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Mohawk
Indian Villages and Towns
There are but three
villages in the Mohawk territory which can
be called prehistoric,— one each for the
Turtle, Bear, and Wolf clans. All these show
signs of a knowledge of Europeans prior to
1642; and one,
at least, of direct but slight contact.
Being refugees, and in fear of their
enemies, they placed their first villages
quite remote from the Mohawk River,— from
four to ten miles. As soon as they possessed
firearms, and the power secured by these,
they built their dwellings along the river.
All the early Mohawk towns of the historic
period in New York are in Montgomery county,
three earlier ones lying north and west. The
Mahican boundary line followed the hilltops
east of Schoharie creek and near the line of
Albany county, and at one time the western
Mohawk boundary was at Little Falls. The
sites of the towns were often changed, and
several names might be given to one, or some
small village might have none on record. In
a few instances the name followed the town
in its removals.
The Mohawks, the first
and the most easterly situated of the Five
Nations, at the time of Father Jogues' visit
in 1642, had three large villages located in
the beautiful valley of the Mohawk, on the
south bank of the Mohawk River, and west of
the Schoharie River.
Ossernenon was situated
on an eminence a little west of the junction
of the Schoharie with the Mohawk, near the
present
Auriesville.
Andagaron
was about ten miles west of Ossernenon.
Tionnontoguen, the capital, was
about twelve miles west of Andagaron,
directly east of Flat Creek, near the site
of the present town of Sprakers. There was
also a fourth village located some miles
west of Tionnontoguen, at the time of the
captivity of Father Jogues.
Small pox wrought great havoc in these towns
about the years 1660-61, and the inhabitants
moved westward from the plague spots.
The
names of the following Mohawk villages have been preserved:
Andagaron
The Jesuit Relations and Allied
Documents By Jesuits, Reuben Gold
Thwaites, vol. 8, p. 300 states the village
was on the south side of Mohawk River,
between the villages of
Ossernenon
and
Tionnontoguen. Another name
given by the Jesuits is Gandagaron. Vol. 51,
p.295 further states that it was called the
Middle Castle in 1642, near Fultonville.
Andarague
An-da-ra-gue or Andaraque, the town where De
Tracy caused proclamation to be made,
October 17, 1666, of taking possession of
this Mohawk fort and four others, with all
the lands around them. The name is
contracted from Teandarague, often written
Teon-doroge. It is closely related to the
name of Ticonderoga, lacking only the
prefix.
Asserue
As-ser-u-e was the first castle and that of
the Turtles in 1644, according to
Megapolensis. It was a little west of
Schoharie creek, and the name was a variant
of another. It might refer to good axes
owned there, but more probably to putting
something into the water, to cross the creek
or river.
Atheclaghque
At-he-clagh-que was a place at St Johnsville
in 1733
Auriesville
The Catholic Encyclopedia claims that this
town, also known as
Ossernenon, Gandawaga
and
Caughnawaga, was on the present
site of the Town of Auriesville, and took
its name from the last known Mohawk to have
resided there, Auries. Since it is claimed
that it took its name from the last known
Mohawk to have resided there, then it is not
a Mohawk Village, but a white man's village
name. The most often used name to describe
this village during the Mohawk times is the
Castle of Ossernenon.
Cahaniaga
Ca-ha-ni-a-ga was mentioned, as the first
town on the river in 1677. Though this
suggests the national name it was intended
for
Caugh-na-wa-ga, on the rapids.
Wentworth Greenhalgh, who made a journey
through the Iroquois country in May and
June, 1677 stated that "Cahaniaga is double
stockaded,.... and is situate upon the edge
of an hill, about a bow shott from the river
side." This is probably the same as
Canienga.
Canagere
Ca-na-ge-re may be the later
Canagora
in another place, being the second castle
and south of the river in 1634. It may be
derived from Gannagare, a great pole. It was
west of some great flats and was also called
Wetdashet by Van Corlaer.
Canagora
Ca-na-go-ra was on the north side of the
river in 1677, and was the Banagiro of 1644
(an error for
Kanagiro), the castle of the
Dears. The French gave this the name of
Gandagaro in 1669. At first sight it
suggests a large Tillage as a meaning, but
this can not be sustained. Bruyas, however,
says of one of his Mohawk words, "
Ganniagwari, a she bear. This is the name of
the Mohawk," and a word derived from this
may well have been applied to a town peopled
by the Bear clan. It seems the same town as
Canagere
in a new situation.
