Before the coming of white men to these shores, a great war-like Indian nation dwelt in the great forests of eastern Connecticut. The name of these people was Pequa-auk or "destroyers." Later they were known as Pequods or Pequots. This tribe has no connection with the Indians of Cape Cod except through intermarriages, which were more or less frequent, in times of peace, between the New England tribes. The reason that this chapter is devoted to these people is because, since the year 1830 the Wampanoag Indians of Herring Pond, Mashpee, Lakeville and Plymouth have been under the impression that they were Pequots. This impression was created by William Apes, a Pequot, who became adopted into the Wampanoag tribe at Mashpee in 1830, and who was a famous Indian minister and lecturer among his adopted people in the years between then and his death. Mr. Apes published a book, "A son of the Forest", and other books containing the traditionary as well as the history and antiquities of the Pequots. Mr. Apes made unintentionally, the greatest mistake of his life by calling King Philip "Chief of the Pequots." As a matter of fact, Philip was not born when the Pequot tribe was destroyed and the Wampanoag chiefs never claimed dominion over the Pequots, but on the contrary, the latter were "a terror to all their neighbors." The Cape Cod Indians, including the entire Wampanoag nation, were always enemies of the Pequots. Mr. Apes's mistake was caused when he confused the name Pequot with Pokanok, the original name of the Wampanoags.

To correct this error, this chapter of Pequot history is published, although it has no connection with the Indians of Cape Cod.

Always since the time of the coming of white men, the Pequots were their enemies. Natural enemies of the Wampanoags, they were bitter indeed to find the first settlers and the Wampanoag nation to be such close friends. Many times had they met defeat from the Wampanoags at the hands of Great Chief Yellow Feather (Massasoit) who led by "head work", more than strength, his warriors to victory.

There were many occasions on which the settlers had murdered a Pequot, as well as vice versa. In 1637, after having some of their people cruelly slain by Pequots, the settlers decided at once to end the feud for all time.

Chief of the Pequot tribes was the warrior Sassacus. Twenty-six lesser chiefs paid him tribute, he wished to exterminate the settlers. At this time the Narragansetts and Pequots were enemies and Sassacus decided to make friends with the Narragansetts and by doing so to defeat both settlers and Wampanoags. So the Pequots and Narragansetts smoked the pipe of peace and made preparation for war, but Roger Williams, the friend of the Narragansetts, persuaded Canonicus, the chief of the Narragansetts, to keep at peace. They became enemies again with the Pequots and Sassacus determined to defeat the settlers alone.

The Pequots began by killing all white men who came their way. After the murders of Captains Stone, Norton and Underhill, the settlers sent their forces from Connecticut under Captain Mason, and from Massachusetts under Captain Israel Stoughton. The forces entirely surrounded the Pequot fort near Stonington and in the night while the Indians slept, they set fire to the wigwams and cruelly massacred over 600 men, women and children. Two of the English were killed and 20 wounded. Only seven of the Pequots of the fort escaped.

At this time, Great Chief Sassacus was in the other Pequot fort. With the 80 inhabitants of that fort, sole survivors of the Pequots (except the 7 of the destroyed fort), he fled to the Mohawks, who beheaded him. One daughter of the great Sassacus married Sausamon, a Ponkapoag, and they were both later adopted as Wampanoags. Some say that a daughter of Sassacus fled to the Montauks of Long Island, where she married a Montauk chief. This princess, said to be named Tock-ah-mah-hamon, was mother of several. John Hammond, a Montauk, claimed descent from one of them. This John Hammond came to Mashpee where he married Rebecca Amos, daughter of blind Joseph Amos, Wampanoag preacher. His descendants claim the blood of Chief Sassacus and the Pequot and Montauk tribes, although they are mostly Wampanoag.

In 1762, at the northeast part of Groton, Connecticut, was the Indian reservation of the Pequot tribe, where dwell some 20 or 30 families. This reservation was known as Maushantauxet.

