In 1614 there was estimated to be approximately 3000 Massachusett Indians living in 20 villages around Boston Harbor, but by the time the Pilgrims arrived in 1620 there were less than 800. In 1631 the Puritans counted less than 500. No organized groups of the Massachusett are known to have survived after 1800.
Nanepashemet (the New Moon) ruled over a federation of tribes
know as the "Massachusett" that lived within the present
boundaries of the state.
Nanepashemet had three sons, Wonohaquaham, (Sagamore John of
Winnisimmet), Montowampate, (Sagamore James of Lynn), Winnepurkitt,
(Sagamore George of Salem) and one daughter Yawata (Abigail).
Sometime in 1615, war broke out between the Penobscots and the
Tarratines of northern Maine, a war brought on by a raid on a
Tarratine village by the Penobscots in which a number of Tarratines
were killed, and several women and children were taken as prisoners.
The Tarratines retaliated by attacking the main village of the Penobscots where they killed the Bashebe (Great Sachem), then continued on, attacking most of the villages from the Penobscot River to the Blue Hills of Maine, killing so many in these raids that the survivors were for some time unable to bury their dead. That same year, Nanepashemet sent a war party to aid the Penobscots, but although his men were victorious in their few skirmishes with the Tarratines and brought a few prisoners back to Massachusetts, he brought about his own death and the destruction of his federation by his participation in the war.
As a result of this disastrous war with the Tarratines in 1616, Nanepashemet was forced to live in constant fear for his own life. He abandoned his coastal lodges, going inland to Medford along the shores of the Mystic River. He built several fortresses to which he could retreat at the first sign of danger. One of these was at the top of a hill. The house was built on a platform that was six feet from the ground. Pointed stakes were driven into the ground as close together as possible. These stakes were between thirty and forty feet long, and formed a circle almost fifty feet in diameter. It was necessary to climb over the palisade with a ladder which was retrieved when Nanepashemet was safely inside. To make the fortress more difficult to get to, a huge ditch was dug around the outside walls. This was approximately five feet deep and almost seven feet wide. A narrow bridge spanned this moat, and, like its larger counterparts in Europe, it was designed so that it could be pulled back easily in times of danger.
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As Nanepashemet had feared, the Tarratines at last found his hide-out. A large war party was sent out in 1619 which successfully stormed the fortress and killed the Great Sachem. Prior to the imminent attack, Nanepashemet sent his wife and four children inland where they were protected by a friendly tribe. When it seemed that the danger had passed, she returned to Medford where she assumed the cloak of authority that had once been her husband's. Although she lost a number of the Massachusett federation tribes, three remained loyal to the squaw-Sachem (the Naumkeags, the Saugus, and the Winnisimmets), and she placed her three sons to rule over them. |
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In 1667, she suffered a stroke that left her completely paralyzed and soon died. She is buried somewhere in Medford, but the exact location of her last resting place is unknown.
Of her three sons, Wonohaquaham, known as Sagamore John, was the oldest and became Sachem of Winnisimmet whose lands included Charlestown, Revere, Winthrop, and Chelsea. He maintained his chief residence at Medford, as this was the seat of the new federation.
On August 8 1631, Sagamore John was wounded along with his brother Sagamore James at Agawam, ( Ipswich ), during a battle with the Tarratines. His wife, Wenunchus, was taken captive along with several other Indians. She was ransomed September 17, 1631 for wampum and ten beaver pelts through the mediation of Mr.Abraham Shurd of Pemaquid, who used to trade with them.
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In 1632, Canonicus, the Narragansett Sachem, sent a messenger to both Sagamore John and Chikataubut demanding their help in a war with the Wampanoag. John went to Rhode Island along with 30 of his men. The English at Plymouth had intervened before they reached the Narragansetts and the war was over. However, the Narragansetts were also at war with the Pequots at the time and decided to send the two Massachusetts groups along with some of their own men against them. The Pequot proved too strong for this force and both John and Chikataubut returned home. |
The English settlers liked this tall, handsome, agreeable Indian, and they referred to him as Sagamore John instead of his Indian name Wonohaquaham. He consented to be ruled by the same laws that governed the English, availing himself of the Court's justice on a number of occasions. The Court was pleased that it could show the local Indians that the English justice would work for them just as it did for the settlers.
In 1632 Sagamore John, (Wonohaquaham), found that the settlers were becoming too numerous and they were encroaching on his lands. He went to the Court constantly in an effort to have these disputes settled peaceably, yet a majority of his claims were never brought to trial. The problem was eventually overcome when the small-pox epidemic killed almost all the Massachusett Indians in 1633.
