Introduction: In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry describes some of the people, family lines, and activities at the 1928 Wampanoag powwow, focusing on the Williams-Gardiner family line. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History.

On 13 October 1928 the Wampanoag people gathered for the first grand powwow in 250 years in Massachusetts.

Indians from the communities at Mashpee, Gay Head, and Herring Pond came together with several members of both the Narragansett and Algonquin Nations, as well as the Pequot Tribe of Connecticut.

I have been researching all the attendees and today’s subject is the Williams family from the Pequot Tribe of Connecticut.

Wampanoag Nation Reunified

The powwow was held at Pondville on the shore of Great Herring Pond, in Bourne, Massachusetts.

This article reports:

Bourne, Oct. 15. – The Sabbath silence of this little Cape Cod town was broken yesterday by the chanting of tribal dancers and the monotonous noise of tom-toms, as the Wampanoag Indians held their first grand powwow in 250 years.

Nearly [50] Indians, in native costumes, gathered at Pondville, on the shore of Great Herring Pond, for the colorful ceremonies, which centered at the Pondville Indian Baptist church. [The church was also celebrating its 71-year anniversary.]

The smoking of a pipe of peace by the Wampanoags and their blood enemies, the Pequots, featured [in] the powwow.

Below is a photo of some participants at the powwow gathered outside the Pondville Meetinghouse.

The five Pequots attending the powwow, according to sources, were: Chief Sachem Silver Star and his wife Sachem Iona; his sons Prince Fleeting Star and Prince Leaping Deer; and Neese Mahah (Neeseemaha), a niece.

Marriage Ritual

Below is a photo from this gathering published in the Boston Herald featuring three of the Pequots reenacting the traditional marriage ceremony of their people.

The photo caption reads:

Prince Leaping Deer, at left, represents the groom and Chief Sachem Silver Star, in the center, is the father-in-law. The bride, Princess Neeseemaha, has just received [a] traditional blanket and beads. This ceremony was portrayed at [the] powwow of Wampanoags at Bourne yesterday.

The accompanying article reports:

Then followed a portrayal of courtship and the marriage ceremony, with the chief as the girl’s father, the prince as the suitor, and the princess as the girl. The young brave finally produced enough blankets, beads, and wampum to appease the father for his loss, and the girl was his.

Wampum played an important part in marriage customs, serving as a formal symbol of intent, affirmation, and commitment. Families would exchange wampum to finalize an agreement; its acceptance meant approval of the proposal, while its return indicated refusal. This practice represented unity, mutual consent, and well wishes for marriage.

The Williams-Gardiner Line

Chief Sachem Silver Star was born Atwood Isaac Williams, son of Isaac and Phebe Esther (Jackson) Williams. Below is a photo of him dressed in full regalia.

He married Sachem Iona, born Agnes Eunice Gardiner, daughter of Walter Marlboro and Eunice Emma (Wheeler) Gardiner, on 15 November 1899. Below is a photo of her from a private family collection.

I found an obituary for Chief Sachem Silver Star, who died on 29 September 1955 at age 74.

This article reports:

Atwood Isaac Williams Sr., 74, of 78 Corona St., Pontiac, a retired locomotive fireman for the New Haven Railroad, and Chief Sachem Silver Star of the Pequot Indian Tribe of Connecticut, died yesterday at Rhode Island Hospital.

Prominent in Indian affairs throughout his life, Mr. Williams was one of the founders of the American Indian Federation of Rhode Island in the early 1930’s.

He was born in North Stonington, March 1, 1881, the son of Isaac and Phoebe (Jackson) Williams.

Employed by the New Haven Railroad since 1910, Mr. Williams was involved in two accidents in his long career. In 1913 a boiler explosion scalded him badly and although hopes were given up for saving his life, he lived and returned to work. In 1916 he was hurt seriously when the passenger car in which he was riding was rammed by a locomotive. He retired last June.

As part of his work with his wife, Mrs. Agnes (Gardiner) Williams, who is Sachem Iona, Mr. Williams for many years gave Indian entertainment, in full costume, in schools throughout southern New England. The act included dances, Indian sign language, and a strong man act by Mr. Williams. The couple observed their golden wedding anniversary in 1949. A resident of Westerly for many years, he had lived in Pontiac for the last four years.

In addition to his wife, he leaves two sons, Frank L. of Brooklyn, N.Y., and Atwood Jr. of Pontiac; nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

He was a member of the North Stonington Third Baptist Church and the Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Engineers.

Here is a photo of Chief Sachem Silver Star and Sachem Iona taken outside their home in later years.

The Evening Bulletin published a photo of Chief Sachem Silver Star dressed in full regalia, ready to attend the Providence Plantations Club benefit event “Save Old Ironsides.” The fundraiser was held on 10 December 1927.

To be continued…

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Note on the header image: Ousamequin, or “Massasoit” (Wampanoag term for “Great Sachem”) and Governor John Carver smoking a ceremonial pipe at Plymouth Colony in 1621. Credit: Sutro Library; Wikimedia Commons.

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