The most prominent of these Pequot descendants were:

Charles Schuddaub and son Charles Jr., Ashbow, Abner
John Quinnemeezun
Sampson Quiumps
Jeffry Canujaugh; Pankeese; Abner; Charles; Sampson; Tuweese
Samuel Weezsul
Peter Meezun
Johnson Qui-umps
Jeffery Meezun
Dan Quaqcheetes
Jeffery Quaqcheetes
Neezohkunnump

In the year 1880, Eunice Manwee, the last pure-blooded Pequot Indian, died at Kent, Connecticut.

The present day descendants of the Pequot tribe live near Mystic and North Stonington, Connecticut. Their chiefs are Atwood I. Williams or "Silver Star", and Benjamin W. Dailey.

In 1637 the towns of Bourne and Sandwich were settled. At the same time, missionaries were at work among the native Indians. The settlers looked at the Indians' religion as heathenish and as infidels. The Indians looked on the newcomers' beliefs in a different way.

"It is none of our business how they believe," they said, "Indian worships as he wishes and we believe in letting them do likewise."

But the white men were not satisfied. They abused the red man. Paid him whatever they liked for his land, and if he didn't like it, cheated him out of it, then forced their religion on the Indian, thinking that was more than compensation. But that condition existed everywhere. In Maine the Catholics went among the Indians, asking them to give up their hereditary religion for one which they knew nothing about. In Rhode Island the Indians had already given in to the persuasions of Roger Williams.

Here in Massachusetts, the missionary Eliot learned the Wampanoag dialect and went among the Indians, both on and off the Cape. And so it came about that many Wampanoags took the Baptist religion and established themselves in their native villages under a new title of "Praying Indians." Two of these villages were Mashpee and Gay Head.

But it was a hard struggle, a bitter fight carried on in the soul of the Wampanoag. The speech of Honnayawis, an Iroquois chief in 1827 shows the thoughts which two centuries before ran through the mind of many Wampanoags. This speech was addressed to the missionaries who first came among the Iroquois:

"Friends and Brother: It was the will of the Great Spirit that we should meet together this day. You have spoken to us on your religion and requested us to speak our minds freely.
"Brother, listen to what we say. There was a time when our forefathers owned this great country. The Great Spirit made it for the use of the Indian. He had scattered fowls through the air, fishes through the water and animals over the land, and taught us how to use them for food and clothing. All this he had done for his real children because he loved them.
"But an evil day came upon us. Your forefathers crossed the great waters and landed here. Their numbers were small; they found friends and not enemies. They told us they had fled from their country because of wicked men and came here to enjoy their religion. They asked for a small seat. We took pity on them and granted their request and they sat down amongst us. We gave them corn and meat. They gave us poison instead!
"The white people now had found our country. More came. They wanted a larger seat which we gave them as friends. Their numbers increased and finally - they wanted our whole country!
"Wars took place, for our eyes were open and our minds uneasy - too late. We trusted too long. Indians were hired to fight Indians. They also brought strong liquors among us which has slain thousands.
"Brother, you say there is but one way to worship the Great Spirit. If there is one religion, why do you white people differ so much about it? Why not all agree, as you can all read the book. We never quarrel about religion. We do not wish either to destroy your religion and take it from you, but to enjoy our own!"

But although many thought of it that way, yet many were influenced by the settlers to take the white man's religion. The first Wampanoag Indian on Martha's Vineyard Island to become a Christian was Hiacoomes. In 1646, he preached among his people and continued to do so for forty years. He died about 1690. He had several sons and daughters. His oldest son was Joel Hiacoomes, who was educated at Cambridge and died young.

The first Indian minister among the Nauset Wampanoag (Cape Cod) Indians was Simon Popmonet, son of Chief Poppononett, who succeeded the missionary, Richard Bourne. In 1698 there were nine other Indian ministers to the scattered Wampanoag "Praying" settlements.

