USA > Rhode Island > Bristol County > Barrington > A history of Barrington, Rhode Island > Part 8
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39 | Part 40 | Part 41 | Part 42 | Part 43 | Part 44 | Part 45 | Part 46 | Part 47 | Part 48 | Part 49
It will readily be seen that fencing "one end of their lottes," secured the inclosure of the whole plantation, while the "common fence" spoken of, probably refers to the fence which inclosed the whole town, built in common by the settlers. As the south line of Rehoboth was the north line of Sowams and afterwards of Swansea, a part of the " com- mon fence " or town fence here referred to, was the original boundary between the two settlements. This fence is de- scribed as a "five Rayle fence," extending from "Patuckquet," now the Providence River, to the river by Bowen's Bridge, which is now known as Runen's Bridge, across the upper end of New Meadow Neck towards Broad Cove, a name given to a part of Palmer's or Warren River, near the village of Barneysville. That portion of the line of fence between old Swansea and Seekonk, I have been able to trace a por- tion of the way between Providence and Runen's rivers, and suppose that it extended in nearly an east and west direc- tion between these rivers, and a considerable distance north of the present boundary line between Barrington and East Providence. The eastern, western, and southern boundaries of Sowams and of Old Swansea had a water enclosure with the exception of that part which adjoined the Indian settle- ments, and the territory of Montop Neck. A fence was built across the Neck near the present boundary line be-
mi ors
L
88
THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
tween the towns of Bristol and Warren, and was the basis of it. These several fences prevented the cattle, horses and hogs, which were allowed to run at large on the common lands, from making depredations upon the lands of the Indians, which were not fenced, and also aided in preserving friendly relations between them and their more civilized neighbors. 1
NAMES OF PROPRIETORS AT SOWAMS, PRIOR TO 1680.
William Bradford,
John Winslow,
Thomas Prince,
Experience Mitchell,
Edward Winslow,
Knelm Winslow,
Thomas Cushman,
Resolved White,
Thomas Clark,
Peregrine White,
John Adams,
Myles Standish, Sen.,
Josiah Winslow,
James Brown,
Thomas Willett,
John Saffin,
John Brown,
Nathaniel Paine,
Stephen Paine,
Stephen Paine, Jr.,
Joseph Peck,
Israel Peck,
John Allen,
Jona Bosworth,
Peter Hunt,
Joseph Chaffee,
Henry Smith,
Abraham Perrin,
Philip Walker,
James Brown, Jr.,
Thomas Chaffee,
John Vial,
Samuel Newman,
Nicholas Tanner,
Noah Floyd, Hugh Cole, John Myles,
William Ingraham,
Sampson Mason,
Jno. Butterworth,
Obadiah Brown, Sen.,
Job Winslow,
Benjamin Albee, John Martin,
Richard Sharp,
Gideon Allen,
John Paddock,
Nathaniel Toogood,
John Cole,
Joseph Carpenter,
Anthony Low,
John West, John Thurber,
Thomas Estabrook,
Samuel Luther,
John Myles, Jr.,
-
أصى البر
VIEW AT NAYATT, LOOKING SOUTH.
89
NAMES OF PROPRIETORS AT SOWAMS.
Timothy Brooks, John Crabtree,
Richard Burgess,
Joseph Lewes,
Thomas Barnes,
Robert Jones,
John Wheaton,
Nehemiah Allen,
Jacob Ingraham, William Hayward, Samuel Woodbury,
Gideon Allen, Thomas Mann,
George May,
John Thurber, Jr.,
Joseph Wheaton,
Zachariah Eddy,
William Bartram, Nehemiah Allen,
James Cole,
John Dicks,
Thomas Manning, Nathaniel Lewis,
Hugh Cole, Jr.,
Obadiah Bowen,
Richard Heath,
Nicholas Peck,
Richard Johnson,
Samuel Walker,
Hezekiah Luther,
John Martin,
Eldad Kingsley, Caleb Eddy,
William Salisbury,
William Hammond,
Nicholas Lange,
Joseph Kent, Jeremiah Child, John West.
