USA > Massachusetts > Plymouth County > Marion > Lands of Sippican on Buzzards Bay > Part 3
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OUR ANCESTORS AND THE LANDS
grow sullen and the Plymouth authorities complain, and still the settlers "sett out boundary stones" on new lands.
"The most considerable part of the English colonists pro- fesse they came into these pts. of the world with desire to advance the Kingdom of the Lord Jesus Christ and to enjoy his precious ordinance with peace", but alas! many more came for adventure and land.
"Land is one of the Gods of New England," Roger Williams said.
Governor Prince takes up land in Sepecan and covetous eyes have "scanned" Charles Neck, for the Indian Charles, who seems to act as an agent to buy land and then transfer it to the white people, has bought the Neck.
It was owned by Wosiksuke and Wuttantanson both of Sepaconit.
They sell to "Paumpmenett allies Charles of Ashimuitt one Neck of land with meadow adjoyning; called Mektuk- quaamsett lying betwixt two Rivers the one being to the South- ward of this Necke called Accout, the other River lying to the eastward called Pawkihchatt; the end of the necke extending to the salt water upon the southeastern line; the head of the necke being bounded by a place called Pitchnoohutt adjoyning to an old field upon the easterly side and soe upon a straight line running westerly into a place called Waquompohchukoit; with all liberties, priviledges and emunities there unto belonging with libertie of Commonage for cattle and likewise to make use of any commonage for cattle and likewise to make use of any timber for ffencing or ffowling or whatever priviledge is belonging there unto as nesesaire all of which" they convey "from ourselves and heirs and assignes unto the aforesaid Charles his heirs for and in consideration of eight pounds; to be payed in any sort of pay but peage" and they make their marks that 11th of July, in the year 1667. The witnesses are Richard Bourne and Thomas Burge, and so passes the necke of Seppican land with its woodland and "grassie medows" from the Indian owners, for Charles transfers it to English colonists for six pounds.
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During the fall of 1668 there has been much trouble in Sepecan.
The Englishmen seem to think Watachpoo, the chief, does not own the land!
So the day before Christmas - Christmas that was not celebrated by the colonists - Watachpoo and his friends, old braves and young ones, come over the trodden path to Plymouth.
Had not the authorities set the ground at Sepecan as eight miles and four miles into the land, but some how there is some mistake for here are "some testimonyes concerning the lands of Watachpoo of Sepecan-
The testimony of Amawekett being an old man saith he heard from his father that these lands in difference did belong unto the predecessors of Watachpoo.
1. Wassauwon hee had these lands for his own possession.
2. Ispauwou, the sonne of Wassauwon held these lands for his owne.
3. Naunaumasso, the sonne of Ispauhgquan, hee like- wise held these lands.
4. Maumoowampees, the sonne of Naunaumasso, hee had these lands which Maumoowampees Amawekkett knew him- self to enjoy these lands.
5. Pohquantaushon, the sonne of Maumoowampees In- joyed this land; Watachpoo the sonne of Pohquantaushon de- sires still to injoy the land of his fore fathers.
These witnesses Testify concerning these lands.
The blacke Sachem with his wife testify the same that the rest of the Witnesses doth Wausoopausuke, the same, Josias witnesseth the same, Samporateen, Naoumott the same witnesseth! Ffrances understands the same. Sampson, hee heares and understands by his father that this is the truth.
Philip hath heard and know pr te.
Ompatakesuke witnesseth the same."
And from the chief in behalf of his people comes "This may inform the honor court that I, Philip, ame willing to sell the land within this draught but the Indians that are upon it may live upon it still but the land that is (Wastes) . may be
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sold and Watachpoo is of the same mind: I have set downe all the principall names of the land we are not willing should be sold.
From Pacanankett the 24th of the 12th month, 1668.
Know all men by these presents that Philip has given power unto Watachpoo and Sampson power and their brethren to hold and make sale of to whom they will by my consent; and they shall not have it! Without they be willing to let it go! It shall be soe by my consent! But without my knowledge they cannot safely to: but with my consent there is none that can lay claime to that land which they have marked out; it is theirs for ever soe there fore none can safely purchase any other- wise but by Watachpoo and Sampson and theire brethren.
Witnesse my hand that I give it to them.
The marke P of Phillip, 1688." John Sassamon is a wit- ness. A group of Indians, two chiefs, and their people from Sepecan! A statement from a haughty head of the tribe
"I have set downe all the principall names of the land we are not willing to sell."
