Old Chicken Warrups from the History of Redding

Taken from: http://www.historyofredding.com/HRearlysettlers.htm

Chicken Warrup and his Native American Indian counterparts

First Encounters: ..." It was claimed by a petty tribe of Indians, whose fortified village was on the high ridge a short distance southwest of the present residence of Mr. John Read." This tribe consisted of disaffected members of the Potatucks of Newtown and the Paugussetts of Milford, with a few stragglers from the Mohawks on the west. Their chief was Chickens Warrups or Sam Mohawk, as he was sometimes called. President Stiles says in his "Itinerary" that he was a Mohawk sagamore, or under-chief, who fled from his tribe and settled at Greenfield Hill, but having killed an Indian there he was again obliged to flee, and then settled in Redding. All the Indian deeds to the early settlers were given by Chickens, and Naseco, who seems to have been a sort of sub-chief. The chief, Chickens, figures quite prominently in the early history of Redding; he seems to have been a strange mixture of Indian shrewdness, rascality, and cunning, and was in continual difficulty with the settlers concerning the deeds which he gave them.

Exchange of Wampum Causes Alarm:...In 1720 he was suspected by the colonists of an attempt to bring the Mohawks and other western tribes down upon them, as is proved by the following curious extract from the records of a meeting of the governor and council held at New Haven, September 15th, 1720.

It having been represented to this board that an Indian living near Danbury, called Chickens, has lately received two belts of wampumpeag from certain remote Indians--as it is said, to the west of Hudson River with a message expressing their desire to come and live in this colony, which said messenger is to be conducted by aforesaid Chickens to the Indians at Potatuck, and Wiantenuck, and Poquannuck, in order to obtain their consent for their coming and inhabiting among them; and that hereupon our frontier towns are under considerable apprehensions of danger from Indians, fearing that the belts have been sent on some bad design:

“It is resolved, That Captain John Sherman, of Woodbury, and Major John Burr, of Fairfield, taking with them Thomas Minor, of Woodbury or such other interpreter as they shall judge meet, do repair immediately to said Indians at Potatuck and Wiantenuck, and cause the said Chickens, to whom the belts and messengers were sent, to attend them, and to make the best inquiry they call into the truth of said story, and what may be the danger of said message. and as they shall see cause, take proper order that the said Indian with the belts, and the principal or chief of the Potatuck and Wiantenuck Indians, attend the General Court at its next session, to receive such orders as may be useful to direct them in their behavior in relation thereunto; and that Major Burr return home by way of Danbury, that the inhabitants there and in those western parts may be quieted as to their apprehensions of danger from the Indians; if upon inquiry they find there is no just ground for them."

Deeds from Chickens:...Subsequently Captain Couch purchased of the Indians a tract of land lying in Lonetown, contiguous to the estate of Mr. John Read, and which a few years later he sold to that gentleman. The deed was given by Chickens, and some of its provisions caused considerable trouble to the colonists in later years. This deed is as follows: “Know all men whom it may concern that I Chicken an Indian Saggamore living between Fairfield, Danbury, Ridgefield and Newtown, at a place called Lonetown in the county of Fairfield in the Colony of Connecticut, in New England, for and in consideration of twelve pounds, six shillings, already paid unto me by Samuel Couch of Fairfield. husbandman, have given, granted, bargained, sold, confirmed, and firmly made over unto said Samuel Couch, his heirs and assigns forever, all the lands, lying, being and situate between the aforesaid towns of Danbury, Fairfield, Newtown, and Ridgefield, except that has been by letters patent from the Governor and Company of this Colony of Connecticut made over unto any person or persons or for any particular or public use. To have and to hold unto the said Samuel Couch, and to his heirs and assigns forever the aforesaid granted and described lands or unpatented premises, with all the privileges and appurtenances thereunto belonging, or any manner of way appertaining, affirming myself to be the true owner, and sole proprietor of said land and have lust, firm, and only right to dispose of the same. Reserving in the whole of the same, liberty for myself and my heirs to hunt, fish, and fowl upon the land and in the waters, and further reserving for myself, my children, and grand children and their posterity the use of so much land by my present dwelling house or wigwam as the General Assembly of the Colony by themselves or a Committee indifferently appointed shall judge necessary for my or their personal improvement, that is to say my children, children’s children and posterity, furthermore, I the said Chickens do covenant, promise, and agree, to and with the said Samuel Couch, that I said Chickens, my heirs, executors and administrators, the said described lands and bargained premises, unto the said Samuel Couch his heirs etc. against the claims and demands of all manner of persons whatever, to warrant and forever by these presents defend. In confirmation of the above premises I the said Chickens set to my hand and seal this 18th day of February Anno Domini one thousand seven hundred and twenty four five (between 1724 & 1725) Annoque Regis, etc."
CHICKENS, X (His mark) Saggamtore

