USA > Massachusetts > Dukes County > Marthas Vineyard > The history of Martha's Vineyard, Dukes County, Massachusetts, Volume II > Part 31
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I went away from the Meeting but have often been Informed that at the same Meeting the sd Josias confirmed a Grant of a certain tract of land which adjoyneth to the Northern line of the purchased Township of Tisbury for a Christian Town or for the Settlemt for the praying Indians and that ever since the sd Meeting it hath generaly been esteemed to be the Indians and called by the name of the Indian Town.2
The motives which actuated the elder Mayhew and the sachem Josias may, or may not, have been altruistic. It looks like a bone thrown to snarling dogs to keep them quiet. Ac- cordingly, to satisfy the discontented, it was decided by the governor and the sachem to renew the old grant of a "mile square," formerly given to Papameck and his fellow converts so that the praying Indians should always have a place by themselves, which they could call their own. The governor testifies :-
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 sid of (the) Island bounded by the land called Ich- poquassett and so to the Pond called Mattapaquattonooke and into the
1Superior Judicial Court Mss., No. 953; comp. Dukes Deeds, I, 402. 2Ibid., No. 3834.
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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.1
A supplemental agreement was drawn up several months later to provide for the defect of a proper succession, in case the "Praying Indians" should recant, die out or leave. Ac- cordingly the following document was drawn up on Jan. 9, 1670 :-
Agreed by myself and Keteanummin that the town Manettouwatoo- tan in Taukemey Shall Remain forever in the possession of the Praying men-That is Thus: That if the Inhabitance Turn from god his Ways Other Praying Indians of Taukemy shall have their land If there Be Anny: If not Then other Praying men of this Island: Further Keteanummin Saith That When 20 Families are settled in this town it shall be enlarged with Land the same say I it is fitt itt should: This Town for the Governent of it was put by the Sachims Keteanummin and Wanamanhut into the hands of Thomas Mayhew and his posterity for ever: 'The meaning is If all do forsake the Worship of God They shall loose their Predecessors Land .?
Thirty years later Josias, then an old man, confirmed this grant and amplified the description of the boundaries in a deed, dated Aug. 26, 1699, as follows: -
Bounded on the north by the North shore and bounded on the East by Ichpoquassett the black water, and so to run southerly in the bound line Between Taukemy and Chickemoo land, untill it come to a little Eastward of a pond called Manaquayak and bounded on the south from that mile end near the Pond called Manaquayak, and so to the south bounds runing westerly Mackkonnetchasqua including the field where my uncle Pa(pa)- mick Dwelt and Dyed and so the south bounds to Come to a Place called Maanette and from that mile end Bounded on the West to a Pond at the north shore called Pissa: so this mile square of land Lyeth in Taukemmy on the north east corner of my Sachemship.3
Ten years after this, owing to some disputes about the territory in the possession of the remnants of these "Praying Indians," and in response to a petition of the town authorities, a committee, appointed by the General Court, consisting of John Otis and William Bassett, made a re-survey of the tract in October, 1709 and defined the bounds as follows: - Beginning att the Stake standing on the Easterly side of the Ware att the beach att of neare the place Caled Itchpoqueassett and thence Runing westerly by the sea or Sound untill it come to a Stake standing att the
1The date of this paper is May 28, 1669, probably written shortly after the meeting above referred to, and written down for permanent record (Dukes Deeds, I, 378). 2Superior Judicial Court Mss., No. 72789. This was signed by Thomas Mayhew and Ketanummin (his mark), and witnessed by a number of Indians.
3Dukes Deeds, I, 357.
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East corner of Mattapaquaha pond by the fence, and thence Runing up Southerly on a Streight line to a great Rock, extending Easterly unto, a stake with stones about it standing on the plain land over against the house in which Robert Luce now dwelleth, and thence Runing down a streight Line to a marked tree with stones about it standing att the head of the pond caled Great Jameses Pond at Itchpoqueassett pond and thence down on a streight Line across the s'd pond unto the first mentioned stake standing on the beach.1
ALIENATION OF LAND TO THE ENGLISH.
