Asharoken, Sachem of Matinecock

He fl. 1648-69. [Grumet, 136.] He was named as Sachem of Matinecock between 1654 and 1656, apparently succeeding Assiapam, who was Sachem in 1653. Some researchers believe he was a son of Tackapousha, and brother of Monguamy and Waumetompack.

"KETANOMOCKE: Indian village at Huntington, L. I. A deed from Wm. Jones to Robert Seely, Dec. 22, 1662, says : " Theophilus Eaton, Esq., late Governor of New Haven Colony, deceased, unto whom the lands mentioned were given or granted by Rusurocon Sagamor of Cutunomack in the presence of sundry Indians have, etc." (H. R., vol. i., p. 43). A certificate dated Aug. 17, 1663, states that a deed of Eaton's Neck was given to Theophilus Eaton in 1646, viz.: "we . . . testifie that Resorokon Sagamore of Ketanomocke of Long Island now called by the English Huntington, Did give and grant to Theophilus Eaton, Esq. and Governor of New Haven, etc." (H. R., vol., i., p. 49). Also occurs as Ketewomoke. This was probably one of the palisadoed villages of the tribe and where the Sachem Resorokon's big house or wigwam was located at that period (1646), but not the place from which the tribal name of Matinnicock was derived. Resorokon, or Raseokan in other deeds, is called the Sagamore of Matinnicoke. Sec'y Van Tienhoven of New Netherlands, 1650, wrote of what is probably the village: "the smallest stream runs up in front of the Indian village, called Martinne houck, where they have their plantations. This tribe is not strong and consists of about 30 families. There were formerly in and about this bay, great numbers of Indian Plantations, which now lie waste and vacant" (Col. Hist. N. Y., vol. i., p. 366). This name must be assigned to Trumbull's Class 3, i.e., "those formed from verbs, denoting a place where the action of the verb is performed. " The first part ketan (Narragansett kitthan) signifies "the sea"; -om is the verb of motion in its simple form;-mMck having the termination of the third person singular of the conditional present passive, "where or when a thing is." Hence we have Ketan-om-muck, "where the sea flows," "the shore," or "beach." Ruttenber confuses this name with that of Crab Meadow. See Arhakaamunk." [William Wallace Tooker, The Indian Place-Names On Long Island and Islands Adjacent With Their Probable Significations (1911), 78-80.]

"Both Asharoken and Suscaneman placed their marks on eleven deeds to lands at Matinecock between 1655 and 1669. Following a subsequent nine year hiatus, during which no deeds for lands in and around Oyster Bay were signed, Asharoken's name did not appear on a deed dated November 16, 1677, bearing the mark of 'Suskaneman of longisland in ye bounds of matenecoke' (Cox 1916-40 [1]:148-49). Little more than a year later, Suscaneman signed a deed to another piece of land as "ye Chiefe proprietor of ye Lands of Matenacock and Successor unto Asiopum alias Mahams deceased" (355). The absence of this or any other orthography of Asharoken's name in subsequent documents affirms that the senior chief fell from power, moved away, or died sometime between 1669 and 1677." [Grumet, 121.]