The document provides background information on the history of Marlborough, Massachusetts and the indigenous inhabitants before and during King Philip's War in 1675. It discusses the effects of the 1616-1619 plague on local tribes, the establishment of the Praying Indian town of Okommakemesit (Marlborough) in the 1650s under Chief Onamog, and the events of 1675 including Onamog's recent death and the English attack on the Wampanoag. The document draws from 19th century historians and provides context on the intertwined histories of the indigenous and colonial populations in the area.

1. The History of Marlborough
Is the Story of America

2. The Praying
Indian
Plantation of
Okommakemesit
&
The Summer of
1675

3. Background 1600-1659
• A survey of the Indians of New England before
the arrival of the English
• The great plague of 1616-1619 & the Indian
settlement of Whipsuppenicke
• The submission of the Indians
• John Eliot, the Praying Indians & the
formation of Okommakemesit

4. King Philip’s War in Marlborough
• The Summer of 1675 and the ‘Incident’ at
Marlborough
• The Story of Sarah Onamog & the Flight
of the Wamesit Indians

5. Where Do You Get This Stuff?
• Daniel Gookin: Superintendent of Indians
• Samuel Drake: 19th Century Historian
• George Madison Bodge: 19th Century Historian
• Charles Hudson: 19th C, History of Marlborough
• Sarah Jacobs: 19th C, Indian Historian
• Josiah H. Temple: 19th C, History of Framingham
• Ella Bigelow: 20th C, History of Marlborough
• John Bigelow: 20th C, Marlboro City Engineer

6. A Survey of the
Indians
of New England
Before
The Arrival of
the English

7. Background
• There were about ten major tribes in
New England prior to the arrival of the
English. Most were Algonquian.
• The Little Ice Age of that period made the
growing period shorter and winters
more severe.
• This partly explains the failure of the
early settlement attempts and the
aggression of certain tribes.

8. • There was a tendency of the more
northern tribes to extend their influence
south as a matter of survival, and a
tendency of the more western tribes to
extend their influence eastward.
• The Terratines to the north and the
Mohawks to the west were particularly
feared.

9. Land ownership for the Native tribes had
more to do with rivers than land.

10. Captain John Smith
surveyed the coast in
1614, gave the name
‘New England’ to the
area, gave English
names to the primary
coastal features, and
drew the first accurate
map of the coast.

12. The Great Native Plague
of 1616-1619
&
The Indian Settlement of
Whipsuppenicke

13. The Experience of Richard Vines
• In the winter of 1616-1617 Vines traveled to
the mouth of the Saco River and spent the
time with the Indians of that area.
• The plague was in full force. Although the
dead and dying were all about them, they did
not contract the disease.

14. Characteristics of the Great Plague
• Edward Bascome: “This distemper the
Indians described as a spotted putrid
fever, with ulcers, and yellowness of the
skin and eyes, and bleeding from the
mouth and ears.”

15. Characteristics of the Great Plague
• Extent was from Narragansett Bay to Penobscot
Bay. This marked the area frequented by European
fishermen and traders.
• The Massachusett tribe marked the epicenter.
Some tribal groups lost 90% of their members,
further away, there were 30% losses. The English
discovered bone fields where there weren’t enough
living to bury the dead.
• English seemed to be immune.
• Depending on the source, the plague is described
as occurring between 1612 and 1623. The worst
period was probably between 1617 and 1619.

17. Characteristics of the Great Plague
• Most of the mature Indians in the years
1640-1680 were survivors of both the
plague and other outbreaks of disease in
the 1630’s and 1660’s
• Most of the Puritans believed that the
plague was an act of God, paving the way
for the English. Many surviving Indians
believed the same.

18. Marlborough Natives Before the
Plague: Whipsuppenicke
• Before the English came there had been a tribe (by
tradition, Wamesit) that inhabited Marlborough.
John Bigelow:
• The Indian settlement of Whipsuppenicke was at
the top of the hill on or near Hosmer St.
• The settlement there were mostly destroyed by the
Great Plague.
• The Indians of the Colonial Period called it
‘Whipsuppenicke’ which could be translated “place
abandoned because of disaster or pestilence”
• The English called it ‘Whipsuffrage’.

19. The Marlborough Territory
After the Plague
• Many of the lands were abandoned after the
plague as tribes consolidated.
• Marlborough was, for the most part,
uninhabited, though its Wamesit heritage was
honored in the later Praying Indian petition.
• At this time, the Nipmuc tribes (less affected by
the plague) appeared to have laid claim to
some of the land and greatly increased their
influence in this area.
• After King Philip’s War, the few Indians who
lived in this area were undoubtedly Nipmuc.

