Little Compton in Newport County, Rhode Island — The American Northeast (New England)

Distrust for the Newcomers

Buying & Selling Sakonnet | King Philip’s War 1675-76

— Awashonks Garden —

Distrust for the Newcomers Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed by G.W.Bartlett, July 26, 2026

1. Distrust for the Newcomers Marker

Inscription.

Distrust for the Newcomers. Buying and Selling Sakonnet | King Philip’s War 1675-76. Distrust for the Newcomers The Sakonnets and the English were not friends.. As many as 3,000 Sakonnets lived here in the 1600s. They saw European ships sail by beginning in the 1500s. European newcomers brought diseases but the Sakonnets were largely spared when the Great Dying came down from Maine to Cape Cod in 1616-1619. The Sakonnets learned of the English arrival in Patuxet (Plymouth) in 1620, but did not take part in Ousamequin’s (also called Massasoit by the English) alliance with them. Instead the Sakonnets joined the Massachusetts and six other communities in a plan to eliminate the English in 1623. Ousamequin warned the English, and Myles Standish killed the plan's leaders to prevent the attacks., This set the tone for English-Sakonnet relations for 50 years. It was a time of deep distrust. Plymouth purchased Sakonnet from Osamequin in 1652. Sakonnet Sachem Takamona voided the sale. English troops gathered in 1671 to force Awashonks’ submission, and Plymouth labeled Sakonnet a special enemy in 1674. , Buying and Selling Sakonnet The land purchases at Sakonnet were among the most dishonest in New England.. Plymouth awarded its former English indentured servants the right to buy land at Sakonnet in 1661. These 28 men and 1 woman were called the Proprietors. Awashonks and her brother Takamona refused to sell to them. The Proprietors approached Mamanuah, neighboring sachem of Acoaxets, and convinced him, perhaps with threats, perhaps with promises, to declare himself the "Chief Sachem of Sakonnet and Areas Adjacent.” The Proprietors then bought Sakonnet from Mamanuah piece by piece., Awashonks protested vehemently, seizing Mamanuah and having him beaten. She even sold Sakonnet to Rhode Island colonists, but she could not prevent the sales to the Proprietors. The Proprietors paid both Awashonks and Mamanuah for their first Purchase in 1673, but only Mamanuah for the rest of Sakonnet. King Philip's War stopped land purchases for a while. , King Philip's War 1675 When the English burned their homes, the Sakonnets found shelter in Narragansett.. Days before the war, Lt. Benjamin Church convinced Awashonks to join the English against Philip (Metacom of Pokanoket). The Sakonnets were a powerful ally with as many as 500 men. Not every Sakonnet agreed with Awashonks. Her brother Takamona and his men left to join Philip. Some Sakonnets fought Benjamin Church at Pease Field and may have burned his new Sakonet plantation., Plymouth blamed Awashonks and retaliated against her community by burning their homes. Awashonks and her people hid in the swamps and later sought refuge on Aquidneck Island, but the English would not let them land. The Sakonnets then traveled across the Bay to the Narragansetts who welcomed them into their fort. English forces, including Benjamin Church attacked the fort in December, burning women children, and elders alive in the Great Swamp Massacre. , King Philip's War 1676 Awashonks allied with the English to protect her women and children from slavery.. The Sakonnets and Narragansetts who escaped the Great Swamp Massacre spent the winter near Mount Wachusett. Awashonks' brother Takamona was killed during the war in the spring. The Sakonnets returned home and met with Benjamin Church at Treaty Rock. Awashonks expected Church to poison her. Instead, he gave her one last chance to join him. If she agreed, Church promised to protect her women and children from slavery. If she did not, her people would be enslaved., The Sakonnets joined Church's company for the last weeks of the war. Some took part in the killing of Philip. Church insisted they fight for the English in future wars. Despite these alliances, Plymouth never forgave Awashonks for her perceived disloyalty. They stripped her of her right to live at Three-Quarter-Mile-Square. Following the war, Awashonks' people lived on their homelands as squatters according to English law.

Distrust for the Newcomers
The Sakonnets and the English were not friends.
As many as 3,000 Sakonnets lived here in the 1600s. They saw European ships sail by beginning in the 1500s. European newcomers brought diseases but the Sakonnets were largely spared when the Great Dying came down from Maine to Cape Cod in 1616-1619. The Sakonnets learned of the English arrival in Patuxet (Plymouth) in 1620, but did not take part in Ousamequin’s (also called Massasoit by the English) alliance with them. Instead the Sakonnets joined the Massachusetts and six other communities in a plan to eliminate the English in 1623. Ousamequin warned the English, and Myles Standish killed the plan's leaders to prevent the attacks.