From contemporary documents, it is certain that Josias adhered to the compact which he had made with the braves of his tribe. James Skiffe gives testimony of this in a state- ment made thirty years after. In it he says: -
We the said purcjasers (of Takemmy) desired of said Josias to let us have our bounds and limits to extend further Eastward. but the said Josias refused to let us have any land further Eastward of said bounds, alledging that he had already granted it to the praying Indians; and the next year after when we the said purchasers were about to purchase another parcel of Land of the said Josias in Tacomy the Indians who then dwelt on the said Tacomy were much displeased at Josias for inclin- ing to sell any more land and would not consent thereto untill Josias did confirm the remainder to them the said Indians.2
Joseph Daggett gives similar testimony as to the general observance of the conditions by the whites, when he says that those "imployed to buy lands of the Indians by and in behalfe of the Town of Tisbury have refused to buy any lands there as concluding properly belonging to the Christan In- dians."3 But Josias was not above the temptations which beset human nature, especially the simple nature of the red man. He never embraced the Christian religion, and as a consequence failed to be embalmed among the "good men" in Mayhew's Indian Converts." Indeed, Mayhew goes out of his way to give him a doubtful certificate of respectability. "Of him I can give no very good character," says the author of that volume of praise for all sorts and conditions of con- verted natives. In an explanation of his predicament, in his old age, he says: -
Now long since my uncle Pamick Dyed and his sons are dead Nonoussa and Taquanum and Poxsin are all dead and they never Pay'd me my fifteen pounds :- so the Praying Indians Being Dead and Removed and
1Mass. Archives, CXIII, 534. Report of Otis and Bassett, 1709.
2Superior Judicial Court Mss., No. 4714. 3Ibid., No. 3834.
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forsook that place so I had Nothing as they had Promised That the Praying Indians should give Twenty Shillings every yeare to me Their Sachem ans Being grown old and Poor not able to work Proposed to sell the land to the English for my maintenance.1
So he began to sell, first to Simon Athearn, on Nov. 10, 1674, a tract of land, which became, in after years, the origin of a famous law-suit which extended over many years, and was the occasion of many exciting encounters, due to alleged trespass. It will be, therefore, well to have a copy of this deed for reference: -
. this parcel of land that I have now sold lyeth by Wampache with there corners almost three square bounded on the south and south west and west sides with the land I sold to William Peaboddie and his friends and it is bounded on the north and by west side through marked trees one old dead tree with a forked toppe and one white oak butt stand- ing by a crook of the brook of water and one old tree standing on the north side of a little bushy swamp and so this line do runne west norwest and east south east until it come to the land I sold to William Peaboddie and his friends on both ends.
The sale of this land by Josias gave rise to prolonged litigation in subsequent litigation with abutting owners, per- haps owing to the usual indefinite description of its bounds, and in order to settle the controversy, Richard Sarson and Matthew Mayhew were chosen arbitrators by the litigants. The two arbitrators, who could not be called friendly to Athearn, on account of the family and political differences in the past, nevertheless made an award, in the following terms, entirely in his favor :-
In the Controversy left to the arbitrament of us Between Simon Athearn & the Town of Tisbury concerning a tract of land bought by said Athearn neer William Rogers his land we award as followeth, viz :- that the said Simon Athearn shall enjoy said land and that the other pro- prietors or sharers in said townshipp shall be each of them allowed and allotted as much land as said purchase and one eight more in the two necks and half last purchased, and what it may want if there be not suf- ficient, to be made up to each man out of the next land that shall be pur- chased: before he hath any allotment, having the land aforesaid witness our handes this 24th of December 1682.3
This certainly left Athearn in full and quiet possession of this tract.
