Massasoit's Town Sowams in Pokanoket, Its History Legends and TraditionsBaker, Virginia
History
Massasoit's Town Sowams in Pokanoket, Its History Legends and Traditions
Baker, Virginia
Massasoit, 1580-1661; Sowams; Wampanoag Indians
The hamlet by the Kickemuit continued under the ward of Rehoboth
during 1663 and 1664, being ordered to so remain until such time as
the “naighborhood should be in a capassitie and desire to be a
township of themselves.” In 1664 Sowams was rated at £2:05:00; in 1666
at £07:17:06; in 1667, at £10:10:00. During this same year,
“Wannamoisett[21] and Parts Adjacent” were incorporated as a township
under the name of Swansea. The charter granted it described the
township as “all such lands that lyeth betwixt the salt water Bay and
coming up Taunton River all the land between the salt water and river
and the bounds of Taunton and Rehoboth.” It will readily be seen that
the site of Warren was included within the bounds of this extensive
territory. The history of Sowams thus became merged in that of
Swansea, less than a score of years after its commencement, and from
the annals of Swansea the chronicler must glean the facts that make up
its final chapters.
It is not within the province of this sketch to discuss at length the
causes which led to that mighty struggle between savagery and
civilization known is history as King Philip’s War. For some years
after he became sachem, Philip maintained an outward show of fealty to
the English. But as time went on the relations of red men and white
became strained. The Indian saw the forests rapidly vanishing beneath
the colonist’s axe, and realized that the game on which he depended
for sustenance would, also, soon disappear. He was forced to sell his
lands for the necessities of life, and he complained bitterly, and too
often with reason, of wrongs inflicted upon him by his white brother.
Moreover, he was fast becoming debased by the vices of civilization.
Philip was a statesman and a patriot. He loved his country and his
people. In the increasing power of the English he saw presaged the
downfall of his race. He resolved to attempt the extermination of the
usurpers. His fertile brain evolved a scheme for a union of the
various native tribes against the common foe. The English suspected
his designs, yet he many times adroitly baffled their watchfulness.
The fates, however, were against him, and he was destined never to
work out the salvation of his people.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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