaigua and 1000 feet around. — School- craft. Report, p. 109. Judge Porter mentioned another which Squier could not find. Mr Hildburgh located a village and cemetery on Fort hill half a mile west of Canandaigua, also a village or camp at the north end of the lake near the outlet and camps along that stream. There was an early site on the east side of the lake a little south of this. On the west shore, just south of Canandaigua, was another early site with caches. Graves have been found near the court house and a cemetery just west of the village. 14 In the valley of Mud creek at Bristol were many early and recent camps. 15 A large recent village in Bristol was reported by Mr Randall. No cemetery was found. It was half a mile south of no. 12. 16 Nun-da-wa-o-no was the name of their oldest (Seneca) vil- lage, situated on a hill at the head of Canandaigua lake near Naples, where according to the Seneca fable they sprang out of the ground." — Morgan, p. 51. Schoolcraft called this Fort hill but nothing definite can be learned of remains there and the fort seems mythic, probably referring to the one east of the lake. ReUcs are likely to occur. 17 A curious grave of burned clay was opened on the east side of Canandaigua lake in July 1893. It was four miles south of Canan- daigua and half a mile east of Gage's landing. Many early relics were found in the vicinity. 18 Onaghee was several times removed. Mr Conover said it was at one time on Darwin McClure's farm, lot 20 Hopewell, three miles southeast of Canandaigua, half a mile north of the turnpike. A recent cemetery is not far away, and modern relics abound. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 1 29 19 Five miles northwest of Geneva was a stockade on Fort hill. This was not far from a hill on which was an earthwork. It was a long parallelogram through which the road ran, on one side of which the post holes remained. There were caches and early relics. — Squier, p. 87, 88, pi. 13, no. 2. His plan is given in fig. 68. 20 The Seneca castle of Ganundesaga was burned in 1779. The fort was built by Sir William Johnson and had modern features. The site and cemetery are carefully preserved one and one half miles northwest of Geneva. Squier's plan is given in fig. 69. Mr Con- over thought the people of Canagora moved to White springs and thence to Kanadesaga in 1732. 21 There was an earthwork two miles beyond the last or three and one half miles northwest of Geneva, east of the Castle road. It was 800 feet long and an early site on high ground. — Sqiiier, p. 55, pi. 7, no. I. Squier's plan is given in fig. 79. There are graves in the southern part. 22 A small cem.etery was opened near Melvin Hill in 1896. The heads of skeletons were to the west. 23 Among the pine barrens on Mr Swift's farm three miles north of Geneva is a small site with early relics. Dr W. G. Hinsdale re- ported ih\^ and some of the following sites. There is a scattered site with early relics on the farm of John Laws on the county line north of the Waterloo road. 24 In Geneva, on the old De Zeng place west of Main street, were many early relics and also camps near the south end of Main street on the south side of Glass Factory bay. 25 Hon. George S. Conover reported a group of recent sites on Burrell creek, which are here placed under one number. The creek is very crooked and the lots are not in regular order. There was an orchard and a small recent cemetery on lot 36, Seneca east of the creek on the Rupert farm. A mile east of this and south of the creek was a recent village and cemetery on the old Wheadon farm on lot 12. Near the north line of lot 36 east of the creek was an orchard with a recent cemetery and fireplaces. A recent cemetery without relics and with longitudinal burial was on the Rippey farm, lot 9, south of the creek. A trail from the southeast came to the center of the old Brother farm on which there was a village. It 130 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM followed the highway northwesterly. Canaenda was removed to lot 32 on Burrell creek where there was a large cemetery mostly on N. A. Read's farm about 25 rods southw^est of the creek. On that farm and east of the creek was one of the principal sites of the town. On lot 31 west of the creek was another recent cemetery. Lodge sites and a cemetery were on .the Hazlet farm^ lot 37, west of Burrell creek. 26 Kashong, on Kashong creek, seven miles south of Geneva, was burned in 1779, but the recent site is hardly well defined. A recent cemetery was opened near the lake in 1889. 27 Camps on Canandaigua outlet. 28 Rehcs have been reported from Squaw island, at the foot of Canandaigua lake. Early implements occur on a site on a hill west of this. 29 A small village was west of Manchester Center, on the south bank of Canandaigua outlet, nearly two and a half miles north- west of the village west of Clifton. Earthenware and articles of stone occur. It was probably a fishing camp. Mr Coates reported this and the following. 30 A large fortified town was in the tow^n of Phelps, on a bluff facing the Canandaigua outlet, on its south side. A wall has been described there. No recent articles have been found and all are of stone or clay. The site is northwest of the village of Phelps. 31 Skeletons have been exhumed and relics found at Littleville, a hamlet on the creek south of Shortsville. Some of the latter indi- cate early visitors, and several trails converged at the ford there. 32 Three fourths of a mile south of Chapinville near the creek was a workshop. Flint chips, unfinished weapons and fine stone articles were once frequent there. Some other reputed Indian sites which he had not personally examined, Mr Coates did not describe. Orange county. The notes on this county are mainly from Outline history of Orange county, by Samuel W. Eager. I There was a hamlet abandoned in 1755 on Mr Mould's farm or the main road from Montgomery to Albany. Other sites were traditional. — Eager, p. 277 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 2 Another recent settlement on the flat above VVallkill bridge in Montgomery. — Eager, p. 277 3 Indians owned an eel weir on the creek at Henry Crist's. — Eager, p., 277 4 An Indian village and orchard on the east bank of the Wallkill on the town line between Wallkill and jMontgomery. — Eager, p. 277 5 Indian spring is east of the village of Michigan. Bushels of arrowheads have been found there. — Eager, p. 352 6 " Maringoman's castle " was on the north end of Skunnemunk mountain and on the south side of Murderer's creek, Blooming Grove. The cemetery was a little south of this. — Beach, p. 7 7 Maringoman's wigwam " was on the north bank of the creek in Hamptonsburg at the junction of Otterkill and Grey court creek. Early relics are found in many places near. — Beach, p. 7 8 There w^as a recent village and cemetery in Minisink on Samuel Dolsan's farm. — Eager, p. 213 9 On Jogee hill was another village with small images and abundant arrow-heads. — Eager, p. 418 10 On the Welling farm in Warwick w^as a village and orchard called ^Mistucky. — Eager, p. 423 11 A ceijietery on Sugar Loaf mountain had about 30 graves before the revolution, with palisades around the mounds. — Eager, P- 517 12 Dans Kammer is a cove in the north part of the town of Newburgh where the Esopus Indians met for religious dances, hence the name. De Vries mentioned these in 1640. Mr Frey had a site reported to him on the point. 13 Another site was at Penn point below Newburgh. The Algonquin inhabitants shifted so often that there are few prominent sites. Orleans county, i There were burial mounds and other ancient remains in the town of Ridgeway. — Macaiiley, 2:113. Josiah Priest in his American antiquities (p. 327) speaks of forts in this town, which has since been divided, Carlton being taken from it in 1822. Dr F. D. Snyder reports finding two mounds on the north 1^2 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM bank of Oak Orchard creek two miles from the lake. No other works were known. 2 There was a circular work one and one half miles west of Shelby Center, of which Turner gives an account without mention- ing the double wall or more than one gateway. Squier quotes his account which has many features of interest. F. H. Gushing described it in the Smithsonian report for 1874, with its double walls, gateways and boulders. Some have ascribed to it a great antiquity. It is simply a prehistoric Iroquois fort with the usual relics, but it includes some Ohio shells. Dr Snyder furnished a plan, given in fig. 67, divided into quadrants by fences, two sections being under cultivation. In one of these the inner wall curved to avoid two large limestone boulders. The passages through the outer and inner walls are not quite opposite. 3 Half a mile west of this was once a large cemetery. Mr Squier says " it is not known that many ancient remains occur in this county," and these are all reported. Schoolcraft speaks however of an old fort in a swamp at Barnegat now Shelby Center which is noted above. Oswego county. As a rule few important works or sites are found near Lake Ontario, as there was little security there except where there were rocky banks as on the Genesee river. Temporary fishing villages were more frequent and some should yet be found where streams of some size enter the lake, though the traces are rare. 1 Otianhatague, or Canohage, was at the mouth of Salmon river, and there was a fishing village there in 1654 and the following year. It does not seem to have been of long continuance as no one was there in 1656. Few relics are found. 