Part 3

In 1675, John Sassamon, a Christian Indian employed as a sort of private secretary by Philip, warned the Plymouth government that his master was plotting against it. Philip discovered the perfidy of Sassamon, and shortly afterward, the dead body of the latter was found beneath the ice in Assawamset Pond in Middleborough. The English doubted not that Sassamon had been put to death by the sachem’s order. They arrested three savages whom they charged with the murder, tried them before a jury composed of twelve Englishmen and four Indians, and sentenced them to death, though two of them maintained their innocence to the last. Philip had been summoned to Plymouth to testify regarding his own connection with the murder, but he was too wise to obey an injunction, so fraught with peril. Instead, he openly hurled defiance at his accusers.

His first overt act was committed within the limits of Sowams. “A little before the Court,” the Plymouth Records tell us, “Philip began to keep his men in armes about him and to gather strangers unto him and to march about in armes toward the vper end of the Necke on which he lived and neare to the English houses whoe began thereby to be somewhat disquieted but tooke as yett noe further notice but only to sett a military watch in the next Townes as Swanzey and Rehoboth.” The Indians, however did not long confine themselves to stalking about and flourishing their weapons. Their powwows, or priests, having prophesied defeat to which ever party should shed the first blood in the conflict, they sought to provoke the English to attack them by shooting their cattle, frightening women, and insulting travellers. On the 18th or 19th of June, Job Winslow’s house[22] was “broken up and rifled” by them. On Sunday, June 20th, a party of eight warriors fully armed, invaded the hamlet. They knocked at the door of a colonist and demanded permission to grind their hatchets. Upon being told that the grinding of hatchets on the Lord’s Day was a sin they replied, “We know not who your God is and we shall grind our hatchets for all you or your God either.” They then proceeded to another house where they helped themselves liberally to food. Continuing along the road they met an Englishman whom they took prisoner, but later dismissed, after enjoining him not to work on the Lord’s Day and to tell no lies.

As they proceeded on they began to shoot the cattle in the fields, encountering no resistance as nearly all the settlers were in attendance at public worship. At length they reached a house whose owner was not at church. They killed his cattle, then entered the house and demanded liquor, which being refused they attempted to seize by violence. The Englishman infuriated, snatched up his gun and fired, seriously injuring one of the savages. The Indians immediately retired, bearing the wounded warrior with them, and breathing threats of vengeance. Back through Sowams they swiftly wended their way to their own territory. Tradition says that at Kickemuit Spring they met Philip, who wept when he heard their story, and there seems little reason to doubt the truth of the tradition. Though he had long meditated war, the sachem was not yet fully prepared for it. Events unforeseen had, however, hastened the crisis. He found it impossible to curb the impatience and fury of his younger warriors, and though he had failed to complete his cherished scheme for a general uprising of the red men, he could no longer delay open battle with the enemy. Perhaps a prophetic foreboding of defeat forced the tears from his eyes.

The raid upon Sowams was the beginning of a reign of terror that extended over every portion of Swansea. The Plymouth government, upon being notified of the condition of affairs, immediately dispatched companies of militia to the assistance of the distressed township. On June 22d, six men were killed or mortally wounded at Mattapoiset. Thursday, June 24th, was appointed a day of fasting and prayer, and as some of the colonists were returning from church they were fired upon by the Indians with the result that one man was killed and another wounded. During the same day “six men were killed in another part of the town.” On the 28th, William Hammond was killed and “one Corporal Belcher” wounded while scouring the “enemy’s territory” between Miles’ garrison[23] at North Swansea and the Sowams’ settlement. On the 29th, a party of Indians who had shown themselves near the garrison were pursued by the English towards Sowams but made their escape into a nearby swamp.[24] That night Philip, fearful of capture, abandoned Mt. Hope Neck retreating across the bay to Pocasset, now Tiverton. One of the last acts performed by the savages ere quitting the home of their ancestors, was the final destruction of Sowams. Hubbard tells us that on the following day the entire English force (which had concentrated at North Swansea) marched from Miles’ garrison towards Mt. Hope. At a point about a mile and a half below the bridge near the garrison they “passed by some houses newly burned” and “not far off one of them they found a Bible newly torn and the leaves scattered about by the enemy.” These charred ruins and torn and scattered leaves were all that remained of English Sowams, ill-fated Sowams, strangely destined to be destroyed by the same hands that had nurtured it in its infancy. Two or three miles further on, at the “Narrow of the Neck” on the west bank of Kickemuit River the soldiers discovered the “heads, hands, and scalps” of eight Englishmen, murdered at Mattapoisett, “stuck up on poles near the highway,” close by the spot which must have been pressed by the feet of Winslow and Hopkins when, journeying from Plymouth to Pokanoket in 1621, they crossed the “wading-place” at Kickemuit and entered Sowams for the purpose of continuing the “league of peace and friendship” with Massasoit, and of securing from the savage chief the supply of seed corn which the feeble colony of Plymouth then stood sorely in need of.

