Harman Garrett (c. 1610[1] – c. 1678) (also known as Cashawashett or Wequashcook II or Herman Garrett or Harmon Garrett[2]) was a Niantic sachem and then governor of the Eastern Pequots slightly east of the Pawcatuck River in what is now Westerly, Rhode Island. His chosen English name (taken by at least 1654) was very similar to that of Herman Garrett, a prominent colonial gunsmith from Massachusetts in the 1650s.
Watch Hill in Westerly was part of Garrett's claimed lands1676 declaration of Harman Garret unto the General Court requesting that his lands, which were usurped by Ninigret, not be taken by conquest by the colonists
Garrett was the son of Eastern Niantic sachem Wepitanock (also known as Momojosbuck or Wettamozo) and his unnamed wife (who may have been a Pequot and died in 1648[3]) and the grandson of sachem Saccious.[4] Garrett was also the half-brother of Wequash Cooke, who helped the colonial military to defeat the Pequots during the Pequot War in 1637 before forming marriage alliances with several captured Pequot women. Either Garrett or his brother married the Pequot widow of Tattaopme and became stepfather of Tausquonawhut, the brother or nephew of Sassacus. Tausquonawhut (Tassaquanot) eventually married Ninigret's daughter.[5] After Wequash Cook's death in 1642, Garrett assumed his brother's name and attempted to assume his leadership role, but his uncle Ninigret contested this because Garrett's mother was not Niantic, making him only half Niantic.[6]
Involvement with Pequot at Pawcatuckedit
In the 1640s, Garrett worked with John Mason of the Saybrook Colony to negotiate Garrett's territorial boundaries with the United Colonies and his right to be a leader of some of the conquered Pequots and to some of their former territory.[7] Despite opposition from the Narragansetts and Uncas who claimed he didn't fight the Pequots or py his proper share of the 1645 indemnity, he began hunting in Pequot territory in 1646, and by 1648 with Mason's support, Garrett formed a small community of Niantics and former Pequots on the west bank of the Pawcatuck River, which was somewhat forced to be allied to Uncas against Ninigret.[8]John Winthrop, Jr. and Robin Cassacinamon briefly held Garrett in 1648/49 on house arrest for unclear reasons, but Winthrop then reversed course and became Garrett's ally and advocated for his Pawcatuck settlement.[9] Garrett's personal home was in Pawcatuck, to the north of the modern bridge connecting Westerly, Rhode Island and Stonington, Connecticut.[10]
Around this time, Uncas allegedly paid an Indian named Wampushet to attack another Indian with a hatchet and then to falsely blame Garrett for ordering the attack. Wampushet gave testimony before the United Colonies with Uncas present, but it was unclear who ordered the attack.[11]
Governorship of Eastern Pequotsedit
In 1654 Captain Simon Willard led a mission from Massachusetts against Ninigret's Niantics and forced him to turn over control of the Pequots under his jurisdiction to the United Colonies.[12] By at least May 18, 1654[13] Garrett had taken the name of former Massachusetts gunsmith Herman Garrett, who had been an associate of Simon Willard.[14][15] Some Native Americans adopted the firearm related names as "another way for a man to call attention to his martial achievements."[16] In September 1655, the Commissioners of the United Colonies appointed Herman Garrett governor over these Pequots and Niantics (at Pawcatuck and Wekapauge)[17] to collect tributes (owed by the Pequots since the Pequot War) and to mediate disputes, and they appointed Thomas Stanton to work with him. In 1661, Massachusetts authorities mediated a territorial dispute between Garrett and his uncle Ninigret regarding the land in and around Westerly.[6] By 1663 encroachments and land disputes occurred with nearby settlers, causing Garrett to move to Southertowne (Stonington).