2 In Grisfield Johnson's History of Oswego county, p. 60 is an ac- count of a mound near Trout brook in the north part of Albion, which rose from the midst of level land. It was probably a natural elevation but many relics are reported close beside it. On the top of a hill near by was a circular bank inclosing about two acres. It had a ditch. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK I33 3 Bone hill was a burial place at Oswego Falls west of the river, but was probably natural Human bones were frequent there but few were found when it was leveled. Around Lake Neatawantha are scattered camps with arrowheads and a little pottery. 4 A small early hamlet was on the west side of Oswego river a mile south of Fulton. 5 There was a hamlet of some size on the west side of the river, less than a mile north of Hinmansville with arrowheads, pottery, and camps near the mouth of Ox creek. Nothing has been learned of a fort on Ox creek mentioned by Squier though there were camps on that stream. 6 There was a circular work of less than an acre and with two gates on lot 24, Granby. This is on the hill east of South Granby station, and what remains appears in fig. 71. The removal of gravel has obliterated a considerable part of the work. The diameter is 240 feet. The descriptions in Clark and Squier are incorrect. Scarcely anything is found except a few fragments of pottery. It was occupied a very short time. 7 Another similar fort once existed on level land on lot 32. It was occupied much longer and yields the usual reHcs. This also has been incorrectly described. 8 There was a semicircular work on the east side of the river at Oswego Falls. Supposing it once to have been circular, the western side was removed in cutting the canal. Mr Clark says it was about 10 rods across. This seems the fort which Squier men- tions near Phillipsville. Probably only semicircular. 9 There were camps on the Oneida river at Caughdenoy, where the Onondagas and Oneidas had eel weirs, as w^ell as elsewhere. Early travelers described these. There were small camps toward Brewerton. 10 There were camps on the mainland and on the island in the Oswego river at Phoenix, mostly early, though some are very recent. It was a favorite fishing place and fine relics have been found, many hundreds coming from the island. 11 There were camps, hamlets and cemeteries at Brewerton, a favorite early and recent resort. Harpoons and other bone articles 134 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM are abundant, with some bone fish hooks. Clark's account of a large cemetery is exaggerated. 12 A small village on a point on the north shore of Oneida lake half way between Brewerton and Constantia. Early relics but no pottery. 13 There are camps and relics on the lake shore west of Oswego, near the mouth of Eight Mile creek. They are rare in such situa- tions, but a small camp has also been observed two miles east of Oswego on the shore. Many arrowheads. Mr Clark reported remains of old fortifications on both sides of the river near Battle Island but diligent inquiry reveals none. A cache of flint articles was found east of the Battle Island dam. A curious earthwork reported by the writer on the east bank near Hinmansville seems not aboriginal and may not be military. It may have been a camp of Frontenac's army. 14 Camp on the lake shore 2 miles east of Oswego. Early relics. Otsego county, i The Iroquois had little to do with this county till recent times and the few sites are of minor importance. Most of those about Richfield Springs may be placed under one heading, and are taken from Richfield Springs and vicinity, by W. T. Bailey. An oblong mound, often visited by the Oneidas, was reputed to be the grave of a chief and was in Mr Hopkinson's orchard in that town. — Bailey, p. 27. A recent cemetery was on a ridge opposite the lake house. — Bailey, p. 37. Thi;ee skeletons were found near that house and a cache of flint articles near the lake. Several places on Oak ridge^ west of the lake, half a mile from the head, had early articles. — Bailey, p. 39. In grading near the bridge east of this ridge skeletons were found with flat stones over the faces. — Bailey, p. 40 2 Francis W. Halsey says that the first settlers in Coopers- town found arrowheads and stone axes in great abundance. This is the statement in J. F. Cooper's Chronicles of Cooperstown, p. 5. Rev. Richmond Shreve writes that there is a supposed sepulchral mound at that place on the east side of the Susquehanna. 3 Garrett C. Pier reported several camp sites with early relics at the northwest end of Otsego lake. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 135 4 The only mound of which he knew was at Oneonta. 5 Mr Halsey says that on the Susquehanna west of the mouth of the Charlotte river was an Indian orchard, and a mound on an adjacent island was called the grave of Kagatinga, a chief. Vetal Winn reports an early site of three or four acres in the angle made by the south side of the Charlotte river with the Susquehanna. Pottery is found there. Articles from this spot were in the fine collection destroyed in the burning of the Oneonta normal school. 6 The ancient Unadilla was burned in 1778, and was at the junc- tion of the Unadilla with the Susquehanna on both sides of the river. — Sullivan, p. 23. It was inhabited in 1753 by Stockbridge Indians and w^as mentioned by the Rev. Gideon Hawley. 7 " It is stated upon very good authority that an ancient earth- work once existed near Unadilla." — Squicr, p. 46. It is also stated that an Indian m^onument of a conical form 10 feet high once stood in this town. — Barber, p. 447. Mr Halsey also mentions this, a mile below Unadilla on the north side of the river, as a heap of stones on which the Indians cast a stone as they passed. 8 He says that there was also a mound in which relics were found, but which w-as probably natural, on the north side of the river. 9 A rather large village with an apple orchard was at the mouth of Otego creek. Arrowheads and sinkers are found. 10 A large site between Schenevus creek and the Susque- hanna river, reported by T. L. Bishop, is thought by him to have been Towanoendalough,the first Mohawk town on the Susquehanna, visited by Rev. Gideon Hawley in 1753. It is near and a little east of Colliersville. The prehistoric relics far outnumber the recent, so that there were at least tw^o occupations. It is* on the north side of Schenevus creek and covers from 10 to 15 acres. On the west side'of the river arrowheads, hammer stones and flint chips occur. 1 1 A camp site is two miles north of ColHersville and east of the river. Triangular arrowheads and broken and perfect earthenware are found. 12 A recent site is one fourth mile south of Portlandville, east of the river. It has rude and early implements. 136 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 13 A small site three miles north of Portlandville, east of the river has also early relics. 14 Early relics are scattered about near the confluence of Cherry Valley creek and the Susquehanna a mile east of Milford. 15 Early relics are also found on a camping ground of five acres a mile north of Milford, west of the river. 16 Arrowheads are found on camps one half mile below Phoenix Mills, east of the river. 17 Niskayuna rock is a large boulder two miles north of Middle- field on the west side of Cherry Valley creek. A reputed rendez- vous, with some relics. 18 An early camp is on the Coats farm one half mile south of Roseboom, on the west side of the same creek. 19 Camp with abundant arrowheads at Schenevus lake a mile southwest of Schenevus. 20 A small camp a mile west of Maryland, north of the creek. 21 A camp on the west side of the river two miles below CoUiers- ville. Rude implements and an engraved banner stone. 22 A large camp three miles above Oneonta on the west side was an early site. A similar camp is opposite. These are above the camp at no. 5. 23 An early and extensive camp two miles below Oneonta, north of the river. Arrowheads and pestles occur as on most local early sites. 24 Perfect pottery has been found near Otego on the east bank of Otsdawa creek. 25 A large camp two miles north of Otego, east of and near the creek. * 26 Camp on the Matlin farm one and one half miles north of Garrettsville, east of Butternut creek. Early relics. 27 A camp with early relics on the west side of the same creek two miles south of Morris, is on Jerome Lull's farm. All the sites from no. 9 inclusive though not unnoticed by others, were re- ported by T. L. Bishop of Portlandville. Pestles are found on nearly all. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK Putnam county. As in all Algonquin regions the sites here are small and scattered, and though frequent on streams have attracted little attention. L. W. Calver said in Popular science news of November 1896, "The Indian village sites of the highlands are well known to those interested and have been explored time and again for such relics as occasionally come to light. The finds con- sist principally of arrow and spear points of flint or other hard stone and are of almost every known shape." All he mentioned were near Cold Spring, and had previously been reported by Dr James S. Nelson. The Canopus and Mahopac Indians lived in this county. 1 A recent site is the Indian field two miles south of Cold Spring, directly opposite West Point. 2 A cam.p a mile north of this where a copper knife was found. 3 A camp on the outskirts of Cold Spring. Curious articles have been found near that place. Queens county. Shell heaps are frequent throughout Long Island, the natives not only feasting on shell-fish in the summer but drying large quantities of oysters and clams for winter use. In their own tongue the island was the land of shells. In another form it was the place of shell beads. In many places shell heaps con- tinuously hfie the shores of the bays, and often reveal more than the village sites. The latter are few in comparison. Within well de- fined territories the people were in constant motion. Ill skeletons were found in the Linnaean garden in Flushing in 1 84 1. All the heads were to the east. — Firman 2 A cemetery was opened on Thomas P. Duryea's farm, a mile from Flushing in 1880. Stone relics were found in this. The Matinecocks had large settlements at Flushing, Glen Cove and Cow Harbor. There were other villages of this tribe in Suffolk county. — Thompson, p. 67. All will not be numbered. 3 There were many relics and shell banks about Little Neck. Douglass point was the most interesting spot among these. — Mandc- ville, p. 93 4 The Jamecc Indians had a village on a creek a mile south of the present village of Jamaica. — Thompson, p. 382 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 5 Indian corn grinders, axes and arrowheads were often plowed up at the Maspeth hills. — Furman. The Maspeths lived at the head of Newtown creek. — Thompson, p. 410 6 A small shell heap was at Sanford's point, Astoria, opposite the north end of Blackwell's island. There were early and quite modern relics. Pensselaer county. This is mainly, perhaps entirely, Algonquin territory as both sides of the Hudson were outside of the early Iro- quois Hmits here. 1 Old Schaghticoke is near the mouth of the Hoosick river. The Mohawks gave the Schaghticokes a home here. The Knicker- bocker cemetery is the site of an Indian burial place. Near by is the Wittenagemote or Council tree. — French, p. 559. This is a Dutch name applied to an Indian custom and place. 2 A site has been reported near Buskirk Bridge on the Tyoshoke creek with relics thence to Schaghticoke. All the following except the las,t two, were reported by Rev. O. C. Auringer of Troy, who has done much thorough work. He found few celts but many scrapers. Until recently he had found little earthenware which is generally rare east of the Hudson. Now he has large fragments. 3 There is a site on Crooked lake east of the source of the Wynantskill in the town of Sand Lake. This has scrapers and grooved axes. 4 A recent cemetery was opened in Lansingburg in 1897, but a neighboring camp was of an earlier type. 5 There was an early camping spot of three acres with signs of two occupations on Green island. Tliere were no gouges or pottery. 6 Early site and cemetery at South Troy. 7 Vandenburgh's hill. A varied and successive occupation over five acres, with finest articles near the surface. 8 East Troy (Albia). A group of small sites extending over a hundred acres. Very rude articles. Remarkable for having no arrowheads, spears, knives, polished work or pottery. 9 The Moenemines' castle was on land bought by Van Rensse- laer in 1630 of the Mahikans east of the river. He also bought land of them on the west side. — Doc. his. N. Y. 14:1 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK I39 10 Some Stockbridge Indians lived at Brainard's in Nassau in 1760, where Mr Hoag's orchard stands. The place was called On- ti-ke-ho-mawck. — French, p. 557 Richmond county, i A few implements and shell heaps with some graves have been reported near Tottenville at the south end of Staten island. Rockland county. There are probably many small camps in this county, but none have attracted much attention. I A heap of stones on the Cheesecock patent, 1700. — Green, p. 20 St Lawrence county. This county was in the early Iroquois ter- ritory though it was visited by others. F. B. Hough says there are many open sites and that pottery is abundant by the low lands of tributaries of the St Lawrence. None of these have been definitely reported. There occur stone gouges, arrowheads of many materials, steatite beads and ornaments, bone needles and other implements. Not infrequently a rude resemblance to the human face is noticed on these fragments of pottery." — Hough, p. 18. The important sites were reported by him. 1 A fort on a hill is half a mile southwest of the railroad bridge at the village of Racket River in Massena. It was an irregular in- closure like' an ox-bow. The open side was toward the river and had a ditch. There were no bastions, and Mr Hough said a pre- vious description he had given was erroneous. — Hough, p. 21. At a late hour Dr O. McFadden, of Massena, sent a careful plan of this. It was a stockade rather than an earthwork and had the usual trench in which pickets were set. The west line is 116 paces long. The opening is less and has some peculiar features. There are many pits about the open part and outside of the west line. Fig. 91 is reduced from Dr McFadden's large and carefully made plan. 2 There was a remarkable work on the farm of H. C. Holbrook, on or near mile lot 10 in the northeast part of Potsdam. It was semicircular, and was west of the river and half a mile north of the railroad bridge at Raquetteville. There were several gates, fire- places within and without, and the usual relics. Graves were found on a neighboring island. — Hough, p. 21 140 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 3 There was a village near the Narrows of Black lake, and on a hill east of Edwardsville. It was half a mile long and had the usual relics. — Hough, p. 27 4 There were obscure and perhaps recent paintings on the shores of Black lake between Hammond and the Narrows. Similar pictures occur on the Canada side of the St Lawrence. — Hough, p. 26 5 Father Picquet founded the mission of La Presentation on the site of Ogdensburg. Many Onondagas and Cayugas went there. The fort became a thorn to the colony of New York. Sir Wil- liam Johnson said that the Oswegatchies were mostly Onondagas in 1763. These were at La Galette or Indian Point three miles below Ogdensburg. 6 The road passes through a semicircular work on B. Pope's land in Oswegatchie. This is on lot 20 near Ogdensburg. Contrary to custom the ditch was on the insicle. — Hough, p. 22. This is shown in fig. 70. 7 Fred Howlett found Indian relics on the shore of Cran- berry lake in 1892. 8 There are several sites with fireplaces in Macomb not described by Hough. Some forts he includes in his history and gives two plans in the regents report for 1850. One is on the farm of William Houghton and is north of the road near the east bank of Birch creek. He called it semicircular, with the ends of the bank resting on the creek. His plan in fig. 72 is very different. The area was one and one half acres, with pottery, steatite beads and stone imple- ments. The northern counties are remarkable for these beads. — Hough, p. 19 9 There was a semicircular work on a hill not far from this. It was credited to Capt. Washburn's farm in Gouverneur before the change in town lines. The account of rude sculpture is in- correct. — Hough, p. 19-20 10 Half a mile northeast of no. 8 was a work on the land of W. P. Houghton and J. Sweet. It was irregularly oval and reached a stream. Some ash-beds were 5 feet deep. A village site was near. — Hough, p. 20 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 141 11 A half circular wall was on the land of R. Wilson and the St Lawrence lead mining company. It had a gate midway on the west side and the ends of the wall rested against rocks. From the gate a wall crossed a stream to other rocks. — Hough, p. 20. Fig. 80 is his plan. 12 Dr McFadden reported a small fort a mile southwest of Mas- sena. It was like that at Racket River and on high land. 13 A village site near the east end of Long Sault island yields abundant pottery. Seven skeletons were found in a mound south of this, a large pitcher-like vessel, four gouges, and some very coarse cloth, which looked like our hair cloth, only very coarse. Also seven strings of beads." The other mound was half a mile from this. 14 A stone mortar and pestle were found a mile east of Massena Center and arrowheads are frequent in many places. These forts belong to a group on the north side of the St Law- rence and are early Iroquois in character. Saratoga county, i A cemetery is reported on the south bank of the Sacandaga, in the town of Edinburg but is in the town of Day. — French, p. 588 2 Near the mill pond on Snookkill in Wilton were early camps or a village. — French, p. 593 3 There was a site at Saratoga village with early relics. — Auringer 4 Early relics are found on the camp sites on the flats at Sara- toga lake. — Stone, p. 89 5 South of Stafford's bridge on the south side of the outlet was a grave with pottery. — Stone, p. 90 6 A supposed pottery kiln was south of Fish creek between the bridge and the " old Milligan place." — Stone, p. 89 7 Camp sites along Fish creek from Saratoga lake to Schuyler- ville. One very large one is near the mouth." — Hildhurgh 8 Large camp four miles from the mouth. — Hildburgh 9 A recent camp or village site on " Arrowhead farm." This is on a hill west pf Saratoga lake a mile south of the north end.