Indigenous Peoples of Long Island and New York

The Center for Brooklyn History provides this guide for those researching the history of Indigenous peoples in and around Brooklyn. In addition to these materials, researchers are encouraged to browse the collections and research guides for resources that may be relevant to their work. While this guide uses the keywords “Indigenous peoples” to refer to a diverse group of communities native to North America, searching historical resources may require using a variety of terms, including: "Lenape," "Canarsee" or "Canarsie," "Munsee," "Iroquois," "Kahnawake," "Shinnecock, "Native American," "Indian" and "Aboriginal." Additionally, if you’re searching for one particular community, you might search online first for spelling variations. There are, for example, seventeen known European variations of Kahnawake, with Caughnawaga being one of the most common in our collections. To create an appointment or ask a question, please contact cbhreference@bklynlibrary.org.

This guide includes materials ranging from the mid-1600s through the mid-20th century. Most materials concern the four Long Island counties (Kings, Queens, Nassau, and Suffolk), but places farther afield are also occasionally represented, including New York State, the South, the American West and Mexico. Documents commonly found in this guide from the 17th-18th century include land transfers as well as first-hand accounts of Indigenous life from a Dutch or British perspective. Materials from the 19th century on are more varied, including such items as Documents and Proceedings Relating to the Formation and Progress of a Board in the City of New York, for the Emigration, Preservation, and Improvement, of the Aborigines of America from 1829 and a map purporting to show "Indian Villages, Paths, Ponds, and Places in Kings County" from 1946.

The materials in these collections are primarily from the perspective of European Americans, and cover their attitude toward and relations with the Indigenous peoples of Long Island and the surrounding area. Resources from the perspective of Indigenous peoples, or that reliably document what Brooklyn was like pre-contact, are exceedingly rare.

Please note: We encourage our patrons doing research on Indigenous cultures to contact the relevant communities of their research. The National Congress of American Indians provides a list of publications and resources to help researchers understand tribal concerns and the ethics of researching Indigenous peoples. Additionally, Native Land Digital is an app to help map Indigenous territories, treaties, and languages.

Archives

American Indians and English settlers Gravesend deed, 1665

Call number: 1977.594
Link to finding aid

Photocopy of a typescript deed documenting the sale of land in the present-day Brooklyn neighborhood of Gravesend by the Indigenous inhabitants of the region to incoming English settlers.

Andrew J. Provost collection of Bushwick, N.Y., family papers, 1709-1859

Call number: 1977.180
Link to finding aid

Both originals and copies of deeds and wills—including a copy of a patent from Lt. Governor Thomas Dongan, dated 1687—that mention Indigenous peoples.

Ariadne Valsamis notes on Montauk history, circa 1980

Call number: 1985.090
Link to finding aid

The collection contains handwritten notes taken while Ariadne Valsamis was performing research for the Center for Brooklyn History's library team. Topics covered include the Montauk people of Long Island as well as Arthur W. Benson, who was taken to court by the Montauks in an attempt to retain tribal lands that he purchased.

Autograph Manuscript collection, 1700-1945

Call number: ARC.206
Link to finding aid

Contains four items pertaining to this guide: an 1803 letter concerning “Indian Nations,” a 1770 order provisioning “this Cherokee Indian” with clothing, an 1846 letter about promoting “the preservation & future well-being of the remnants of the Aboriginal race,” and an 1846 letter from about land treaties.

Brooklyn Armstrong Association and Brooklyn Hampton Association records, 1906-1943

Call number: 1981.001
Link to finding aid

The Brooklyn Armstrong Association was formed in 1906 with the aim “to stimulate public interest in the work and influence of the Hampton Normal and Agricultural Institute and generally in the uplifting of the Negro and Indian races.” The organization provided education for a large number of African American students and a smaller number of Indigenous students (approximately 46 in 1912).

Brooklyn Historical Society Mixed manuscript collection, 1626-1957

Call number: 1974.037
Link to finding aid

Includes two relevant items: a 1626 letter, in Dutch, from P. Schagen to the States General of the Dutch Republic about the purchase of Manhattan, and petitions, in Spanish, from 1688 of the Apalachian and Timuquan people of Florida.

