Ponkapoag Indians of Massachusetts
The Ponkapoag Indian tribe was located in present day Canton &
Stoughton, Massachusetts. In 1657 the town of Dorchester alloted 6,000 acres for
establishing a Praying Indian town douth of the Great Blue Hills. The last of the tribal
controlled land was sold in 1827. However descendants of these native people survive to
this day.
It is the hope that this homepage for the Ponkapoag Indians will draw
interest from students, historians and descendants of the tribe of the Ponkapoag.
Prior to settlement in the Ponkapoag Plantation the tribe comprised of
the Massachusetts and Neponset Indian tribes.
Deed from 1719 Deed - Suffolk County, Massachusetts
To all People unto whom this present Writing
shall come. The Generall Court in the year 1630 ordered that Matapan Should be called
Dorchester and Kitchamaquin Sachem of the Massachusetts sold all that Land from the Mill
Naponsett to the untmost Extent of Dorchester as by a Deed bearing date the 8th of Octobr
1635, the 9th month 1637. Mount Woolaston was bounded by the Blewhill and the Rest to be
to Dorchester to go to the bounds of Plymouth as appears on the Court Record which was the
last finishing bounds of Dorchester to the Extent of these wch us called on Dorchester
Town book in April 23d 1638 the Land last given by the Court and the New Grant that the
then present Freeman were the Proprs of the New Grant as appears on the town book on the
day year aforesd and since that time at ye Request of the Reverent Mr Eliot hath been 6000
acres of Land laid out to the Indians now called Punckapoag Indians in the New Grant
aforsd to be enjoyed by them so long as they lived upon the Land, that if they sold or
alienated any part of it they should forfeit the whole, its being thus laid out to the
Indians as aforesd is the only reason that the 6000 Acres aforesd called Punckapoaf hath
been excepted in the Confirmation of Kitchamaquin Deed of Sale aforesd. Now Know yee, that
Amos Ahaton, William Ahauton, Thomas Ahaunton, the Rest of the Indians now living upon,
belonging to the 6000 Acres of Land Called Punkapoag aforesd in Dorchs within the County
of Suffolk in the Province of the Massachusetts Baty in New England do own that they have
sold, leased the greatest part of the Land aforesd without the leave or liberty from the
Propts and that the sd, Amos Ahauton, Wm Ahauton, Thomas Ahaunton, and the rest do own and
acknowledge they have thereby forfeited the whole of ye Land aforesd and therefore do by
these present for themselves joyntly, Severally, for their joynt and Severall Heirs do
hereby quit all claim to the 6000 Acres of Land aforesd as well to that which is leased as
to that which is not leased, And further the sd Amos Ahauton, Wm Ahauton, Thomas Ahauto
and the rest do acknowledge that all the use benefit, possesion that they have had or now
have hath been from by, under the Freemen aforesd for all which reasons, Considerations
heretofore mentioned the sd Amos Ahauton, Wm Ahaunton, Thomas Ahauton and the rest do
hereby resign up all the right title interest use possession claim or demand whatsoever to
the primises of the sd Amos Ahauton, Wm Ahauton, Thomas Ahauton, the rest do hereby resign
up all ye right, title, interest use possesion claim or demand whatsoever to theis
primises of the sd Amos Ahaunton, Wm Ahaunton, Thomas Ahauton, the rest every of them of
in, to the same, every part thereof withall the profits priviledges appurces theseunto
belonging or appeartaining or threwith now used occupied orr injoyed, And also all waters
water courses timber trees mines minerals with the Reversions and Reversions Remainder and
Remainders thereof unto Nathanl Brewer, Jonathan Blake, Joseph Hall and Nathl Glover junr
for the sole use, benefit of all these that nowappear to have a right under any of the
freeman aforesd to be theirs from this time henceforth, forevermore. In Witness whereof
the sd Amos Ahauton, William Ahauton, Thomas Ahauton & the rest have hereunto Set to
their hands and Seals the tenth day of August in the year of Our Lord One Thousand Seven
hundred and nineteen. The words of the, in the first page 24 lines, and the words mines,
minerals, in the 2d page 3d line interlined before sigining and Sealing.
To contact the Punkapoag Tribal Council:
Ponkapoag Tribal Council
PO Box 4064
Brockton, MA 02303-4064
PUNKAPOAG RELATED LINKS
MASSACHUSETTS NATIVE AMERICAN
lINKS
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