USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > The Wampanoag Indian tribute tribes of Martha's Vineyard : the story of the Capowacks of Nope, the Takemmy-Wampanoags, the Nunpaug-Wampanoags, the Aquinnah-Wampanoags of Catachukutcho (Gay Head tribe), the Chappaquiddick-Wampanoags > Part 4
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Zachary Howwoswee was the last Indian to preach in the Wampanoag dialect in the Congregational Church at Gay Head. So fervidly could he preach in the unknown language that he could make his listeners cry, although they knew not a word he spoke. He was a remarkable character who made a brave but vain struggle to maintain the entity of his race. His own intemperance and the dwindling congregation took very little heed of his meaningful pleadings: "do not as I do, but as I say."
The native Indian ministers and leaders were not few. Besides the first convert, others to be noted include Towanquatick, who was the first Sachem of the Island to be converted; Sacochanimo, the son of Towangatick; Iesogat; Momone quem; Tequanonim, a Pow Wow; Cheschanchaamog, the Sachem of Holme's Hole and father of Cheeschanmuck, the first Harvard Indian Graduate (Cheeschanmuck and the the prophet Joel, son of Hiacoomes, were both Harvard graduates -- 1665); John Tackanash, Indian Pastor at Edgartown, who died in 1683; John Nahnoso and Joshua Momatchegun, the ruling elders of Chappaquiddick; and Japahath Hannit, who was the third pastor of the Indian Church at Martha's Vineyard.
The story of the first Island Indian Sagamore of record, the Sachem Epanow, is an interesting one. His kidnapping by Capt. Edward Har low, his journey to England in 1611, and his return, have already been related.
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THE STRUGGLE TO MAINTAIN TRIBAL ENTITY
From the very advent of the White settler, the Capowack- Wampanoags waged a continual spiritual struggle between their way of life to that which had been inadvertently forced upon them. They recognized the advantages offered by the new culture and tried to comprehend. But, the customary span between cultures had been sur- mounted a little too quickly, and their ideas about religion had undergone too dramatic a change.
Nevertheless, within the years that followed, the original tribal traditions quickly gave way, and the stronger culture of the white man asserted its inevitable control. However, the inate ties to tribe and tradition seemed so strongly inbred that within the years that followed they found themselves at times grouping and regrouping, vainly striving to combine their heritage with that of the adopted culture.
During the 18th and 19th Centuries, the few remaining Takemmy- Wampanoags assumed the name of Christiantown Indians. Those who could identify themselves as descendants of the proud Nunpaug-Wampanoags became known as the Deep Bottom Tribe. The Chappaquiddick-Wampanoags retained their original name. The Aquinnah-Wampanoags became known by the English name counterpart of their locality, Catachukutcho -- "The Colored Cliffs" or the Gay Head Tribe.
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Courtesy New Bedford Standard-Times
Aerial view of the "Catachukutcho" or Gay Head Cliffs.
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Photo Courtesy The Vineyard Gazette
Mr. Leland Renear returns to Lorenzo C. Jeffers an ancient hafted tomahawk re- cently recovered on Martha's Vineyard. Mr. Jeffers poses in full Indian dress, the regalia that custom and the white man now expects of all Indians. A lineal descend- ant of the original Sachems of Gay Head, Mr. Jeffers is the elected Great Pow Wow (Medicine Man) of all descendants of the Wampanoag Indian Federation and presi- dent of the Gay Head Museum Associates.
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CHAPTER THREE
ENTITY VERSUS IDENTITY
A. The Christiantown Tribe
B. The Deep Bottom Tribe
C. The Chappaquiddick Tribe
D. The Gay Head Tribe
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THE CHRISTIANTOWN TRIBE
The little town of Christiantown occupied the section situated in the group of hills which skirt the shores of Vineyard Sound on the north- west side of Martha's Vineyard, and in the town of Tisbury.
