Baumwell/Dickenson Family Tree:Information about Zoeth Howland
Zoeth Howland (b. Abt. 1637, d. January 31, 1675/76)
Notes for Zoeth Howland:[1715618.ged]
ZOETH WAS KILLED BY THE INDIANS DURING THE FAMOUS KING PHIL
IP'S WAR. THE ENGL ISH HAD A SKIRMISH WITH THE INDIANS IN TI
VERTON, SOUTH OF HOWLAND'S FERRY, AN D FROM THAT TIME THEY G
REATLY ANNOYED THE SETTLERS.AT THE TIME OF ZOETH'S D EAT
H THE WAR WAS GOING ON IN SOUTHWESTERN RHODE ISLAND ONLY, T
HE SAVAGES IN THIS SECTION WERE DOUBTLESS FULL OF REVENGE
, AND ZOETH WAS ONE OF THEIR VICT IMS.Zoeth was born in Duxbury, Mass.The Friends' records at Newport, R.I., have the following entry in regard to his marriage:" Zoar Howlan of Dartmouth in Plimoth Colony was maried to Abigall his wife in the tenth month of the year one thousand six hundred fifty-six."[The tenth month in the Julian calender is December, 1656.]In the same records is this brief entry of his death:"Zoar Howland was killed by the Indians at Pocaset the twenty first day of 1st mo. 1676. [23 Mar 1676]
Abigail married second 2, Feb. 1678 Richard Kirby, Jr.
In the list of names of those who took the oath of "Fidelitie" at Duxbury in the 1657, is Zoeth Howland.Zoeth became a convert to the faith of his father about the same time, and meetings were held at his house, for which he was fined in Dec. 1657.The following deposition of Samuel Hunt shows the esteem in which he held the puritan clergy and their teachings. It reads: "About a fortnight before the dateheerof, being att the house of Zoeth Howland, hee said hee would not goe to meeting to hear lyes, and that the diuill (devil) could teach as good a sermon as the ministers; and that a 2nd time being att the house of said Zoeth Howland, and his brother, John Hunt and Tho Delano being with him, hee questioned with the said Zoeth Howland whether hee would not goe to the meeting, because the minnesters taught lyes, and that the diuill (devil) could teach as good a sermon as the minnesters; and hee said hee denied it not. Alsoe, Tho Delano questioned him whether the minnesters taught lyes; and hee should find it soe."For this utterance he was arraigned at the next term of the court in March, 1657/8, "for speaking opprobiously of the minnesters of Gods Word," and was given the humiliating sentence "to sitt in the stockes for the space of an houre, or during the pleasure of the Court; which accordingly was preformed, and soe released."His wife was a sharer in his sympathies and fate.She was fined 10s in March, 1659, for not attending the meeting of the Puritans.
As stated earlier, Zoeth probably moved to Dartmouth as early as 1662, for more congenial society.The Newport Friends Record and the inventory of his estate, refer to him as Zoeth of Dartmouth, and his mother owned a house there.Just where he was killed, and how he came to be there, is probably .The section of Rhode Island including Tiverton and Portsmouth was originally known as Pocasset, and later the name was confined to Tiverton.Here, where is now a stone bridge, was a ferry at that date.It was subsequently owned and kept by Zoeth's son Daniel. Zoeth was perhaps stopping there on his way to visit his son, - perhaps stopping there on his way to Quarterly Meeting at Newport.This was the time of the King Philips war.The northeast part of Dartmouth was burned the July previous.The Indians burned nearly thirty houses in Dartmouth, killing many people after the most barbarous manner, as skinning them all over alive, some only the heads, cutting off their hands and feet.
About that date the English had a skirmish with the Indians in Tiverton, south of Howland's ferry, and from that time they greatly annoyed the settlers.On the same days as Zoeth's untimely demise, "five men coming from Rhode Island to look up their Cattle upon Pocasset Neck were assaulted by the Indians.This was the first time any mischief was done by the Indians at Pocasset Neck (Hubbard's Narrative, 25.)"
