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Indian Names of Places
in Plymouth, Middleborough, Lakeville and Carver Plymouth County
Massachusetts
The name is derived from
Powntuck with the locative suffix-et, and is the diminutive. "Powntuck
is a general name for all falls." (Chandler's Survey of the Mohegan
Countries.) "Probably from some little falls on Town Brook." (J. H. T.,
Conn. Hist. Coll., v. 2. p. 9) "The Indian name perhaps of that part of
Plymouth south of Town Brook" (W. T. D., A. L. M. P., p. 153).
Poekquamscutt
Probably refers to cleared land, or land that had been
broken for planting. The word Paquiaug with many variations occurs
throughout New England.
"Poekquamscutt or a great rocke neare unto the
brooke "(Red Brook). Indian deed, 1678 (Ply. Col. Rec., v. 1, p. 231) .
If this name applied to the rock itself I should
suppose from the formation of the word that the rock was broken into two
parts.
Pokanoket, The Pokanoket.
The name of a large family of tribes who occupied much
of the land of the Plymouth Colony in 1620. This family included the
Wampanoags and the Patuxets of Plymouth, the Namesakes of Middleborough and
many others. All these tribes were under the dominion of Massasiot. The name
signifies "cleared land," or country.
"Pauqu-un-auk-it--"On, or at, cleared land."
Drake in his History of the Indians of North America,
states that Mount Hope was called Pokanoket by the Narragansett,".
and Sowams by the Wampanongs, and that it was the principal place of
residence of Massasoit.
Sowams, meaning "South Country," or "southward,"
was the Indian name of all of Barrington, a portion of Swanzey, Seakonk and
East Providence (Bicknell History of Barrington).
Ponkashute
"A part of Clintonville near Russell's Mills, so called
by the Indians as late as 1770" (W. T. D., A. L. M. Ply.).
Quanpaukoessett, Quanpasseesset.
"To a pond called Quanpaukoessett." (Indian deed, 1678,
Ply. Col. Rec., v. 1, p. 231.)
Probably means near the little long pond. From
Quinnilong, paug--pond, diminutive es, locative sett-"near."
Quohtauannet, Sachtanannet.
"So running southerly to a place called Quohtauannet."
(Indian deed, 1678, Ply. Col. Rec., v. 1, p. 231) .
This must have been south of Little Herring Pond.
Otan means a town or village. Kehtotanet
would signify at the great town.
Qusuknash, Qusuknashunk.
"Rock in the sea below Ellisville;" from Qussuk,
a rock and Auke, place, "a place of rocks or rock ground."
Qussukanash. "Rocks" (Cotton). Eliot gives
Qussukquanash, as "rocks,'' in 1 Samuel 17-40, with the diminutive.
Apparently this name is one of the least corrupted of Indian names in
Plymouth County.
Auke from ohke--" land,''ground," was
often written "unk".
"A great rock in ye water called Qussuknashunk"
(Indian deed, 1664).
Sagoquas, Squishy, Sagaquish, Sagaquash.
The Saquish of today was formerly an island at
the entrance of Plymouth Harbor. First mentioned in an account of Sieur
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