Wentworth Greenhalgh, who made a journey
through the Iroquois country in May and
June, 1677 stated that "Canagora is situated
upon a flatt, a stone's throw from ye water
side."
Canajoharie
('it, the kettle, is fixed on the
end of it').
An important Mohawk village,
known as the Upper Mohawk Castle, formerly
situated on the east bank of Otsquago Creek,
nearly opposite Fort Plain, Montgomery Co.,
N. Y. The community of this name occupied
both banks of Mohawk River for some distance
above and below the village. It was also
known as Middle Mohawk Castle.
Ca-na-jo-ha-rie is
rendered Ga-na-jo-hí-e by Morgan, and
defined washing the basin. This should be
kettle, which the first three syllables
signify. Mr Morgan made a note on his
interpretation: " In the bed of the
Canajoharie creek there is said to be a
basin, several feet in diameter, with a
symmetrical concavity, washed out in the
rock. Hence the name Ca-na-jó-ha-e. One
would naturally have expected to have found
the Indian village upon this creek, instead
of the Ot-squa-go." There was an Indian
village just west of the creek, but he
mistook the location of the Canajoharie of
King Hendrick's day, which was at Indian
Castle in Danube, and not at Fort Plain.
There may have been several towns of the
name.
Spafford said: "This name is of Indigene
origin. Canajoharie, as spoken by the Mohawk
Indians, signifies the pot or kettle that
washes itself. The name was first applied to
a whirlpool at the foot of one of the falls
of the creek that now bears the name."
French said that the name of the town was " Canajoxharie in the act of incorporation.
Indian name, Ga-na-jo-hi-e, said to signify
' a kettle- shaped hole in the rock.' or '
the pot that washes itself,' and refers to a
deep hole worn in the rock at the foot of
the falls."
Perhaps the best early account is that of
Professor Dwight, written about 2 centuries
since:
We all visited the Canajoharoo, (so
the word is spelt by Mr Kirkland), or
great boiling pot, as it is called by
the Six Nations. This pot is a vast cavity
in a mass of limestone, forming the bed of
the mill stream to which it gives its name.
. . When the water is high, it pours
furiously down the ledge of the same rock,
crossing the stream just above, into the
Canajoharoo, and causing it to boil with a
singular violence, and to exhibit the
appearance of a caldron, foaming with
vehement agitation over its brim.
Whatever the origin or connection there is
no doubt as to the general correctness of
the interpretation. In his early list of
Mohawk words Bruyas had Gannatsiohare, to
wash the kettle. The
Canajorha
of 1677, on the north side of the Mohawk,
suggests this name. In 1700 the middle
castle had the name, but it eventually
belonged to the most western of all, and to
the lands around. It was written
Canaedsishore or Canijoharie in 1700, and
Connatchocari by the French in 1757.
Canajorha
Ca-na-jor-ha was a village on the north side
of the river in 1677.
Wentworth Greenhalgh, who made a journey
through the Iroquois country in May and
June, 1677 stated that "Canajorha is
situated upon a flatt, about two miles
distant from the water."
Canastigaone
A former Mohawk village on the
north side of Mohawk River, just above
Cohoes Falls, N. Y.
Candaouga
Aren Akweks indicates in his
Monuments To
Six Nation Indians that this village was
located on the south side of Mohawk River
near present Auriesville. This is the only known mention of this
tribal village by this name. The Catholic
Encyclopedia claims that Kateri Tekakwitha
was born in the Turtle Castle of
Ossernenon,
and placed that Castle on the present
location of Auriesville.
Canienga
('at the place of the flint').
A
former Mohawk castle situated at the
distance of a bow-shot from the north
side of Mohawk River, N. Y. The Mohawk name
for themselves is derived from this place.
In 1677 it had a double palisade with 4
ports enclosing 24 lodges. This is likely
the same as
Cahaniaga.
Caniyeuke
Ca-ni-yeu-ke or Teyeondarago was the lowest
Mohawk castle in 1756. The first word may be
a corruption of the national name.
Canohogo
Ca-no-ho-go was a name for the third Mohawk
castle in 1700, being an abbreviation of
Decanohoge.
Canowarode
Ca-no-wa-ro-de was a small village west of
the first castle in 1634, and on the south
side of the river, as all villages of that
date were.