20. The Marlborough Territory
After the Plague
• From the period of the plague the land was
probably part of that large area controlled by
the Nipmuc Wuttawushan of Nashaway
(Sterling) a friend of Massasoit.
• That land was inherited by his nephew
Awassamog whose name appears on numerous
deeds both in this area and near the coast.
• O. W. Albee, first Principle of Marlborough
High School and later a State Representative
proposed renaming Lake Williams ‘Lake
Ossamog’. (Ella Brigham)

21. The Submission of the Indians
1644

22. The Submission of the Indians
• The devastation of the plague and the threat of
invasion by the Terratines and the Mohawks
put the coastal and interior tribes in an
untenable position.
• As the English multiplied, the native tribes
became first allies, then willing subjects to the
dominant population of English.

23. The Submission of the Indians
• In 1644, the Massachusett tribes subjected
themselves to the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
Shortly thereafter, the Pennacooks of the
Merrimac River valley and other lesser tribes
including some inland Nipmucs subjected
themselves as well.
• From the English point of view, the Indians signed
a covenant that acknowledged their willingness to
abide by the Ten Commandments.

24. John Eliot, the Praying Indians
& the Formation of Okommakemesit

25. Short Bio of John Eliot
• Born in Essex County, England 1604.
• Educated at Jesus College, Cambridge where he
learned Puritan doctrine.
• Came to America on the Lyon in 1631, worked as
a substitute minister in Boston before becoming
permanent pastor in Roxbury in 1632.
• He and his wife had 5 sons, 1 daughter.
• Began his missionary work among the natives
around 1644, probably encouraged by the
success experienced among the natives of Cape
Cod by Thomas Mayhew.

26. Colonial Seal
of
Massachusetts
Bay Colony

27. Background of the Praying Indians
• Missionary work was a high priority for the
Puritans, but the struggle for survival in the
early years delayed any serious work among
the natives.
• Thomas Mayhew was the first of the
missionaries, having converted many of the
natives of Martha’s Vineyard, and then much of
Cape Cod and the other islands.
• Conversion of the natives was a difficult task
for the Puritans, because they believed it
important to ‘civilize’ them according to the
English way, and to make them capable of
reading the Bible.

28. Difficulties in Missionary Work
• The Puritan pastor was bound to his congregation. This
made it difficult for the individual pastor to devote much
time to missionary activity. John Eliot served among
family and friends who supported his missionary work
among the natives.
• If an Indian sachem converted, he could expect a serious
loss of ‘tribute’ from his subjects. If subject Indians
converted, their sachems would complain to the English
that their subjects were being disloyal.
• The Powwows (Medicine Men) as the spiritual leaders
were particularly opposed to any missionary work.
• Nevertheless, in areas with increasing English
populations, large numbers of converts resulted. Many
Indians believed that the English God was more powerful
in war and in healing.

29. John Eliot & the Praying Indian Towns
• Eliot began his missionary work around 1644.
• It began with the Indian Waban and culminated in the
establishment of the first Praying Indian town of
Natick in 1651.
• By 1660 there were seven Praying towns, and by 1675
seven more were added in the Nipmuc country (central
Massachusetts & northern RI).
• In order to teach the Indians, Eliot translated the Bible
into Algonquian and engaged a Nipmuc Indian named
James Printer to help print it. The first printing, in
1663 was the first book printed in America.

33. The Puritan Missionary Goal
• Bring into community, Civilize, Educate, Baptize
• The more established towns had more baptized
members, but many towns had just a few.
• Civilizing meant dressing, acting, living like the
English.
• Education meant learning how to read, especially the
Bible and Catechism.
• All Praying Towns had an Indian civil leader and an
Indian teacher.
• The focus on education was so great that an Indian
School was created at Harvard. Six Indians attended,
one graduated, all died of diseases contracted at the
College. Sassamon attended classes at Harvard before
the Indian College was established.

