The Praying Indians

The Praying Indian village of Okammakemesit, begun by John Eliot atop Prospect Hill, was led by Chief Onamog from 1654 until his death in 1674. Described by the Superintendent of Indian Affairs as “a pious and discreet man, and the very soul of that place,” Onamog had survived the Great Plague that killed many of his people before the Pilgrims landed in Plymouth, became one of the earliest Indian converts to Christianity, and was a founding leader of Natick. In 1663, when the English people of Marlborough placed their Meeting House on Indian land, Onamog deeded them the land in exchange only for control of their animals so they would not ravage the Indian planting field. English and Indians remained at peace until King Philip's War broke out in 1675 under Wampanoag Chief Metacomet, known to the English as King Philip. Lasting fourteen months, the war was the last major effort by Native Americans of southern New England to drive out English settlers, and a number of historical books place Marlborough at the epicenter of this great battle over native rights. After Onamog's death, the tribe lost its leadership, and his wife, Sarah Conomog, became its recognized leader, remaining the highest placed female leader in Marlborough history for over 325 years. In the hysteria following the onset of the war, the plantation broke up.

Marlborough, Massachusetts · United States