Norridgewock Tribe

Norridgewock (from Naⁿraⁿtswak, ‘people of the still water between rapids’). A tribe of the Abenaki confederacy, the typical tribe of the group. Their closest relationship was with the Penobscot, Arosaguntacook, and Wewenoc. Their territory embraced the Kennebec Valley nearly to the river’s mouth; Norridgewock, their principal village, being on the left bank just below the rapids, near the present Norridgewock, Maine. The French established a mission at their village in 1688. In 1695 the Jesuit Father Rasles took up his residence there and succeeded in attaching the tribes so warmly to the French cause that they soon came to be regarded as dangerous enemies of the English colonists. In 1724 an expedition was sent against the Norridgewock, which resulted in the destruction of their village, the dispersion of the tribe, and the death of Rasles. They fled in different parties to the Penobscot and Passamaquoddy, and to St Francis in Canada. A number afterward returned and settled in their old home, but owing to the continued unfriendly disposition of the English, who again attacked their Village in 1749, returned at the breaking out of the French and Indian War in 1754 to St. Francis. A few families that remained behind for some years annually found their way also to Canada.

Consult Further:

• Abenaki Tribe
• Indian Missions of New England
• Norridgewock Indian Chiefs and Leaders

Norridgewock Synonymy

• Aridgevoak. – Bellin, map, 1755
• Aridgewoak. – Homann Heirs map, 1756.
• Arransoak.-Montresor (ca. 1775) in Maine Historical Society Collections, I, 459, l865.
• Cambas. – McKenny and Hall Indian Tribes, III, 79, 1854 (misprint).
• Canabas. – McKenny and Hall Indian Tribes, III, 79, 1854 (misprint).
• Canibas – Doc. of 1689 in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, ix, 433 1855.
• Cannabas. – McKeen in Maine Historical Society Collections, V, 327, 1857.
• Oannibas. – Jesuit Relations, 1611, 5, 1858
• Cambas. – Aubery (1720) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, X, 895, 1855 (misprint).
• Kanibals. – Vetromile, Abnakis, 22, 1866.
• Kanibas. – Drake, Book of Indians, 3, 105, 1818.
• Kanibats. – Frontenac (1691) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 495, l855.
• Kanibesinnoaks. – Maurault, Histoire des Abenakis, 5, 1866.
• Kenabeca. – Smith (1631) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 3d s., III, 22, 1833.
• Kenabes. – Willis in Maine Historical Society Collections, IV, 96. 1856.
• Kenebecke Indeans. – Pateshall (1684), Maine Historical Society Collections, V, 91, 1857
• Kenebeke. – Purchas (1625), Maine Historical Society Collections, V, 156, 1857.
• Kennebeck Indians. – Sewall (1721), Maine Historical Society Collections, III, 351, 1853
• Kennebecks. – Gookin (1674) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 1st s., I, 162, 1806.
• Kennebeki. – La Tour, map 1779.
• Kinnebeck Indians. – Doc. of 1660 in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, XIII, 190, 1881.
• Nalatchwániak. – Gatschet, Penobscot MS., B. A. E., 1887 (Penobscot name).
• Namgauck. – Dudley in Maine Historical Society Collections, V, 429, 1857.
• Nanrantsoak. – Rasles (1712) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 2d s., VIII, 258, 1819.
• Nanrantsouak. – Rasles (1721) Rasles (1712) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 2d s., VIII, 252, 1819.
• Nanrants8ak. – Vandreuil (1722) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 910, 1855.
• Nanrantswacs. – Kendall, Travels, III, 63, 1809.
• Nānrāntswak. – Vetromile, Abnakis, 24, 1866.
• Nantansoüak. – Vaudreuil (1724) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 934, 1855 (misprint).
• Naragooe. – Purchas (1625) in Maine Historical Society Collections V, 156,1857.
• Naranchouak. – Jesuit Relations, 1652, 24, 1858.
• Naranchouek. – Jesuit Relations, 1652, 30, 1858.
• Narangawock. – Gyles (1726) in Maine Historical Society Collections, III, 367, 1853.
• Narangawook. – Gyles (1726) in Maine Historical Society Collections, III, 367, 1853.
• Narantsoak. – Charlevoix (1744) quoted by Drake, Book of Indians, bk. 3, 126, 1848.
• Narantsouak. – Vandreuil (1724) in Maine Historical Society Collections, VI, 240, 1859.
• Narants8ak. – Beauharnois (1744) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 1107, 1855.
• Narantsouans. – Vandrenil (1724), in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 937, 1855.
