[་ས naughty way for the successful enterprise of the Colo- spirit must have chafed under such unmerit THE FARMERS MONTHLY VISITOR VOL. XII. MANCHESTER, N. H. SEPT. 1852. NO. 9. ROWELL, PRESCOTT & CO., PROPRIETORS.... C. E. POTTER, EDITOR. BIOGRAPHY OF WONNALANCET. bors. nists. Wonnalancet succeeded to the SagaWonnalancet was the second son and third monship and always used his best endeavors child of Passaconnaway, being born about to preserve the good will of his English neigh1619 and of course younger than his sister He must have possessed a very mild dispowho married Winneperket in 1628. His name is indicative of his character, meaning literal-sition, or the continual wrong-doing of the English towards him, must on some occasions ly, breathing pleasantly, derived from Wonne or have roused him to revenge his wrongs. Wunne, (pleasant) and Nangshonat, to breathe: This name, after the Indian custom, he receiv He To name but one act of oppression; as eared after he had arrived at the age of manhood, ly as 1642, upon suspicion that a conspiracy and had shown to the tribe such qualities as was forming among the Indians to crush the deserved it; and he ever proved himself wor- the principal Indian Chiefs. Forty men were English, men were sent out to arrest some of thy of thisflattering cognomen. He was a good sent at this time to arrest Passaconnaway, but man-of a peaceful disposition-preferring the ease and comforts of peace, to the hardships nalancet, his son, was not so fortunate. he escaped them by reason of 'the rain.' Wonand deprivations of war, and very readily followed the advice of his father, given in 1660, caped into the woods. But while they barwas taken by the party, while his squaw esto cultivate friendly relations with the Eng-barously and most insultingly lead Wonnalish. In fact, for a series of years prior to lancet with a rope, he loosened the rope and 1660, he had cultivated the friendship of the colonists, living near their advanced posts-ating at him, and coming near hitting him with attempted to make his escape, his captors firhis beautiful Island of Wickasauke. It was a their shot. He was re-taken, and for this most fortunate circumstance for the English outrage, the Government of Massachusetts colonists, that Wonnalancet instead of Nana-feared the just resentment of Passaconnaway mocomuck, his eldest brother, succeeded to the and they sent Cutshamakin, whom they had Sagamonship after the death of Passaconna- arrested on the same occasion and had disFor, if Nanamocomuck possessed a tithe of and invite him to go to Boston to hold a concharged, to excuse the matter to the old Chief, the warlike qualities of his son Kancamagus,ference with them. The answer of the old at the head of the Pennacooks in 1668, when Sagamon, savors a good deal of an indepenhe could readily have raised an army of dent spirit, and had he been younger by a half 500 warriors from the Souhegans, Pennacooks, century, his answer might have been still Winnepesaukies, Pigwakaukes, Sacos, and Amariscoggins, he would have presented a most powerful obstacle in the way of the progress of the Colonists. way. But Providence seems to have paved the way for the successful enterprise of the Colo more proud and haughty. "Tell the English," was his reply," when they restore my son and his squaw, then will I talk with them." The answer was that of a man who felt he had been most deeply wronged. His haughty spirit must have chafed under such unmerit ed wrongs and it is possible under the sting ued opposition to the Christian religion, when such outrages could not fail to inflict-he and he so uniformly acted as if prompted by its his son might have regretted the policy they principles. But in spite of the example of had marked out for themselves. Wonnalan- his father who embraced the Christian belief cet was soon after, liberated and delivered up in 1648, Wonnalancet continued in the behis guns to the English. lief of his ancestors, till 1674, resisting the mild persuasions of Eliot and evincing a fixed determination to die, as he had lived, in the religion of his fathers. But he seems to have acted upon principle; to have ever adhered strictly to the instructions of his father. He doubtless succeeded his father about 1668 as we find him at the head of The fort at Pawtucket, was used by Wonnahis tribe in the spring of 1669. He then left lancet and his tribe, only as a refuge in case of his fort at Pennacook and removed to Paw-alarm from the Mohawks-and they continutucket, with his tribe, where they built a forted to plant and fish up the river as usual. In for their protection from the Mohawks of whom 1659 as before noted, he had license to sell the they stood in great fear. Island of Wickasauke-and afterwards had a grant of an hundred acres from the General Court" on a great hill about 12 miles West of Chelmsford, "because he had a great many children and no planting grounds." The goodness of his character, his humanity and generous impulse, is sufficiently proved by the sale of his home, to purchase the liberty of his brother. His oldest brother, Nanamocomuck had been imprisoned in Boston, for a debt due from another Indian to one John Tinker and for which he had become responsible. In order to raise the money to pay the debt and charges, the Indians made known to the Court their desire to dispose of the royal residence at "Wickasauke," an island in the Merrimack a few miles above Lowell. The Court gave them permission to sell it, as follows: In 1665, Wonnalancet, relinquished this grant of an 100 acres upon condition that the Court should purchase "Wickasauke", for them from "Ensign John Evered" or Webb, by giving him 500 acres of land in the wilderness adjoining his land. The petition was as follows: To the worshipfull Richard Bellingham, Esq. Govr License for Indians to sell an Island. Whereas this Court is Informed yt Pesacon-eth that whereas Indians severall years since away's soune now in prison as surety for ye we yr petit's out of pity and compassion to our payment of a debt of forty five pounds or pore brother and Countryman to redeem him thereabouts and having nothing to pay but out of prison and bondage whose name is Affirme that severall Indians now in posses- Nanamocomuck the eldest son of Passaconesion of a smale Island in merrimack River wa, who was Cast into prison for a debt of an(about sixty acres) the half whereof is broken other Indian unto John Tinker for which he up: are willing after this next yeares use of gave his word: the redemption or whome did their sayd Island to sell theire Interest in ye cost us our desirable posetions where we and said Island to whoeuer will purchase it and so ours had and did hope to enjoy our Livelihood to redeem the sayd Pesaconaway's soune out for ourselves and posterity: namely an Island of prison. The magistrates are willing to al- on merimack River called by the name of wilow the sayd Indians liberty to sell ye sayd Isl-cosurke which was purchased by Mr John and to Ensigne Jno Evered as they and he Can Agree for ye ends aforesaid. If their brethren the deputys Concent hereto. 8 Nov. 1659. The deputys consent hereto provided the Indian[s] have liberty to sell the sd Island to him that will give most for it. Consented to by ye magistrates. EDWD. RAWSON, Secy. [Ms. Archives, Vol. 30, p. 82.] Wonnalancet was the leader in the move ment. Wickasauke was sold to " Ensign John Evered" or Webb as he was sometimes called, and Nanamocomuck was set at liberty. Fearing the English, his enemies, he took up his residence with the Amariscoggins, a tribe owing fealty to his father Passaconnaway, where he died prior doubtless to 1669, at which time we find Wonnalancet at the head of the Pennacooks, a place Nanamocomuck would have occupied had he been alive. The redemption of Nanamocomuck was the work of Wonnalancet, a most benevolent act, and we are at a loss to account for his contin Web: who hath Curtiously Given Vs Leaue to plant vpon ever since he hath possessed the same, we doe not know whether to Goe, nor where to place ourselves for our Lively hood in procuring Vs bread: having beine very very Solicitous wh Mr Webb to let vs Enjoy our said posetions againe he did condescend to our motion provided we would repay him his Charges but we are pore and Canot so doe-or request is mr Web may have a grant of about 5 С acres of land in two places adjoyning his owne Lands in the wilderness, which is our owne proper Lands as the aforesaid Island |