USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Barrington > A history of Barrington, Rhode Island > Part 4
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
Sowamset Neck was the same as Sowams.
Between the two branches of the Sowams River, now known as the Palmer's and Barrington Rivers, lies the tract of land called Chachacust by the Indians, and New Meadow Neck by the whites. This latter name it received as early as 1653, for in an agreement between the delegates of Reho- both and the proprietors of " Sowams and Parts Adjacent," I find the following record, dated the 29th June, 1653 : "The Towne of Rehoboth shall make suffiscient Fence to keepe horses and cattle from rangeing into the neck of land called the New Meadow Neck and maintaine the same." This neck has an average width of one, and a length of three miles.
The western neck of land now occupied by a portion of the town of Barrington, lies between the Barrington and Warren Rivers on the East, Narragansett Bay on the South, and Providence River on the West, of irregular shape and containing about nine square miles. The Indian name was Popanomscut, or Peebee's Neck, with the exception of the northwestern part, which was called Wannamoisett. In the Proprietors' Records as early as the 5th of March, 1679, I find reference made to Popanomscut, under the name of " Phebe's Neck," so called from a sachem under Philip, named Peebee.
The southeasterly part of Popanomscut was known by the Indian name of Chachapacassett, or Little Neck. At the upper end of this neck is a noted spring called Scamscam- muck Spring. This neck of land was called Rumstick as early as 1697. Why or by whom so named is unknown. Norse scholars regard the word of Norse origin and proof that the Northmen traversed the waters and named the lands on Narragansett Bay. Tradition tries to solve the mystery of so curious and equivocal a title, by saying that a barrel of rum floated high and dry upon the beach, and the treasure was considered of such great value that the event was celebrated by so free a distribution of the contents that the term high and dry could be truthfully applied for several days to all the dwellers thereabouts.
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RUMSTICK AND NAYATT.
Another story goes, that while the Indians were removing the aforesaid treasure of " strong water," for which they had a most wonderful liking, the hoops broke, the barrel burst, and the spirits of rum sank into the sand, while the Indians' spirits sank within them, and in sad disappointment over their loss, they lifted up the mournful lamentation : " Rum stick here ! Rum stick here !" Whatever may have been the views and tastes of the aboriginal inhabitants on the tem- perance question, and their actions in that locality, we are very sure that a more summary fate would befall such arti- cles should they land within the same waters to-day.
West of, and about one mile from Chachapacasset Neck, is the point and section of land well known as Nayatt, still bearing its Indian title, though spelled Nayot in the old rec- ords. This point extends southwest into Narragansett Bay and was the nearest approach of the territory of the Wam- panoags to the Narragansetts, who occupied the lands at and adjoining Conimicut Point, in Warwick, opposite Nayatt.
North of Nayatt, and separating it from a tract of land called by the Indians Annawomscutt, is a creek known by the name of Mouscochuck, now used as a canal by the New England Brick Company and on which their manufactory is now situated. Annawomscutt brook or creek flows into the bay west of the station at Drownville, and the section now known as Drownville bore the title of the brook, Annawom- scutt.
In the grand deed to the proprietors, one other creek is referred to under the name of Mosskituash, which, in the language of the Wampanoags, means a place where grass or rushes grow, and of which the natives made their beds or couches. Mosskituash Creek is within the Wannamoisett bounds, and empties into Bullock's Cove near the Viall Burying Ground.
The name Wannamoisett applies to the section about and east of Riverside. It was a favorite resort of the Indians as it included the long neck since called Bullock's Neck, the
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
shores of which furnished quantities of shell fish, and the cove and bay were literally alive with fish. Captain Thomas WVillet and John Brown, John Viall, and families dwelt at Wannamoisett and their graves are with us at Little Neck even to this day.
In every tribe of Indians there was a chief or head-man or head-woman to whom the rest paid deference on account of age, stature, strength, or prowess. Among the Wampa- noags, the chief sachem at the time of the arrival of the Plymouth settlers was Osamequin or Woosamequin, better known as Massassoit. He died in 1661, according to the judgment of the settlers at nearly eighty years of age, as "he was a man in his best years" in 1621. Morton says of him: " In his person he is a very lusty man, in his best years, an able body, grave of countenance and spare of speech ; in his attire little or nothing differing from the rest of his followers, only in a great chain of white bone beads about his neck ; and at it, behind his neck, hangs a little bag of tobacco, which he drank and gave us to drink. His face was painted with a sad red like murrey; and oiled both head and face, that he looked greasily. All his followers likewise were, in their faces in part or in whole, painted, some black, some red, some yellow, and some white ; some with crosses and other antick works; some had skins on them and some naked ; all strong, tall men in appearance. The king had in his bosom, hanging in a string, a great, long knife."