Wanascohochett
Wewensett
This line is a path
Panhanett .
Sepaconett
this Is a River
Patantatonet Ascoochames Mashapquake Aponecett
Ascopompamocke
This line is a path
Anequeassett
Cottoyouskeesett
CHAPTER III
KING PHILIP AND THE LANDS OF HIS FATHERS AS TOLD BY THE RECORDS
"A lonely bark foundering amid darkness and tempest."
WASHINGTON IRVING.
Suppose Massasoit as he stood on the hill at Plymouth with his sixty warriors about him on the March day in 1621 could have looked forward to a day in December in 1668 and seen chief Watachpoo of Sepecan; anxious, confused, sur- rounded by his friends in the Plymouth court room, trying to convince the Governor that those lands in Sepecan over which the cattle roamed were his lands. The woodland where the axes were ringing, huts were going up, was his father's land.
"And my father's father owned the land!" and the friends crowding around to sign the book with gutteral expressions of approval, "Yes! Yes! his grandfather's father owned these lands."
"For generation after generation Watachpoo's people en- joyed these lands!"
That the lands of your forefathers might be yours no longer! It isn't possible to believe.
The pathetic distress, though stoically concealed, seems to come from out the old stained pages down the hundreds of years and catches one at the throat and brings tears to the eyes- but to Philip in those far away days this anxiety of his people about their homes, made more deadly the hate in his heart for the English. A slow growing hate turning into a rage that sears, that kills.
"I have set downe all the principall names of the land we are not willing should be sold."
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"These lands they will not sell! The waste lands you may have, but these lands they will not sell!"
It might as well not have been written!
The court records two years later read like a decree of the Fates.
"And where as the said towne in general have given and granted whatsoever profitts may anyway arise from or by the improvement of a considerable tract of upland and meddow belonging to the said towne of Plymouth, lying and being att Agawam, Sepecan and places adjacent, for and towards the maintenance and unholding of the said school att Plymouth", and Watachpoo of Sepecan listens, with sorrow in his heart, to Philip's plans for war.
And the youth of Plymouth are trained "in literature for the good and benefitt of Posteritie!"
Why should an inferior race object to selling land they are not improving?
But into Plymouth come messengers in breathless haste. They speak of what they have seen. The cloud is spreading over the sky.
"Reports dayly brought from the Northern and Eastern pts. that the Indians generally grow Insolent, their courage very suspicious and they give out threatening words soe that many alarums are made; the peace of the English through the whole country disturbed, they are weried with extraordinary watchings and wardings, hindered in their plowing, sowing, preparations for planting and other occasions to their exceeding great danger," and Cotton Mather himself says
"The heathen people whose land the Lord God has given to us for a rightful possession, have at sundry times been plotting mischievous devises against that part of the English Israil." One voice raised in defence.
"Are not our Families & Townes growne up in peace amongst them? - hath not ye God of Pease & Father of mercies made these natives more friendly than our native countermen in our owne land to us?" so Roger Williams could truly say.
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One writer refers to the "wolfe complanying of the lamb," but his account has been practically suppressed.
Roosevelt calls some historians sentimental because they blame the white man but he admits that "undoubtably we have wronged many tribes" and in speaking of some inexcusable wrongs committed by the whites says, "it is only fair to keep in mind the terrible provocations they had endured." If an Indian historian had written of the deeds of the Indians he could have used the same words.
If only the spirit of the "First Comers" had been in the Colony the haughty Philip could have been made a friend but he had become embittered by the gradual encroachment on the land, the disregard of Indian laws and customs, and the grow- ing attitude of the white men of insolent indifference to the chieftain's remonstrances and requests.
A curtain lifts now and then on the early scenes of the tragedy.
It reveals a haughty young Indian chief sending a message to the Court.
"Your Governor is only the subject of King Charles II of England. I shall treat only with the King, my brother. When. he comes I am ready."
A church in the Taunton settlement. Hostility in the air. On one side the stalwart bronzed figures of Indians with painted faces and bodies, long bows and quivers of arrows at their backs, and on the opposite side the stern Puritan faces under the slouch hats of the Colonists, Governor Prince and his council with their heavy English muskets.
A summer day in Plymouth and trudging in from "Aga- wam, Sepecan and Weweantic" they come, Indian chiefs to swear allegiance to the Plymouth government. They make their marks in the Plymouth court room, "divers Indians", "en- gaging theire Fidelitie" on that July day in 1671.