— Hildburgh 142 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 10 Large and long occupied site at Round lake with early relics. There are smaller sites on the inlet. — Auringer 11 Cache of flints in Charlton on the east side of Consalus Vlaie. Pottery is found on most sites. Arrowheads occur on all plowed land from Bemis Heights to Wilber's basin. The Mohawks fished at Cohoes but had no village there. Schenectady county. Macauley says that between 1616 and 1620 the Dutch bought land at Ohnowalagantle, now Schenectady, where there was then a large Mohawk town and some hamlets. The principal village was within the present city and the lands were cul- tivated. Traditionally the town occupied the site of Con-nugh- harie-gugh-harie, the ancient capital of the Mohawks. — Macauley, 2 -.284. This is quoted only to say that no part of it has any founda- tion though it has been naturally adopted by several writers. 1 Camp near the Mohawk in Glenville with triangular arrowheads of yellow jasper. Another site a mile av/ay, had arrowheads of all forms. — Amer. arch. 1894. Near the west line of Glenville about one and one half miles from the river, a camp and cornfield have been reported by P. M. Van Epps. Also a camp site north of the river near Plofifmans Ferry and small camps east of that place. 2 A small camp a mile farther east noted for its triangular arrow- heads. The three following sites were also reported by him. 3 A cemetery with curious relics was opened in a gravel bed in 1874. There were bone tools and a hook, slate tubes, copper axe, perforated shells, a gorget and 135 copper beads. — Aincr. ant. 1894. This was about five miles northwest of Schenectady. 4 A cemetery nearly a mile northeast of Sanders lake. 5 A grave with relics in the northwest part of Rotterdam near Pattersonville, south of the river. 6 Village site near Rexford Flats and the river. It is a mile west of that place on the east side of Alplaus creek four and one half miles northeast of Schenectady. Early relics occur over about five acres and there are fireplaces and abundant shells. 7 Village site on the south side one and one half miles below Rexford Flats at the mouth of a small creek. Early relics are found over a space of half an acre. Hanford Robison reported these ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK I43 two, and he has surface finds from Schenectady to Karner, seven miles southeast. In the spring of 1899 some large flint knives and a long stone tube were dug up near Hoffmans Ferry. These must be given an early date. Schoharie county, i The former stone heap near Sloansville was noticed by Rev. Gideon Hawley in 1753. Every Indian cast a stone on it in passing and his guide did the same. The heap was four rods long, one or two wide and from 10 to 15 feet high. It has been obliterated. — Simms, p. 632 2 A mound on Shingler's land, near the cemetery south of Sloansville was on the east side of the road to Central Bridge. A workshop extended into the cemetery. There is also a recent Indian cemetery on the same side, on Albert L. Fisher's farm. This has headstones. A village site and workshop are on the east toward the creek. — Smith 3 Workshop at the base of the lower Helderberg group 50 rods west of the bridge over Schoharie creek. In this are perfect and unfinished knives and arrow and spearheads. — Smithsonian report, 1879. Workshop north and west of the depot at Schoharie and another west of the creek and fair grounds. — Smith 4 At Grovenor Corners was a recent camp by a ledge of rocks. — Smithsonian report, 1879 5 A square stockade was built for the Indians on Vrooman's land by Sir William Johnson. It had two blockhouses at opposite corners. There is a burial place. A village and stockade were east of the creek and opposite the next mentioned. The Schoharies had a village and stockade west of the creek on Henry V rooman's land. — Simms, p. 31-32 6 Another village had a cemetery and was on the Snyder farm several miles south of the first mentioned fort. — Simms, p. 32 7 A recent cemetery on the river near Fultonham. — Simms, p. 32 8 A Mohegan village was at the mouth of Little Schoharie creek in Middleburg. This had a stockade and all four forts were within four miles of the courthouse. — Simms, p. 32. The Mohawks made friends of their former foes and gave some of them land. 144 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 9 There was a small village at Breakabeen. It had a cemetery and was west of the creek. — Swims, p. 207 Schuyler county, i Peach Orchard was a small village burned in 1779 and was on the east side of Seneca lake. Condawhaw was a village in North Hector in that year. The name suggests Ken- daia. — Sullivan, p. 129 2 Dr George J. Fisher found a small boulder with five artificial grooves in 1845. This was in North Hector, three and one half miles south of Mecklenburg. Another small one was found 40 years later one and one half miles north of that village. They are rare outside of the Iroquois territory. 3 There was " a village site and cemetery at the south end of Seneca lake in Watkins. European articles were found." — Hild- btirgh 4 Catharine was a little south of Havana and three miles from Seneca lake. It was a Seneca town of 50 houses and was built on both sides of the inlet. ' The Indian name was Sheoquaga. — Sullivan, p. 29 5 Dr S. H. Wright reports mounds at Lake Lamoka. Seneca county. This county was occupied by both Cayugas and Senecas. De Witt Clinton spoke of several earthworks in it toward Cayuga lake but described none. Delafield also said Other ruins of fortified mounds or elevated points exist in this county, too indis- tinct for description; every town affords abundant evidence of the long continued residence of the natives." — Delafield, p. 389. Many of the following were reported by Dr W. G. Hinsdale, among them the first six numbers including 13 sites. 1 A lodge site on lot 90, Waterloo, with early relics. A similar one on lot 92 half a mile from this and north of Seneca river. A small site at R. McCurdy's, lot 91. Another on lot 92 north of the canal was a large site and once a marsh near the northeast angle of Seneca lake. It was plowed in the dry season of 1878 and several bushels of pottery with bone and stone articles were found. 2 From the site on lot 91 early and recent relics are scattered along the river to Waterloo. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 1 45 3 Skoiyase was a village of i8 houses at Waterloo burned in 1779. There were fishponds of stone. — Sullivan, p. 143. There was a large mixed site at Waterloo on lots 2 and 4, Fayette, south of the river. Early and recent relics. West of this were two small sites on lot 2. 4 A small site at the mouth of Kendig's creek, lot i, Fayette. 5 A straggling early site on the river bank, lot 10. There was a Cayuga village near there in 1750. A large site on the farm of R. J. Swan is continuous with this and is on Seneca lake. ]\Iost of it is on lot II. Early and recent relics. 6 A small mixed site on lot 18, Fayette, on a bluff near the lake. A small early site on lot 24. 7 An early site was on the Lawrence farm, lot 99, Seneca Falls, northwest of that village. 8 A hamlet on Shankwiler's farm, lot 15. Burned in 1779. — Sullivan, p. 76. This is in Fayette. 9 Skannayutenate a small village 40 rods from the lake on the south bank of Canoga creek half a mile northeast of the present Canoga. Burned in 1779. A monument to Red Jacket now marks his birthplace at Canoga. A town of 10 houses at the northeast corner of Fayette, one and one half miles from Canoga was burned in 1779. ]>«iewtown was also destroyed. It was on L. Disinger's farm by the lake a mile south of Canoga. — Sullivan, p. 76 10 Camps are frequent near East Varick, lot 74, Varick. 1 1 A small site on lot 64, Romulus. Few relics. 12 An early site toward Kendaia is on Van Vleet's farm, lot 79, Romulus, four miles southwest of Romulus village and two from Seneca lake. A village site on lot 67 half way between this and Romulus. Abundant pottery. Kendaia was also on lot 79 and was burned in 1779. It was half a mile from the lake on the north side of the stream above the forks. Gen. J. S. Clark says it was on the farm of Edward A^an Vleet on both sides of the stream. One of the tombs was particularly described. " The body was laid on the surface of the earth in a shroud or garment; then a large casement made very neat with boards something larger than the body and about 4 foot high put over the body as it lay on the earth; and the outside and top were painted very curious with a great many colors. In each end of the casement was a small hole 146 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM where the friends of the deceased or any body might see the corpse when they pleased. Then over all was built a large shed of bark so as to prevent the rain from coming on the vault." — Sullivan, p. 129. Two others were much like this. 13 An early site west of Kendaia on either side of the mouth of the ravine with hearths and relics. European relics near. 14 On lot 93 of the same town in the forks of Rising's ravine a quarter of a mile from Seneca lake was once " a distinct wall with holes along the center which passed from one branch of the ravine to the other," inclosing a triangular spot 50 feet above the stream. Recent. Also a small site in front of the Willard asylum. — Hins- dale. 