For some time before his death, "good old Massassoit," as he was known to the whites, became quite inactive and his oldest son, Wamsutta or Mooanam, took upon himself the governmental affairs of the tribe. On his father's death he and his brother, Metacom, requested the Governor of Plymouth to give them English names. Governor Prince complied with their request and gave Wamsutta the name Alexander, and Metacom the name Philip, after the great Macedonian conquerors, at which they were much pleased. Alexander, the eldest son, was chief sachem for only two
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INDIAN AGRICULTURE.
years, when at his death, he was succeeded by his brother, Philip, in 1662. He held the chief sachemship of the tribe until his death in 1676, at Mount Hope. The name of Philip's wife was Wootonekanuske.
Among the sagamores or sub-sachems of the Wampa- noags may be named Watuspaquin, often called by the English, the Black Sachem ; his son, William ; Uncompoin ; Umnathum or Munashum, known as Nimrod; Annawan ; Conbatant, Peebee, Tavoser, Capt. Wispoke, Woonkapone- hunt, Awashonks, Weetamoo, and others. These under- chiefs or rulers of divisions of the tribes were the counsel- lors of the great chief and formed the council to declare war or transact general business for the whole tribe.
The New England tribes including the Wampanoags were an agricultural people, cultivating corn, beans, tobacco, squashes and other products of the soil. They also sub- sisted on the wild game of the forests and the fish of the fresh and salt waters. The Wampanoags had a rich soil to cultivate along our rivers and Bay and obtained a plentiful supply of fish from the waters and shores of Narragansett Bay. Rogers Williams speaks of the "social and loving way of breaking up the land for planting corn. All the men, women and children of a neighborhood join to help speedily with their hoes, made of shells with wooden handles. After the land is broken up, then the women plant and hoe the corn, beans and vine apples called squash which are sweet and wholesome ; being a fruit like a young pumpkin, and serving also for bread when corn is exhausted." Indian corn was the staple food, parched, pounded to meal and mixed with water. Winslow speaks of a meal of corn bread called mozium, and shad roes boiled with acorns, which he enjoyed at Namasket. Parched meal was their reliance on their journey, and of unparched meal they made a pottage called " nassaump," whence the New England " samp." "For winter stores the Indians gather chestnuts, hazel-nuts, walnuts, and acorns, the latter requiring much soaking and boiling. The walnuts they use both for food
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
and for obtaining an oil for their hair. Strawberries and whortleberries were palatable food, freshly gathered, and were dried to make savory corn bread." Strawberries were abundant and the modern strawberry shortcake was antici- pated by the Indians in a delicious bread made by bruising strawberries in a mortar and mixing them with meal. Sum- mer squashes and beans were their main dependence next to corn.
The fur-bearing animals of the forests furnished both food and covering for bodies and wigwams. Shell and fin -. fish were very abundant. Clams, oysters, quahaugs, scallops could be obtained with little labor and the fish that now fre- quent our bays and rivers were more plentiful than they have been known to the whites. The luxury of a Rhode Island clam bake was first enjoyed by our Indian predecessors. It was the good fortune of the writer, in ex- cavating the ground for a cellar at Drownville to exhume an oven, used for baking clams, about eighteen inches below the surface of the soil. The coals and shells on the saucer- shaped oven of round stones were evidences of aboriginal use and customs.
The women cultivated the crops for the most part and were the burden bearers of the fish and game taken by the men. "A husband," says Williams, "will leave a deer to be eaten by the wolves rather than impose the load on his own shoulders. The mothers carry about their infant pap- pooses, wrapped in a beaver skin and tied to a board two feet long and one foot broad, with its feet hauled up to its back. The mother carries about with her, the pappoose when only three or four days old, even when she goes to the clam beds and paddles in the cold water for clams. It is evident that in their wild state, no large number of them could subsist long together, because game on which they principally lived, was soon exhausted, and hunger compelled them to scatter. This state of existence always forced them to live in small clans or families. Venison and fish were dried and smoked for winter's supplies. In providing the
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GEORGE HOWARD SMITH RESIDENCE, DROWNVILLE.