What can they do? Armed men came and took their guns, and their presence is requested on the "sixt of July att Ply- mouth."
Armed men stand about the room, and slowly one after another Nashawauna, Wawoompaquaquin, Conconwacoo file
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up and make their marks on the paper held for them; and another, and another, and another. The room seems full of Indian chiefs. Watachpoo of Sepecan, heavy hearted, and Sampson grave and sympathetic with his friend; and then down the long line the Black Sachem Tautozen hot rage behind his set face. These same Plymouth men raided his Asso- wamsett camp and took all the guns, and he is here with others to craftily spy and learn of the plans of his enemies.
They file slowly out, the grave faces concealing dark hatred, the revengeful plans of the cheated savage. The next day two messengers speed from Plymouth along the Rhode Island Path to Saconett.
"and tell them to bring in their English arms within forty day after notice given!"
· Plymouth intends to "reduce to reason" this haughty young Philip and if Massachusetts and Rhode Island wont help, very well, Plymouth will do it alone!
But Philip's spies work well. Philip appears in Bos- ton the very day Plymouth appeals to the Massachusetts council.
Yes, his father and brother had made a treaty, and he himself, but "only of friendship not of subjection." He did not consider himself nor his people subjects of Plymouth Colony."
He stood there a tall striking figure. One who looked on says "he was shown much respect in Boston," and describes him thus
"His athletic figure was well set off by a coat and buck skins set thick with beads and pleasant wild work and broad belt of the same." When he dressed in ceremonial costume he wore "a belt nine inches wide and seven or eight feet long, most beautifully embroidered by having figures of beasts, birds and flowers elaborately wrought on it." Another embroidered belt was used as a headdress. He used red blankets and "all of these were fringed with red hair from the Mohawks."
Outside, the rattle of carts over the pebbled streets; the noise and bustle of the little town on its way to becoming the most important in the colonies.
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Inside he stood, the leader of his people appealing to Massachusetts which was acting as judge in the rising trouble.
Down in Plymouth it was written in the records "On the 10th of September, 1671 the concille of warr appeared but Philip, the sachem appeared not but instead repared to Massa- chusetts and made complaint to divers of the gentlemen in place there."
He would have to humble himself "or he would have to smart for it."
And in Boston Puritan faces bent over the message from Plymouth, keen eyes still seeing the straight young figure standing there with the burden of holding himself before his people as the Sachem of the tribe. And the message!
"1. Philip hadn't delivered up his arms.
2. He had carreyed insolently and proudly towards us refusing to come down to one court when sent for to have speech.
3. Entertained strange Indians.
4. Went to Massachusetts Bay to make mischief.
5. Incivility to messengers."
But Philip went no more to Plymouth!
From village to village, from chief to chief, he sent his messengers and at the Indian counsel from whose "grave sol- emnity a Roman senate might have taken a lesson," he pre- sided.
It is no secret now that the Indians are rising and Massa- chusetts Plantation becomes worried and unites with New Ply- mouth and Connecticut and they proceed to draw up articles of confederation beginning piously "Where as we all came into these parts of America with one and the same end and aime, viz; To advance the Kingdom of the Gospell in with peace; and where as we are compased with people of severall nations and strange language"-and so began the United States of America.
And in Plymouth the court setting in the Spring session appoints
"Leiftenant Morton, Joseph Warren and William Clarke, or any three of them to purchase what so ever lands are yett unpurchased of Plymouth Grannt att Sepecan and places ad-
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jacent with in the said grannt for the use of said towne; and they are to acquaint the Indians where they goe about it that soe they may come, if it may be to know the right proprietors there of; and in case they purchase more than what is within the said grannt they are to acquaint the Court there with."
Inland near the great ponds with the swamps and up- lands of the Sippican lands in which to hunt, lived the Black Sachem Tuspaquin.
On July 4, 1673, "Libertee is graunted unto Benjamin Church to purchase a certain P'sell of land and swamp of Tus- paquin the black sachem and William, his son, for the inhabi- tants and proprietors of the town of Middleberry."