'He also reported a small site on lot 94 on a high bluff north of the steamboat landing. Sinkers, etc. 15 Fishing hamlet on lot i, Ovid, at the mouth of a deep ravine. Others occur at similar places as far as Goff's point. 16 Swahyawana was a hamlet on E. J. Dean's farm in the north- west corner of Romulus^ on the north bank of Sinclair Hollow creek. Burned in lyyg.—SuUivan, 77. Caches on the farm of D. D. Johnson, lot 78, a mile south and three east of Romulus. About 20 caches with fireplaces. 17 An earthwork on lot 29, half a mile from the south Hne in Ovid, on the lake ridge. It was an irregular ellipse with several gateways. — Delaficld, p. 389. His plan is given in fig. 56. 18 A recent cemetery at Gofif's point on the bank of Mill creek,, lot 26, Lodi. European relics. — Delaficld, p. 388 19 Charles S. Hall, of Geneva, N. Y., describes a village site on a branch of Kendig creek, lot 36, Fayette. It had pottery. 20 He also describes a considerable village on the east shore of Seneca lake, lot 23, Fayette. Pottery was found. 21 In the center of lot 33, Fayette, was a fortified town of which little is known. It proves to have been circular with an area of two acres. Brass kettles and gun barrels have been found there. In his Centennial historical sketch of the town of Fayette, p. 14, just published, Diedrich Willers gives a more satisfactory account of the work on lot 33, Fayette. A nearly circular bank inclosed several acres of elevated land. It was thick and high, with an outside ditch. The trees growing within and on the walls were as large as those ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK without. The two gateways were 5 feet wide and large stones pro- tected the wall on either side of these. The principal gate was at the southeast and the smaller one at the northwest corner. An ancient cemetery was nearly a mile southeast of this fort, where human skeletons of unusually large size were found in mounds of earth." The character of the mounds " is uncertain. Steuben county. But few notes could be secured in this county and some of these are indefinite. Some unlocated Delaware towns destroyed in 1764 may have been here. At that time there was a town of 30 good houses on the Cayuga branch with four villages and another at Canisteo. — Doc. hist. N. Y. y:62^ Except as specified the following notes are from M. F. Roberts's Historical gazetteer and directory of Stcuhcn county, 1891. 1 When Avoca was first settled, there were 50 Indian huts on the Haskins farm. Early relics occur there. From 50 to 100 huts were on the flat below Abram Towner's house. These numbers are certainly too high. Location indefinite on the map. 2 There are small camps and arrowheads at Hammondsport. 3 At the settlement there were two square stockades of an acre each at Canisteo, one being on the bank of the river in the neck of a defile opening into the valley on the east. In early documents Canisteo is cfescribed as a village made up of stragglers in 1762 and as a Delaware town of 60 houses in 1764. Tlie stockade had a bank. The other similar work was at an opening into the valley from the south on Col. Bill's creek. 4 Gen. J. S. Clark thought the tory settlement mentioned in Sul- livan's campaign was at Painted Post. i\Iany relics have been found in that vicinity and there are some large sites. An effort by the writer to obtain information on these, from local collectors was not successful. 5 A Monsey town called Assinisink was near the confluence of the Canisteo and Tioga rivers in 1764. On the Pennsylvania his- torical map it is placed at the forks in the town of Erwin. 6 As late as 1804 there were temporary camps along the north bank of the river in Cameron. Location indefinite. 7 Ward E. Bryan reports that he has found many relics along Post creek which reaches the Chemung at Corning. On the east side of the creek there, a dike was cut through a site having arrow- heads and pottery. 148 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 8 A cache of pieces of sea shells blocked out for disks was found in Lindley near the state line and east of the Tioga. This was on the farm of Curtis Guiles, about a mile from the forks of Cowanesque and Tioga rivers. Mr Roberts presented some of these to the writer. Suffolk county. The eastern end of SufYolk county had an early celebrity as the seat of the wampum trade which continued there till the middle of the 19th century. The refuse shells are abundant about Gardiner's bay and those opened for food form large heaps almost everywhere on the shore. Furman remarked that the shell banks in the western part of the county were larger than those in the eastern. W. W. Tooker who has kindly revised the list of sites says of the natives, Shell heaps, wigwam sites and other evidences of their footsteps are found near swamps, at springs of running water, on the southern slopes of hills, banks of ponds, shores of the bays and creeks and in other sheltered spots from the eastern extremity of Montauk to the western line of Southampton." To his labors we owe much of our definite knowledge and sites not otherwise credited are to be assigned to him. 1 Wigwams and shell banks were frequent along the west shore of Lloyd's neck. 2 There are lodge sites along the southeast shores of Huntington bay, and Thompson said that the Matinecocks had settlements at Cold Spring and Huntington. — Thompson, p. 67. There were set- tlements all about Cold Spring Harbor. The writer finds some confusion about Martin Gerritsen's bay. Early accounts would seem to place it west of Oyster bay and some identify it with Schout's bay which according to Van Tienhoven was on East river. His description of Gerritsen's bay in 1650 is evidently of Hunting- ton bay. Schout's bay had one river and Oyster bay divided into two. " Martin Gerritsen's bay, or Martinnehouck, is much deeper and wider than Oyster bay and runs in, westward divides into three rivers, two of which are navigable; the smallest stream runs up in front of the Indian village, called Martinnehouck where they have their plantations." — Doc. hist. N. Y. 1 :366 3 Five cemeteries at St Johnland were mentioned in the New York Sunday star, Nov. 28, 1880. There are shell heaps about Nesaquague. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 149 4 At Stony Brook were immense quantities of shells. — Bayles, P- 234 5 At Wading River there are many shell heaps. 6 There was a cemetery near the shore southeast of Aquebogue. 7 A recent stockade on Peconic bay was south of Cutchogue, on the east side of Fort neck. The lines of earth are distinct and inclose half or three fourths of an acre. 8 Lodge sites near the shore east of Cutchogue. 9 Cemetery with pottery half a mile east of Southold village. Lodge sites on the opposite shore southward. 10 Lodge sites and shell heaps along the south shore of the point east of Greenport. 11 On Shelter island was the Indian fort of 1639, shell mounds now indicating the site. Mr Tooker places four villages on this island. 12 Shell banks on the west side of Gardiner's island. 13 Great quantities of white quartz arrowheads have been found on the east side of Lake Ronkonkoma. They are common east- ward. 14 Wigwams and shell heaps from Brookhaven westward near the shore. 15 Village of the Secatogues about a mile southwest of Islip near Olympic. Thence there are shell heaps westward to the county line. 16 Unkechaug village on the outer angle of the point three miles southeast of Brookhaven. Thence lodge sites and shell heaps extend east and west. Thompson says that the Secatogues had their chief village on Secatogue neck and that the Patchogues had their principal settlements at Patchogue, Fireplace, Moriches, Mastic and Westhampton. Mr Tooker says that the Patchogues were properly Unkechaugs. 17 Passing over scattered shell heaps along the shore there was a fort and a cemetery about midway between Southampton and Shinnecock Flills. West of this are numerous lodge sites for some miles along the shore. 150 ^ NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 18 Lodge sites on two small coves on the south shore of Peconic bay. 19 Large village site with graves at Sag Harbor. 20 Fireplaces and a refuse heap at Hogonock a little northwest of Sag Harbor. Bone implements and pottery. 21 Not far southwest of Sag Harbor was a large village site where all kinds of arrowheads were found. On a lodge site one and one half miles away all were triangular. On another two miles off all were stemmed. 