|
Maine Indian Tribes
Properly Wabanaki, "those living
at the sunrise," "those living at the east," "easterners."
Also called:
Alnânbaǐ,
own name, meaning "Indians," or "men."
Aquannaque, Wabanaki as
pronounced by Huron.
Bashabas, name given them from a
principal chief.
Cannon-gageh-ronnons, name given
by Mohawk.
Moassones, from a name applied to
their country; perhaps from Penobscot
Maweshenook, "berry place."
Narānkamigdok
epitsik arenanbak, "villages of the
Narānkamigdok," said to be a
collective name for all the Abnaki villages.
Natio Luporum, "Wolf Nation."
Natságana, name given by
Caughnawaga Iroquois.
Onagungees, Onnogonges, Anagonges,
or Owenagunges, name given by the Iroquois.
Skacewanilom, name given by the
Iroquois.
Tarrateens, name given by the
tribes of southern New England.
Connections. The Abnaki belonged to the
Algonquian linguistic family, their closest connections being with their
neighbors to the east and west. Indeed their name has very commonly been
extended to include the Malecite, Penobscot, and Pennacook, and even the
Micmac, though on the other hand the Sokoki have sometimes been left out.
Location. The main body
was in western Maine, in the valleys of the Kennebec, Androscoggin, and
Saco Rivers and on the neighboring coast, overlapping also into Carroll
County, N. H. A single tribe, the Missiassik, was in northwestern Vermont,
representing probably a late intrusion. (See also New Hampshire and
Vermont.)
Subdivisions
Amaseconti, on Sandy River, Franklin County.
Arosaguntacook, on the lower course of Androscoggin River.
Missiassik, in the valley of Missisquoi River, Franklin County, Vt.
Norridgewock, on Kennebec River.
Ossipee, on Ossipee River and Lake in Maine and New Hampshire.
Pequawket, on Lovell's Pond and the headwaters of Saco River, Maine and
New Hampshire.
Rocameca, on the upper course of Androscoggin River.
Sokoki, on Saco River and in the adjacent parts of Cumberland and York
Counties.
Wawenoc, on the seacoast of Sagadahoc, Lincoln, and Knox Counties.
Villages
Amaseconti; there were two villages of this tribe, at
Farmington Falls and New Sharon, respectively.
Aquadocta, westward of Saco.
Arosaguntacook town, probably near Lewiston.
Cobbosseecontee, a town or band on the stream of that name, which empties
into the Kennebec River at Gardiner.
Ebenecook, at Ebenecook Harbor, Southport Island. Kennebec, between
Augusta and Winslow.
Ketangheanycke, near the mouth of Kennebec River.
Masherosqueck, near the coast and not certainly Abnaki.
Mecadacut, on the coast between Penobscot and Kennebec Rivers.
Missiassik, belonging to the Missiassik tribe, on Lake Champlain at the
mouth of Missisquoi River, Vt.
Moratiggon, probably on the Maine or New Hampshire coast and possibly not
Abnaki.
Moshoquen, on or near the coast.
Muscongus, on the coast and probably near Muscongus Island.
Negusset, about the site of Woolwich.
Ossaghrage, Iroquois name of an Abnaki village.
Ossipee, probably on Ossipee Lake.
Ouwerage, probably on Ossipee Lake.
Pasharanack, probably on the coast.
Pauhuntanuc, probably on the coast.
Pemaquid, near Pemaquid, Lincoln County.
Pequawket town, about Fryeburg.
Pocopassum, probably on the coast.
Sabino, at the mouth of the Kennebec River, possibly on the west side.
Sagadahoc, at the mouth of the Kennebec River.
Satquin, on the coast southwest of the Kennebec River.
Segotago, probably identical with Sagadahoc.
Sowocatuck, perhaps the chief village of the Sokoki, Saco River.
Taconnet, at the falls of the Kennebec near Waterville.
Unyjaware, Iroquois name for an Abnaki village.
Wacoogo, probably on or near the coast.
History. The Abnaki and
their neighbors claim to have immigrated into their historic seats from
the southwest. Aside from possible Norse visitants in 1000-1010, John
Cabot, during his second voyage in 1498, probably brought the first white
men within sight of Abnaki territory, but he seems to have had no dealings
with the people. From that time on, Breton, Basque, Norman, and English
fishermen constantly visited the coast. In 1604 Champlain passed along it
from north to south and visited several Abnaki bands, and in 1605 Waymouth
penetrated the Wawenoc country. In 1607-08 came an abortive attempt on the
part of the Plymouth Company to make a permanent settlement at the mouth
of the Kennebec River, but it is probable that English fishermen were on
Monhegan Island almost continuously after that date. Pemaquid was also
occupied at an early period. The Abnaki were soon afterward missionized
from Canada and became attached to the French interest. For a time they
were successful in driving the English colonists away but later they
suffered several severe defeats, particularly the capture of Norridgewock
in 1724 and the defeat of the Pequawket in 1725 were much reduced in
numbers, and finally withdrew to Canada where they were settled at
Becancour and Sillery, and later at St. Francis, along with other refugee
tribes from the south.
Population. Mooney (1928)
estimates this at 3,000 in 1600, including the Penobscot and
Passamaquoddy. The St. Francis Indians, including remnants of other New
England tribes, numbered 395 in 1903, and 280 in 1924.
Connection in which they
have become noted. The activities of the missionary Rasles, compilation by
him of the Abnaki dictionary, the destruction of Norridgewock, and the
defeat of the Pequawket on Lovell Pond, as mentioned above, have made the
Abnaki famous.