Zoeth probably made no will, but there is recorded at Plymouth the following:
Inventory of Zoeth's Estate:
Imprimis1 quarter share of land valued at15=00=00
Item 1 yoake of oxen07=00=00
Item 3 cows06=10=00
Item 1 mare01=10=00
Item 1 brasse Kettle02=06=00
Item 1 Chest00=06=00
Item 2 Kettles00=08=00
Item 1 Broad Axe00=05=00
Item old tools00=06=00
Item 1 gun00=10=00
Item plow tackling00=13=00
Item pewter00=13=00
Item 1 brass skillett00=03=06
Item 1 Frying pan00=04=00
Item 1 iron pot00=10=00
Item 2 pair of pott hangers and hooks00=05=00
Item 1 old iron pot00=03=00
Total36=14=6
Jane Fletcher Fiske, who is the editor of NEHGR and the foremost \ early Rhode Island genealogist,
discovered old court records from Newport County that had been in storage for over 300 years. Among these
are records of the court martial of various Indians that occurred in the aftermath of King Philip's War. She
published these court records in 1996 ("Records of the Rhode Island General Court of Trials"), but since the
book is probably not widely available I thought I would post here some of the records relating to the trial of the
murderer[s] of Zoeth2 Howland. Since the entry is fairly lengthy I will divide it into two parts and post the second installment in the near future.
Zoeth2 (Henry1) Howland of Dartmouth, MA was waylaid by a group of Indians at what has ever since been
called "Sin and Flesh Brook" in Tiverton, RI. Tiverton was not settled at the time, and Zoeth was on his way from Dartmouth to Newport to attend a Quaker meeting, as a meeting had not yet been established in Dartmouth. I will put my own notes in brackets. These are the entries for 31 August 1676.
"Manasses (Molasses) called and Answered to the name, being Examined, concerning Zow Howland kild at
Pocassett side [Pocasset was an early name for what is now Tiverton; it is a Wampanoag word that probably
means "where the river widens," referring to the widening of the Sakonnet River north of Fogland Point in
Tiverton and Sandy Point in Portmouth] (being an Englishman) and slaine or murdered by the Indians, and this
Molasses being charged or suspected to have a hand in the crime, answers that he did not kill him, but being up
in the woods the Indians came and said such a one was kild and offered to sell the coate of the person soe
murdered or slaine, and that he the said Mallasses bought the coate of the (said dead man) for ground nutts
[these are tubers that grow wild in New England, eaten by both Indians and some early colonists] and further
saith that it was one Quasquomack that killed the said Howland.
Mr. [probably Christopher2 (William1)]Almy [he spoke fluent Wampanoag and was one of chief colonial
negotiators with Metacom/King Philip] declared that at Plymouth being, Examination being then upon the death of Howland [Dartmouth was in Plymouth Colony, as was Tiverton once it was settled] it was declared there that this Indian now present, with two others one named Ohomm, the other Quasquomock did kill the said Howland.
[In a modern trial none of this would be admissible evidence.]
This Deponant John Cook [John2 (Thomas1) Cooke (1631-1691)] aged about forty five years Testefyeth, being
at Punkatest [Punkateest, an early name for the southern part of Tiverton] in the middle of July or thereabouts,
did ask of severall Indians named as followeth, Woodcock, Matowat, & Job, whome they were that kild Zow
Howland the fore-sd Indians answer was that there were six of them in company and Manasses was the Indian
that fetcht him out of the water further this deponant saith not.
This Deponant John Brigs [John2 (John1) Briggs (1609-1690)] aged thirty five years or thereabouts Testefyeth . .
. that the said Manasses shot at Joseph Russill...