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INDIAN DWELLINGS.
food for the household, the labor was divided quite un- equally. It was manly for an Indian to hunt and fish, but the cultivation of the fields and gardens was wholly woman's work, as was the digging of clams and the procuring of all other shell fish. The cooking was also woman's prerogative, so that with the Indian the old couplet was not wholly inapt :
" Man's work is from sun to sun ; Woman's work is never done."
The Plymouth settlers described the houses of the Indians as follows : "They are made round, like an arbor, with long, young saplings stuck in the ground and bended over, covered down to the ground with thick and well wrought mats. The door, about a yard high, is made of a suspended mat. An aperture at the top served for a chimney, which is also provided with a covering of a mat to retain the warmth. In the middle of the room are four little crotches set in the ground supporting cross-sticks, on which are hung whatever they have to roast. Around the fire are laid the mats that serve for beds. The frame of poles is double matted ; those within being fairer."
These frail houses were easily transported with their simple furnishings from place to place, wherever their busi- ness, hunting, fishing, or comfort might lead them. Their houses were removed to sheltered valleys or to dense swamps in the winter, and in the summer were pitched in the vicin- ity of their cultivated fields or fishing stations. Roger Wil- liams says that on returning at night to lodge at one of them, which he had left in the morning, it was gone, and he was obliged to sleep under the branches of a friendly tree. It can be truthfully said of the Indians that they had no continuing city or abiding place, but like the Indians of the Northwest of our day, outside of reservations, wandered about from place to place as their physical necessities or caprice moved them. As they had no land titles, each fam- ily was at liberty to go and come, within tribal limits, with none to let or hinder. It is certain that there were fixed
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
haunts or rendezvous, inland and on the shores of the Bay, called villages, where they spent considerable time, either in summer or in winter. Thus Philip passed the summer in and about Mt. Hope Neck, and it is popularly stated that he lived at Mt. Hope ; while in winter his home, if we may so call a movable wigwam, was about the inland lakes or ponds of his possessions. One of these favorite winter resorts of King Philip is said to have been in the pine forests on the banks of Winneconnet Pond, in the town of Norton, Mass., within the Pokanoket Territory. Banks of clam and oyster shells, Indian arrowheads and stone implements of husban- dry and housekeeping are the best evidences of the localities where the Wampanoags made their residences.
The friendly alliance entered into between the Pilgrims of Plymouth and Massassoit in 1621, not only established a lifelong friendship between the parties, but also secured to Carver, Winslow, Bradford, Standish, and their associates " all the lands adjacent, to them and their heirs forever." It is true that the letters patent of the New Plymouth Colony included all the lands between the Atlantic Ocean on the east and south, the Cohassett River on the north, and the Narragansett River on the south, (as stated by the patent), "to the utmost bounds and lymetts of a country or place in New England called Pocanacutt allis Puckanakicke allis Sowamsett, westwards. Together with one halfe the said river called the Narragansett." For all that, the first set- tlers would not intrude on forbidden soil or steal territory, then held by peaceable occupants. Hence their policy of purchasing Indian lands was strictly adhered to, paying therefor to the full satisfaction of the owners.
The Rehoboth purchase was made by John Brown and Edward Winslow of Massassoit in 1641, including a territory about ten miles square, but described as "eight miles square," "to Red Stone Hill, VIII miles into the land and to Annawamscote, VII miles down to the water." This land included the present towns of Rehoboth, Seekonk, East Providence, and Pawtucket. .
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WANNAMOISETT.