22 At Three Mile harbor the earth on the west side is white with shells which were used in making wampum. There are some on the east. " 23 The Sachem's hole half way between Sag Harbor and East Hampton marked the spot where Poggatacut's head rested in 165 1 when his body was set down on the way to the grave. The hole was feet deep and wide and was kept clear by the Indians for nearly two hundred years. 24 A recent cemetery in the southeast part of East Hampton village. 25 Indian well southeast of Amagansett and near the shore. 26 Fort of 1 661. This was on Nominick hill near Napeague. 27 Two workshops south of Fort pond. 28 Earthwork and ditch on the northeast side of Fort pond on Fort hill in Montauk. It was 100 feet square with a round tower of earth or stone at each corner. — Prime, p. 91-92. Mr Tooker reported this as 180 feet on each side and as very recently obliter- ated. There was a cemetery near and thence 'came a stone foot- mark now in the collection of the Long Island historical society. Sullivan county. As in much of the Algonquin territory there are no large sites here and few of the smaller have been reported. It is supposable that the name of Indian Field pond in Bethel refers to marks of occupation. French in his gazetteer says there were frequent traces of occupation, including trails, early and recent relics. I There were Indians at Mamakating hollow in 1700. — French, p. 642 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 2 "On Big island two miles above Cochecton was an extensive burial place of which traces are occasionally plowed up at the pre- sent day." — French, p. 644 3 Indian cemetery and village near Burlingham. — Schoonmakcr, p. 40. Abandoned Oct. 4, 1663. Near the county line. Tioga county. For nearly all the sites along the Susquehanna thanks are due A. F. Barrott of Owego. Le Roy J. Tappan of Newark Valley furnished several on Owego creek. 1 A site of two acres on Peter Caryl's farm northwest of Candor and on Catatonk creek. Pottery and stone articles. 2 Camps on G. H. Thomas's farm west of creek half way between Weltonville and West Newark. Early reHcs. 3 Camp on west bank of Owego creek two miles north of Newark Valley. 4 Camp a mile north of the same place on both sides of the creek. Many fireplaces and early relics. Long occupation. 5 Mr Tappan reported many mounds near Newark Valley which he hoped to explore. Fine relics were found five miles from there. 6 Mound one mile south of Newark Valley near the east bank of Owego creek with early relics in and around it. 7 Early cafnps on Luke Fleming's farm east of Flemingville and on the south bank of East Owego creek. Potstone dish and earthenware. 8 Camps on George Burt's farm north of Catatonk and east of Catatonk creek. Pottery and early relics. In the Historical gazet- teer of Tioga county it is stated that the Onondagas had a fort on this creek at the settlement of Candor. This may be doubted. 9 There was a cemetery on the lands of J. Piatt and C. F. John- son in the town of Tioga on the top of the cliffs on the west bank of Owego creek. — Gay, p. 476 10 Hamlet on John Fleming's farm south of Flemingville and east of the creek. Abundant pottery. 11 Camps on Bert Farnham's farm north of Scandlesville and east of the creek. Early relics and pottery. Camps on land of James Nelson south of Scandlesville and in forks of Catatonk and Owego creeks. Early relics. Old cemetery on George Brown's land southwest of the same place. Pottery and shells. 152 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 12 Early camps on G. H. Pumpelly's land, north of Owego and east of the creek. Pottery and stone relics. 13 Recent relics and skeletons west of Owego creek and village. Also the whole of Owego from the upper end of Front street to the D. L. & W. railroad bridge. Stone relics, potstone and earthen- ware. Piles of mussel shells also. Some recent relics. There were graves and a burial mound. The village of 1779 was west of the creek. 14 Spanish hill is at Waverly but on or over the Pennsylvania line and is nearly obliterated. Accounts are conflicting, some claim- ing an outer and inner line. There was a cemetery at the base of the hill. Gen. J. S. Clark thought this the town of Carantouan occupied in 161 5. It has been mentioned by many. 15 Camps west of Smithboro and north of the river. Flakes and earthenware over several acres. Also a village site on Coreall's flats north of the river. Recent relics. 16 Village on Mr Middaugh's land southwest of Smithboro and south of the river. Fireplaces and potstone. 17 Camps east of Smithboro and north of the river, with others south. Early relics. Also west of Nichols and south of the river many fireplaces were unearthed by the washing of the bank. Fine pottery and some bone articles. 18 A cemetery and village site on Mr Johnson's land south of the river and northeast of Nichols. Stone implements and orna- ments with pottery. 19 Village site on George IngersolFs land south of Tioga Ferry and the river. Fireplaces, stone implements and soapstone orna- ments. On the south side of the river opposite no. 24, is a large village site probably with camps. Early articles with pottery and soapstone. On William Lounsbcrry's land east of Tioga Ferry is another site with grooved pebbles. 20 On Charles Smith's land are camps east of Canfield and south of the river. Ground flint articles. Camps on WilHam R. Louns- bcrry's land east of Lounsberry and south of the river. Grooved pebbles and celts. Others south of Canfield and the river with great quantities of flakes and little else. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 1 53 21 Camps on G. H. Pumpelly's land south of Owego and the river. Early relics. Also others on his land southeast of Owego. Between the D. L. & W. railroad bridge and the creek were early articles with two copper implements. On George Nichols's land east of Owego and south of the river are camps with arrow and spearheads and great quantities of flakes. 22 Large and early village site on Serene La Monte's land. Many relics. Mr Barrott says, " 50 years ago tent rings could be seen the entire length of three fields." 23 Early camps on j\Ir Brown's land north of Nichols and the river have a little pottery with stone relics. 24 A camp southwest of Tioga Center and north of the river has early relics and abundant earthenware. 25 There was a camp similar to the last northeast of Tioga Center. Some camps are included in this number on Hardman Cole's land on the north side of the river and northeast of Canfield, with others on George Ferguson's land north of that place. On the former were stone mortars and soapstone vessels. 26 Camps on Mr Bauer's land west of Canfield and north of the river. Early relics with earthenware. 27 A large village site on Henry Tillbury's land north of the river and east of Nanticoke creek. Many relics and some gouges. Another farther west. Camps on Frank Tillbury's farm north of river and Apalachin ferry. Early relics. 28 Two sites north of the river and east of Apalachin ferry with many and varied early relics. 29 South of Hiawatha island and near Nanticoke creek. Earthenware. Also a camp east of Hiawatha ferry and the creek. Like the last. 30 Opposite Campville and west of the ferry on Gen. B. F. Tracey's land. Much earthenware with clay pipes. 31 Village site on Mr Catlin's land east of the mouth of Ap- alachin creek. Abundant earthenware and some glass beads. 32 The remaining sites were reported by Percy L. Lang and are in the west part of the county. A camp half a mile northwest of Waverly. There are several villages and cemeteries near Waverly and south to Tioga Point. 154 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 33 Two cemeteries, a village and camp are north of the river and near the state boundary line. These are above W averly. 34 A village and two camps are on the south side of the river. They range from the state boundary line to two and one half miles north of it. 35 There is a camp site on the east side of Cayuta creek, three miles north of Waverly. 36 A camp west of Cayuta creek is at the mouth of Miller run. 37 A camp east of this creek is half a mile north of Lockwood. 38 There are two camps south of the river at Barton and a ceme- tery half a mile west of the village. Two miles southwest are two villages and a camp. Numbers 39 to 41 are omitted through an error in adding the following notes which were sent by Percy L. Lang. 42 A village east of the river and north of the state boundary line had stone implements. There was also a camp farther north con- taining pottery, and an early village and cemetery were on the west side of the river. 43 There was a village at the north end of Manghatamanga flats and east of the river. Another camp was farther down the stream. 44 A cemetery north of the river was half a mile west of Barton. Some camps were on the same side of the stream and east of that village. 