Lady Deborah Moody and the inhabitants of Gravesend purchased Conyne Eylandt (Coney Island) from the Nyack Indian tribe in 1654.The deed itemizes the purchase price as two guns, three pounds of gun powder and 90 feet of sewan (clam shell beads often used as currency by Indigenous people). Nyack Chief Guttoquoh and tribal elders Mattanoh and Wetachrio signed the document using symbols. Old Town records, NYC Municipal Archives.
Transcription Note: The text below was transcribed using Handwriting OCR software and edited by staff from the NYC Department of Records & Information Services. Corrections and clarifications have been added in brackets.
Transcribed Text:
Indian purchase
7 May 1654 No 6 Indian Purchase 1654 the purchase of meadow & upland by Antony [illegible] principal Gravesend May the seventh 1654, certaine Indians Mattinock Sachamacke of Niock, being demanded concerning a certaine necke [certain neck] of land with is north of land, from Antonio Johnsons house southwa[rd] an Island called Coyne [Coney] Island to whom it did belo[ng] they did all declare that it was the right & true prop land of one Guttaquoch called by them Narrioch that is to say, the & the necke [neck] of land is called by them Manahanung and in testimonie [testimony] of the premises have hereunto sett theyr [set their] hands Signu [signature] Manhanouk Signu [signature] Guttaquoch
The above said quantitie [quantity] of land being within the bounds & lymmits [limits] of the land graunted [granted] by Patent to certaine [certain] English inhabitants of Gravesend by the late Govern: Kieft, the above said Guttaquoch doth hereby acknowledge & declare to have sold all his right title interest & clayme [claim] to the above said quantities of land called Narrioch & Manahanung unto the honorable the Lords Bewinthebbers of the West India Company of the Chamber of Amsterdam, for the use right & proprietie [property] of the above said pattentees [patentees] & inhabitants of Gravesend, as having recd [received] fifteen fathom of Seawan [wampum] two gunnes [guns], two pounds of powder &c in consideration of the same of the sd [said] Inhabitants & inhabitants thereof to have & to hold to them theyr heyres [their heirs} & assignes [assigned] for ever, and my right title & interest unto the sd [said] Inhabitants theyre heyres [their heirs] & exect[executors]: administrat [administrators] & assignes [assigned] to enjoy as theyr owne [their own] from land to land with all the meadow land & marsh land thereunto appertaining In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand this seventh of May 1654. Signu [Signed]: Guttaquoch
Entred [Entered] & acknowledged [i]n the presence of us Sign [Signed]: Geb Right Sign [Signed] : Randall hath interpreted [illegible]