The site of English Sowams remained desolate from that eventful June day until some time after the close of the war which soon followed the death of King Philip in August, 1676. About 1678, settlers began to rebuild along the Kickemuit, and the old “ways” and “bridal paths” laid out “long since” by the Sowams’ colonists were re-surveyed, descriptions of them being carefully recorded. Most of these ancient highways are in use at the present day. There being no Indians left on Mount Hope Neck, the territory now occupied by the town of Bristol and the compact part of Warren, passed into the possession of the successors of the original Sowams’ proprietors, by virtue of the deed executed by Massasoit and Wamsutta in 1653. By an arbitrary act, King Charles transferred the site of Bristol to Plymouth, but that of Warren became a part of Swansea. As early as 1671, the last mentioned district was known by the name of “Brooks’ Pasture,” undoubtedly from some right of ownership in it possessed by Timothy Brooks.[25] What that right was the writer has been, thus far, unable to discover, though a careful and diligent search of the early records has been made in the hope of solving the mystery. At different periods, between 1681 and 1725, Brooks’ Pasture――with the exception of the meadows or marshes divided in 1653 between Thomas Prince and his partners in the Sowams’ purchase――was laid out and divided among the proprietors there being, in all, eight several apportionments of land made.

It is uncertain at what date the first dwelling house was erected in the western part of Brooks’ Pasture. In 1746, that section of Swansea now occupied by the two towns of Barrington and Warren was ceded to Rhode Island, incorporated as a township, and given the name of Warren in honor of Admiral Sir Peter Warren, the hero of Louisburg and Cape Breton. Warren’s proximity to the ocean, and its excellent harbor facilities, early led the inhabitants to engage in maritime pursuits; and, in course of time, the wharves, and shops, ship yards and dwelling houses of a flourishing seaport sprang up to replace the vanished wigwams of Massasoit’s town, Sowams in Pokanoket.

Appendix

Some Notes on the Family of Massasoit

Massasoit had two brothers, Quadequina and Akkompoin. When Massasoit visited Plymouth, March 22, 1621, he was accompanied by Quadequina who is described as a “very proper, tall young man, of a very modest and seemly countenance.” It is supposed that Massasoit took the name of Ousamequin upon the death of Quadequina.

Akkompoin, Uncompawen, or Woonkaponehunt, was one of King Philip’s counsellors. He signed the treaties made by Philip with the English at Plymouth, August 6, 1662; at Taunton, April 10, 1671; and at Plymouth, September 29, 1671. He was killed by the English, while attempting to cross Taunton river, July 31, 1676.

Namumpum, _alias_ Tatapanum, _alias_ Weetamoe, the wife of Mooanum, _alias_ Wamsutta, _alias_ Alexander, _alias_ Sopaquitt, Massasoit’s eldest son, is known in history as the “Squaw Sachem of Pocasset.” She is supposed to have been the daughter of Corbitant of Mattapoiset. At the time of her marriage to Alexander she was the widow of an Indian named Weequequinequa. Soon after the death of Alexander she wedded a third husband Quiquequanchett, of whom nothing definite is known. She married, fourth, Petownonowit, who espoused the English cause during Philip’s War, in consequence of which his wife separated from him and formed an alliance with Quinnapin, a young Narragansett sachem, and one of Philip’s chief captains. Weetamoe followed the fortunes of Philip throughout the war. She was drowned in Taunton River, near Mattapoisett, August, 1676. Alexander had a son, but of his history nothing seems to be known.

