After the death of the Saugus Sachem, Wenepoykin, the inhabitants of Redding thought it wise to obtain a deed to the land from the local Native Americans. David Kunkshamooshaw was an important descendent of the Sachem. In 1686, for sixteen pounds sterling, he and others put their mark on the deed to land including present day North Reading.
I started to include the entire deed, but to conserve space you may read it in its entirety by cutting and pasting the Google Books link at the end. Okay, I had trouble deciding what to cut because it is so interesting...giving names of people involved and areas of land included...
Notice the name Quonopohit (Lake Quannapowitt in Wakefield, just off route 128) Also note: A Sagamore is a Sachem, a principle leader.
" To all Christian People, to whom this present Deed of Confirmation and Alienation shall come, David Kunkshamooshaw, who, by credible intelligence, is grandson to old Sagamore George-No-Nose, so called, alias Wenepowweekin, sometime of Rumney Marsh, and sometimes at or about Chelmsford of ye colony of y Massachyets, so called,
sometimes here and sometimes there, but deceased, ye said David,
grandson to ye said old Sagamore George-No-Nose, deceased, and
Abigail Kunkshamooshaw, y 8 wife of David, and Cicely, alias Su-
George, ye reputed daughter of said old Sagamore George, and James
Quonopohit of Natick, alias Rumney Marsh, and Mary his wife, send
greeting, &c. :
" Know ye, that the said David Kunkshamooshaw, and Abigail his
wife, and Cicely, alias Su-George aforesaid, and James Quonopohit
aforesaid, with Ms wife Mary, who are the nearest of kin and legal successors of ye aforesaid George-No-Nose, alias Wenepowweekin, whom wee affirme was the true and sole owner of y e land, that the towns of Lynn and Reading (aforesaid) stand upon, and notwithstanding y" possession of ye English dwelling in those townships of Lynn and Reading, aforesaid, wee, ye said David Kunkshamooshaw, Cicely, alias Su-George, James Quonopohit, the rest aforesaid Indians, doe lay claim to the lands that these two towns aforesaid, Lynn and Reading, stand upon, and the dwellers thereof possess, that y* right and title thereto is ours, and belong to us and ours ; but, howsoever, the townships of Lyn and Reading, having been long possessed by the English, and although wee make our clayme, and ye Selectmen and Trustees of both towns aforesaid, pleading title by graunts of Courts and purchase of old of our predecessor, George Sagamore, and such like matters, &c., wee the Claymers aforesaid, viz. : David Kunkshamooshaw and Abigail, his squaw, Cicely, alias Su-George, the reputed daughter of old Sagamore George, alias Wenepowweekin, and James Quonopohit and Mary his wife, all and every of us, as aforesaid, and jointly together, for and in consideration of y e summe of sixteen pounds of current sterling money ' of silver, in hand paid to y e Indians clayming, viz. : David Kunkshamooshaw &c. at or before the ensealing and delivery of these presents, by Mr. Ralph King, William Bassett, Senr., Matthew Farrington, Senr., John Burrill, Senr., Robert Potter, Senr., Samuel Johnson, and Oliver Piirchas, Selectmen in Lynn, in'y e County of Essex in New England, trustees and Prudentials for and in behalf of ye purchasers and now proprietors of ye townships of Lynn and Reading, well and truly payd, the receipt whereof, wee, viz. : David Kunkshamooshaw, Abigail his wife, Cicely, alias Su-George, ye reputed daughter of old Sagamore George, and James, alias Rumney Marsh, and Mary his wife, doe hereby acknowledge themselves to be fully satisfied and contented, and thereof and every part thereof, doe hereby acquit, exhonerate and discharge ye said Mr. Ralph King, Wm. Bassett, Senr., with all and every of ye Selectmen aforesaid, trustees and prudentials, together with the purchasers and now proprietors of ye said townships of Lyn and of Reading, their heirs, executors, administrators and assigns, forever, by these presents have granted, bargained a full and a firme confirmation and ratification of all grants of Courts, and any former alienation made by our predecessor or predecessors, and our own right, title and interest, clayme and demand whatsoever, and by these presents doe fully, freely, clearly and absolutely give and grant a full and firme confirmation of all grants of Courts, and any sort of alienation made by our predecessor or predecessors, as also all our owne clayme of right, title, interest and demand, unto them ye said Mr. Ralph King, Wm. Bassett and the rest, Selectmen aforenamed, trustees and prudentials for y e town of Lyn, y e worshipful Mr. John Browne, Capt. Jeremiah Sweyn and Lt. Wm. Harsey, trustees and prudentials for ye towne of Reading, to their heirs and assigns forever, to and for ye sole use, benefit and behoof of ye purchasers and now proprietors of ye townships of Lynn and Reading aforesaid, and all ye said townships of Lynn and Reading, joyning one to another, even from the sea, where the line beginneth, between Lynn and Marblehead and so between Lynn and Salem, as it is stated by those towns and marked, and so to Ipswich river, and so from thence, as it is stated betwixt Salem and Reading, and as the line is stated and runne betwixt Will's Hill, and as is stated and runne betwixt Reading and Andover, and as it is stated betwixt Oburne and Reading, and as it is stated and runne betwixt Charlestowne, Malden, Lynn and Reading, and upon the sea, from ye line that beginneth at Lynn and Marblehead and Salem, to divide the townes aforesaid, so as well from thence to ye two Nahants, viz. : ye little Nahant and ye great Nahant, as ye sea compasseth it almost round, and so to the river called Lynn river, or Rumney Marsh river or Creek, unto the line from Bride's Brook to the said Creek, answering ye line, that is stated between Lynn and Boston, from said Bride's Brook up to Reading. This said Tract of land, described as aforesaid, together with all houses, edifices, buildings, lands, yards, orchards, gardens, meadows, marrishes, feedings, grounds, rocks, stones, beach Flats, pastures, commons, and commons of pasture, woods, underwoods, swamps, waters, watercourses, damms, ponds, fishings, flowings, ways, easements, profits, privileges, rights, commodities, royalling, hereditaments and appurtenances whatsoever, to y e said townships of Lynn and Reading, and other the premises belonging or in anywise appertaining, or by them now used, occupied and enjoyed as part, parcel or member thereof; and also all rentes, arrearages of rentes, quitrents, rights and appurtenances whatsoever, nothing excepted or reserved ; and also all deeds, writings and evidences whatsoever, touching y e premises, or any part or parcel thereof...
(to read more of the deed follow the link at the end)
In witness whereof, ye said David Kunkshamooshaw, and Abigail his
wife, and Cicely, alias Su-George, and James Quonopohit and Mary his
wife, have hereunto set their hands and seals, y e day of y e date being ye fourth day of September, one thousand six hundred eighty and six,
annoque regni regis Jacobus Secundi Anglice.
DAVID "his mark" KUNKSHAMOOSHAW.
ABIGAIL“her mark" KUNKSHAMOOSHAW.
CICELY "her mark" alias SU-GEORGE.
"JAMES QUONOPOHIT."
MARY "her mark" QUONOPOHIT.
All the persons hereunto subscribed, acknowledged the within written
to be their act and deed, May 31, 1687.
(as certifies) BARTHO. GEDNEY, one of ye Council.
http://books.google.com/books?id=9MAWAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA51&lpg=PA51&dq=kunkshamooshaw&source=bl&ots=YdqMwHZhSt&sig=xcyAzu-WR031AUSdrKwHzOhQREw&hl=en&ei=ByGxS_COBcP98AbwuomDAg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAYQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=kunkshamooshaw&f=false
