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http://www.ls.net/~newriver/va/pamunkey.htm
Lists some modern Pamunkey history. Also lists a few words Pamunkey words. Two of interest were mockasin — shoe, and tomahack (tomahawk) — axe.
When my Nevil Wayland Sr died in 1806 in Lower Russell Co, Va , later called Scott Co., his belongings were listed, and one of those belongings was listed as a “tomahawk”. If it was a regular European-style axe why didn’t it just say he owned an “axe”?
vance
I would think it really was a tomahawk. Although I would think the word was already in common usage, a universal word for an Indian axe.
Linda is correct. This Algonquin word was one that very early on passed into English as a “loan-word” Moccasin was another.
Early land claims like those of George Croghan were called “tomahawk claims.” The white surveyors would use tomahawks to chop into trees that formed the borders of their claims. So, there must have been tomahawks.
Techteach
Thanks Techteach, so to have a tomahawk in his possession is not proof of Indian ancestry, but it is interesting.
Linda, Forest — if they used the term “tomahawk” in probate docs (and they did) in 1806, then it was in common usage.
A “war club” was a stick with a rock on the end of it. I wonder if a “tomahawk” was a specialized sharpened rock — sharpened “war club” . I wonder, was “tomahack” also the Pamunkey word for “war club”?
vance
Interesting, from what I have seen early “tomahawks” were like todays hatchets, a little more stream lined and some what more for finer work than say a ‘felling’ axe, (one to chop wood) was a brute force object and tomahaks approached what we might call an “objet D’art”.
Find 2 of my favorite movies, Last Of the Mohicans” the newest version, and The Patriot” you’ll see the difference !
Hope this isn’t changing the subject, but does anyone know the source for the Collins being called Saponi living along the Pamunkey River?
I think it was in reference to Thomas Collins, but I’m not sure .
I’m not looking at it at the moment, but I believe John Collins was identified at Saponi in 1743 when he and several other indians were in court in Orange County, Virginia.
It’s a shame he could n’t have been named Malachi, or Zachariah, or anything more distinctive than “John”
I know there were many tribes around Ft. Christanna…I took this photo last year of a marker there…and it shows Pamunkey at the ceremony. I am sure I have run across it here, but what tribes were present at Christanna?
Shirley
Shirley, will see what info might be buried in my stash.
Meanwhile, what a coincidence. Just 5 minutes ago was reading something that included Neville Whaling. Probably old news, but here:
http://genforum.genealogy.com/melungeon/messages/19741.html
and here (going back to Goinstown):
http://malungeons.blogspot.com/2007/08/goinstown.html
(Dotson and King witnesses may be my folks. Some of my Foleys md Whalens.)
Will do this in another thread, but Goinstown connection to HARRIS and AUSTIN:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vapatric/jamesandkeziahharrisw11223.htm
beeleaf wrote: Shirley, will see what info might be buried in my stash.
Meanwhile, what a coincidence. Just 5 minutes ago was reading something that included Neville Whaling. Probably old news, but here:
http://genforum.genealogy.com/melungeon/messages/19741.html
and here (going back to Goinstown):
http://malungeons.blogspot.com/2007/08/goinstown.html
(Dotson and King witnesses may be my folks. Some of my Foleys md Whalens.)
Will do this in another thread, but Goinstown connection to HARRIS and AUSTIN:
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~vapatric/jamesandkeziahharrisw11223.htm
Oh Bee, I wish I lived closer…I would love to go through all the old cemeteries and delve into the genealogy sections of local libraries…alas, some day.
I had a wonderful time in Grundy going through the Blankenship and other cemeteries, we came across. Because it is so mountainous, the graves are up and down the ridge…kind of like a plateau…it is really something. Many of the graves were unmarked, but it looked as if they were being maintained as some of the fieldstones had been recently whitewashed.
Blessings,
Shirley
Wanna trade? lol, kidding. I live right down the road from Goinstown and have not gone looking for it yet.
beeleaf wrote: Wanna trade? lol, kidding. I live right down the road from Goinstown and have not gone looking for it yet.
You should!! 🙂
I would love to live in the area of my ancestors…but children and grandchildren will keep me here, but I will visit…and when I do I will dig:) Blessings Bee,
Shirley
I too live near Goinstown. Bee and I are cousins. I also went to school with some of them. I know they are hard working people. They did some grading work for my previous husband and I once and when we went to pay them we waited at the top of the dirt road to their house until they came up, you weren’t allowed down to their house. My current husband also knows some of them. I don’t know them personally.
Back to the tomahawk subject…Tomahawks (an Algonquian word), were carried by just about everyone. The early “trade hawks” were made of european steel and were a basic necessity in the frontier. Used not only as a weapon but as a tool, a trade item, and, properly decorated, a symbol of one’s prowess and warrior skills. Later on when the French introduced the “smoking hawk” to the frontier, it also became a pipe to be used as a friendly gesture when smoked with friends or at peaceful gatherings. Hence the old “peacepipe” moniker that stuck with pipes. Not to be confused with a sacred ceremonial pipe.
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