In 1660, Massasoit was supreme ruler over all Wampanoags and assented to Richard Bourne's proposition of obtaining a reservation for the Cape Cod Wampanoags. He also organized (mugwomp) chief Quachatisset, chief of the Massapee village, to secure the establishment of a reservation. In that year, 1660, a tract of land eight miles long, north and south, and four miles wide, east and west, was established as the Nauset Indian reservations. This reservation was named Massipee for the original Wampanoag village there, the name being derived from Massi, or "great" and "sippi" or "river". This same year, 1660, that the Mashpee reservation was set aside, Chief Massasoit died and was succeeded by his eldest son, Wamsutta Sopaquit, who was also called Mooahum or "Black Dog", and better known to the English as Alexander. For he, "Black Dog" and his brother, "Great Pine Tree", (Massaknet, Mattacomet or Pometacom) had been to Plymouth and got the English titles of Alexander and Philip.

In this same year, a year of events for the Wampanoags, the Praying Wampanoags of the Takemmy village set apart the praying town of Manitou Wottosoon, under Chief Josias. This township was where Christiantown now is.

So began a taking over of a new religion and a new civilization for the original Cape Codders that proved a turning point. From that day onward the tribe gradually decreased, not so much by death as by intermarriage.

For years before the first coming of the white man to the Cape Cod shores, there was a Wampanoag village on the southeast part of the upper Cape called Massipee, the name coming from the river which flowed past the village and known as Massi-Sippi or "Great River". Near this place was a place called Papponesett or Pah-pone-es-et..."place where we stay in winter". This name was given a neck of land which was well sheltered from the storms of winter and also known as Wacsquobs or "Great Neck". The Indians of today call it Ockaway or "the lower end". On the east side of Papponessett Bay, deriving its name from the original name of Ockaway or South Mashpee. The original name of this bay was Peh-tog-in-set or "bay near the village". On the west side of the neck is a bay which today retains its original name of Waquoit Bay from "place of the white pine trees".

South of this neck is Martha's Vineyard Sound. The largest inland body of water in the section is Mashpee Lake, originally Massapoag or "Great Pond". At the upper end of this pond is Wakeby pond which name is derived from Wah-ki-no-pi or "crooked water". Massi-Sippi or Mashpee River, flows from Massapoag or Mashpee Pond to Popponessett (Peh-tog-in-set) Bay.

Massasoit, supreme ruler of the Wampanoag Nation in 1660, a year before his death, authorized Quachatisset or "Chief Deers' Coat" to represent the Cape Cod Wampanoags in their request to have Massapee established as a reservation.

Richard Bourne, the first missionary to the Massapee village in 1658, was instrumental in securing the reservation from the Indians, which was established in 1660 as a Wampanoag Reservation with its governor as Chief Quachatisset.

Simon Popmonet, son of Chief Poppononett and brother of Great Chief Caleb Popmonet, was the first Indian minister to the Reservation Indians and the second Indian preacher to the Wampanoags, the first being Hiacoomes.

Several other Indians succeeded Simon Popmonet as preacher to the Indians on the reservation at Mashpee, namely:
Hamond Cogniture
Solomon Dbiaut, 16 years a preacher
Joseph Bryant
John Freeman
Joseph Amos, the blind preacher
William Apes, a Pequot, adopted into the Wampanoag nation by supreme Chief Moses Popmonet in 1830.

In Mashpee in 1698 there were 263 Wampanoags. In 1762, a missionary states there were about 75 families.

In 1764, Missionary Joseph Bourne stated that there were 95 children and old men and women. 75 of these were middle-aged men and women. 25 were young men and maids. 24 could read, 10 could write, but only 2 could read English and none could write it. The entire population including children, old men and women was 119. In 1764 the entire Wampanoag Nation under Chief Jacsheus Popmonet numbered 500 or more. 383 lived off the reservation and were scattered throughout Barnstable, Plymouth and Bristol Counties.

