Abenaki

Indian Wars of New England

Indian Wars of New England

To the student of Indian history of the early New England period the catalog of the librarian would allow one to infer that the ground had been already preempted by Mr. William Hubbard and some other well-known writers upon the tragedies of the early New England days, whose labors are more famous for being a quaint reflection of the times than for comprehensive treatment of the subject at hand. Without Mr. Drake’s labors, allied to those of Church and Belknap, the earlier story would be a meager one. It is to these authors one goes with assurance and infinite satisfaction, … Read more

Pequawket Tribe

Pequawket Indians (a name of disputed etymology, the most probable rendering, according to Gerard, being ‘at the hole in the ground,’ from pekwakik). A tribe of the Abnaki confederacy, formerly living on the headwaters of Saco River and about Lovell’s Pond, in Carroll County, New Hampshire, and Oxford County, Maine. Their principal village, called Pequawket, was about the present Fryeburg, Maine. The tribe is famous for a battle fought in 1725 near the village, between about 50 English under Capt. Lovewell and 80 Indians, the entire force of the tribe, under their chief, Pangus. Both leaders were killed, together with … Read more

Arosaguntacook Tribe

Arosaguntacook Indians: A tribe of the Abnaki confederacy, formerly living in Androscoggin County, Maine. Their village, which bore the same name, was on Androscoggin River, probably near Lewiston. The various names used indiscriminately for the tribe and the river may be resolved into the forms Ammoscoggin and Arosaguntacook, which have received different interpretations, all seeming to refer to the presence of fish in the stream . The name seems to have been used only for the part of the river in Androscoggin County between the falls near Jay and those near Lewiston. The present name was obtained by changing the … Read more

Aucocisco

The name of the territory about Casco Bay and Presumpscot River, in the area now included in Cumberland County, Maine. It was also sometimes applied to those Abnaki Indians by whom it was occupied. Since the section was settled at an early date by the whites, the name soon dropped out of use as applied to the Indians, or rather it was changed to “Casco,” but this was a mere local designation, not a tribal distinction, as the Indians referred to were Abnaki. The proper form of the word is given by Willis as Uh-kos-is-co, ‘crane’ or ‘heron,’ the first … Read more

Penobscot Tribe

Penobscot Indians (derived by Vetromile from the Pānnawānbskek, ‘it forks on the white rocks,’ or Penaubsket, ‘it flows on rocks’; Godfrey and Ballard practically agree with Vetromile, the name applying directly to the falls at Oldtown, but Ballard says it has also been rendered ‘rock land,’ from penops [penopsc] ‘rock,’ and cöt [ot] locative, applied to the bluff at the mouth of the river near Castine. Gerard gives the aboriginal form as Pěnobskât, lit.’ plenty stones’). A tribe of the Abnaki confederacy (q. v.), closely related in language and customs to the Norridgewock. They are sometimes included in the most … Read more

Squando

Squando. An Abnaki sachem of the Sokoki, known generally as the “Sagamore of Saco” He was credited with seeing visions and was called by Mather “a strange, enthusiastical sagamore.” His wife and child had been insulted by the English, and he took part in the war of 1675-76 and in the burning of Saco.  He signed the treaty of Cocheco.

Moxus

Moxus. A chief of the Abnaki, called also Agamagus, the first signer of the treaty of 1699, and seemingly the successor of Madokawandu (Drake, Inds. of N. Am., 294, 1880). He signed also the treaty with Gov. Dudley in 1702, but a year afterward unsuccessfully besieged the English fort at Casco, Me. He treated with the English in 1713, and again in 1717. It was he who in 1689 captured Pemaquid from the English.

Chief Joseph Orono

Carved portrait of Chief Orono

A biography of Chief Joseph Orono as compiled from several different sources. Joseph was also known as the “Blue Eyed Chief.”

Pierre Paul Osunkhirhine

Osunkhirhine, Pierre Paul. An Abnaki Indian of St Francis, near Pierreville, Quebec, noted for his translations, especially of religious works, into the Penobscot dialect of the Abnaki language, published from 1830 to 1844.  He received a good education at Moore’s Charity School, Hanover N. H. and returned to his home as a Protestant missionary.  In some of his published works his name appears as Wzokhilain, because it could not be more exactly transliterated into the Abnaki language. Osunkhirhine was licensed to preach in January, 1836, by the Champlain Presbytery, and in the following June, he was ordained as an evangelist … Read more

Abenaki Chiefs and Leaders

The following information concerning the leaders and chiefs of the Abenaki Tribe are collated from various manuscripts. While some of them include little known information, the importance of remembering them requires us to include them on our site. Abbigadasset Aspenquid Assacumbuit Moxus Orono Osunkhirhine, Pierre Paul Squando

Abbigadasset

Abbigadasset,  An Abenaki sachem whose residence was on the coast of Maine near the mouth of Kennebec River. He conveyed tracts of land to Englishmen conjointly with Kennebis.  In 1667 he deeded Swans Island to Humphrey Davy

Abenaki Indians

At the period of the first settlement of New England by the English, the principal Indian powers located in that territory, were, the Pokanokets, under Massasoit; the Narragansetts, under Canonicus; the Pequot-Algonquins of Connecticut; and the Merrimack, or Pennacook, Bashabary of Amoskeag. Each of these comprised several subordinate tribes, bearing separate names, and, although bound, by both lingual and tribal affinities, to the central tribal government, yet yielding obedience to it in the ordinary loose manner of the local Indian tribes. Each of these tribal circles was ruled by its particular chief, who, although he arrogated to himself the powers … Read more

Abenaki Tribes in the Merrimac Valley

At the period of the first settlement of New England by the English, the principal Indian powers located in that territory, were, the Pokanokets, under Massasoit; the Narragansetts, under Canonicus; the Pequot-Algonquins of Connecticut; and the Merrimack, or Pennacook, bashabary of Amoskeag. Each of these comprised several subordinate tribes, bearing separate names, and, although bound, by both lingual and tribal affinities, to the central tribal government, yet yielding obedience to it in the ordinary loose manner of the local Indian tribes. Each of these tribal circles was ruled by its particular chief, who, although he arrogated to himself the powers … Read more

Abenaki Tribe

Abenaki, Abenaqui or Abnaki Tribe – Discussion of the history, religion, culture, language, government, and tribal towns of the Abenaki.