Part 3
Mannepies is quoted by Riker (Hist. Harlem) as the name of the hilly tract or district of Keskeskick, described as lying "over against the flats of the island of Manhattan." It is now preserved as the name of Cromwell Lake and creek, and seems to have been the name of the former. The original was probably an equivalent of _Menuppek,_ "Any enclosed body of water great or small." (Anthony.)
Neperah, Nippiroha, Niperan, Nepeehen, Napperhaera, Armepperahin, the latter of date 1642 (Col. Hist. N. Y., xiii, 9), forms of record as the name of Sawmill Creek, and also quoted as the name of the site of the present city of Yonkers, has been translated by Wm. R. Gerard, from the form of 1642: "A corruption of _Ana-nepeheren,_ that is, 'fishing stream' or 'fishing rapids.'" _Ap-pehan_ (Eliot), "a trap, a snare." There was an Indian village on the north side of the stream in 1642. (Col. Hist. N. Y., xiii, 9.)
Nepahkomuk, Nappikomack, etc., quoted as the name of a place on Sawmill Creek, and also as the name of an Indian village at Yonkers, may have been the name of the latter by extension. It has been translated with apparent correctness from _Nepé-komuk_ (Mass.), "An enclosed or occupied water-place." [FN]
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[FN] This translation is from _Nepe (Nepa, Nape, Nippe,_ etc.), meaning "water," generally, and _Komuk,_ "place enclosed, occupied, limited," a particular body of water. "The radical of _Nipe_ is _pe_ or _pa,_ which, with the demonstrative and definitive _ne_ prefixed, formed the noun _nippe,_ water." (Trumbull.) _Nape-ake (-auke, -aki)_ means "Water-land," or water-place. _Nape-ek,_ Del., _Nepeauk,_ Mass., means "Standing water," a lake or pond or a stretch of still water in a river. _Menuppek,_ "Lake, sea, any enclosed body of water, great or small." (Anthony.) _Nebi, nabe, m'bi, be,_ are dialectic forms. The Delaware _M'hi_ (Zeisb.) is occasionally met in the valley, but the Massachusetts _Nepe_ is more frequent. _Gami_ is another noun-generic meaning "Water" (Cree, _Kume_). _Komuk_ (Mass.), _Kamick_ (Del.), is frequently met in varying orthographies. In general terms it means "Place, limited or enclosed," a particular place as a field, garden, house, etc., as distinguished from _auke,_ "Land, earth, unlimited, unenclosed."
Meghkeekassin, the name of a large rock in an obscure nook on the west side of the Neperah, near the Hudson, is written _Macackassin_ in deed of 1661. It is from _Mechek,_ Del., "great," and _assin_ "stone." "_Meechek-assin-ik,_ At the big rock." (Heckewelder.) The name is also of record _Amack-assin,_ a Delaware term of the same general meaning--"_Amangi,_ great, big (in composition _Aman-gach_), with the accessory notion of terrible, frightful." (Dr. Brinton.) Presumably, in application here, "a monster," _i. e._ a stone not of the native formation usually found in the locality. [FN]
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[FN] The Indians are traditionally represented as regarding boulders of this class, as monuments of a great battle which was fought between their hero myth Micabo and Kasbun his twin brother, the former representing the East or Orient, and the latter the West, the imagery being a description of the primary contest between Light and Darkness--Light gleaming from the East and Darkness retreating to the West before it. Says the story: "The feud between the brothers was bitter and the contest long and doubtful. It began on the mountains of the East. The face of the land was seamed and torn by the wrestling of the mighty combatants, and the huge boulders that are scattered about were the weapons hurled at each other by the enraged brothers." The story is told in its several forms by Dr. Brinton in his "American Hero Myths."