Since 1676 Mashpee has been the home of the supreme ruler of the Wampanoag nation and of the second hereditary Wampanoag "royal family":
Massasoit............1580-1661
Alexander.............1661-1662
King Philip............1662-1676

Alexander and Philip were sons of Massasoit, whose home was on Narragansett Bay, where Warren, Rhode Island is today. Alexander's home was at Nemasket, now Middleboro. Philip's was at Mount Hope, also on Narragansett Bay.

Poppononett, 1676; Caleb Popmonet, nephew of Caleb; Jacsheus Popmonet, brother of Isaac died 1770; Moses Popmonet, son of Jacsheus; Grafton Popmonet, son of Moses; Alexander Pocknett, son of Grafton, hereditary chief of Wampanoag nation in 1928, the chiefs of the nation being:

Supreme Chief, Eben Quippish, elected 1881.

Beginning shortly after 1623 a group of missionaries of the Christian religion began their work among the Wampanoags. Inasmuch as the great Massasoit was a friend to the whites, he never took their religion. He died true to the faith of his ancestors in 1661. His eldest son known in 1639 as Mooanum and in 1656 as Wamsutta Sopaquit and called Alexander by the English, succeeded his father as Chief Sachem of the Wampanoags. Years before, Wamsutta and his brother Metacomet were given the names of Alexander and Philip by the English.

Already numerous villages had taken over the white man's religion and other ways. Firewater, religious differences, varied customs of two entirely different races and many lesser changes of dress, creed, or belief separated what was once a happy and prosperous Indian nation into many smaller and scattered tribes.

We find the Wampanoags on Cape Cod at Truro, Wellfleet, Brewster, Mashpee and Herring Pond, as well as those at Manomet Ponds, gradually giving up wigwams for the log cabin of the settler; gradually changing their religion and customs more after the pattern of the English. Of course, at that early date the above places were not known by the names of today, but as Pamet, Pemonakanet, Sauguattucket, Massapee, Commassakumkanit and Kehtiamet, respectively.

It was between 1660 and 1670 that Chief Pompwono united the Pamet, Pemonakanet and Nauset villages and moved to Sacquatucket and their village, consisting of 500 members of those four villages, settled on what is today Seymore's Pond, Pleasant Lake, in Harwich. It was the beginning of the westward up-Cape movement of the Wampanoags, which ended some two centuries later with the race becoming practically extinct "below" Orleans. The Nausets gradually moved, one by one, from their village of inheritance, their lower-Cape birthplaces, until we find them only at Sauquatucket (now Brewster), Monomoyick (now Chatham), Potanamaquit (now Dennisport and West Harwich), Mattakeese (now Yarmouth), Massapee (now Mashpee) and Commassakumkanit (now Pondville). And from then on the extinction of these remaining "Praying Wampanoag" villages was more noticeable and during the 1800's we find most of these Wampanoags on the Massapee Reservation, established in 1660, or the Bass River Reservation at Yarmouth or else on their Herring Pond Reservation, established in 1850 and still carefully preserved in the hearts and souls of the reservation's present day members. True it is that in the veins of the present day descendants of those three Cape Indian Reservations flows the blood of many of those lower Cape villages whose inhabitants left them, never again to return. And still, amazing as it may seem to some, yet those acquainted with these people, their history and traditions, find that still among the towns on the lower Cape remain families descendants of the Nausets, in whose blood flows that strain of Wampanoag blood, no matter how attenuated it may be. We find this the case in the Laurance, Winn, James, Black, Howland, Newcomb, Wixon, Eldridge and various other families. The Newcomb and Eldridge families, however, have scarcely a drop, but that bit which once entered the blood remains to this day an indestructible symbol of a once great race.

We find that at this same time the Wampanoag on the islands south of Cape Cod were undergoing a similar change which began with them in the vicinity of 1646 through their first Christian Indian, Hiacoomes.

The main group of Wampanoags between the Herring Pond and Manomet Pond villages and Narragansett Bay, however, were keeping true to tribal customs and many difficulties arose between them and the other Wampanoags, who, to distinguish the two, were called "Praying Indians".

