People Known as Van Guilders

THE MOHICANS OF STOCKBRIDGE

First, Daniël van Gelder. In 1635, this citizen of Amsterdam, armed with a notarial document, approached the directors of the West India Company. He had heard from various people who had been to New Netherland that 'the thorn-bush flowers in abundance and the strawberries are fertile for as long as six weeks'. He wanted to go to New Netherland to produce honey. In addition, he knew how to prepare beaver pelts, so he thought he could be of use tothe WIC. That Van Gelder approached the WIC in 1635 is not surprising: in these years the Company was still the most important employer and few freemen were in the colony at the time. Daniël van Gelder clearly saw opportunities to prosper in New Netherland. However, whether he ever arrived in the New World is unknown. He is not mentioned in the early records of the colony.

Egremont Berkshire County, Massachusetts was incorporated as a town in 1760 and named after Charles Windham, Earl of Egremont, the British Secretary of State during the Revolution. When the first English settlers came into the territory in 1730, they found a colony of Dutchmen, including Andrew and Robert Karner, and Isaac, John, and Jacob Spoor from the Hudson Valley, who had arrived twenty or thirty years earlier, in the belief that the territory was part of the colony of New York.

Egremont was part of the Indian grant made in 1724 by the "sider and rum treaty," signed by Konkapot, chief of the Mahicans, and twenty other Indians. By this compact, Indian Reservation, as it was later known, was set apart for the Mahicans. Previously they had made an agreement for ninety-nine years with Andrew Karner for half the reservation. According to tradition, Karner got possession of the land by a family alliance, allowing his sister to marry John Van Guilder, an Indian brought up by a Dutch settler. Van Guilder, whose name appears on most of the Indian deeds of southwestern Berkshire, is said to have persuaded his tribesmen to sign away their rights that he might have Mary Karner as his wife. Karner's title was contested by new white settlers, who naturally objected to this arrangement, but the General Court of Massachusetts granted the land to him and his heirs forever. The Karners were among the wealthiest settlers in Egremont.

On Karner's death in 1781, his land, rented at the time, was left to the Van Guilder family. When the leases expired in 1832, they attempted to gain possession of their inheritance but, rebuffed by the courts, withdrew entirely from the state. Their name is preserved in Guilder Hollow, Guilder Brook, and Guilder Pond, all except the last in Egremont township. Guilder Pond (Pickerel, Perch, and Horned Pout): In the Mt. Everett Reservation between Mt. Undine and Mt. Everett

[Copied by Lion G. Miles from the manuscript at the New York Historical Society on January 14, 1999. All spelling and punctuation is as found in the original document.]e case brought by the King of England against the New York State patroon John Van Rensselaer.

NOTES OF EVIDENCE WITH SOME NOTES OF THE ARGUMENTS OF COUNSEL, ON THE TRIAL OF AN INFORMATION FILED BY THE KING AGAINST JOHN VAN RENSSELAER, FOR AN ALLEGED INTRUSION UPON LANDS CLAIMED TO BE VACANT BETWEEN THE MANORS OF LIVINGSTON AND RENSSELAERWICK, IN THE REAR OF KINDERHOOK - October 1768, no place indicated but probably the Albany Circuit Court (New York Historical Society, Miscellaneous Manuscripts V, filed under John Van Rensselaer).

Extracts containing the testimony of Joseph Van Gelder and others related to him, concerning the location of the boundary between the Livingston and Van Rensselaer Manors and whether or not the various heaps of stone were made by Indians as boundary markers:

SAMUEL WINCHELL - He lives at Egremont, knows Housatonick R. formerly so called, has now changed its Name in several Places to those of the several Towns settled upon it. The Dutch call it Westenhook Kill - That Patenhook lies S° of the W. from Stockbridge about 14 or 15 Miles - That he has never seen any Heap of Stones which appear to have been set up by the Indians in that Country - That 39 Years ago his Father removed from G. Barrington to the upper Part of Sheffield Town, the Winess then 9 Years old - Shortly after he observed a large Rock with a Heap of Stones upon it laid up in handsome Order - That there was a Crack in it out of which grew a Walnut Saplin - It was a convenient Place for Boys to play. His Father told him to be careful not to displace the Stone for the Indians who had placed them there in Commemoration of something; would be displeased if he did. He once saw an Indian as he passed it throw a Stone on the Heap, some Time after his Father had given him this Caution - He saw the Rock last, six Years ago - the Stones were then removed except one which Stuck in the Tree which was then living & thrifty -there might have been when he first knew the Rock three Cart loads upon it, to the best of his Judgt, probably less - He never heard the Rock had any particular Indian name. Colo Joseph Dwight the Deft Capt Reede & Robert V. R. were there when he saw it six Years ago. This Rock lies to the So of the E. from where James Sexon lived about a Mile & three Quarters of a Mile from where Green River falls into Sheffield - the Hill not exceeding high & the land arable tho craggy about 40 Rods from the Rock. He does not know that his Father knew it was an Indian Heap of Stones. It might be only his Surmise for anything he knows.
Cross-examined - He is 48 Years old, was six Years old when he moved from Barrington to Sheffield. At that Time a great many Indians lived thereabouts of the Mahicander Tribe. He knows Stockbridge - it is an ancient Indn Settlement where the Indians now live & have Land of their own. That the Indians who lived about Sexon's swapped their lands there for those at Stockbridge for the Sake of Education, they being christianized. The Indians informed him they had not sold some of those Lands. That the Tree which grew out of the Rock when he first knew it was a small Staddle, might be as large as a Man's Wrist & of ten Years Growth. That they used to call the Place where the Rock is the South of the Mountain. That he has heard the Indians speak of two Places called Wawanaq;, one on the West Side of the River over the blue Mountains another on the East Side of the River near Tackanick & between that and the River & he never heard of any other Place of that Name. That he never understood the Heap of Stones on the Rock was just there as a Boundary, but one Man told him within six Years that the Indians formerly killed a Snake there with seven Heads & erected the Heap of Stones in Commemoration of it. …

TIMOTHY WOODBRIDGE - That he known and been acquainted with Joseph Van Gelder's family his Father an Indian his Mother a White Woman and well behaved. It is probable Joseph Van Gelder was baptized. His father attended the publick Worship and was Christened as he told the witness That he understood Joseph Van Gelder had been also christened the Family lived in a Manner of the English and Dutch and were esteemed to be christians like the rest of the Neigbours it is 27 or 28 Years since he instructed Joseph Van Gelder in Reading and the Catechism, he has seen the Family admitted as witnesses Joseph Van Gelder was eight or nine Years old when he was at School with [me] he was there two Summers Supposes all the Children of old Van Gelder and his wife when were baptized that his father was put on the same footing with respect to the Laws as the Whites were other Indians were not so considered.

RICHARD MOORE - He is Sixty one Years of age he has known Joseph Van Gelder he is Christian and baptized by a high Dutch Minister Joseph Van Gelder's Father's Children was baptized and he himself That he was Married by a Minister. Joseph Van Gelder lives at Egremont on this side Howsitenack River to the Eastward of Tackannick Mountains he his [sic] known him from a Child he always bears a good Character he would Venture to take his Oath at any time for the truth The General Reputation is that he is a Christian. He believes His father belonged to the Catt's Kills Egreement is held under the Massachusets he never heard Joseph Van Gelder Say he claimed any Land against the Defendant.