Respect Settlers had for Chickens:...it ought to be confirmed: and as for its purchase of the Indian (who both English and Indian acknowledge) has a good Indian title to it viz. Chickens, is by what we can learn by the Indian himself and ye circumstances of, a sligh piece of policy and we fear deceit, ye latter of which the Indian constantly affirms it to be, for his design as he saith, and being well acquainted with him, living many of us near him have a great reason to believe him, was to sell but a small quantity, about two or three hundred acres, but in ye deed ye whole of the land is comprehended, which when the Indian heard of it he was greatly enraged, and your petitioners humbly beg yt such a sale may not be confirmed, lest it prove greatly disadvantageous to this Colony and cause much bloodshed, as instances of ye like nature have in all probability in our neighboring provinces-

Ongoing Troubles with Chickens Lead to His Shipment to Scattacook:...The next Assembly of 1767 passed the long-desired act of incorporation it will be noticed that nothing is said in the records concerning the tribe of Indians inhabiting the parish, but from other sources we learn that quite important changes·had taken place among them. “Their chief, Chickens, after causing the settlers no little trouble concerning the deeds which he had given them, had been induced in 1749 to remove with most of his tribe to Scattacook in New Milford, and there were now but a few scattered families remaining in the town.

No less than three petitions of Chickens, complaining of the injustice of the settlers, are preserved in the Colonial Records. The first, presented to the General Court of May, 1738, asked that in accordance with the provisions of his deed to Samuel Couch in 1725, the Assembly would appoint a committee to lay out to him, his children, children's children, and their posterity, so much land near his wigwam as they should deem necessary for his and their personal improvement; and the Assembly appointed such a committee.

No report of the action of this committee is preserved in the archives; but ten years later, in 1745, Chickens again petitioned the Assembly to appoint a committee to view his lands for the same purpose, and the Assembly appointed such a committee “to repair to and deed of conveyance, with the savings and reservations therein contained, to survey and by proper meets and bounds set out for, and to the use of the memorialist and his children, such and so much of said lands as they shall be of opinion-(on hearing all parties or persons therein concerned) ought to be allowed and set out to said memorialist and his children.

The third and last memorial, and is given in full. “The memorial of Capt. Chicken alias Sam. Mohawk of Reading in Fairfield County, showing to this Assembly that in his deed formerly made to Capt. Samuel Couch, late of Fairfield, deceased, of his land lying between the township of said Fairfield, and Danbury, Ridgefield, and Newtown, he had reserved to himself so much of said land as a committee, appointed by this Assembly, should judge be sufficient for himself, his children and posterity, for their personal improvement, which said reserve has since been set out by proper meets and bounds in two pieces, containing in the whole about one hundred acres as per the surveys thereof may appear, reference thereunto being had: and showing also that John Read, Esq. Late of Boston deceased, had surveyed., and laid out to him two hundred acres of land by the appointment of this Assembly, at a place called Scattacook bounded as in the survey thereof on record: and also showing that the land aforesaid, laid out to the said John Read. Esq., is much more convenient and advantageous for him, the said Chickens, being well situated for fishing and hunting, and that he had made and executed a deed of exchange of his aforesaid hundred acres, lying in two pieces as aforesaid in the parish of Reading to the said John Read, Esq. and his heirs, which said deed bears date October 11th, A.D. 1748, and in consideration thereof did receive of the said John Read, Esq. A deed bearing date the day aforesaid well executed to him the said Chicken and his heirs by his heirs by his attorney John Read, Esq. of said Reading, being fully authorized thereunto, of the aforesaid two hundred acres; praying this Assembly that said deeds, executed as aforesaid, may be allowed of ratified, and be admitted as good evidence in the law for conveying and fixing the title to the several pieces of land aforesaid.” This petition the Assembly granted, and Chickens and his tribe soon after removed to the reservation at Scattacook. His grandson, Tom Warrup, however, remained in Redding, as will be more fully related.