King Philip's War and later lifeedit
In 1676 Garrett, Oneco, and Cassasinamon jointly executed Narragansett Sachem Canonchet during King Philip's War, while fighting alongside colonial forces.[18] Garrett's group of Indians were given land in northern Stonington in 1683 after Garrett's death. His will left his property to his son Cattepeset, but Garrett's deputy Mamaho took power after Garrett's death, and a power struggle ensued with Cassacinamon's group.[19][20][21][22][23]
^see: Consolidated Index to Plymouth County Records for other variations of these named are also used: Cassawashet, Cashawashed, Caushawashed, Cusawashset, Caushewashett, Cawshawshett, Caushawasett, Caushawashott, Caushawesett, Casshawashet, Coushawashett
^ abThatcher, Benjamin Bussey (1832). Indian Biography, Or, An Historical Account of Those Individuals who Have Been Distinguished Among the North American Natives as Orators, Warriors, Statesmen, and Other Remarkable Characters. J. & J. Harper.
^Carlton, William R.; Winthrop, Jr., John (September 1940). "Overland to Connecticut in 1645: A Travel Diary of John Winthrop, Jr". The New England Quarterly. 13 (3): 494–510. doi:10.2307/360195. JSTOR 360195. Retrieved 23 October 2021.
^Wheeler, Richard Anson (1875). History of the First Congregational Church, Stonington, Conn., 1674-1874: With the Report of Bi-centennial Proceedings, June 3, 1874. With Appendix Containing Statistics of the Church. T. H. Davis & Company.
harman, garrett, 1610, 1678, also, known, cashawashett, wequashcook, herman, garrett, harmon, garrett, niantic, sachem, then, governor, eastern, pequots, slightly, east, pawcatuck, river, what, westerly, rhode, island, chosen, english, name, taken, least, 1654. Harman Garrett c 1610 1 c 1678 also known as Cashawashett or Wequashcook II or Herman Garrett or Harmon Garrett 2 was a Niantic sachem and then governor of the Eastern Pequots slightly east of the Pawcatuck River in what is now Westerly Rhode Island His chosen English name taken by at least 1654 was very similar to that of Herman Garrett a prominent colonial gunsmith from Massachusetts in the 1650s Watch Hill in Westerly was part of Garrett s claimed lands 1676 declaration of Harman Garret unto the General Court requesting that his lands which were usurped by Ninigret not be taken by conquest by the colonists Contents 1 Early life 2 Involvement with Pequot at Pawcatuck 3 Governorship of Eastern Pequots 4 King Philip s War and later life 5 ReferencesEarly life editGarrett was the son of Eastern Niantic sachem Wepitanock also known as Momojosbuck or Wettamozo and his unnamed wife who may have been a Pequot and died in 1648 3 and the grandson of sachem Saccious 4 Garrett was also the half brother of Wequash Cooke who helped the colonial military to defeat the Pequots during the Pequot War in 1637 before forming marriage alliances with several captured Pequot women Either Garrett or his brother married the Pequot widow of Tattaopme and became stepfather of Tausquonawhut the brother or nephew of Sassacus Tausquonawhut Tassaquanot eventually married Ninigret s daughter 5 After Wequash Cook s death in 1642 Garrett assumed his brother s name and attempted to assume his leadership role but his uncle Ninigret contested this because Garrett s mother was not Niantic making him only half Niantic 6 Involvement with Pequot at Pawcatuck editIn the 1640s Garrett worked with John Mason of the Saybrook Colony to negotiate Garrett s territorial boundaries with the United Colonies and his right to be a leader of some of the conquered Pequots and to some of their former territory 7 Despite opposition from the Narragansetts and Uncas who claimed he didn t fight the Pequots or py his proper share of the 1645 indemnity he began hunting in Pequot territory in 1646 and by 1648 with Mason s support Garrett formed a small community of Niantics and former Pequots on the west bank of the Pawcatuck River which was somewhat forced to be allied to Uncas against Ninigret 8 John Winthrop Jr and Robin Cassacinamon briefly held Garrett in 1648 49 on house arrest for unclear reasons but Winthrop then reversed course and became Garrett s ally and advocated for his Pawcatuck settlement 9 Garrett s personal home was in Pawcatuck to the north of the modern bridge connecting Westerly Rhode Island and Stonington Connecticut 10 Around this time Uncas allegedly paid an Indian named Wampushet to attack another Indian with a hatchet and then to falsely blame Garrett for ordering the attack Wampushet gave testimony before the United