Alice Daggett

During the colonial era, kinship was seen as crucial in both Wampanoag and white society. Kinship is defined as the way that a society uses relationships (such as marriage, parentage, and adoption) to create social groups, roles, and categories (Schwimmer). Kin groups determine not only one's lineage, but also "property-owning units, the political units, the religious units" and other key groups that make up a society (Schneider v). Kinship is either traced through "parents and ancestors of only one sex" (unilineal systems) or through either or both parents (cognatic systems) (Schwimmer). Most unilineal systems trace decent through the father (they are "patrilineal").

Missionary MayhewsPatrilineal descent was incredibly important for both Wampanoags and English colonists. Among New England Algonquians, although some land could be transferred through the female line (matrilineal descent), paternal ties were "far more crucial." For example, sachems usually inherited their office through the paternal line, and the office usually went to a male relative (Plane 21). Even women who inherited the position of squa-sachem did so through their fathers or other male relatives. Patrilineal descent was also crucial for colonists: women took their husband's name upon marriage and in the case of a husband's death, the claims of wives to property were subordinate to that of their children. The power of the father was felt in both religious and political spheres: the "family reproduced patriarchal relations of power in which the obedience of wives, daughters, and children, was thought to be religiously proscribed" (O'Brien 23; Ditz 26). Moreover, since only male Puritans could be ministers, the religious legacy of the "missionary Mayhews" was passed along only through male descendents (left). Wills from Martha's Vineyard reveal although both sons and daughters might inherit something, what they inherited was often unequal. Moreover, only children of legitimate marriages tended to inherit property (and status) from their fathers.

For Wampanoags, kinship was an important means of cementing political alliances. Sachems regularly ensured support for their regimes by distributing favors and political power to family members, and the often sought marriages for their children that would help ensure military support during times of trouble. Although polygamy and divorce were both acceptable in Wampanoag society, it appears that in order to inherit the position of the sachem, an individual had to be descended from a royal family both on his mother and father's side (Plane 21-23, 50-51).

One of the most interesting examples of a convergence of all of these issues is the Daggett Family (below). The lineage of the Daggett family has been a source of contention, and Catherine Merwin Mayhew (Genealogist of the Martha's Vineyard Historical Society) and Andrew Pierce (author of The Wampanoag Genealogical History of Martha's Vineyard), provide some useful corrections to the information provided in Banks' History of Martha's Vineyard. I have summarized these below in the Kinship Chart for the Sachem of Sanchacantacket and Daggett Family (L. Leibman, 2008). Joseph Daggett (1647-1718) was a white colonist who married at least two times, once to a daughter of the Wampanoag sachem Autumsquin, and once to a white woman, possibly named Amy Eddy (ca. 1668- 1712/14). Joseph Daggett had three children: Hester and Alice ("Ellis") Daggett by his Wampanoag wife, and then a son by his white wife, Joseph Daggett, Jr. (1704-?) as well as several female children, including Elizabeth, Amy, and Temperance, who are mentioned in Joseph's will. Hester (1672-1708?) went on to marry a white colonist named Edward Cottle (1666-1751?), with whom she had at least one daughter who herself married several colonists in succession. In contrast, Alice (ca. 1675-1711) never married, though she had three illegitimate children by three different white colonists. Alice Daggett was taken to court on fornication charges for each of these births, and in response filed suits against the fathers for financial support. As a result, her children each take the names of their fathers, rather than their mother's name: Black Henry Luce (son of "White-eyed Henry Luce"), Samuel Look (son of Samuel Look), and Patience Allen. The wills of Joseph Daggett, Alice (Ellis) Daggett, and Edward Cottle are in the archive and can be usefully compared to see which child inherits what goods and property.

Daggett Kinship Chart

Kinship and inheritance was also important for the Wampanoag side of the family (above in red). The sachem Autumsquin had at least four children: Wampamag ("Mr. Sam, "Samuel"; ?-1689), Alice (married Thomas Tyler), an unnamed daughter who married Joseph Daggett, and Putuspaquin. Wampamag inherited the sachemship from his father, and after Wampamag's death the rights of the sachemship passed to his younger brother, Putuspaquin. Notably none sisters' descendents could inherit the sachemdom, as neither sister had married members of an Algonquian royal families (they married white settlers). However, Putuspaquin did endeavor to maintain ties with his sister's descendents: thus, we find in DCRD I.251 "Puttuspaquin of Sanchacantacket gives to his cousins [nieces] Ellis [Alice] & Hester Daggett" a tract of land which is now known to be in the present limits of Eastville adjoining the ponds on the east bank of the Lagoon (Banks). This tract was divided when Hester married, and when Alice made her will, she left her portion of the estate to her oldest son, Black Henry Luce. There are several other land transfers between Wampamag and the Daggett family recorded in the archive.