1Dukes Deeds, I, 357. 2Ibid., I, 302. 3Superior Judicial Court Mss., No. 4974
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The next purchase was made by William Rogers, twenty acres, Jan. 29, 1679,1 and on Jan. 13, 1686, another tract was sold to Arthur Bevan, adjoining the Rogers purchase on the east.2 This latter transaction caused considerable unfavorable comment, and Bevan "tendered to the Town of Tisbury at a Town Meeting some land which he had bought, which land was a part of s'd land which s'd Josias had barred him self from selling without the approbation of the Trustees afores'd and the Town refused to Meadle with it for the Reasons aforesaid (viz) that they looked at it to be Indians Town."3 But Josias put on record his justification for these sales, in which he states :- "Having sold som of the Land to Isaac Chase and to John Manter and others, for which Mr. Mayhew Witt(nessed) the Deed, and Mr Mayhew con- cented That I might sell it now."4 After this the old sachem made four more sales, before his decease, to the following named persons: To Henry Luce, on Feb. 3, 1687, of sixty acres;5 to Experience Luce, on Dec. 9, 1693, of sixty acres; 6 to John Lambert, on May 17, 1694, of sixty acres, and to John Manter, on Aug. 17, 1694, of forty acres.8
These continuous sales incensed the members of the tribe and there arose, as William Parclow of Tisbury testifies, "a great Contest between Josias Indian Sachim and the Christian Indians, so called, about the Title of some lands called the lands of the Christian Town." This was "some- time in or about the year 1688." He continues: -
and the s'd Christian Indians having committed their Deed of Gift from sd Sachim unto my Custody, which Deed was subscribed and sd Josias told me it was by himself; and sometime after the sd Sachim came to me & desired me to Burn sd Deed or writing, saying that if I would do it he would give me some of the land, but I refusing sayd I would not undoe those praying Indians to whom it was granted. The Sachim replyed saying it may be you think I will give you but a little piece, then
1The purchase made by Rogers was authorized by the town of Tisbury, when it was voted "that Will. Rogges shall purchchis therty eakers of land of (Jo)sias Sogimer for an inheritance .. .. and what the saide rogers can purchis more it is to returne to the towne againe" (Tisbury Records, 13). The deed is recorded, Vol. III, fol. 288, Dukes County Registry.
2Dukes Deeds, I, 340. There is no record of the disposal of this land from Bevan and it is probable that it reverted to the Indian Town.
3Superior Judicial Court Mss., No. 3834.
4Dukes Deeds, I, 357.
"Ibid., III, 476. Ibid., III, 19. 7Ibid., I, 248. $Ibid., I, 207.
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I 'sayd how much will you give me if I burn the Deed he then answered I'lle will give you halfe, then I told him he had no love for the Christians & I will not do it if you will give me all of it.1
The sale to Isaac Chase, to which he refers, was made on Aug. 15, 1682, and comprised the tract between Great James pond and the Black Water brook, as far south as Old House pond, and the town of Tisbury gave authority to Chase to make the purchase less than a month before the transaction was completed.2 Notwithstanding the premises stated, there was growing up a continued opposition to the alienation of this territory, and as Josias himself avers, "Ev(er)y(man) have made much Trouble about Land (I) have sold to the English and some men say that the Praying Indians Must have their Town I formerly gave them." Accordingly, on Aug. 26, 1699, the ancient Sachem executed a deed of confirm- ation, of the mile square previously granted, describing the bounds as above given. It was the last recorded act of this "bad" Indian chief, in which he left to his people the original tract, in perpetuity, as he had given it to them in his simple way, forty years before. Although not a Christianized native, his recognition of the portion of his sachemship which had embraced the new religion, was an act which measures up well with the attitude of the whites who dealt with him. He died somewhere between that date and Aug. 17, 1702, and on the highest hill of Christiantown, some monument should be erected to this historic sachem of the Takemmy tribe of the Algonquian race, as a memorial of an Indian who dealt fairly with his own people and justly with the whites. In his last words to "the great English Justices to helpe me who am an Indian," he solemnly announced in his appeal for justice, in the legal proceedings growing out of the greed of the whites for his territory: "I have don the English no hurt nor don anything out of the Indian custom." This well might be the epitaph on the place marking his memorial.3
On Aug. 18, 1702, Zachariah Peeskin, "son and heir to Josias Keteanummin, late deceased, sachem," executed a deed amplifying the grants of his late father of the territory of Christiantown, in the following terms, in favor of the Indians Wekommooinnin, Ashahhowanin, Isaac Ompanit, Cottoowan-
'Superior Judicial Court Mss., No. 3834.
2Dukes Deeds, I, 281; comp., Tisbury Records, 16. $Superior Judicial Court Mss., No. 4974.
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nawook, Stephen Nashokow and Wawapeehkin, as trustees, and to their heirs and successors: -
Upon serious reflections finding that my said father Josias as well jointly together with Wanamanhut firstly as latterly before his own de- cease, being sole lord and sachim of the said domionion of Takemmy, had and did not only according to the usual custom of the time in use but for better affirmance thereof, by request of my father said Josias, obtained the favor of the then English Governour, Thomas Mayhew, late deceased, of his assistance to commit the same to writing, give and convey a considerable part of said sachimship and lands to the same belonging, for and to the use of all such, within his said sachimship as did or hereafter should profess the Christian religion, ...... as an addition to the said grant all and every the lands, soils, waters, fishing and fowling, royalties and privileges, woods, marshes and all other rights, estate, of what nature soever, ...... to the use of the Christians of the Protestant religion, natural subjects of the siad sachimship.