Charles A. Ditmas collection, 1687-circa 1935

Call number: ARC.196
Link to finding aid

Includes the “Barren Island Indian deed,” a typescript transcription copied from the original (dated 1664 and 1681) by Ditmas in 1909.  The deed documents an agreement between Indigenous peoples and John Tilton Senil and Sammeull Spicer of Gravesend. Barren Island is currently known as Floyd Bennett Field.

Daniel M. Tredwell papers, 1876-1917

Call number: ARC. 088
Link to finding aid

This collection includes essays, histories and general “reminiscences” of Daniel M. Tredwell, including several pages on the history of Indigenous peoples in Brooklyn as well as 19th century folklore about them.

East Hampton land patent, 1686

Call number: 1973.160
Link to finding aid

One land patent for the Town of East Hampton in Long Island, N.Y., which documents the sale of lands originally purchased from the Montaukett tribe.

Flatlands land patents, 1667

Call number: 1974.016
Link to finding aid

Two patents issued by Governor Richard Nicolls and Lt. Governor Thomas Dongan for the Town of Amersfort (Flatlands) (1667) which mention earlier deeds from Peter Stuyvesant (1652 and 1662) and Indigenous peoples (1685).

Gabriel Furman papers, 1725-1913

Call number: ARC.190
Link to finding aid

Includes both a manuscript and a published version of Furman’s “Notes, Geographical and Historical, Relating to the Town of Brooklyn, on Long-Island,” which includes Indigenous peoples’ place names and some property information, particularly on pages 5-6 and 15-21.  Also includes a transcription of Jeremiah Johnson’s translation of “Vanderdonck’s New Netherlands,” a pamphlet published in Amsterdam in 1656 that mentions Indigenous people, particularly on pages 6-8 and 17.

Gabor Naphegyi lecture transcription, circa 1865

Call number: 1977.663
Link to finding aid

A transcription of “Languages of the Aborigines of the American Continent,” an 1865 lecture presented by Dr. G. Naphegyi at the Long Island Historical Society (now known as the Center for Brooklyn History).

Henry H. Van Dyck papers, 1840-1869

Call number: ARC.106
Link to finding aid

Correspondence between Van Dyck and Harrison Halftoran, agent and clerk of the Seneca Nation respectively. Letters discuss petitions for clothing, land warrants and other matters pertaining to the Cattaraugus and Allegheny Reservations.

Henry and John Laurens papers

Call number: 1974.119
Link to finding aid

Correspondence of Henry Laurens on civil matters in the Southern states includes commentary on Indigenous peoples. Check correspondence index in box two for detailed information.

Henry C. Murphy collection, circa 1700-circa 1880

Call number: ARC.189
Link to finding aid

Murphy was a lawyer, politician and historian, and this collection includes his research notes, political and business documents, and correspondence. His notes on (and copies of) documents related to colonial history include descriptions of Canadian colonial history and general colonial history. The Dutch New Netherlands and West India Co. records include correspondence, and deeds and accounts that relate to Indigenous affairs. The “Commonplace Book of Lighter Selections” (1831) includes descriptions of Indigenous customs in 17th century New York.

Henry Onderdonk papers, 1729-1895

Call number: ARC.045
Link to finding aid

Onderdonk (1804-1886) was a historian, teacher and author in Queens County, Long Island, who focused his research on local history. Series 2, Correspondence, mentions Indigenous people throughout, especially letters relating to William Apess, Edwin Webb and Edmund Bailey O’Callaghan.

Henry Townsend Oyster Bay Land Deed, 1661

Call number: 1974.050
Link to finding aid

Original land deed, dated 1661, granting land on the Mill River in Oyster Bay, Long Island to Henry Townsend, signed by eighteen Oyster Bay inhabitants.  See also Townsend papers, 1974.021.

Landon Family papers, 1665-1864

Call number: 1977.025
Link to finding aid

Included in Series 4 of this collection is a journal of the 1792 proceedings concerning a treaty with Indigenous people at Post Vincennes, Indiana, conducted by Brigadier General Rufus Putnam.

