USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Framingham > History of Framingham, Massachusetts, early known as Danforth's Farms, 1640-1880; with a genealogical register > Part 7
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" We now give answer by this one man, but if you like my answer send one more man besides this one Tom Nepanet, and send with all true heart and with all your mind by two men ; because you know and we know your heart great sorrowful with crying for your lost many many hundred man and all
1 Belknap's History of New Hampshire. Gen. Reg. July, 1849.
2 Mass. Archives, XXX. 226.
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Indian Occupation.
your house and all your land and woman child and cattle as all your thing that you have lost and on your backside stand.
Signed by SAM, Sachem, KUTQUEN, and QUANOHIT, Sagamores. Peter Jethro, Scribe." 1
July 7, 1683. Jeffrey Quaquoco-Noncanomon, "now of Weymeset, formerly an ancient planter at Massapaug on the north of Wachuset hill, conveys to Peter Jethro, my cousin of Waymeset, in whom I confide to supply my sufferings, etc., a tract of land six miles square," etc. On the same day, Peter Jethro conveys the same land to Jonathan Ting of Dunstable, "with whom I now inhabit." Peter represents himself as without children and not likely to have any.2 July, 12, 1684, he and other Indians, formerly living at Stow, executed a deed of the two-mile tract which was added upon the west line of Sudbury.
In the fall of 1688, Peter Jethro and three other Indians went on an excursion to the upper valley of the Connecticut river, the object of which is not stated. No later notice of him has been found.
COWASSOCK. - An Indian clan made it their camping-ground in spring and summer, on a knoll near the mouth of Cowassock brook, northeast of Addison Dadmun's. Until within a few years there was a large pile of stone chips here, which shows that it was a favorite place for manufacturing arrow and spear-points, and domestic utensils. And the abundance of these tools and weapons lately found on the two streams that converge at this point, shows that the neighborhood was a favorite hunting-ground. The mouth of these brooks was also a good place for spearing shad and salmon, in their ascent up the river, and perch and dace were plenty at all seasons.
Another attraction to the Indians, here, was the large deposit of red ochre, near the spring a little way up Barton's brook, on the Badger farm. It is still abundant, and is of excellent quality ; making a very permanent pigment, of a clear red color, which was much affected by the natives. They had a way of pressing it into little elongated cakes, which could be readily carried wherever they went. Some of these cakes have lately been found near the spring, showing plainly the marks of the moulds in which they were pressed. On an island in the meadow near by, are still plowed up unique ornaments and weapons ; and there are evidences that the dead were buried at this spot. Was the sulphur spring here a place of resort for the natives, in such forms of sickness as needed cathartic and aperient remedies ?
1 Drake's Bk. of the Indians, III. 90.
2 Midd. Deeds. VIII. 400.
.
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A wigwam-site could be seen till recently, on a knoll on the farm of J. H. Temple, to the southeast of his house. The pile of fire-stones was in place, and indicated where the wigwam stood; and near by was a granary, seven feet in diameter by five feet deep. Great num- bers of the smaller implements and weapons are found on this farm.
THE HOUSE ROCK. - Perhaps the most curious natural object, which at the same time is associated with the Indian occupancy in this town, was the "House Rock," which was situated about forty rods westerly from the Rugg house, now the Solomon Gates place. It was composed of two granite slabs, thirty feet long, which in the subsidence after an upheaval, met on their upper edges at an angle of about forty-five degrees, leaving underneath a cave, in shape pre- cisely like the attic story of a house. The slabs rested on the surface of the ground. The overlapping one was twelve feet wide by five feet thick ; the under one was seven feet wide by four feet thick. The cave inside was about five and one-half feet in height, so that a short person could stand upright. The seam overhead was so close as to shed rain perfectly. The whole interior was blackened by smoke. No traditions connect this cave with any particular clan of Indians ; nor is it likely that it was more than a temporary lodging-place, or snug winter quarters for a single family. The Indians from Natick used it as a shelter for a fortnight's sojourn, till within the memory of the writer. They would come in the early summer to cut white ash and walnut trees for basket stuff. It was understood by all land- owners, that the Indians had an hereditary or reserved right to such trees.
The two slabs were of pure granite, without flaw, and were wrought into mill-stones by Col. Jonas Clayes, since 1822.
