What about the First People who lived in our area and their role in the American Revolutionary War? The Lenni Lenape had lived on our land for thousands of years.
The term comes from their own language, Unami. In their tongue, Lenni means “genuine,” “pure,” or “original,” and Lenape means “people.” Therefore, they are the “Original People.”
Delaware Indians was the name given to them by European settlers, named after the Delaware River, which in turn was named after Lord De La Warr.
In the council of the Algonquian-speaking nations, the Lenni Lenape were traditionally referred to as the “Grandfathers” because they were considered the ancestral stock from which other tribes descended.
For us here in Sussex County, the Minisink tribe (the “People of the Stony Country”), were the northernmost branch of the Lenni Lenape. They occupied the Upper Delaware Valley, including the lands around Newton, Hardyston, and Franklin. The “Minisink Trail” was a major artery for them. Many of the local names —like Musconetcong, Hopatcong, and Wallkill — are derived from their language.
The Lenni Lenape and the Patriots occupied very different positions — politically, geographically, and morally — during the Revolutionary War. Their relationship was shaped by diplomacy, mistrust, shifting alliances, and the brutal reality that the war was not their conflict, yet it unfolded directly across their homelands.
The Lenape (Delaware) lived across New Jersey, eastern Pennsylvania, Delaware, and parts of New York and Maryland—the very region where Patriot and British armies maneuvered. Their villages, hunting grounds, and travel routes were repeatedly crossed or destroyed by both sides.
Most Lenape communities initially wanted to stay out of the war, seeing it as a conflict between two European powers. But both armies demanded or just assumed passage through Lenape territory, pressured them for alliances, and attacked villages even when neutral.
The war divided the Lenape internally. Pro‑Patriot Lenape led by White Eyes and John Killbuck (Turtle Clan), who believed cooperation with the Americans might protect Lenape land and autonomy. They negotiated the Treaty of Fort Pitt (1778)—the first Indian treaty with the United States. It promised safe passage for U.S. troops, supplies, and the possibility of a future Lenape state. Pro‑British Lenape led by Captain Pipe (Wolf Clan), who moved west toward British‑aligned tribes. They distrusted the Americans due to settler encroachment, broken promises, violence against Lenape villages. This internal split mirrored divisions in many Native nations during the war.
Even after signing the Treaty of Fort Pitt, the Lenape were mistreated by American officers, and White Eyes—who had championed the alliance—died of smallpox shortly after, under suspicious circumstances. American troops also attacked Lenape communities in Ohio, even those aligned with the Patriots.
The Lenni Lenape stood in a precarious, divided, and ultimately tragic position, trying to survive a war not of their making, while the Patriots viewed them as strategic partners—or obstacles—depending on the moment.
Bill Truran, Sussex County’s historian, may be contacted at billt1425@gmail.com He is the author of “Voices of ‘76: Americans Speak of our Freedom.”