Kinship charts are a useful way of tracking not only relationships between people memorialized in Indian Converts, but also for better understanding how certain aspects of Wampanoag social structure were maintained after contact and how social advantages were passed along through families. For example, even after the office of the sachem eroded, we find that Wampanoag Converts who were members of royal families still tended to marry people who were also members of royal families. Likewise, Experience Mayhew often tells us if a convert's parents could read or write. One could color code literacy on a kinship chart to see if having literate parents greatly increased one's chance of becoming literate oneself. You will find several family trees in the archive, but I have also provided below sample family trees and kinship charts that can be completed using Indian Converts. The index to the book will be particularly helpful for this exercise as individuals are cross-listed by family groups.

Worksheets: Joseph Daggett of Martha's Vineyard, his Native Wife, and their Descendants, R. Andrew Pierce, (2007. New England Historical and Genealogical Register 161:5-21). The youngest son of John Daggett, the pioneer of the family on the Vineyard, was the only representative of that distinguished family in Tisbury. He was born about 1647 [*Deposition. Aged about 51 years in March, 1698-9.] and is particularly noted as having married a native whom we can designate as the Pocahontas of our island. It is believed that she can be identified as the daughter of Thomas Sissetom, a Sagamore of Sanchacantacket, named Alice by the English, and that the marriage occurred some time prior to 1685, as at that date two children of this union were old enough to receive property. Presuming they were eighteen and sixteen respectively that would carry the date of assumed marriage back to 1667, when Joseph was about twenty years of age. It is doubtful if a lawful marriage was consummated. This strange fact is established by a deed on record in which "Puttuspaquin of Sanchacantacket gives to his cousins [nieces] Ellis [Alice] & Hester Daggett" a tract of land which is now known to be in the present limits of Eastville adjoining the ponds on the east bank of the Lagoon. [*Dukes Deeds, I, 251.] This territory is identical with a tract of land granted sixteen years before in 1669 by the sachem Wampamag to "Ales Sessetom and Keziah Sessetom.... the daughters of Thomas Se[sse]tum" and probably was a gift in confirmation to the children of Alice of the property originally given to the Indian sisters. [*Ibid, VI, 412.] It remained as an inheritance of the two half- breed Daggett girls, Alice and Esther, and was divided between them in 1698, after the latter had married Edward Cottle. [*Ibid, I, 24.]

Joseph Daggett was one of the first proprietors in the new settlement and his holdings are thus described:

The Lands & Accomadations of Joseph Doggatt which Leieth in the Township of Takymmy or tisbury on the vineyard as foloeth One halfe house Lot which containeth twenty-five Acres Leying on the east side of the brook where his dwelling house is this present year 1673 bounded the brook on the west ( & the halfe lot which James Redfield bath taken on the south) ( & the halfe lot which Charls Crossthwat hath taken on the north) laid out twenty five rods in breath by James Allen & Thomas Mayhew & Runing eight score rods Easterly from the brook being twenty five Acres mor or lesse

And halfe the sixth part of the neck by John Eddys of which; halfe the fifth lot is Joseph Doggats leying next to henery lewis his lot leying Acrosse the neck as the neck is devided to every mans lot Contained in the neck As before spoken in the order of devision of the three necks baring date february the first 1671

And the two And thirtyth part of all undevided lands whether purchesed or that may be purchesed

this is the lands And Acomadations of Joseph doggatt [*Tisbury Records.]

This property had its north boundary at the Scotchman's Bridge road on the east side of Old Mill brook, and extended half way down to the Post Office corner. Here his house stood and there played in the front yard the two half-breed children born of the romantic union, Alice (Ellis) and Esther. He maintained his residence until sometime between 1711 and 1715, when in a deed on latter date to his grand-daughter Esther Cottle, he describes himself "of Edgartown, wheelwright." There is nothing to indicate that he ended his days on his home lot in Takemmy, where he had lived so long.

His public services were of the average kind and quantity. He was surveyor of highways, 1687; committee to divide common lands, etc., 1689, 1690, 1703, 1708; selectman, 1689, 1693, 1695; pound keeper, 1690; constable, 1697; and had other small duties at various times till 1716. When he died is not known, nor the place of his burial. Equal uncertainty exists as to his Indian wife. It is probable that he was living on March 5, 1720, when as one of the proprietors of the town he executed a deed with fourteen others to a purchase of some common lands.

Of his children, Joseph,3 the only known son, married and had issue, descendants of which are represented to-day in the lines shown under his family in the genealogical portion of this work in the Daggett, Huxford and Enoch Norton lines. Through these claim can be made of descent from the Vineyard Pocahontas, Alice Sessetom, the Indian bride of Joseph Daggett. Esther 3 , the second daughter, married Edward Cottle sometime between 1690 and 1698, and she had deceased before June 10, 1708 (Deeds, II, 184). Issue of this marriage was but one daughter named Esther, who probably married (1) a Harding (and had a son Shubael) and (2) Manasseh Kempton. It is not possible to say whether issue is now represented on the Vineyard. The oldest daughter of Joseph Ellis 3 (Alice) left quite a record for a girl of her age and antecedents. She had three children born out of wedlock named for their presumptive fathers, Henry Luce, Samuel Look and Patience Allen. This unfortunate half-breed was made of better stuff than would be inferred from contemplating this promiscuous progeny. She was evidently honest, honorable and thrifty, and true to her offspring. She did not live beyond middle life, as her will dated March 19, 1711, when she must have been not much over forty, was probated two months later. It is a legal condition that illegitimate children cannot inherit property, but her will devises real and personal estate to each of her children by name, and as the will was allowed and the real estate passed to the one called Henry Luce, who later disposed of it, this would seem to act as a legitimation of this anomalous family. Henry Luce so-called received his share of the property originally given by the Sachem Wampa mag to Alice Sessetom; Samuel Luce was given £7, and Patience Allen the movable estate. Her father, Joseph Daggett, was named as executor, and fulfilled the trust (Probate, I, 31). Altogether it was a very creditable transaction on her part. It is not known what became of these children, but the presumption is that they became united with their Indian associates, and finally lost identity among them, if they survived to adult life.

