Conference at Deerfield, Mass., 1735
In August of 1735, Massachusetts Governor Jonathan Belcher held a conference at Deerfield with Mohican, Wôbanaki and Kanienkehaka peoples to discuss diplomatic relations in Massachusetts. The group included 60 “Schaghticoke Indians” (who were actually Agawam, Nonotuck, Pocumtuck, Sokoki and Woronoco from the Connecticut River valley), 40 Housatonic (Mohican), 25 St. Francis Abenaki (including Missisquoi, Pennacook and Pequawket), and 8 Kanienkehaka (Mohawk) from Kahnawake. Belcher agreed to establish a mission village at Stockbridge for the Housatonic and set up a truck house at Fort Dummer for the Wôbanaki. In the months leading up to the conference, a number of Sokoki were convinced to sell land in northern Massachusetts and move to Odanak.