Brooklyn Eagle Timeline

During the late 19th century and early 20th century, the Brooklyn Eagle published many articles about the tribulations of the Montauk Tribe of Indians. These include reports of the loss of the Indian Field reservation in 1879; through several court cases that ensued in the years that followed.

These articles, presented below in chronological order, all reference the Montaukett in one way or another. They paint interesting pictures of the mindsets of white and native Long Islanders during a period that was so devastating to the Montaukett nation.

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From the Brooklyn Eagle Archives:

  • 3/11/1861 Imaginative (and ridiculous) story about Chief Wyandanch and Lake Ronkonkoma
  • 4/9/1863 The Long Island Historical Society is formed
  • 6/5/1866 Why Not? Editorial recommends using Montauk Indian territory to quarantine infected vessels
  • 6/23/1870 David Pharaoh is authorized as King of the Montauk Indians
  • 1/31/1871 Montauk Tribe’s bid to incorporate strongly opposed by Long Islanders
  • 2/9/1871 Tribal incorporation bill introduced in Albany
  • 3/22/1871 Tribal incorporation bill “stalled” due to citizen opposition
  • 5/3/1871 Montauk Indians “causing trouble” over Great Pond fishing rights
  • 7/6/1871 Indian War: Test case, the land grab begins
  • 11/10/1871 Referee: Indians have no rights that whites are bound to respect
  • 11/27/1871 NY Supreme Court decides Montauks are “trespassing” on their own land
  • 1/14/1874 Ancient Indian Grave discovered in Easthampton
  • 8/25/1874 Indian troubles – the poor savage is in the white man’s way
  • 8/15/1876 King David Pharaoh’s Mother dies – “foul play” suspected
  • 1/11/1877 Shinnecock and Montauk Indians – a wasting race
  • 9/18/1877 Montauk King named as a defendant in suit
  • 6/27/1878 The Indians’ land to be partitioned or sold
  • 2/8/1879 The great east-end Indian reservation to be sold in bulk
  • 3/21/1879 Referee supports selling Indian land in bulk
  • 8/8/1879 Montauk Reservation up for sale
  • 10/21/1879 Montauk Reservation to be sold tomorrow
  • 10/23/1879 Benson steals reservation for $151,000
  • 12/14/1879 LIRR plans to extend lines to Montauk Point
  • 12/27/1879 Speculation about LIRR and Benson plans for Montauk
  • 3/7/1880 Benson declines to reveal plans for Montauk
  • 11/22/1880 Speculation about Vanderbilt’s and LIRR plans for Montauk
  • 4/24/1882 Benson starts building his mansion on Montauk reservation
  • 8/28/1882 LIRR surveys Montauk Peninsula
  • 9/6/1885 An Indian named Pharaoh goes missing under suspicious circumstances
  • 8/8/1886 What civilization has done to the red man
  • 12/28/1889 Benson, robber of Montauk reservation passes away
  • 6/20/1894 Yet another ‘last of the Montauks’ John Hannibal, a.k.a. King Pharaoh dies
  • 7/1/1894 Follow up on John Hannibal emphasizes “Last Montauk King” is dead
  • 9/8/1895 Capitalists ready to buy Shinnecock Lands
  • 10/8/1895 Montauk Indians dispute the Corbin-Pratt title
  • 10/13/1895 Historical piece on Montauks includes Wyandank Pharaoh – a new Last King?
  • 11/24/1895 Article on Poospatuck Indians
  • 2/16/1896 Sentimental(?) article on the “Old LI tribes” and where they lived
  • 5/23/1896 Montauk Sachem was probably Elliot’s first teacher
  • 10/17/1896 Death of Charles Waters a full-blooded indian of Little Neck
  • 1/15/1897 King Wyandank Pharaoh sues LIRR to reclaim reservation
  • 1/24/1897 Judge grants Wyandank Pharaoh permission to institute suit against LIRR
  • 2/7/1897 Montauk Indians begin suit against LIRR, part A