34. Variations of ‘Okommakemesit’
John Bigelow:
“The Indians had no written language, so the
English recorded Indian words as best they
could from hearing them spoken, and this
resulted in many variations of Indian surnames
(and Place names).”
Variations include: Ockoocangansett,
Agoganquamatiet, Agonganquamaset,
Ognonikongquamesit, Ogkoonhquankames

35. Brief Bio of Daniel Gookin
Superintendent of Praying Indians
• Born in Ireland around 1612, educated in England
• Came to Virginia with his father by 1630
• Drawn to New England because of his Puritan leanings.
Lived in Roxbury and befriended Rev. Eliot
• Was a military man, served on the influential Court of
Assistants in Mass Bay for close to 35 years
• Served as the Superintendent of the Praying Indians
during the years leading up to and following King
Philip’s War
• Wrote two historical works about the Praying Indians:
Historical Collections of the Indians in New England and
The Doings and Sufferings of the Christian Indians

36. Gookin’s Description of
Okammakemesit: 1674
• Okammakemesit, alias Marlborough, is
situated about twelve miles north east
from Hassanamessit (Grafton), about
thirty miles from Boston westerly. This
village contains ten families and
consequently about fifty souls. The
quantity of land appertaining to it is six
thousand acres.

37. The Inhabitants of Okommakemesit
• Sarah Onamog and her 12 yr old son.
• From Temple’s History of Framingham:
Josiah Nowell, Benjamin, Peter Nashem’s
widow, Old Nashem, Mary a widow
cousin of James Speen, David’s widow,
Thomas his widow
• From the Indian deed of 1677 to Daniel
Gookin: Old Robin, Widow of Nakomit,
Josiah

38. The Inhabitants of Okommakemesit
• The Praying Indians generally were made up of
multiple tribes especially in those areas hard
hit by the plague.
• Because of this area’s ties to the Wamesit tribe
we know that some were Wamesit and
returned to their primary tribe near Lowell
when Okommakemesit was broken up.
• We also know from various lists that others
went to Natick and wound up at Deer Island.

39. Concerning the First Problem of
the Marlborough Settlement
• The Sudbury settlers of Marlborough
made their first petition for settlement
in 1656. John How lived in Marlborough
in 1657. Petition was for 8 square miles.
• Okommakemesit was established in
relatively the same period.
• When the Sudbury settlers received
permission for a settlement in
Marlborough they had to honor the
Okommakemesit landholding.

40. Courtesy: the Ripley Family

41. Gookin’s Description of
Okommakemesit: 1674
• It is much of it good land and yieldeth
plenty of corn, being well husbanded. It
is sufficiently stored with meadow, and
is well wooded and watered. It hath
several good orchards upon it, planted
by the Indians; and is in itself a very good
plantation.

42. Charles Hudson’s Map of
Colonial Marlborough

44. Gookin’s Description of
Okommakamesit: 1674
• This town doth join so near to the
English of Marlborough, that it was
spoken of David …, Under his shadow ye
shall rejoice: but the Indians here do not
much rejoice under the English men’s
shadow; who do overtop them in their
number of people, flocks of cattle, &c.
that the Indians do not greatly flourish,
or delight in their station at present.

45. Gookin’s Description of
Okommakemesit: 1674
• Their ruler here was Onomog, who is lately
deceased, about two months since; which is a
great blow to that place. He was a pious and
discreet man, and the very soul, as it were, of
that place. Their teacher name is (Solomon?).
Here they observe the same decorum for
religion and civil order, as is done in other
towns. They have a constable and other
officers, as the rest have. The Lord sanctify the
present affliction they are under by reason of
their bereavements’ and raise up others, and
give them grace to promote religion and good
order among them.

46. Concerning Chief Onamog
• Along with Awossamog was one of the original
Sachems who appeared on the deed that created
Natick in 1651.
• Was associated with Okommakemesit from the
beginning.
• When the people of Marlborough built their Meeting
House on Indian land, Onamog graciously allowed
them to stay.
• He very skillfully but firmly negotiated numerous land
disputes and infringements by cattle or pigs on Indian
crops.
• His death just prior to King Philip’s War was a major
blow to Indian / settler relationships in Marlborough.

47. The Proposed Indian School at
Marlborough
• Puritan law required any town with 50 families to
operate a school and pay for a teacher and
upkeep.
• Marlborough was just a few families short, so did
not choose to pay the expense.
• Gookin proposed to build and operate a regional
Indian School on the planting field, open to all
Praying Indian families and local English as well.
• He felt confident that the local townspeople
would welcome the school.

48. King Philip’s War
The Summer of 1675
in Marlborough

49. King Philip
• King Philip (Metacom) was son of Massasoit
(Sachem of Thanksgiving fame).
• Chief of Wampanoag tribe and major seller of
Indian land.
• In 1670’s began making plans to attack the
English.
• Sassamon, a Christian Indian, learned of his
plans and told the Engish.
• This led to the death of Sassamon at the hands of
some of Philip’s men and the start of King
Philip’s War.

