King Nummy and Princess Snowflower

It has long been said that Prudence Eldredge, who died in 1778, was the sister of the Algonquian tribal chief, King Nummy. The facts, however, do not support the legend. (See also the DNA evidence.)

The legend is related, at least in part, in "Historic South Jersey Towns" by William McMahon (1964). The following is as transcribed by "Lois" at http://archiver.rootsweb.ancestry.com/th/read/NJCAPEMA/1998-12/0913821400.

The Last Chief

Magnolia Lake was one of the favorite camping places of the Indians of Southern New Jersey in their annual trek to the shore once the snows of the forest had melted. They came from many sections through Tuckahoe, Belleplain, Dennisville, and Rio Grande, walking in their usual single file carrying what belongings they needed in skin wrappings on two slender poles. Last of the great chiefs was King Nummy who led his people on many such journeys until the coming of the white man with his shipbuilding and desire for progress. The Indians found their favorite seashore spots no longer available and at a tribal meeting held at Gravelly Run, now known as Burleigh, they decided to depart for other places. King Nummy had a sister "Snow Flower" who came under the influence of a white missionary finally marrying him. Although facts at this point are few it seems that after several children "Snow Flower" died and King Nummy remained behind in Cape May County to care for the motherless tots.

King Nummy was buried at Nummy Town, where there were several other Indian mounds, marked with stones. The stones have long since disappeared but many descendants of the Chief and his daughter are still to be found in the Cape.

This does not sound like a story that would have occurred in New Jersey as late as the mid-18th century. And there is no evidence that Benajah was a "white missionary." Indeed, I find the following from Cape May Spray, by Charles Tomlin, 1913. Beginning at page 41...

(http://books.google.com/books?id=OYw-AAAAYAAJ)

At Rio Grande, a village about seven miles north of Cape May city, through which passes two main and two branch railroads, the New State Boulevard, and from which runs a fine driveway to Holly Beach, may be seen the remains of th^ old sorsrhum sugar mill. Then about a half mile to the northwest on the farm of John Cresse, where an overhead irrigating plant has lately been installed, may be seen a grove, mostly of hickory, in which, and in the adjoining fields lie buried in this old Nummy burying ground, hundreds of Indians. Probably as many as 300 natural stones that likely had been brought from Pennsylvania marked these resting places fifty years ago but now very few remain. These stones have been appropriated to various purposes. One man took quite a number to use as ballast for his boat. The chief Indian of these parts was Nummy. His grave is in this grove. A portion of this locality is to this day known as Nummytown, though some of it has of late acquired the name of Green Splinter. Henry Davis formerly owned this farm. History speaks of one Nummy selling a whale to one Evan Davis who owned a plantation about 1685. Perhaps this present farm is a part of that plantation and that it had come down to Henry Davis from this ancestor Evan. History also says that Nummy was the last king or chief of the Lenni Lenapes, and that after he was buried on Nummy Island near Hereford Inlet these Indians left for Indiana and settled on the banks of the Wabash river and never returned to Cape May. This place is so surrounded by swamps, ponds and creeks that the Indians likely considered it an island, and if this message was carried back here from Indiana it is easy to see that to Indians living in Indiana it would be near Hereford. The writer does not believe that Nummy was buried on the Nummy island that is near Hereford inlet close to the Atlantic ocean. Do not think the Indi- ans would bury in a mud island. I am later informed that Nummy island was once covered with large hard yellow pine and this island was the Indians summer home, but Nummytown their winter quarters. Papers found of late prove that Nummy island b}- Hereford Inlet was left by Parsons Leaming to his daughter Mary, later Mrs. Robert M. Holmes.

On the eastern side of this village at the home of Ephraim Hildreth III, may be seen a large boiler about four feet across and eighteen inches deep in which our forefathers in 1812 boiled salt water producing salt for home uses. Later when quantities of sugar cane was raised hereabouts said boiler was used for boiling its juice to produce molasses. This was years before the sorghum plantation and factory was thought of. Near by on the farm of County Clerk A. Carlton Hildreth, is another boiler of the same kind having been used for the same purposes. Here, too, may be seen some parts of the old cane crushing mill and on an elevation in the meadow near the sound is A. Carlton Hildreth's club house, which is built on the spot where salt was manufactured and is known as Salt Works hill.

Then on the farm lately purchased by Jos. P. McKissic and known as the "Richardson" farm and lying between these two Hildreth's farms down near the meadows in its farthest eastern field, is the remains of an old embankment – some say thrown up during the Revolutionary war – others say during the war of 1812. used as a means of defense against the British. One end of said bank has been plowed and leveled but the north end is now (1913) about four feet wide and from two to three feet high. The bank runs in the direction of the remains of an old fort's foundation on the land of Ephraim Hildreth. Likely used as a protection against pirates, privateers and British. Not far from here is Snake creek rising to the south and making near the mainland a short abrupt turn eastward to the ocean. This is the creek the British are said to have come up in their small boats on their raids and here if anywhere occurred a skirmish where the Americans resisted attempts to steal their cattle. For many years and until only a few vears ago stood a flourishing flour and grain mill at this Snake creek bend. Since the above was prepared the following article, written by Samuel Springer, who died in 1877 and was a drummer boy in the war of 1812, also sheriff of Cape May County about 1840, was handed to me July 9, 1913.