This set the tone for English-Sakonnet relations for 50 years. It was a time of deep distrust. Plymouth purchased Sakonnet from Osamequin in 1652. Sakonnet Sachem Takamona voided the sale. English troops gathered in 1671 to force Awashonks’ submission, and Plymouth labeled Sakonnet a special enemy in 1674.

Buying & Selling Sakonnet
The land purchases at Sakonnet were among the most dishonest in New England.
Plymouth

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awarded its former English indentured servants the right to buy land at Sakonnet in 1661. These 28 men and 1 woman were called the Proprietors. Awashonks and her brother Takamona refused to sell to them. The Proprietors approached Mamanuah, neighboring sachem of Acoaxets, and convinced him, perhaps with threats, perhaps with promises, to declare himself the "Chief Sachem of Sakonnet and Areas Adjacent.” The Proprietors then bought Sakonnet from Mamanuah piece by piece.

Awashonks protested vehemently, seizing Mamanuah and having him beaten. She even sold Sakonnet to Rhode Island colonists, but she could not prevent the sales to the Proprietors. The Proprietors paid both Awashonks and Mamanuah for their first Purchase in 1673, but only Mamanuah for the rest of Sakonnet. King Philip's War stopped land purchases for a while.

King Philip's War 1675
When the English burned their homes, the Sakonnets found shelter in Narragansett.
Days before the war, Lt. Benjamin Church convinced Awashonks to join the English against Philip (Metacom of Pokanoket). The Sakonnets were a powerful ally with as many as 500 men. Not every Sakonnet

Distrust for the Newcomers Marker (wide) image. Click for full size.

Photographed by G.W.Bartlett, July 26, 2026

2. Distrust for the Newcomers Marker (wide)

agreed with Awashonks. Her brother Takamona and his men left to join Philip. Some Sakonnets fought Benjamin Church at Pease Field and may have burned his new Sakonet plantation.

Plymouth blamed Awashonks and retaliated against her community by burning their homes. Awashonks and her people hid in the swamps and later sought refuge on Aquidneck Island, but the English would not let them land. The Sakonnets then traveled across the Bay to the Narragansetts who welcomed them into their fort. English forces, including Benjamin Church attacked the fort in December, burning women children, and elders alive in the Great Swamp Massacre.

King Philip's War 1676
Awashonks allied with the English to protect her women and children from slavery.
The Sakonnets and Narragansetts who escaped the Great Swamp Massacre spent the winter near Mount Wachusett. Awashonks' brother Takamona was killed during the war in the spring. The Sakonnets returned home and met with Benjamin Church at Treaty Rock. Awashonks expected Church to poison her. Instead, he gave her one last chance to join him. If she agreed, Church promised to protect her women

Entrance to Awashonks Garden image. Click for full size.

Photographed by G.W.Bartlett, July 26, 2026

3. Entrance to Awashonks Garden

The entrance to Awashonks Garden is behind the Wilbor House on the Little Compton Historical Society grounds.

and children from slavery. If she did not, her people would be enslaved.

The Sakonnets joined Church's company for the last weeks of the war. Some took part in the killing of Philip. Church insisted they fight for the English in future wars. Despite these alliances, Plymouth never forgave Awashonks for her perceived disloyalty. They stripped her of her right to live at Three-Quarter-Mile-Square. Following the war, Awashonks' people lived on their homelands as squatters according to English law.

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° 29.59′ N, 71° 11.081′ W. Memorial is in Little Compton, Rhode Island, in Newport County. It can be reached from West Main Road (Rhode Island Route 77) just south of Fairfields Drive, on the left when traveling south. Located in Awashonks Garden at the Little Compton Historical Society. Touch for map.

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Memorial is at or near this postal address: 548 West Main Road, Little Compton RI 02837, United States of America. Touch for directions.

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: Fal Solomon: Indentured Here (a few steps from this marker); Stone Walls (a few steps from this marker); Three Sisters: A Symbiotic Garden (a few steps from this marker); Honoring Awashonks (a few steps from this marker); Welcome to Sakonnet (within shouting distance of this marker); Wilbor House (within shouting distance of this marker); 13,000 YEARS (within shouting distance of this marker); Colonel Benjamin Church (approx. 0.3 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Little Compton.

Related markers. Click here for a list of markers that are related to this marker.

Also see . . . King Philip's War (Wikipedia). (Submitted on August 1, 2026, by Michael Herrick of Southbury, Connecticut.)

Credits. This page was last revised on August 1, 2026. It was originally submitted on July 29, 2026, by G.W.Bartlett of Hingham, Massachusetts. This page has been viewed 10 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on July 29, 2026, by G.W.Bartlett of Hingham, Massachusetts. • Michael Herrick was the editor who published this page.