Caughnawaga
The ancient
capital of the Mohawk tribe, situated in
1667 on the north side of Mohawk River, at
the present site of Fonda, N. Y. The town was destroyed
by the French in 1693. The Catholic
Encyclopedia, 1911 edition, claimed that
Caughnawaga
was located on the south side of Mohawk
River. Was this actually the case, or were
they confusing the village with the site
called by Aren Akweks, Candaouga?
Hodge in his Handbook of American
Indians claimed that the
Jesuit
maintained there for a time the mission of
St Pierre, when providing a description of
Caughawaga. The St. Pierre mission was in
Canada, probably at the Mohawk Village of
Caughnawaga there, not the one in New York.
The Jesuit Relations and Allied
Documents By Jesuits, Reuben Gold
Thwaites, vol. 8, p. 300 states that
Caughnawaga, was near the present station of
Auriesville. He also said the village went
by the name Cahniago. In earlier days it
went by the names: Ossernenon (Osserinon,
Agnié, Oneougiouré, or Asserua).
Caugh-na-wa'-ga is written Ga-na-wá-da, on
the rapids, by Morgan, who gives it also as
Ga-nó-wau-ga, which on the whole is better.
In 1667 Bruyas spoke of the first Mohawk
castle as Gandawagué and there Jogues was
killed. In 1674 Kaghnewage was also
mentioned as the first castle. The more
recent location was at Fonda, where the name
was applied to a large tract of land.
Spafford said: "Caughnawaga, it is well
known, was once an Indian village, a
principal town of the Mohawk Indians. The
name signifies a coffin, which it receives
from the circumstance of there being, in the
river opposite that place, a large black
stone, (still to be seen) resembling a
coffin, and projecting from the surface at
low water."
The Rev. John Taylor (1802) defined this as
cook the kettle, probably thinking of
Canajoharie.
Gallatin derived it from Caghnuhwohherleh, a
rapid.
J. R. Simms objected to interpreting
Caughnawaga at the rapids, but forgot that
the village of this name was not always at
one spot. He said: "It meant,
literally,—stone in the water. In the river,
opposite to the ancient village of
Caughnawaga, and, perhaps, 25 feet from the
southern or Fultonville shore is a large
boulder, which is the last stone seen when
the water is rising, and after a freshet,
the first one visible when the water is
falling." This seems the stone alluded to in
the name Cayadutta.
It is sufficient to say that the name
followed the town in its removals, could not
have referred to this stone, and was used
before the Indians knew much of coffins.
When some of the Mohawks removed to the
rapids near Montreal they took the old name
as an appropriate one for their new home,
where it still remains.
See Ossernenon.
Caughnewassa
Caugh-ne-was-sa was placed by Schoolcraft in
the Mohawk valley, but it does not otherwise
appear. He may have meant
Caughnawaga.
Cawaoge
Ca-wa-o-ge or Na-wa-a-ge was a village east
of the fourth castle in 1634. Van Corlaer
often gave two names to the Mohawk towns.
Churchtononeda
Located on the south side of
Mohawk River-named from a band.
Decanohoge
De-ka-nó-ge or
Decanohoge was the third castle in 1756, and
A. Cusick defined the name as where I
live.
Gandaouaguè
Eastern village in 1677, or earlier, when
all the towns had been removed to the north
side of the Mohawk. At Fonda, on the west
side of Cayadutta Creek. The other villages
lay a few miles farther west,
Tionontoguen
being about 10 miles from Gandaouague.
Gandagaron
See Andagaron.
Icanderago
See
Teatontaloga.
Kanagaro
('a pole in the water').
A Mohawk
town situated in 1677 on the north side of
the Mohawk River, in Montgomery or Herkimer
Co., N. Y. In the year named it had a single
stockade, with four ports, and contained 16
houses. Megapolensis mentions it as early as
1644, but no reference is made to it after
1693.
Kowogoconnughariegugharie
Nowadaga
A former Mohawk village on the
south bank of the Mohawk River, at the mouth
of the Nowadaga Creek, on the site of
Danube, Herkimer Co., N. Y. It was the
principal Mohawk settlement about 1750. A
part of the band here had another village a
little lower down the stream, opposite the
mouth of East Canada Creek. Nowadaga was the
home of
Joseph Brant (Thayendanegea).
Ochniondage
Och-ni-on-da-ge was a name for the first
castle in 1700, being the variant of a
frequent name. The first Mohawk church was
built there.
