EARLY RESIDENTS SUSSEX COUNTY

ABSTRACT

THE AREA NOW SUSSEX COUNTY DELAWARE

AND IT'S

EARLY RESIDENTS

It is impossible to 'say' when the first humans found their way to view the ocean, bays, rivers,

creeks, marshes, swamps and forest of the area we call Sussex for the first time. It is likely, the

peoples were early nomadic bands which history feels crossed the ice covered 'bridge' to the north,

from Asia. These “Americans” some were called 'aborigines', however to us and American history they were Indians.

The Indians spread slowly across the continent , through 'Mexico' and into 'South America' ,

gathering differing cultural heritages and tribal customs, rich and sophisticated. One of those early

migrations found it's way to our Delmarva, formed different tribal groups and were well established

by the time of Christ. They conducted a flourishing “trade” with mid Atlantic area neighbors as was

made evident in the finding of prized shells and mother of pearl ornaments in the west, miles from the

oceans and bays. Spear heads and arrow points of stone found in the east were traced to quarries in Ohio and on west.

The dominant 'tribe' of our Sussex area were the Lenni Lenape, which translates roughly as “original men”. They later became known to the English settlers and history as the Delaware's. The many Indian tribe spoke a common tongue, Algonquin. Here in Maryand and Delaware a settlement

became the “Nanticokes”, taking the name of the river around which they lived.

The european colonization pushed these origional peoples west but left parts of their language

behind as place names. There were also, along with the Nantcokes, Choptanks, Pocomokes, Accomacs, Wiccomiss and Assateagues.

The early people led a settled life before the Europeans came, fishermen, farmers, hunters of ssmall game for food only, villages were on superior tracts of land, at a good location near rivers and abundent hunting grounds. It appears they came to the seashore in summer to feast on the seafood and one particular 'resort' was between Indian River and Rehoboth Bay, Long Neck, as it is called today. At winter time they relied on venison and nuts.

The Indians had long established a rich culture when the first european's arrived. Northern tribes of the peninsula were associated with the Lenapes while the souther were led by the Powhatan empire of Virginia.

Settlers began moving up the peninsula, and set a multitude of sins against the Indians, purchasing their lands for a sip of rum and the fact that Indians did not understand that the 'sale' of their lands, forbade them to hunt there evermore. These misunderstanding's forced the tribes to the north.

A tribe of Assateagues settled in Baltimore Hundred, about Dickersons Creek in Assawoman Neck.

These peoples became the Indian River Indians and were granted a 1000 acre tract of land as a reservation, now Millsboro.

In late 18^th century this group gave up their existance with the settlers and moved north to New York and the west, except for a few stalwart members who stayed behind.

Source: History of Sussex County by Dick Carter, Delaware Coast Press, July 1976. Abstract by Harrison H. September 9, 2017 for FACEBOOK and www.delmarhistory.blogspot.com

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