Nelson D. Simons facts for kids
Nelson Drue Simons (also known as Wabum Annug or Chief Morning Star) was an important leader of the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe. He served as their chief from 1916 to 1928. He was also a government official. Nelson Simons made history as the first known Native American to graduate from Suffolk University Law School in Boston.
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Nelson Simons: A Wampanoag Leader
His Early Life and School Days
Nelson Drue Simons was born on November 23, 1885. His parents were Isaac Simon and Ella Frances Mingo Simon. They lived in Mashpee, Massachusetts. His father was a seaman, whaler, and farmer. Nelson had at least five brothers and sisters.
Besides his Wampanoag background, Simons also had Pequot family roots. People believed he was a descendant of Sassacus, a famous Pequot leader. From 1896 to 1904, Nelson attended public schools in Mashpee.
After his father passed away in 1905, Nelson and his siblings went to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. This school was in Pennsylvania. Simons attended Carlisle from 1909 to 1914. While there, he was president of the school's YMCA club. He was also a Lieutenant in Company B, a student military group. He wrote articles for the school newspaper, the Carlisle Arrow. Simons even wrote to Congress to support the YMCA at Carlisle. At Carlisle, he learned skills like plumbing and pipe fitting.
Leading the Mashpee Community
After finishing school, Simons returned home to Mashpee, Massachusetts. In 1915, he became the town clerk, taking over from his great-uncle, Watson F. Hammond. The next year, when his uncle passed away, Nelson became the tribal chief.
From 1914 to at least 1917, Simons worked in "cranberrying," which means growing cranberries. By 1920, he was working as a plumber. He also had a small farm with a cow.
Nelson Simons led the Mashpee tribe from about 1916 through the 1920s. He worked closely with Ebenezer Quippish, another tribal leader. Together, they helped bring back important parts of their culture. In 1922, Simons helped re-dedicate the Old Indian Meeting House, a very important place for the community.
Simons also served as Mashpee's tax collector. He even helped get U.S. Mail service for Mashpee and became the postmaster.
Studying Law and Later Life
In 1921, Nelson Simons started studying at Suffolk University Law School in Boston. He graduated in 1925. While at Suffolk, he wrote an article for the Suffolk Register called "Possibilities of Spare Moments."
Simons was also a poet. In 1922, he published a poem about Mashpee. His sister, Lillian, was also a published poet.
As a tribal leader, Simons helped bring together the Mashpee, Herring Pond, and Gay Head communities. In 1928, they held their first joint powwow. This was a big step for unity among the tribes.
Simons reportedly left Mashpee around 1929. His cousin, Lorenzo Tandy Hammond, then became the tribal leader. For the rest of his life, Nelson Simons lived near Cambridge, Massachusetts. He worked different jobs, including as a chauffeur, carpenter, and janitor. He passed away in 1953.
