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Subject: [GM-L] History of the Town of Concord, Chapter II, Part 12
Date: Wed, 5 Jun 2002 15:33:01 EDT
Subject: Concord, Massachusetts Part 11
Source: History of the Town of Concord, Mass. by Lemuel Shattuck, Boston,
1835
Chapter II
Part 12
Genealogy of Tahattawan, Indian Royal Line, continued.
Robert Robbins & Peleg Lawrence of Groton, buy Indian Land
p.29
2. John Tahattawan, son of Tahattawan, removed to Nashoba. He was chief
ruler of the
Praying Indians gathered there, and is said to have been a pious, good
man. He died
about 1670. He married Sarah, daughter of John, Sagamore of Patucket, who
after her
husband's death married again, Onamog, one of the rulers of the Praying
Indians at
Marlborough, with whom she lived a short time only. She was living at
Patucket, as a
widow, in November 1675, when she was wounded by some unfriendly whites,
and her only
son by Tahattawan was slain. [Source: Gookin's Manuscripts.]
p.30
Tahattawan's sole heir was Kehonowsqua, alias Sarah; and is first
mentioned in the deed
of Nashobah given to Rev. Peter Bulkeley in 1686, hereafter to be noticed.
3. Naanishcow, alias John Thomas, married Naanashquaw, alias Rebeckah,
another daughter of
Tahattawan. His father had been a leading man at Nashobah but was
murdered by the
Maquas Indians, as has been mentioned. He was teacher at that place till
it was aband-
oned, when he removed to Natick where he died January 17, 1727 at the
great age of 110
years. He was exemplary through life, and had his reason and speech till
within a few
hours of his death. His eldest son was Solomon Thomas, alias
Naashiomenett, who became
influential at Natick.
Pennahannit, alisa Captain Josiah, who was marshal-general or high-sheriff
to all the
Praying Indian towns, and attended the chief courts held at Natick and
elsewhere, dwelt
at Nashobah, and was chief ruler of that place after the death of John
Tahattawan.
Jethro, alias Tantamous, was present at the first purchase of Concord. He
embraced
Christianity and removed to Natick. In 1674, he was appointed missionary
to the Indians
at Weshakim (Sterling), but continued there only a short time.
Notices of other Indians, whose names occasionally occur in connexion with
the affairs of
Concord might be given; but these are the most prominent.
The missionary labors of Eliot and his associates were attended with
considerable success.
At Natick was a kind of theological seminary, where natives were educated and
sent forth
to be rulers and teachers in other places. The Bible and several other books
were trans-
lated and printed in their language, which requires the word:
Kummogkodonatoottummootiteaongannunnonash
to express in English, "our question." This was indeed a Herculean task. In
1674, Eliot
had organized two churches and fourteen towns, containing 1,100 inhabitants
[Hist. Coll.
vol Il, p. 195.] who had ostensibly embraced Christianity. A part of them
only, however,
appear to have been influenced by Christian principles. During Philip's War,
this number
was very much reduced. Many of them became treachurous, and were among the
worst enemies
of the English.
p.31
Some of them suffered death for their defection [Mattoonus, constable at
Pakachoog was
executed.] The remainder were gathered in English towns, behaved like
exemplary Christians,
and were of essential service to the English in Philip's War. The whole
number on the 10th
of November 1676, was 567 only, of which 117 were men and 450 women and
children. The
Nashobah or Concord Praying Indians, who remained friendly to the English
were 10 men and
50 women and children; and they then lived in Concord under the inspection of
the committee
of militia and the selectmen of the town.
The other places where the Praying Indians met on the Sabbath for religious
worship at this
time, were Medfield, Andrew Deven's Garrison, near Natick, Lower Falls,
Nonantum and
Dunstable.
I have communicated to the American Antiquarian Society for publication,
among other papers,
a document in the hand writing of Major Gookin, giving a particular account
of the disposi-
tion of all the Praying Indians at this time, from which the above facts are
taken.
Some other notices of the Nashobah Indians, while resident in Concord will be
given when the
events of Philip's War are treated of. After this time, they appear to have
nearly abandon-
ed their plantation, and to have removed to Natick. May 19, 1680, 23
inhabitants of Concord
petitioned the General Court that the lands belonging to those Indians might
be granted to
them, but it was refused; because there were "debts due from the country
which might
be provided for by the sale of the land, if the Indians have no right or have
deserted the
place."
In reply the petitioners say, "There never were any lands purchased of the
country for
townships." The petition was ineffectually renewed in 1691. It appears,
however, that the
Honorable Peter Bulkeley of Concord and Major Thomas Henchman of Chelmsford
on the 15th of
June, 1686, bought the easterly half of the Nashobah plantation for 70 pounds
sterling.
The Indian grantors were as follows:
Kehonowsquaw, alias Sarah, the daughter and sole heiress of John Tahattawan,
sachem, and
late of Nashobah, deceased.
Naanishcow, alias John Thomas.
Naanasquaw, alias Rebeckah, wife to the said Naanishcow.
Naashkinomenet, alias Solomon, eldest son of said Naanishcow and Naanasquaw,
sister to the
aforesaid Tahattawan.
Weegrammominet, alias Thomas Waban.
Nackcominewock, relict (widow) of Crooked Robin.
Wunnuhhew, alias Sarah, wife to Neepanum, alias Tom Doublet.
p.32
This tract of land was bounded by land sold by the aforesaid Indians to
Robert Robbins
Peleg Lawrence
both of Groton towne, which land is part of the aforesaid Nashobah
plantation, and this
line is exactly two miles in length and runs east three degrees northerly, or
west three
degrees southerly, and the south end runs parallel with this line; on the
westerly side
it is bounded by the remainder of said Nashobah Plantation and that west line
runs south
seven degrees and thirty minutes east, four miles and one quarter.
The northeast corner is about four or five poles southward of a very great
rock that lieth
in the line between the said Nashobah and Chelmsford plantation. (source:
Registry of Deeds,
vol. x., p. 117].
The remaining history of Nashobah properly belongs to Littleton. It may be
well, however,
to remark that in 1714 when that town was incorporated, 500 acres of land
were reserved
for the Indian proprietors. Sarah Doublet, an Indian, was the only heir to
it in 1734,
being then old and blind, and committed to the care of Samuel Jones of
Concord. She then
petitioned for liberty to sell it to pay her maintenance and it was granted
for the purpose
to Elnathan Jones and Mr. Tenney. One corner was near the southeast part of
Nagog Pond;
then across the pond, north ten degrees west, 133 rods north of said pond to
a point, and
then making a right angle, it ran 286 rods and then across Nagog Pond to the
first place
mentioned. end, Chapter II.
To be continued, Chapter III - Part 13, p. 33
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth
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