The Cape Cod Chronicle - 11/02/2017 Copy Reduced to 77% from original to fit letter page Page : 12

Squanto, Who Helped Pilgrims Survive, Honored With New Plaque by Debra Lawless CHATHAM – Last Saturday afternoon Ron Nickerson of the Nickerson Family Association, Inc. (NFA) and Jill James, a member of the Wampanoag Tribe who is also a 12thJHQHUDWLRQGHVFHQGDQWRID0D\ÀRZHUSDVVHQJHU together unveiled a new plaque honoring Tisquantum, or Squanto, the Native American who aided the Pilgrims during their early days in Plymouth. The new plaque, which highlights moments in Squanto’s life, is on the grounds of the NFA at 1107 Orleans Rd. It stands near a plaque honoring Native Americans and a monument proclaiming that Squanto died “within gun- shot” of the stone. The plaque was created in preparation for the 400thDQQLYHUVDU\RIWKHDUULYDORIWKH0D\ÀRZHU Pilgrims in 2020. After turning around off Chatham due WRGDQJHURXVVKRDOLQJWKH0D\ÀRZHUVDLOHGQRUWKDQG ODQGHG¿UVWLQ3URYLQFHWRZQZKHUHWKH3LOJULPVVWD\HG IRUURXJKO\¿YHZHHNVDQGWKHQVDLOHGRQWR3O\PRXWK Both Provincetown and Plymouth are planning events to FRPPHPRUDWHWKH0D\ÀRZHUODQGLQJ For the unveiling ceremony and reception, which lasted under an hour, the weather was perfect with bright Ron Nickerson and Jill James at the unveiling of a plaque honoring Squanto. DEBRA LAWLESS PHOTO sunshine, a blue sky dotted with cumulus clouds and temperatures hovering in the low 60s. After the ceremony, the NFA served cornbread and apple cider on the lawn Speaking of Squanto’s tutoring of the Pilgrims, Alice Chatham’s historian William Smith who about a century behind the Caleb Nickerson Homestead. L. Mohnkern, secretary of the Massachusetts Society of ago wrote, “No more graceful act could be performed by Representatives of both Plymouth 400 and the Mas- 0D\ÀRZHU'HVFHQGDQWVVDLG³,W¶VDQLQFUHGLEOHIHDWDQG the grateful descendants of the Pilgrims than to erect…at without that they probably would not have survived.” Chatham a simple monument to this unhonored, but most VDFKXVHWWV6RFLHW\RI0D\ÀRZHU'HVFHQGDQWVDGGUHVVHG the 50 or so who attended the event. Mohnkern claims descent from William Nickerson, and deserving, friend and protector of their forefathers.” she applauded the NFA for sponsoring the plaque.  ³,W¶V¿WWLQJZHDUHKRQRULQJDQGKLJKOLJKWLQJWKHOLIH  ³7KUHHKXQGUHGQLQHW\¿YH\HDUVDIWHU6TXDQWR¶VGHDWK of Tisquantum here today,” Michelle Pecoraro, execu- “The plaque is a great way to celebrate Squanto’s life,” we are gathered here to honor that wish,” Nickerson said. tive director of Plymouth 400, said in remarks before she said. “Many passersby will pull in and it will make He pointed out that many Nickersons, like both Mohnkern the unveiling. Pecoraro noted that for many years since more people aware of the story of this man.” DQGKLPVHOIDUHDOVRGHVFHQGDQWVRI0D\ÀRZHUSDVVHQ- Pilgrim days “the Wampanoag perspective rarely if ever Squanto’s life was not without controversy, moving as JHUVVRLWLV¿WWLQJIRUWKHSODTXHWREHRQWKHJURXQGVRI has been a part of the dialogue to the Pilgrim landing.” he did between two peoples, and some, such as Nathaniel the NFA. In about 1664, roughly 40 years after Squanto’s The relationship between the people of these two radically 3KLOEULFNDXWKRURI³0D\ÀRZHU´KDYHVSHFXODWHGDSORW mysterious death, William and Anne (Busby) Nickerson different cultures was complex, and Squanto’s own life against him led to his death. In November 1622 Squanto established their homestead behind the current-day campus of the NFA. The homestead is currently being excavated H[HPSOL¿HGWKDWFRPSOH[LW\6TXDQWRZDVERUQLQWRWKH traveled with Gov. Bradford from Plymouth to Chatham, Patuxet tribe in about 1585 and later sold into slavery then known as Monomoit, on a trading mission with the by a team of archaeologists. in Europe and exhibited as a curiosity there. When he Monomoyicks. Their sloop, the Swan, anchored in Pleas-  ³6LQFHPDQ\1LFNHUVRQVDUHGHVFHQGDQWVRI0D\ÀRZHU returned home in about 1619 he found that his people ant Bay, most likely at Jackknife Cove, about a quarter Pilgrims, the NFA was proud to sponsor this plaque and had been wiped out by disease and the “natives were now of a mile from the NFA. The trip was a success but just continue to tell Chatham’s involvement in the Pilgrim wary of him,” Pecoraro said. before departure Squanto fell ill and died. Squanto’s story,” Nickerson later said. Since he spoke English, Squanto acted as a liaison be- burial place has long remained a mystery. When Native The plaque was designed by Chatham Selectman American bones are excavated in Chatham during con- WZHHQWKHQDWLYHVDQGWKH0D\ÀRZHU3LOJULPV'XULQJWKH 6KDUHHQ'DYLVDQGXVHVDVLWVEDFNGURSDZDWHUFRORUE\ struction, someone inevitably asks: Could it be Squanto? 3LOJULPV¶¿UVWZLQWHUDQGVSULQJKHWDXJKWWKHQHZFRPHUV Ginny Nickerson of Chatham, who attended the event to catch eels and to grow corn by fertilizing the poor soil One theory by William Sears Nickerson (1880 to 1966) with her mother, Jane West. The painting depicts three with dried herring and shad and thereby helped them to is that Squanto was buried somewhere beneath Eastward historical times: “the Wading Place” Wampanoag Village survive. Ho! Country Club overlooking Jackknife Cove. on Muddy Creek; the early settlers’ deforestation of the In his introductory remarks, Ron Nickerson quoted Nickerson Neck area; and the present day.

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12 THE CAPE COD CHRONICLE • NOVEMBER 2, 2017