Verifying the Ancestry, Treaties, and Legal Standing of the Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation
“Transparency is not a weakness. It is the shield and the sword of a Nation that knows who it is.”
The Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation stands on a foundation of verifiable ancestral, legal, and treaty-based sovereignty. This section provides direct references and public record sources for confirming the legitimacy of the Nation’s bloodlines, land rights, treaty protections, and legal authority under U.S. and international law.
This documentation is offered not as justification—but as confirmation of what is already true. We welcome legal experts, institutions, and researchers to review the following records, which collectively establish our jurisdiction, continuity, and sovereign descent.
Named Historical Ancestors in Our Lineage
- Catoneras – Native American matriarch (Matinecock/Montaukett) central to the 1640s Catoneras–Van Texel Compact.
- Sachem Wyandanch – Paramount Sachem of the Montaukett; signatory to colonial land deeds from the 1660s.
- Quashawan – Daughter of Pequot Sachem Sassacus; married a Mohawk chief, linking Pequot and Haudenosaunee lines.
- Mechoswodt of Marossepinck – Sachem of the Matinecock/Massapequa region; descendant of Catoneras.
- Samuel Powhatan, Grand S C Wyandanch II, Petauet Wopogwoooit – Sachemic figures in direct ancestral descent.
These individuals are recorded in colonial petitions, family genealogies, tribal rolls, land deeds, and intermarriage alliances. Their bloodlines pass directly into our Nation’s current leadership and enrolled lines.
Legal Petitions, Deeds & Colonial Treaties
| Document | Source | Summary |
|---|---|---|
| 1685 Montaukett Petition | New York State Library | Defended land inheritance through Catoneras’ bloodline. |
| 1705 Montaukett Petition | NY State Archives | Challenged illegal land seizures; references tribal rights. |
| Montaukett Land Deeds (1660s–1680s) | Suffolk County Archives | Signed by Sachem Wyandanch; confirms Montaukett land ownership. |
| Treaty of Hartford (1650) | Dutch Colonial Records | Recognized Matinecock and allied tribal boundaries on Long Island. |
| Treaty of Canandaigua (1794) | U.S. National Archives | Federally binding treaty recognizing Six Nations (including Mohawk) sovereignty and land rights. |
| Catoneras–Van Texel Compact | Colonial land registries & family genealogies | Foundational Native–European compact establishing intermarriage, land rights, and tribal continuity. |
Genealogical & DNA-Linked Confirmation
- Family trees on FamilySearch.org confirm documented descent from:
- Catoneras
- Sachem Sassacus
- Quashawan
- Travis, Lent, Knapp, Outhouse, and Van Texel families
- AncestryDNA, GenoMeLink, and Y-DNA data confirm:
- Pequot, Mohawk, and Montaukett ancestral markers
- Linkage to early Native American, Norse, and Eurasian tribal bloodlines
- Marital connections to Mohawk, Pequot, and Wappinger lines are visible in multiple generations across confirmed scrolls and petitions.
Legal Framework Supporting Sovereign Status
- IRS 26 U.S. Code § 7871 – Confirms that tribal governments operating with historical structure and governance are federally recognized for legal and financial parity, even outside of BIA listing.
- 25 C.F.R. § 83.11(e) – Federal regulation outlining recognition criteria, including descent from historical tribes and continuing community structure.
- U.S. Constitution, Article VI (Supremacy Clause) – Affirms that treaties, once ratified, supersede state law and remain in force unless explicitly nullified by Congress.
- McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020) – U.S. Supreme Court ruling that tribal treaties are not expired unless formally revoked—setting precedent for all treaty-based nations.
Public Repositories of Source Documents
- New York State Library & Archives (Albany, NY)
- East Hampton Town Records & Deeds
- Suffolk County Land Registry
- Dutch Colonial Records (New Netherland Project)
- U.S. National Archives (Treaties Division)
- Long Island Historical Society Holdings
- FamilySearch.org & Ancestry public trees
These repositories contain verifiable records on the Catoneras line, Wyandanch deeds, colonial petitions, and treaty signatories linked to this Nation’s founding families.
Statement of Open Record
This documentation is provided for transparency and historical clarity.
The Hunnic Matinecock Tribal Nation operates with verified descent from recognized treaty-era ancestors and maintains governance consistent with tribal law, U.S. constitutional protections, and international norms.
Those wishing to verify records are encouraged to consult the public archives listed above or contact the Nation directly for reference assistance.