The marke of Tasomockon (Tuspaquin)

Wampanoag. Their homelands at Nemasket and Assawompset (in the areas today called “Middleboro” and “Lakeville, Massachusetts”).Their mark appearing here on a document dated 1651, and signed also by Ousamequin, the Massasoit, and Ousamequin’s son, Wamsutta (later also called Alexander). 

Tuspaquin’s kin: son of Pamontaquask.  A partner, Amie (daughter of Ousamequin), their sons, Benjamin and Wiliam Tuspaquin. 

This is our second post on Tuspaquin, whose mark is different across the two documents (dated 1651 and 1664) we’ve so far explored.

Seen at Massachusetts State Archives.

The mark of Nahnanacomock. 

Penacook. Their homelands along the Merrimack river, and at the places where the present-day boundaries of so-called “New Hampshire,” “Maine,” and “Massachusetts” exist. This document, signed June 12, 1644, is interpreted as a peace agreement, signed by Passaconaway and Nahnanacomock on behalf of the Pennacook, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 

Nahnanacomock’s kin: one source suggests Nahnanacomock is the son of Passaconaway. 

Seen at the Massachusetts State Archives.

Alexander or Wamsutta or else Sepaquitt. Their Mark. 

Pokanoket, Wampanoag. His homelands across the southeastern coasts of the places commonly called Massachusetts and Rhode Island. Leader of the Wampanoag confederacy upon the death of his father, Ousamequin in 1661. Suspected by colonizers of Mass. Bay colony of colluding with the Narragansett against them; Wamsutta also angered European settlers in Massachusetts because of his land transactions with settlers in so-called Rhode Island. Wamsutta died suspiciously in 1662 after being detained and questioned by English settlers. 

Their kin: A partner, Namumpum or Weetamoo. Their father Ousamequin, the Massasoit. Brothers Pometacom (or Philip) and Sonkanuhoo; sisters Amie and another whose name I am so far uncertain of. 

This deed signed by Wamsutta on January 20, 1661, for lands bounded by the so-called “Seven Mile River ….southward till it come to the main sea, and then to run by the sea westward to Seconet.” John Sassamon is listed as “Interpreter Indian” at the signing of the deed.

The mark of Uppehchihtuk

Nipmuc. Perhaps of Wabbaquasset, Chaubunagungamog or Magunkaquog. Again, we’ve yet uncovered little-to-no additional information about Uppehchihtuk to be able to further contextualize their life. If you know more, feel free to share in the comments!

This document, signed by Uppehchihtuk, Wuttasacomponom, Job Kattenanit and others, reports to be submitted on behalf of “peoples of Nipmuck…the inhabitants of Quánutusset, Mônuhčhogok, Chaubunakongkomuk, Asukodnôcog, Kesépusqus, wabuhqushish and the adjacent parts of Nipmuk…” It pledges the submission of inhabitants of praying towns to the government of Massachusetts. It’s signed in 1668, a little less than a decade before the War would begin.

Seen at the Massachusetts State Archives.

The mark of Zacharaiah Abram. (Zachary Abraham)

Natick Nipmuc. At home at Natick and Hassananamisco (present day Grafton, Massachusetts). One of a group of Natick converts to Christianity who translated for and informed the English during Metacom’s War or King Philip’s War.  Here Abram’s mark appears, with other Nipmuc signers, on an agreement to the sale of land between Hassanamisco and Magunkaquog. Magunkaquog is the place now occupied by the present day towns lying between Grafton and Natick, including Ashland and Westborough.

Document is undated. Seen as Massachusetts State Archives.

James Achoogik. His mark.

Nipmuc. A Christian Indian living at Natick.  So far little has been uncovered about the life of James Achoogik, but their mark appears here on a land transaction dated May 31, 1699. James Achoogik and more than a dozen other Christian Indian signers are agreeing to sell 200 acres of their plantation in Natick to fund repairs to their meetinghouse. They write: “…wee are now greatly deminished & impovereshed our meeting house where wee were wont constantly to meet …has fallen downe and we are not able to build us another…” 

The meetinghouse was repaired, but no longer stands in Natick.

Seen at the Mass. State Archives.

Passaconaway. The Mark of Payassaconoway.

Penacook. Their homelands along the Merrimack river, and at the places where the present-day boundaries of so-called “New Hampshire,” “Maine,” and “Massachusetts” exist. Sachem. Pauwau. Diplomat. This document, signed June 12, 1644, is interpreted as a peace agreement, signed by Passaconaway and Nahnanacomock, on behalf of the Pennacook, and the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 

Passaconaway’s kin: a son, Wannalancet. 

Seen at the Massachusetts State Archives.

Robin Cassasimom (Cassasinamon) + Neesawegun (Nesahegan). Their Marks.

Robin Cassasinamon: Pequot. His home in and around Mashantucket, in so-called Southern Connecticut. Pequot Sachem by 1655 until his death in 1692.

Nesahegen: Sachem at Pequonnock, their homelands near so-called Hartford, Connecticut, south of that place, and on the east side of the Kwinitekw (Connecticut) River. Sachem after 1635.

Nesahegan’s kin: sisters Patakhouse and Amannawer. Sons, Sepanquat and Wenammcomepon. An uncle, Sehat. A cousin, Coggerynosset.

The document containing their marks outlines the bounds of Pequot and Narragansett homelands. Signed August 4, 1662 in so-called New London, Connecticut. Seen at the Massachusetts State Archives.

Uncas. Poquoiam. Woncase. His Marke.

Sagamore of Mohegan. Born ca. 1590, his homelands at Shantok and across some southeastern parts of present-day “Connecticut.” Descendancy and kinship ties across Narragansett and Pequot communities. Present at the Massacre at Mystic Fort, responsible for the execution of Narragansett sachem Miantonomo. Died ca. 1683.

This document outlines the areas Uncas considered to be “Pequid” lands. This document, also signed by Robin Casasinamon, asserts that Pequot homelands [a time before the colonizers stole the land], extended “to a brooke called weexcodawa…unto the end of that water or pond called nekeeequoweese…the land falling betweene that & the pond called teapanocke.” The signed document continues on to say the land “eastward of the brook weexcodawa is & was Naraganset Land belonging to Ninagras and his heires.”

Some of Uncas’ kin: parents Owaneco (I) and Mekunump; sons Owaneco (II), Attawanhood (II) or Joshua, and Benjamin Uncas. 

This document signed August 4, 1662 in so-called New London, Connecticut. Seen at the Massachusetts State Archives.

Escumbuit Assacambuit. Nescambious. Nescambiouit. Nessegombowit. Their Mark. 

Maliseet (Wəlastəkwewiyik), Abenaki (1660-1727). War Chief and diplomatic leader. Led raids on English colonizers across and beyond the areas today called “New Hampshire,”  “Maine” and “Canada” and in raids on present-day “Andover” and “Haverhill, Massachusetts.” Allied with the French through King Wiliam’s (beginning 1688) and Queen Anne’s (beginning 1702) Wars. As part of French efforts to forge a continued alliance w/ the Abenaki, Nessegombowit was knighted by Louis XIV of France, at Versailles, in 1706.

Their mark appears here on a document, signed July 21, 1693, between “the English and Indians.” at Pemaquid. The document outlines the terms of a 20-day truce between the two parties, including a “cessation of arms,” an exchange of captives and a reconvening of parties in 20 days time. 

Seen at the Massachusetts State Archives.