Squanto. Image reproduced with permission by Pilgrim Hall Museum.

Squanto was a Native American from Patuxet. Patuxet is now known as Plymouth, Massachusetts. In the summer of 1614, Captain John Smith explored the coast of New England looking for minerals, whales and fish. When he returned to England he left some men led by John Hunt behind to fish and carry the catch to Spain. John Hunt had some plans of his own. Along with the fish he captured about  20 of the Patuxet people and carried them to Spain to sell as slaves. One of these Native Americans was named Tasquantum or Squanto.

Kidnapped

History does not clearly record what happened to Squanto in Spain, but he arrived in England in 1617. We don't know how he got there. What we do know, is that he was living with John Slaney in his house in London during that year. By 1618, he was living in Cupers Cove with Captain John Mason. Captain Thomas Dermer was a friend of Mason's and spent time in Newfoundland between 1616 and 1618. While he was there he met Squanto.

Thomas knew John Smith and may have been with him on his New England voyage in 1614. Thomas wanted to make friends with the Native Americans in New England so that the English could start a colony there. Since Squanto spoke English, Thomas believed that he could help.

Troubles for his People

Thomas took Squanto back to England to meet Sir Ferdinando Gorges. Sir Ferdinando had been trying to start a colony in New England for many years. In March 1619, he sent Thomas and Squanto to New England to make friends with the Native Americans.

When Squanto reached his home he found that his village had been wiped out by a sickness that spread through the area after he left. At first Thomas had some success but when Squanto left him to look for his people, Thomas and his men were attacked several times and had to leave and go to Virginia.

When Thomas returned the next year, he was captured by the Wampanoag people. After some time, Squanto convinced the Wampanoag to let Thomas and his men go, but as they were heading for the coast they were attacked and Squanto was taken prisoner.

The Pilgrims Arrive

In December some people arrived from England. These people are sometimes called the Pilgrims. They decided to settle in what had been Squanto's village which they renamed Plymouth. The Wampanoag watched the new settlers all winter. In March, they sent the only two people in their village that spoke English, Squanto and an Abenaki called Samoset, to contact the settlers. After this meeting, the settlers and the Wampanoag signed a peace treaty and Squanto moved back into his old village with the settlers.

A New Role

Over the next two years Squanto acted as a guide and advisor for the settlers. He also made sure that they had Indian corn to plant and showed them how to plant it using fish as fertilizer. Many people believe that Squanto learned how to do this when he lived in Newfoundland. Squanto died on a trading expedition to Cape Cod in November, 1622.

Squanto in Cuper's Cove