Little Compton in Newport County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)
Honoring Awashonks
Sakonnets Many Sachems
| | Awashonks Garden | |
Photographed by G.W.Bartlett, July 26, 2026
1. Honoring Awashonks Marker
Awashonks is the best known Sakonnet sachem. She led her people during the 1660s and 70s. This was a chaotic time when the English used trickery, coercion, and debt to purchase her homelands against her will. At the same time, Awashonks led her people through the horrors of King Philip's War in 1675-1676.
In May of 1675, after buying Awashonks' homeland despite her protests, the new English owners of Sakonnet reserved 350 acres, including the land you are on now, for Awashonks and her people. Called "Three-Quarter-Mile-Square," this land was taken away from Awashonks by the Plymouth Court a year later as punishment for her actions during the war. It is some of the finest land in Sakonnet and was settled by the English in the 1680s. Awashonks' people were left landless.
Through the millennia there have been many sachems, or chiefs, at Sakonnet. Wampanoag sachems traditionally inherit their positions from their
this page online
In their attempts to purchase Sakonnet, colonists recognized ten different Sakonnet sachems. Plymouth Colony recognized Awashonks, her brother Takamona, and her son Peter. Plymouth also chose to recognize four Acoaxet sachems, Mamanuah, Osemehu, Posatogo, and Anumpash as Sakonnet sachems. Rhode Island colonists recognized Awashonks, her husband Weweyewet, and their sons Simon and Amos.
Plymouth falsely raised Mamanuah as the "Chief Sachem of Sakonnet and the Areas Adjacent" in order to buy Sakonnet from Mamanuah when Awashonks and Takamona refused to sell.
Erected 2025 by Little Compton Historical Society.
Topics and series. This memorial is listed in these topic lists: Colonial Era • Indigenous Peoples and Communities • Wars, US Indian. In addition, it is included in the King Philip's War 1675-1676 series list.
Location. 41° 29.593′ N, 71° 11.066′ W. Memorial is in Little
Photographed by G.W.Bartlett, July 26, 2026
2. Honoring Awashonks Marker
Regionally, this memorial is on Rhode Island’s Narragansett Bay. It is also in the American Northeast, in New England, and on the Eastern Seaboard. Globally, it is in the North Atlantic Region, North America, the Western Hemisphere, the Western World, and the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once one of the original Thirteen Colonies.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker: Three Sisters: A Symbiotic Garden (here, next to this marker); Welcome to Sakonnet (here, next to this marker); Distrust for the Newcomers (a few steps from this marker); Stone Walls (within shouting distance of this marker); 13,000 YEARS (within shouting distance of this marker); Wilbor House
Photographed by G.W.Bartlett, July 26, 2026
3. Awashonks Garden
Related marker. Click here for another marker that is related to this marker. Awashonks boulder at Wilbour Woods
Also see . . .
1. Awashonks (Wikipedia).
Awashonks (fl. mid-late 17th c.) was a saunkskwa, a female sachem (chief) of the Sakonnet (also spelled Saconet) tribe in Rhode Island. She lived near the southern edge of the Plymouth Colony on Patuxet homelands, not far from Narragansett Bay, near what is currently known by settlers as Little Compton, Rhode Island.(Submitted on July 28, 2026, by G.W.Bartlett of Hingham, Massachusetts.)
2. Awashonks - Little Compton Historical Society.
Awashonks was a female chief of the Sakonnet tribe of Little Compton, Rhode Island. Her real name is not known, but Awashonks was her official name as chief. It means She who is queen. She lived near the Pilgrims settlement, Plymouth Plantation, on the southern side of the bustling establishment.(Submitted on July 28, 2026, by G.W.Bartlett of Hingham, Massachusetts.)
3. Awashonks Awaushunks - Find-a-Grave.
Photographed by G.W.Bartlett, July 26, 2026
4. The Awashonks Garden Entrance
Located at the rear of the Wilbor House, managed by the Little Compton Historical Society.
Awashonks (also spelled Awasuncks and Awaushunks), wife of Tolony (also spelled Toloney). She was a sachem.(Submitted on July 28, 2026, by G.W.Bartlett of Hingham, Massachusetts.)
Credits. This page was last revised on July 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 27, 2026, by G.W.Bartlett of Hingham, Massachusetts. This page has been viewed 14 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4. submitted on July 27, 2026, by G.W.Bartlett of Hingham, Massachusetts. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.