Ogsadago
Og-sa-da-go, at the mouth of Schoharie
creek, was mentioned as the first Mohawk
castle in 1700. It had many names.
Onekagoncka
A former Mohawk town, situated on the left
bank of the Mohawk River, at its confluence
with Schoharie River, near the site of the
present Fort Hunter, Montgomery Co., N. Y.
It was visited in 1634 by Arent Van Corlaer,
who referred to it as the first castle,
built on a high hill and consisting of "36
houses, in rows like streets... The houses
were made and covered with bark of trees,
and most are flat at the top. Some are 100,
90, or 80 paces long and 22 and 23 ft.
high... the houses were full of corn that
they lay in store, and we saw maize; yes, in
some of the houses more then 300 bushels...
We lived a quarter of a mile from the fort
in a small house, because a good many
savages in the cast died of smallpox."
Speaking of Adriochten, the principal chief
of the Onekagoncka castle, Van Corlaer adds:
"The chief showed me his idol; it was a
head, with the teeth sticking out; it was
dressed in red cloth. Others have a snake, a
turtle, a swan, a crane, a pigeon, or the
like for their idols, to tell their fortune;
they think they will always have luck in
doing so."
Onoalagona
('big head' - Hewitt).
A Mohawk
village, about 1620, on the site of
Schenectady, Schenectady Co., N. Y. A band,
taking its name from the village, occupied
the immediate vicinity in more modern times.
It is said by Macauley, with little
foundation in fact, that the village was
built on the site of a still older one,
which had been the principal village of
tribe that was called Connoharriegoharrie.
Osquake
(from Otsquago, 'under the
rock,' Mohawk name of the creek. - Hewitt).
A Mohawk band and village formerly at Fort
Plain and on Osquake Creek, Montgomery Co.,
N. Y. (Macauley, N. Y., II 296, 1829). Cf.
Osguage.
Osquage
Os-qua-ge or Oh-qua-ge, place of hulled corn
soup, according to A. Cusick, was a village
west of the third castle in 1634. It
suggests the latter Oquaga.
Ossernenon
The Jesuit Relations and Allied
Documents By Jesuits, Reuben Gold
Thwaites, vol. 29, p. 293 states that
Ossernenon was South East of the present
site of
Auriesville. Vol. 51, p.295
further states that it lay 1/4 mile south of
Mohawk River, that it was the Eastern Castle
of 1642 and was called the mission of the
Martyrs.
Os-se-ru-e-non, Osserrion, Asserue and
Oneugioure were early names of the first
castle. The first three are synonymous.
See
Caughnawaga.
Saratoga
Hewitt claims the meaning of Saratoga to be
'the place where ashes or alkaline
substances float.' However, in a letter of
Sir William Johnson to Arthur Lee, of the
Philosophical Society, upon the Language of
the Six Nations, Feb. 28, 1771, he claimed
the origination of the word Saratoga to be
'The name Saratoga, Kayaderoga , or
Saraghora – and, in view of the great
confusion existing in regard to it, the fact
should be duly remembered – means The Place
of the Swift Water – "saragh" signifying
"swift water," "aga" or "oga" in the
Iroquois dialect meaning "the place of" or
"the people of."'
According to Macauley, the name of a Mohawk band
(village?) formerly occupying the west bank
of the Hudson, about Saratoga and
Stillwater, in Saratoga Co., N. Y.
Schanatissa
Schan-a-tis-sa was a village near the middle
Mohawk castle on a map of 1655. The odd
interpretation given me was little long
short village. That is, in the Indian way of
speaking, not a very long, in fact a very
short village.
Schaunactada (Schenectady)
('on that side of the pinery',
referring to the large number of pines
formerly growing between Albany and
Schenectady).
According to Macauley, the
Ohnowalagantles, whom he calls a clan of the
Mohawk, lived at Schenectady, which was
situated about 17 m. w. of Albany, N. Y. He
adds that the Schaunactadas, apparently only
another form of the name Schenectady, whom
he calls a clan of the Mohawk, dwelt along
the Hudson at Albany and southwardly. The
lands of Schenectady were purchased from the
Mohawk by Arent Van Corlaer and others in
1662, and the present city founded. It
suffered severely during the later Indian
wars, and in 1690 it was attacked by French
and Indians and many of its inhabitants were
massacred.
