Massasoit’s Town Sowams in Pokanoket ITS HISTORY LEGENDS AND TRADITIONS By VIRGINIA BAKER Author of The History of Warren, R. I. in the War of the Revolution PUBLISHED BY THE AUTHOR WARREN, R. I. 1904 “Warren! where first beside the cradled nation, The old chief stood, we love thy storied past, ‘Sowams is pleasant for a habitation’―― ’Twas thy first history――may it be thy last.” ――HEZEKIAH BUTTERWORTH. Copyright 1904 by Virginia Baker Massasoit’s Town Sowams in Pokanoket [Illustration: small acorn and oak leaf logo] A peculiar interest centres about everything pertaining to the great Wampanoag sachem Massasoit. Massasoit has always, and justly, been regarded as one of the most remarkable of that group of illustrious aboriginal chieftains with whom the early white settlers of New England were associated. But while the student of history is familiar with the story of the Indian king’s life-long allegiance to our forefathers, while he admires in the untutored savage virtues few Christian monarchs have possessed, he knows comparatively little of the environments that helped to mould a character of so unique a stamp. The ancient chroniclers often allude to Massasoit’s place of residence, and the questions that naturally present themselves are: Where was this place? Why did Massasoit select it for his abode? What is its history? To answer these questions, in part at least, is the object of this sketch. At the period when the Mayflower came to anchor in Plymouth harbor, Massasoit exercised dominion over nearly all the south-eastern part of Massachusetts from Cape Cod to Narragansett Bay. The south-western section of his kingdom was known as Pokanoket, Sowams, or Sowamsett. It included what now comprises the towns of Bristol, Warren, Barrington, and East Providence in Rhode Island, with portions of Seekonk, Swansea, and Rehoboth in Massachusetts. Though its area was only about 500 square miles Pokanoket, owing to its many natural advantages, was more densely populated than any other part of the Wampanoag country. Its principal settlement was the village of Sowams, where Massasoit maintained his headquarters, and where, without doubt, the greater portion of his life was passed. For many years the exact location of this village was a disputed point, authorities variously fixing it at Bristol, Barrington, and Warren. The late Gen. Guy M. Fessenden was the first to demonstrate, conclusively, that Sowams occupied the site of the last mentioned place. The results of his careful and painstaking investigation of the claims of the three towns may be found in the short but valuable historical sketch of Warren published by General Fessenden in 1845.[1]