  • 2/7/1897 Montauk Indians begin suit against LIRR, part B
  • 2/8/1897 Editorial ponders absurdity of “our handful of half-breeds” needing the Montauk reservation
  • 6/5/1897 Final ruling – neither Wyandank Pharaoh or Montauk tribe allowed to maintain an action in court
  • 6/19/1897 Montauk Lawyer L.B. Treadwell challenges ruling on Indians right to sue
  • 6/24/1897 Judge disqualifies himself from hearing Montauk Land Case
  • 11/20/1897 Article claims people who now call themselves Montauks are half breeds
  • 12/22/1897 Montauks Appeal Judge Maddox decision that Indians were without legal capacity to sue
  • 2/6/1898 Yet another “last of the Montauks dies” article
  • 3/20/1898 Pharaoh awaits ruling on appeal of removal of tribe’s legal status
  • 4/20/1898 Article declares Indians beaten by railroad
  • 6/20/1898 Eugene A. Johnson, Montaukett clergyman, files a second action to assert tribe’s legal status
  • 9/25/1898 Suit against LIRR on case calendar
  • 7/8/1899 Appellate Court decides in favor of Wyandank Pharaoh suit
  • 1/9/1900 Freetown house of Ebenezer Pharaoh burned down
  • 4/21/1900 Judge rules against Johnson – states Montauks must go to legislature to restore rights
  • 5/20/1900 Disrespectful news clip mocking Montauk Tribe fund-raiser
  • 9/23/1900 Montauk, Shinnecock, Narragansett and Mohegan tribes appeal to U.S. congress for Indian rights
  • 3/16/1901 Montauk lawyer introduces legislation to establish Montauks as NY citizens with the right to sue
  • 2/16/1902 US bureau of ethnology study on Long Island Indians
  • 5/18/1902 James E. Waters called “colored” in article about his teaching certificate hearing
  • 3/4/1903 Senator sick of continuous hearings on the Montauk Indian Bill
  • 8/5/1904 Indian heirs resent invasion of burial plot
  • 11/11/1904 Indians Threaten Suit to regain land
  • 11/18/1904 Four Montauketts found guilty of trespassing on Indian Fields
  • 3/30/1905 NY politician accused of forcing the passage of the Montauk Indian Bill
  • 4/1/1906 Indians of Montauk given Legal Standing
  • 7/12/1907 Indians Bring Suit to Possess Montauk
  • 4/7/1908 Indians’ Suit date delayed
  • 10/6/1908 Montauk Indian suit didn’t make court calendar
  • 10/5/1909 Article: Indians sue whites: Are the Montauks real Indians?
  • 10/13/1909 Pharaoh v. Benson suit begins, Ancient Indian deeds shown in court
  • 10/14/1909 Indians no nearer to regaining lands, Judge Blackmar reserves his decision
  • 10/24/1910 Brooklyn Eagle article states how wrong Justice Blackmar was to declare Montauks extinct
  • 2/18/1917 Feds presume LI Indians are citizens, but NYS insists they are Aliens
  • 3/4/1917 Brooklyn Eagle calls Wyandank Pharaoh uneducated
  • 12/31/1917 Ephraim Pharaoh Dies in Almshouse
  • 1/31/1918 Montauk Indians Defeated in Court
  • 6/1/1919 Wyandank Pharaoh not happy about James E. Waters election
  • 1/15/1921 Olive Butler dies
  • 1/17/1921 “Princess Ollie” gets regal burial
  • 1/26/1921 Montauk Indians ask Feds what their status is
  • 1/28/1921 Montauk Indians seeking federal aid
  • 3/14/1921 Chief Wyandank Pharaoh found dead in his Eastville home
  • 3/16/1921 Sam Powhatan Pharaoh named new King of Montauk tribe
  • 2/15/1922 Bill would reimburse Montauks $300,000 for lands taken
  • 2/17/1922 Judicial edict says tribe extinct but Assembly bill would recognize them
  • 6/27/1922 Sachem Waters calls for pow-wow
  • 9/1/1922 Sachem Wild Pidgeon holds secret meeting in Sag Harbor
  • 5/12/1923 Princess Maggie Dies
  • 12/23/1924 Monument proposed to honor Chief Wyandance (never happened)
  • 1/3/1927 Last Montauk Sachem found frozen to death