William Cahoone.
Roger Kinnicutt,
الإذاعة الجسدعاء
CHAPTER VIII
SOWAMS AND BARRINGTON
Location of Sowams -Sowhomes Bay -Evidence of Morton, Winslow, Hubbard, Belknap, Winthrop, Dudley - Seekonk Purchase - Con- sumpsit Neck - Sowams Purchase, 1653 - Chachacust or New Meadow Neck - Privileges to John Brown - Rev. John Callender's Record as to John Clarke and Sowams - Roger Williams Located Sowams - Romeo Elton -Sowams Taxed by Plymouth Colony from 1652 to 1667 - Brook's Pasture - Laid out 1720 -Sowams Records Relate to Barrington Mainly - Early Maps of New England - Review of Evidence - Dutch Trading Post - Story of Northmen - Prof. Munro and Hampden Meadows - Massassoit's Spring and Others.
THE two previous chapters have been devoted to the Sowams Purchase and Proprietary. The present will discuss the location of Sowams.
In my "Historical Sketches of Barrington " I stated what I then believed to be true that Warren was ancient Sowams, following General Fessenden's authority. A study of the subject from other and original sources, not then at my command (1870), has changed my opinion, so that I am fully satisfied that all early authorities sustain my present posi- tion, that Barrington and Sowams are territorially one, or that Sowams was within the present territory of Barrington, and that all writers who make Warren the seat of Massas- soit's Sachemship have followed General Fessenden's state- ment rather than original investigations. We both agree that Massassoit had his principal residence at Sowams, and that Sowams had a narrow territorial limit, not identical with Pokanoket,although the Plymouth Patents recognized and con- sidered them as territorially the same. As the true location of Sowams determines the position of the first white settle-
I
91
LOCATION OF SOWAMS.
ment and the Dutch trading post, I regard it of chief im- portance that the matter should be fairly understood and decided correctly. My claim is that the ancient records show that the Sowams territory was practically identical with that of the town of Barrington, and that Massassoit had his residence either on the south end of New Meadow Neck, or on the west bank of the Sowams River opposite Warren on what was known by the Indians as Peebees Neck.
In the original patent granted the Plymouth settlers by Charles I., Sowams, Sowamset, or Sawamsett is another term for Pokanoket. The patent included all lands from Cohasset River on the north, the Atlantic Ocean on the east and south, and "extending up into the mainland tow- ards the west from the mouth of the said River called Narragansett River to the utmost limit and bound of a countrey or place in New England, commonly called Poke- nacutt, als. Puckanokick, als. Sawaamset (Sowams) west- ward."
In the deed of Shawomet (Warwick) to Randall Holden, John Green and others the eastern boundary is "Sowhomes (Sowams) Bay or Narragansett Bay." This name of the Bay given it by Miantonomi, chief of the Narragansetts, in- dicates the title by which it was known to the people of that tribe, derived as is probable from the country of the tribe dwelling on its eastern border.
In Morton's New England Memorial the writer states that after Massassoit had concluded the terms of the league with the Plymouth settlers in March, 1621, "he returned to his place called Sowams, about forty miles distant from Plymouth."
A foot note to this statement adds, "Massassoit resided at Sowams or Sowamsett, at the confluence of two rivers in Rehoboth, or Swansea, though occasionally at Mont Haup or Mount Hope, the principal residence of his son, Philip."
In " Winslow's Relations" the word is spelled Sawaams, and it is stated that the place was more commonly known by the name of Pokanoket. "One of these words indicated
92
THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
a territory and the other the residence of Massassoit, which was at Mount Hope, Bristol, R. I."