Long Island Early Manuscripts Collection

Call Number: 1974.003
Link to finding aid

Includes two folders of significance to this guide: Folder 5 contains several 17th century land records pertaining to Indigenous peoples, such as gifts of land and complaints; Folder 14 contains a 1756 receipt of payment to Indigenous people.

Mid-Atlantic Early Manuscripts collection, 1648-1867

Call number: 1974.002
Link to finding aid

This collection includes several documents relevant to this guide, including land deeds and letters to and from colonists about their dealings with Indigenous peoples. Folder 7 contains items pertaining to the Cherokee Nation, Folder 8 contains items pertaining to Connecticut and the Corchaug people, and Folder 4 contains a miscellaneous assortment of items.

Middagh family papers, 1654-circa 1840

Call number: 1974.179
Link to finding aid

This collection primarily consists of deeds and other property documents, 1654 to 1789. A transcript of a 1669 Suffolk County Clerk document specifically mentions the Montauketts and other Indigenous peoples.

Mrs. Milan Hulbert Collection of colonial British America and early United States of America papers, 1698-1846

Call number: ARC.278
Link to finding aid

Box 3 of this collection includes two documents relevant to this guide: New York: Land Grant, 1786, a confirmation from Governor Clinton to Jacob Watson regarding a tract of land in Montgomery and Washington Counties that mentions Indigenous peoples; and West Florida: Land Grants, Petitions, 1770-1781 includes a petition from residents of Naches, West Florida (located within what is now Mississippi) that alludes to a negative relationship between settlers and Indigenous peoples.

New York City WPA historical survey of Indigenous People of Brooklyn, 1939-1940

Call number: 1977.121
Link to finding aid

This collection includes drafted sections of “The Indians of Brooklyn in the Days of the Dutch,” compiled by William Christie MacLeod. It also includes research notes, annotated maps, notes on the orthography of Indigenous words and names, and typescript copies of 17th century letters, journals and deeds. A bound copy of “The Indians of Brooklyn in the Days of the Dutch” is available in our non-circulating library collection.

Pelletreau Family papers, 1662-1921

Call number: ARC.142
Link to finding aid

Contains deeds involving multiple land agreements between settlers and Indigenous peoples, particularly the Shinnecocks, from 1662 until 1703. [1650-1703]

Proprietors of Montauk collection, 1699-1886

Call number: ARC.066
Link to finding aid

Includes deeds and land conveyances between English setters and Montauketts, indentures, receipts, and court records regarding a legal dispute involving Indigenous peoples. The Proprietor of Montauk Minute Books include descriptions of transactions and disputes between settlers and Montauketts. Please note: The original deeds in this collection are not available to researches, but photocopies are included in the collection. Additionally, transcriptions of these deeds can be found in “Indian deeds to Montauk, Long Island, N.Y.: 1655-1794,” which is available in our non-circulating library collection.

Robert Livingston papers, 1670-1797

Call number: 1974.018
Link to finding aid

Robert Livingston (1654-1728) served as the Secretary of Indian Affairs from the 1696-1710. Series one includes documents relating to Livingston Manor, including land deeds from Indigenous peoples. Series two contains documentation of the relationship between the Commissioners of Indian Affairs at Albany and the Indigenous peoples of the Hudson Valley and Central New York, 1679 to 1723. Please note: Many items are in fragile condition.

Robert C. Winthrop Collection, 1660s-1690s

Call number: 1974.052
Link to finding aid

Colonial land documents, including deeds and patents between English colonial administrator Edmund Andros and Indigenous peoples.

Saretta G. Hicks papers on Lady Deborah Moody, 1558-1656, 1963-1965

Call number: ARC.276
Link to finding aid

This collection includes research conducted by Saretta G. Hicks on Lady Deborah Moody, a founder of Gravesend, New York. Document types includes correspondence of Hicks, and the deeds and wills of Lady Moody and Walter Dunch. Also includes notes on 17th century Indigenous tribes, places, customs, and interactions with colonists.

