The Sowams proprietors did not immediately enter into possession of their entire purchase. By a clause in the “Grand Deed of Saile,” they were restrained from occupying “the neck” (i. e. Mount Hope Neck[18]) until such time as the Indians should remove therefrom, the term “neck” as used, however, really signifying only the “uplands,” or central portion of what now constitutes Warren and Bristol. The meadows (i. e. marshes) on either side the “great river,” (Sowams River), Kickemuit River, and in and about Poppasquash and Chachacust were the only portions of the territory which actually passed into their hands at the date of sale. These they at once proceeded to divide. The boundaries of the several “lots” are plainly described in the “Records of Sowams and Parts Adjacent” and may be easily traced on a map of Bristol County, R. I. The lots apportioned within the limits of Indian and English Sowams fell to the share of Captain Miles Standish, Experience Mitchell, Resolved and Peregrine White, Thomas Willett, John Adams, Thomas Prince, and John and Josiah Winslow.
The lot of Captain Standish included the marshes on both sides of Kickemuit River from the source of the stream to “the passage where they have usually gone over with canoes” i. e. the “wading-place.” Standish also had land on the east bank of the river from the wading-place to a “certain creek” running towards the upland. His next neighbor on the south was Experience Mitchell whose “meadow” extended from the creek before mentioned to “Clark’s Creek.” Beyond Mitchell’s land that of John Adams stretched from “Clark’s Creek” to “Rocky Run;” while, still farther south, the lot of Resolved White ran from “Rocky Run” to “Weypoisett,” the “narrows” of the river. Resolved White also possessed a strip of marsh on the west bank of the stream which began at the “passage with canoes” and ended at a “broaken red oak tree” whose location no man now knoweth.
The northern boundary of Captain Thomas Willett’s lot was marked by this same “broaken oak tree” and its southern boundary line was very near the “narrows.” In addition to this land Willet had a strip of marsh on the east bank of Sowams River. South of this strip was the lot of John Winslow, and south of Winslow’s meadow was a tract of land belonging to Peregrine and Resolved White. Willett’s meadow was apparently bounded by Massasoit’s village on the north, the marshes of which were not divided, undoubtedly having been reserved by Massasoit for the use of his people.
The land on the east shore of Belcher’s Cove, an arm of Sowams River, fell to the share of Thomas Prince. On the west side of the Cove the meadows “to the head thereof” were laid out to Josias Winslow and the Whites. The “Sowams Purchase” was a speculation, and the original proprietors did not long retain their land. That they were no losers by their investment is proved by the fact that Peregrine White sold his share for £40 pounds, five pounds more than was paid the Wampanoags for the entire territory bought.
From 1652 until the death of Massasoit in 1660, peace between the white men at English Sowams and the red men at Indian Sowams remained uninterrupted. The civilized farmer and the savage warrior appear to have each dwelt quietly under the shadow of his “own vine and fig tree.” Doubtless the inhabitants of Massasoit’s town were more or less affected by every day intercourse with their white neighbors. They must have learned many things unknown to the savages of districts remote from English settlements. Firm as was his friendship for the white men, however, Massasoit, Hubbard states, “was never in the least degree well affected to the religion of the English” and would fain have forced them to promise “never to attempt to draw away any of his people from their old pagan superstition and devilish idolatry.” He lived and died a heathen, clinging pertinaciously to the faith and gods of his fathers.
In 1658 the Plymouth government voted to raise a troop of horse “out of the several townships to bee reddy for service when required.” Each horse was to be “well appointed with furniture, viz.; a saddle and a case of petternells.”[19] Sowamsett contributed one trooper to this company.
For several years prior to the death of Massasoit, Wamsutta, or Alexander, was associated with his father in the government of the Wampanoags, and when the great chief’s spirit fled from earth to Sowaniu, the paradise of the red man, became the sachem of the tribe. He does not appear to have made his father’s town his own headquarters, but to have resided at Mount Hope. Probably his village stood near, or upon, the site of that occupied at a later date by his brother Philip. Philip’s town was not located as many writers have erroneouly stated, upon the mount, itself, but at a point about a mile and a half north of it and near the “narrows” of Kickemuit River. At and about this spot, relics of the aborigines have been disinterred in considerable numbers, and the remains of an ancient Indian burial ground was discovered there several years ago.
Soon after the death of his father Wamsutta repaired to Plymouth and “professing great respect,” desired the Court to bestow English names upon himself and his younger brother. The Court acceded to the request and named the sachem “Allexander Pokanoket,” his brother (Metacom) Philip, presumably after Alexander the Great and Philip of Macedon. For a brief period succeeding this event, the old time friendship of Wampanoag, and Englishman remained apparently undisturbed.
In 1660 the “rates” of Sowams were increased to £02:10:00. The little hamlet was slowly gaining in population and importance. During this year, the Court ordered a pound erected at Kickemuit, as Wamsutta complained that corn belonging to his people had been injured by swine, the property of the English. In June, 1661, Sowamsett and “all the naighbors there inhabiting” were placed under the “ward” of Rehoboth, and it was decreed that twenty shillings of Sowams’ rates should “be allowed for the easing of Sandwich rates.”
Alexander’s good faith began to be questioned by the English early in 1662. The governor of Plymouth colony having been informed that the sachem was endeavoring to persuade the old-time enemies of the Wampanoags, the Narragansetts, to join him in a revolt against the whites, deputed Captain Thomas Willett to investigate the truth of the report. Upon visiting Mt. Hope, Captain Willett was assured by Alexander that the Narragansetts had fabricated the story in order to injure the Wampanoags in the eyes of the English. The chief agreed to attend the next session of the Court at Plymouth that the charges against him might be fully investigated; yet when the Court convened he failed to appear being, it was said, at that very date upon a visit to the Narragansett country. The government decided to deal peremptorily with him and, accordingly, Josias Winslow, then Major Commandant of the Colonial militia, was depatched to bring him to Plymouth by force. Winslow and his party came upon the sachem, suddenly, at a hunting lodge near Munponset Pond in the present town of Halifax, Mass.; and, when Alexander declined to accede to the Court’s demand, Winslow presented a loaded pistol at his breast threatening him with instant death if he persisted in his refusal. Alexander and followers were almost helpless, their guns which had been stacked outside the lodge having been seized by the English before entering, and consequently, after a parley, and at the earnest entreaty of his people, the sachem yielded to the inevitable and, accompanied by his wife and a long train of warriors and squaws began the march towards Plymouth. Upon reaching Duxbury he was entertained at Major Winslow’s house, pending the arrival of orders from Governor Prince who resided at Eastham. But the haughty spirit of the Wampanoag king could ill brook the humiliation of arrest and imprisonment, and Alexander was soon smitten with a raging fever induced by grief and anger. The best medical skill was summoned to attend him, but he sank rapidly, and his terrified followers, believing him poisoned by the English, entreated to be allowed to carry him to Mt. Hope, promising to return with him as soon as he should recover and offering to send his son[20] as a hostage. Their request was granted and with all possible speed they started on the homeward journey. They bore their chief on a litter until they reached Titicut where they embarked in canoes, but had proceeded only a short distance down the river ere they perceived that he was dying. They immediately drew their frail barks to the shore, lifted him from the canoe, and tenderly placed him upon the grass. In stoical silence they awaited the end; and, when, the last fluttering sigh had escaped the pallid lips, they replaced the form of the dead sachem in the canoe, grasped their paddles and, with hearts burning with grief, anger, and thirst for revenge, pushed swiftly and silently down the stream.