In Hubbard's History of New England it is stated that " Massassoit-they brought down to the English at Plym- outh, though his place was at forty miles distance, called Sowams, his country called Pokanoket." In Winslow's account of his second journey to Sowams, 1623, he says " News came to Plymouth, that Massasowat was like to die, and that at the same time there was a Dutch ship driven so high on the shore by stress of weather, right before his dwelling, that till the tides increased, she could not be got off." When he reached Sowams the Dutch ship had gone, and he found Massassoit sick.
A note in Belknap's Am. Biog. Vol. II, p. 221, referring to the name " Puckanokick " states that "this was a gen- eral name for the Northern shore of Narragansett Bay, between Providence and Taunton, comprehending the pres- ent territory of Bristol, Warren and Barrington, R. I., and Swansea in Massachusetts. Its northern extent is un- known. The principal seats of Massassoit were at Sowams and Kickemuit. The former, Sowams, is a neck of land formed by the confluence of the Barrington and Palmer's Rivers. The latter, Kickemuit, is Mount Hope."
In Winthrop's Journal, page 72, it appears that the Gov- ernor received letters from Plymouth, "signifying that there had been a broil between their men at Sowamset and the Narraganset Indians, who set upon the English house there to have taken Ousamequin the sagamore of Packanocott, who was fled thither to relieve the three English which were in the house, had sent home with all haste for more men and other provisions, upon intelligence that Canonicus with a great army, was coming against them."
"Powder was wanted and Winthrop sent twenty-seven pounds; the messenger returned with a letter from the Governor (of Plymouth) that the Indians were retired from Sowams to fight with the Pequins (Pequots), which was probable."
93
DUTCH TRADING POST.
Under date of May 1, 1632, we find the following in the same journal : Winthrop and assistants in session at Boston : "While they were thus sitting together, an Indian brings a letter from Captain Standish, then at Sowams, to the effect that the Dutchmen (which lay for loading at Any- gansett or Narragansett) had lately informed him that many Pequins who were professed enemies to the Anygansetts, had been there divers days and had advised us to be watchful, etc., giving other reasons, etc."
Thomas Dudley, Deputy, made complaint against Governor Winthrop as follows, in 1632 ; asking, "By what authority he lent twenty-eight pounds of powder to those of Plimouth, the Governor answered, it was of his own powder, and upon their urgent request, their own powder proving naught when they were to send to the rest of their men at Sowamsett."
The above references establish these facts : that Sowams was on or near Narragansett Bay; that it was the residence of Massassoit, the great chief of the Wampanoags ; that there was a trading post at Sowams where the Dutch sup- plied the Indians with the commerce of the earlier times ; that Governor Winthrop sent aid to Massassoit and that Standish also had visited Sowams with military aid to the Indians there against the Narragansetts. That the words Sowams and Pokanoket were sometimes used inter- changeably is not strange, as at the period referred to from 1620 to 1640, the Indian names of places had not been defi- nitely localized by the whites at Plymouth or Boston, as in- tercourse between them had been very limited. Belknap and Morton, however, or their editors, state that Massas- soit resided at Sowams or Sowampsett, "at the confluence of two rivers in Rehoboth or Swansea," or on "a neck of land formed by the confluence of the Barrington and Palmer's Rivers." These authors locate Sowams on the Eastern peninsula of Barrington, known as New Meadow Neck, having Palmer's or Warren River on the East.
With the above historic references before us, we are now
94
THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
prepared to examine the records as to what Sowams was and where Massassoit had his residence, as all authorities agree that he lived at Sowams.