• Narants8uk. – Rasles (1721) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 2d s., VIII, 262, 1819.
• Narantswouak. – Beauharnois (1744) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 1107, 1855.
• Narautsouak. – Vaudreuil (1721), in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 903, 1855.
• Narauwings. – Boudinot, Star in the West, 127, 1816.
• Narentch8an. – Chauvignerie (1736) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 1052, 1855.
• Narent Chouan. – Chauvignerie quoted by Schoolcraft, Indian Tribes, III, 553, 1853.
• Naridgewalk. – Penhallow (1726) in New Hampshire Historical Society Collections, I, 20, 1824.
• Naridgwalk. – Falmouth treaty (1726) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 4th s., V, 364, 1861.
• Narridgewalk. – Writer of 1724, in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 2d s., VIII, 245, 1819.
• Narridgwock. – Pemaquid treaty (1693) quoted by Drake, Book of Indians, bk. 3, 121, 1848.
• Naurantsouak. – Vandreuil (1724) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 934, 1855.
• Naurautsoak. – Document of 1718, in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 880, 1855.
• Naurautsouak. – Document of 1718, in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX, 881, 1855.
• Navidgwock. – Niles (ca. 1761), in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 3d s., VI, 235, 1837 (misprint).
• Neridgewalk. – Niles (ca. 1761), in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 4th s., V, 335, 1861.
• Neridgewok. – Drake, Book of Indians, bk. 3, 128, 1848.
• Neridgiwack. – Church (1716) quoted by Drake, Indian Wars, 201, 1825.
• Neridgwock. – Casco conf. (1727) in New Hampshire Historical Society Collections, II, 261, 1827.
• Neridgwook. – Casco conf. (1727) in New Hampshire Historical Society Collections, II, 261, 1827.
• Nerigwok. – Drake, Indian Chronicles, 175, 1836.
• Nerridgawock. – Falmouth conf. (1727) in Maine Historical Society Collections, III, 407, 1853.
• Nerridgewock. – Falmouth conf. (1727) in Maine Historical Society Collections, III, 445, 1853.
• Nolongewock. – Pynchon (1663) in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, XIII, 308, 1881.
• Noridgawock. – Oakman (ca. 1690) quoted by Drake Book of Indians, bk. 3, 109, 1848.
• Noridgewalk. – Kendall, Travels, III, 48, 1809.
• Noridgewoc. – Kendall, Travels, III, 48, 1809.
• Noridgewock. – Church (1689) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 4th s., V. 222, 1861.
• Noridgwoag. – Jefferys, Fr. Doms., pt. 1, 123, 1761.
• Noridgwock. – Pemaquid treaty (1693) queued by Drake, Book of Indians, bk. 3, 121, 1848.
• Norredgewock. – McKenney and Hall, Indian Tribes, III, 82, 1854.
• Norridegwock. – Maine Historical Society Collections, III, 357, 1853 (misprint).
• Norridgawock. – Document of 1752. Maine Historical Society Collections, IV, 170, 1856.
• Norridgewalk. – Colman (1726) in New Hampshire Historical Society Collection, I, 17, 1824.
• Norridgewocks. – Dummer (1726) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 1st s., VI, 111, 1800.
• Norridgowock. – Treaty jour. (1749) in Maine Historical Society Collections, IV, 145, 1856.
• Norridgwak. – Gussefeld map, 1784.
• Norridgwalk. – Honmann Heirs’ map 1756.
• Norridgwocks. – Penhallow (1726) in New Hampshire Historical Society Collections, I. 129, 1824.
• Norridgwog. – Rasles (ca. 1720) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 1st s., X, 137, 1809.
• Norridgwogg. – Coflin (1796) in Maine Historical Society Collections, IV, 313, 1856.
• Norrigawake. – Portsmouth treaty (1713) in Maine Historical Society Collections, VI, 250, 1859.
• Norrigewack. – Dudley (1701) quoted by Drake, Indian Wars, 220, 1825.
• Norrigewock. – Niles (ca. 1761) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 3d s., VI, 217, 1837.
• Norrigwock. – Church (1716) quoted by Drake, Indian Wars, 217, 1825.
• Norrijwok. – Jefferys, Fr. Doms., pt. l, map, 119, 1761.
• Norriwook. – La Tour, map, 1782.
• Norrywok. – Jefferys, Fr. Doms., pt.l, map, 176l.
• Norwidgewalks. – Document of 1761 in Documents Relating to the Colonial History of New York, VII, 641. 1856.
• Nurhantsuaks. – Manrault, Histoire des Abenakis, 5, 1866.
• Quenebec Indians. – Douglass, Summary, I, 1814, 1755.
• Wawrigweck. – Smith (1616) in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 3d s., VI, 107, 1837.
• Wawrigwick. – Smith (1631), in Massachusetts Historical Society Collections, 3d s., III, 22, 1833.