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“The Munsee originally
occupied the headwaters of Delaware river in New York, New Jersey, and
Pennsylvania, extending south to Lehigh river, and also held the west bank of
the Hudson from the Catskill mountains nearly to the New Jersey line. They
had the Mahican and Wappinger on the north and east, and the Delaware on the
south and southeast, and were regarded as the protecting barrier between the
latter tribe and the Iroquois. Their council village was Minisink, probably
in Sussex county, N. J. According to Ruttenber they were divided into the
Minisink, Waoranec, Warranawonkong, Mamekoting, Wawarsink, and Catskill. The
Minisink formed the principal division of the Munsee, and the two names have
often been confounded. The bands along the Hudson were prominent in the early
history of New York, but as white settlements increased most of them joined
their relatives on the Delaware. In 1756 those remaining in New York were
placed upon lands in Schoharie County and were incorporated with the Mohawk.
By a fraudulent treaty, known as the "Walking Purchase," the main
body of the Munsee was forced to remove from the Delaware about the year
1740, and settled at Wyalusing the Susquehanna on lands assigned them by the
Iroquois. Soon after this they removed to Allegheny river, Pa., where some of
them had settled as early as 1724. The Moravian missionaries had already
begun their work among then. (see Missions; Moravians), and a considerable
number under their teaching drew off from the tribe and became a separate
organization. The others moved west with the Delaware into Indiana, where
most of them were incorporated with that tribe, while others joined the
Chippewa, Shawnee, and other tribes, so that the Munsee practically ceased to
exist as an organized body. Many removed to Canada and settled near their
relatives, the Moravian Indians.”
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