[Peter Cutul (2025)] Land Heist in the Highlands: Chief Daniel Nimham and the Wappinger Fight for Homeland Researched and written by Peter Cutul, NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation or the Hudson…

[Peter Cutul (2025)] Philipse, bought the property from Sybrant and Dorland. 10 Amazingly, the next day Adolph received a royal patent from Governor Fletcher extending the eastern boundary approximately an additional 190,000 acres to the CT border! 11 Adolph’s cozy relationship with the governor more than likely facilitated the transaction. Taking advantage of the hazy description of the eastern b…

[Peter Cutul (2025)] expansion of Philipse holdings by Governor Fletcher. As the case wrapped up, it was looking favorable for Nimham. However, in an 11th hour surprise, Beverly Robinson reached into his coat pocket and produced a deed dated August 13, 1702 which included language covering the whole 205,000 acre parcel and extended the Eastern border all the way to CT. 20 Nimham and Munroe were al…

[Peter Cutul (2025)] the greater part of the effects of this poor, but loyal people.” 27 Henry Noble MacCracken, Old Dutchess Forever! The Story of An American County (New York: Hastings House), 283. 23 Oscar Handlin and Irving Mark, “Chief Daniel Nimham v. Roger Morris, Beverly Robinson, and Philip Philipse - An Indian Land Case in Colonial New York, 1765-1767”, Ethnohistory, Vol. 11, No. 3 (Summ…

[Peter Cutul (2025)] An American County (New York: Hastings House), 209 29 Thomas F. Maxon, Mount Nimham: The Ridge of Patriots, Historical Timeline (New York: Thomas Maxon, 2009), 27. 30 https://www.pawlingrecord.org/single-post/2018/08/18/The-Heroine-of-Quaker-Hill 31 https://prendergast-rent-war.blogspot.com/2015/05/from-peaceful-farmer-to-rebel-leader.html 32 Thomas J. Humphrey, Land and Liber…

[Peter Cutul (2025)] and quietly under them for the space of about seventeen years; and that in all his life he never saw Mr. Adolph Philipse, to his knowledge.” An old, well-respected, attorney and local resident, James Brown testified that years earlier Adolph Philipse himself had stated that “the land was never owned by him.” A local judge, Judge Terbos, who even had learned to speak the langua…

[Peter Cutul (2025)] unravel a whole network of questionable land claims throughout the region based largely on short dealings with the Native Americans and underhanded tactics. The trial ended in a strangely ironic twist with the head of the Council asking Mr. Spalding if the Council had not given the Wappinger a fair trial. Receiving no official ruling, Spalding, Nimham and the Wappinger returne…

[Peter Cutul (2025)] Stockbridge Company with sabers. The Stockbridge put up a fierce defense which impressed the seasoned British officers. Simcoe commented that “the Indians fought most gallantly”, even “pulling more than one of the cavalry from their horses.” 53 Tarleton was pulled off his horse and could have been easily killed if the Native American that had him in his clutches had a bayonet.…