
Chickatawbut (died 1633; also known as Cicatabut and possibly as Oktabiest before 1622) was the
sachem
Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Alg ...
, or leader, of a large group of indigenous people known as the
Massachusett
The Massachusett are a Native American tribe from the region in and around present-day Greater Boston in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name comes from the Massachusett language term for "At the Great Hill," referring to the Blue Hills ...
tribe in what is now eastern
Massachusetts
Massachusetts ( ; ), officially the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It borders the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Maine to its east, Connecticut and Rhode ...
,
United States
The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
, during the initial period of
English settlement in the region in the early seventeenth century.
Chickatawbut's home base was Conihasset, near modern Scituate. The sachem's name had many variant spellings in early Massachusetts records. Some argue that he had an alternate name, Oktabiest His brother was Wassapinewat.
Chickatawbut maintained a base at a small hill known as
Moswetuset Hummock, located on
Quincy Bay in
Boston Harbor. In 1621 he was met there by
Plymouth Colony
Plymouth Colony (sometimes spelled Plimouth) was the first permanent English colony in New England from 1620 and the third permanent English colony in America, after Newfoundland and the Jamestown Colony. It was settled by the passengers on t ...
commander
Myles Standish
Myles Standish ( – October 3, 1656) was an English military officer and colonist. He was hired as military adviser for Plymouth Colony in present-day Massachusetts, United States by the Pilgrims (Plymouth Colony), Pilgrims. Standish accompan ...
and
Tisquantum, a
Patuxet guide.
According to colonist
Thomas Morton, "Chickatawbut's mother was buried at
Passonagessit, and that the Plymouth people, on one of their visits, incurred his enmity by despoiling her grave of its bear skins."
[Title: ''The New English Canaan of Thomas Morton with Introductory Matter and Notes''; Author: Thomas Morton and Charles Francis Adams http://www.gutenberg.org/files/54162/54162-0.txt] Chickatawbut did not get caught by Standish and his forces, although his warrior,
Pecksuot, was killed in the hostilities at the
Wessagusset Colony in March, 1623.
Chickatawbut died of
smallpox
Smallpox was an infectious disease caused by Variola virus (often called Smallpox virus), which belongs to the genus '' Orthopoxvirus''. The last naturally occurring case was diagnosed in October 1977, and the World Health Organization (W ...
in 1633 and was succeeded as sachem by his brother,
Cutshamekin. He was succeeded around 1655 by Chickatawbut's son,
Wompatuck. As a leader of the Mattakeesett tribe, he became a friend of the English settlers.
In 1650, five Massachusett Indians testified to the tribal bounds over which Chickatawbut had reigned:
Legacy and honors
In early
1684 the city fathers of Boston sought to secure legal ownership of the
Shawmut Peninsula from the descendents of Chickatawbut, the
Massachusett
The Massachusett are a Native American tribe from the region in and around present-day Greater Boston in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. The name comes from the Massachusett language term for "At the Great Hill," referring to the Blue Hills ...
sachem
Sachems and sagamores are paramount chiefs among the Algonquians or other Native American tribes of northeastern North America, including the Iroquois. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms (c. 1622) from different Eastern Alg ...
at the time
William Blaxton
William Blaxton (also spelled William Blackstone; 1595 – 26 May 1675) was an early English settler in New England and the first European settler of Boston and Rhode Island.
Early life and education
William Blaxton was born in Horncastle, Li ...
first settled on the peninsula, fifty years prior. Such a descendent was located, a sachem named Josias Wampatuck. There is little evidence that this sachem, his grandfather Chickatawbut or any of their people ever inhabited the peninsula, however the lack of formal legal documents involving Indians during the Blaxton sale encouraged the creation of a backdated
deed
A deed is a legal document that is signed and delivered, especially concerning the ownership of property or legal rights. Specifically, in common law, a deed is any legal instrument in writing which passes, affirms or confirms an interest, right ...
(termed a "
quitclaim
Generally, a quitclaim is a formal renunciation of a legal claim against some other person, or of a right to land. A person who quitclaims renounces or relinquishes a claim to some legal right, or transfers a legal interest in land. Originally a c ...
") which Josias signed on 19 March 1684 (see document at right, an
its transcription.
[OBJECT OF THE MONTH OBJECT OF THE MONTH ARCHIVE ABOUT Indian deed for Boston, March 19, 1685]
masshist.org. September 1, 2006.
Chickatawbut Road, one of the
Blue Hills Reservation Parkways, and Chickatawbut Hill, at the highest point in
Quincy, Massachusetts
Quincy ( ) is a city in Norfolk County, Massachusetts, Norfolk County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the largest city in the county. Quincy is part of the Greater Boston area as one of Boston's immediate southern suburbs. Its population in ...
, are named for this sachem.
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Chickatawbut
Native Americans connected with Plymouth Colony
Native American people from Massachusetts
Native American leaders
17th-century Native American people
Massachusett people
1633 deaths
Year of birth unknown