Chickens did have a case as this provision was in the deed to Couch. BColley2005:

"Reserving in the whole of the same, liberty for myself and my heirs to hunt, fish, and fowl upon the land and in the waters, and further reserving for myself, my children, and grand children and their posterity the use of so much land by my present dwelling house or wigwam as the General Assembly of the Colony by themselves or a Committee indifferently appointed shall judge necessary for my or their personal improvement, that is to say my children, children’s children and posterity, furthermore, I the said Chickens do covenant, promise, and agree, to and with the said Samuel Couch, that I said Chickens, my heirs, executors and administrators, the said described lands and bargained premises, unto the said Samuel Couch his heirs etc. against the claims and demands of all manner of persons whatever, to warrant and forever by these presents defend. "

John Read #2 took back Warrups' Scatacook land when Chickens returned and died in Redding.

October 1763

Upon the memorial of John Read of Fairfield, representing to this Assembly that one Warrups Chickens, an indian at Reading parish within said Fairfield, was taken sick in the beginning of December 1762, under distressing circumstances applied himself to said Read for assistance, doctors, etc...who at the request of said Warrups procured doctors and supplied him with provisions until his death, all to the amount of 11 pounds, 11 shilling, 5 d money, the said Warrups leaving no personal estate wherewith to satisfy said sum etc.., praying that so much of the said Warrups farm at Scatacock may be sold as is sufficient to pay sum and the incident charges arising on such sale, as per memorial on file.

Resolved: That Ephraim Hubbel, Esq. of New Fairfield have liberty, and liberty and authority is hereby granted to him, to sell so much of Warrups farm at Scatacook as shall be sufficient to pay and answer said sum of 11 pounds, 11 shillings, 5 d and incident charges arising on such sale, for the use and benefit of said Read; the same to be paid over to said Read by Hubbel.[So much for goodwill to fellow man!!]

The Adventures of Tom Warrup:...Tom Warrup, an Indian, son of the chief Chickens, whose story is given in the earlier pages of this work, and one of Putnam's most valued scouts and messengers. Tom possessed a great deal of individuality, and impressed himself on a succeeding, generation to the extent that numberless anecdotes are remembered and told about him to this day.

Some of these, illustrating the Indian character, are worthy the attention of the grave historian. Tom had a weakness for liquor, which would have caused his expulsion from the camp had it not been for his services as scout and guide. One day he was seen deplorably drunk, and the officer of the day in disgust ordered him to be ridden out of the camp. A stout rail was brought, Tom was placed astride of it, four men hoisted it upon their shoulders, and the cavalcade started. On their way they met General Putnam with his aids, making the rounds of the camp. "Tom," said the General sternly, "how's this?Aren't you ashamed to be seen riding out of camp in this way ?" “Yes," replied Tom, with drunken gravity. " Tom is ashamed, vera mooch ashamed, to see poor Indian ride and the Gineral he go afoot."

Tom's House: Tom had a house on the high ridge back of Captain Isaac Hamilton's, now owned by William Sherwood. It was built, it is said, in primitive Indian style, of poles set firmly in the ground, then bent and fastened together at the top. This framework was covered with bark, and roofed with reeds and rushes. Its furniture consisted of framework bedsteads, with bedding of skins, wooden bowls fashioned from pepperage knots, huge wooden spoons, baskets made of rushes or long grass, pails of birch bark, and an iron pot and skillet begged or borrowed from the settlers. His sister Eunice was his housekeeper.

Master of Revels: Except in war he was a worthless, shiftless fellow, and lived chiefly by begging; hunting and trapping were his recreations. He would often absent himself from his hut for weeks at a time, sleeping in barns or in the forest. A huge overhanging rock about a mile north of Georgetown often sheltered him on these occasions, and is still known as Warrup's rock. Tom's neighbor and landlord before the war was Colonel John Read, son of the early settler of that name. On one occasion the colonel had a company of gentlemen from Boston to visit him, and planned a grand hunt in their honor. Tom was always master of the revels at such times, and piloted the party on this occasion. In their rambles through the forests they came to a spring, and beings thirsty one of the party lamented that they had left their hunting cups behind. Tom at once slipped off his shoe, and filling it with water offered it to the guest to drink; whereupon Colonel Read reproved him sharply for his ill-breeding. Tom drank from the vessel while the homily was being delivered and then replaced the shoe, observing with the haughtiness of a king, " Good enough for Indian, good enough for white man too."

