Wyandanch (sachem) - Later Life

Later Life

In the second half of the 1650s, Wyandanch had acquired enough power and influence to be considered the main "alliance chief" on Long Island by the colonists. He acted as an intermediary between the English and the Native Americans; he defused a tense situation between the colonists and some Shinnecocks who had been accused of arson. After the Shinnecocks were ordered to pay an outrageous fine for restitution Wyandanch filed an appeal on their behalf which resulted in the fine being somewhat reduced. His other activities involved certifying land sales, making such sales himself and resolving disputes over deeds and payments. Eventually, the English accepted that any such transfer of land had to first be approved by Wyandanch.

In late 1658 Wyandanch let an Englishman, Jeremy Daily, use his canoe (which may have been up to 40 feet (12 m) long) to transport goods across Long Island sound, in exchange for Daily carrying out some repairs on it prior to the shipment. After arriving on Gardiners Island, Daily failed to properly care for the boat and in subsequent bad weather it became damaged. As a result Wyandanch sued Daily in colonial court, in what was one of the earliest trials with an English defendant and a Native American plaintiff in the history of the English colonies in North America. Wyandanch won his case and Daily had to pay him ten shillings for damages and additional fines for court fees.