Necotowance
Necotowance (c. Unknown birth year - died before 1655) was Werowance(chief) of the Wyanoak tribe and Paramount Chief of the Powhatan Confederacy after Opechancanough, from 1646 until his death sometime before 1655. Necotowance signed a treaty with the Colony of Virginia in 1645, at which time he was addressed by the English as "King of the Indians."
After his death he was succeeded by Totopotomoi as Weroance of the Wyanoak. Necotowance was, however, the last Paramount Chief of the Powhatan confederacy. Totopotomoi's wife, Cockacoeske, who became Weroansqua after his death, briefly reunited some of the tribes.
Background
Aftermath of Opechancanough's death
In October, 1646, a treaty of peace (lb., 323) was confirmed with Nectowance, king of the Indians," the successor of Opechancanough, who appears to have been the chief of all the neighboring tribes on the south as well as the north side of the river. From this period, for a number of years, the policy of the Virginia government towards the Indians was not illiberal.
Acts for their benefit and protection were passed at the session of July, 1653 (O., 380), March, 1655-6 (lb., 393), March, 1657-8 (lb., 457, 467), and March, 1661-2 (W., II, 138).
In March, 1659-60 (D., I, 547), it was enacted that, as the King of Wyanoak, from page 338 of The Virginia Magazine of History and Biography, Volume 7: "by reason of many disadvantageous bargains with the English," had gotten into debt and been arrested by his creditors, "whereby much detriment hath accrued to the publique," he should, in accordance with his petition, be exempt from arrest for debt until the first of March succeeding."
That he was successor to Opechancanough is not proof that he was his son or Pamunkey exactly, given the war conditions of the time when replacing Opechancanough. Most say he was Pamunkey and Patawomeck Indian and son of Opechancanough and unknown.
Nectowance was the father of Totopotomoi citing According to Rountree, the Powhatans practiced matrilineal descent-- Opitchapan to Opechancanough, to Catataugh to 2 living sister (unnamed) having the same mother; but, not necessarily the same father (Leaving aside adoption practices) would be the line of succession.
Paramount Chiefdom Succession of the Pan Algonquian Confederacy known as the Powhatan Confederacy, which had its own linquist "buinessess dialect" in order for communication to all "Algonkian" language users.
Chiefs of Powhatan Confederacy
- 1. Toppahannock/Rappahonnock -Werowance of the Rappahannock; King of the “Queen’s River” Before 1607 -til ? (Strachey’s notes on Smith’s diary while a prisoner of Opechancanough). http://www.rappahannocktribe.org/p/
2. “Powhatan”-Wahun Son A Cock (Wahunsonacaw) Paramount Chief of the Powhatan Confederacy in 1607 when the English began colonization of Virginia. Born circa 1547 (estimated to be 60 years old on 1607) Relinquished Chiefdom to his brother Opitchapam in 1618, due to poor health and died about April of that same year. Maternal brother of Opitchapam, Opechancanough, and Kekataugh. Inherited the Paramountcy through his mother. Recorded by William Strachey in 1611 to have had 100 wives, and 32 living children, including Pocahontas.
3. Opitchapam - Also known as: Itoyatin, Otiotan and Sasawpen. Maternal brother of Wahunsonacaw and Opechancanough. Paramount Chief after the death of his older brother Wahunsonacaw, 1618 to 1630. While he was Paramount Chief his younger brother Opechancanough was his War Chief . Died in 1630 and Opechancanough became Paramount Chief.
4. Opechancanough Werorance & Paramount Chief from 1630 to 1646; died 1646 Also known as Mangopeesomon and Apachiso. - Maternal brother of Wahunsonacaw and Opitchapam. Experts are saying his line is ydna tied to West Indies NA, paternally. Chief of the Pamunkey Tribe, War Chief under Paramount Chief Opitchapam, planned the massacres of 1622 and 1644. Became Paramount Chief of The Powhatan Confederacy upon the death of his brother Opitchapam. Captured by Sir William Berkeley and died while a captive at Jamestown in 1646, killed by one of his English guards out of revenge. <In River Time The Way of the James by Ann Woodlief Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill, 1985 . Chapter 5. >
5. Necotowance - King of Wyanoak and Werowance and Paramount Chief, “King of Indians” 1630-44 - https://www.geni.com/people/Necotowance-Successor-of-Opitchapum-beginning-1646/6000000062937663835
6. Totopotomoi - King of Pamunkey 1645-1656 (not Toby West - different ydna that William West de la Warr) Dad of Capt John West, d. 1717, it would by John West’s ydna which is I S -25519
7. Cockacoeske - Queen of Pamunkey and Weroansqua 1656-1686 https://www.geni.com/people/Cockacoeske-Leader-of-the-Pamunkey/6000000005937325182?through=6000000031022354183
8. “Queen Anne” Isom GoSi One/ -1686-1715 https://www.geni.com/people/Go-SI-Ono/6000000062345670955
| Preceded by Opechancanough[1] |
Weroance of the Powhatan Confederacy 1644–1649 |
Succeeded by Totopotomoi |
Sources
- "Middle Peninsula Historic Marker "Cockacoeske"
- "The Powhatan Indians of Virginia: Their Traditional Culture.", Rountree, Helen C., University of Oklahoma Press, 1989. ISBN 0-8061-2156-4
- "Cockacoeske, Queen of Pamunkey: Diplomat and Suzeraine.", Martha W. McCartney, 1898 - in "Powhatan's Mantle: Indians in the Colonial Southeast.", P. H. Wood and G. A. Waselkov, eds. pp 173–195. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press.
- "The Royal Family of the Powhatan.", John C.E. Christensen says Nectowance is "assumed to be son of Opechoncanough. Signed Treaty with the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1645, at which time he was called by the English "King of the Indians."" See http://home.earthlink.net/~paws22/pow.htm#i1068
References
- Rountree, H. C. Opechancanough (d. 1646). (2015, May 7). In Encyclopedia Virginia. Retrieved from http://www.EncyclopediaVirginia.org/Opechancanough_d_1646.