Pompton people

The Pomptons or Pamapons were a condensed tribe located in northern New Jersey. A band of Wappingers, they joined by invitation the Munsee at the end of the Esopus War of 1664. "Wappinger" was originally the name of a small sachemdom on the east side of the Hudson near Poughkeepsie and comprises various bands.

The territory of the Wappingers ran from the east bank of the Hudson River from Manhattan to Poughkeepsie and the territory eastward to the lower Connecticut Valley. Other names for the Wappinger were the "Highland Indians", "Long Reach Indians", "Oping", and "Pompton". Some of the names of the villages were Alipkonck, Sinsing, Kestoubniuk, Keskisckonck, Pesquaskeck and Noch Peem. One possible group of Wappinger remain in the region today, the Ramapo in northern New Jersey.^[1]

Memerescum, a Pompton sachem, was the "sole sachem of all the nations (towns or families) of Indians on Remopuck River, and on the east and west branches thereof, on Saddle River, Pasqueck River, Narranshunk River and Tappan, gave title to all the lands in upper or northwestern Bergen and Passaic counties.", indicating a combination of clans. His name appears on the Indian Deed of 1710 (otherwise known as the Ramapo Tract or the Schuyler Patent).^[2]Chief Katonah, who was the sachem of the condensed tribe called Ramapo in Connecticut, which originated from a tribe of Pompton and was forced to move to Connecticut by the encroachment of the Dutch.^[3] Tapgow, who was Katonah's uncle signed on the Indian Deed of 1710, the Wawayanda Patent and others.

Pequannock (in the name of the Township and of the Pequannock River) is thought to have been derived from the Lenape word "Paquettahhnuake", meaning, "cleared land ready or being readied for cultivation".^[4] Pompton has been cited by some sources to mean "a place where they catch soft fish."^[5]

References