JOSEPH VAN GELDER - That he is Forty Eight Years of Age He understood the Indian language that he knows a place called Wawanaquasick it lies between Claverack and Sheffield one Breakfast Travel from the River to wawanaquasick. it lies about 9 or 10 Miles East from the River - has seen it often has traveled. It lies upon the East part of a Hill has heard of it high thiry Year ago from old Indians who told him it was wawanaquasick and Said it was an old Place they had there, a great many years ago - Old Nannahaken and old Skannout old Panneyote who were Ancient Indians told him so. Old Skannout was quite grey with Years - Nanahacken about 70 Years then, and old Skannout appeared older then Ampawekine called Sankenakeke who was the Sachem of the Mohickens also told him of it. He was then better than Sixty Years of Age, they were all of the Mowhickens Tribe the Indians told him it was an offering Place of their old fore fathers and a boundary between the tribes Mohickens and the River Indians the Eastern Tribes was called Mohigens and lived at Stockbridge he is sure - the Indians told himWawanaquasick was a boundary between the Mohicken and the River Indians they used to join together when they went to war has heard of Keeswky's He was a River Indian not a Sachem had erected this place as he knows - that he lived about Claaverack and up towards Albany Indians told him his fore fathers had erected this place and that they had it from them Patenhook is the General name of every fall of Water Papteut is at Claaverack as the Indians told him it is the name of a Particular Place - Has lived in Sheffield and Egremont within 5 or 6 Miles of it almost all his Life Knows of a Large Samuel of a large flat Rock between Sheffield - Knows Samuel Summers he lives near the Large Rock within ¾ Mile and where old Jackson lived it is on the East side of Housitonick River Remembers this Great Rock ever since he can Remember anything from 10 Years old Indians told him it never was a Monument or Boundary he used to play there often when Young lived within a half a Mile of it There never was a heap of Stones on it when he first knew it When he was a little Boy there was a Clift in the Rock the Boys threw stones on the South side to fill up the Clift which hurt their legs in Playing Never heard this Rock Called Wawanaquasick There are two Cracks in the Rock one Runs East and West and had Earth in it the other North and South and had none - He is not sure th which Crack it was
Cross-examined - Will not be positive how old he was when he throgh'd the Stones but he was a little Chap his fathers name was John Van Gelder in Indian Toanunck his Fathers Land was near the flat Rock, the Rock fifty or sixty Rods to the East of his Fathers Land His father lived there better than fifty Years as his Mother and father told Schnapk [sic] told him of Wawanaquasick when he was a little Child and so on from time to time the last time he told him so was 10 Years ago but he is not certain Also the time but it may be thereabouts Sowhhaap [sic] he believes he has been dead 4 or 5 Years does not know certain but believes thereabouts He lived at Stockbridge usually Knew Samuel Winchel when he first came to live there about forty Years ago. There were stones on the Rock when he first came to live there about The Staddel when he first knew it was a little thing no Biger than a Man's Leg when he left that place there was not more than a load of Stones on a Rock and this was almost 20 Years ago the Tree was cut Down he believes by Mr Summers who cleared the Land Thereabouts a few Stones on it there did not appear so many as the Boys had put on by Never saw Indianmen throw any Stones on the Crack tho he has gone by the Rock several times with Indanmen [sic] When he left the Place it looked as if there was as many Stones there as when they were thrown on by the Boy's - He was baptized at Rhynbeck by a Church Minister when a Baby as his Mother told him lives in Egremont Six or 7 Miles to the West of Green River as the Road runs not Nigh so far in a Streight line the Road being very Crooked some call it 6-1/2 some 7 Miles from where he lives to Everet Knikerbackers, but He can't say how far it is, has lived where he Now lives about 13 Years [in] the Boston Government the Town of Egremont. Witness claims the Land he lives on and has a deed for it from Boston Government lives to the East a Quarter of a Mile from Nobletown. No Other Indian in that Country called Schenaap that he knows of, a Heap of stones in the Indian Language is called Sinnaghkic at Monument Mountain there is a Placed called Wawanaquasick and another somewhere towards albany Mashewashechahwawanaquasick is the Name of the Place at Monument Mountain - He has heard it so called About thirty Years ago. It is about 4 or 5 Miles to the Northward of the flat Rock and on the East side of Westenhook River has been close to it often it is about a Mile from the River The Indians call the River Westenhook the Place about the Mouth of Green River is called Scetehkook, Sasingtonack some say is near Coen's others say it was not So. That the Rock is better than two Miles to the River the No of Kaphack Coen's is to the No of the Rock it may be 2 Miles (it may be two miles.) Some of the Boys who played there with him were fifteen Years Old but he a Little Chap He played there with Samuel Winchel the Ferry's livd about a Mile from the Rock

SAMUEL WINCHEL (again) Has known Joseph Van Gelder since he was 8 Years old 39 Years ago the Witness went to live near the flat Rock a Short time after he moved there with his father he observed the Stones on the flat Rock the Rock is 13 feet across the Clift may go quite across there were as many stones on one side of the Cleft as the other the Heap did not lie entirely on the Cleft alone but the Clift went further than the Stones he thinks he has played with Joseph Van Gelder there Several times but he does not Remember seeing him put Stones there not more than one Clift in the Rock the Rock is 16 Rods from his Fathers house the Clift pretty wide near the North and south altogether unable to say how long the Stones have been taken away Has seen one Elderly Indian throw one Stone on the Rock he has been a hunting Joseph Van Gelder was a little boy when he was first acquainted with him and a few months younger than him as Joseph's Mother told him. Some stones Lay on the Rock could not have been carried there by a Boy of Six Years Old it look'd like an old heap of Stones He supposes there were two or three Ox cart Loads on the Rock appear not as if intended to Cover the Rock but as a Bounds of Land. He knows Schenap but heard he died, 14 or 15 Years ago. not certain how many Years ago he died It wsa about, 14, or 15, or 16, Years Since he was Last at his house. He could not travil used to travil about from Stockbridge Egremont &a &a west from where he lived Believes he heard of his Death in Less than a Year in less a Year [sic] after he was Last at his house Old Schnaap never told him any thing about the Rock.

