{"id":110224,"date":"2026-08-21T10:06:37","date_gmt":"2026-08-21T14:06:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/?p=110224"},"modified":"2026-08-21T10:07:59","modified_gmt":"2026-08-21T14:07:59","slug":"photos-from-the-past-wampanoag-tribes-of-mashpee-and-gay-head-aquinnah-part-4","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.genealogybank.com\/blog\/photos-from-the-past-wampanoag-tribes-of-mashpee-and-gay-head-aquinnah-part-4.html","title":{"rendered":"Photos from the Past: Wampanoag Tribes of Mashpee and Gay Head (Aquinnah) (part 4)"},"content":{"rendered":"

Introduction:<\/em><\/strong> In this article, Melissa Davenport Berry provides more photos, history and genealogy about the two federally recognized Wampanoag Tribes. Melissa is a genealogist who has a website, americana-archives.com<\/a>, and a Facebook group, New England Family Genealogy and History<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n

Today I continue to look at some of the history of the Wampanoag Tribes of Mashpee and Gay Head (Aquinnah) with some AI enhanced photo features gathered from newspaper clips and archives.<\/p>\n

The Wampanoag, the \u201cPeople of the First Light,\u201d are comprised of two federally recognized tribes: the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe located in Mashpee, Massachusetts; and the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) located on Martha\u2019s Vineyard, Massachusetts. Their people have inhabited this land for 12,000 years.<\/p>\n

I came across the diaries of Nina Louise Winn<\/a> (1877-1958) of Arlington, Massachusetts. The Arlington Historical Society has transcribed them.<\/p>\n

The Winn family had a summer home in Mashpee, Massachusetts. I suspect her father\u2019s love of hunting, fishing, and gaming was one of the reasons it drew him to bring the family there.<\/p>\n

Captain Solomon Attaquin<\/a> (1810-1895), son of Ezra Attaquin and Sarah \u201cSally\u201d (Jones) Attaquin, was a leading figure in Mashpee history who owned an iconic town landmark called Hotel Attaquin, a favorite pleasure and hunting resort frequented by President Cleveland, Gov. Russell, Charles Jefferson, R. W. Gilder, and many other dignitaries. There was an official Daniel Webster room on site.<\/p>\n

I found this collage of images of the Hotel Attaquin and surrounding area, from 1904, revealing the famous frequenters.<\/p>\n

\"Photos
Photos and illustrations: images of Hotel Attaquin and surrounding area, Mashpee, Massachusetts, 1904. Credit: Boston Public Library. (AI enhanced)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nina\u2019s diary has Attaquin, Oakley, Sturgis, and Jones families.<\/p>\n

Susanna Adams Winn, Nina\u2019s aunt, is referenced in a New York Herald<\/em> feature article entitled, \u201cHappy Indian Hunting Grounds\u2026 A Visit to Sandwich and Mashpee, Where Grover Cleveland and Joseph Jefferson Go Pleasuring,\u201d published in 1890. I plan to cover the full story, as it is an informative and colorful narrative on Mashpee people and their history, in a future article.<\/p>\n

Here is the passage from the New York Herald<\/em> article that Susanna (\u201cSusie\u201d) is mentioned in:<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
New York Herald (New York, New York), 6 July 1890, page 6<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This passage reports:<\/p>\n

You will get a good idea of Uncle \u201cSol\u201d [Solomon Attaquin] from a portrait \u2013 the only one he ever allowed anyone to paint \u2013 by Miss Susie A. Winn, of Arlington, Mass. Aunt \u201cCynthy\u201d [Solomon\u2019s wife Cynthia (Conet) Attaquin] you must, alas, imagine. Picture her as pleasant and kindly. Touch lightly on her furrows. Let the warmth of a soft heart glow through the seams and wrinkles. For there breathes no truer or tenderer woman in Mashpee than Cynthia.<\/p>\n

Uncle \u201cSol\u201d was one of the first people Mr. Cleveland visited here.<\/p>\n