The regulation of this grant was provided for in the person of the Governor of the Massachusetts Bay, for the time being, and exception was made in favor of the sachem's "right of drifts, wrecks on the beach or sea-shore." The deed was "approved" by the following Indians, probably to conform to the requirements of the ancient trustees, in the following manner : -
We the subscribers inhabitants of that part of Marthas Vineyard, called Takemmy, assent to the within written conveyance:
Ely Shokaw
Job Soomanau Isaac Ompanit
Nen Amos
William Nunmin
Thomas Paul Nen Abel Jonathan
Francis
Ezekiel Ammuck
Hosea Manhut
Samson
Wecammoone
Japhet
Wanahut
Stephen
Wawapekin1
CIVIL GOVERNMENT.
The government of Christiantown, as far as the manage- ment of the land was concerned, was vested in Governor Mayhew and five Indians as Trustees, and their heirs and successors from the year 1669, as before related. From fragmentary references it is certain that a form of civil govern- ment, like the town organization of the whites, was settled in this little Indian village. Governor Mayhew is authority for the statement that Josias and Wannamanhutt "Did Com- mitt the Government Thereof into my hand and Posteritie forever."2 The form of government instituted by Mayhew
1Dukes Deeds, I, 417. In the report of a committee on Christiantown lands, in 1762, it is stated that Zachariah gave a deed previous to this on April 6, 1702, but if so it was not recorded.
"Ibid., I, 378.
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was probably suited to the monarchial customs of the Indians at first, rather than the democratic order. An Indian "magis- trate" of this town is mentioned in 1690, and it is altogether likely that native courts were instituted here, as in the other parts of the island very early. How soon a regular town government was formed cannot be stated, but while there is no record of such before 1700, it is probable that one existed then.
The trustees of the Indian Town in 1696 were Isaac Ompanit, Stephen Nashokow and Obadiah Paul, and in a case relating to disputed land, they refer to the rights "of them selves and body politick as a town."1 In 1703 Stephen Shokow (an abbreviation of Nashokow) was "Justice of peace for the Indians of Takymmy."
Of Isaac Ompanit, the author of "Indian Converts," says that he "was a Magistrate as well as a Minister among his own Countrymen, and faithfully discharged the Duties of that Office, according to the best of his Skill and Judgment, not being a Terror to good Works, but to those that were Evil."2
The Indians, however, as a tribe, were under the guardian- ship of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel in material as well as spiritual matters. An instance of this occurred in 1714 respecting the use of a house belonging to the town, and evidently built by the society.3 In addition to this, agents were appointed by the provincial authorities to attend to certain defined duties regarding their legal rights. In 1731 Experience Mayhew held this office, and he presented a petition to the General Court, setting forth "the inconvenience they are under for want of the power of chusing officers among them- selves" and praying that they may be constituted "a Seperate Town or Precinct or have the priviledges necessary for the Chusing & Appointing of officers among themselves for the ordering & managing of their own Affairs." The latter
1Sup. Judicial Court files, No. 4714.
2Op. cit., p. 60.
3In answer to Thomas Paul of Christian Town, who is angered that Isaac Ompane, of the same town, lives in the Town's English House Rent free. It is directed and ordered that Isaac Ompane for the future pay twelve shillings per annum Rent for the said House so long as he dwells in it, which shall go towards reimbursing the Widow Abigails Lease. And it is very necessary that the Town speedily join together as one Man, and pay what is owing to the said Widow. And the twelve shillings per annum shall be employed in some other public use of the Town, and shall be paid accordingly to the Select-Men thereof by Isaac Ompany, who has been the prin- cipal Doer and Sufferer in Recovering the Same. Sewall, Thaxter, Thomas Mayhew, Esq. Benjamin Skiff, Esq. April 8, 1714. (Sewall, Diary, II, 432.)
4Acts and Resolves, XI, 639, Chapter 137.
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alternative was adopted and they were given restricted civil rights of election of officers to conduct their business. There. is a record of "a Legall Town Meeting held on the Fifteenth Day of March A.D. 1735 at Christian(town) whereof Amos Oyeninkesit was Moderator," and the record is attested by Zachariah Papamek as the Town Clerk. A similar record exists in 1743.1 In 1762 a committee appointed by Governor Bernard, to correct certain abuses against the Indians, reported that they were "further of the opinion that they be no longer under Guardians," But this consummation was not reached for a century.
