Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1903-10-08
BAY STATE ROYALTY
OF MASSASOIT
CLAIM VALUABLE LAND.
Two Massachusetts, Women Descended
In Direct Line From the Famous
Wompanoag Chief.

Lakeville CMass) Letter to New York Tribune.
On the shores Of Lake Assowompsett, in
this town, In modest cottage of their
own construction, live the last of a long
line of American royalty, the Princesses
Teweeleema and Wootonekanuske, as they
are pleased to call themselves or the Misses
Melinda and Lottie Mitchell, as they are
known to the postmaster of Lakeville The
women are lineal descendants in the eighth
generation of Massasoit, the chieftain Of
the Wompanoag Indians
Massasoit, 1t will be remembered, was
ruler of the territory from Cape Cod to
Narragansett Bay when the Pilgrims land
ed at Plymouth. He made a treaty with the
settlers in 1921, and maintained friendship
with them until his death forty years later.
Had the Pilgrims encountered the hostility
from the natives which was shown in other
sections. 1t is doubtful if the infant colony
winch contributed so much to the American
Commonwealth could have gained a foot
hold on these tnhospitable shores. Mas
sasoit was the father of King Philip.
Mother Of the "Princesses."
The mother of the "princesses," Mrs.
Zervia Gould Mitchell, was a full-blooded
Indian, descendant of Massasoit. Their
father was Thomas C. Mitchell, who was
part Cherokee and part English. They
were married in North Abingdon, Mass,
lively shoe town in Plymouth county, and
1t was here that the Indian girls received
the greater part of their education in the
public schools. and spent a large part OF
their lives. Mrs Mitchell died in North
Abingdon in 1898, in her ninety-first year.
She had been fully civilized and Christian
lied, for she had been a member of the
Baptlst Church there for seventytwo years.
Mr.. Mitchell followed the sea. and was
no ,.alc, no
tween Boston and China. He was a MEM
Der OF the Congregational Church. He
died in Fall River in 1859
The Misses Mitchell have the appearance
or being full-blooded Indians. They have
high cheekbones, dark copper-colored skins
ana coarse black hair. and yet they have
considerable refinement and culture which
nave come with several generations of in
tercourse with civilized people The only
indian accomplishments of the "princesses''
are basket weaving and fortune telling
They are frequently seen at Massachusetts
summer resorts selling their wares.
Means of Sustenance
The sisters formerly spent only the sum
mer months On the shores of Lake Asso-
wompsett, passing the winters in North
Abingdon, but in recent years they have
made Lakeville their permanent home
They live in small, neat cottage, which
they built themselves, with the assistance
of carpenter to do the heavier part of
the labor. The cottage is surrounded by
about thirty acres of land, part of which is
under cultivation. The farm work is done
entirely by the sisters. They own several
small cottages. which they rent in the sum-
mer. and sell milk and farm produce to the
visitors
Although it would seem that thirty acres
ought to satisfy almost any woman in the
ordinary walks of life the "princesses' are
not satisfied. and lay claim to some five
hI,r 1ral
by right, they declare. to the heirs of Mas
saso1t They have in their possession
deed 10 TINS large amount of property
which was recorded more than two hundred
years ago The present owners of the land
show no inclination to give it I'D to the
royal sisters however. The aged mother
had used her influence to have the state
guardianship removed from the Indian
lands IN Fall River maintaining that two
hundred acres in that city rightfully be-
longed to the descendants of the old chief
tain of the Wompanoags
Inc Mitchell girls occasionally appear in
lndlan court costumes of which they are
exceedingly proud. and many times they
have left their work to don them for some
kodak fiend." The costume consists of a
headdress of feathers sash short skirt of
RED and gold. leggins and moccasins On all
Ordinary occasions they wear the conven-
tonal dress of their Yankee neighbors
they have always worn short skirts, for by
the nature of their manner of living thew
are athletic
Among their friends the Indian sisters are
proud to mention Hezekiah Butterworth
the author. who one summer was their
boarder. He occupied an old cottage. known
as hlng Philips. on the short of the lake
where he did considerable writing II VS.
the home of an Indianhancestor of tho sic-
tiers a hundred years ago ~
Many years have already passed over the
royai sisters heads. and the time cannot be
TAR distant when the last descendants of the
great friend of the Pilgrim Fathers will
pass from the sight of man