Sagamore John himself became ill in late November 1633 and died December 5, 1633. Samuel Maverick and his wife and servants took care of John and several other Indians with smallpox. John gave the governor a quantity of wampum as well as gifts to several other English; and took order for the payment of his own debts and those of his men. He died convinced that he would go to the Englishmen's God. Many of the ill Indians said they would worship the English God if they recovered. When visited shortly before his death he was reported to have said "by and by mee mattamay (to die) may be my two sons live, you take them to teach much to know God." Samuel Maverick buried John as well as thirty other Indians who had died on the same day. This burial site was probably in Chelsea on the hill where the Naval Hospital was later built.
Some of the English in the towns around the bay took the Indian children into their homes hoping to rescue them from the smallpox. Most died, Sagamore John's son was one of the few to survive. He was taken care of by Mr.John Wilson, pastor of Boston.
John Winthrop is said to have taken another one of his sons, no more is known about this child and he may have died soon after his father.
Some of the tribes lost 90% of their population, while others were completely wiped out.
There is ample evidence that the colonists, as a whole, treated the Indians fairly well. They purchased their lands at prices deemed equitable to both parties. They were given equal protection under the law and an honest effort was made to bring them under the influences of civilization and Christianity. Unfortunately, the Indians had great difficulty conforming to the colonists way of life and restraining their old roaming habits.
By 1685 the Indians in Winnisimmet and around Boston were few, and were neither useful nor respectable. It was necessary to place them under guardianship and deny them rights as citizens. In spite of a sincere effort to do so, it was impossible to incorporate them into our political and social system. Extermination, if not the law, was what took place.
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NANEPASHEMET - or the New Moon |
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Born: Approx: 1580 |
Died: 1619 |
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Was one of the greatest sachems (pronounced sawkum by the Indians) in New England, ruling over a larger extant of the country than any other. Wife: Known to history only by the name Squaw - Sachem Children: 3 Sons and 1 Daughter: Wohohaquaham, Sagamore John, the eldest son Montowampate, Sagamore James, the middle son Wenepoykin, Sagamore George, the youngest son Yawata, who married John Awassamug, Sr. |
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SQUAW-SACHEM |
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Born: Approx: 1590 |
Died:1667 |
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1st Husband: Nanepashemet, who was killed by the Terratines in 1619. 2nd Husband: Webbacowet, the tribal powwoh of the Musketaquid ( Concord ) Indians. Married him previous to 1635 |
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SAGAMORE JOHN - Wonohaquaham |
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Born: 1607 |
Died: December 5, 1633 of smallpox |
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Sachem of Mishawum ( Charlestown ) and Winnisimmet (Chelsea). John was the oldest son of Nanapashemet and Squaw Sachem of Massachusetts. His brothers were Sagamore George of Naumkeag the youngest and Sagamore James of Saugus and he had a sister Yawata called Abigail by the English. His residence was at Mystic "upon a creek which meets with the mouth of the Charles River " Others say however he lived at Rumney Marsh (Chelsea). Wife: name unknown Children: 2 Sons: name's unknown,one died around 1650 another son perhaps died in 1633 while a child. |
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SAGAMORE JAMES - Montowompate |
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Born: 1609 |
Died: December 1633 of smallpox |
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He resided on the Abousett (Saugus) River, he was sachem of what is now Lynn, Marblehead, Nahant, and Saugus. Saugus is an Indian word meaning "extended" and proably refered to the broad salt marshes in that territory. The Indians applied the name Saugus to all the land between Salem and Boston |
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SAGAMORE GEORGE -Wenepoykin |
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Born: 1616 |
Died: September 1684 at age 68 in his home in Natick |
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Erroneously called Winnapurkitt, He was also known as No Nose and George Rumney Marsh (his name pronounced with an accent and lingering on the third syllable We-ne-pawwe-kin). Wife: Joane, Ahawayetsuaine, Ahawayet, the daughter of Black Will, Poquannum. She died in 1685 They had Daughters: Petagunsk, called Cicely Wuttaquatinmisk, called Sarah Wattaqyattinusk, ( meaning little walnut ) Potoqhoontaquah, called Susanna alias Su George, Husband John Owufsumug, she was a widow by 1686. If early historians are correct these women were beautiful, his daughters were called Wanapanaquin, or the plumed ones. This word is but another spelling of their fathers name Winepoykin which signifies a feather or plume. |
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YAWATA - Called Abigail by the colonists |
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Born: unknown |
Died: After 1686, in Natick |
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Daughter of Nanapashemet, and sister of the three sagamores Husband: Oonsumog John Awassamug, Sr., the nephew of the Nipmuck Sachem Wuttawushan. |
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