RELIGIOUS HISTORY.
In pursuance of the object of their existence as a religious community, a meeting house was built for them in the time of the Governor, before 1680, and this was replaced about 1695 by another. How long this building, or any of its suc- cessors, existed is not known, as no records remain to throw light on the subject. That a meeting-house was standing in 1770 appears from a contemporary document, and scattered references to "the Indian meeting" occur throughout that century. In 1732 two flagons of silver were presented to this congregation by the Old South church of Boston.
The local English ministers of Tisbury, beginning with Torrey and followed by Hancock, exercised a supervision over the native church and frequently preached to them in Algonquian and administered the sacraments. In addition to this, the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel supported a general missionary for the island until the Revolution. After this the society organized in Boston in 1787, continued the patronage of the mission for a century. Indian preachers conducted the regular services, assisted by native deacons. In 1858 it was reported that "for some years past this tribe has had no regular stated worship."
In 1870 a church of eight members was formed and ser- vices were held in a building originally built for a school. No regular minister was attached to this organization, but it had occasional services supplied by the North Tisbury Baptists. After a precarious existence for about twenty years it ceased to be used for religious services and is now unfit for occupancy as such.
1Acts and Resolves, Dukes Deeds, VII, 238.
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NOTED "PRAYING" INDIANS.
John Amanhut. - He was son of Wannamanhut, the sachem, and was a preacher in this town. He was the father of Hosea Manhut, also a preacher, and an ordained Pastor of "the Indian Church at the West End of this Island." He died in March 1672.1
Joel Sims. - He was son of Pockqsimme, and being well instructed in his youth, was called upon to preach to his people in this town. He died young, about the year 1680, "much lamented."2
James Sepinnu. - He was a brother of Tackanash, the colleague of Hiacoomes, the first Indian convert on the island. He was one of the early preachers in this town, and died here about 1683.3
The foregoing persons appear among the "Godly Min- isters" of Experience Mayhew's book, and those which follow are classed as "Good Men," who resided in Christiantown during his knowledge: -
Noquittompany. - Beyond the fact that he was a "pray- ing Indian," and the father of Isaac Ompanit, nothing remains to be said further of him. He died about 1690, probably of the "distemper" which carried off so many of the Island Indians at that time. His daughter married the sachem Josias.4
Job Somannan. - His father was a "praying Indian" bearing the last name, and his mother was classed as a "heath- en." Job was taught to read in his native tongue, and in later years could read and write in English. He was a weaver by trade and "a great Lover of good Books." While a "good" Indian, according to Mayhew, yet he "had such Apprehensions of the Holiness that was necessary to qualify Persons for the Enjoyment of Church Privileges, that he thought it not safe for him to venture to lay claim unto them." He died in 1718.5
Henry Ohhunnut, alias Jannoquissoo. - This native "meeting with some Trouble on Marthas Vineyard, which made his Mind uneasy," left the island and went to Natick,
1Indian Converts, 72.
2Ibid., 73.
3Ibid., 73.
4Ibid., 84, 197.
'Ibid., IIO.
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where he sat under the Apostle Eliot's preaching, and became a "Peantamaenin, i. e. a praying Man." Later he returned hither, married, and lived a "sober life" ever after. He died in 1724.1
Of the noted Indians who were connected with the Church in Christiantown from the earliest times, according to the author of "Indian Converts," the following named have been given special notice: -
Wunnanauhkomun. - An Indian minister, and perhaps the first who exercised that office here. His wife was called Ammapoo, and by the English, Abigail. She was a daughter of Cheshchaamog, sachem of Homes Hole and a sister of Caleb Cheshchaamog, who took a Degree at Harvard in 1665. This preacher died about the year 1676.2
Assaquanhut, alias John Shohkow. - He was a son of a "praying Indian" of Takemmy, called Nashohkow, being one of five sons of his parents. He was a ruling elder of the church of which Tackanash was pastor. He died in this settlement about 1690.3
Micah Shohkow. - He was a brother of the foregoing, and is classed with the "Godly Ministers" in Mayhew's book. He "was a lover of strong Drink the former part of his life," but he reformed, and "frequently preached to the Indians on the Island, but especially to those in that Town in which he lived and died." His death occurred in 1690.4
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