JOSEPH FERRY - The Stones have been removed from the Rock 30 or 31 Years. Remembers when the Cellar was built by Phelps Joseph Van Gelder appeared to be 7 or 8 Year old when the witness knew him first Never heard Scheenap was dead. He knew him. If Stones lay there 30 Years on a Rock they will not look Older than when they were put there some of the Stones were pretty Large 3 or 4 Boys might Roll them up Did not Remember in former times that there was any Crack in the Rock no Moss running from Stone to Stone -

SOLLOMON FERRY (again) Has not Seen the Stones on the Rock wtihin 30 Years heard 14 or 15 Years ago that Schenaak was dead he knew him He was a very old Indian.

Testimony of TIMOTHY WOODBRIDGE - That he known and been acquainted with Joseph Van Gelder's family his Father an Indian his Mother a White Woman and well behaved.... the Family lived in a Manner of the English and Dutch and were esteemed to be christians like the rest of the Neigbours... that his father was put on the same footing with respect to the Laws as the Whites were other Indians were not so considered.

Testimony of RICHARD MOORE -…He believes His father belonged to the Catt's Kills [a band of Mohican Indians living on the west side of the Hudson River]…

Joseph Van Gelder cross-examined -…his fathers name was John Van Gelder in Indian Toanunck…

• http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/%7Ebbunce77/Bunce4.html
• The Berkshire Hills. Contributors: Federal Writers' Project - orgname. Publisher: Funk & Wagnalls Company. Place of Publication: Boston. Publication Year: 1987.
• http://www.townofstockbridge.com/Public_Documents/StockbridgeMA_WebDocs/about
• http://www.dickshovel.com/Mahican.html
• http://wolfweb.unr.edu/homepage//shubinsk/history.html
• Konkapot, this is a family name among the Stockbridges (Mahican) usually spelled Konkapot. Captain John Konkapot was a well-known Mahican sachem in the early eighteenth century. Mary Eliza Konkupots listed above was the grandmother of Mrs. Minnie Chamberlin of Avant, Oklahoma, and a daughter of Levi Konkapot, Jr., who was killed in the Civil War.

  Daniel Chester French - In 1899, the Town of Lee dedicated a public drinking fountain in memory of Amelia Jeannette Kilbon, a vibrant member of the Loyal Temperance Legion (part of the Christian Woman's Temperance Union). Daniel Chester French was commissioned by the Loyal Temperance Union to design the fountain which was to have two sides - a horse fountain and a drinking fountain. French used two images for the fountain from which the water flowed: an image of a Mohegan Indian, Chief Konkapot, and a fish. Chief Konkapot was Chief of the Stockbridge Mohican Indian tribe which, in 1722, sold what is much of Berkshire county to colonial settlers including the land which now makes up the town of Lee. Kilbon was instrumental in raising funds for the fountain; after her death, others continued raising funds and the fountain became a memorial to Kilbon and her work with the Loyal Temperance Legion.
  The back of the fountain carries an inscription which tells the story of the dedicatee of the fountain, Amelia Jeannette Kilbon: This Fountain Was Begun By The Loyal Temperance Union Under The Leadership Of Amelia Jeannette Kilbon And Was Completed By Other Friends As A Tribute To Her Memory 1870 1897

  Originally installed at the intersection of Railroad and Main Streets in Lee, it was moved to its present location on the Town Park Village Green after cars replaced horses as the primary mode of transportation. The fountain is made of Lee marble, quarried in Lee. Chief Konkaput dispenses only half of the water that he was designed to offer. Yet the fountain remains a strong testament to the hard work of local citizens who not only fought drunkenness and the violence and crime that often followed it, but who also came together to give their town something as practical and necessary as a drinking fountain. The Public Drinking Fountain ("Chief Konkapot") is located on the Town Park Village Green, adjacent to the Lee Town Hall. 

  • See the front of the fountain.  See the back of the fountain.
• http://angryindian.blogspot.com/2006_05_21_angryindian_archive.html
• Guilder Pond in Mt. Washington and Guilder Hollow in the Jug End Reservation in Egremont, MA are named. Jan van Guilder married Mary Karner, and Karner Brook cascades down the ravine along Mt. Washington Road into the flatlands of South Egremont.