Patawomeck facts for kids

The Patawomeck are a Native American tribe from Stafford County, Virginia. They lived along the Potomac River. The name Patawomeck is another way to spell Potomac.

Today, the Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia is a state-recognized tribe in Virginia. They are known as descendants of the historic Patawomeck people.

Language of the Patawomeck

The Patawomeck people spoke an Eastern Algonquian language. This language was part of the larger Algonquian language family. Many Algonquian-speaking groups lived in the Tidewater area of Virginia.

Sadly, the Patawomeck language is no longer spoken today. However, there are efforts to bring it back to life. Classes use materials created by linguist Blair A. Rudes. He worked to reconstruct the language as it was spoken in the 1600s. These materials were first made for actors in the film The New World.

History of the Patawomeck

For thousands of years, different groups of Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands lived along the Potomac River. Archeologists have found many clues about these early cultures. For example, at Indian Point, they found an ancient burial ground. This site was part of the Patawomeck area later on.

In 1996, a study by the College of William and Mary found over 10,000 Native American artifacts. Most were pieces of pottery from the 1400s. These findings help us understand the lives of the people who lived there long ago. The Patawomeck were farmers who grew maize (corn). They also hunted, fished, and gathered food from their rich environment. They were loosely connected to the powerful Powhatan Confederacy.

Meeting the English (1600s)

The first time Europeans met the Patawomeck was in 1608. The English leader Captain John Smith visited them. He saw them growing a lot of corn along the Potomac River. The main Patawomeck town was also called Patawomeck. It was located in what is now Stafford County.

The Patawomeck were somewhat independent from the Powhatan Confederacy. They often became friends with the English colonists. They even helped the English when they needed food. In 1609, when the colonists at Jamestown were starving, they tried to buy corn from the Patawomeck.

In 1612, Captain Samuel Argall made peace with the Patawomeck. This happened during the First Anglo-Powhatan War. In 1613, Argall captured Pocahontas, the daughter of Chief Powhatan. She had been living with the Patawomeck tribe. A Patawomeck leader named Japazaw helped Argall in exchange for a copper kettle.

Some Patawomeck traditions say that Pocahontas was married to a Patawomeck man named Kocoum. They believe they had a daughter named Ka-Okee. After Pocahontas was captured, Ka-Okee supposedly stayed with the Patawomeck people.

The Patawomeck continued to side with the English in conflicts against the Powhatan. But as more English settlers moved into their area in the 1650s, problems grew. There were fights over land and resources. In 1662, a Patawomeck leader named Wahanganoche was taken prisoner. He was found not guilty at his trial, but he was killed on his way home in 1663. In 1665, the colonial government forced the tribe to sell their remaining land.

In 1666, the English declared war on several tribes, including the Patawomeck. After this, the Patawomeck seemed to disappear from historical records. Some believe the survivors joined other tribes, like the Portobacco tribe.

The 1900s

In 1928, a researcher named Frank Speck studied Native American families living near the old Patawomeck area. He believed they were descendants of the original Patawomeck nation. Many families in Stafford County had stories passed down about their Patawomeck ancestors. These included families with names like Sullivan, Newton, Green, and Curtis.

However, it was hard for Native Americans in Virginia during this time. Laws like the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 made it difficult to be recognized as Indian. Official records often listed people as only "white" or "colored," hiding their Native American heritage.

State Recognition Today

The Patawomeck Indian Tribe of Virginia is one of Virginia's eleven state-recognized Native American tribes. They received state recognition in February 2010. This means the state of Virginia officially recognizes them as a Native American tribe. They are not yet recognized by the federal government.

Today, the tribe has about 2,300 members. Most of them live close to their historic village of Patawomeck. They are working to bring back their historic Algonquian language.

In the 1990s, Robert "Two Eagles" Green helped reorganize the tribe. He worked hard to get them state recognition. In 2010, the Virginia House of Delegates and Senate voted to officially recognize the tribe. This also gave the Patawomecks a seat on the Virginia Council on Indians.

Robert "Two Eagles" Green was the chief until 2013. He also advised filmmakers for The New World, a movie about Jamestown. His son, Jason Green, also appeared in the film. The Patawomecks helped the filmmakers create real-looking clothing for the Native American characters.

In 2013, John Lightner became chief, and in 2019, Charles Bullock became chief. The tribe continues to work on preserving their culture and history. For example, in 2014, they worked with Stafford High School to make their school mascot better represent Virginia Indians.