Metacomet _alias_ Pometacom, _alias_ King Philip, _alias_ Wewascowanett, Massasoit’s second son, married Wootonekanuske, a sister of Weetamoe. They had two children, one of whom died in 1671. The other, a boy of eight, was, with his mother, captured by the English, August 1, 1676, and, after the death of Philip, both mother and son were shipped to the West Indies and sold into slavery. Of their subsequent fate there is no record.

Sunconewhew was the third son of Massasoit. His name appears upon a deed given by Philip, March 30, 1668, confirming the sale of the town of Rehoboth made by Massasoit in 1641. It is said that King Philip had a brother killed, July 18, 1675, who was a great captain and had been educated at Harvard College. This was probably Sunconewhew.

Massasoit had a daughter Amie. She married Watuspaquin, or Tuspaquin, chief of the Assawamset Indians, generally called by the English the “Black Sachem.” She is probably the “sister of Philip” who was captured by the English, July 31, 1676. Her husband was put to death by the Plymouth authorities in September, 1676. Descendants of Tuspaquin and Amie are living, the last of the royal race of Massasoit. For an authentic and interesting account of them the reader is referred to “Indian History, Biography and Geneology” by Ebenezer W. Pierce of Freetown, Mass. published, 1878, by Zerviah Gould Mitchell, sixth in line of descent from Tuspaquin and Amie, his wife.

Historic Localities in and About Sowams

TOUISET. Indian name of a neck of land lying between Kickemuit and Cole’s Rivers. The western portion of it is in Warren, the eastern in Swansea. Indian relics have been exhumed from its soil, and, perhaps an Indian village was once located upon it. April 10, 1673, Tottomommuck, sachem of Seaconnet (Little Compton, R. I.), sold “land in Swansea called Towsett,”[26] to Nathaniel Paine. In the early records of Swansea Touiset is generally termed “The Sheep Pasture.” It was laid out in 106 lots which were divided among the Swansea proprietors in 1686. In July 1675, a great concourse of Philip’s warriors gathered at Touiset, near the “narrows” of the Kickemuit River, “to eat clams, other provisions being scarce.” Captain Benjamin Church, then at Pocasset (Tiverton), greatly desired to surprise and capture this body of the enemy; but, as he had peremptory orders to proceed from Pocasset directly to Mt. Hope, he was compelled to allow them to remain unmolested.

After the close of Philip’s war, the remnant of the Wampanoags fled to Maine, and ultimately became merged in the Penobscot tribe. Up to half a century ago, parties of Penobscot Indians were in the habit of making periodical visits to Warren, camping for several days in various parts of the town. Before returning to Maine, they invariably paid a visit of a few hours to what is known as the “Hicks’ Farm” on Touiset Neck, though for what purpose this particular locality was visited they never divulged.

KING’S ROCKS, the “National Grinding Mill” of the Wampanoags. The following article, contributed by Gen. Guy M. Fessenden, appeared in the “Warren Telegraph” issue of June 2, 1860.

“Mr. Editor: An interesting discovery in reference to the aboriginal history of this town has recently been made. Mr. Francis Loring, an intelligent Indian, and a member of the Penobscot tribe, who has been in this vicinity for several weeks, informed the writer that the tribe had in their possession, and which they carefully preserved among their national archives, an ancient book made of skins, containing many descriptions of important historical localities, some of which are in this vicinity, all of them in the ancient Indian style of signs and picture writing. One of these pictures represents four men rolling a heavy circular stone, by a stick placed through a hole in the centre, back and forth over a quantity of corn, and described as the Wampanoag national grinding mill, where corn was ground for war parties or for any large public gathering of the people.

“The locality of the place was so plainly stated that Mr. Loring had no difficulty in finding it. It is at the place called King’s Rocks in Warren, near the Swansea line about two miles from the village. On the west side of the mass of rocks is a nearly level smooth surface of rock about twenty-five feet by eight feet in width. In this level place are three regular, narrow, straight depressions. They appear evidently to have been worn into the rock by some forcible attrition, and are, in fact, just such hollows as might be made by the cause assigned.

“These worn places have heretofore attracted notice and speculation, but the true cause of their existence has not before been known by late generations, and the idea of a national grinding mill, or of pulverizing corn by a rolling stone in connection with Indian history will probably be new to every one.