As all the guns had been taken from the Assowamsett In- dians, probably the land was duly purchased, although five years before when Gov. Prince was exchanging fifty acres "adjoyning to his land on the south side of the brook that falls into Tus- paquin's Ponds", an old Indian made a will. reading "Harry and his sone Sam; Harry desiers that neither Tuspaquin nor his sone be prest to sell the said lands by the English or whatsoever - The land mentioned which Tuspaquin posesseth, Ho, Wasako, which is as long as he lives". The old Pond Sachem left all his lands at Assowamsett to the black Sachem Tuspaquin, "as long as he lives!" Joseph Lathrop wanted the land be- tween Dartmouth and Assawamsett and "Middlebery" claimed it; Joseph Paybody is after land and getting it from its Indian owners, until the court has written in the Records "Allowed to go out and seeke out land for his accomodation" but must "declare to the court what he hath done in that behalf."
The land hunger is getting beyond the control of the au- thorities, and the court makes a "law of the collone" prohibiting the purchasing or receiving any lands by way of gift from any Indian or Indians without liberty given them by the court. Threats to jail or fine seemed to make no difference, and al- though the settlers are fined, they pay and the land transfers go on, although many of the colonists live in fear of an uprising and go armed.
Philip had a Natick Indian, "a cunning plausible man," named Sassamon, as secretary. He was dismissed in 1675 and
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came to Plymouth with tales of treachery and plots against the English.
And Philip came again over the Rhode Island Path, now a road with oxen, and men on horseback, with guns, and cattle lowing, and little mills on the streams.
The men wore hard shoes and broad hats quite different from the feathered head bands and the moccasins of the Indian runners that pressed so lightly.
After his visit Philip went with his chiefs and family over into the Narragansett country.
Sassamon's body was found under the ice in Appowam- sett Pond the next Spring, "murdered" the men at Plymouth said, and they went out and brought in three Pond Indians and executed them. Still Philip waited.
The Indians had a superstition that the one who fired the first shot in any trouble was the loser always. They killed cattle and set fires, stole, did everything to frighten the white settlers, but they did not shed human blood.
The Records read that on the 15th June "Mr. James Browne went to Phillip to persuade him to be quiet, found his men in arms, and Phillip very high and not swadable to peace; on the 14 June our councell wrot an amicable friendly letter to Philip therein shewing our dislike of his practices; and advising him to dismiss his strange Indians and command his owne men to fall quietly to their business that our people might alsoe bee quiett. Mr. Browne could not obtain an answer from him."
On the 17th the Governor of the Rhode Island colony and five others went to him.
Philip told them what he and his people had had to stand.
"The English took the land more than the Indians sold them. The cattle ran over their cornfields and when an Indian was to be judged in Indian territory the English judged and punished where it was a matter for the Indian chief. The English made the people drunk and then cheated them. They would move miles and then the English would come into the land. The Indians believed that the tribe held its land and the right to use it was a common right. When my brother Wamsutta
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became chief they thought of him as one to whom they could send commands and sent an armed force to bring him in at the butt of a pistol - And Wamsutta died! My father was kind to the English People."
And the scene ends with a grave young chief staring at the messengers.
On the 19th of June 1675 a man in Swansea fired at an Indian who had shot a cow. He wounded him and down in the Indian villages the war drums sounded and an old Indian sang the war song of vengeance and the war dance began.
Moving with spear and tomahawk in the direction of the enemy's land, they stretch the tomahawk out, give the war whoop and wheeling go in the opposite direction, turning about, they repeat over and over again the thrust of the tomahawk and the war cry.
On Fast Day June 24, 1675 the colonists were fired on com- ing home from church and then according to one historian "the most bloody war that has ever raged on these shores since known to history", swept over Rhode Island, Massachusetts and into Connecticut. Plymouth was terrified, towns were burned and settlers killed by Indians wild with long pent up revenge. They were trained to obey a command any where and were "more formidable on their own ground than the best European troops."
Painted savages, but also human beings fighting for their homes!
Some of the settlers didn't want to fight and there were some scandals, and soldiers wondering where their pay was coming from; so by 1675 tracts of land were given about Agawam and Sippican valued at one hundred pounds, and "the Treasurer Major Cudworth, Cornett Studson and James Walker are de- sired and appointed to take view thereof and make report to the court or councell."
"Lands and other proffitts of war shal be kept as cecuritie for the soldier's pay."
The war grows more bitter!
Settlers flee in terror from their homes to be ordered back by the court, or forfeit their lands; and constables are to seize
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"barks, boats and carts as shal be found imployed in transport- ing of the goods of such inhabitants intended to withdraw."
More men raised to send into the war territory, and a day of humiliation and prayer ordered by the court "to humble our souls and begg the Lord's help in our p'sent troubles, by reason of the Indians theire p'sisting on in theire hostilitee and barbarous creweltie and outrage against the English."
