Nelson Drue Simons (also known as Wabum Annug (Morning Star) and Chief Morning Star and Nelson D. Simon)[1] (1885-1953) was a Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe chief from 1916 to 1928 and government official who was also the first known Native American graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston.[2]
Nelson D. Simons, featured as a "Pequot" chief and descendant of Sassacus, while describing his enrollment at Suffolk Law in Boston in 1921
Early life and education at Carisleedit
Nelson Drue Simons was born on November 23, 1885[3] to Isaac Simon, a seaman,[4] whaler,[5] and farmer[6] and Ella Frances Mingo Simon of Mashpee, Massachusetts, and Nelson had at least five siblings (including Edward, Lily, Zepheniah, Ellen, and Eva).[7] In addition to his Wampanoag heritage, Simons was also of at least partial Pequot ancestry and was purportedly a descendant of Sassacus.[8] From 1896 to 1904 he attended the Mashpee Public Schools.[9] After his father's death in 1905 Nelson Simons and his siblings attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. Simons attended Carlisle from 1909 to 1914 and was president of Carlisle YMCA, a Lieutenant of the school's Company B, and attended the Second Presbyterian Church.[10] and published articles in the Carlisle Arrow.[11] Simons provided written testimony to Congress supporting the YMCA at Carlisle.[12] At Carlisle Simons trained in plumbing and pipe fitting.[13]
Leadership at Mashpee, Suffolk Law School and Careeredit
After graduation, Simons returned to Mashpee, Massachusetts and succeeded his maternal great-uncle Watson F. Hammond as town clerk in 1915 and as tribal chief the upon his uncle's death the following year.[9] From 1914[13] to at least 1917 he reported his occupation as "cranberrying,"[3] but by 1920 Simons was working as a plumber.[14] He also had a small farm with a cow and requested a Carlisle student to work for him during the summer of 1915.[13] Simons was leader of the Mashpee tribe from approximately 1916 through the 1920s and helped lead a cultural revival there working closely with Eben Quippish, another tribal leader, and Simons re-dedicated the Old Indian Meeting House in 1922.[15] Simons also served as Mashpee's tax collector, and he was appointed postmaster after petitioning for U.S. Mail service in Mashpee. He matriculated at Suffolk University Law School in Boston in 1921 and graduated in 1925. At Suffolk he published an article in the 1921 Suffolk Register entitled, "Possibilities of Spare Moments."[16] Simons was also a poet and published at least one poem in 1922 about Mashpee.[17] Simon's sister Lillian, also was a published poet.[18] As a tribal leader in 1928, Simons helped unite the Mashpee, Herring Pond, and Gay Head communities with their first joint powwow.[19] Simons purportedly left Mashpee around 1929, and his cousin, Lorenzo Tandy Hammond, became the tribal leader, and for the rest of his life Simons lived around Cambridge, Massachusetts working various jobs, including as a chaffeur, carpenter and janitor[20] until his death in 1953.[21] He was never married according to the 1950 U.S. Census.
Referencesedit
^Mashpee 02649, The People, The Buildings and the Story of Mashpee Postal Service, Joanne M. Ferragamo (1993)
^. Digital Commonwealth, Massachusetts Collections Online. Archived from the original on 2022-06-29.
^ abDraft Registration 1917-18 accessible on familysearch.com
^"Nelson Simons Student File | Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center".