In 1641, Mr. John Brown and Mr. Edward Winslow, both of whom had made intimate acquaintance with Massassoit, purchased of the chief a tract of land eight miles square, known to the Indians as Sinkhunck, but named by the whites, Rehoboth. Prior to this purchase we find in the Plymouth records (vol. 2, p. 5), under date of December, 1640, the following entry :
" The third place from Sowamset River to Patuckquett River, wth Consumpsit Neck wch is the cheefe habitacon of the Indians and reserved for them to dwell upon, extending into the land eight miles through the whole breadth thereof was made choice of by the purchasers or old comers accord- ing to order of the court passed March 3, 1639." The "Sowamset River " referred to is the river separating Barring- ton from Warren and the " Patuckquett " is Providence River from Narragansett Bay to the city of Pawtucket. Mr. Brown and his associates at once began the settlement of their pur- chase of Seekonk which they named Rehoboth, and in 1645 it was voted at a meeting of the townsmen "that a fence shall be made from sea to sea (Sowamsett River to Patuck- quett River) between the Indian lands." This fence was the south line of the Rehoboth purchase.
It is evident from the above record that Sowams was not included in the Seekonk purchase of 1641, as a fence was built along the southern boundary of the town to separate its lands from those of the Indians on the south. As Con- sumpsit Neck (Bristol Neck) was an Indian reservation and known by that name, it is clear that it was not a part of Sowams. Kickemuit, the Indian village, and the section of territory along the Kickemuit River are not claimed as within the Sowams limit. It must then be accepted that Sowams was a part of the territory lying between Seekonk on the north and the Narragansett Bay and Consump- sit or Mount Hope Neck on the south. Let us now
Pastaplint sốt
L
IT
بلمسة من خسار
95
SOWAMS AND PARTS ADJACENT.
examine testimony that is clear and positive as to its real location.
In the deed of Massassoit and Philip dated March 20, 1653, the Indians united in a transfer of lands, entitled " SOWAMS AND PARTS ADJACENT" to Thomas Prince, Thomas Willett, Miles Standish, Josiah Winslow and their associates for the consideration of thirty-five pounds, and described as follows : "All those several parcells and Necks of upland, Swamps and meadows, Lying and being on the South Syde of Sinkhunck els Rehoboth Bounds and is bounded from a little brook of water called by the Indians Mosskituash westerly and so Ranging by a dead swamp eastward and so by markt trees as Csamequin and Wamsitta directed unto the great River with all the Creeks and Brooks that are in or upon any of the said meadows, as also all the marsh meadows lying and Being without the Bounds before mentioned, in or about the neck called by the Indians Chach- acust. Also all the meadows lyeing and being in or about Popasquash Neck, as also all the meadow Lyeing from Kicko- muet on both sides or any way joyning to it on the bay on each side." This was the Sowams Purchase.
To understand the limits of this territory called Sowams, it may be stated that " Mosskituash " was the name of the brook near Riverside in East Providence, that flows into Bullock's Cove ; " the dead swamp" was the woodland east and north of the old Willett estate, now owned by Gov. Elisha Dyer ; "the great river " (Sowams) with both branches was Palmers and Barrington Rivers, uniting at the south end of New Meadow Neck; Chachacust was New Meadow Neck; Popasquash was the name of the neck of land in Bristol, west of Bristol Harbor. This Indian deed is vital testimony in that it fixes Sowams as the territory on the south side of Seekonk and between the Sowamsett or Great River on the east and Patuckquett River on the west. " The parts adjacent," which are not bounded, are the salt and fresh meadows on Poppasquash Neck and on both sides of the Kickemuit River. It was not until after Philip's War that
W
96
THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
the whites attempted to occupy or come into the ownership of the Indian possessions at Mount Hope or on the west bank of the Kickemuit. In this deed, reference is made to "the neck called by the Indians Chachacust," which was deeded conditionally to the whites, as it is stated "that whensoever the Indians shall remove from the Neck, that then and thenceforth the aforesaid Thomas Prince and others shall enter upon the same by the same graunt, as their proper rights and interest to them and their haiers for- ever." In other words, New Meadow Neck or Chachacust was then the residence of a portion of the tribe, while an- other portion had a village at Kickemuit on the north end of Bristol Neck.
