Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-05-24
FEW OF THEM REMAIN
Descendants of the Confeder-
acy of PoWhatan.
FAST NEARING EXTINCTION
Pay Annual Tribute to the Governor
Of Virginia.
LANGUAGE HAS DISAPPEARED
Pamunkey, Mattapony, Chickahominy
and Nansemond Are the Chief Bands
Of Indians in the State.
LANGUAGE HAS DISAPPEARED
BY WILLIAM e. CURTIS.
Written for The Star and the Chicago Record
Herald

BY WILLIAM E. CURTIS.
Herald.
The confederacy Of Powhatan, father Of
Pocahontas, was comparatively small, and
occupied only narrow strip Of territory
on the west bank of the Potomac and
Chesapeake bay from Georgetown in the
north to Norfolk in the south, and extended
westward as far as an imaginary line drawn
north and south from Frederick, Nd. to
Petersburg, Va. The present state Of vir-
ginia has an area of 1857 square miles.
The authority of Poghatan extended over
only about one-ftfth Of that area, or 5000
jurisdiction constituted but one of many
tribal groups of the Algonquin nation.
Across the Potomac and Chesapeake bay
the Maryland tribes were Independent and
hostile To the west all the indians were
of alien lineage, and ancient enmity toward
those who dwelt along tidewater. The con-
tinuous wars had reduced the population
toward extinction.
In 1907 Capt. John Smith enumerated
twenty-eight Powhatan tribes, numbering
1885 fighting men, and although the es-
Inmates of others vary more or less they
average about the same. Mr.. James
Mooney, the eminent ethnologist, calculates
that the entire population of Powhatan's
empire was not more than $500, occupying
territory which now has a population of
considerably more than half million. He
lation of Virginia at the time of the Eng
lish invasion was about 1900, as COM
pared with two millions at the present
day.
This aboriginal population is now entirely
extinct, with the exception of 100 persons
of mixed Indian, negro and white blood.
survivors, and recently published liAt of
the heads of families with the residence Of
each in the American Anthropologist. \
Blood Of Three Races.
I'm all Of these bands the blood of three
races Is commingled, with the Indian blood
sufficiently preponderating to give stamp
to the physiognomy and hair character
istics." says Mr.. Mooney. "It is probable
that from intermarriage nearly the same
mixture Is in all alike, although it does not
show equally in the features. Thus, many
would pass among strangers as ordinary
negroes; few show mo- trace of any but
white blood, while few families and in
dams in any western tribe. Notwithstand-
ing the large percentage of negro blood. the
Indian race feeling Is strong. Their one
may lose their identity by absorption in the
black race, and against this they have
struggled for full century. Intermar-
by Pamunkey law and frowned upon in the
other bands.
ITO prevent annoyance when travelling
under recent Virginia legislation, the Pa
tribal membership They have entirely lost
their aboriginal language and customs, If
we except their devotion to the water, and
differ but little from their white neigh
bors. According to the statements Of sew
eral persons of middle age, their parents
some fifty years ago had conversational
knowledge Of the old language. Even this
knowledge must have been limited, as the
present writer. by the most careful search,
could find but one old man, William w.
Weaver, Nansemond from whom even
half dozen words could be obtained. He
was then so feeble, mentally and physical
ly, that he could not be questioned with
any satisfaction. He died about a year
later, in 1902, and with him faded away
the last echo of the Powhatan as living
language. Practically all of them can read
and write. All are consistent members of
the Baptist Church, maintaining their own
church and school organizations; they are
self-supporting, law-abiding, industrious
and hospitable, with no paupers or GRIM
inals, and constitute in every way a worthy
factor in the community"
The Four Chief Bands.
Mr. Moonev saws the Pamunkev are the