In the year 1659, the Christian Indians of Takemmy were granted a tract of land one mile square for their exclusive use on payment of twenty shillings yearly to the grantor, the Sachem Josias Kitenumin of Takemmy. . This town assumed the name of Christiantown, and for 228 years became the residence of the so-called Christiantown Indian Tribe.
It is interesting to note that due to the constant wranglings over the boundaries, Thomas Mayhew found it necessary to draw up the follow- ing statement in regard to the tract of land:
"Josias and Wannamanhutt Did in my Presence give the Praying Indians a Tract of Land for a Town and Did committ the Government Thereof into my hand and Posteritie forever: the Bounds of the Said Land is on the North side of the Island bounded by the land called Ichpoquassett and so to the Pond called Mattapaquattonooke and into the island so far as Papamaks fields where he planted and now plants or soes : it is as broad in the woods as by the Seaside."
Records of the first few years of Christiantown are few and perhaps lost forever. We do know that as early as the year 1690, there was an Indian magistrate in office; and in the year 1696, the Indians, Isaac Ompanit, Stephen Nashokow, and Obadiah Paul were listed as trustees of the town.
Isaac Ompanit received this recorded praise from Experience Mayhew, who was agent for the Indians of Christiantown, "Isaac was Magistrate as well as a minister among his own Countrymen, and faithfully discharg- ed the Duties of the Office, according to the best Skill and Judgment, not being a Terror to good Works, but to those that were Evil. "
In 1703, the name of Stephen Nashokow appears as the Justice of the Peace for the Indians of Takemmy.
In the year 1828, the population of the Christiantown Tribe was listed as forty-eight; and in 1861, the Massachusetts Indian census gave a total of fifty-three. The mortality rate of this tribe during this period was unaccountably large and within eleven years, sixteen, or just one-third of the whole, had died. In 1848, there was a widow named Weeks, aged 60, with four sons and two daughters, whose ages varied from 22 to 40, and in the corresponding period of the year 1859, every member of the family was dead. In another family consisting, in 1848, of a father, aged 37, and three children, the father and two of the children were dead in 1859.
The territority of the Christiantown Tribe contained about three hundred and ninety acres and was divided under the law of 1828, with the exception of a lot about ten acres called the common. The
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inhabitants tried vainly to eke out a living by farming, but soon the young men all went to sea to obtain the money necessary to give them a start in the world. They were much sought after as seamen aboard whaling ships. A large ship owner in the whaling fleet once remarked that an Indian would always draw a larger share than another man of like general qualifications. An Indian could see a whale further than any other person, and as a boat-steerer he was more sure to capture it than any of the others.
In the year 1861, it was noticed that the tribe had no regular stated public worship. Occasionally, they employed a preacher for eight or ten Sabbaths in succession, but most of the time they had none.
Due to an epidemic of smallpox, the reservation was abandoned in 1888, and within the next few years the Christiantown Tribe completely lost its identity as a group.
THE DEEP BOTTOM TRIBE
The Deep Bottom Tribe was composed of the last remnants of the Nunpaug-Wampanoag Tribe. At one time they also were known as the Herring Pond Indians. They had formed a little settlement that was reached by traveling some five or six miles westerly from Edgartown along a road leading from that place to West Tisbury, Chilmark, and Gay Head. This road crosses a deep valley, which, commencing in the central portion of the Island, slopes gradually southward to the sea. This valley was called Deep Bottom. Near its southern extremity, a little way up the Western acclivity, was their settlement.
It was here in 1849, that the remaining four families of Nunpaugs lived, consisting of a total of thirteen people. They, too, had suffered the consequences of a culture that seemed to have been in- advertently forced upon them with a little too much temerity and suddenness; and, as a distinct Tribe, they soon became unknown.
THE CHAPPAQUIDDICK TRIBE
The last few descendents of the Chappaquiddick-Wampanoags tried in vain to hold the tribal lands of their ancestors. Nevertheless, by the year 1861, the small group of survivors had been relegated to the northerly portion of Chappaquiddick Island which is located on the easterly side of Martha's Vineyard, from which it is separated by Mattakeeset Bay, formerly Edgartown Harbor.
