The most famous sojourner at Pokanoket, in those early days, was Roger Williams. Banished from Salem, in January, 1636, he “fled from the savage Christians of Massachusetts Bay to the Christian savages of Narragansett Bay.” In “a bitter winter season,” he made his way through the wild forests to seek a new home in the domains of Massasoit, the friend of white men. The best authorities believe that Massasoit gave him shelter at Sowams village until the spring broke. Williams himself, writes, “When I came (to the Narragansett) I was welcome to Ousamequin,” and “I testify and declare, that, at my first coming into these parts, I obtained the lands of Seekonk of Ousamequin.” If circumstantial evidence be of any value, Warren has certainly good grounds on which to base its claim to the honor of having been the first spot in Rhode Island pressed by the foot of the State’s illustrious founder. It is a fact worthy of note that, one hundred and twenty-nine years after Roger Williams sought refuge with Massasoit, Rhode Island’s great educational institution (Rhode Island College, now Brown University), began its career within a few rods of the site of the royal wigwam which, presumably, sheltered the Salem exile. On September 25, 1639, Massasoit and his eldest son, then known as Mooanam, “appeared at Court and renewed the ancient league with the Plymouth government,” Massasoit “acknowledging himself a subject of the King of England.” Thirteen years later, as we find by the records of the colony, an English plantation, “rated” at the value of £01:10:00, existed at Sowams. This settlement was located on the banks of the Kickemuit River in the north-easterly part of the present town of Warren. It was completely destroyed by the Indians during King Philip’s war;[11] but, as late as Revolutionary times, the remains of its cellars and hearth stones were still visible. Its northern limit extended to what now constitutes the boundary line separating Warren from North Swansea. Its southern limits approached within less than a mile of the Indian village of the same name. At just what date the first log cabin of a white settler was erected at Sowams we have no means of ascertaining; but it is not unreasonable to suppose that the little hamlet grew up, slowly, around the old trading house.[12] The Kickemuit River is a picturesque stream which, rising in Swansea, winds along the shores of Warren and Bristol and empties into Mount Hope Bay at a point called by the Indians “Weypoiset,” by the English the “Narrows.” On the west bank of the river, near the site of the old boundary line of Warren and Bristol, is a living spring still known as Kickemuit Spring.[13] The soil in the vicinity of this spring is mixed with oyster, clam, and quahaug shells to the depth of several feet, and from it various aboriginal implements have at different periods been exhumed. It is evident that an Indian village once occupied the locality.[14]