Saponi Name Origin and Meaning

[Rankin, Robert L.]

> Saponickan and Sapohanican are the earliest forms of a name which appears later Sappokanican, Sappokanikke, Saponican, Shaw-backanica, Taponkanico, etc. “ A piece of land bounded on the north by the strand road, called Saponickan” (1629); “Tobacco plantation near Sapohanican” (1639); “Plantation situate against the Reed Valley beyond Sappokanican” (1640).  Wouter van Twiller purchased the tract, in 1629, for the use of the Dutch government and established thereon a tobacco plantation, with buildings enclosed in palisade, which subsequently became known as “the little village of Sapokanican--- Sappokanican--- Van der Donck--- and later (1721) as Greenwich Village. It occupied very nearly the site of the present Gansevort market. The “Strand road” is now Greenwich Street. It was primarily, an Indian path along the shore of the river north, with branches to Harlem and other points, the main path continuing the trunk-path through Raritan Valley, but locally beginning at the ‘crossing-place’ or as the record reads, “Where the Indians cross [the Hudson] to bring their pelteries.” “South of Van Twiller's plantation was a marsh much affected by wild fowl, and a bright, quick brook, called by the Dutch ‘Bestavar's Kil’, and by the English ‘Manetta Water.’”( Half-Moon Series.) Saponickan was in place here when Van Twiller made his purchase (1629), as the record shows, and was adopted by him as the name of his settlement. To what feature it referred cannot be positively stated, but apparently to the Reed Valley or marsh. It has had several interpretations, but none that are satisfactory. The syllable pon may denote a bulbous root which was found there. (See Passapenoc.) The same name is probably met in Saphorakam, or Saphonakan, given as the name of a tract described as “Marsh and canebrake,” lying near or on the shore of Gowanus Bay, Brooklyn. (See Kanonnewage, in connection with Manhattan.)

The above all seems to be about New York City.  While it's true that the Tutelos and Saponis migrated to Pennsylvania and thence to NY state, they went to northern NY state.  There is nothing in the histories to connect them with Manhattan Island.  It's possible that somewhere in the local histories of northern NY there may be some trace of the Saponis, but none has been found so far.

>“Four dayes Journey from your forte Southerward is a town called Ononahorne, seated where the river Choanock divideth itself into three branches and falleth into the sea of Rawnocke in thirty five degrees. If you make your principall and choise seate you shall doe most safely and richly because you are in the heart of Lands open to the south and two of the best rivers will supply you, besides you are neare to with Copper mines of Ritane and may passe them by one branch of the river, and by another Peccareca- micke where you shall finde four of the Englishe alsoe, lost by Sir Walter Raweley, which escaped from the slaughter of Powhatan of Roanocke upon the first arivall of our Colony and live under the protection of a wiroano call’d Sepanocan enemy to Powhatan, by whose consent you shall never receive them, one of these were worth much laboar and if you finde them not, yet search into this contrey it is more probable than towardes the North.”
This passage is more interesting and may well mention the Saponis.  That's about all I can say though.

Bob



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