Indian Names of Places in Plymouth, Middleborough, Lakeville and Carver Plymouth County Massachusetts

Hobbamak's Ground.
     "A parcel of land on Waster's Hill occupied by Hobbamak by permission of the colony before 1623." (W. T. D., A. L. M. Ply., p. 152.) This tract consists of about four acres at the top of the hill.
     Hobbamak or, as his name is spelled by Samuel G. Drake, Hobomok, was a Wampanoag Indian, always a great friend of the English and served them often as a guide and interpreter.
     The Pilgrim Colony owed much to the two Indians Squanto and Hobbamak, and but for the devotion and faithfulness of these two "savages" during the first year of settlement, Plymouth would have a very different history.
     It is a curious fact that Squantam or Squantum and Habamouk were the names of the two evil gods of the Indians, and it is very plausible that these names were given to them by their own tribe as characterizing the results to the Indian through their friendship to the white man. One of the Indian Chiefs, Caunbitant, speaking of Squanto said, "If he were dead the English had lost their tongue."
     Tisquantum was the name by which Squanto was most usually called in the earliest records and the abbreviation of this name I should judge was of a little later origin. Edward Winslow mentions him many times in his "Relation" a
Tisquantum.

Kamesit, District of Plymouth.
     "The Indian name of the country about South Pond." (W. T. D., A. L. M. Ply., p. 152.) In the central part of Plymouth. Possibly the name of the pond itself. (M. H. S. Coll., s. 2, v. 3, p. 175.)

Kawamasuhkakamid Kawamasohkakannit, 1664, Koomasabunkawitt, 1674 ( Ply. Col. Rec.) Comassakumkanit.
     Probably Herring Pond, in the southeastern part of Plymouth (M. H. S. Coll., s.1, v.1, p. 198). Hon. Nathaniel Freeman, in 1792, suggests that this name might have been given to the Indian territory in the neighborhood of Herring Pond, about five miles northwest of Sandwich, extending along shore to Monument Pond, and inhabited by a distinct tribe called the Herring Pond Indians. "Of that laud called Kawamasuhkakamid." (Indian deed, 1664.)
     Richard Bourne, in a letter to Daniel Gooken in 1664, gives the fourth spelling of the name. From the construction of the word I am inclined to believe that it signified the place where the Indians fished for herring or alewives, Ommissakkeag or Ammassakkeag--"a fishing palace for alewives." "Amoskeag " at the falls of the Merrimack has probably the same meaning.
(J. H. T.)
     "Great Herring Pond" is probably a literal translation of "Kawamasuhkakamid "doubtless a somewhat corrupted form of an original name K'(ehti), ommissuogamaug-Kehti (often abbreviated) "greatest" "principal" "-ommassuog-"herring" amaug "fishing place" "pond."

Kitteaumut, Katamet, Kitaumet, Cataumit.
Monument Ponds. (M. H. S. Coll., s. 3, v. 2, p. 244 Cotton.)
     The Indian name of the country from Manoment to Buzzard's Bay (W. T. D., A. L. M. P., p. 152.)
     A general name of the Village of Ponds. (M. H. S. Coll., s. 2, v. 3, p. 175. )
     In comparing various statements in regard to Kitteaumut--Manomet and Monumet I am led to the conclusion that the name Manomet originated at or about the head of Buzzard's Bay, Monumet or Monument was a corruption of the original word and the name was finally used as a general name for all the country from Plymouth town to Buzzard's Bay, including part of Sandwich and Bourne. Kitteaumut was a name perhaps originally given to Great Herring Pond and then became the name for all that part of Manomet about the ponds.
     I believe the name is from Kehte-amaug. (Keht-The "greatest," or "principal," amaug "fishing place.")

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