INDIAN HEAD .- This hill, prominent in our landscape to the north- east of the Centre village, and distant about half a mile, was known by its present name as early as 1682. The meadow lying at its eastern foot, known as Jacob's meadow, and well-preserved tradition, leave no doubt that the hill was named for OLD JACOB, an Indian of distinction who dwelt here.
His Indian name was Upanbohqueen, sometimes written Apona- pawquin, and Ponnakpukun alias Jacob Muttamakoog. He appears to have been a relative of Awassamog, and to have had an interest in the lands inherited by him. He was among the first attendants on Mr. Eliot's preaching at Nonantum in 1646, and thereafter followed the fortunes of the apostle.
In 1659, on Mr. Eliot's petition, a grant of land was made, for the
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establishment of a colony of mixed Indians at Magunkook (known as the seventh of the praying towns). After a time old Jacob became a resident here, and was more or less intimately connected with the fortunes of the place till 1675. Of his family, we only know that a daughter married John Dublet of Magunkook.
In 1662, he united with John Awassamog, Sen., in signing the deed of lands at Mendon.
On the breaking out of Philip's war, he with Netus and others left Magunkook, and was for a time among Philip's adherents. He was charged with being one of the party that assaulted the family of Thomas Eames, Feb. 1, 1676; but the evidence in proof (if any was given) is not recorded in the records of the Court that tried and convicted others of that party. In July of that year, he was at or near Lancaster, and sent letters to the magistrates at Boston, suing for peace. In one of the letters he says, "When I was at Pennakook, Numpho John and others were very much angry that Philip did engage so many people to him; and Numpho said it were a very good deed that I should go and kill him that joined so many to him- self without cause. In like manner I said so too. Then had you formerly said, be at peace ; and if the Council had sent word to kill Philip, we should have done it. Then let us clearly speak what you and we shall do. O let it be so speedily, and answer us clearly."1
The answer of the Council was : ' Those that have been drawn into the war, and acting only as soldiers submitting to be without arms, and to live quietly and peaceably for the future shall have their lives spared." And at a meeting of the Council, Nov. 23, 1676, it was ordered, " that Mr. Thomas Dean and Mr. James Whitcomb, upon receiving full satisfaction for one Jacob Indian, be desired to release the said Jacob, caution being given that the country be at no charge about him. James Speen, having engaged to the Council for the good behaviour of the said Jacob, and that he shall be faithful to the English."2
Mr. Eames' sons were greatly dissatisfied with the pardon of Jacob. They say, in a petition to the Court, "Two of those murderers, old Jacob, a chief man sometime at Natick, and Joshua Assunt, returning within the time limited by the proclamation, had their lives granted them, and they lived many years at Natick after their return."3
In Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll., IV. 198, is this account : "Old Jacob was among the first that prayed to God. He had so good a memory that he could rehearse the whole catechise, both questions and answers. When he gave thanks at meat, he would sometimes only say the Lord's prayer."
1 Drake's Bk. of the Indians, 111. 84. 2 Mass. Archives, XXX. 228.
3 Mass. Archives, xxx. 484.
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History of Framingham.
Rev. Dr. Homer, in his history of Newton, says, "Old Jacob was among the earliest converts, cherished a singular memory, which he devoted to religious improvement. He died at ninety years of age, recommending union to his brethren at large; and the most sacred and inviolable regard for the laws of equity, to the civil officers in particular. He declared himself satisfied with life, and departed in peace."
CAPT. TOM'S HILL. - Both tradition and history, and the memory of men living in 1850, point to the southern and eastern slopes of this hill and the adjacent plains, as the long-continued residence of Indian families or clans. But the site of the village was east of our town line, within the ancient and present bounds of Natick, and con- sequently a detailed account of it is omitted. The name of the hill is commemorative of an incident connected with the tragic fate of a native chief known as CAPT. TOM. His Indian name was Wuttasa- componum. He was "of the chief sachem's blood of the Nipmuk country," was a man of energy and public spirit, born to command. He was among the early residents at Natick, and one of the most trustworthy of the Indian converts. His wife was Neepanum alias Mary of Pomposetticut (Stow), who, as his widow, was living there as late as 1684. Their eldest son was Nehemiah, of Natick. A younger son died at Wennimisset, in the winter of 1676. They had other children.
While at Natick, he received from the Massachusetts Colonial government a commission as captain of militia, and raised a company of Indians, which he commanded for some years. He and his company were accustomed to visit neighboring plantations, and exhibit their skill in military tactics. On his trial, John Partridge testified, " I did hear the very real voice of Capt. Tom, such a voice as I have heard when once he came with his Natick soldiers to Medfield, and commanded them, and that I have heard him pro- nounce at Natick."