Colonies with Uncas present but it was unclear who ordered the attack 11 Governorship of Eastern Pequots editIn 1654 Captain Simon Willard led a mission from Massachusetts against Ninigret s Niantics and forced him to turn over control of the Pequots under his jurisdiction to the United Colonies 12 By at least May 18 1654 13 Garrett had taken the name of former Massachusetts gunsmith Herman Garrett who had been an associate of Simon Willard 14 15 Some Native Americans adopted the firearm related names as another way for a man to call attention to his martial achievements 16 In September 1655 the Commissioners of the United Colonies appointed Herman Garrett governor over these Pequots and Niantics at Pawcatuck and Wekapauge 17 to collect tributes owed by the Pequots since the Pequot War and to mediate disputes and they appointed Thomas Stanton to work with him In 1661 Massachusetts authorities mediated a territorial dispute between Garrett and his uncle Ninigret regarding the land in and around Westerly 6 By 1663 encroachments and land disputes occurred with nearby settlers causing Garrett to move to Southertowne Stonington King Philip s War and later life editIn 1676 Garrett Oneco and Cassasinamon jointly executed Narragansett Sachem Canonchet during King Philip s War while fighting alongside colonial forces 18 Garrett s group of Indians were given land in northern Stonington in 1683 after Garrett s death His will left his property to his son Cattepeset but Garrett s deputy Mamaho took power after Garrett s death and a power struggle ensued with Cassacinamon s group 19 20 21 22 23 References edit United States Native American Nations see Consolidated Index to Plymouth County Records for other variations of these named are also used Cassawashet Cashawashed Caushawashed Cusawashset Caushewashett Cawshawshett Caushawasett Caushawashott Caushawesett Casshawashet Coushawashett LaFantasie at 274 Forest John William De 1853 History of the Indians of Connecticut from the Earliest Known Period to 1850 W J Hammersley LaFantasie at 311 312 a b Thatcher Benjamin Bussey 1832 Indian Biography Or An Historical Account of Those Individuals who Have Been Distinguished Among the North American Natives as Orators Warriors Statesmen and Other Remarkable Characters J amp J Harper Acts of Commissioners II 417 Letter from John Mason to the Commissioners of the United Colonies Native Northeast Portal nativenortheastportal com Retrieved 2023 08 30 Shawn G Wiemann Lasting Marks The Legacy of Robin Cassacinamon and the Survival of the Mashantucket Pequot Nation University of New Mexico Dissertation 2011 http digitalrepository unm edu cgi viewcontent cgi article 1082 amp context hist etds Carlton William R Winthrop Jr John September 1940 Overland to Connecticut in 1645 A Travel Diary of John Winthrop Jr The New England Quarterly 13 3 494 510 doi 10 2307 360195 JSTOR 360195 Retrieved 23 October 2021 Shawn G Wiemann Lasting Marks The Legacy of Robin Cassacinamon and the Survival of the Mashantucket Pequot Nation University of New Mexico Dissertation 2011 pp 146 148 http digitalrepository unm edu cgi viewcontent cgi article 1082 amp context hist etds Willard Simon 1605 1676 Native Northeast Portal Summary under the Criteria and Evidence for Proposed Finding Eastern Pequot Indians of Connecticut 2000 p 17 https www bia gov sites bia gov files assets as ia ofa petition 035 easpqt CT 035 pf pdf Garrett Harman Englishman Native Northeast Portal collections of the rhode island 1835 David J Silverman Thundersticks Firearms and the Violent Transformation of Native America 2016 Garrett Harman 1678 Native Northeast Portal Wheeler Richard Anson 1875 History of the First Congregational Church Stonington Conn 1674 1874 With the Report of Bi centennial Proceedings June 3 1874 With Appendix Containing Statistics of the Church T H Davis amp Company Pulsifer ACUCNE Vol 2 1859 283 LaFantasie The Correspondence of Roger Williams 324 Harold M Chapin Sachems of the Narragansett Providence 1931 Garrett Harman 1678 Native Northeast Portal nativenortheastportal com Retrieved 2023 08 30 Garrett s will is dated 1677 and states He leaves all his land and business to his oldest son Cattapesett and instructs him to be faithful to the English despite the consequences he himself has endured in doing so https www indianandcolonial org vewebsite vex4 A822BDE4 B741 46FE 9AB6 168090924526 htm Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Harman Garrett amp oldid 1219133318, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
