The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1906-01-23
MRS. KILT0N
TELLS OF
R. |. INDIANS

Mrs George A. Kilton read a very in
teresting paper before the meeting OF the
Mothers club held yesterday afternoon
at the Young Mems Christian association.
The meeting, which was held in the asso-
cation parlors was we'll attended. Mrs
Kilton spoke on Rhode Island Indians,
Their Landmarks and Legends" She gave
a very interesting account OF the tribes of
Indians which Inhabited Rhode Island at
the time of the coming Of the white men
and held the close attention OF her hear
ers throughout her address. She said In
part
previous to the landing OF Roger Will
liams and his FIVE companions in these
plantations the red men regned supreme
and were monarchs OF all they surveyed.
When the white men came they knew not
that their advent presaged the breaking
of their power and their final extermina-
tion.
There were at that time five tribes OF
red men In the territory that Is now with
in the confines of this state. They were
the Pequots, the Niantics. the Nipinacs,
the Wampanoags and the Narragansetts.
the latter tribe being the more powerful
and ruling over the others. When the
white man first came Canonicus was the
ruling sachem. He died in 1647 and was
succeeded by his son, Micah. who died In
1867 When a Narragansett Indian died
his name died with him and was never al
lowed to be again spoken in the tribe.
Despite the Overwhelming numbers OF
these Indians there were never any wars
or murders within our borders until the
outside colonies brought in dissention and
strife. In their trade with each other and
the white men the Narragansetts used n
system OF calculation by which they
could reckon from one TO 10000. The
goods they bought were paid for in wam-
pun, beaver skins and similar commodi-
ties.
They had their boundaries for their
lands and the boundaries were strictly OBJ
served The widest sons OF man have
ever found II necessary TO preserve them
selves and their families by joining to-
gether in some form of government. The
poor women OF the tribe pounded the corn
in mortars with stone pestles and did
other hard work, while the women or
higher rank employed themselves max
Ing beadwork and girdles.
"Although the laws of the Narragan-
setts permitted of plural marriages II was
seldom that a brave had more than one
wife. Divorces were granted for several
causes The Indians lived chiefly in VII
lagos but they were chiefly n nomadic
people The Narragansetts' love OF home
was intense. Their furnishings we're rev,
but the better class used mats TO SIT
upon. had mortars. knives and axes. all
OF stone. After the coming OF the Eng
lish a few iron utensils were used.
"The Indians had many children. and
were very strong in their affections, es-
pecially for their brothers. a Narragan-
sett Indian would frequently pay broth
er's debts after he was dead. There were
no beggars or paupers among them. They
were lnveterate smokers OF tobacco and
made their own pipes Their dress was
OF skins. which did not wholly cover their
bodies
The speaker described many OF the Gus
toms Of the tribes OF Indians which In
habited these plantations, their food.
mode OF living and other characteristics.
In explaining various things about them
she often quoted from Roger Williams,
whom she regarded as an indisputable au-
thority in these matters
Mrs kilton told OF the sequence OF
events which led up TO King Phillips war
and Of the manner I'm which the war had
been forced into this colony by the In
habitants OF Plymouth. She also told OF
the various sites OF historic interest about
the state and gave brief explanation OF
the event which had made each such
place historic.