After the establishment of a praying town at Hassanamesit (Grafton) he removed thither, and was made ruler. Mr. Gookin, in 1674, says, "The chief man among those praying Indians who was also their ruler, was Capt. Tom, a prudent and I believe a pious man, and had given good demonstration of it many years." [History, p. 476.] He accompanied Messrs. Gookin and Eliot in their visit to the Indians living in the south part of Worcester county, and by his influence was of service in conciliating those clans. Under date of Sept. 17, 1674, Mr. Gookin writes, "My chief assistant (at Pakachoog, now in Worcester and Auburn) was Wuttasacomponum, ruler of the Nipmuk
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Indian Occupation.
Indians, a grave and pious man, of the chief sachem's blood of the Nipmuk country. He resides at Hassanamesit, but by former ap- pointment calleth here."
This chief and his people at Grafton were in a largely prosperous condition, when the war-cloud appeared in 1675. Under the influence of local self government and Christianity, guided by wise and disin- terested men, like Gookin and Eliot, they had fairly started on the road of true improvement. And (with few exceptions) the Indians in all the older praying towns proved faithful to the English, till the English proved faithless to them. They either remained quietly at home, or volunteered to go against Philip's adherents. The arrest and imprisonment, on mere suspicion, of prominent friendly Indians at Wamesit, and the forcible transportation of the Indians at Natick to Deer Island, naturally awakened feelings of distrust and fear in all the other praying towns. But the Hassanamesit colony, "at the beginning of November, were engaged in gathering, threshing and putting up in Indian barns (as the manner is) a considerable crop of Indian corn, that grew at that place and parts adjacent," when about 300 of Philip's armed Indians made a sudden onslaught upon them. They were unarmed, and consequently at the mercy of their assailants. Two of them, James Speen and Job Kattananit, being at a little distance from the rest, made a shift to get away, but the others, about 50 men and 150 women and children, were made captives. Their captors told them that if they would go with them quietly, their corn should not be molested, and their lives would be spared. They also painted graphically to them the fate of their brethren of Natick, and the certainty of their suffering the same im- prisonment by the English authorities. Capt. Tom and his Indians yielded to these arguments, and to the power of their captors, and went with them to Wennimisset, near Quaboag, where they spent part of the winter. James Quannapohit, who was sent by the Council in January, as a spy to Wennimisset, says, "he saw Capt. Tom alias Wattasacomponum there, and his youngest son was there sick who afterwards died, and Capt. Tom himself was lame; I heard him say that he was carried away from Hassanamesit by the enemies, though he was also afraid to go to Deer Island ; and I heard some of the enemy mock Tom and some others of the Indians carried captive that they cried when they were carried away, more like squaws than men. Capt. Tom also told me that he was weary of living among those wicked Indians, and greatly desired to be among the praying Indians and English again ; if he could find any opportunity to escape, and be accepted with the English. Moreover I saw Nehemiah his eldest son, among those Indians ; who told me that he never had or would
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fight against the English ; and he said in my hearing to some of the Indians that he came not among them to fight against the English. I further say and affirm, that some of the Indian prisoners that we took at Washakum pond the seventh of this instant [June], told me that Capt. Tom and his son Nehemiah and his wife and children, had left them early in spring, and they thought they were escaped to the English. And this I further testify, that after Capt. Tom was taken, I spoke with him at Marlborough, and he told me that he and his son had withdrawn from the Indian enemy ever since that time or about that time that Maj. Savage and the army marched up to , Wennimisset, which was about the first of March [for this witness was one of the pilots]; and that ever since that time he and his son waited for a fit opportunity to get to the English with safety of our lives ; and to that end had been about Natick, Magunkook etc. several weeks, hoping to meet with some English or Indians that they knew ; and once he or his son was at Capt. Prentice's farm-house to have spoken with him, but found no person there."1
The first of June, Capt. Tom and part of his family were staying at the hill bearing his name. On the ninth, Nehemiah went off to get some fish, when a company of scouts sent out by Capt. Henchman came upon the father, son's wife, and two children, who without objection gave themselves up and were taken to Marlborough, then military head-quarters. Soon after he was carried to Boston, and June 19 was brought to trial for his life before the Council. Edmund Rice testi- fied that he saw Capt. Tom at Wadsworth's fight in Sudbury, about twenty rods off, walking with a long staff and limping as he went. Edward Cowell testified that the prisoner was there, as he knew by a grumbling sign or noise that he made. John Partridge testified : "When the Indians made the attack on Medfield I thought I did hear the very real voice of Capt. Tom, etc." And on this testimony he was condemned. It is a significant fact that neither Eliot nor Gookin was apprised of the time of trial, and consequently were not present. They would have pleaded for a full hearing of all the evi- dence in favor of as well as against the prisoner. Andrew Pittimee, in behalf of the eighty Indian soldiers then in the service of the English, petitioned the Council to spare his life. Mr. Eliot " entreated the Governor that Capt. Tom might have liberty to prove that he was sick at the time when the fight was at Sudbury, and that he was not there ;" but without avail. In his Journal Mr. Eliot writes, under June 19, 1676 : " Capt. Tom was tried on his life : he was condemned upon Cowel's oath. 20. I went to the prison to comfort him. I dealt faithfully with him, to confess if it were true whereof he is accepted and for which he is condemned. I belief he saith truth."