Wickquaskeck is entered on Van der Donck's map as the name of an Indian village or castle the location of which is claimed by Bolton to have been at Dobb's Ferry, where the name is of record. It was, however, the name of a place from which it was extended by the early Dutch to a very considerable representative clan or family of Indians whose jurisdiction extended from the Hudson to or beyond the Armonck or Byram's River, with principal seat on the head waters of that stream, or on one of its tributaries, who constituted the tribe more especially known to the Dutch settlers as the Manhattans. Cornelius Tienhoven, Secretary of New Amsterdam, wrote, in 1654, "_Wicquaeskeck_ on the North River, five miles above New Amsterdam, is very good and suitable land for agriculture. . . . This land lies between the Sintsinck and Armonck streams, situate between the East and North rivers." (Doc. Hist, N. Y., iv, 29.) "Five miles," Dutch, was then usually counted as twenty miles (English). Standard Dutch miles would be about eighteen. The Armonck is now called Byram River; it flows to the Sound on the boundary line between New York and Connecticut. A part of the territory of this tribe is loosely described in a deed of 1682, as extending--"from the rock Sighes, on Hudson's River, to the Neperah, and thence north until you come to the eastward of the head of the creek, called by the Indians Wiequaskeck, [FN] stretching through the woods to a kill called Seweruc," including "a piece of land about Wighqueskeck," _i. e._ about the head of the creek, which was certainly at the end of a swamp. The historic seat of the clan was in this vicinity. In the narrative of the war of 1643-5, it is written, "He of Witqueschreek, living N. E. of Manhattans. . . . The old Indian (a captive) promised to lead us to Wetquescheck." He did so, but the castles, three in number, strongly palisaded, were found empty. Two of them were burned. The inmates, it was learned, had gathered at a large castle or village on Patucquapaug, now known as Dumpling Pond, in Greenwich, Ct., to celebrate a festival. They were attacked there and slaughtered in great numbers. (Doc. Hist. N. Y., iv, 29.) Bolton's claim that the clan had a castle at or near Dobb's Ferry, may have been true at some date. The name appears in many orthographies; in 1621, _Wyeck;_ in treaty of 1645, _Wiquaeshex;_ in other connections, _Witqueschreek, Weaquassick,_ and Van der Donck's _Wickquaskeek._ Bolton translated it from the form, _Weicquasguck,_ "Place of the bark kettle," which is obviously erroneous. Dr. Trumbull wrote: "From Moh. _Weegasoeguck,_ 'the end of the marsh or wet meadow.'" Van der Donck's _Wickquaskeck_ has _the same meaning._ It is from Lenape _Wicqua-askek--wicqua,_ "end of," _askek,_ "swamp," marsh, etc.: _-ck, -eck,_ formative.
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[FN] The creek now bearing the name flows to the Hudson through the village of Dobb's Ferry. Its local name, "Wicker's creek," is a corruption of Wickquaskeek. It was never the name of an individual.
Pocanteco, Pecantico, Puegkandico and Perghanduck, a stream so called [FN-1] in Westchester County, was translated by Dr. O'Callaghan from _Pohkunni,_ "Dark." "The dark river," and by Bolton from _Pockawachne,_ "A stream between hills," which is certainly erroneous. The first word is probably _Pohk_ or _Pak,_ root _Paken_ (_Pákenum,_ "Dark," Zeisb.; _Pohken-ahtu,_ "In darkness," Eliot). The second may stand for _antakeu,_ "Woods," "Forest," and the combination read "The Dark Woods." The stream rises in New Castle township and flows across the town of Mt. Pleasant to the Hudson at Tarrytown, where it is associated with Irving's story of Sleepy Hollow. The Dutch called it "Sleeper's-haven Kil," from the name which they gave to the reach on the Hudson, "Verdrietig Hoek," or "Tedious Point," because the hook or point was so long in sight of their slow-sailing vessels, and in calms their crews slept away the hours under its shadows, "Over against the Verdrietig Hoek, commonly called by the name of Sleeper's Haven," is the record. Pocanteco was a heavily wooded valley, and suggested to the early mothers stories of ghosts to keep their children from wandering in its depths. From the woods or the valley the name was extended to the stream.[FN-2] (See Alipkonck.)
