Catoneras

Catoneras was the Indian wife of Dutch settler Cornelis van Tassel (van Texel). Litigation records show she was the daughter of the chief of a tribe of Indians who lived on the north shore of Long Island, in the area of what is now Eaton's Neck in Suffolk County, New York. Her father was erroneously identified as Wyandanch in an early Van Tassel genealogy and the error has been perpetuated, even though it is now known to have been impossible on chronological grounds.

Biography

She was one of the fourteen Indian women taken into captivity by Ninigret, Chief of the Narragansetts and afterwards ransomed through the good offices of Lion Gardiner. Catoneras, daughter of Wyandanch (the Sachem or Chief) of the tribe of Indians which then lived on-claimed the ownership of that portion of Long Island- Situated along the North Shore-or sound-about Eatons' Neck in Suffolk County.

" Bee it knowne unto all men, both English and Indians, especially the inhabitants of Long Island : that I Wyandance Sachame, of Pamanack, with my wife and son Wiancombone, my only sonn and heire, haveinge delyberately considered how this twenty-foure years wee have bene not only acquainted with Lion : Gardiner, but from time to time have reseived much kindness of him and from him, not onely by counsell and advise in our prosperitie, but in our great extremytie, when wee wee were almost swallowed upp of our enemies, then wee say he apeared to us not onely as a friend, but as a father, in giveinge us his monie and goods, wherby wee defended ourselves, and ransomd my DAUGHTER [this may be Catoneras] and friends, and wee say and know that by his meanes we had great comfort Cockenoe-de-Long Island. 39 is worthy of note, for it is evident that the Sachem had no one else so capable.

Wikitree contributors have interesting debate at https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Montauk-2

Sources

• Strong, John A., James Van Tassel and Rick Van Tassel. "In Search of Catoneras: Long Island’s Pocahontas" in Long Island History Journal (Volume 21, Issue 2, Spring 2010).