Photo: Mr Jame Mye, Mashpee Wampanoag, 1860, author unknown, Wikimedia Commons
My name is Paul Langston. I appreciate you taking the time to hear about my families Black Native American history today. My family’s Native history begins with Wampanoag Indian Sachem (Chief) named Cawnecome, in Massachusetts. He was called the Sachem of Manomet (Black Pond or, Herring pond tribe), which Plymouth was called prior to the arrival of the English in 1620. He was sort of holding the title for his nephew.
He was one of the original 9 Native Sachem signatories to sign Massasoit’s treaty of peace or submission with the English that became known as the Pilgrims. Cawnecome was subsequently killed in 1623. At that time his nephew Quachatasett, our direct ancestor, became the Sachem on Manomet. Manomet extended for around Plymouth south to approximately Barnstable, Sandwich on now Cape Cod. He and his son Kusepett, AKA: Sepit (Cepit), are on many land deed negotiations. One being the giving of land to the South Sea Indians for their use forever. That Native American Indian Land is now called Mashpee. Upon the death of Quachatasett, his son was recognized as Sachem of Manomet. My great grandmothers great-great-great grandmother was the last of the Sepits in our family.
(To be continued in May issue)