^The Carlisle Arrow, 9/26/1913, Volume X, Number 4, p. 3
^Hearings Before the Joint Commission of the Congress of the United States. Joint Commission to Investigate Indian Affairs · 1914, p. 1370 accessible on Google Books
^ abc"Nelson Simons Student File" at Carlisle Industrial Indian School
^US Census 1920 Massachusetts lists him in Mashpee with his mother
^Summary under the Criteria for the Proposed Finding on the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council March 31, 2006. pp. 15, 22, 45
^Cape Cod Magazine: A Monthly Magazine Devoted to Cape Cod (1922), p. 38
^Robert Dale Parker, Changing Is Not Vanishing: A Collection of American Indian (2011), p. 411, quotes her poem published in the Carlisle Arrow in 1913
^Cassie M. Lawton, Raymond Bial, The People and Culture of the Wampanoag (2016), p. 88
^U.S. Census in 1930 (accessed on familysearch.com) lists him in Cambridge living with his sister Lilly Oakey and working as a chauffeur for a trucking company; and US Census in 1940 lists him living in Boston and working as a carpenter; US Census in 1950 lists him in Cambridge working as a janitor at an apartment house
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Nelson Drue Simons also known as Wabum Annug Morning Star and Chief Morning Star and Nelson D Simon 1 1885 1953 was a Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe chief from 1916 to 1928 and government official who was also the first known Native American graduate of Suffolk University Law School in Boston 2 Nelson D Simons featured as a Pequot chief and descendant of Sassacus while describing his enrollment at Suffolk Law in Boston in 1921Early life and education at Carisle editNelson Drue Simons was born on November 23 1885 3 to Isaac Simon a seaman 4 whaler 5 and farmer 6 and Ella Frances Mingo Simon of Mashpee Massachusetts and Nelson had at least five siblings including Edward Lily Zepheniah Ellen and Eva 7 In addition to his Wampanoag heritage Simons was also of at least partial Pequot ancestry and was purportedly a descendant of Sassacus 8 From 1896 to 1904 he attended the Mashpee Public Schools 9 After his father s death in 1905 Nelson Simons and his siblings attended Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania Simons attended Carlisle from 1909 to 1914 and was president of Carlisle YMCA a Lieutenant of the school s Company B and attended the Second Presbyterian Church 10 and published articles in the Carlisle Arrow 11 Simons provided written testimony to Congress supporting the YMCA at Carlisle 12 At Carlisle Simons trained in plumbing and pipe fitting 13 Leadership at Mashpee Suffolk Law School and Career editAfter graduation Simons returned to Mashpee Massachusetts and succeeded his maternal great uncle Watson F Hammond as town clerk in 1915 and as tribal chief the upon his uncle s death the following year 9 From 1914 13 to at least 1917 he reported his occupation as cranberrying 3 but by 1920 Simons was working as a plumber 14 He also had a small farm with a cow and requested a Carlisle student to work for him during the summer of 1915 13 Simons was leader of the Mashpee tribe from approximately 1916 through the 1920s and helped lead a cultural revival there working closely with Eben Quippish another tribal leader and Simons re dedicated the Old Indian Meeting House in 1922 15 Simons also served as Mashpee s tax collector and he was appointed postmaster after petitioning for U S Mail service in Mashpee He matriculated at Suffolk University Law School in Boston in 1921 and graduated in 1925 At Suffolk he published an article in the 1921 Suffolk Register entitled Possibilities of Spare Moments 16 Simons was also a poet and published at least one poem in 1922 about Mashpee 17 Simon s sister Lillian also was a published poet 18 As a tribal leader in 1928 Simons helped unite the Mashpee Herring Pond and Gay Head communities with their first joint powwow 19 Simons purportedly left Mashpee around 1929 and his cousin Lorenzo Tandy Hammond became the tribal leader and for the rest of his life Simons lived around Cambridge Massachusetts working various jobs including as a chaffeur carpenter and janitor 20 until his death in 1953 21 He was never married according to the 1950 U S Census References edit Mashpee 02649 The People The Buildings and the Story of Mashpee Postal Service Joanne M Ferragamo 1993 Article about Suffolk University Law School s first Native American graduate Nelson D Simons JD 1925 in the Suffolk Law Register Vol 4 no 3 Digital Commonwealth Massachusetts Collections Online Archived from the original on 2022 06 29 a b Draft Registration 1917 18 accessible on familysearch com 1880 US Census Mashpee MA Isaac Simon listed on vessel Merlin a bark in 1876 Death Cetificate 1905 Onset MA Earl Mills Talking With The Elders of Mashpee Memories of Earl H Mills Sr 2012 pg 56 57 The Crosbyton Review 15 April 1921 p 3 The Crosbyton Review 15 April 1921 p 3 a b Mills at 56 Nelson Simons Student File Carlisle Indian School Digital Resource Center The Carlisle Arrow 9 26 1913 Volume X Number 4 p 3 Hearings Before the Joint Commission of the Congress of the United States Joint Commission to Investigate Indian Affairs 1914 p 1370 accessible on Google Books a b c Nelson Simons Student File at Carlisle Industrial Indian School US Census 1920 Massachusetts lists him in Mashpee with his mother Summary under the Criteria for the Proposed Finding on the Mashpee Wampanoag Indian Tribal Council March 31 2006 pp 15 22 45 The Register Vol 4 No 3 1921 p 4 Cape Cod Magazine A Monthly Magazine Devoted to Cape Cod 1922 p 38 Robert Dale Parker Changing Is Not Vanishing A Collection of American Indian 2011 p 411 quotes her poem published in the Carlisle Arrow in 1913 Cassie M Lawton Raymond Bial The People and Culture of the Wampanoag 2016 p 88 U S Census in 1930 accessed on familysearch com lists him in Cambridge living with his sister Lilly Oakey and working as a chauffeur for a trucking company and US Census in 1940 lists him living in Boston and working as a carpenter US Census in 1950 lists him in Cambridge working as a janitor at an apartment house Mills at 56 57 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Nelson D Simons amp oldid 1167212889, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