NUMMIE TOWN AND NUMMIE'S ISLAND.

About seven miles above Cape Island is a place called Nummie Town, situated on the head of Fishing creek midway between Delaware bay and the Atlantic ocean. It takes its name from once being the residence of an Indian chief named Nummie. At this place he had his principal headquarters. King Nummie appears to have understood that the seashore and sea bathing were conducive to health as well as pleasure, and there is no doubt but that he often visited Cape Island to enjoy these luxuries. But his principal place of resort appears to have been an island on the seashore opposite Hereford Inlet. This island named in honor of this Indian chief, was once, no doubt, quite a large place. Those who remember it about the time of the Revolution say there were many acres covered with a heavy growth of red cedar and what is generally called the Indian pine. At that time and indeed long since, it had a fine beach and as it was open to the sea it must have been a delightful summer retreat. King Nummie lived at the time of the settlement of lower Jersey by the Europeans and made this island his principal resort for enjoying the luxuries of the seashore and that he fared sumptuously was plain to be seen from the large piles of oyster and clam shells left upon the island.

It was also famous for birds, terripins, etc., and in ]\Iay and June the whole island was almost literally covered with birds eggs. There are those now living who have collected a barrel full in a single day. In 1820 a man could collect half a bushel of terripin eggs, and if a laying day, could pick up as many terripins as he could carry. So you see King Nummie must have enjoyed all the luxuries of life, by only reaching out his hand and gathering what came to his tent door. King Nummie was no doubt a friendly Indian, as we have no account of any of those barbarous acts being committed by him which were so common among the Indian at the time of the settlement of the country by the whites. In the year 1692 there were Indians in this county as appears from the records of the first courts. In the second suit on record George Taylor accuseth John Jarvis for helping the Indians to rum. Said Jarvis refusing to clear himself was convicted.

But 165 years have made sad havoc with King Nummie's Island. The high land like all the beaches on the sea coast, was composed of fine sand and Hereford Inlet having broken out directly in front of it laid it open to the surges of the Atlantic, and it has yielded to its constant washing until there is nothing left of that once beautiful island save a few scrub bushes and that part of it composed of meadow which is famous for birds eggs to this day. I have collected all the timber in the neighborhood which came from Nummie's Island which I intend working into canes and presenting to the fair to be held at the island to aid the Baptist Church in that place in paying the debt against the church. The punshan (puncheon) of one of those canes will be a relict of by-gone days part of a tree under which King Nummie sat in all his native freedom, surrounded with his tribe and enjoying all the luxuries of the seashore which are so highly prized by us of the present day.

Nummy Town was settled by the whites, but like all other inland places, it has never made much progress, the inhabitants preferring either the bay or the seashore. There is a tradition that Whitefield preached under a big tree at Nummie Town during his sojourn in New Jersey.

The following is found at http://www.njhm.com/kingnummy.htm:

King Nummy is the namesake of "Nummytown" which is located in Cape May County in today's Middle Township (about 6 miles west of Wildwood). He was the last chief of the Unalachtigo Tribe of Native Americans, a branch of the Leni Lenapes. The chief sold a 16-mile stretch of land along Cape May on the Delaware Bay to Governor Van Twiller of New Amsterdam in 1630. Although the sale called for no settlements in the land, the Dutch quickly violated that provision, and brought settlers in. Nummy moved to "Nummy Island" at the mouth of Hereford Inlet near North Wildwood. The museum at Cape May Court House used to have many Native American artifacts and implements recovered at the Island on display (though I am not sure they still do).

Here's another version, taken from http://www.shorenewstoday.com/snt/news/index.php/wildwood-mainmenu/in-another-time/18171-in-another-time-g-indian-connections-ancient-and-modern-to-the-wildwoods.html.

In Another Time > Indian connections, ancient and modern, to the Wildwoods
Wednesday, 09 November 2011 14:56
Jacob Schaad Jr.

The Indians who came to the Wildwoods brought with them colorful names and stories, some of which were historical, some legendary and others a combination of the above.

Among those whose names appear in local history are King Nummy, his sister, Snow Flower, Chief Two Moons, Larry Snake, and Lone Bear.

The most famous, at least in Cape May County, was King Nummy after whom the King Nummy Trail Campground in Middle Township is named, along with Nummy Island in Hereford Inlet. He reportedly sold some land to the Dutch governor of New Amsterdam at a bargain price to his own regret and the rest of his tribe.

Documenting authentically the early history of the Indians in Wildwood and its environment is not always an easy achievement, if one at all, mainly because few records were kept then. There were no New York Times or Philadelphia Inquirer and certainly no Internet to record what King Nummy was up to in the mid 1600s, more than a century before the colonies became the United States and the British induced some Indians to take on the Americans in the War of 1812 that also was to become the war of 1813 and 1814.

