Chief Squantz was a leader of the people of the

Schaghticoke tribe The Schaghticoke ( or ) are a Native American tribe of the Eastern Woodlands who historically consisted of Mahican, Potatuck, Weantinock, Tunxis, Podunk, and their descendants, peoples indigenous to what is now New York, Connecticut, and Ma ...

who lived until 1724. Chief Squantz refused to sell the land that is now called the towns of

Sherman, Connecticut Sherman is the northernmost and least populous town of Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 3,527 at the 2020 census. The town was formed in 1802 from the northern part of New Fairfield. It is named for Roger Sherman ...

, and

New Fairfield, Connecticut New Fairfield is a town in Fairfield County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 13,579 at the 2020 census. New Fairfield is one of five towns that surround Candlewood Lake, the largest lake in Connecticut. The town is located nor ...

, to a group of twelve colonists called "The Proprietors" who came from Fairfield to find land for a new colonial township. Chief Squantz died during the winter of 1724–25, and his four sons and heirs refused to sell the land when The Proprietors returned in the spring of 1725. The land was later sold in 1729 for the equivalent of $300. Chief Waramaug succeeded Chief Squantz in 1725 in

sachem Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Al ...

ship of the

Potatuck The Potatuck were a Native American tribe in Connecticut. They were related to the Paugussett people, historically located during and prior to the colonial era in western Connecticut. They lived in what is now Newtown, Woodbury and Southbury ...

. One of Chief Squantz's sons was Mauwehu, who was said by DeForest as having "possessed something of energy and commanding character for which his nation was once distinguished"; he succeeded Waramaug.

References

18th-century Native Americans Native Americans in Connecticut 1720s deaths Schaghticoke tribe Native American leaders Year of birth unknown {{NorthAm-native-bio-stub