Deborah Nickerson

Yarmouth

-Bass River area the home of the Nobscussets.

-Northeastern section between White's Creek and Bray Farm was the Hockanom.

-Western section, Dennis Pond area was the Mattachesset.

-Southwestern section called the South Sea Indians, most likely part of the Mattacheeset group.

JULY 1621 -John Billingsgate, a little boy lost from Plimoth colony is found in Manomet (Bourne) and is passed through the tribes via Iyanough, leader of the Mattacheese, to Aspinet, Sachem of the Nauset Tribe.

-Ten men led by Miles Standish, Squanto, and Samoset proceed to Iyanough at the flats off Cummaquid. They stay for the night before Iyanough accompanies them to Nauset to aid them in the retrieval of the lost boy.

NOVEMBER 1622 -Governor Bradford buys corn from Iyanough on the way to Nauset, during the return trip the shallop became grounded and they left their food with Iyanough and walked back to Plimoth.

FEBRUARY 1623 -Standish returns for the food and is iced in; stays with the Hockanoms, a few Indians steal from the white men, they in turn are reprimanded by the Sachem and punished. In order to make amends the Native Americans give Standish extra corn.

MARCH 1623 -The massacre of Wattawamat and his followers at the hands of Miles Standish, because of the discovered plot against the Plimoth colony. This caused panic amongst the local population of Native Americans, they abandon their houses and go into hiding. A majority die during this flight from Standish, including Iyanough.

1647 -John Eliot arrives in hope of christianizing the Yarmouth Indians, under the watchful eye of Sachem Jehu.

1655 -Sachem Massantampaigne brought to court over a reported stolen gun.

1656 -Native Americans become subject to colony laws, William Nickerson fined for buying Indian lands, and for giving them a shallop.

1657 -Sachem Janno claims that lands belonging to him in Cummaquid (Yarmouth) were purchased by Mr. Thacher and Mr. Howes and not paid for. John Alden and Thomas Southworth settle that the men had paid.

MAY 1657 -Massantampaigne sells all the land from Stony Copen or Stony Cove (Mill Pond) east to Saquatucket Harbor (Stoney Creek, Brewster).

MAY 1658 -Sachem Janno made his mark witnessed by Thomas Dexter and Indians; Nick and Josh. He agreed to be paid "six coats, six pairs of small breeches, ten shoes, ten hatchets, two brass kettles, one of six spans and the other seven, and one iron kettle of six spans." These were to be paid in August and the following May for the land between Bass Pond River (Bass River), Tamahappasouakou (Crab Creek) and Stony Cove River (present day Yarmouth/Barnstable town line along U.S. Rte 6A) and south to approximately present day U.S. Rte 6.

1674 -Sachem Massantampiagne sells present day northern Dennis to Anthony Thacher, John Crowe, and Thomas Howe.

1675 -King Philip's War, no local encounters. Sampson for the Nobscusset and Kencomsett for the Mattacheese renew their covenant with the government.

1700 -Native Americans live in Cummaquid (between Mary Dunn Road and Yarmouth/Barnstable town line), near mouth of Bass River (south of present day Ship Shops marina) and along the eastern shores of Bass River (behind Dennis Town Hall).

1713 -Establishment of Indian Town, (first reservation in America) between Swan Pond on the west and Sarah's Swamp (swamp behind St. Pius X church) on the east, Long Pond on the north, and Bass River on the south. The population of worshipping Native Americans remaining at this time is 70 praying men, and assuming that for each man there were at least two offspring, one wife and one elder this gives a approximate total of 300 remaining Native Americans in Yarmouth.

1753 -John Kelley moves a house to the southern part of the reservation and is believed to have brought the small pox with him. This small pox ultimately leads to the destruction of the majority Native Americans in Yarmouth.

1765 -The final outbreak of small pox starts to decimate the local natives for what will be the final time.

1777 -Small Pox ravages the remaining population of Native Americans. Elizabeth Kelley set up an infirmary in her house to nurse the natives, eventually all of the patients die. This house is located at 188 Main Street.

1778 -The town appropriates the dying Native American's land and sells it. A small parcel is set aside for Thomas Greenough, the last full Native American. He loses his court case, sells his land and moves and spends the rest of his life in the area surrounding Camp Greenough, which bears his name.

1779 -The remaining natives were forced to live in a small cluster of wigwams (wetus) near the old Yarmouth Playhouse.

1787 -One wigwam (wetu) is remaining in the Playhouse area.

1797 -The last wigwam is occupied by a Negro and a squaw is abandoned.