They extended into the
northeastern part of the State of Maine from Canada.
Signifying "Those who pursue the
pollock," but strictly "pollock-plenty-place" (Eckstorm).
Also called:
Machias Tribe, applied to some living on Machias River.
Quoddy, abbreviation of Passamaquoddy.
St. Croix Indians, from one of the rivers they inhabited.
Scotuks, from the name of the Schoodic Lakes.
Unchechauge or Unquechauge.
Connections. The
Passamaquoddy belong to the Algonquian linguistic family, their closest
connections being the Malecite, and their more remote relatives the
Abnaki, Penobscot, and Pennacook.
Location. On Passamaquoddy
Bay, St. Croix River, and the Schoodic Lakes. (See also Canada.)
Villages
Gunasquamekook, on the site of St. Andrews, N. B.
Imnarkuan, on the site of Pembroke, Washington County.
Sebaik, at Pleasant Point, Passamaquoddy Bay, near Perry, Washington
County.
Other towns
were on Lewis Island and at Calais, in Maine, and on the
New Brunswick side of St. Croix River.
History The early history
of the Passamaquoddy was identical with that of the Malecito (q. v.). When
the territory of the 13 colonies was separated from English rule, the
greater part of this tribe was left on the south side of the boundary.
They enjoy, jointly with the Penobscot, the privilege of having a
representative in the Maine State legislature, though he speaks only on
matters of concern to the two tribes.
Population. The population
of the Passamaquoddy was estimated at about 150 in 1726, 130 in 1804, 379
in 1825, 400-500 in 1859; and was enumerated as 386 in 1910. In 1930, 435
Indians were returned from Washington County, and practically all of these
must have belonged to this tribe.
Connection in which
they have become noted. The Passamaquoddy have given their name to Passamaquoddy
Bay, which forms part of the eastern boundary of the State of Maine and
are the easternmost body of Indians in the United States.
The
Accominta and Newichawanoc of the extreme
southwestern part of the State belonged to this tribe. (See
New Hampshire.)
Meaning
"the rocky place," or "the descending ledge place" (Eckstorm), referring to the falls between Oldtown
and Bangor.
Also called:
Pentagouet, from the name of their principal village
near Castine.
Connections. The Penobscot
belonged to the Algonquian linguistic stock, their nearest connections
being the Abnaki, Passamaquoddy, Malecite, and Pennacook, with whom they
were frequently classed under the name of the first mentioned.
Location. On both sides of
Penobscot Bay and in the entire drainage area of Penobscot River.
Subdivisions
A body of
Penobscot on Moosehead Lake were known as "Moosehead
Lake Indians," but their separation from the rest was
probably temporary.
Villages
Agguncia, said to have been a small settlement near
Brewer, Penobscot County,
from which the fabulous city of "Norumbega" derived its name.
Asnela, a settlement on an island of the same name in Penobscot Bay.
Catawamtek, at Rockland.
Kenduskeag, at Bangor, near the site of the Penobscot Exchange Hotel.
Mattawamkeag, about Mattawamkeag Point, Penobscot County.
Meecombe, on the lower course of Penobscot River.
Negas, in Penobscot County.
Olamon, on an island in Penobscot River near Greenbush.
Oldtown, the present village on an island of the same name.
Passadumkeag, on an island in Penobscot River near the present
Passadumkeag. Pentagouet, at or near Castine.
Precaute, on the southeast coast of Maine; it may have been a
Passamaquoddy town.
Segocket, near the mouth of Penobscot River.
Wabigganus, probably near the mouth of the Penobscot River.
History. Native tradition
brings the Penobscot from the Southwest. They were encountered by French
and English fishermen and explorers early in the sixteenth century, and
one of their towns came to have a European reputation as a city of
fabulous size and importance under the name of Norumbega. In the
seventeenth century their chief, known to the Whites as Bashaba, seems to
have extended his authority, probably his moral authority only, over the
tribes to the westward as far as the Merrimac. The Penobscot were visited
by Champlain in 1604 and by numerous later explorers. They assisted the
French against the English until 1749, when they made peace and in
consequence did not remove to Canada with the Abnaki. They have remained
in their old country to the present day, their principal settlement being
on Oldtown Island. Conjointly with the Passamaquoddy, they have a
representative at the sessions of the Maine State legislature privileged
to speak on tribal affairs only.
Population. The following are early estimates of
the Penobscot population: 650 in 1726, 1,000 in 1736, 700 in 1753, 400 in
1759, 700 in 1765, 350 in 1786. According to the United States Census of
1910, there were 266, including 13 scattered outside of the State of
Maine. The census of 1930 returned 301 Indians from Penobscot County,
practically all belonging to this tribe.
Connection in which they have become noted. The
Penobscot have given their name to a bay, a river, and a county in the
State of Maine, to a post village in Hancock County, and a branch post
office in Detroit. The title of the chief above mentioned, Bashaba or
Bessebes, became the center of a myth among the Whites in which he was
elevated to the dignity of a local king or emperor. The widely quoted myth
of Norumbega should also be mentioned in this connection. This tribe and
the Passamaquoddy constitute the only bodies of Indians of any size
remaining in New England.
Additional Resources
Notes About the Book:
Source: The Indian Tribes of North America, by John R. Swanton, 1953, Bureau of
American Ethnology, Bulletin 145, US Government Printing Office, Washington DC.
Online Publication: The manuscript was scanned and then ocr'd. Minimal editing
has been done, and readers can and should expect some errors in the textual
output.
|
|
Order Family Tree Maker 2012