Historic Localities in and About Sowams
Touiset. Indian name of a neck of land lying between Kickemuit and Cole’s Rivers. The western portion of it is in Warren, the eastern in Swansea. Indian relics have been exhumed from its soil, and, perhaps an Indian village was once located upon it. April 10, 1673, Tottomommuck, sachem of Seaconnet (Little Compton, R. I.), sold “land in Swansea called Towsett,”[26] to Nathaniel Paine. In the early records of Swansea Touiset is generally termed “The Sheep Pasture.” It was laid out in 106 lots which were divided among the Swansea proprietors in 1686. In July 1675, a great concourse of Philip’s warriors gathered at Touiset, near the “narrows” of the Kickemuit River, “to eat clams, other provisions being scarce.” Captain Benjamin Church, then at Pocasset (Tiverton), greatly desired to surprise and capture this body of the enemy; but, as he had peremptory orders to proceed from Pocasset directly to Mt. Hope, he was compelled to allow them to remain unmolested.
After the close of Philip’s war, the remnant of the Wampanoags fled to Maine, and ultimately became merged in the Penobscot tribe. Up to half a century ago, parties of Penobscot Indians were in the habit of making periodical visits to Warren, camping for several days in various parts of the town. Before returning to Maine, they invariably paid a visit of a few hours to what is known as the “Hicks’ Farm” on Touiset Neck, though for what purpose this particular locality was visited they never divulged.
King’s Rocks, the “National Grinding Mill” of the Wampanoags. The following article, contributed by Gen. Guy M. Fessenden, appeared in the “Warren Telegraph” issue of June 2, 1860.
“Mr. Editor: An interesting discovery in reference to the aboriginal history of this town has recently been made. Mr. Francis Loring, an intelligent Indian, and a member of the Penobscot tribe, who has been in this vicinity for several weeks, informed the writer that the tribe had in their possession, and which they carefully preserved among their national archives, an ancient book made of skins, containing many descriptions of important historical localities, some of which are in this vicinity, all of them in the ancient Indian style of signs and picture writing. One of these pictures represents four men rolling a heavy circular stone, by a stick placed through a hole in the centre, back and forth over a quantity of corn, and described as the Wampanoag national grinding mill, where corn was ground for war parties or for any large public gathering of the people.
“The locality of the place was so plainly stated that Mr. Loring had no difficulty in finding it. It is at the place called King’s Rocks in Warren, near the Swansea line about two miles from the village. On the west side of the mass of rocks is a nearly level smooth surface of rock about twenty-five feet by eight feet in width. In this level place are three regular, narrow, straight depressions. They appear evidently to have been worn into the rock by some forcible attrition, and are, in fact, just such hollows as might be made by the cause assigned.
“These worn places have heretofore attracted notice and speculation, but the true cause of their existence has not before been known by late generations, and the idea of a national grinding mill, or of pulverizing corn by a rolling stone in connection with Indian history will probably be new to every one.
“As confirmatory of the locality, Mr. Loring says the picture has upon it another hill of somewhat peculiar appearance (a large rock upon the summit) situated about a mile east of the grinding place, named, he thinks Wigwam Hill.[27] Leading from this hill towards the setting sun are two hundred and forty human steps, the line of steps terminating in three skulls which denotes a burial place. Mr. Loring visited the hill (now called Margaret’s Hill from the last Indian woman who resided there) and pacing off 240 steps west came to an Indian cemetery, which he verified by digging, and finding human remains.
F”
Mr. Francis Loring, known also by the name “Big Thunder” is now living, at an advanced age, on Indian Old Town Island, Maine, and is the custodian of the Penobscot tribe. The writer recently learned from him that the “ancient book made of skins” alluded to by General Fessenden was, a few years ago, accidentally destroyed by fire.
The Penobscot language contains several words which are undoubtedly of Wampanoag or Narragansett origin. This tribe regard Warren, R. I., as the former home of Massasoit. They translate the word Sowams, “Place of the Setting Sun.”
Wannamoisett. The northern part of Barrington extending into Seekonk, and including Bullock’s Point and Riverside. It was purchased of the Indians by John Brown, 1645. Became a part of Swansea, 1668.
Chachacust. The neck of land lying between Barrington and Warren, or Palmer’s Rivers. Called by the English, New Meadow Neck, or the New Meadows. Under the date December 7, 1647, the “New Meadows” are referred to, in the Plymouth Records, as being “on the west side of Sowams River” which proves that Sowams River and Warren River are identical. King Philip claimed that a portion of Chachacust was not included in the sale of “Sowams and Parts Adjacent,” and the English purchased his right in 1668.
Popanomscut. The southerly section of Barrington. It was called by the English “Phebe’s Neck,” and appears to have been the abode of Pebee, or Thebe, a petty Wampanoag sachem, and one of Philip’s counsellors. Thebe was killed by the English July 2, 1675. At the close of Philip’s war Plymouth Colony claimed Popanomscut as “conquered land,” but the Sowams’ proprietors succeeded in establishing their right to the tract under the provisions of the “Grand Deed of Saile” of “Sowams and Parts Adjacent.”
In Roger Williams’ “Key” occurs the word “paponaumsuog” which is thus defined: “A winter fish which comes up in the brooks and rivulets; some call them frost fish from their coming up from the sea into fresh brooks in time of frost and snow.” Every one familar with Warren River is aware of the fact that, with the arrival of cold weather, great quantities of frost fish appear in its waters, swarming close to both the Barrington and Warren shores. The similarity of the two words “Popanomscut” and “paponaumsuog” suggests the question: May not the former word have been derived from the latter, and may not its meaning be “place of frost fish” or something of similar signification?
Popanomscut was laid out and divided among the proprietors between 1676 and 1680.
Chachapacaset. Rumstick Neck in Barrington. The name Rumstick was applied to the neck in 1697, and at first only to a locality as “Rumstick on Chachapacaset.” Some authorities believe the word Rumstick to be of Norse origin.
Nayatt. The south-west point of Barrington.
Moscachuck Creek. It runs from the brickyard at Nayatt into Narragansett Bay.
Annawomscott. That section of Barrington now known as Drownville.
Scamscammuck Spring. Located at the upper end of Chachapacasset.
Mosskituash Creek. This flows into Bullock’s Cove at Riverside.
Poppasquash Neck. Poppasquash, though originally used to indicate the entire western part of Bristol, is now only applied to a small peninsula surrounded by the waters of Bristol harbor on the east and Narragansett Bay on the west.
The “Miery Swamp.” The swamp at Mount Hope where King Philip was slain August 12, 1676.
“King Philip’s Chair.” A niche in the eastern side of Mount Hope in which, according to tradition, King Philip was accustomed to sit for the purpose of reviewing his warriors, practicing target shooting, etc. Near the “chair” is a spring of pure water.