Stockbridge-Munsee Community
Tribal History Timeline
Early History
Paleo Period
Currently, the earliest archaeological evidence in
our territory.
Archaic Period
Woodland Period
- Mohicans living around Hudson River Valley region; Central fire at Schodack Island; Close relatives with Lenape (Delaware) to the south.
- Rescue Delawares from Cherokees and Nanticokes
- Rescue Shawnees from surrounding tribes and sign covenant with them.
- Dutch Colonization: Henry Hudson sails up Muhheacannituck
- We practice our songs, dances, ways of life, including the Green corn ceremonies, New Year ceremonies, Strawberry ceremony.
- The Beaver Wars with the Mohawk; smallpox, measles, influenza, typhus, and Dutch and English land “agreements” throughout Hudson River Valley take a devastating toll.
- Mohicans (River Indians) control the Muhheacannituck numbering 25,000 or more.
The Mission Period
Konkapot & Umpachenee Council Fire; debate to move to
Stockbridge Mission (23,000 acres).
A town of 6 square miles is given to Tribe (including today’s
Stockbridge and West Stockbridge), John Sergeant builds the
Mission House, and the Meetinghouse is constructed.
John Sergeant dies; the Tribe’s population in Stockbridge is
218.
Two companies of Mohicans serve in Rogers’ Rangers during
“French & Indian War”; 45 Stockbridge warriors joined Major
Robert Roger’s Rangers in 1756 and because of them, Frenchallied Tribal Nations avoided English settlements along the Housatonic.
Tribe’s land in Stockbridge is reduced to 1,200 acres from
original 23,000.
Stockbridge Indian companies serve in Siege of Boston,
Saratoga (NY) Campaign, Battle of Kingsbridge (Bronx).
Mohicans serve in Battle of Bunker Hill.
George Washington sponsors Ox Roast feast as thanks, as
tribe simultaneously forced from Stockbridge lands.
New Stockbridge, New York
Oneida Nation gives six mile square town in Madison Co., NY
to the Tribe; 300 Stockbridges move there on foot and
establish New Stockbridge.
Accounts of wintertime returns to Stockbridge.
Sawmill and church built at New Stockbridge with help of
Philadelphia Quakers.
More Delaware (Lenape) from Pennsylvania join Stockbridge-
Munsee in New Stockbridge
John Metoxen returns to Stockbridge to petition Town to stop
road through burial ground.
Mary Doxtator’s spinning school in New Stockbridge, NY has
grown to employ 60 women
38 Mohican veterans petition Congress and the Secratary of
War for proper compensation for their services in the War of
1812; claim was denied.
Displacements to the West – Out of the homelands
One third of Stockbridge Mohicans under the leadership
of John Metoxen accept an offer from Delaware and
Miami relatives and move to the White River in Indiana.
Delegation of Stockbridges and Oneidas negotiate with
Menominees, Ho-Chunk and U.S. Government for
2 million acres along the Fox River in Wisconsin
Series of sales to New York State dispossess Mohicans of
their land at New Stockbridge.
350-400 Mohicans now at Kaukauna, Wisconsin; Hendrick
Aupuamut dies there.
250 Munsees from Canada join the tribe. Tribe now together called Stockbridge-Munsee.
A group of Stockbridge Mohicans move to Indian territory.
Many die on the journey, some join other trives in Oklahoma and Kansas (70 to Kansas), some return to Wisconsin.
Account of several Mohicans returning to Monument
Mountain to make an offering.
Sachem John Quinney makes his now-famous July 4th
address in a return visit to our homelands in Reidsville, NY;
states regarding the unjust theft of homelands that
“Nothing that deserves the name of purchase was made.”
Securing a Home in Wisconsin
Treaty of 1856, Stockbridge-Munsee signed by Sachem
Ziba T. Peters establishes new reservation in Red Springs
and Bartelme in Shawano County, Bowler, Wisconsin.
Stockbridge leaders continue to engage in land claims in
the homelands; 600,000 acres in Columbia County, NY,
Burying Ground and other lands in Stockbridge, MA, and
claims in Schodack, NY.
Lumber barons claim part of Reservation.
Lutheran Indian Mission Boarding School established.
New tribal constitution written based on Bureau of
Indain Affairs model.
Arvid E. Miller Library-Museum founded, community members organize at least 30 homelands trips from this year to the present.
Establishment of Casino, Economic Development programs, Health Center, Roads, Public Safety, Courts, Youth Programs, Housing, Gas Compnay, Golf Courses, Convenience Store.
Council Fire and Seat of our government persists in Shawano County, WI. We continue as modern 21stcentury Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans who are proud of our heritage and history.