Schoharie
('the driftwood', or 'the floating
driftwood.' - Hewitt).
A Mohawk village
formerly near the present Scoharie, Scoharie
Co., N. Y.
Senatsycrossy
Sen-at-sy-cros-sy was the second small
village west of the first castle in 1634.
Sietiostenrahre
Si-et-i-os-ten-rah-re. Bruyas mentioned a
Mohawk village of this name, which was
partly derived from ostenra, a rock.
Sohanidisse
So-ha-ni-dis-se was the third castle in
1634, there being then four. It seems a name
already given, but Van Corlaer wrote it
Rehanadisse on his return.
Teatontaloga
('two mountains apart').
A Mohawk
village existing at different periods in New
York. The oldest one known by that name was
the principal village of the tribe until it
was destroyed by the French in 1666. It was
rebuilt a mile above the former site and was
for a time the site of the Jesuit mission of
St. Mary, but was again destroyed by the
French in 1693. Both villages were on the
north side of the Mohawk River, close to
water, and probably near the mouth of Scoharie Creek in Montgomery Co., N. Y. On
this spot, on the west side of the creek,
was the last village of that name, better
known in the 18th century as the Lower
Mohawk Castle. It was also called Icanderago.
Macauley applies this name to the Mohawk
band in the vicinity of the village.
Tenotogehatage
Te-no-to-ge ad Tenotogehatage are Van
Corlaer's names for the fourth castle in
1634. As but three castles are usually
reckoned this is the name of the last. Megapolensis called it Thenondiogo, the
castle of the Wolf clan. It was a large town
and had many houses on the north side of
Mohawk River in 1634, the fort being then on
the south side.
Teondalóga
('two streams coming together')
Te-on-da-ló-ga is Morgan's name for Fort
Hunter. It has been written Te-ah´-ton-ta-ló-ga,
and the name appears in so many forms that
other meanings might be suggested. This was
the site of the first or lower Mohawk
castle.
Tewanondadon
A former Mohawk village, situated,
according to the Brion de la Tour map of
1781, in the peninsula formed by the outlet
of Otsego Lake and Shenivas Creek, N. Y. In
1753 Rev. Gideon Hawley found in it 3
wigwams and about 30 people.
Teyeondaroge
('meeting of waters')
Te-ye-on-da-ro-ge is the same as Teondalóga,
appearing as the name of the first castle in
1756, near Fort Hunter. It was not far from
that site when first known, but had many
names, some coming from slight changes in
location and referring to a hill. A few
variants of this name follow. It was written
Tionondoroge in 1691, Trenondroge in 1693,
Tiononderoga in 1733, and Ticonderoga and
Tinnandora in 1768. That this name and that
of the historic Ticonderoga had the same
origin hardly admits of a doubt. At first it
referred to the meeting of waters, sometimes
near a hill.
Tionondogue
Ti-on-on-do-gue in 1677, Thenondiogo in
1644, Tionontoguen in 1670, and Tionondoge
in 1693, are variants of the name of the
third castle, much resembling that of the
first. Though once on the south side of the
Mohawk it was removed to the north bank, and
the name was appropriate to its situation on
a hill.
Wentworth Greenhalgh, who made a journey
through the Iroquois country in May and
June, 1677 stated that "Tionondogue is
situated on an hill, a bow shott from ye
river. The small village lyes close by the
river side, on the north side."
Tionnontoguen
On a hill just south of Spraker's Basin,
about 13 miles west of
Ossernenon. The
Jesuit Relations and Allied Documents
By Jesuits, Reuben Gold Thwaites, vol. 51,
p.295 further states that it was called the
Western Castle of 1642. At Spraker's Basin,
4 miles south east of
Canajoharie.
There were other villages, about the same
time.
Thomas Donahoe, in his The Iroquois and
the Jesuits, p. 13 states that
Tionnontoguen, the capital, was about twelve
miles west of
Andagaron,
directly east of Flat Creek, near the site
of the present town of Sprakers
Wetdashet
Wet-da-shet is one of Van Colaer's names for
the second castle. This had no palisades at
that time, and he saw little except numerous
graves. There were but 16 houses and these
were not of the largest size. This castle is
not in the later lists. For a long time
there were three and then but two castles.
In the French act of possession in 1666,
however, mention is made of
Andaraque
and four other forts. These appear to have
been merely villages and are unnamed.
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