City Historical Museum presents talk on settlers interplay with Native Peoples

David Miller (Courtesy photo)

ROCHESTER - The Rochester Historical Society Museum will present a show titled "Survival: The People of the Dawn Land vs. the English Settler: A 180-Year War for the Right of Inheritance" on Feb. 13

In his previous talk at the museum, David Miller chronicled "Who were the Native Peoples that lived in the Piscataqua River Watershed in Pre-contact Times - before 1600?"

During the talk he presented the idea that the Piscataqua River watershed that includes Rochester had all the elements necessary for comfortable survival and a prolonged life for the native peoples who lived here before contact with Europeans.

Within two days of the Pilgrims landing on Cape Cod, shots were fired at the native peoples as a buried corn supply was being stolen to feed the survivors on the Mayflower.

Miller will explore the start and consequences of the 180-year war that followed between the predominantly English settlers and the native peoples of New England. (This included those who lived in first settlements of Dover, Strawberry Bank, Hampton, Kittery and Exeter.) The protracted interaction swung between separate and joint occupation, tolerance, war, treaties, intervals of peace, and finally eradication.

Before English coastal settlement around the Piscataqua began in 1623, 95% of the native peoples had died from the 1618 European plague. The remaining 5% began their lifelong struggle for physical and cultural survival in the presence of the Europeans.

Miller will look at two specific families who represent the interplay that took place between these two cultures. On the native side is the leader Passaconaway ("Child of the Bear") and his family who lived in N'Dakinna ("Our land, the land of the rising sun"). On the colonizing side is the Richard Walderne , later spelt Waldron, family of Dover. Three generations interacted, each seeking an elusive peace and the right to survive.

The program begins at 7 p.m. at the museum located on Hanson Street. Refreshments will follow the meeting.

For more information call 330-3099 or e-mail rochesterhistorical@metrocast.net