North of the Wampanoags was the Massachusetts Indian Nation with its Natick, Shawmut, Ponkapoag, Neponset and other villages, under its Chief Sachem, Chickataubut. This Chief Sachem's real name was Wampatuk or "White Deer", called Chickataubut because of a misunderstanding of white historians concerning a land deal between Indians and whites. White Deer died in 1633 and we find his son, Josias Wampatuck as their next Chief Sachem. The Massachusetts paid fealty to the Chief Sachem of the Wampanoags since 1617, due to the great plague from 1612-1617, from which they never wholly recovered. So their Chief Sachem became from then on subject to the Supreme Wampanoag Chief, or Massasoit, and they became indirectly a part of the Wampanoag nation. They were among the first to take the religion and customs of the white man and to intermarry with other races.

The Pocasset village of Wampanoags was where now is Tiverton, Rhode Island. Most prominent of all the members of this village was Weetamoe, also called Nanumpum or Tatapanum, who was married to Wamsutta in or before 1653. Her sister, Wootonekanuske married Matacomet or Philip, Wamsutta's brother.

In 1644 (Sept. 5), a law was made by the English settlers of the United Colonies, that: "No person within the United Colonies shall, directly or indirectly, sell to any Indian either powder, shot, bullets, guns, swords, daggers, arrowheads, or any ammunition under penalty of twenty for one. Nor shall any smith, or other person, whatsoever, mend any gun or other forementioned weapon, belonging to any Indian, under aforesaid penalty." That, along with the law not to shoot, on penalty, at any wild animal "except a wolf or an Indian", was enough to raise the ire of any king. And the noble Wamsutta, the King Alexander of the Wampanoags, disregarded the law of 1644 and sneered with contempt at the law which encouraged slaughtering the Indians.

The English heard of Alexander attending a pow-wow at Kehtiticut, now Bridgewater. They surrounded the lodge and finding the Wampanoag's guns outside, they took the guns and on going inside placed the Chief Sachem under arrest, charging him with plotting against the colonies. They provided him with a horse on which to ride, with the others to follow behind on foot. The haughty chieftain refused to ride on the horse and marched on foot with his people. The party never reached Plymouth, for on the way, after partaking of a meal provided by their English accusers, Alexander became ill. Hurriedly, his people started for his home on Narragansett Bay. As they were on the way down the Taunton River, he quietly passed away, and his wife, the squa-sachem Weetamoo, vowed revenge on those who caused his death. Metacomet, or Philip, became Chief Sachem and Weetamoo, heartbroken and forever after a changed woman, returned to her home village. Before 1675 she became the wife of Pentonowoett, called Ben by the English and by some Peter Nurcuit, Chief of the Pocasset Wampanoags.

In 1665, King Philip heard rumors of a wrong done to the dead by John Gibbs, Wampanoag Indian of Nantucket. Philip landed on the west side of the island with intentions of meting out punishment to Gibbs for the act. He began to travel undiscovered along the shore to where Gibbs lived. An Indian saw the Chief Sachem coming and told Gibbs, who escaped. The white people sheltered Gibbs and got up a collection to prevent the penalty. However, Philip was dissatisfied for some time, until he had got numerous collections of money from the white people who sheltered Gibbs.

April 10, 1671, the English sent for Philip to come to Taunton, accusing him of conspiring against them. Frequently before, they had ordered him to appear before them, or their governor. Always he had answered, "If your king will come over the big waters and sit with me, I will talk with him; but who are you to come into my country and order me, the king of this country, to come before you?" However, on this occasion, more out of resentment for their attitude against him, the Wampanoag king complied with their request. On coming near the village he stopped, for the English started to attack him, but were prevented by the commissioners of Massachusetts. A council was held in the meetinghouse, one side was occupied by the English and the other by the Wampanoags. On this occasion, King Philip signed a treaty with the settlers. Four of his sagamore, or councillors, also signed. They were namely: Captain Wispoke, Tavoser, Woonkaponehunt and Nimrod.