In 1849, the population of the tribe was recorded at seventy- four people. As was the case at Christiantown, the mortality rate at Chappaquiddick had been alarmingly great. In 1828, the number of the tribe had been one hundred and ten.
In the division of the land between the Indians and the Whites, the latter, as usual, obtained much the better portion. The Indian's land was bleak and exposed, with the soil light, sandy, and barren, without wood for either fuel or fencing. For fuel they were obliged
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The Indian Squaw Tamauson (Tamson Weeks) who was said to be the last of the Royal full-blooded Martha's Vineyard In- dians. Tamauson was a direct descendant of the Sachems Mattack and Mittark and it is from her lineage that the modern Jeffers family descend.
Courtesy New Bedford Standard-Times
The Late Mrs. Melissa Belain Cuffee, Gay Head Indian Descendant.
Photo courtesy of Mrs. Sarah C. Piper
Courtesy New Bedford Standard-Times The Late Deacon Jeffers of Gay Head.
Courtesy New Bedford Standard-Times 19th Century Gay Header
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to burn peat procured from the meadows on the territory. The farming was so poor that the young men were forced to seek employment at sea or away from home where they could obtain enough money to return and build themselves a comfortable house.
Under the law of 1828, the land of this tribe was divided, and in some cases subdivided among the inhabitants with the head of the family holding and occupying the same during the minority of the children, and usually during his lifetime. In the law, provision was made, that in the division, regard should be: "Held to the rules of birthright and descent, established among said Indians and people of color, and to those rights which individuals and families may have acquired by virtue of possession and improvement. "
Unfortunately, records of the first few years of this and the other tribes of the Island are practically non-existent. The years soon worked their cruel toll, and the Chappaquiddick Tribe soon lost its entity as well as its identity.
THE GAY HEAD TRIBE
However, true to the original definition of the name of the Island, there was one last "place of refuge. " A "Capowack" for the surviving descendants remained in the section of Martha's Vineyard known as Catachukutcho, or Gay Head.
It was here on this section of the Island that the Aquinnah- Wampanoags had always lived. Proudly and tenaciously, this last group of remnants of the four Island Tribute Tribes of the Wampanoag Federation valiantly held on to their identity and struggled to preserve the traditions of their heritage.
This Christian Indian town of Gay Head was formed in 1642, and has remained an Indian Town to this day.
The original town of Gay Head was located in the section of land that lay in the immediate area of what was once known as South Cemetery. It was found more desirable to move the site of the town to higher ground where the village is today. At the time of this writing, 1960, descendants of the Wampanoag Indians still live within the town and govern all its affairs.
The district of Gay Head is one of the three peninsulas situated on the western end of Martha's Vineyard. The other two peninsulas are known as Nashaquitsa and Squibnocket. "They are nearly cut off from the mainland of the Island by Menemesha Pond which comes in from the north by a narrow strait, so shallow as to be easily fordable at low- water, and extends across to within a few rods of the south side, leaving an isthmus over which passes the highway to Nashaquitsa, and thence to Gay Head. Nashaquitsa connects Gay Head by another narrow isthmus, which has Menemesha Pond on the north-east, and Squibnocket Pond on the south-east side, and dividing both Gay Head and Squibnocket
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This photo taken in 1913 shows the Gay Head Baptist Church one of the oldest in America, having been organized 266 years ago.
The Gay Head School House.
EEE
The Gay Head Town Hall. The temporary Site of the Gay Head In- dian Museum which is open to the public during the months of July and August.
This is the Old Mingo House which was for many years the residence of the Mingo family, well known descendants of the original Martha's Vineyard In- dians.