It is said that eight Englishmen's heads were used as dec- oration for the front of Philip's headquarters; but the colonists offered bribes to the Narragansett Indians to give up Philip's relations to Plymouth, and offered for "Philip Sachem, alive, forty trucking cloth coates .- In case they bring his head they shall have twenty like good coates paid them." . "Every living subject two coates - head, one coate."
Massachusetts offered one hundred pounds each for ten Indian scalps and "forty white warriors go forth to win the prize and returned with ten scalps stretched on poles and re- ceived one thousand pounds" and "in Boston on the cross beams of the gibbet, were the skulls of Indians bleaching in the sum- mer sun."
And the "grassie plains" and the woodland and shores of Sippican become the prison camp of the owners.
Watachpoo is there, a prisoner!
"It is ordered by the councell that the Indians whoe come in, applying themselves to the govrment for acceptance to mercye, shall take up theire abode from the westermost syde of Sepecan River, and soe westward to Dartmouth bounds, as they have occation, and not any of them to goe any where off the aforesaid tract of lands but by order from some magistrate, or hee that is appointed to have the command of them, and to at- tend such orders and directions as att any time be sent them from the govrment, and that for the present three Indians, viz. Numpus, Isacke and Ben Petananuett shall have the inspection of them, and to healp them in their settlement, and to order them the best they can and that in matters most momentous to repair to Mr. Hinckley for directions & healpe."
Isacke pawned his gun later and had to buy it back or work 15 days, and "a p'sell of Indians ran away." Again we
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let the court Records tell the tale. "And on the 12th of June anno 1676, severale Indians, a p'te whereof were sent in by Major Bradford, with others brought in by a smale p'ty of ours that issued out as scouts, were conocuted before the councill, such of them as were accused of working insufferable mis- chieffe upon some of ours. The first of them in question was a savage named Watachpoo, allies Tuchpo, whoe was questioned with three p'ticulars or articles.
1. Why hee fled out of his confines, which he was in- joyned to keep on paine of death, wherein if hee obediently had stayed hee might have bine safe; to which he made little answare to p'pose.
2. Was in reference unto his abusing our Gov. by fraud and falsehood endeavoring to p'swade him that there would be noe need to send forth an army, for as much as Phillip's men had deserted him soe as hee had very few left with him except old men and boys, to which he could say nothing.
3. Was in reference to his goeing too and continewing with our open bloody enimie all the time of the warrs hither unto, in which time soe many crewell and hostile villanies have bin acheived: neither could defend this."
Watachpoo standing again in the Plymouth court!
He had been brought in before and questioned in regard to the murder of Earl Clapp on the Cape, and he said nothing.
He had learned that it was useless to say anything!
There was a July day when he stood before the Councill in Plymouth and talked of "the lands of his fathers!"
War drums - and the curtain rising on a scene of gay movement and play on the shores some where on the lands of Sepecan-on the Great Hill or Accoot shores. Captain Church, the Indian fighter, comes marching from Plymouth to meet Awashonks, the Squaw Sachem of the Narragansetts. As he gets into the Sepecan territory he crosses one river and then another and there on the shores he finds the encampment.
From his history we get the picture of Indians "running races on horseback, playing at ball, catching eels and flatfish, plunging or frolicking in the waves on the shore."
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Queen Awashonks meets the Captain and invites him to a "fried eel, bass, flatfish and shellfish dinner" cooked as the clam bake of today, everything steamed together on heated rocks covered with sea weed. At the close "a great pile of pine knots and tops were fired, and the Indians gathered in a ring around it, Awashonks and the oldest of her people kneeling down in the first ring, and all the stout lusty men standing up made the next, and all the rabble, a confused crew surrounded on the outside. Then the chief Captain stepped in between the people and the fire and with a spear in one hand and a hatchet in the other be- gan to fight with it making mention of all the several nations and companies of Indians that were enemies of the English; and at every tribe named he would draw out and fight a new fire brand and at finishing his fight with a fire brand he would bow to him and thank him. When he named them all and fought them, he struck down his spear and hatchet and came out. Then another stepped in and acted the same dance with more fury if possible than the first. When about a half a dozen of the chiefs had thus done the captain of the Guard told Mr. Church they were making Souldiers for him and what they had been doing was all our swearing of them and that they were all now engaged to fight for the English."
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