Descriptive Catalogue of Photographs of North American Indians

by William Henry Jackson

Of the five principal nations of New England in 1674, the Pequods or Mohegans, the two being considered as one, were tribes of considerable influence and strength of numbers, claiming authority over all the Indians of the Connecticut Valley. Jonathan Edwards states that the language of the Stockbridge or Muhhekanew (Mohegan) was spoken throughout New England. Nearly every tribe had a different dialect, but the language was radically the same. Elliot's translation of the Bible is in a particular dialect of this language. The Stockbridges, so named from the place of their residence, was originally a part of the Housatonic tribe of Massachusetts, to whom the legislature of that State granted a section of land in 1736. They were subsequently removed to New Stockbridge and Brotherton, in Western New York, many other tribes of New England and also of New York joining them. They had good lands and fine farms, and were rapidly becoming worthy of citizenship, when, in 1857, they were removed to a reservation near Green Bay, Wisconsin, on which, their agent reported, no white man could obtain a comfortable livelihood by farming. They have been divided for some time into two bands, known as the "citizen" and "Indian" factions, the former having lived off from the reservation for the past twelve years. In 1875, 134 of the "citizens" received their per capita share of the tribal property, and became private citizens of the United States. The tribe has 118 members remaining.

1050. Na-un-naup-tauk. Jacob Jacobs.Stockbridge.

A delegate from the Stockbridge Indians to Washington in 1875, and again in 1876. Born in Wisconsin in 1834. Belongs to the "citizen" band, and participated in the late division of the tribal property and separation from the tribe.

1049. Waun-naun-con. J. C. W. Adams.Stockbridge.

Born on the Seneca reservation in New York in 1843, and removed to Wisconsin in 1853. Received a collegiate education at the Lawrence University. In 1876 represented the Stockbridges and Munsees as a delegate in Washington.

1065. Lyman P. Fowler.Brotherton.

A member of the Brotherton branch of the Pequod Nation. Born in Oneida County, New York, in 1823, but emigrated with some of the Stockbridges to Wisconsin in 1836. Chosen as a delegate to Washington on behalf of the Stockbridges and Munsees.

II. ATHABASCAS.

A family of North American Indians, comprising two large divisions, one living in the British Possessions, between Hudson's Bay and the Pacific, and the other along the southern boundary of the United States, in Arizona, New Mexico, and Texas, with some smaller bands along the western coast, north of Oregon.

The name of the family is derived from Lake Athabasca, a Cree word, meaning "cords of hay." They are supposed by many to be of Tartar descent, and their language has been found to be somewhat analogous to that of Thibet. Their traditions point to an emigration from the West, over a series of islands, and amid much snow and ice. The southern branch includes the nomadic Apaches, the industrious Navajos, and a small remnant of Lipans in Texas, numbering, in all, over 20,000.