|
Whately Massachusetts Official Web Site
|
Whately
was settled in the 1600's, in an area along the Connecticut River that
belonged to the Norwottucks, or Fresh Water Indians, under Chief (Sagamore)
Quonquont. Originally part of Hadley, the land in Whately was purchased
by Hatfield in 1695 from Quonquont's widow and children, by a deed
which still exists. Whately was incorporated in 1771 and named by then
Governor Hutchinson for Thomas Whately, a political mentor of his in the
British Parliament. more (see the next entry for "find on this page" information) |
|
Find the information you are looking for, Click (browser menu) Edit Scroll to Find on this page Enter norwottuck |
 |
|
Lesson Two Native Peoples in New England by Angela Goebel Bain, Lynne Manring, and Barbara Mathews
|
As overt Indian resistance collapsed, the English began to "round up the
hostile Indians," executing some and selling others into slavery in the West
Indies. The Pocumtucks, Sokokis, Norwottucks and Agawams of the
middle Connecticut Valley could no longer live safely in their homelands.
Although some stayed, most fled for their lives. Some Native people of the
Connecticut Valley took refuge in Schaghticoke, outside of Albany, New York.
A Mahican community established by Governor Andros of New York, Schaghticoke
provided sanctuary for Algonquians from the Connecticut River Valley area
(Day 20).
Other groups eventually followed their Abenaki and Sokoki allies to live at Odanak (St. Francis) in Quebec. Odanak had not yet become a French Jesuit mission when it began welcoming Native people fleeing from the aftereffects of King Philip's War. Pocumtucks, Norwottucks, Sokokis, and Pennacooks (Haefeli and Sweeney 14) were among the refugees. This mixture of Native peoples at Odanak eventually took on a "Western Abenaki" identity, since the Abenaki from what is now Vermont and New Hampshire once formed a majority of the population. Still other Connecticut Valley Natives joined allies at Pennacook in New Hampshire and Maine where forceful resistance continued (Day 21). Day, Gordon. The Identity of the Saint Francis Indians.
Ottawa: National Museums of Canada, 1981. |
|
Springfield's Puritans and Indians: 1636-1655 Historical Journal of Massachusetts, Winter 1998 by O'Shea, Marty
|
Once again William Pynchon was looked to as an intermediary. He was instructed by the River Town General Court to purchase com from the Agawam, Woronoco, or Norwottuck Indians at 5 shillings per bushel. Pynchon was a wise choice in this matter. His relations with the Indians were amicable and he had a legally sanctioned and protected monopoly on trade with Indians in the upper Connecticut River Valley. However, the Indians, understanding that the shortage would translate into higher prices, refused to sell at the artificially determined price. When Pynchon sent news that he was unable to obtain any corn, the River town authorities immediately dispatched Captain John Mason to Springfield. One year earlier, Mason had led the slaughter of hundreds of Pequots in Mystic, Connecticut. We can imagine that the presence of this Indian foe unnerved Pynchon, who was always careful not to antagonize his Indian neighbors. Nevertheless, Pynchon agreed to serve as an interpreter at a meeting between Mason and a group of Norwottucks. The meeting, which was held at Pynchon's home in March, 1638, was unproductive. Mason immediately suspected that Pynchon was undermining his efforts in an attempt to profit from the shortage of corn. As a result, Pynchon was formally charged by the Court with `unfaithful dealing in the trade of come." |