1 Mass. Archives, XXX. 172.
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Warrant: To Edw. Mitchelson, Marshal General.
You are to take notice that the Council hath condemned and sentenced Capt. Tom Indian and Jno. Auttuck Indian, enemies to be hanged on this day after the Lecture till they be dead. Which you are to cause and see the executioner to perform his office and execute them accordingly.
Dated 22 June 1676. By order of the Council.
EDW. RAWSON Sec'y.
Eliot further writes : " June 22. Boston Lecture. Afore the ser- mon the Marshall gave me a paper that is the printed order for the day of Thanksgiving, and after sermon he hurried away the prisoners to execution. I accompanied him to his death; on the ladder he lifted up his hands and said, I never did lift up hand against the English, nor was I at Sudbury, only I was willing to go away with the enemies that surprised us. When the ladder was turned he lifted up his hands to heaven prayer-wise, and so held them till strength failed, and then by degrees they sunk down."
Mr. S. G. Drake, who examined the matter carefully, says, "Capt. Tom's case was one of most melancholy interest, and his fate will ever be deeply regretted ; inasmuch as the proof against him, so far as we can discover, would not at any other time have been deemed worthy of a moment's serious consideration."
Probably John Auttuck, who was executed with Capt. Tom, was ancester of Crispus Attucks, of Revolutionary fame.
INDIAN VILLAGE AT MAGUNKOOK. - This village was located on territory which belonged to the Framingham plantation, and conse- quently should have a record in our history ; though the site long since passed under the jurisdiction of Hopkinton, and is now a part of Ashland. And the events connected with the Indian occupancy here are of important historical interest, as well as intimately associated with our own social affairs. Fortunately, cotemporary documents are extant for a pretty full account of the place.
The name has commonly been written Magunkaquog, and Magun- kook, sometimes Makunkokoag. But Mr. Eliot, who was instrumental in first settling the place, and who knew the Indian language better than any one else, writes it Magwonkkommuk. This word means " place of the great bend." And this signification agrees with the fact in the case, and with cotemporary records. In early grants it is described as lying within the great bend of a branch of Sudbury river and a brook (Cold Spring) running into said river.
The village site was on what were denominated "country lands," i. e., lands unappropriated to white men, and lay to the west of the bounds of the Natick plantation. Later, by an exchange of lands
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History of Framingham.
with Sherborn, the bounds of Natick were extended in this direction, so that its west line crossed Magunkook near its centre. The spot, situated on the "old Connecticut Path " (to be described hereafter), was selected by Mr. Eliot for the seventh of the old praying towns. He gathered the Indians, from various quarters, into a clan here in 1659 or 1660, and organized them into a civil community, after the model of Natick plantation, though no church was formed then or subsequently. Each family had its own wigwam, granary, and cattle, and caught and cured its own fish. All united - after the then preva- lent fashion of the whites-in fencing in a common planting-field, though each squaw had her separate lot in the field.
The wigwams stood on what is known as the Aaron Eames place, now owned by William Enslin. The fort was built on the knoll where Mr. E.'s barn now stands, handy to the spring at the foot of the knoll, a few rods to the south. [Indian forts were of necessity always placed near a living spring or stream.] The burial-ground was on a sandy knoll sixty rods to the southwest. The spot was crossed by the Central turnpike, and then and afterwards many skeletons were brought to light, being buried not more than three feet below the surface.