A second tract was also purchased called Wannamoisett, the bounds of which included the southern part of the pres- ent town of East Providence and the north of Barrington, with a part of Seekonk and Swansea. In 1645, the Indians agreed to remove from Wannamoisett for a consideration of fifteen pounds sterling, and Mr. John Brown of Plymouth and Rehoboth accepted the terms of the sale, receiving for his purchase Wannamoisett Neck "with twelve acres lying at Wachemoquit Cove." It is described as "that neck of land called and known by the name of Wannamoycett Neck, from the salt water where the Indians had formerly made a hedge, ranging unto the north end of the Indian field and so round about the said Indian field unto the salt water." In the agreement as to fences, Mr. Brown promised "not to make any sutch ffence so fare into the salt water upon the westerly side of Wanomoycet Neck as shall bare out hoggs from claming, nor from the south point of the said neck ; a quarter of a mile on the east part of said neck." This pur- chase of Mr. Brown included Bullock's Neck and Riverside and extended northward probably to and including Kettle Point in East Providence, with twelve acres at Watche- moket. Mr. Brown was already a large land holder in Plymouth Colony at Plymouth and Rehoboth, and by this purchase became one of the largest in the Colony. He made his residence at Wannamoisett and with his son in law, Thomas Willet, and his son, James, formed the nucleus of a settlement on the main road near what is now the village of Riverside in East Providence. Mr. Brown's house was built on the east side of Moskituash creek and Mr. Willett's near Mr. Brown's on " Oxbow creek." The chimney of the Willett house is standing as a land mark of the location of the first settlement in the Wannamoisett Purchase.
" Sowams and Parts Adjacent" were sold to Thomas Prince, Thomas Willett, Myles Standish, and others by Massassoit in the year 1653, for £35 sterling. This pur- chase included the present town of Barrington and parts of Bristol, Warren, and Swansea.
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
In 1661, Wamsutta, or Alexander, son and successor of Massassoit, as chief sachem of the Wampanoags, sold to Thomas Willett and others a tract of land called the Reho- both North Purchase "For divers good causes and other val- uable considerations." This territory includes the present towns of Cumberland, R. I., and Attleboro, North Attle- boro, and parts of Norton and Mansfield, Mass.
Wrentham was sold to Dedham by Philip in 1662. The Indian name was Wollomonopoag, a territory six miles square, at a cost of £24, IOS.
Mattapoisett was sold to Hon. William Brenton of Newport in 1664. The deed was signed by Pometacom alias Philip " Chief Sachem of Mt. Hope, Cowsumpsitt, and of all Territories thereunto belonging." His wife also signed this deed.
Acushena and Coaxet were quitclaimed by Philip in 1665, but sold by Massassoit. . Philip received £10 for marking out the bounds of the old purchase, also a horse from Plymouth Court.
In 1665, Philip went to Nantucket to assert his authority over that island, where for the time his sway was called in question.
In 1666, all the meadow lands from Dartmouth to Matta- poisett were sold by Philip to Constant Southworth for £15.
In 1667, Philip sold to Thomas Willett a tract between the Wanascattaquet & Cawatoquissett, 2 miles long and I broad for £10."
In 1668, Philip sold to several English people a tract of seven square miles adjacent to Pokanoket. The same year Philip and Uncompoin made quitclaim to lands on New Meadow Neck for £11 pounds to Thomas Willett, Mr. James Brown and John Allen, in behalf of themselves and the rest.
In 1669, Philip sold to Hugh Cole and others 500 acres of land in Swansea on the west side of the River now known as Cole's River.
Other deeds are on record from the Chiefs to the Ply-
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PURCHASE OF INDIAN LANDS.
mouth settlers, in all of which was the recognition of the rights of the Indians to the soil, and a satisfactory consider- ation rendered therefor, which speaks well for the just treat- ment accorded them by our ancestors. Gov. Winslow writing in 1676, says "I think I can clearly say, that be- fore these present troubles (Philip's War) broke out, the English did not possess one foot of land in this Colony, but what was fairly obtained by honest purchase of the Indian proprietors. We first made a law that none should pur- chase or receive of gift, any land from the Indians, without the knowledge or allowance of our court, at a penalty of five pounds per acre. It was also provided that Mt. Hope, Po- . casset and several other necks of the best lands in the Col- ony, should never be bought out of their hands."
He also writes still further : "Our neighbors at Reho- both and Swansea, although they bought their lands fairly of this Philip and his father and brother, yet because of their vicinity, that they might not trespass upon the Indians, did, at their own cost, set up a very substantial fence quite across that great neck between the English and the Indians ; and paid due damage if at any time any unruly horse or other beasts broke in and trespassed. The English agreed with Philip and his for a certain sum, yearly, to maintain the said fence and secure themselves. And if at any time they have brought complaint before us they have had justice impartial and speedily, so that our own people have frequently com- plained that we erred on the other hand in showing them over much favor."