Smith Families Papers, 1659-1848

Call number: ARC.244
Link to finding aid

Papers of the Smith families of the towns of Brookhaven (referred to in the papers as the Manor of St. George) and Smithtown in Suffolk County, Long Island, N.Y., dating from 1659 to 1848. Includes land grants and deeds, journals, and indentures that explicitly or implicitly relate to Indigenous peoples, including the 1666 Brookhaven deed, the 1743 Smithtown deed, and a 1770 apprentice indenture for “Indian Simon.”

Stevanus Van Cortlandt Red Hook land deeds, 1697-1712

Call number: 1974.007
Link to finding aid

Deed issued by William III, King of England, Scotland and Ireland, to Stevanus Van Cortlandt for the island of Red Hook (1697), and a later deed granting the land to Matthias Van Dyk, from Van Cortlandt’s heirs (1712).

Town of Hempstead deed, 1684

Call number: 1978.135
Link to finding aid

Fragments of a very deteriorated deed dated 1684, presumably from the Hempstead, Long Island area.

Townsend Family papers, 1658-1809

Call number: 1974.021
Link to finding aid

Four manuscripts of the Townsend family, including deeds for land in Oyster Bay, Long Island involving European settlers and Indigenous peoples, dated 1658 to 1678.

Wheeler N. Voorhees collection, 1766-1935

Call number: 1977.182
Link to finding aid

Includes a copy of an English translation of “Information relative to taking of land in New Netherland” by Cornelis van Tienhoven, 1650. The piece describes use of land by Indigenous peoples, particularly in areas of Long Island, Manhattan and Connecticut.

William R. Coleman papers, 1891-1926

Call number: ARC.018
Link to finding aid

Collection contains two cabinet photos of William R. Coleman in fringed buckskins, posing with a trio of Indigenous people assumed to be mother, father and baby; card marked “Ft. Sill, O.T.” (Oklahoma Territory).

William Nicoll land grants, 1658-1809

Call number: 1974.029
Link to finding aid

This collection contains 11 grants issued to William Nicoll for land in the Province of New York, many relating to the town of Islip in Suffolk County.

Wyandanch and Henry Whitnee land deed, 1658

Call number: 1977.366
Link to finding aid

Photocopy of a deed documenting the sale of land by Wyandanch, Sachem of the Montaukett people, to Henry Whitnee of the town of Huntington.

Books

This booklist highlights titles in our collection that relate to Indigenous history of Long Island and New York. Because the list is not comprehensive, researchers are encouraged to browse the catalog for additional titles.

Maps

• Early Dutch explorer’s map

  Map No. E-US-[16--?] (1986).Fl
  Link to digitized map

• An historical portrait of Long Island from 1600 to 1850

  Map No. L.I.-1600-1850 (1974).Fl c.2;L.I.-1600-1850 (1974).Fl
  Link to digitized map

• Indian episodes of New York State: land of the Hodenosaunee

  Map No. NYS-17th-19th Century (1935).Fl
  Link to digitized map

• The Indian tribes of Long Island

  Map No. L.I.-1934.Fl
  Link to digitized map

• Indian Villages, Paths, Ponds, and Places in Kings County

  Map No. B B-1946.Fl ; MAP_1946-01-01
  Link to digitized map
  Link to digital collections

• The island of Manhattan (Mannahtin) at the time of its discovery: showing its elevations, water-courses, marshes, and shore line

  Map No. M-1609 (1909).Fl.O
  Link to digitized map

• Map of the town of Oyster Bay, N.Y.

  Map No. L.I.-17th century (19--?).Fl
  Link to digitized map

• The Mohawk Valley in 1757 : a composite map taken from the British Crown Collection, showing a map prepared by a British engineer during the French and Indian War and a map owned by the Wisconsin Historical Society

  Map No. NYS-1757 (19--?).Fl;NYS-1757 (19--?).Fl c.2
  Link to digitized map

• # 146: Sekakus patent: 2000 acres: based on the Indian purchase of Jan. 30, 1658 (Stila Nova)

  Map No. NJ-17th-19th century(1957).Fl
  Link to digitized map

• To his excellency William Tryon Esqr., captain general & governor in chief of the province of New-York & &: this map of the country of 

  Map No. Mid. Atl.-1771 (1851).Fl
  Link to digitized map

This research guide was updated April 2025.