Page:History of Barrington, Rhode Island (Bicknell).djvu/144

106 the meadows on the Barrington side of the river and laid out highways throughout the town, which they did not do in the lands at Kickemuit, Mount Hope or Poppasquash. The terrritoryterritory [sic] now occupied by the town of Warren was designated in the Sowams records as "Brooks pasture," after its owner. The Sowams of Massassoit, the territory sold to Thomas Prince and his associates, was substantially then the whole town of Barrington, although parts of the section were known by the Indian names of Nayatt, Chachapacassett, Chachacust, Wannamoisett and Peebee's Neck.

V. Mr. Fessenden refers to a map of New England in Davis's edition (1826) of Morton's Memorial as indicating that Sowams was Warren. This map is the copy of one of the first maps made in New England (1677) and is a cartographic curiosity. It locates Mount Hope nearly opposite Providence, with a river east of "Seacunck" and Mount Hope with two branches. The crown referred to, as denoting the residence of the chief sachem and the location of the capital, is marked between the two rivers. If this map is of any value at all in locating Sowams, it stands in favor of New Meadow Neck, which lies between the branches of the Sowams River. An exact copy of the map as related to this section of New England may be seen on one of the illustrated pages.

VI. John Clarke, in his Narrative of his journey to Providence and subsequent settlement at Newport, writes that Roger Williams recommended two places for his future home, "the one on the main called Sowames (the neck since called Phebe's Neck in Barrington) and Aquetneck, now Rhode Island." Roger Williams certainly knew where Sowams was for he had been entertained by Massassoit, and the Rev. John Callender, the historian, and at one time minister of Swansea confirms, if confirmation is needed, the location of Sowams, the home of Massassoit.

VII. Rev. Jeremy Belknap of Boston, the founder of the Massachusetts Historical Society, and one of the most learned and accurate scholars of history of the last century,