It is true that the prices paid for lands and other com- modities may seem ridiculously small, as when Roger Wil- liams bought the island of Rhode Island for forty fathoms of white beads, the Swedes obtained the site of Christiana for a brass kettle, and New Haven was sold to the whites " for twelve coats of English cloth, twelve alchemy spoons, twelve hoes, twelve hatchets, twelve porringers, twenty-four knives, and twenty-four cases of French knives and spoons". But it must be remembered that a knife, a spoon or a hatchet
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
was of greater value then than now, and that the Indians set a higher value on a knife or a gun, than on hundred acres of land, so that as the Indians themselves rested satisfied and content with their bargains, we should consider the contracts of our ancestors with them as business-like and honorable.
Concerning the mental and moral qualities of the Wampa- noags, we may infer that they were "men of like passions with ourselves," in the main characteristics of natural en- dowments. In abilities of mind and body, they were the equals, if not superiors, of other savage tribes. Nature had taught them the law of retaliatory justice and a wrong or a benefit was never forgotten, and was always rewarded in kind. With narrower intelligence than the whites, they exhibited what all inferior people excel in, cunning, intrigue, and jealousy, as compensations in the struggle of life. Superstition was their religion. The Great Spirit was to them omniscient, omnipotent, and omnipresent, a revelation of the divine, as true as the Jewish race ever enshrined monotheism.
Bravery, a stoical indifference to pain, fatigue, and death, undying friendship, and persecuting hatred were elements of their faith. Their heaven had no cowards, no adulterers, no weak, complaining men, "with women's hearts." Their vir- tues made them heroic. Their vices never degraded them to brutes, until they made contact with the demoralizing influences of civilization. They perished as a race as heroic- ally as they lived. The tragedy of Philip's War terminated, fittingly and pathetically, the race, which had it remained on our territory, would only have cumbered the ground on which they dwelt.
CHAPTER V
WINSLOW'S VISITS TO MASSASSOIT AT SOWAMS
Winslow and Hopkins Visit Massassoit, March, 1621-Reception at Sowams-Winslow and Hampden, in 1623-Massassoit Sick-His English Physicians Cure Him-Winslow's Fees Promptly Paid-The Well Trodden Trail to Sowams-A Memorial on New Meadow Neck to John Hampden.
T HE introduction between the Pilgrims and Massassoit, in
March, 1621, as already described, was the first contact and bond of union between the whites and the natives. The visit of the Indians was kindly reciprocated in July of the same year, when Edward Winslow and Stephen Hopkins were dispatched on a visit to Sowams. This was the first attempt of the English to explore the interior, their object being to gain a knowledge of the Pokanoket country, the land of the Wampanoags, "to apologize for some misbe- havior, to establish and to regulate an intercourse, to pro- cure corn, and to strengthen their mutual good understand- ing." Up to this time the Pilgrims had not set foot outside their little settlement, but now with Squanto as guide, they proceeded on their western exploration, with an intrepidity akin to that of those who now attempt the like service on the frontiers of the far west. They bore as gifts to the Indian chief a horseman's laced coat of red cotton and a chain. The party set out on foot on the morning of the 3d of July, 1621, and at three P. M. of the same day were re- .ceived with joy at the Indian village of Namasket, in Middle- boro', and were refreshed by an Indian repast of bread called mozium, made of Indian corn, and also with the roes of shad, which were boiled with acorns. Eight miles fur- ther on, they reached the Titicut River, where they found
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THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
the Namasket Indians fishing at a weir, where they caught plenty of bass. The natives exchanged provisions and shared their lodgings with them in the open fields at night. The land was well cleared and productive, and the evidences were manifest of many settlements along the banks of the stream but the pestilence of the previous years had been so fatal that the living were unable to bury the dead, and many Indian skeletons lay bleaching on the ground. Six of the natives joined them in the morning on their journey, and about three miles below the Taunton Green they reached a fording place where two old Indians on the west bank of the stream prepared to resist their passage. A show of friend- ship and a bracelet of beads conquered their hostile spirit, and the emigrants or ambassadors were received with the kindest welcome, the natives vying with each other in acts of hospitality, by giving them food, by carrying them in their arms over the small rivers, and by kindred acts of civ- ility. In passing down the Taunton River they found evi- dences that the country had been recently thickly settled, but rank weeds spread over the fertile soil, and desolation now reigned throughout the country.
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