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[FN-1] December 1st, 1680, Frederick Phillips petitioned for liberty to purchase "a parcel of land on each side of the creek called by the Indians Pocanteco, . . . adjoining the land he hath already purchased; there to build and erect a saw-mill." (Col. Hist. N. Y., xiii, 546.)
[FN-2] "Far in the foldings of the hills winds this wizard stream--sometimes silently and darkly through solemn woodlands.. . . In the neighborhood of the aqueduct is a deep ravine which forms the dreamy region of Sleepy Hollow." (Sketch Book.)
Alipkonck is entered on Van der Donck's map of 1656, and located with the sign of an Indian village south of Sing Sing. Bolton (Hist. West. Co.) claimed it as the name of Tarrytown, and translated it, "The place of elms," which it certainly does not mean. Its derivative, however, is disguised in its orthography, and its locative is not certain. Conjecturally _Alipk_ is from _Wálagk_ (surd mutes _g_ and _p_ exchanged), "An open place, a hollow or excavation." The locative may have been Sleepy Hollow. _Tarrytown,_ which some writers have derived from _Tarwe_ (Dutch), "Wheat"--Wheat town--proves to be from an early settler whose name was _Terry,_ pronounced _Tarry,_ as written in early records. The Dutch name for Wheat town would be Tarwe-stadt, which was never written here.
Oscawanna, an island so called, lying a short distance south of Cruger's Station on N. Y. Central R. R., Hudson River Division, is of record, in 1690, _Wuscawanus._ (Doc. Hist. N. Y., ii, 237.) It seems to have been from the name of a sachem, otherwise known as Weskora, Weskheun, Weskomen, in 1685. _Wuski,_ Len., "New, young;" _Wuske'éne_ Williams, "A youth."
Shildrake, or Sheldrake, given as the name of Furnace Brook, takes that name from an extended forest known in local records as "The Furnace Woods." By exchange of _l_ and _n,_ it is probably from _Schind,_ "Spruce-pine" (Zeisb.); _aki,_ "Land" or place. _Schindikeu,_ "Spruce forest" ("Hemlock woods," Anthony). (See Shinnec'ock.) Furnace Brook takes that name from an ancient furnace on its bank. In 1734 it was known as "The old-mill stream." _Jamawissa,_ quoted as its Indian name, seems to be an aspirated form of _Tamaquese,_ "Small beaver." (See Jamaica.)
Sing-Sing--Sinsing, Van der Donck; _Sintsing,_ treaty of 1645--usually translated, "At the standing-stone," and "Stone upon stone," means "At the small stones," or "Place of small stones"--from _assin_ "stone;" _is,_ diminutive, and _ing,_ locative. _Ossinsing,_ the name of the town, has the same meaning; also, Sink-sink, L. I., ind Assinising, Chemung County. The interpretation is literally sustained in the locative on the Hudson.
Tuckahoe, town of East Chester, is from _Ptuckweōō,_ "It is round." It was the name of a bulbous root which was used by the Indians for food and for making bread, or round loaves. (See Tuckahoe, L. I.)
Kitchiwan, modern form; _Kitchawanc,_ treaty of 1643; _Kichtawanghs,_ treaty of 1645; _Kitchiwan,_ deed of 1645; _Kitchawan,_ treaty of 1664; the name of a stream in Westchester County from which extended to an Indian clan, "Is," writes Dr. Albert S. Gatschet of the Bureau of Ethnology, "an equivalent of _Wabenaki-ke'dshwan, -kidshuan,_ suffixed verbal stem, meaning 'Running Swiftly,' 'Rushing water,' or current, whether over rapids or not. _Sas-katchéwan,_ Canada, 'The roiley, rushing stream'; _assisku,_ 'Mud, dirt.' (Cree.) The prefix _ki_ or _ke,_ is nothing else than an abbreviation of _kitchi,_ 'great,' 'large,' and here 'strong.' Examples are frequent as -kitchuan, -kitchawan, Mass.; kesi-itsooaⁿn or taⁿn, Abn., Kussi-tchuan, Mass., 'It swift flows.' The prefix is usually applied to streams which rise in the highlands and flow down rapidly descending slopes." The final _k_ in some of the early forms, indicates pronunciation with the guttural aspirate, as met in _wank_ and wangh in other local names. [FN] The final _s_ is a foreign plural usually employed to express "people," or tribe. The stream is now known as the _Croten_ from _Cnoten,_ the name of a resident sachem, which by exchange of _n_ and _r,_ becomes _Croten,_ an equivalent, wrote Dr. Schoolcraft of _Noten,_ Chip., "The wind." "Bounded on the south by Scroton's River" (deed of 1703); "Called by the Indians Kightawank, and by the English Knotrus River." (Col. N. Y, Land Papers, 79.)
