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:
"A rivalry of unbelievable proportions had sprung up over the years between the Fowlers and the Pharoahs of the Montauks of the reservation at Indian Field, Montauk Point. When the reservation was taken from the Montauks in 1879 and they were moved to East Hampton, the rivalry between the factions continued as long as there were members of the families alive. When Capt. Samuel Butler a New England Indian married Olive Fowler of the Montauks another rivalry grew up between the three families since the Butlers were the only family who received no compensation in any form for the sale of the Montauk lands. The Butlers always claimed that when the negotiations were made with Frank Benson in reference to the Montauk lands, their mother, Olive was unaware that anything was in the wind at all. Therefore the Butlers always contended that they never sold their rights to Montauk but that the Fowlers and Pharoahs were paid "Field Money."
Though these three families were divided there existed an even deeper and bitter feud between the Montauks and the Freetown Band at East Hampton and those of the Eastville Band at Sag Harbor.
Leaders of the Eastville Band at Sag Harbor were the strong men of the Cuffee family who refused to recognize the Pharoah family as the traditional Kings of the Montauks. This Sag Harbor band held elections without the sanction of the Wyandank Pharoah, King of the Montauks. This added fuel to the fire that raged among these factions of the tribe. The Cuffees were fine leadership material but they were not within their rights when they refused to recognize Wyandank Pharoah, King of the Montauks. The Montauk tribal law decreed that the title of Sachem or King be handed down to members of the Pharoah family who descended from Wyandanch the early Sachem.
This is an excellent photo of Capt. Aaron Cuffee who was skipper of a steamship that sailed from Sag Harbor to New London. The proud dignity of the American Indian is most evident in this striking gentleman whose facial whiskers and fine clothing are typical of those worn by prosperous Eastern Long Islanders in the last cetury.
Captain Cuffee's homestead was down in Northeast Woods between East Hampton and Sag Harbor."
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