Life with Zalmon: After the war Captain Zalmon Read and Tom were near neighbors, and the former had a cornfield in dangerous proximity to Tom's cabin; he missed the corn and suspected Tom, and watching, not only discovered him to be the thief, but also his ingenious plan of procedure. About midnight the Indian would come, basket in hand, and seated on the top mil of the fence would thus address the field: "Lot, can Tom have some corn?” Tom," the lot would reply, " take all you want ;" whereupon Tom would fill his basket with ears and march off. The next night, as the story goes, the Captain armed himself with a grievous hickory club, and lay in wait behind the fence. Presently Tom came, repeated his formula, and proceeded to fill his basket, but when he returned with it to the fence, it was occupied by the captain, who proceeded to re peat Tom's formula with a, variation. " Lot, can I beat Tom ?'' " Yes," the lot replied," beat him all he deserves;” whereupon the fun-loving captain fell upon the culprit and gave him the thorough beating which his roguery deserved.

Rum, Whiskey or Cider?: One more anecdote of Tom must suffice. One day he went to a neighbor's house and demanded whiskey. No, the neighbor was of the opinion that whiskey was bad for Tom. "Rum, then" "No." “Cider,” No, cider was bad too; food he might have to keep him from starving, but no fire-water." Tom ruminated. ." Well,)' said he at length, " give me toast and cider"-a favorite dish in those days--and in this way won the desired stimulant. Some years after, when age was creeping on, Tom and his sister removed to the Indian reservation at Scattacook, in Kent, whither his tribe had preceded him, and the time and manner of his death was unknown to his white brethren in Redding.

Clues to How Chickens Obtained Land in Redding

After 1637 English settlement had extended down the coast of Long Island Sound, taking land from the Paugussett and Peaquanock at the mouth of the Housatonic and southern lands from the Siwanogs to the boundary of New York. By 1658 the settlements at Fairfield and Stratford had taken so much land, the Peaquanock petitioned the General Court at Hartford to set aside some land for them alone before the colonists took it all. The following year Connecticut created Golden Hill in Bridgeport, the first Indian reservation in the United States.

With the exception a few Podunk warriors, the Mattabesic took no part in the general uprising in Massachusetts and Rhode Island known as the King Philip's War (1675-76). Many of the southern New England tribes disappeared entirely or left the region as a result of this conflict. By 1680 there were only 1,000 Mattabesic left in Connecticut, at least half of whom were members of the Housatonic tribes (Paugussett, Peaquanock, Potatuck, and Weantinock). As white encroachment continued, the General Court in 1680 established two additional 100 acre reservations for the Paugussett: Coram Hill (Shelton) and Turkey Hill (Orange). In addition to the three small reserves, several mixed Mattabesic communities, such as the Paugussett village at Naugatuck and Tunxis settlement at Farmington, were still managing to maintain themselves on a rapidly shrinking land base. Only the Weantinock and Potatuck in extreme west and northwest portion of Connecticut had retained anything approaching their original territory. However, even these small holdings quickly slipped away and passed into white ownership.

During the next century, almost all of the Mattabesic lands in Connecticut would either sold or taken over by the state - in many cases without native knowledge or consent. Even when the transfers were legal, the circumstances were often questionable since the native signatures appearing on the deeds show a clear pattern of increasingly sloppy signatures and the probable use of alcohol. Located near the English settlements at the mouth of the Housatonic, the Pequannock and Paugussett were the first to feel the pressure.

Between 1680 and 1750, a combination of fraud, harassment, and encroachment forced many of the native families at the Golden Hill reservation to leave. Some moved north to the native settlement of Lonetown near Redding. And in 1748 the Peaquanock at Lonetown (Chickens & Co.) exchanged the last of their lands at Redding for 200 acres bordering Schaghticoke in Kent, CT.