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[FN] Dr. Trumbull wrote in the Natick (Mass.) dialect, "_Kussitchuan, -uwan,_ impersonal verb, 'It flows in a rapid stream,' a current; it continues flowing; as a noun, 'a rapid stream.'" In Cree, _Kussehtanne,_ "Flowing as a stream" In Delaware, _-tanne_ has its equivalent in _-hanne._ "The impersonal verb termination _-awan, -uan,_ etc., is sometimes written with the participial and subjunctive _k_" (_ka_ or _gh._) (Gerard.) The _k_ or _gh_ appears in some forms of Kitchawan. (See Waronawanka.)
Titicus, given as the name of a branch of the Croton flowing from Connecticut, is of record Mutighticos and Matightekonks, translated by Dr. Trumbull from _Mat'uhtugh-ohke,_ "Place without wood," from which extended to the stream. (See Mattituck and Sackonck.)
Navish is claimed as the name of Teller's (now Croton) Point, on a reading of the Indian deed of 1683: "All that parcel, neck or point of land, with the meadow ground or valley adjoining, situate, lying and being on the east side of the river over against Verdrietig's Hooke, commonly called and known by the name of Slauper's Haven and by the Indians Navish, the meadow being called by the Indians Senasqua." Clearly, Navish refers to Verdrietig Hook, on the west side of the river, where it is of record. It is an equivalent of _Newás_ (Len.), "promontory." (See Nyack-on-the-Hudson.)
Nannakans, given as the name of a clan residing on Croton River, is an equivalent of _Narragans_ (_s_ foreign plural), meaning "People of the point," the locative being Croton Point. (See Nyack.) This clan, crushed by the war of 1643-5, removed to the Raritan country, where, by dialectic exchange of _n_ and _r,_ they were known as Raritanoos, or Narritans. They were represented, in 1649, by Pennekeck, "The chief behind the Kul, having no chief of their own." (Col. Hist. N. Y., xiii.) The interpretation given to their removal, by some writers, viz., "That the Wappingers removed to New Jersey," is only correct in a limited sense. The removal was of a single clan or family. The Indians on both sides of the Hudson here were of kindred stock and were largely intermarried. (See Raritans and Pomptons.)
Senasqua, quoted as the name of Teller's Point (now Croton Point), and also as the name of Teller's Neck, is described as "A meadow," presumably on the neck or point. It is an equivalent of Del. _Lenaskqual,_ "Original grass," (Zeisb.), _i. e._ grass which was supposed to have grown on the land from the beginning. (Heck.) Called "Indian grass" to distinguish it from "Whitemen's grass." [FN]
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[FN] _Askquall,_ or _Askqua,_ is an inanimate plural in the termination _-all, -al,_ or _-a._ All grass was not described by _Maskik,_ in which the termination _-ik_ is the animate plural.
Peppeneghek is a record form of the name quoted as that of what is now known as Cross-river.
Kewighecack, the name of a boundmark of Van Cortlandt's Manor, is written on the map of the Manor _Keweghteuack_ as the name of a bend in the Croton west of Pine Bridge. It is from _Koua, Kowa, Cuwé,_ "Pine"--_Cuwé-uchac,_ "Pine wood, pine logs." (Zeisb.)