45 There were camps south of Barton and others farther south- west. The general indications are of a shifting population all along the Susquehanna. Ease of access to the soapstone quarries of Pennsylvania accounts for frequent articles of that material, while some articles which occur in the northeastern counties of New York are almost unknown there. Frequent grooved axes show also the presence of southern visitors, in Tioga county. Tompkins county, i In the winter of 1883-84 13 skeletons were reported to have been exhumed in Groton. They were placed in a circle with their feet to the center, a comparatively recent mode. Pipes and shell beads were found but the location was indefinite. 2 There were graves on Fay Townley's farm in South Lansing but no relics were with the skeletons. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 3 In his History of Cortland, Mr Goodwin said there was a small village at the mouth of Taghkanic creek which escaped the atten- tion of Sullivan's men and also one six miles southwest near Water- burg. 4 A fort and cemetery were reported by Daniel Trowbridge in Ulysses half a mile from ^^'aterburg. There was a bank and three TOWS of palisades. The relics were early Iroquoian — Smithsonian report, 1864. This was half a mile west of Waterburg the bank being on the north side of the road. The cemetery was on the south side. A skeleton was dug up a mile east of Waterburg. — Child. Directory, 1868-69. It is in the west part of Tompkins county half a mile east of the county line and a mile northeast of Perry City on the farms of Messrs Hart and Sherwood. The road passes through it. — Amer. ant. 1897. Fig. 81 is F. E. Her- rick's plan in that paper. It is singular in its combination of a wall and lines of palisades and seems to be about 500 by 350 feet. 5 A. F. Barrott reported another fort on a bluff on Parker Wixom's land, with a wall crossing the bluff east and west. This was nearly three miles southeast of the last. 6 Another fort was two miles south of no. 4, east of the creek and opposite Caleb Wixom's house. Mr Barrott reported this as circular but with a prolongation of the wall 15 rods southerly from the south gate. It is on a bluff. Mr Herrick described it as an immense early village. Besides no. 4, Mr Trowbridge spoke of three other forts within three miles, which he did not describe. One is unnoticed here. Fig. 86 is from a sketch by Mr Barrott. 7 Coreorgonel was a small village burned in 1779, west of Cayuga inlet on high ground and two miles south of Ithaca. — Sullivan, p. 77. There are recent burial places at Coreorgonel and also north of Buttermilk falls and on the bluff near Dr Parker's, Fast hill. — Dudley. " Where Ithaca now stands were found cleared fields which had previously been cultivated by the Indians." — French, p. 655. The Tedarighroones were adopted by the Cayugas in 1753 and settled at the head of Cayuga lake which thence had the name of Totieronno. It has been thought that Poney Hollow was a -contraction from the Saponies who may have lived there. NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Ulster county. S. L. Frey says of this county, " It is a country of abundant streams and that it was occupied for a long time by aboriginal tribes is clearly shown by the abundant relics. The indications however are that there was no long residence at any one point. There are no beds of debris, ashes, coal, bones, etc., such as are found on the sites of Iroquois villages." The people were Algonquins and of different habits from the interior nations. They raised corn but often changed their homes. There were several bands of these called by various names but generally known as the Esopus Indians, who lived in the valleys or near the Hudson river. They are famous for their wars with the Dutch. 1 On a map of the Catskill region issued by the West Shore railroad in 1893 Indian graves are indicated between West Sauger- ties and Quarry ville. 2 Rev. Dennis Wortman reports two village sites near Sauger- ties. 3 There were cornfields near Wagondale and Sagerskill. — Sylvester, p. 57 4 Several clearings and orchards were known in Olive at an early day. On the farm of Benjamin Turner was a cemetery. Early relics are frequently found. — Sylvester, p. 301 5 Site at Glasco. 6 The Esopus Indians around Kingston were sometimes called Warynawaucks. — Schoonmaker, p. 3. There was an inscribed stone at Esopus Landing and a village site near Kingston Point. 7 There was a village and cemetery at Ponckhockie. 8 An Indian fort called Wiltmeet is supposed to have been in Marbletown. — Schoonmaker, p. 15. In that town Mr Louis Bevier has fine relics found on his farm. — Frey 9 There was a town at the junction of Rondout and Vernoey kills at Wawarsing. Arrowheads, etc. were found there. — Schoon- maker, p. 35. The grand council house of the Esopus Indians was there and thus several trails met— Sylvester, p. 22 10 In the Esopus war of 1659 the Indians had corn at Le Fevre's falls in Rosendalc. This was on the flat owned by Timothy F. Tilson. — Sylvester, p. 42 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 157 11 There was a village in a strong place nine miles above this either in Rochester or Wawarsing. — Sylvester, p. 42. Schoonmaker places this in Rosendale at the same distance. — Schoonmaker, p. 17 12 The fort of 1663 was at Kahanksen in Wawarsing four miles east and near the Rochester line. It was on the south side of Rondout creek just north of Shurter hill. — Schoonmaker, p. 36 13 Henry Booth reports an early village site with relics a mile south of New Paltz, on the Wallkill. 14 Another is at Libertyville. 15 Another is on the Wallkill near Tuthilltown. 16 The new fort in the Esopus war was in Shawangunk on the east bank of Shawangunkkill two miles south of Bruynswick post- office. It was on a sandy plateau on Matthew Jansen's land 75 feet above the river. Arrowheads, etc., are found. — Schoonmaker, p. 37. A two hours' march from the site of the Shawangunk church along the Hooge Berg. — Sylvester, p. 56 Warren county. This was mainly a land of passage with many camps and few villages. 1 Toward the head of Lake George on Dunham's bay was a small camp and another on Van Wormer's bay with but few relics. Most of these sit^s are mentioned in the History of the town of Qneensbury, by A. W. Holden but more definite notes were furnished by Rev. O. C. Auringer of Troy, N. Y. 2 Abundant relics occur at " Old Bill Harris's camp," Harrisena. There are several small sites along the creek leading to Dunham's bay. Early relics, but Holden says that they are miostly recent in Queensbury. 3 Queensbury or Oneida, and Round pond. Several small sites along a small creek and pond extending over a square mile. Early reHcs and an unexplored mound in a creek bottom. 4 Glen lake or Long pond and outlet. Several sites in an area of one and one half miles east along the outlet. Early relics. One small site on the south side of the pond. 5 Head of Glen lake and inlet, Meadow run. Large site on high ground. ■58 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 6 Meadow run and Glendon brook. A large and early village site with some smaller ones. 7 Big bend at the rifts of Hudson river. Two opposite sites historic and prehistoric, covering about six acres and having many relics. Fragments of pottery are scattered all over the county on both sides of the Hudson. A copper spear and stone implements were found at West mountain. Washington county. Like the last, this was a land of passage and there are many trails and scattered implements old and recent. Relics have been found in or about Cambridge, Salem and Fort Miller but without notes of sites. 1 Site east, of Cossayuna lake with fine reHcs. 2 A similar small site near Cambridge. 3 Several interesting sites near Smiths Basin south of Fort Ann, with much debris and some large caches of chipped implements. Wayne county. Few distinct sites have been found in this county but articles occur along the trails near Lake Ontario and elsewhere. 1 An oval earthwork inclosing about five eighths of an acre is on Fort hill, a conspicuous spot a mile south of Savannah village. The gate is at the north end and there is a large cache within. Fragments of pottery abound. Fig. 82 is a plan of this small work, the long axis of which is about 256 feet from center to center of the ditch. It has not been before described. 2 Many articles occur along Crusoe creek. 3 There were one or more Indian villages in Galen. There are several fireplaces on Joseph Watson's farm near Clyde and many relics have been found. — Cozvles, p. 252. A large mortar half a mile east of the last on A. Snedekar's place near the Roman catholic cemetery. Arrowheads are found. These are near the Clyde river. 4 Arrow and spearheads are found in Butler. 5 An early site of some size three miles northeast of Wolcott village and near the railroad. 6 A few arrowheads and celts have been found at Sodus Point. On W. E. Sill's land half a mile south of this the writer found two lodge sites and some relics but nothing was seen all along the bay. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK 7 A recent grave was found a mile north of Wolcott in 1894 on the Thacker farm. 8 A stone mortar was dug up near the custodial asylum in Newark. Westchester county. This county was well stocked with Al- gonquin tribes^ and these and the sites have been quite fully re- ported in Bolton's History of Westchester from which most of these notes are taken. 