50. Early Summer 1675
• In response to an attack on Swansea, the
combined colonial armies of Massachusetts Bay,
Plymouth and Connecticut attacked the
Wampanoag stronghold at Mt. Hope on June 28.
• They were accompanied by a combined force of
Praying Indians drafted from each of the
original seven Praying Indian towns including
Marlborough (Okommakemesit).
• Philip escaped to the Nipmuc country (now
central Massachusetts). There he convinced the
young warriors to join his effort to destroy the
English. The Nipmuc sachems eventually
followed.

51. Mid Summer 1675
• In late July, Capt Edward Hutchinson and Capt
Thomas Wheeler were sent to Brookfield ‘with
force’ to negotiate with the Nipmucs. They
departed from Marlborough.
• They had three Praying Indian guides with them
who warned the officers that when the Sachems
did not show for the meeting on August 2, that
danger awaited.
• The English from Brookfield who were with them
trusted the Nipmucs and the whole group walked
into an ambush.

52. The Ambush at Brookfield
• Only the heroic actions of the Indian
guides allowed the soldiers and some of
the townspeople to escape.
• Capt Hutchinson was badly wounded and
taken to Marlborough where he died on
August 19. He was the first person
buried in Spring Hill Cemetery.

54. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
Gookin:
“…it was a foundation and beginning of
much trouble, that befell both the
English and the Indians afterwards.”

55. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
Lancaster Attacked
• On Sunday, August 22, 1675, a few days after
the death of Capt. Edward Hutchinson in
Marlborough, the adjoining town of Lancaster
was attacked by Indians.
• Seven (or nine) English settlers were killed in
the attack.
• Bodge: “…the next day the people sent for Capt.
Mosely and told him of their suspicions of the
Hassanamesit Indians then living under
supervision in a sort of fort at Marlborough.”

56. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Refugee Indians from the
Nipmuc Territory
Gookin:
“At this time (midsummer 1675) the praying
Indians at Marlborough were increased to
about 40 men, besides women and children;
which came to pass by the advice of several
Christian Indians that came to them, viz. from
Hassanamesit (Grafton), Magunkoag
(Ashland), Manchage (Oxford), and
Chobonokonomum (Dudley)…”

57. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Refugee Indians from the
Nipmuc Territory
Gookin:
“…(they) left their places, and came into
Marlborough under the English wing, and
there built a fort upon their own land, which
stood near the centre of the English town, not
far from the church or Meeting House; hence
they hoped not only to be secured, but to be
helpful to the English, and on this pass and
frontier to curb the common enemy…”

60. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Seizure of Weapons
Gookin:
• The day before the ‘Incident’, probably due to
the ‘clamor’ of the local people, Lieutenant
John Ruddocke demanded the arms and
ammunition from all the Indians of
Marlborough.
• It amounted to 23 guns, ten pounds of powder,
60 pounds of bullets, and their powder horns.
• These had been paid for ‘by the Indian stock in
the disposal of the …Corporation at London…
for their defence against the common enemy.’
(in the beginning of the war)

61. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
Captain Samuel Mosely
Brief Bio
• In 1674, Mosely became famous for capturing
pirates off the coast of Massachusetts.
• As a popular folk hero he was able to get a
commission as a ‘private’ Captain and to assemble
his own army.
• This army he drew from those who had served with
him at sea, the prison population, and those too
young to serve in the regular army.

62. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
Captain Samuel Mosely
Brief Bio
• Mosely was a great fighter, loved by both his
men and the general population.
• He was also undisciplined, disliked by the
other officers, constantly being reprimanded,
and, because of his connections to the
Governor, beyond correction.
• Worst of all, he hated all Indians, and created
numerous problems especially for the
Praying Indians in alliance with the English.

63. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The ‘Incident’
Gookin:
“On the 30th of August, one of the captains of the
army (being instigated by some people of
those parts, no lovers of the Christian
Indians,)”
• Gookin is always careful not to identify fully
those he thinks are guilty for fear of
destroying their reputation.

64. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The ‘Incident’
Gookin:
“… fifteen of those Indians that lived with others
of them upon their own lands, and in their
own fort at Okonhomesitt near Marlborough,
where they were orderly settled and were
under the English conduct…”
• Gookin goes on to ennumerate the great good
that these Indians had done in the weeks and
months preceeding.

65. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Witness: David the Indian
Gookin:
• Had come to the woods near Marlborough with his
brother Andrew and were captured by some Indians
who were later charged.
• His brother Andrew had been killed by the English,
accused of having been at Brookfield.
• David, himself accused of shooting at a shepherd boy
in Marlborough, was placed against a tree and
threatened to be shot by Mosely. Fearing for his life,
he implicated eleven of the Hassanamesits at
Marlborough in the Lancaster deaths, including his
captors.

66. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The March to Boston
Gookin:
“…sent down to Boston with a guard of soldiers,
pinioned and fastened with lines from neck to
neck, fifteen of those Indians…”
• They would have been marched down the
main colonial road, through Sudbury and
Watertown and Cambridge to Boston where
decisions were being made that very day as to
the future of the Indian settlements.

67. The Council At Boston
August 30, 1675
• Confinement of Indians to the following
plantations: Natick, Punquapog,
Nashobah, Wamesit, Hassanamesit
• Placement of wigwams together
• Prevented Indians from traveling more
than one mile from their village unless
accompanied by the English
• Prevented the entertainment of ‘strange
Indians’ or to receive enemy ‘plunder’

68. The Council At Boston
August 30, 1675
• “The Council do therefore order, that
after publication of the provision
aforesaid, it shall be lawful for any
person, whether English or Indian, that
shall find any Indian travelling in any of
our towns or woods, contrary to the
limits above named, to command them
under their guard and examination, or to
kill and destroy them as best as they may
or can.”

69. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
Was the ‘Incident’ a Cause of the
Decisions by the Council at Boston?
• At 3 mph (walking speed) it would have taken
at least 10 hours (probably closer to 11) to
reach Boston. A rider could have arrived in
about 6 hours. Conclusion: the arrival of the
prisoners was probably not the motivating
factor in the calling of the meeting. However,
news of the arrest and report of the general
accusations and circumstances seem to be
related to the decisions made.

70. The Council At Boston
August 30, 1675
• Confinement of Indians to the following plantations: Natick,
Punquapog, Nashobah, Wamesit, Hassanamesit
• Marlborough was the only still inhabited Indian town of the seven
original Praying Indian towns left off the list of approved
‘reservations’.
• Placement of wigwams together
• The Marlborough Indians had two separate forts and dispersed
wigwams.
• Prevented Indians from traveling more than one mile from their
village unless accompanied by the English
• The Marlborough Indians had been used as scouts and had found
Indians wandering in the woods.
• Prevented the entertainment of ‘strange Indians’ or to receive
enemy ‘plunder’
• The Marlborough Indians had entertained the ‘strange’ Indians
from Hassanamesit and the Nipmuc country & one of the stories
concerned the possession of a ‘war trophy’ from Mt Hope.

71. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Trial
• Gookin: “…it was towards the end of September,
before these Indians were tried…, all which time
they remained in prison, under great sufferings.’
• Abram Speen and John Choo of Natick, only
coincidentally at Marlboro and not charged, were
released the second week of September.
• Bodge: When this became known, on September 10,
a mob assembled at the home of Captain James
Oliver who was a hard line military man with no
sympathy for the Indians. At about 9pm the mob
proposed that he should lead them to the prison to
hang the prisoners. “…boiling with rage at this insult
to himself, (he) ‘cudgelled them stoutly’ with his
cane from his house”

72. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Trial
Drake:
• The 11 accused: Old Jethro and 2 sons, James the
Printer, James Acompanet, Daniel Munups, John
Cosquaconet, John Asquenet, George Nonsequesewit,
Thomas Mumuxonqua, Joseph Watapacoson alias
Joseph Spoonant
• Also sent: David(the witness), Abram Speen, John
Choo
• One name of the 15 is unaccounted for.

73. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Trial: Charges vs Accused
Gookin:
• They were tracked from Lancaster to
Marlborough about the time the murder was
committed.
• One of them had a pair of bandoleers
(pocketed belts used for holding ammunition)
belonging to one of the persons slain.
• Another had on a bloody shirt.

74. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Trial: The Defense
Gookin:
• Witnesses showed that all the defendants
were at Sabbath services at the time of the
Lancaster attack.
• The bandolier was given to the Indian for safe
keeping by noted Indian James Rumneymarsh
after the battle of Mt. Hope.
• The bloody shirt was the product of a deer kill
the week before.

75. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Trial: The Defense
Drake:
• Indian David acknowledged that he had made
a false accusation.
• Two Indians then in prison for other charges
testified that Nashaway Sachem Monaco, alias
One Eyed John had committed the murders at
Lancaster.

76. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Trial: The Acquittal and
Aftermath
Gookin:
• The trial resulted in acquittal.
• For some reason, a second trial was held that
found Joseph Spoonant accessory to the
murder. He was sold for a slave.
• David was convicted of shooting at the
shepherd boy in Marlborough and was also
sold into slavery.

77. The ‘Incident’ at Marlborough
The Trial: The Acquittal and
Aftermath
• Most of those who were involved in the trial
eventually joined with Philip.
• The ‘clamor of the people’ begun with the incident at
Marlborough, never subsided. The strategy of
isolating the Indians to five plantations was defeated
by other incidents blamed on, but not committed by
the Indian residents. About a month later, at the end
of October, 1675, the Indians were sent to Deer
Island. Many of the Marlborough Indians were
known to have gone there.

78. Deer Island
• On October 26, the Praying Indians at Natick and any
Indians found thereabout, were assembled and at
midnight of October 30 were brought to Deer Island.
• At the end of the year, Eliot and Gookin visited them.
There were then about 500 Indians, as the Indians of
Punkapoag were brought there as well.
• Gookin: “they lived chiefly upon clams and shellfish,
that they digged out of the sand, at low water; the
Island was bleak and cold, their wigwams poor and
mean, their clothes few and thin; some little corn they
had of their own, which the Council ordered to be
fetched from their plantations.”

80. The Tragic Story of Sarah Onamog
&
The Flight of the Wamesit Indians

81. Sarah Onamog
• Daughter of Sagamore John, a Wamesit Sachem
• First married and widowed to Sachem John
Tohatooner of Nashoba with whom she had a
son in 1663. After his death, she married
Onamog, Sachem of Marlborough.
• In 1685 there is a land sale together with 3 sons:
Joshua, Samuel, and Amos. Their father is
unknown.
• Onamog died in 1674 leaving her twice
widowed.
• After the ‘Incident’ and abandonment of
Okommakemesit, she rejoined her family at
Wamesit (Tewksbury and Lowell).

82. Background of
Pennacook/Wamesits in King
Philip’s War
• The Wamesit tribe was centered at present day
Lowell and was subject to the Pennacooks
whose primary residence was near Concord,
NH. Together they controlled the Merrimack
River and its tributaries, including the Assabet
River. They were led by Wannalancet, son of
Passaconaway.
• During the war, Wannalancet remained
neutral.

83. Background of
Pennacook/Wamesits in King
Philip’s War
• After the Incident at Marlborough, Samuel
Mosely went north to try and ‘encourage’
Wannalancet to join with the English.
• When Mosely approached their homes,
Wannalancet withdrew. Mosely then burnt
their homes and destroyed their food supply.
For this he was censured but not punished.
• Wannalancet withdrew further north and
distrusted the English from then on.

84. The Wounding of Sarah and
Murder of Her Son
• It was a common strategy of Philip’s men to
burn barns or haystacks and leave evidence to
implicate friendly Indians.
• This was done to the barn of Lieutenant
Richardson of Chelmsford on November 15,
1675 and the Wamesit Indians were suspected.
• Fourteen townsmen approached the village
and two men opened fire on the Indians. Five
women, including Sarah, and two children
were wounded and the 12 year old son of
Sarah Onamog was killed.

85. The Aftermath
• The two shooters, named Lorgin and Robins,
were arrested and tried, but the jury found
them innocent for ‘want of evidence’.
• The Wamesits left to seek Wannalancet and,
despite attempts by English authorities to have
them return, they refused.
• The English persisted and sent an Indian
messenger to ask them to return. Driven by
hunger, most of them did come back.
• Sarah and seventeen others remained at
Pennacook (Concord, NH) until they, too,
returned in mid December 1675.

86. The Sad Ending to the
Wamesits in America
• In early February of 1676, the Wamesits once again
feared that the enemy Indians would create an
incident and they would once again be blamed. They
wrote the Colony and asked for intervention.
• When the Colony delayed action, the Wamesits fled
north when attacked by some townspeople, but had to
leave behind the lame and blind. These were trapped
in their wigwams and burnt alive.
• The Wamesits returned in August of 1676 after most of
the hostilities were over. Their numbers were
depleted by sickness and slaughter.
• In the years following the war they became targets of
the Mohawks, so they once again fled north.
• Their great leader Wannalancet returned in his old age
so he could die in his homeland. He is buried in what is
now Tyngsboro, near the New Hampshire border.