Kestaubniuk is entered on Van der Donck's map as the name of an Indian place or village north of Sing Sing. On Vischer's map the orthography is _Kestaubocuck._ Dr. Schoolcraft wrote _Kestoniuck,_ "Great Point," and claimed that the last word had been borrowed and applied to Nyack on the opposite side of the river, but this is a mistake as Nyack is generic and of local record where it now is as early as 1660, and is there correctly applied. No one seems to know where Kestaubniuk was, but the name is obviously from _Kitschi-bonok,_ "Great ground-nut place." _Ketche-punak_ and _Ketcha-bonac,_ L. I., _K'schobbenak,_ Del.
Menagh, entered in Indian deed to Van Cortlandt, 1683, as the name of what is now known as Verplanck's Point, is probably from _Menach'en_ (Del.), the indefinite form of _Menátes,_ diminutive, meaning "Small island." The point was an island in its separation from the main land by a water course. Monack, Monach, Menach, are other orthographies of the name.
Tammoesis is of record as the name of a small stream north of Peekskill.
Appamaghpogh, now _Amawalk,_ seems to have been extended to a tract of land without specific location. It is presumed to have been the name of a fishing place on what is now known as Mohegan Lake _Appéh-ama-paug,_ "Trap fishing place," or pond. _Amawalk,_ is from _Nam'e-auke,_ "Fishing-place," (Trumbull.) In the Massachusetts dialect _-pogh_ stands for "pond," or water-place.
Keskistkonck, Pasquasheck, and Nochpeem are noted on Van der Donck's map in the Highlands. In Colonial History is the entry (1644), "Mongochkonnome and Papenaharrow, chiefs of Wiquseskkack and Nochpeems." On the east side of the river, apparently about opposite the Donderberg, is located, on early maps, the _Pachimi,_ who, in turn, are associated in records with the _Tankitekes._ Pacham is given as the name of a noted chief of the early period. His clan was probably the Pachimi. Keskistkonck was a living name as late as 1663, but disappears after that date. "The Kiskightkoncks, who have no chief now, but are counted among the foregoing savages." (Col. Hist. N. Y., xiii, 303.)
Sachus, Sachoes and Sackoack are quoted as names of Peekskill, and _Magrigaries_ as the name of the stream. The latter is an orthography of _MacGregorie's,_ from Hugh MacGregorie, an owner of lands on the stream. [FN-1] Though quoted as the name of Peak's Kill, it was the name given to a small creek south of that stream, as per map of 1776. _Sachus_ and _Sachoes_ are equivalents, and probably refer to the mouth or outlet of the small or MacGregorie's Creek--_Sakoes_ or _Saukoes._ _Sackonck_ has substantially the same meaning--_Sakunk,_ "At the mouth or outlet of a creek or river." There was, however, a resident sachem who was called _Sachoes,_ probably from his place of residence, but which can be read "Black Kettle," from _Suckeu,_ "black," and _ōōs,_ "kettle." Peekskill is modern from Peak's Kill, so called from Jan Peak, [FN-2] the founder of the settlement. The Indian name of the stream is noted, in deed of 1695, "Called by the Indians _Paquintuk,_" probably an equivalent of _Pokqueantuk,_ "A broad, open place in a tidal river or estuary." Peekskill Bay was probably referred to. (See Sackonck.)
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[FN-1] Hugh MacGregorie was son of Major Patrick MacGregorie, the first settler in the present county of Orange. He was killed in the Leisler rebellion in New York in 1691. The son, Hugh, and his mother, were granted 1500 acres of land "At a place called John Peaches creek." No fees were charged for the patent out of respect for the memory of Major MacGregorie, as he then had "lately died in His Majesty's service in defence of the Province." (Doc. Hist. N. Y., ii, 364.) MacGregories sold to Van Cortlandt in 1696.
