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Indian Names of Places
in Plymouth, Middleborough, Lakeville and Carver Plymouth County
Massachusetts
In 1622-3 Governor Bradford first
visited this village in search of corn, and a trading house was erected
there in 1627; the second visit to Manomet, by Miles Standish, is also
historical,
In an article written in 1815-M. H. S. Coll., s. 2, v.
4, p. 291, it is stated that the Indian name of the river was Pimesepoese
and it signified "provision rivulet" (?) Aptuxet is given as the
Indian name of the old trading house. (M. H. S. Proceedings 1855-1858, v. 3,
p. 256.) It probably took its name from the river-Appeh-"trap"-tuck-
"river" with the diminutive and the locative suffix. "At the little trap
river." Believing my translation of Manomet to be correct, no name could now
be used more appropriately for the land first occupied by the Pilgrims, the
Pilgrim country. Manomet--" The trail of the burden carriers." (See
Monomoy.)
Mashashinett, Massashinet.
Indian deed, Ply. Col. Records, v.1, p. 231.
From Mass--"great," hassune-"stone,"
et-at, "the place of large stones." Mentioned as a pond in boundary
description.
Massassoomineuk.
"Is a place somewhere in the vicinage of Herring Pond."
"This word is literally "much cranberries." (M. H. S. Coll., s. 2, v.3, p.
175.) I believe, however, as the word is now spelled a literal translation
would be "the place of the large cranberry," or "where large cranberries
are." Massa "great," sasemine cranberry, and auk
place.-Sasemineash-cranberries (R. W..) The plural of many kinds of
berries was formed by adding "ash" to the singular.
Meshmuskuchtekutt.
Indian deed, Ply. Col. Rec., vol. 1, p. 231.
From Mishe-m'askeht-tuck-ut. "At the great grass
(or bulrush) brook." Near Agawam River or Red Brook.
Missaucatucket.
The Indian name for the land about Marshfield. Probably
from Miss-"Great" sauk-"the mouth of the stream or outlet"-tuck-"river"
and the locative et, meaning "(a place) on the stream which has a
very large, wide outlet."
Monechchan, Maneikshan
"An Indian territory just beyond Ellis's usually called by
the English 'Black Ground"' (M. H. S. Coll., s. 2, v. 3, p. 175.) In the
southeast part of Plymouth, very near the coast. "Called by the English the
'Black bank,' but called by the Indians Monechchan." (Indian deed,
1674.) I think it very probable, from the construction of the word, that the
English name was taken from the Indian name. Mooi-black and some form
of the word Anoohque or Nogqui which might mean "it looks like
black earth." Mooi-ne-nan "it has the appearance of blackness."
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