In 1653, the year of the purchase of Sowams by Willett, Prince and others, the town of Rehoboth agreed to build "a sufficient fence to keepe horses and cattle from Rangeing into the Neck of land called the New Meadow Neck and maintaine the same." With the Indian settlement on New Meadow Neck, it was very important for the peace of both whites and Indians that a sufficient fence should be built between their lands.
Another piece of evidence fits the case at this point. Rehoboth wanted certain salt meadows in the upper part of Barrington River and applied to Plymouth Court for the same. The Court voted Dec. 7, 1647 :
"Whereas the inhabitants of Rehoboth desire liberty to make use of a quantity of marsh lying on the west side of Sowames River wh they call the New Meadows,. containing about one hundred accars, untell there should bee a plantation at Sowames, leave was granted unto them so to make use of it, but no further ppriety to belong unto them, but untell a plantation should be settled at Sowams and for the avoyding of all differences or conten- tions amongst them about the same, it is left unto the dis- cretion of Mr. Browne for him to dispose of amongst them, as hee should see them stand in need."
"And for such pieces of marsh lying within the fence upon
Rolf Ma
لحمة + الاحت ؟
97
CALLENDER'S EVIDENCE.
the necke of land wh the Indians are possessed of and doe inhabite, which doth not belong unto the township of Re- hoboth, Mr. Brown is allowed to make use of the same for himself, without molestation from the inhabitants at Sow- ames, and then to require no further ppriety therein."
This record is in the handwriting of Nathaniel Morton, Secretary of Plymouth Colony, who in 1668 tells us that the residence of Massassoit was at Sowams, at the confluence of two rivers in Rehoboth or Swansea. The liberty given to Mr. Browne to use marsh lands lying within the fence upon the necke, can by no interpretation be made to apply to any other section of Sowams than New Meadow Neck, where an Indian village then stood, as it is distinctly stated, " which the Indians are possessed of and do inhabite, which doth not belong unto the township of Rehoboth." The record also declares that Mr. Brown could use these lands only and until a plantation is made at Sowams of which these lands are a part.
Rev. John Callender in his Historical Discourse adds his testimony as to Sowams. An ecclesiastical synod at Boston tried John Clarke and his associates for heresy. Mr. Callender says, " Whereupon, many of the other side deter- mined to remove, for peace sake, and to enjoy the freedom of their consciences. And Mr. John Clarke who made the proposal, was requested with some others, to seek out a place, and thereupon by reason of the suffocating heat of the summer before, he went North, to be somewhat cooler, but the winter following proving as cold, they were forced in the spring to make towards the South. So having sought the Lord for directions they agreed, that while their vessel was passing about a large and dangerous Cape, (Cape Cod), they would cross over by land, having Long Island and Dela- ware Bay in their eye for the place of their residence. At Providence, Mr. R. Williams lovingly entertained them, and being consulted about their design, readily presented two places before them in the Narragansett Bay, the one on the main land called So-wames (the Neck since called Phebe's
7
1
1
98
THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
Neck in Barrington) and Aquetneck now Rhode Island. (Mr. John Clarke's Narrative). And inasmuch as they were determined to go out of every other jurisdiction, Mr. Wil- liams and Mr. Clarke attended with two other persons, went to Plymouth to inquire how the case stood ; they were lov- ingly received and answered that Sowames was the garden of their Patent. But they were advised to settle at Aquet- neck, and promised to be looked on as free and to be treated and assisted as loving neighbors."
Prof. Romeo Elton, in the edition of Callender's Rhode Island, 1838, says, "Perhaps Sowams is properly the name of the river, where the two Swansea Rivers meet and run together for near a mile, when they empty themselves into Narragansett Bay, or a small island where these two rivers meet at the bottom of the meadow so called." No claim had been made up to this time that Sowams was located on the east side of the Warren River. Had there been, Prof. Elton would have mentioned it.
