Chief Masconomet facts for kids
Masconomet (died 1658) was an important Native American leader. He was the sagamore (a type of chief) of the Agawam tribe. The Agawam were part of the larger Algonquian peoples. Masconomet lived during the time when English settlers first came to America.
He is well-known for signing a special document called a quitclaim deed. This document gave away all the land of his tribe to John Winthrop the Younger and the English settlers. This land stretched from Cape Ann to the Merrimack River. It also included areas like North Andover, Massachusetts, Middleton, Massachusetts, and parts of Essex County. He received 20 pounds for the land, which was about 100 dollars at that time.
Even though Masconomet could not read or write, he understood the agreement. He wanted his tribe, which had become much smaller due to diseases like smallpox, to join with the English colonists. He even spoke to the General Court of Massachusetts about it. This court was checking if Winthrop's land deal was fair.
Unlike some other tribes, the Agawam people did not move into special "praying Indian" villages. Instead, they lived on their own farms next to the English settlers. They slowly became part of the English communities. Over time, they stopped using their native language and traditions. Masconomet himself took the English name "John the Sagamore." He also gave his children English names. People remembered their Agawam heritage for a few generations.
Masconomet died in 1658. He was buried on Sagamore Hill in Hamilton, Massachusetts. A memorial stone marks his burial spot. It is said he was buried with his gun and tomahawk. Years later, in 1667, someone disturbed his burial site.
The Agawam people did not join in King Philip's War. This was a big war where many Native American tribes tried to push the English out of New England. Masconomet's land deed was very important during this time. It helped the English keep their land when others tried to claim it.
Today, Masconomet Regional High School is named after him. This school serves students from Topsfield, Boxford, and Middleton, Massachusetts.
Early Life and Meetings
Masconomet first appears in written records in 1630. This was in the journal of John Winthrop. Winthrop was the first governor of the Massachusetts Bay Colony. He wrote about Masconomet while on his ship, the Arbella. The ship was anchored near what is now Salem, Massachusetts.
On June 13, 1630, Winthrop wrote in his journal: "In the morning, the sagamore of Agawam and one of his men came aboard our ship and staid with us all day." This shows that Masconomet met with important English leaders very early on. Winthrop later landed and settled in Charlestown, Massachusetts.
