Total Number Of Pages: 1
Source: Scanned from the original photograph which is 10 inches in height and 8 inches in width.
Language: English
Coverage: Unknown
Creators:
Red Thunder Cloud [Cromwell Ashbie Hawkins West]
Rights: No Known Copyright Restrictions
Description: The reverse reads:
"In 1741 there was a Montauk Indian named Widow Shime who lived on the Montauk Reservation at Indian Field, Montauk Point. Since George Butler could not account for his nickname of "Shinne" he felt that it might have been bestowed upon him by his parents in memory of the old Montauk woman who was a relative of his.
He was the son of Clive Fowler Butler of the Montauks of East Hampton and Capt. Samuel Butler and Indian of one of the New England tribes possibly, Mohegan, Pequot or Wampanoag. In the Pennypacker Collection in East Hampton Free Library, Samuel Butler is referred to as a colored man. This is a grave error. I have seen photos of Samuel Butler and he had straight black hair which hung below his shoulders and bore all of the physical characteristics of the American Indian. People often in trying to gain possession of Indian lands have used this unsavory means to hurt the Indian people. One white man even stated that the famous Steve Talkhouse was a Negro.
When the Montauk Reservation was sold in 1879, "Shinne" Butler's family was not advised of the sale and said that their cousins did not even consult them in the matter. This accounts for the fact that while the Pharoah and Fowler families received an annual annuity the Butler family received nothing. Capt. Butler and his wife purchased the land that they built their home on in Freetown. The Butler house was once located on the Springs Road and moved later to its present location on the Three Mile Harbor Road. It was sold this past summer (1967). George Butler died in 19[??]."
