Wappinger
The Wappinger are a historically significant Indigenous group located primarily in the northeastern United States, particularly in areas now known as Connecticut and New York. They are often categorized into two main subgroups: the Western Wappinger, who occupied regions along the lower Hudson River, and the Eastern Wappinger, who resided toward the lower Connecticut River valley. At the time of their initial contact with Dutch settlers in the early 1600s, the population of the Western Wappinger was estimated to be around 3,000, while the Eastern Wappinger numbered about 1,750. The Wappinger were known for their agricultural practices, focusing on crops like corn, and are recognized for their craftsmanship in creating wampum beads. Their social structure included a sachem and a council of chiefs, reflecting their organized governance.
Interactions with European settlers led to a complex relationship that included periods of peaceful coexistence as well as conflict, notably a significant war in the 1640s that devastated their population. Over time, the Western Wappinger faced considerable challenges from disease and warfare, leading to their decline and eventual absorption into other Indigenous groups, while the Eastern Wappinger gradually sold their land and merged with neighboring tribes. The last recognized sachem, Daniel Nimham, played a notable role in the American Revolution before his death. While the Wappinger as a distinct group no longer exist, some individuals today claim Wappinger ancestry, preserving a link to their heritage.
Wappinger
- CATEGORY: Tribe
- CULTURE AREA: Northeast
- LANGUAGE GROUP: Algonquian
- PRIMARY LOCATION: Connecticut, New York
The Wappinger are often considered to have comprised two main subgroups: the Western Wappinger (who lived in what is now New York State, along the lower Hudson River) and Eastern Wappinger (who lived eastward to the lower Connecticut River valley). It is estimated that at the first encounter with the Dutch, in the early 1600s, the Western Wappinger numbered about 3,000 and the Eastern Wappinger about 1,750.
The Wappinger were closely related in customs and organization to the Delaware (Lenni Lenape) and the Indigenous Americans of southern New England. They hunted, fished, and grew crops, primarily corn. They were noted for their manufacture of wampum beads. Their totem was the wolf. The Indigenous group was headed by a sachem (male or female) and a council of lesser chiefs.
With the arrival of Dutch settlers and traders, the Wappinger were thrown into proximity with Whites. Indigenous Americans and Whites managed to coexist relatively peacefully for a number of years, and the Western Wappinger became involved in fur trading. In 1640, a number of sources of friction led to a five-year war between Whites and Indigenous Americans, including the Western Wappinger. Destruction and casualties were inflicted by both sides, with the Indigenous Americans losing half their population and the Western Wappinger bearing the brunt. Post-contact disease further reduced their population. Nevertheless, the Wappinger remained intact until 1756, when they joined several different Indigenous American nations, including the Nanticoke. Both groups were later absorbed into the Delaware. Their last public appearance was at the Easton Conference in 1758.
In contrast, the Eastern Wappinger never warred with Whites. They gradually sold their land to settlers and merged with other Indigenous groups, including the Scaticook and Stockbridge. The last Wappinger sachem, Daniel Nimham, and his son Abraham, were killed in the American Revolution, fighting for the Americans. Although the Wappinger ceased to exist as a separate entity, there are some who claim Wappinger ancestry.
Bibliography
"Daniel Nimham." American Battlefield Trust, www.battlefields.org/learn/biographies/daniel-nimham. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
“How The Wappingers People Shaped the Hudson Valley, New York.” WRRV, 12 Aug. 2024, wrrv.com/wappinger-new-york-tribes. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
Mild, Jessica. "Wappinger – 'Easterner.'" Hudson River Valley Institute, www.hudsonrivervalley.org/wappinger. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.
“The Wappinger People.” Mount Gulian Historic Site, mountgulian.org/history/the-wappinger-people. Accessed 18 Nov. 2024.