[FN-2] Peake, an orthography of _Peak,_ English; Dutch, _Piek_; pronounced _Pek_ (_e_ as _e_ in wet); English, _Pek_ or _Peck._
Kittatinny, erroneously claimed to mean "Endless hills," and to describe the Highlands as a continuation of the Allegheny range, belongs to Anthony's Nose [FN-1] to which, however, it has no very early record application. It is from _Kitschi,_ "Principal, greatest," and _-atinny,_ "Hill, mountain," applicable to any principal mountain peak compared with others in its vicinity. [FN-2]
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[FN-1] The origin of the name is uncertain. Estevan Gomez, a Spanish navigator, wrote "St. Anthony's River" as the name of the Hudson, in 1525. The current explanation, "Antonius Neus, so called from fancied resemblance to the nose of one Anthony de Hoages," is a myth. The name as the early Dutch understood it, is no doubt more correctly explained by Jasper Bankers and Peter Sluyter in their Journal of 1679-80: "A headland and high hill in the Highlands, so called because it has a sharp ridge running up and down in the form of a nose," but fails to explain St. Anthony, or Latin Antonius. The name appears also on the Mohawk river and on Lake George, presumably from resemblance to the Highland peak.
[FN-2] The Indians had no names for mountain ranges, but frequently designated certain peaks by specific names. "Among these aboriginal people," wrote Heckewelder, "every tree was not the tree, and every mountain the mountain; but, on the contrary, everything is distinguished by its specific name." Kittatinny was and is the most conspicuous or greatest hill of the particular group of hills in its proximity and was spoken of as such in designating the boundmark.
Sacrahung, or Mill River, "takes its name from _Sacra,_ 'rain.' Its liability to freshets after heavy rains, may have given origin to the name." (O'Callaghan.) Evidently, however, the name is a corruption of _Sakwihung_ (Zeish.), "At the mouth of the river." The record reads, "A small brook or run called Wigwam brook, but by some falsely called Sackwrahung." (Deed of 1740.)
Quinnehung, a neck of land at the mouth and west side of Bronx River, is presumed to have been the name of Hunter's Point. The adjectival _Quinneh,_ is very plainly an equivalent of _Quinnih_ (Eliot), "long," and _-ung_ or _-ongh_ may stand for place--"A long place, or neck of land." (See Aquchung.)
Sackonck and Matightekonck, record names of places petitioned for by Van Cortlandt in 1697, are located in general terms, in the petition, in the neighborhood of John Peak's Creek and Anthony's Nose. (Cal. N. Y. Land Papers, 49.) The first probably referred to the mouth of Peak's Creek (Peekskill). _Sakunk_ (Heck.), "At the mouth or outlet of a creek or river." _Saukunk_ (Donck) is another form. (See Titicus.)
Aquehung, Acqueahounck, etc., was translated by Dr. O'Callaghan, "The place of peace." from _Aquene,_ Nar., "peace," and _unk,_ locative. Dr. Trumbull wrote, "A place _on this side_ of some other place," from the generic _Acq._ The description in N. Y. Land Papers reads, "Bounded on the east by the river called by the Indians Aquehung," the river taking its name from its position as a boundary "on this side" of which was the land. The contemporary name, _Ran-ahqua-ung,_ means "A place on the other side," corresponding with the description, "On the other side of the Great Kil." Bolton assigns Acqueahounck to Hutchinson's Creek, the west boundary of the town of Pelham. The "Great Kil" is now the Bronx.
Kakeout, the name of the highest hill in Westchester County, is from Dutch _Kijk-uit,_ "Look-out--a place of observation, as a tower, hill," etc. It appears also in Rockland and in Ulster County and on the Mohawk. (See Kakiate.)
Shappequa, a name now applied to the Shappequa Hills and to a mineral spring east of Sing-Sing, and destined to be remembered as that of the home of Horace Greeley, was primarily given to locate a tract now embraced in the towns of New Castle and Bedford, and, as in all such cases, was a specific place by which the location could be identified, but which in turn has never been identified. The name is apparently a form of _Chepi_ written also _Chappa,_ signifying, "Separated, apart from, a distinct place." [FN] (See Kap-hack.)
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