Land
Claims of the Golden Hill Paugussett Tribe
The
Golden Hill Tribe has done extensive historical and legal research which
has resulted in the development of three types of land claims:
1. Federal
land claims where transfers were made in violation of a Federal law passed
in 1790 which says that no Indian tribe can transfer land without approval
of the United States Congress (the Non-Intercourse Act).
2.
State land claims where transfers were made in violation of a 1680
Connecticut Colony law which says that no property reserved for an Indian
Tribe could
ever be transferred.
3. State
land claims where no deeds by the Tribe to Indian land were ever made.
These land claims are in
the following cities and towns in Connecticut:
Bridgeport
1.
State claim to the reservation located in the area bordered by the
Pequonnock River and Long Island Sound which was known then as "Wolf
Pit Plain" and "Wolf Pit Neck".
This reservation encompassed Seaside Park and much of the
surrounding developed areas.
2.
State claim to reservation property known as "Golden
Hill" which was most likely close to 150 acres and encompassed the
Golden Hill area, a portion of Lafayette Boulevard and a portion of Main
Street in the vicinity of People's Bank.
3.
State claim to reservation property known as "Old Field"
which was a large reservation located in the Mountain Grove Cemetery
section of Bridgeport.
4.
Federal claim to 20 acres of land in downtown Bridgeport.
5.
Federal claim to area known as "New Pasture Point" which
is the site of the old United illuminating plant.
Westport
6.
State "no deed" claim to approximately one-third of the
Town of Westport between Sherwood Island and the Saugatuck River including
the main commercial section of the town.
7.
State claim to Clapboard Hill reservation, Greens Farms.
Redding
8. State "no
deed" claim to the northern portion of Redding where "Lonetown"
reservation was located.
9. State claim to
approximately 100 acres known as the "Lonetown"
reservation.
Southport (Fairfield)
10
State claim to reservation property known as "Rocky Neck"
which comprises the downtown
section of Southport, on the west side of Southport Harbor and the
Mill River.
Southbury
11.
State claim to property known as the "Pootatuck"
reservation which was a large tract of land located adjacent to the
Pomperaug River.
Shelton
12. State claim to a 100 acre
parcel of land known as the "Corum Hill" reservation.
Seymour
13. State claim to a large
portion of property known as the "Naugatuck" reservation
located adjacent to downtown Seymour.
14. Federal claim to a smaller
portion of the property known as the Naugatuck reservation.
Orange
15.
Federal claim to 100 acres of land known as the "Turkey
Hill" reservation
Derby
16.
State and Federal claim to 15 acres of land owned by the Tribe in
the 1800's.
Woodbridge
17.
State and federal no-deed claim to land purchased from the Tribe in
the Rimmon Road area of Woodbridge.
New Haven
18.
State claim to a large reservation located on the east side of the
Quinnipiac River.
Branford
19.
State claim to a large reservation located at Indian Neck.
Middletown
20.
State claim to reservation located on west side of Connecticut
River.
Portland - East Hampton
21. State claim to 300 acre
reservation on east side of Connecticut River in original Middletown.
Mortgages
In
the 19th century the Tribal overseers loaned money from the Golden Hill
fund and took back mortgages. This happened many times in many different
locations. In Connecticut a
mortgage transaction actually transfers title.
The execution by Tribal overseers on behalf of the Tribe of
quitclaim deed releases violated the Non-Intercourse Act.
Fraud
The
deed from the Tribe to the colonists by which Old Stratford (the current
towns of Bridgeport, Stratford, Trumbull, Shelton and Monroe) was obtained
by fraud.
These
land claims involve billions of dollars of land and involve a population
in excess of 3
00,000.
Contact
Information
Telephone
617-555-1212
FAX
Postal
address
P.O. Box 1723 Bridgeport, CT 06601-1723
Electronic
mail
General
Information:
Webmaster: cardiacone@yahoo.com