This deponant William Manchester [William2 (Thomas1) Manchester (1654-1718), son-in-law to John2 Cook
above] aged twenty and two years or thereabouts, being at Pocasset asked of Peter Nunoet the husband of
Wetamoe, whoe it was that killed Zow Howland, his answer was, that Manasses fetcht him out of the water and
further saith not. [This refers to Peter Nunuit, supposedly the brother of Awashonks, the "squaw sachem" of the
Sakonnet tribe of Little Compton.Awashonks remained neutral in King Philip's War, but many Sakonnets fought with Col. Benjamin Church's colonial forces.Wetamoe, the squaw sachem of the Pocassets of Tiverton, sided with King Philip; she had drowned while trying to escape a colonial raid on her camp. A recent aquisition of
public parkland in Tiverton has been named "Wetamoo Woods," an honor that would have been unthinkable in
1676.]
The court martial continued on 1 September, 1676:
"Awetamoes [Weetamoo/Wetamoe, the aforementioned "queen" of the Pocassets] sister being examined what
she could say concerning the killing of Zow Howland --- she saith that she was informed by one of those that
was at his killing called Ohomm that this above Malasses was the person that fetcht Zow Howland out of the
water at the time when he was kild although the Indians that were with them perswaded him not to persue him,
and also further saith that she knoweth him the said Malasses to be one of the 12 that was of that company that
took and kild the said Howland. [It is not clear if this was the sister of Weetamoo who was the wife of King
Philip. Weetamoo's first husband was Wamsutta a/k/a Alexander, brother of Metacomet/Philip and son of
Massasoit, who he succeeded as chief of the Wampanoag federation. Wamsutta died while in the company of
the English at Plymouth, arousing suspicion among the Wampanoags that he had been poisoned. Weetamoo's
second husband was Pettanonowett/Peter Nunuit, mentioned above, who was a secret agent of Col Benjamin
Church and was disowned by Weetamoo upon her discovery of his betrayal.]
Mumuxuack alias Toby. . . was theatened by his brother to carry away John Archer's head and he did doe it, to
Awetamoe by reason his brother theatened him, if he refused to take off his head, and that he carried the head
to Awetamoe, and that his brother gave him a shirt for doing for carrying the head. [I suspect that this John
Archer was an Indian who collaborated with the English. In an odd twist of fate, the English severed the head
from Weetamoo's drowned body and displayed it at Taunton. King Philip's head was on a pole at Plymouth for
25 years. These displays sent a not-too-subtle message to the remaining Indians who survived the war].
Wehuncksum, alias Abram, saith that he well knoweth the above Malasses, and he heard at the spring of the
yeare last, being then at Wachusett, that there was then information given what Execution had lately been done
against the English, amongst which was affirmed that the above Malasses had lately killed an Englishman at
Pocassett.
Suckats squa that lives with Daniel Wilcocks [Daniel2 (Edward1) Wilcox (1635-1702) of Tiverton, another
son-in-law of John Cook above and an ancestor of Winston Churchill] saith that she heard the abovesaid
Malasses say being askt or Examined by the Indians in the spring of the yeare last toward Wachusett whether
he had lately killed an Englishman at Pocassett, he answered that he had done it." [This testimony would be
admissible in a modern trial, since she herself had heard Malasses/Manasses make a declaration against
interest, a hearsay exception].
That was more than enough evidence for the court martial, which sentenced Malasses/Manasses and
Mumuxuack to be turned over to Col. Benjamin Church, who was authorized to escort the offenders to Plymouth and to "dispose of them. . . to the inhabitants or others, for tearm of life or for shorter time as there may be Reasons." That was a polite way of saying that they were to be sold into slavery, a fate that befell many Indians in the wake of the war, including, quite shamefully, many who had surrendered willingly at the outset and had never lifted a finger against the colonists. Most of the Indian slaves were sent to the Caribbean, and few, if any, survived more than a few years thereafter.[sriddle-john-howland-1481-down-10.ged]
Zoeth Howland was born about 1636 in Duxbury, MA. *Rix :"Zoeth Howland, son of Henry, was b. in Duxbury, Mass..." He died on JAN 21 1676 in Tiverton, RI.