\u201cA most intelligent man\u201d was the ex-President\u2019s estimate of Mr. Attaquin. And Mr. Attaquin was quite as flattering to Mr. Cleveland.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The article included this sketch of Solomon Attaquin.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/a>
New York Herald (New York, New York), 6 July 1890, page 6 (AI enhanced)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Below is a photo of Cynthia (Conet) Attaquin<\/a>, daughter of John N. Conant\/Conet and Phebe (Lindsley) Conant\/Conet, both members of the Herring Pond Wampanoag community.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Cynthia (Conet) Attaquin. Credit: 1925 edition of \u201cIndian Notes and Monographs,\u201d a series compiled by the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian and the Heye Foundation. (AI enhanced)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Another photo shows cousins Hannah Conet (left) and Cynthia (Conet) Attaquin, c. 1840.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Hannah Conet (left) and Cynthia (Conet) Attaquin, c. 1840. Credit: Earl Mills. (AI enhanced)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Solomon\u2019s sister Betsey Jones Attaquin (1821-1898) married George Thomas Oakley\/Ockree, who is mentioned in Nina\u2019s diary.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Betsey Jones (Attaquin) Oakley. Credit: Earl Mills. (AI enhanced)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Nina wrote that she \u201cpicked Mr. Oakley\u2019s mayflowers,\u201d and one evening played cribbage with him.<\/p>\n

On 9 May 1914 she wrote: \u201cGrandpa Oakley was very sick at this time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Below is a photo of George Thomas Oakley at the age of about 93. According to sources he was a Connecticut Indian adopted by the Mashpee.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: George Thomas Oakley. Credit: 1925 edition of \u201cIndian Notes and Monographs,\u201d a series compiled by the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian and the Heye Foundation. (AI enhanced)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Five days later she recorded his death, 14 May 1914:<\/p>\n

Grampa Oakley died today at half past five. It won\u2019t seem like Mashpee without him. Mrs. Sturgis and I had breakfast together and then she went over to Grandpa\u2019s awhile\u2026 At Grandpa\u2019s about 5 & then downtown & when I came back he had gone \u2013 very easily & peacefully & conscious nearly to the last. Reading in eve. & nearly ready for bed at 9:30 when Bessie came over to see if I wouldn\u2019t come there as it was lightning in the west. Went of course. Irving [Oakley] over to telephone & it was 11 when we went to bed. Edna\u2019s girls there.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A later entry:<\/p>\n

Grandpa Oakley buried today. Poured [rain] part of AM. Up at 7:30 & over to house to build fires \u2013 get breakfast \u2013 etc. Cleaned up a lot \u2013 swept & wiped up floors of upstairs room, living & dining. Late dinner \u2013 wash & into good clothes and over to Oakley\u2019s with Bessie at 1:45. A nice service \u2013 not very long \u2013 all over at 2:30. Choir sang \u201cNearer, My God, To Thee\u201d \u2013 Grandpa looked very nice \u2013 calm and peaceful \u2013 Buried in the Attaquin [family] lot.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Nina\u2019s passages contain visits with young George L. Oakley and Irving Westley Coombs Oakley, who married Christine N. Bearse, daughter of Olive Gould (Peels) Bearse and Civil War soldier Nathaniel D. S. Bearse<\/a>, a direct descendant of Mayflower<\/em> passengers Stephen Hopkins, Thomas Rogers, John Howland, and Elizabeth Tilley.<\/p>\n

Here is a photo of Irving when a grown man.<\/p>\n

\"Photo:
Photo: Irving Westley Coombs Oakley. Credit: Mashpee Archives and Historic Commission.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Below is Irving\u2019s obituary. He died on 14 November 1934.<\/p>\n

\"An<\/a>
Boston Herald (Boston, Massachusetts), 15 November 1934, page 27<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

On 26 April 1914, Nina wrote:<\/p>\n

Young George Oakley in to bring me some wood and stayed all the morning and I asked him and Mattie to dinner \u2013 Steak, asparagus, date pudding, etc. Over to see Mrs. Sturgis and Bessie.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

On 16 June 1914, Nina wrote:<\/p>\n

Naps in P.M. & Mrs. Sturgis came over to see us. Also, Irving Oakley Jr. brought up ice cream, so we all feasted. Back with Mrs. S. for beans.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Mrs. Sturgis is Solomon\u2019s sister Rhoda (Attaquin) Sturgis (1831-1927), wife of William Russell Sturgis (1824-1898), son of John Sturgis Jr. and Roanny (Thaire) Sturgis.<\/p>\n

\"Photos:
Photos: Rhoda (Attaquin) Sturgis. Credit: 1925 edition of \u201cIndian Notes and Monographs,\u201d a series compiled by the Smithsonian Museum of the American Indian and the Heye Foundation. (AI enhanced)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

To be continued\u2026<\/p>\n

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Note on the header image:<\/em><\/strong> Ousamequin, or \u201cMassasoit\u201d (Wampanoag term for \u201cGreat Sachem\u201d) and Governor John Carver smoking a ceremonial pipe at Plymouth Colony in 1621. Credit: Sutro Library; Wikimedia Commons.<\/p>\n

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