There is mentioned, though, in a history researched by local historian Robert J. Scully that in 1648 a tribe called the Kechemeches existed in the Town Bank section of Lower Township. They were part of Algonquin Tribe which locally was the Lenni-Lenapes, usually identified as that in future references in the Wildwoods, and also known as the Delawares.

The king gets early mention in 1686, on July 4, long before the Fourth of July of a future year was to become the nation's most historic date. At a time when the whalers were the movers and shakers in government and in whaling business, a court witness testified he was told by someone that he had bought a whale from an Indian named Nummy and that it took place close to the Indian village of Nummy-town, later to be called Green Splinter and then by its present name of Rio Grande. Also, according to writer Charles Tomtin, nearby on the farm of John Creese and adjoining ground there is an Old Nummy burial ground where hundreds of Indians were buried. In 1863 some 300 stones, believed to be brought from Pennsylvania, were placed in the cemetery as marking stone, but many were stolen in 1913 for use for various purposes including as ballast for one man's boat.

By 1685 King Nummy was reigning supreme, but his territory was getting plenty of company as Europeans moved in and started to build farms and seek the animals from the land for it.

The Leni-Lenape took a non-violent approach. They held a tribal meeting at Gravelly Run, later to be named Burleigh, and decided to give up without a fight. They left for other places in Wisconsin, Indiana and New York State.

Except for King Nummy. He stayed behind to take care of his dying sister, Princess Snow Flower, and later her motherless children. Snow Flower, once the wife of a missionary, died just before the tribal meeting and Nummy, then an old man and the last chief of the tribe, opted to spend the rest of his life in the Wildwoods area.

Where he was buried has been a question of local lore for some years. One story contends his body was buried on what has been referred to as Nummy's Island, a territory that one travels through after paying a toll from North Wildwood to Stone Harbor. In a book, "Romance of Old Cape May," a woman who claimed to be his relative, cited the island as his resting place. But others argue that he is buried in Nummy-town, the one time village in the Rio Grande section of Middle Township.

Meanwhile, Lewis Stevens, the same county historian who had placed Abe Lincoln in Cape May on July 31, 1848 when other historians claimed he was attending legal business in Illinois, reported that Nummy was buried on the island after the whites began occupying the territory the Indians claimed. Stevens painted a picture of a few mourning Indians beating tom toms for several nights beside the gravesite of their one time king.

The island also brings with it an interesting myth. During that later period of Prohibition when rum runners were smuggling illegal liquor into Cape May County and especially Wildwood, there were rumors that the ghost King Nummy was floating about the island at night. The Coast Guard later was to find a phosphorous coated bed sheet in an abandoned shack which they believed was invented as a ghost by the rum runners to scare away anybody trying to get into their act.

It has been reported that the Lenni Lenape Indians were the first to come to the island of the Wildwoods, but there has been debate as to whether they were year round residents or summer visitors, like the tourists who followed. There is general agreement that they fished and swam and hunted there during the better weather but detractors contend they could not have been permanent residents because of the lack of fresh water and other survival requirements.

The story tends to gain more credence with discoveries made by current Freeholder and former Wildwood Mayor Ralph Sheets. He is said to have found a tomahawk on the Wildwood beach and a pestle stone used for grounding or pounding substances in a mortar on his farm in Green Creek, an area frequented by Indians generations ago.

Centuries after King Nummy died, the Indians' presence in the Wildwoods was felt again in the 1990s, when a movement began to bring a casino to Wildwood. Among the catalysts were appropriately named Wildwood Mayor Fred Wager, local activist Bill Gannon, owner of the Premier Hotel, and a man named Larry Snake, who was chief of the Delaware tribe of the Western Oklahoma Indians.

The idea was for the city to sell a 2.2 acre parking lot to the Delaware tribe for $1 and the Indians then would start there a casino that would boost the sagging economy of Wildwood. Why not? residents asked. The history of the Wildwoods, especially during the Roaring Twenties, shows a consistent pattern of illegal gambling. Let's cut out the subterfuge and make it allowable.

Many agreed with that, so much that 70 percent of the voters passed a municipal referendum on the subject. The city seemed to be on its way to a big metamorphosis, everybody thought.

Well, everybody but the state of New Jersey, which didn't like the idea of little old Wildwood competing with big old Atlantic City in the world of gambling. So it started legal action against the city to block Wildwood, claiming only the state's legislators could approve the transfer. The state's attorney general, Peter Verniero, said he was sympathetic to Wildwood's economic needs, but he was committed to the higher duty of the law.

More lawyers got into the act, this time in the higher United States District Court.

There was a claim that the 1832 purchase of the tribe's land for $2,000 by New Jersey was illegal and the deal should be voided because it violates a 1790 federal law that required the approval of Congress for any land transfer from an Indian tribe. Now, more than a century later, the tribe wanted the Wildwood land back as compensation for the 1832 transaction.

To confuse matters after the referendum passed big-time, officials and Chief Snake were challenged to prove that the land designated for the casino was, in fact, Indian land at one time. Some experts said it was, others said it was not.

By this time Snake, apparently impatient with the behind the scenes activity, ended his talks with local officials and left the scene.