The Wessagussett Plantation

Wessagussett Cast of Characters
Home
Fortifications
Gorges' Servants
1635 Settlers List
1642 Native Deed to Weymouth
Soils
Wessagussett Locations
Timeline of Wessagussett
Edward Winslow's Account
Translation of the name Wessagussett
Phineas Pratt's Narrative
Pratt Facts about Wessagussett
Thomas Morton's Account
Wessagussett Cast of Characters

Approximately 60 English settled Wessagussett, several families of Natives moved outside of the colony, and 10 Plymouth men arrived to "rescue" the settlers once they had worn out their hospitality.  While we can never know all the name sof the participants in this early New England drama, several are known to us.

Those present on the Sparrow (which brought Pratt over)

Mr. Rogers Master of the ship that brought Phineas Pratt Over

Mr. Gibbs Master's Mate of the ship that brought Phineas Pratt over

Pratt, three crew and six settlers arrived in Plymouth on the Sparrow (1622?)


Weston Colonists

"Then we made haste to settle our plantation in the Massachusetts Bay - our number being near sixty men” (Pratt Narrative)

       Those we know by name (and from what seventeenth century

        source we know them from)

Phineas Pratt (Phineas Pratt's Narrative)

Edward Johnson (Thomas Morton's New English Canaan)

John Saunders (Sanders) (Bradford's Of Plimoth Plantation) overseer after Richard Green's death

Mr. Salisbury (Surgeon)(Pratt)

        Those we know by part

Sick man who was almost hanged (Pratt, Morton)

Young man who was hanged (Pratt, Morton)

Young man who could speak Native Language- "a young man that could best understand their language" (Pratt)

Three men who go and live with the Natives- "three of Mr. Weston's men which more regarded their bellies then any command or Commander, having formerly fared well with the Indians for making them Canoes, went again to the Sachem to offer their service, and had entertainment (Edward Winslow Good News from New England)

One man who died in the mud (Pratt)

Three men dead in the Court of Guard- “one man dead before me & another at my right hand & another at my left for want of food” (Pratt)

Plymouth's Contribution

Mr. Hamden- Met Pratt outside of Plymouth (Winslow )

10 or 11 Plymouth men went to Weymouth, with Hobamock (Pratt)

Captain Standish made choice of eight men (Winslow)

9 of our men were dead with famine and one died in the ship (Pratt)

another of their Company was turned Salvage, that their people had most forsaken the town, and made their rendezvous where they got their victuals, because they would not take pains to bring it home (Winslow)

one being more ancient and wise than the rest, calling former things to mind, especially the Captain's presence, and the strait charge that on pain of death none should go a musket shot from the plantation (Winslow)

Natives of Wessagussett

Pecksuot- Native Pneise

Witauwamet/ Wattawamat, "Witawamat bragged of the excellency of his knife; on the end of the handle there was pictured a woman's face" (Winslow)

Obtakiest- Aberdikes (Pratt)

a man going into one of their houses, weary with traveling & galled on his feet (Pratt)

woman of the house (Pratt)

a great number of armed men (Pratt)

my (Pecksuot's) boy Nahamit (Pratt)

Hugh Stacy went forth to fell at tree & saw two (Native) men rising from the ground (Pratt)

This Indian missed him but very little, and missing him passed by the town and went to Manomet whom we hoped to take at his return, as afterward we did...so he was locked in a chain to a staple in the Court of guard, and there kept...he was not a Massachusetts man, but as a stranger lived with them. (Winslow)

The people of Nauset, Paomet, Succonet Mattachiest, Manomet, Agoweywam, and the Isle of Capawack, were joined with the Massachusett (Winslow)

Indian of Paomet at Plymouth (Winslow)

an Indian was sent with all speed with a letter to our Governor (Winslow)

At which time also another Sachem called Wassapinewat, brother to Obtakiest the Sachem of the Massachusetts, who had formerly smarted for par taking with Corbitant, and fearing the like again, to purge himself revealed the same thing (Winslow)

one Pequot who was a Pinese came to hobbamock (Winslow)

Pecksuot and Wituwamat both together, with another man, and a youth of some eighteen years of age, which was brother to Wituwamat....whom the Cap. caused to be hanged  (Winslow)

But to proceed, there being some women at the same time, Captain Standish left them in the custody of Mr. Weston's people at the town, and sent word to another Company that had intelligence of things to kill those Indian men that were amongst them, these killed two more: himself also with some of his own men went to another place, where they killed another, and through the negligence of one man an Indian escaped, who discovered and crossed their proceedings (Winslow)

Five there were (he said) that prosecuted it with more eagerness then the rest, the two principal were killed, being Pecksuot and Witowamat, whose head was there, the other three were Powahs, being yet living, and known unto Us, though one of them was wounded, (Winslow)

Woman came and told us that Obtakiest was sorry that the English were killed before he heard from the Governor (winslow)

Captain Standish took one half of his men, and one or two of Mr. Weston's, and Hobomok, still seeking to make spoil of them and theirs. At length they espied a file of Indians, which made towards them amain; and there being a small advantage in the ground, by reason of a hill near them, both companies strove for it...they fled into a swamp. (Winslow)

Copyright 2008 PARP