November 1, 1673, William Wattaspaquin, sagamore of the Assawompsett division of Wampanoags, with mugwomps (chiefs) Assaweta, Bervat and Tobias, sold for 16 pounds a tract of land, bounded northerly by Quetaquash Pond; easterly by Snepatuit Pond; and in part by Quetaquash Pond. Years before this in 1666 (December) the following Wampanoags: Narumett and Weeanucket or Peter, sold to the town of Plymouth, through its representatives, Captain Thomas Southworth, Nathaniel Warren, William Clark and Hugh Cole, a tract of land called Agawam, now Wareham. The deed was signed, sealed and delivered in the presence of the following Wampanoags: Causetan, Aspockamuck or Ralph Jones, Peter, Tatosen, Peter, Weeanuckett, Acanootus, Awanee, Awampoke, Attaywanpuk and Nanumett.

On September 4, 1671 there were only 40 or 50 Nukkenkamces Wampanoags, or Dartmouth Indians, living. Their chief was Ashawanomceth, and councillors were: Noman, Jeffrey, Mainokum, James and John. The last of the Dartmouth Wampanoags to live in a wigwam was Sarah Obadiah.

A deed of land granted John Sassamon, secretary of King Philip, by Wattuspaquin in 1673, reads as follows:

"Know all men by these presents: That I, Old Wattuspaquin, do grant unto John Sassamon or Wussasoman, twenty-seven acres of land for a house lot at Assawompsett Neck. This my gift to him, the said John Sassamon by me, the said Wattuspaquin."

This deed was signed by Old Wattuspaquin, his son, William Tuspaquin and Nanehevut.

But the greatest of all of Wattuspaquin's deeds was the following:

"Know all men by these presents: I, ye said Old Wattuspaquin, and William Tuspaquin, both of us, have given free grant of gift unto woman Assawetough, with consent of all chief men of Assawomsett, a tract of land called Nahteawamet. Bounded by little swamp Mashquonok, from west side that swamp place in a straight line to pond called Sasonkuswet, then over pond to old, old, fence and so go along with fence, until come to great pond called Cupipoggut.

"This we have given with consent of all chief men of Assawamsett, that she
might enjoy it peaceably without any molestation, neither by us, nor by
ours, or under us.  But she shall have it forever, especially her eldest
daughter, that they shall not be troubled upon no account, neither by
mortgage, gift or sale or upon no accounts, therefore we set out hands.

O Wattuspaquin

(       ) Wattuspaquin
Witnesses:
                                                          C. Tobias or Poggapanosoo
                                                           Old Thomas
                                                           & Pohonohoo
                                                           d Kankunuiki"

In May 1696, Assametough willed this property to her daughter as follows:

"I, Assametough, alias Betty, do freely will, give, and bequeath the above
said tract of land unto my daughter Mercy, to be hers and her heirs forever.
Witness my hand this 14th day of May, 1696.
                                                        (X)  Assametough, alias Betty
Witnesses:        Samuel Sprague
                         Charles
                         Isaac Womb."

Indian genealogy is hard to trace after finding the history back several generations. Written records were not kept and only word of mouth, from generation to generation, brought forth the ancient traditions on which tribal history of all kinds was based. And today, 268 years since the death of Massasoit, we find people claiming to be his great-great-great-grandchildren.

In the first place, we must begin with the old Chief Sachem himself. History related nothing of his parentage or having sisters, but says he had two brothers, namely: Akkompom and Quadaquine. Some historians argue that he had three sons and two daughters. However, one thing is sure and that is that Massasoit was not his name. His real name was Woosamequin, Osamequin, Cutshamakin or Ousamequin. Ousa or wesau means "yellow" and mequin or kin means "feather"; thence, "Yellow Feather".