At first the Indians selected a planting-field on the rolling land near their wigwams, and built a fence around it; but it did not prove fertile. And in 1669 Mr. Eliot sent the following petition to the General Court : "The humble Petition of John Eliot in the behalf of the poor Indians of Magwonkkommuk, this 14th day of October, 1669. Shewith - That whereas a company of new praying Indians are set down at the westernmost corner of Natick bounds called Magwonk- kommuk, who have called one to rule, and another 'to teach them, of whom the latter is of the church, the former ready to be joined ; and there is not fit land for planting, toward Natick, but westward there is, though very rocky - these are humbly to request that fit accomoda- tions may be allowed them westward." On this petition Ens. John Grout and Thomas Eames were appointed a committee to view and report.
On their report, a grant of land, not to exceed 1000 acres, was made to this plantation, to be laid out westerly of the old Natick bounds, including the whole of what is now known as Magunka hill. Their new planting-field was on the top of the hill directly west of their fort. Their barns were set in the slope of the hill, a little north of east of the field. Some of them may still be seen in an old orchard now owned by Russell Eames.
Thus established, the town flourished for about fifteen years. Of its condition in 1674 we have the following account, written at the time
ยท
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by Major Gookin, Superintendent of Indian affairs : "Magunkaquog is the seventh of the old Praying Towns. It is situated partly within the bounds of Natick and partly upon land granted by the country. It is near midway between Natick and Hassanamesit. The number of inhabitants are about 11 families, and about 55 souls. There are, men and women, 8 members of the church at Natick, and about 15 baptized persons. The quantity of land belonging to it is about 3,000 acres. The Indians plant upon a great hill which is very fertile. These people worship God, and keep the Sabbath, and observe civil order, as do the other towns. They have a constable and other offi- cers. Their ruler's name is Pomhaman, a sober and active man, and pious. Their teacher is named Job, a person well accepted for piety and ability among them. This town was the last settling of the old Towns. They have plenty of corn, and keep some cattle, horses and swine, for which the place is well accomodated."
In the spring of 1675 our Indians planted their cornfield as usual. But the sudden breaking out of the war with King Philip, June 24, spread consternation among the whites ; and the measures adopted by the Massachusetts authorities spread consternation among the Indians, especially those of the praying towns. The plantations at Natick, Magunkook and Punkapaug, were required to raise a company for an expedition against Philip's country, and they readily responded. Fifty-two Indians enlisted, and were sent to Mount Hope, where they behaved gallantly. They were in the service twenty-five days, and some of them for a much longer period.
But the Indians in all these towns were suspected ; were watched and worried, and put under severe restrictions ; and though many of them proved true to their Christian profession, yet some of them did as watched and worried Indians might be expected to do -as watched and worried men always do, -they returned suspicion for suspicion, and evil for evil, and became secret or open enemies. Major Gookin, who was in a position to know all the facts as they transpired, writes : " The hard treatment of the Christian Indians constrained some of them at Magunkog and Hassanamesit to fall off to the enemy."
This disaffection of our Indians happened about the middle of July [1675]. Pomhaman went to Quaboag; some of the other warriors went to the Nashaways, near Lancaster. But most of the women and children, and a part of the men, went to Marlborough, and "put them- selves under the English wing." "They built a fort upon their own land, which stood near the English meeting-house ; where they hoped to be secure, as well as helpful to the whites." [Gookin, Hist. Pray. Ind., p. 443.]
On the night of August 29, Capt. Moseley and his company, then
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on a scout, suddenly surrounded the fort, and in the morning de- manded their arms and ammunition. These they readily surrendered. The captain then ordered his men to seize fifteen of the principal men in the fort. The Indians made no resistance ; were pinioned, and fastened with lines from neck to neck, and sent under a guard to Bos- ton, where they were put in prison. The occasion of this summary arrest was that, a week before, i. e. August 22, the Indians had killed eight persons at Lancaster, which murder was charged upon our pray- ing Indians of Marlborough. But upon trial they all proved their innocence - proved that they attended meeting in Marlborough that day, which was the Sabbath ; and it was afterwards ascertained that the murder was committed by Indians from Nashaway. Some of these prisoners were released ; some were kept in prison ; some were sent to Deer Island, "for preventing future troubles of a like kind ;" and one was sold into slavery.
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