It is not known how exactly Chicken obtained the land in Redding. In 1684, Chicken signed a deed of Stratford lands, and it states he then was living at Potatuck, in what became Newtown. Chicken was not a signer of a 1686 deed to Nathan Gold in Umpawaug. Perhaps after his marriage to the daughter of Catoona, they removed from the Ramapo lands(Ridgefield) to Potatcuck (Newtown) which was then part of Stratford until settlers arrived and he sold land to them there before moving on to Redding. In Redding he joined members of other tribes settling on land which had been granted to them by the General Court of the Connecticut Colony, and settled on a ridge known as "Wolf's Ridge" which can be seen today located to the left as you make a right hand turn toward Putnam Park from Lonetown Road.

My guess as to how he obtained land in Redding was that he simply settled there after he left what would become Newtown (Potatuck) and soon became the leader of the group of indians considered a "tribe" by the Connecticut General Assemby. The "tribe of indians" residing in the "Lonetown" section of Redding was likely made up of Native Americans from multiple tribes displaced from their homelands by English settlers making their way into the interior of Connecticut. Seeing the Oblong was not settled until 1709 - 1714 it was a large area of available land for the Indians to inhabit.

*Chicken passed away in 1763. Capt Thomas Chicken Warrups, son of old Chicken passed away at Schagticoke in 1769. Thomas Warrups #2, (Chicken Warrups grandson) is noted as a scout in the Revolutionary War but his death and residence at the time of his death is not known.

*There is a very good chance that Chicken Warrups of Redding was a son of the "Chicken" that signed the land deed in Stratford in 1684.

Chickens in Scatacook: In 1748 Captain Chickens, alias Sam Mohawk, exchanged with John Read, Esq., land in Redding for land in Scattacook. (This is not completely true, Chickens was no longer welcome in Redding and was forced to move to the Scatacook Indian Reservation in Kent, CT.) In 1749 he left Redding and made his residence in Scatacook. The Warrups family returned from time to time to work for the Read family. Chickens died and is buried in Redding.

October 1763

Upon the memorial of John Read of Fairfield, representing to this Assembly that one Warrups Chickens, an indian at Reading parish within said Fairfield, was taken sick in the beginning of December 1762, under distressing circumstances applied himself to said Read for assistance, doctors, etc...who at the request of said Warrups procured doctors and supplied him with provisions until his death, all to the amount of 11 pounds, 11 shilling, 5 d money, the said Warrups leaving no personal estate wherewith to satisfy said sum etc.., praying that so much of the said Warrups farm at Scatacock may be sold as is sufficient to pay sum and the incident charges arising on such sale, as per memorial on file.

Resolved: That Ephraim Hubbel, Esq. of New Fairfield have liberty, and liberty and authority is hereby granted to him, to sell so much of Warrups farm at Scatacook as shall be sufficient to pay and answer said sum of 11 pounds, 11 shillings, 5 d and incident charges arising on such sale, for the use and benefit of said Read; the same to be paid over to said Read by Hubbel.[So much for goodwill to fellow man!!]

"In 1775, the Assembly ordered that the lands of the Scatacooks should be leased to pay their debts and defray their expenses. Thomas Warrups, (Chicken Warrups grandson) was allowed to sell thirty acres of land to pay his debts and provide for his family. Three years after, another tract of ten acres was sold, for the purpose of relieving the indigent circumstances of the Warrups family. The old squaw of Chickens was still living, but was blind."

"In 1801, the Scatacooks were reduced to thirty-five, who cultivated only six acres of land, although their territory amounted to twelve hundred acres, extending from the Housatonic River to the New York line. At this time Benjamin Chickens, a descendant of Thomas Chickens #2, was a careful and industrious farmer at this place."

[I have seen a note that was found dated in the early 1800's that requests the town of Redding pay a resident for room and board for Eunice Warrups. Who she was or how she arrived back in Redding is unknown. B.Colley 2007]

Around the turn of the century "one daughter of the Chicken family was in Scatacook (Kent) and one in New Haven (Maryanne Cogswell), who has children-Nancy and Milton Cogswell." Nancy Cogswell Moody was full-blooded Schaghticoke Indian 1850-1934. Wells Offutt is the only living descendent of Chicken Warrups known as of 2006, Maryanne Cogswell was his great, great grandmother.