The name Massasoit is a title from massi or "great" and soit or "king". When he was introduced to the Pilgrims by their Indian guide, he was referred to as "Men wemasu sagimus," "Massi soit Ousa Mequin", or "Me beloved chieftain, Great King Yellow feather". The Pilgrims, not understanding the Wampanoag language, remembered only the "title" "great king" and thus they called him forever after.

1. Massasoit's two oldest sons, Alexander and Philip became Chief Sachems. The youngest son, according to historians, was killed in King Philip's War.
One of his daughters
2. Amie, married Tuspaquin or Wattuspaquin, known as the "black sachem", a sagamoh, or division chief, under Massasoit. They had two sons, William and
3. Benjamin. Ben Tuspaquin married Weecum. Their children were: Esther, Hannah, Mary and Benjamin.
4. Esther Tuspaquin married Tobias Sampson, a "praying Indian" of South Freetown, now East Fall River. He preached to the Indians at his home, which was called "Indian college".
4. Hannah married an Indian named Quam. Their daughter (5) Hope, acquired enough education to teach school at Indian Town, East Fall River.
4. Mary married Isaac Sissel. He received as his share, the twentieth lot, six acres and 128 rods, which was left to their daughters, (5) Mercy and (5) Mary.
4. Ben married Mercy Felix, daughter of Matwatcka Felix and Assametough, called "Betty" by the English.
5. Lydia, daughter of (4) Ben Tuspaquin married Wamsley. She died July, 1812, having had five children.
6. Zewiah Wamsley, daughter of Lydia (5), died July, 1816. She was wife of James Johnson of Gay Head.
6. Paul Wamsley, son of Lydia (5), married Phebe Jeffries. His sister Phebe (6) married Silas Rosier. Their first son, Martin, born Feb. 26, 1792, died July, 1792. Their second son John, was born September 15, 1793. He married his cousin, Jane Wamsley. John Rosier drowned in Assawompsett Pond Feb., 1851.
6. Phebe (Wamsley) Rosier next married Brister Gould. They had three daughters, Lydia, Melinda and Zerviah.
7. Lydia, born July 12, 1799 married Antonio D. Julio, a Portuguese. She died April 22, 1855.
7. Melinda, born April 23, 1805; died June 16, 1824.
7. Zerviah, born July 24, 1807 married Thomas C. Mitchell. Their daughter (8) Charlotte, otherwise Princess Wootonekanuske, is living today, claiming to be the oldest living descendant of Massasoit.

10. Chief Sachem Ousa Mekin or LeRoy C. Perry, present day Chief Sachem of the Wampanoags, is grandson of Wootonekanuske's cousin.

Returning again to (1) Massasoit and his daughter (2) Amie, we find that she had two sons: (3) Benjamin and (3) William Tuspaquin. Little is recorded of Mantowapuct or William, but Ben, whose Indian name was Pamantaquash, married Weecum. They had three daughters and a son. The daughters were: (4) Esther, who married Tobias Sampson, the Indian preacher; (4) Hannah, who married Quam; and (4) Mary who married Isaac Sissel, all great-grandaughters of Massasoit. The great-grandson (4) Ben Tuspaquin, was a direct great-great-grandfather of the present-day Chief Sachem of the Wampanoags.

The Quams lived in Indian Town, East Fall River where their daughter (5) Hope, taught school. Hope, some say married a Kehtiticut Indian named Prince. Their daughter (6) Susan married John Leonard, who lies buried at Nahteawamet, otherwise Betty's Neck, Lakeville.

John and Susan Prince Leonard were parents of three daughters: (7) Mercy, named for Mercy Sissel, daughter of Mary Tuspaquin; (7) Hannah, named for her great-grandmother (4) Hannah Tuspaquin, great-grandaughter of Massasoit; and (7) Sarah; and one son (7) Charles.

Hannah Leonard, granddaughter of Hope Quam married John Chummack. They had one son (8) Andrew who married his cousin Lydia Leonard, daughter of Charles Leonard. Hannah next married Warren Scott of Kehtiaumet, or Manomet Ponds and had daughter (8) Lucretia.