“As confirmatory of the locality, Mr. Loring says the picture has upon it another hill of somewhat peculiar appearance (a large rock upon the summit) situated about a mile east of the grinding place, named, he thinks Wigwam Hill.[27] Leading from this hill towards the setting sun are two hundred and forty human steps, the line of steps terminating in three skulls which denotes a burial place. Mr. Loring visited the hill (now called Margaret’s Hill from the last Indian woman who resided there) and pacing off 240 steps west came to an Indian cemetery, which he verified by digging, and finding human remains.

F“

Mr. Francis Loring, known also by the name “Big Thunder” is now living, at an advanced age, on Indian Old Town Island, Maine, and is the custodian of the Penobscot tribe. The writer recently learned from him that the “ancient book made of skins” alluded to by General Fessenden was, a few years ago, accidentally destroyed by fire.

The Penobscot language contains several words which are undoubtedly of Wampanoag or Narragansett origin. This tribe regard Warren, R. I., as the former home of Massasoit. They translate the word Sowams, “Place of the Setting Sun.”

WANNAMOISETT. The northern part of Barrington extending into Seekonk, and including Bullock’s Point and Riverside. It was purchased of the Indians by John Brown, 1645. Became a part of Swansea, 1668.

CHACHACUST. The neck of land lying between Barrington and Warren, or Palmer’s Rivers. Called by the English, New Meadow Neck, or the New Meadows. Under the date December 7, 1647, the “New Meadows” are referred to, in the Plymouth Records, as being “on the west side of Sowams River” which proves that Sowams River and Warren River are identical. King Philip claimed that a portion of Chachacust was not included in the sale of “Sowams and Parts Adjacent,” and the English purchased his right in 1668.

POPANOMSCUT. The southerly section of Barrington. It was called by the English “Phebe’s Neck,” and appears to have been the abode of Pebee, or Thebe, a petty Wampanoag sachem, and one of Philip’s counsellors. Thebe was killed by the English July 2, 1675. At the close of Philip’s war Plymouth Colony claimed Popanomscut as “conquered land,” but the Sowams’ proprietors succeeded in establishing their right to the tract under the provisions of the “Grand Deed of Saile” of “Sowams and Parts Adjacent.”

In Roger Williams’ “Key” occurs the word “paponaumsuog” which is thus defined: “A winter fish which comes up in the brooks and rivulets; some call them frost fish from their coming up from the sea into fresh brooks in time of frost and snow.” Every one familar with Warren River is aware of the fact that, with the arrival of cold weather, great quantities of frost fish appear in its waters, swarming close to both the Barrington and Warren shores. The similarity of the two words “Popanomscut” and “paponaumsuog” suggests the question: May not the former word have been derived from the latter, and may not its meaning be “place of frost fish” or something of similar signification?

Popanomscut was laid out and divided among the proprietors between 1676 and 1680.

CHACHAPACASET. Rumstick Neck in Barrington. The name Rumstick was applied to the neck in 1697, and at first only to a locality as “Rumstick on Chachapacaset.” Some authorities believe the word Rumstick to be of Norse origin.

NAYATT. The south-west point of Barrington.

MOSCACHUCK CREEK. It runs from the brickyard at Nayatt into Narragansett Bay.

ANNAWOMSCOTT. That section of Barrington now known as Drownville.

SCAMSCAMMUCK SPRING. Located at the upper end of Chachapacasset.

MOSSKITUASH CREEK. This flows into Bullock’s Cove at Riverside.

POPPASQUASH NECK. Poppasquash, though originally used to indicate the entire western part of Bristol, is now only applied to a small peninsula surrounded by the waters of Bristol harbor on the east and Narragansett Bay on the west.

The “MIERY SWAMP.” The swamp at Mount Hope where King Philip was slain August 12, 1676.

“KING PHILIP’S CHAIR.” A niche in the eastern side of Mount Hope in which, according to tradition, King Philip was accustomed to sit for the purpose of reviewing his warriors, practicing target shooting, etc. Near the “chair” is a spring of pure water.

The Grand Deed of Saile of Lands from Osamequin and Wamsetto his son, dated 29th March, 1653.

