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.
[Illustration: acorn and oak leaf logo]
Appendix
[Illustration: small acorn and oak leaf logo]
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.
Timothy Brooks resided at different periods, at Woburn, Bedford and
Swansea, Mass. During King Philip’s war, his family were protected at
“Garrison No. 10” at Bedford, which stood near his residence, now
known as the “Old Page House.” After the death of his first wife,
1680, he removed to Swansea. He was “admitted into ye second Ranke” at
Swansea 1680, November 12. Freeman, 1681. Granted liberty “to set up a
Saw Mill on Mattapoisett River at the upper falls and four acres of
Land to accommodate the same adjoining,” 1681, November 11. One of
“the Grand Enquest,” 1682, June 6. Granted liberty to “keep
Entertainment for Travellers” 1684, January 1. Commissioned Lieutenant
of the Swansea Company, 1686, June 4. Promoted to be Captain of the
Company, 1690, May 20.
Timothy Brooks resided in that part of Swansea now Warren, and, in
1690, was one of the fence viewers appointed for Kickemuit district.
His hostelry was the first ever opened within the limits of Warren.
Judging by deeds recorded at Swansea and Warren, it was located on the
east side of Belcher’s Cove on the Swansea Road. His estate consisted
of a house, barn, and out-buildings and 110 acres of land, which he
sold to John Barney of Bristol, May 15, 1702.
[Illustration: Acorn and oak leaf logo]
[1] See also, “Sowams, the Home of Massasoit: Where Was It?”
by Virginia Baker, N. E. Hist. and Gen. Register, July,
1899.