Next to the title deed from the Indians, establishing Bar- rington as the Sowams of Massassoit, the most important testimony is this of the nearest white neighbor of the great chief, his most estimable friend, Roger Williams. In 1636 Mr. Williams had made the friendship of Massassoit and was his guest at Sowams for several days on his way from Plymouth to Seekonk. Learning that these lands were probably in Massachusetts Bay Colony, Mr. Williams crossed the Seekonk River and settled in Providence. In 1637, his friend, John Clarke, having been requested to leave Boston by ecclesiastical authority, came to Providence to consult as to his future with his old friend, Williams, banished from Salem. Clarke talked about a good place for settlement, and Williams recommended two places. "The one on the main called Sowames (the neck since called Phebe's Neck in Barrington) and Aquetneck, now Rhode Island." Going to Plymouth for permission to settle at Sowams, they were told that " Sowams was the garden of their Patent," and Clarke was advised to settle at Aquidneck, which he did. Callen-
-
اللاسلك
1
99
JOHN CLARKE AND ROGER WILLIAMS.
der, who wrote the above statement, was no other than the Rev. John Callender, whose Historical Discourse from which the quotation is taken, is a classic authority in Rhode Island history. He in turn quotes from Mr. John Clarke's Narrative as to Mr. Williams's advice in the matter. As Mr. Callender was the assistant minister of the Baptist Church in Swansea, 1728-30, and was practically living on the territory of Sowams, it is impossible that he could be mistaken when he says that Sowams was Phebe's Neck or Barrington, " The garden of the (Plymouth) Patent." It is unreasonable to believe that Roger Williams, who had been the guest of Massassoit at his village the winter before, could have been mistaken as to the location of Sowams, the residence of his host, that memorable winter, nor can it be possible that John Clarke and Rev. John Callender, who had visited the territory and were well acquainted with its limits, would locate the chief, his home, and his town on the west side of the river at Barrington, when his home was really reached by crossing the river to the site of the town of War- ren. It is fortunate that Mr. Callender wrote his Century Sermon in 1739, while Barrington was a separate town so that there could be no misunderstanding as to the locality. Had he written in 1715, he must have said that Sowams was in Swansea and we should never have known on which side of the river the Indian village of Sowams was located.
After the purchase of Sowams in 1653, the lands were divided and sold to actual settlers and from that date on, we find the lands of Sowams in the hands of permanent white occupants. Mr. Willett and Mr. John Brown took large possessions at Wannamoisett and made their homes there while others settled on the north end of New Meadow Neck. From 1649, when Rev. Mr. Newman began the opposition to the Rehoboth Baptists, till 1663, the year of the arrival of Rev. John Myles, the people of the Baptist faith were scattered, some going to Newport, some to Boston, and others to Sowams, outside and south of Rehoboth, where the liberal leaders had established their settlement and
الساوراء
1
1
للعلى
6
100
THE HISTORY OF BARRINGTON.
church. Under the government and protection of Plymouth Colony as they were, these people must bear their share of the burdens of the colony and the omnipresent tax assessor and collector visit the new proprietary of Sowams and levy and collect taxes from the permanent settlers in Sowams, on New Meadow and Peebee's Necks and at Wannamoisett.
As the tax book of Plymouth Colony was an unerring guide as to the presence of wealth and population, we find Sowams entered as a taxable community in 1652, the Indian contingent excepted. The following records relative to tax- ation of the people dwelling at Sowams and the rates of sev- eral towns, showing the comparative size of the neighbor- hoods, are of convincing importance :
PLYMOUTH TAX RATES.
1652. Sowams rates,
£1 10 00
Rehoboth,
5 I
Plymouth,
.
3 14
1660. Sowamsett,
IO
Oct. 2, 1660. " Captn. Willett is to bee sent unto to put those that have lands att Sowamsett into some way for the leviing and paying of theire rates."
1661, June Ioth. "The naighborhood of Sowamsett is ordered to pay a rate of fifty shillings for the public charges of the countrey."
" It is ordered by the Court that the ward of Rehoboth shall extend into Sowamsett and unto all the naighbors there inhabiting."
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.