To All People to whome these presents shall come, Osamaquin and Wamsetto his Eldest Sone Sendeth greeting. Know Yee, that wee the said Osamequin & Wamsetto, for & in consideration of thirty-five pounds sterling to us the said Osamequin and Wamsetto in hand payd By Thomas Prince Gent: Thomas Willett Gent: Miles Standish, Gent: Josiah Winslow, Gent: for And in the behalfe of themselues and divers others of the Inhabitants of Plimouth Jurisdiction, whose names are hereafter specified, with which said summe we the said Osamequin and Wamsetto doe Acknowledge ourselues fully satisfyed contented and payd, Haue freely and absolutely bargained and Sold Enfeoffed and Confirmed and by these presents Doe Bargaine Sell Enfeoffe and Confirme from us the said Osamequin and Wamsetto, and our and Every of our haiers unto Thomas Prince, Thomas Willett, Miles Standish, Josia Winslow, Agents for themselves and William Bradford, Senr, Gent: Thomas Clark, John Winslow, Thomas Cushman, William White, John Adams and Experience Mitchell, to them and Every of them, their and Every of their haiers and assigns forever;――

All those Severall parcells and Necks of Vpland, Swamps and Meadows Lyeing and being on the South Syde of Sinkunch Els Rehoboth, Bounds and is bounded from a Little Brooke of water, called by the Indjans Mosskituash Westerly, and so Ranging by a dead Swamp, Estward, and so by markt trees as Osamequin and Wamsetto directed unto the great River with all the Meadow in and about ye Sydes of bothe the Branches of the great River wth all the Creeks and Brookes that are in or upon any of the said meadows, as also all the marsh meadow Lying and Being wth out the Bounds before mentioned in or about the neck Called by the Indians Chachacust, Also all the meadow of any kind Lying and being in or about Popasquash neck as also all the meadow Lyeing from Kickomuet on both sides or any way Joyning to it on the bay on Each Side.

To Haue And To Hold all the aforesaid vpland Swamp Marshes Creeks and Rivers withe all their appurtinances unto the aforesaid Thomas Prince, Thomas Willett, Miles Standish, Josia Winslow and the rest of the partners aforesaid to theme, And Every of them their and Every of their haiers Executors And assignes for Ever And the said Osamequin and Wamsetto his Sone Covenant promise and grant, that whensoeuer the Indians Shall Remoue from the Neck that then and from thence forth the aforesaid Thomas Prince, Thomas Willet, Miles Standish, Josiah Winslow shall enter vpon the Same by the Same Agreement as their Proper Rights And Interests to them and their heirs for Ever. To and for the true perforemance of all and Every one of the aforesaid severall Perticulars wee the said Osamequin, and Wamsetto Bind us and every of us our and every of our heirs Executors Administrators and Assignes ffirmly by these presents.

In Witness whereof wee haue hereunto sett our hands and Seales this twentieth day of March, anno Domini, 1653.

The marke of OSAMEQUIN, & a (Seale). WAMSETTO, W. & (Seale).

Signed Sealed and Delivered in ye Presence of us John Browne James Browne Richard Garrett.

Timothy Brooks

Timothy Brooks was the son of Henry and Susan Brooks of Woburn, Mass. He married (1st), 1659, December 2, Mary, daughter of John Russell. She died at Woburn, 1680. He married (2d), 1680, Mehitable, daughter of Roger and Mary Mowry, and widow of Eldad Kingsley of Swansea. Timothy Brooks had several children of some of whom we find record as follows:

Timothy, born, 1661, October 9. Married, 1685, November 10, Hannah, daughter of Obadiah and Abigail (Bullock) Bowen. He was a Baptist minister. Removed from Swansea, Mass., to Cohansey, N.Y.

John, born about 1662. Married (1st) Martha, daughter of Hugh and Mary (Foxwell) Cole (b. 1662, April 16; d. 1711); married (2d) Tabitha Wright of New York. She died, 1714, November 19, aged 30 years. He died, 1714, November 22, aged 52 years.

Mary, married Samuel, son of William and Susannah Salisbury (b. 1666, May 17, and died――――). Samuel Salisbury married (2d) Jemima Martin.

Elizabeth, married, 1689, April 10, Thomas Lewis.

Hepsibath, born, 1673. Married, 1694, May 22. Pelatiah, son of Sampson and Mary (Butterworth) Mason, (b. 1669, April 1), and died, 1727, August 24. He married a second, third, and fourth wife and died, 1763, March 29.

Rebecca, married, 1696, November 6, Melatiah, son of John and Joanna (Esten) Martin. He was born, 1673, April 30, and died, 1761, January 30.

Abigail, married Levi Preston.

Josiah born, Swansea, Mass., 1681. Removed to New York.