Photos Courtesy New Bedford Standard-Times
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from Nashaquitsa, except by another narrow neck, which connects them at the eastern extremety of Squibnocket. Gay Head is of nearly equal length and breadth, the outline somewhat irregular, between a circle and a square in form. It contains within its area bout 3,400 acres of land. In the year 1870 little less than one-half was held in severalty and the other held by the tribe in common. "
The Aquinnah-Wampanoags had for twenty years resisted the initial influence of the White Settlers, but Thomas Mayhew succeeded in con- verting the surly Sachem of Aquinnah, "Mattack. " The conversion of Mattack is recorded by the Rev. John Mayhew, "Mattack, sachem of Gay Head, deceased January 1683. He and his people were in heathenism till about the year 1663, at which time it pleased Him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will, to call him out of darkness into his marvellous light; and his people being on that account disaffecd to him, he left them and removed to the east end of the Island, where after he had continued about three years, he returned home again and set up a meeting at Gay Head, he himself dispensing the word of God until as many as would come to hear him; by which means it pleased God to bring over all that people to a profession of Christianity."
Schools were established for them. As late as 1720, the Rev. Experience Mayhew had this to say regarding their schools. "I think the greatest number can read, either in the English or in the Indian tongue, and some in both. "
In 1817, a visitor to Gay Head commented, "The land is undivided, but each man cultivates as much as he pleases, and no one intrudes on the spot which another has appropriated by his labor."
The distribution and ownership of the land in the area of Gay Head has been varied and interesting.
In 1687, the name of Mattack's son, Joseph Mittark, appears on a record of sale disposing the land at Gay Head to the Earl of Limerick, then the Governor of the Province of New York. The Earl later sold this title of "Martin's Vineyard" to "The Company for the Propogation of the Gospel in New England and parts adjacent, in America." for the sum of five hundred fifty pounds. The income arising from the leasing of these lands by the Company was devoted to the promotion of the interests of the Indians; the purchase having been made, as appears in the diary of Judge Samuel Sewall, "with the main design of benefiting the aboriginal natives."
Both before and after the sale by the Earl of Limerick, complaints were made to the General Court by the Indians of Gay Head, who doubt- less believed themselves to suffer the wrongs of which they complained.
"Investigations were ordered, and made by able and discreet men ... a committee consisting of William Bassett and others, met at Barnstable, August 18, 1703."
In their report, (Mass. Archives 31, 17) they say, "In the contest about Gay Head, it appears to us by deed that Colonel Dongan bought it
(Text continues on page 62)
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The following is a true copy of the deed of sale to Catachukutcho (Gay Head Neck) entered by Joseph Mittark May 6, 1687.
"To all people whatsoever to whom these presents shall come, or in any wise shall or do concern. Know ye, that I, Joseph Mittark, Sachim of ye Gay Head, in Martin's Vineyard, Indian Native, and owner of ye land hereinafter mentioned, for and in consideration of ye sum of thirty pounds, current silver money of this country, to me in hand paid, at or before ye enscaling and delivery of these presents by his Excelleney, Thomas Dongan, Captain-General and Governour of the Province of New York, ete., the receipt whereof I do hereby acknowledge, and myself therewith to be full satisfied and contented, have given, granted, bar- gained and sold, and by these presents, do give, grant, bargain and sell, unto ye said Thomas Dongan, his heirs and assigns, all that tract of land ealled Cataehukuteho, or Gay Head Neek, situate on ye west end of ye island of Martin's Vineyard; beginning at Maneinshi Harbour, running southward along ye east side of ye pond or bay, that rums up to ye middle of ye island; and then in a straight line from ye head of ye said pond or bay, unto a fresh-water pond; and so alongst the east side of that pond, over the beach, unto the sea; together with all and every the neek, hills, mountains, valleys, woods, woodlands, meadows, feedings, pastures, rivers, rivulets, ways, waters, water-courses, fishing, fowling and hunting; as also all and every yee mines, minerals and all other privileges, properties and commodities thereunto, or to all, or any part thereof, belonging or appertaining; and all my, and every of my estate, interest and title, to all and every part and parcel of said bargained lands and premises, with their, and every of their appurtenanees, unto ye said Thomas Dongan, his heirs and assigns forever. And I, ye said Joseph Mittark, Indian native, and owner of said track of land, ye said bargained land and premises, with every, their appurtenances, and against me and my heirs, to ye said Thomas Dongan, and his heirs forever, shall and will warrant, and by these presents defend. In testimony whereof, I have unto these presents set my hand and seal, at ye eity of New York, ye sixth day of May, 1687, and in ye third year of his Majesties reign.