Lucretia Scott married Fred Cushing and had son (9) Charles, who married Louisa Corrier, granddaughter of Charles Leonard, his cousin. They had six children. Lucretia (Scott) Cushing's next husband was David Jones. Her third and last husband was William R. Manuel, a Ponkapoag Indian and cousin to Jeremiah Bancroft, last chief of the Ponkapoags. William R. and Lucretia S. Manuel had two daughters, (9) Angeline B. and (9) Sarah E.; and two sons (9) Ulysses G. and (9) William R. Jr.. William R. Manuel Jr. was an herb specialist and married Mrs. Dora Pells of the Mashpee Wampanoags.

Angeline B. (9) Manuel married Calvin Cromwell, an Indian who died in 1885. In 1898 she married Louis B. Tinkham and had one daughter, (10) Lucretia E.

Lucretia E. (10) Tinkham, tenth in descent of the "great and good" Massasoit, was married Jan. 9, 1927 to Clarence M. Wixon, the present Chief Sagamore, second in command and secretary of the Wampanoags, she is better known by the title of Princess Maunanata or "Starlight", the wife of Chief Red Shell.

As to (7) Hannah Leonard's sister Sarah, we find she became the wife of Warren Scott after the death of her sister. Their daughter Martha, married Horatio Melix. They had two sons, Horatio and Henry. Henry departed to the Happy Hunting Grounds several years ago. Horatio's body was found in a dense swamp in West Brewster in the winter of 1928. Horatio's first wife was Frances Harlow. They had one daughter Maude and three sons, Harry, Alonzo and William.

(7) Charles Leonard, brother of Hannah, had three daughters: Mary, Melinda and Lydia; and a son Amos. Mary married Daniel Corrier, their daughter Louisa married Charles Cushing, grandson of Hannah. Two of their children, Frederick and Louis are residents of Brockton. The Prince family of Norwell are descendants of Charles Leonard, through his daughter Lydia. So, we find today, 268 years after the death of Massasoit, the Mitchell, Manuel, Tinkham, Prince, Cushing, Melix and Perry families claiming direct descent from that famous Chief Sachem. And better still is the fact that Chief Sachem, Yellow Feather, 10th in descent from the illustrious Chief Sachem Yellow Feather of 1629, better known as Massasoit, is today the Supreme Chief of the Wampanoags, being unanimously elected to that office October 14, 1928, by the descendants of that once great Indian Nation. That Indian Nation still exists, its members bound together by the tie of blood inheritance, and anyone in doubt may read the names of the Pondville Indian choir, composed wholly of Wampanoags, all members of the Herring Pond Reservation. They are, namely:

Princess Little Squirrel, director
Princess Pechikonoh or Blue Eagle
Keesomeesi or Sunbeam
Peshimequin or Blue Feather
Metawa or Little Dove
Minnehaha or Laughing Water
Nightingale
Wapamequin or White Feather
Soo-Wis-Ho-Wun-Nan or Night-Hawk
Nashaumet
Sukokeham or Gray Owl
Sylvester DeGrasse
The last five are men. Mr. DeGrasse is treasurer of the Herring Pond Reservation and Nashaumet is secretary of all councils of the Herring Pond Reservation.

Treaty with Massasoit, March 2, 1621:

1.  That neither he, nor any of his should injure or do hurt to any of ours.
(The white people)
2.  That if any of his did any harm to any of ours, that then he should send
the offender unto us for punishment.
3.  That if any English took any goods belonging to Massasoet, or his Indians, 
they should restore them again and he oblidged himself to do the like.
4.  That if any of the neighbors of the said Massasoet should make war
against him, the English should assist him and he oblidged himself to assist
the English on like occasions.
5.  That he should inform his neighbors and confederates of this covenant,
that they might be careful of wronging either party.
6.  That when any of his Indians come among the English, they should have no
arms with them.
7.  That in so doing, our sovereign, Lord King James, would esteem him as
his friend and ally.