Nacotchtank
Encyclopedia
The Nacotchtank were a native Algonquian
people who lived in the area of what is now Washington, D.C.
during the 17th century. Their principal village (also named Nacotchtank) was situated within the modern borders of the District of Columbia, on the eastern bank of a small river that still bears an anglicised variant of their name — the Anacostia
.
The Nacotchtank seem to have been associated with the larger Piscataway
, whose Tayac or grand chief ruled over a loose confederacy of area tribes. Another closely related tribe was the Doeg
, whose homeland was on what is now the Virginia
side of the Potomac
, in the area around Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford counties. All of these groups are thought to have spoken the Piscataway
(or similar) variant of the Nanticoke language
.
of New York
would come to trade beaver
pelts. The name Nacotchtank, existing in several historical variants including Nacostine, Anacostine, Anaquashtank, Nacothtant, Nachatanke etc., is said to mean "Trading village".
In 1622, Captain Henry Fleet took a party of English, together with their Patawomeck
allies, to attack the rival Nacotchtank, killing 18 and burning their village. After the Nacotchtank took Fleet captive the following year, they held him for 5 years, during which time he learned their language. After escaping in 1628, he returned to Nacotchtank in 1632 and obtained "800 weight" of pelts.
He was told the Nacotchtank enjoyed a monopoly
among area tribes on fur trade
with the Iroquois. Fleet noted another of their villages called Tohoga, roughly the site of modern Georgetown
. Two years later when the colony of Maryland
was established, Fleet was still there as a trader, as related by the Jesuits.
Around 1668, greatly depopulated from Eurasia
n infectious diseases endemic
to the English, to which they had no immunity
, the Nacotchtank relocated to Anacostine Island
(present-day Theodore Roosevelt Island.) Remnants and descendants likely merged with the Piscataway.
Algonquian languages
The Algonquian languages also Algonkian) are a subfamily of Native American languages which includes most of the languages in the Algic language family. The name of the Algonquian language family is distinguished from the orthographically similar Algonquin dialect of the Ojibwe language, which is a...
people who lived in the area of what is now Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
during the 17th century. Their principal village (also named Nacotchtank) was situated within the modern borders of the District of Columbia, on the eastern bank of a small river that still bears an anglicised variant of their name — the Anacostia
Anacostia River
The Anacostia River is a river in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States. It flows from Prince George's County in Maryland into Washington, D.C., where it joins with the Washington Channel to empty into the Potomac River at Buzzard Point. It is approximately long...
.
The Nacotchtank seem to have been associated with the larger Piscataway
Piscataway (tribe)
The Piscataway are a subtribe of the Conoy Native American tribe of Maryland. At one time, they were one of the most populous and powerful Native polities of the Chesapeake Bay region. They spoke Algonquian Piscataway, a dialect of Nanticoke...
, whose Tayac or grand chief ruled over a loose confederacy of area tribes. Another closely related tribe was the Doeg
Doeg (tribe)
The Doeg were a Native American tribe who lived in northern Virginia. They spoke an Algonquian language and may have been a branch of the Nanticoke tribe, historically based on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. The Nanticoke considered the Algonquian Lenape as "grandfathers"...
, whose homeland was on what is now the Virginia
Virginia
The Commonwealth of Virginia , is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States. Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" after the eight U.S. presidents born there...
side of the Potomac
Potomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
, in the area around Fairfax, Prince William, and Stafford counties. All of these groups are thought to have spoken the Piscataway
Piscataway language
Piscataway is an extinct Algonquian language formerly spoken by the Piscataway, a dominant chiefdom on the Western Shore of Chesapeake Bay, in present-day Maryland, United States. Piscataway, also known as Conoy , is considered a dialect of Nanticoke.This designation is based on the scant evidence...
(or similar) variant of the Nanticoke language
Nanticoke language
Nanticoke is an extinct Algonquian language formerly spoken in Delaware and Maryland, United States. The same language was spoken by several neighboring tribes, including the Nanticoke, which constituted the paramount chiefdom; the Choptank, the Assateague, and probably also the Piscataway and the...
.
Encounters with the English
The Nacotchtank were first recorded by Captain John Smith, who visited their palisaded village in 1608, and found them friendly. He noted that their main village had 80 fighting men, with a total population of about 300. It was an important trading center; tribes as distant as the IroquoisIroquois
The Iroquois , also known as the Haudenosaunee or the "People of the Longhouse", are an association of several tribes of indigenous people of North America...
of New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
would come to trade beaver
Beaver
The beaver is a primarily nocturnal, large, semi-aquatic rodent. Castor includes two extant species, North American Beaver and Eurasian Beaver . Beavers are known for building dams, canals, and lodges . They are the second-largest rodent in the world...
pelts. The name Nacotchtank, existing in several historical variants including Nacostine, Anacostine, Anaquashtank, Nacothtant, Nachatanke etc., is said to mean "Trading village".
In 1622, Captain Henry Fleet took a party of English, together with their Patawomeck
Patawomeck
The Patawomeck tribe of Virginia Indians is based in Stafford County, Virginia, along the Potomac River . It is one of Virginia's 11 recognized American Indian tribes. It is not federally recognized...
allies, to attack the rival Nacotchtank, killing 18 and burning their village. After the Nacotchtank took Fleet captive the following year, they held him for 5 years, during which time he learned their language. After escaping in 1628, he returned to Nacotchtank in 1632 and obtained "800 weight" of pelts.
He was told the Nacotchtank enjoyed a monopoly
Monopoly
A monopoly exists when a specific person or enterprise is the only supplier of a particular commodity...
among area tribes on fur trade
Fur trade
The fur trade is a worldwide industry dealing in the acquisition and sale of animal fur. Since the establishment of world market for in the early modern period furs of boreal, polar and cold temperate mammalian animals have been the most valued...
with the Iroquois. Fleet noted another of their villages called Tohoga, roughly the site of modern Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
. Two years later when the colony of Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
was established, Fleet was still there as a trader, as related by the Jesuits.
Around 1668, greatly depopulated from Eurasia
Eurasia
Eurasia is a continent or supercontinent comprising the traditional continents of Europe and Asia ; covering about 52,990,000 km2 or about 10.6% of the Earth's surface located primarily in the eastern and northern hemispheres...
n infectious diseases endemic
Endemic (epidemiology)
In epidemiology, an infection is said to be endemic in a population when that infection is maintained in the population without the need for external inputs. For example, chickenpox is endemic in the UK, but malaria is not...
to the English, to which they had no immunity
Immunity (medical)
Immunity is a biological term that describes a state of having sufficient biological defenses to avoid infection, disease, or other unwanted biological invasion. Immunity involves both specific and non-specific components. The non-specific components act either as barriers or as eliminators of wide...
, the Nacotchtank relocated to Anacostine Island
Theodore Roosevelt Island
Theodore Roosevelt Island is a island and a national memorial located in the Potomac River in Washington, D.C. The island was given to the American people by the Theodore Roosevelt Association in memory of the 26th U.S. president, Theodore Roosevelt....
(present-day Theodore Roosevelt Island.) Remnants and descendants likely merged with the Piscataway.