Dr. Jay Segel and Ronald
Monterosso, have each been researching Native American
history, land titles and genealogy on Martha’s Vineyard
for approximately 15 years. They are frequent lecturers
on the subject at the Martha’sVineyard Historical
Society and have been assisting both federally recognized
tribes and tribes applying for federal recognition in
researching their history and the boundaries of their
hereditary lands, primarily through work in European repositories.
They combined their efforts by forming NEART in 1997.
Since and even before that time they have logged many
hundreds of hours in researching, locating and reading
over 800,000 pages of ancient manuscripts in the over
40 archives and repositories scattered across Europe to
which they have qualified for admission. In addition they
have built up a network of correspondents who have positions
of leadership in repositories such as the Smithsonian,
the British Museum of Mankind (now the Ethnology Department
of the British Museum), the French Museum of Man, the
Amsterdam Archives, and the English Public Records Office
to name a few. In its work, NEART relies only on primary
manuscript material, not on secondary transcripts or descriptions
thereof. These manuscripts are difficult to read correctly
and to understand without a great deal of experience.
Speech, language patterns, grammar, spelling, contractions
and word usage in the 1600's and 1700's were different
from those used today. Also letters of the alphabet were
often written differently in those times. For example
the letter “E” was often written backwards and
almost closed so as to look like an “O” and
the letter “S” was often written to appear as
an “F.” We have found that even in cases in
which other researchers have located and allegedly transcribed
these documents they have done so in error. For example
in one case the word “life” was misread as “wife”
and thereafter the transcriber struggles to read the document
as if it were talking about the author’s wife instead
of about his life. Therefore NEART refuses to accept secondary
reports on ancient documents.
Educational Background.
Dr. Jay Segel completed his surgical residency at Harvard
Medical School and is the author of two books published
by the Genealogical Publishing Company (GPC) with a third,
multi-volume work, entitled “The Native American
Genealogical History of Martha’s Vineyard” scheduled
for publication in the second quarter of 2001.
Ronald Monterosso is an
attorney admitted to practice in the States of New York,
Connecticut and Massachusetts. He received both his J.D.
and later his LL.M (Masters of Law) from New York University
School of Law. Prior to joining NEART, he had worked as
an attorney for several years in two of the nation’s
most prestigious law firms in New York City and had taught
as an Adjunct Professor of Law at the University of Bridgeport
School of Law. Both are lecturers on Native American subject
matter. It is important to note that although Mr. Monterosso’s
legal background will be helpful in understanding the
import and effect of antiquarian legal documents, in interfacing
with legal counsel, and in understanding how documents
may relate to the complex issues involved in any potential
litigation, if retained, neither he nor NEART would be
offering any legal advice .
Work Experience.
In addition to completing substantial European research
for their written work on the history of the Wampanoag
Tribe, NEART has undertaken approximately seven European
research missions for the Mohegan Tribe of central Connecticut
and has also undertaken European research for the Schaghticoke
Tribe of that same state. In addition NEART has been working
in both Europe and the US in its European research work
on behalf of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, and
is about to undertake a research project for the Choctaw
Nation of Oklahoma.
