Genealogy
The Brothertown Indians, from our first generations through today, include a wonderful mix of teachers, ministers, doctors, writers, farmers, lawyers, artisans, business owners, musicians, proprietors, builders, civil servants, and more.
Our people have the illustrious honor of being the very first in many areas of Native American Indian progress:
- Joseph Johnson was the first Native American Indian to be published (April 1772);
- Samson Occom was the first to be published abroad (A Sermon Preached at the Execution of Moses Paul), the first to write an autobiography, and the first to publish a hymn book (1774-words only);
- Thomas Commuck was the first to publish a tune book (with music notation) and the first person in Wisconsin to publish in shape notes (1845);
The Brothertown were involved with early Wisconsin State and Territory governments. The three Brothertown Indians listed below were the first, and only non-white members of the Wisconsin legislature until 1908:
- William Fowler served during the 1845 session of the Wisconsin Territorial Assembly (the precursor to the Wisconsin State Legislature). This made him the first Native American to serve at the legislative/assembly level in the State of Wisconsin. He also served as Treasurer for Calumet County in 1856.
- Alonzo David Dick represented Manchester and Calumet County in the Wisconsin State Assembly in 1848
- William H. Dick was elected twice, almost 20 years apart (1851 and 1870), and elected Calumet County Treasurer in 1848
Our people have served honorably in every US War in American history (please see the Brothertown Veterans page) and continue to do so.
The links below take you to family trees for several early generations of many of our Brothertown families along with brief biographies of some notable members. While not an exhaustive list, our founding families included:
- James and Elizabeth (Pharoah) Fowler
- Joseph and Tabitha (Occom) Johnson
- Samson and Mary (Fowler) Occom
- David and Hannah (Garrett) Fowler
- Jacob and Esther (Poquiantup) Fowler
- Daniel and Lydia (Wyyougs) Fowler
- Obadiah and Elizabeth (Fowler) Scippio
- Samuel and Charlotte Scippio
- Elijah and Jerusha Wampy
- Andrew and Abigail Currycomb
- Daniel Mossuck Family
- John and Sarah Adams
- Samuel and Hannah (Squamp) Adams
- Samuel and Mary (Fowler) Adams
- John and Sarah Tuhie
- Abraham and Sarah (Adams) Simons
- Emmanuel Simons family
- Thomas Patchauker family
- John and Anne Skeesuck
- John and Lucy Niles (Seketer)
- James and Barbara (Poquiantup) Niles
- William and Hannah (Potter) Dick
- Isaac and Cynthia (Brown) Dick
- John Hammer family
- James and Sarah Sampson
- Roger and Mary Wauby
- Simeon and Sabrina (Welch) Shelley
Brothertown Lineage, Stories and Genealogy