Joseph Mittark. X
Signed, sealed and delivered in presence of us, Antho. Broekholes. Fred. Plipson. W. Courtlandt. Matt. Mayhew.
Secretary's Office, New York June ye 13, 1726
A true copy taken from the Records, examined and compared. Per W. Bobin, D. Secretary.
Entered July ye 19, 1726." Copy from Dukes County Land Records, Book 4, page 128. J. S. Smith, Reg.
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MATTACK'S WILL
The following is a true copy of Tribal Treaty (Mattack's Will) as transcribed from one of the Indian papers presented to a Mr. William Bassett by a Committee at Barnstable, Att by S. H. O., Chief Magistrate, Nashowahkemmuck, June 23, 1700:
"I, Mattack, Sachem at Kuhtuhquchtuut and Nashauquetset, as far as Wanummusit. Know ye all people, that I, Mattack, and my principal men, my children and people, are owners of this - this our land forever. They are forever ours, and our offspring forever shall enjoy thereof. I, Mattack, and we principal men, together with our children and all our people, are agreed that no person shall sell any land; but if any person will stealingly sell any land, take yee your land, because it is forever yours; but if anyone will not performe this covenant he shall fall (sic) to, to have any of this land att Kuhtuhquchtunt and Nashauquetset forever. I, Mattack, and we principal men and our children, say this shall be for- ever. And I, Mattack, this I say, and my chief.men, and these my sons, that if any of my sons looketh after my sachemship he shall be always sachem; but if my sons none of them keep my sachemship, but sell, they shall fall forever. And we, chief men, this we say, and our sachem, these our sons, whosoever keeps our sachemship shall forever be chief men; but if our sons don't none of them keep our sachemship, but sell, they shall fall forever.
I, Mattack, sachem, and my chief men speak this in the presence of God. It shall be thus forever. I, Mattack, this is my hand, September 11, 1681. (Mark.)
We principal men do say in the presence of God, that this our agree- ment with our sachem shall stand and abide forever; These are our hands.
(Marks.)
I, John Keps, witness to the agreement of Mattack and his chief men, concerning both Kutuhquehtuut and Nashauquetset; this my hand. (Mark.)
I, Puttuhquannon, witness, do know this agreement of Mattack and his principal men at Kuhtuhquehtnut and Nashaquetset, all both; nobody is forever to sell it; it is theirs. I, Puttuckquannon, this is my hand. (Mark.)
I, Saganapinu, am witness. I know the agreement of Mattack and his principal men at Qultuhquetuht (sic) and Nashawaquetsett, all both. I, Sansanapinu, this my hand." (Mark.)
A true copie, examined per Mit. Mayhew, clerk. I, Sansanapinu, do say that this writing was made by Mattack; witness my hand. This writing is indeed true.
September 11, 1681.
I, Harry, Chief magistrate, Nashowohkemmuck, have heard Sana- pina, and he says this writing was indeed made by old Mattack. I, Harry, this my hand. II. II. O., Chief Magistrate
Att Nashowahkemmuck, June 23, 1700.
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of Joseph Mattack, Sachem; but the Indians object and say that old Mattack by his will did settle it on his sons for the use of Gay Head Indians, never to be sold or alienated from them; and to prove it produce an old writing; and upon inquiry into the truth of it, an Indian called Josiah Hosewit, which seems to be a sober, honest man, came before the committee and owned that he wrote that writing long since Mattack's death; and by the testimony of sundry other Indians we have good reason to think that said writing was forged and not true. "
Needless to say, Joseph Mittark found no favor in future dealings with his tribe. (Due to close spelling similarity of names, historians constantly confuse Mattack with Mittark. )
The pretended will was a quaint document, and the cause of a considerable trouble at the time and afterwards. After much controversy, the question was. resolved with the deeds ending up intestate.
