#masshistorical

Thomas the interpreter his marke

Wampanoag. Perhaps living at Sakonnet, Pokanoket or other lands adjacent to the areas called “Little Compton, Rhode Island,” and “Bristol, Rhode Island” by English colonizers. Thomas’s mark appears here on a 1674 deed where he served as interpreter for Awashonks whose mark also appears on this document (shared here in a much earlier post).

A “Thomas the interpreter” is also identified on a 1668 deed signed by Metacom and Tuspaquin.

The marke of Peceunckcus cheif counseler [sic]

Likely Wampanoag, of Pocasset. Identified on this deed, signed in June of 1660 as “chief counseler” for Namumpum (Weetamoo) and Quiquequonnechog, her then partner.

The document describes terms for settler access to land, and includes place names for lands at and beyond present-day Little Compton, Rhode Island. Some place names are spelled here as they appear (or as well as I can decipher), and described as: “...a certain necke of land commonly called by ye name of Panaquaquit, popochocksset … chechoesit, wonascotucket, [and] womposcocinnat…”

We have been hard pressed to find further information about Peceunckcus, beyond what can be inferred from the document itself.