1 An old fort and village were near Annsville in Cortlandt. — Bolton, I 158. Sachus or Sackhoes was a village at Peekskill. — Bolton, 1 184 2 The Kitchawanks were near the Croton and north to the High- lands. In Cortlandt at the entrance of the neck proper was the castle of Kitchawan. — Bolton, 1 :84. This was on Senasqua neck, now called Croton point. The castle was west of the V^an Cort- landt cemetery and a burial place used in 1641 was east. — Bolton, 1 :ig6. In August 1899, Mr Harrington, of the Museum of natural history, New York, discovered the earthwork at Croton point. It is low but well defined. He found four skeletons, but no relics of value. 3 Early* relics and skeletons have been found on Oscawana island and on the neighboring shores. — Bolton, 1:180 4 The principal village in Yorktown was on Indian hill, 600 feet above the north bank of Lake Magrigaries now Mohegan lake, on the east side of the hill. — Bolton, 2:661. The cemetery was on the south side and on the east side of the town was the Indian cemetery of Amawalk. — Bolton, 2:662 5 There was a village on Crane's lake or on the rocky ridge of Croton river in Somers, with lodges on most streams and high grounds. Some were on the east side of Angle Fly brook. — Bolton, 2 :252 6 A cemetery at Wood's bridge at the. junction of Plum brook and Croton river in this town. — Bolton, 2:252 7 Cemetery on the road from Boutonville to Bedford beyond Wepuc stream. — Bolton, i :396 8 Another west of the bridge between South Salem and Cross river. — Bolton, i :396 l6o NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 9 Nanichiestawack was on the south side of Indian hill, Bedford. It was the scene of the fight of 1644 and mounds existed there in 1765, — Bolton, 1:7. A traditional burial place was in the present Bedford cemetery. — Bolton, 1 40 10 Cemetery on an island in a swamp northwest of the road from Ridgefield to Bedford but in Lewisboro, The Indian well is on the east line of the town. — Bolton, i :395. At Cohansey in Bedford, Indians lived during the colonial period. Potamus ridge near Beaver Dam river was occupied in 1692. — Bolton, 1:4 11 Pequot mills are in the woods on Smith's ridge. There are many circular mortars in the rocks and a stone mound is near. Early relics are frequent on Lake Waccabuck in the north part of Lewisboro. — Bolton, 1 1396. Farther north in North Salem was a village of 1656 and a cemetery northw^est of the manor house. Vast quantities of spear and arrowheads are found on the high grounds. — Bolton, I 734 12 There was a village in Lewisboro near the state line. — Bolton, 1:395. Many relics have been found about Cross pond, on the east side of which there was a stone mound. — Bolton, 1 1394 13 Indian pound was at the foot of a high ridge south of the present village of Poundridge. It was an inclosure for game. — Bolton, 2:103. There was an old cemetery at the foot of Stony hills. — Bolton, 2:124 14 A village on Chappaqua hills in New Castle and another on the south bank of Roaring brook. An Indian cemetery was near the last with early relics. — Bolton, 1 :565 15 Recent lodges and cemetery on the south side of Kirby's pond at New Castle Corners. — Bolton, i :566 16 Stockade in North Castle a little south of Armonck. — Bolton, I :697 17 The principal village here was on the north side of Rye pond. Extensive shell beds with many relics. Villages also on Armonck and Byram lakes and a cemetery near Wampus pond. — Bolton, i :6gS 18 The Sint Sincks lived in the town of Ossining and had a vil- lage at Sing Sing in the 17th century —Bolton, 2:9. There was a village in this town between Sing Sing and Croton. — Bolton, 2:2 ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK i6i 19 In the town of Mount Pleasant behind the old Dutch church at Sleepy Hollow were several mounds and a fort. — Bolton, 1 1506 20. The village of Alipconck in 1659 was at the south end of Tarrytown on a hill where there were deep shell banks. — Bolton, 21 Three castles were described at Wetqueschek in 1642. This was at the mouth of the stream at Dobbs Ferry and in the vicinity. There are deep shell banks. But one castle remained in 1663. — ■ Bolton, 1 1259 22 In 1746 there was a village in Greenburg on Mr McChain's farm and one on Indian hill. — Bolton, 1 -.260 23 There were lodge sites and a cemetery in White Plains and also a mortar cut in the rock. — Bolton, 2:535 24 In Yonkers there were village sites on the Nepera. — Bolton, 2 : 576. A cemetery two miles north of Yonkers on Blackwell's hill, and another at the entrance of Sprain valley, with scattered graves elsewhere. — Bolton, 2:577-78 25 A Mohegan stockade on Berrian's neck and a cemetery.^"^ — Bolton, 2 :578. 26 Extensive shell beds in West Farms on the East and Harlem rivers witl^ burial mounds near Gouverneur Morris's residence. — Bolton, 2:4^1 27 In the town of West Chester the principal village was on Castle Hill neck and at Bear swamp. There was a cemetery on the southeast side of Spicer's neck and many shell heaps on the East river. — Bolton, 2 '.264 28 The castle of the Sinamon Indians was on a hill in the village of East Chester and there were lodges on a neighboring stream. Vast quantities of early rehcs have been found in the town. — Bolton, I :202. There are supposed stone foot marks in the southeast part. — Bolton, 1 :247. A village site with graves has been reported north- east of old East Chester church on the banks of East Chester creek. — Smith 29 Vast numbers of shell beds and stone relics have been found in Pelham. The favorite burial place of the Siwanoys was at the entrance of Pelham neck. Numerous mounds occur but most are recent. Some are early and have quartz arrowheads and pottery. — 1:294 1 Berrian's neck is now in New York county. l62 NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM Bolton, 2 136. On the extreme point in Pelham was another cemetery with quantities of arrowheads. There was a venerated stone on Hunter's island and a large workshop west of Pelham Priory. — Bolton, 2 137 30 Davenport's neck in New Rochelle was covered with wigwams in 1746 and there are extensive shell beds along the shore with scattered hamlets elsewhere. There is a quartz quarry and curious relics in the north part of the town. — Bolton, 1 31 In ]\Iamaroneck was the village of Kitchawanc on the project- ing rocks opposite Heathcote hill near Mamaroneck bay. The cemetery was northeast of this. There were extensive works on the high ground north of the hill forming long ridges with correspond- ing depressions. There were four circular pits and a mound on the south with other works on the wxst side of the hill. — Bolton, i 1464 32 The principal JMohegan village was at or near Parsonage- point in Rye. A cemetery was near this on Burying hill and there were many scattered graves, and sites in the town. — Bolton, 2 : 128. Abundant remains and shell heaps occur on Peningoe neck in this town. — Baird, p. 20. A cemetery was opened on the bank of Blind brook in 1855 and other graves in 1867 on the other side. These were old. — Baird, p. 193. Several small villages, rock mortars and early rehcs occur along the shores of Rye. — Baird, p. 194 33 There was a village with shell heaps at the south end of Manursing island. — Baird, p. 193 A village has been reported at Bullock's landing and probably many have never been distinguished. There is very little earthen- ware, but shell heaps are too numerous to be specified. The abundance of sea food and the ease of communication made this a very populous district. 34 A shell heap at Throgs Neck near Schuylerville in the town of West Chester. Both early and very modern relics. 35 Small triangular arrowheads are frequent near the shore at Larchmont park. The additional notes were supplied by M. Ray- mond Harrington of Mount Vernon, N. Y. 36 Camp at the forks of Mamaroneck river. Another northeast of this, on the same stream and near a high rock, four miles north of Mamaroneck station. Arrowheads at both. ABORIGINAL OCCUPATION OF NEW YORK •63 37 David's Island has yielded many arrowheads. A grave or pit on Hunter island had some fine articles, including a circular orna- ment of mica. On this island are several shell beds, one of which is covered at high tide. Arrowheads are frequent. 38 A small village site at the end of Davenport's neck, had grooved axes, celts, arrowheads and mortars and a little pottery. 39 There are many shell beds along Hutchinson river and Pel-- ham bay, on the east shore. One of these is some distance up the river. A group of six is a quarter of a mile above the railroad bridge, and they are about 12 feet across and a foot high. Another group still farther south, extends along the east shore of the bay below the foot bridge, for about 200 feet. The group includes a village site. South of a cove in the bay is an unexplored shell bed.- Beyond this a small one with arrowheads and pottery. At the end of the point is a cemetery. ]\Iuch farther north and on the east side of the point is another cemetery, three fourths of a mile south of Bartow station. The graves were on two knolls, about 50 feet in diameter. A shell heap, 40 feet across, lies behind the largest. A field by a small stream, half a mile north of Bartow station, has several shell beds. A great variety of relics has been found there. A small fiei