Waban’s Request
In October 1646, Eliot arrived in Cohannet to preach to Waban and his followers. Waban, his wife Tassansquam, and his son Weegramomenit (later known as Thomas Waban) hosted Eliot inside the large longhouse at Cohannet. Along with many Massachusett men, women, and children, Waban listened to Eliot’s sermon and asked questions about Puritanism. The meeting lasted three hours and concluded when Eliot offered apples to the children and tobacco to the men as parting gifts.
Eliot left the meeting feeling optimistic that he could convert Waban and his followers to Christianity. Meanwhile, Waban hoped the new relationship would help him secure land rights for his community. Just as Eliot was about to leave, Waban made an important request: Would Eliot ask the General Court to allow Waban and his people to stay and build a town on their land in Cohannet? Waban repeated the request when Eliot returned later that fall.
A Short-Term Solution
In November 1646, Eliot informed Waban and his people that the General Court had granted their request to establish a town. Eliot told them the town should have a new name. Instead of Cohannet, Eliot suggested “Noonatomen,” which signified rejoicing. As Eliot explained, it was the English who were rejoicing at Waban and his followers’ desire to “know God.”
What Eliot did not explain was that although the General Court had agreed to set aside money to purchase land for this community of Native people, it had not specified which land. Eliot had received no guarantee that the Court would purchase the same land Waban and his people knew as Cohannet. But he chose not to inform Waban that his people might soon have to leave their homeland.
Left: Today, land that Waban and his people called home is occupied in part by the Newton Commonwealth Golf Course. Image courtesy of Historic Newton.
Header Image: Quinobequin (Charles River), Spring 2020. Image courtesy of the Natick Historical Society.