*Rix : "He was killed by Indians in the middle of King Phillips War, Jan. 21,
1676."
*History of Authur, Henry, and John Howland : His son, Daniel owned the ferry
[Howland's Ferry] at Tiverton, and Zoeth might have been killed while on a
visit to see his son. 9th great grandfather
*Rix :"Zoeth Howland, son of Henry, was b. in Duxbury, Mass. He m. in Oct.
1656, Abigail ---. He settled in Dartmouth, Mass. as early as 1662. He was
killed by Indians in the middle of King Phillips War, Jan. 21, 1676. His
widow m. 2d, Dec. 2, 1678, Richard Kirby, Jr...
*New England Families : "Zoeth, son of Henry Howland, was born in Duxbury,
and married Abigail _____, October, 1656. He was killed by Indians, January
21, 1676, at Pocaset. Abigail married (second), February 12, 1678, John Kirby
Jr. He [Zoeth] took the oath of 'fidelitie' at Duxbury in 1657, and became a
convert to the Friends' [Quakers] sect about the same time, and meetings were
held at his house, for which for which he was fined in December, 1657. In
March, 1657-58, he was sentenced to 'sitt in the stockes for the space of an
hour' for 'speaking opprobiously of the minnesters of Gods Word.' In March,
1659, his wife was fined ten shillings for not attending the meetings of the
Puritans. He moved to Dartmouth, probably as early as 1662, for more
congenial society. The Newport [RI] Friends' records and the inventory of his
estate, dated June, 1677, refer to him as Zoeth of Dartmouth, and his mother
owned a house there. Just where he was killed and how he came to be there is
unknown. His sons, with the exception of Samuel, were active members of the
old Apponegansett meeting. The first eight children are recorded in the
Newport Friends' records..." Parents: * Henry Howland Jr. and * Mary Newland
He was married to * Abigailin OCT 1656. Children were: Nathaniel Howland ,
Benjamin Howland , Daniel Howland , Lydia Howland , Mary Howland , Sarah
Howland , Henry Howland , Abigail Howland , * Nicholas Howland Sr.
Henry Howland Jr. was born in 1604 in Scrooby, Yorkshire Co., England. He
immigrated in 1623 to Plymouth, MA. *Wilfred Howland : Arrived in Plymouth
from England on the Anne, 1623.
More About Zoeth Howland:
Date born 2: WFT Est. 1634-16621683
Date born 3: January 31, 1636/37, Duxbury, Plymouth, MA.1684
Date born 4: January 31, 1636/37, Duxbury, Plymouth, Massachusetts.1685
Burial: Unknown, Pocasset, Barnstable County, Massachusetts.1685
Died 2: WFT Est. 1639-17441686
Died 3: January 21, 1675/76, Pocasset, Now Tiverton, Newport, Rhode Island.1687, 1688
Died 4: March 31, 1676, Pocasset, Now Tiverton, Newport, Rhode Island.1689
Fact 1 1: Killed by Indians at Pocaset.1690
Fact 1 2: Howland's ferry Pocasset Neck, RI.1691
Fact 1 3: Killed by Indians.1692
Record Change: January 10, 20011693
More About Zoeth Howland and Abigail Newland:
Marriage 1: 1656, Dartmouth, Mass.1693
Marriage 2: WFT Est. 1608-16711694
Marriage 3: October 16561695, 1695, 1695, 1696, 1696, 1696, 1697, 1698, 1698, 1699, 1700, 1701
Marriage 4: October 10, 1656, Newport, Newport County, Rhode Island.1702, 1703
Marriage 5: December 1656, Dartmouth, MA.1704
Marriage Notes for Zoeth Howland and Abigail Newland:[1715618.ged]
_STAT
CHAN10 Jan 2001
Children of Zoeth Howland and Abigail Newland are:
- +Nathaniel Howland, b. August 05, 1657, Duxbury, Massachusetts1705, d. March 03, 1722/23, Dartsmouth, Bristol, Massachusetts1705.