Alice/Ellis Daggett did not marry; but had 3 children out of wedlock. Each was named for their father. All were mentioned in her will dated 19 March 1711 and probated in May of 1711. Her father, Joseph was executor and he fulfilled the trust. The will was allowed, even Though the children were illegitimate and property passed to Henry Luce; money to Samuel Look and movable estate to Patience Allen. (1) Henry born 1699, son of Henry Luce (2) Samuel born 1702, son of Samuel Look (3) Patience Allen born c.1704, prob. daughter of Joseph Allen married to Patience Bourne, res. of Tisbury. (History of Martha's Vineyard by Banks)

Alice Daggett, in Pierce, R. Andrew. Joseph Daggett of Martha's Vineyard: his Native American Wife, and Their Descendants. New England Historical and Genealogical Register. (2007), 161:15-16.

And on 9 October 1702, Ellis Daggett was convicted of fornication with Samuel Look, who was ordered to pay for maintenance of their child.

Amy (Alice) (Sesseton) (Mantor) Daggett (bef. 1675)

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mantor-3

http://cdm.reed.edu/cdm4/indianconverts/studyguides/social_hierarch...

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Mantor-3

Amy Daggett formerly Mantor was born before 1675. She married Joseph Daggett in 1693 in Tisbury, Masschusetts. She is the mother of John Daggett, Amy (Daggett) Martin, Joseph Daggett, Elizabeth (Daggett) Marchant and Hepsiba (Daggett) Norton. Profile manager: Theresa Welch Profile last modified 20 May 2018 | Created 30 May 2011

Biography

Amy Eddy ... [1]

No more info is currently available for Amy Eddy.

Sources

Theresa Lyman, firsthand knowledge. See the Changes page for the details of edits by Theresa and others. ↑ Entered by Theresa Lyman, May 29, 2011

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Eddy-12

This bio seems to apply to Alice Sesseton

https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Sesseton-3

She was daughter of Sachem of Sanchacantacket see http://history.vineyard.net/daggett.htm

Patrilineal descent was incredibly important for both Wampanoags and English colonists. Among New England Algonquians, although some land could be transferred through the female line (matrilineal descent), paternal ties were "far more crucial." For example, sachems usually inherited their office through the paternal line, and the office usually went to a male relative (Plane 21). Even women who inherited the position of squa-sachem did so through their fathers or other male relatives. Patrilineal descent was also crucial for colonists: women took their husband's name upon marriage and in the case of a husband's death, the claims of wives to property were subordinate to that of their children. The power of the father was felt in both religious and political spheres: the "family reproduced patriarchal relations of power in which the obedience of wives, daughters, and children, was thought to be religiously proscribed" (O'Brien 23; Ditz 26). Moreover, since only male Puritans could be ministers, the religious legacy of the "missionary Mayhews" was passed along only through male descendents (left). Wills from Martha's Vineyard reveal although both sons and daughters might inherit something, what they inherited was often unequal. Moreover, only children of legitimate marriages tended to inherit property (and status) from their fathers.

For Wampanoags, kinship was an important means of cementing political alliances. Sachems regularly ensured support for their regimes by distributing favors and political power to family members, and the often sought marriages for their children that would help ensure military support during times of trouble. Although polygamy and divorce were both acceptable in Wampanoag society, it appears that in order to inherit the position of the sachem, an individual had to be descended from a royal family both on his mother and father's side (Plane 21-23, 50-51).

Sources

↑ The Eddy Family In America by RUTH STORY DEVEREUX EDDY, A.B., A.M. Publication date 1930; Topics Eddy, genealogy, family; Collection opensource; Language English; Page 28 , 32-34, 46 etc https://archive.org/details/EddyTheEddyFamilyInAmerica ↑ The Eddy Family In America by RUTH STORY DEVEREUX EDDY, A.B., A.M. Publication date 1930; Topics Eddy, genealogy, family; Collection opensource; Language English; Page 28 , 32-34, 46 etc https://archive.org/details/EddyTheEddyFamilyInAmerica "Family Tree," database, FamilySearch (http://familysearch.org : modified 09 September 2017, 02:49), entry for Amy Eddy(PID https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/4:1:LR4T-XM7); contributed by various users. Acknowledgements

Thank you to Tony Hatch's first hand knowledge on Jul 26, 2014.

http://cdm.reed.edu/cdm4/indianconverts/studyguides/social_hierarch...