In due time, perhaps owing to the fact of very doubtful boundaries, and possibly to a growing uneasiness of the Indians, the Commissioner of the Honorable Company for Propogating the Gospel among the Indians in New England and parts adjacent in America, did formally, by their attorneys, on the tenth of May, 1774, "set off and settle upon the said natives, and their posterity that now inhabit or shall inhabit said Gay Head, while they dwell on said Gay Head, the Westerly and Southerly parts of said Gay Head, that is to say, all the lands of Gay Head afore- said, except what is resigned by said natives to said Company and their successors, by instrument above referred to; they, the said natives, inhabitants, paying as an acknogledgment, annually, one ear of Indian corn for each family, to said Company and their successors, or their attorney or attorneys, agent or agents on the Island of Martha's Vineyard. "
Evidence existed of the control exercised for years by the corpora- tion, over the lands at Gay Head, and elsewhere at Martha's Vineyard acquired by the purchase made of the Earl of Limerick. No record has ever been found showing a conveyance of their rights.
The first white settlers to visit the Island of Martha's Vineyard estimated the Indian population to be about three thousand. Less than 100 years later, in 1720, Experience Mayhew said, "At present there are on the Vineyard six small villages, containing in all of them about 155 families, and the number of souls (Indian) may be about eight hundred."
In 1747, there were 26 houses and 113 people on Gay Head according to a report from their guardians.
Information given by the Honorable William Jernegan, of Edgartown and Benjamin Bassett, of Chilmark, in 1764, state: "At present there are of pure Indians and of the mixed race 440 persons: 75 on Chappaquiddick; 25 at Sanchaeantacket; about 40 at Chilmark; 24 at Nashowakemmuck; about 276 at Gay Head."
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The following list contains the names of Indian Family heads who resided on Martha's Vineyard during the 1861 Massachusetts Indian Census:
Christiantown-Wampanoag
Miss Rachel Anthony Master Joseph S. Anthony
Mr. James W. DeGrasse
Mr. George W. DeGrasse
Mr. Samuel W. Francis
Mrs. Hepzibah Goodrich
Mr. Thomas James
Mr. Charles W. James
Mr. George E. James
Mr. Samuel Mingo
Mr. Joseph Q. Mingo Mrs. Hepzibah Peters
Mrs. Martha J. Spencer
Mrs. Charlotte M. Belain
Deep-Bottom-Wampanoag
Mr. Isaac Easton Mr. Tristram Freeman Abiah Harris
Miss Lucy Turner Mr. William H. Saunders
Chappaquiddick-Wampanoag
Mr. Isaiah Belain Mr. David Belain
Mr. Abraham Brown
Mr. Thaddeus Cook Mr. James W. Curtis Mr. Joseph Curdoody Mr. Richard Gould Mr. Francis Goodrich
Mrs. Ferriby Harris Mrs. Hannah Ross
Mrs. Eleanor Joseph
Mr. Jared Summons
Mr. Isaac Joab
Mr. Thomas Layton
Mrs. Sarah G. Martin
Mrs. Margaret P. Matthews
Mrs. Love Prince
Mrs. Jane Sams
Mr. Zadok Simpson
Mr. Daniel Webquish
Mr. John E. West
Gay Head-Wampanoag
Mrs. Mehitable Ames Mr. John Anthony Mr. Leander Bassett Mr. George J. Belain Mr. William Belain Miss Priscilla Bowes Mrs. Mehitable Bowyer Mrs. Patience Cole Mr. Thaddeus W. Cook Mrs. Hannah Cooper Mr. George W. Cooper Mr. Aaron Cooper Mr. Thomas Cooper Mr. Zaccheus Cooper Mrs. Julia Corsa Mr. Levi Cuff
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