Tikens, Elizabeth

In 1787 Elizabeth Tikens appeared before Justice William Williams in Stonington, Connecticut and pleaded guilty to profane swearing.  In May of the next year she signed a petition along with nearly 30 other Eastern Pequots, seeking the appointment of new overseers for the tribe.  

Over twenty years passed before she next appeared in the historical record, this time as the head of a household of three in the 1810 federal census for the Town of North Stonington, Connecticut.  She was living on or adjacent to the Eastern Pequot reservation and was neighbors with the families of Cyrus Shelly, Sr., Bartlett Shelly, Rachel Poheage, Hannah Poheage, Isaac Fagins, Samuel Shelly, Moses Skeesucks, Amos Robinson, Mary Johnson, and Johanna Shantup.

Six years later Elizabeth Tikens is listed among Eastern Pequots receiving proceeds from the rental of Indian Town Pasture on the Lantern Hill reservation in North Stonington. The records of the state-appointed overseer of the Eastern Pequot tribe contain a number of entries for Elizabeth or Betsy Tikens beginning in August 1823 until May of 1833.  During this time she maintained a home on the reservation and received proceeds from the rental of tribal land, as well as, goods and services from Tribal funds.  In the fall of 1828, Betsy provided board and care for Elsa Nedson, another Eastern Pequot woman.

Brown and Rose, Black Roots, 408; Petition by Eastern Pequots Requesting Appointment of Overseer, 1788.05.05.00,  IP 1.2.252;  1810 Federal Census, North Stonington, CT; Memorandum of Stock Allowed in Indian Town Pasture 1816.06.01.00, ICRC; NLCC:PbS, Indians, Eastern Pequot.