The Sachem of the Sakonnet People, Awashonks held her leadership position before, during, and after King Philip’s War (1675-1676). Throughout the war, Awashonks and her advisors made strategic decisions designed to preserve the lives and the freedom of her people. Ultimately, she joined forces with Colonel Benjamin Church against Metacom (King Philip) to avoid the enslavement of Sakonnet women and children. After the war, she sought and received permission from Plymouth officials to resettle on ancestral lands. By 1681, William and Elizabeth Pabodie owned those lands and Awashonks faded from the written record.
Biography provided by Marjory O'Toole and image by Dora Atwater Millikin.
Courtesy of Little Compton Historical Society
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