I40 FACTS RELATING TO GROTON, MASSACHUSETTS. 



written according to their sound and not according to their 

 derivation. It is rare to find an Indian word in an early- 

 document spelled twice alike. In the lapse of time these 

 verbal changes have been so great that an Indian now would 

 hardly recognize any of the words by sound. 



The following is the copy of a letter written by Mr. 

 Lincoln Newton Kinnicutt, of Worcester, and will explain 

 itself. The writer of the letter is one of the few scholars in 

 the State, who have made a critical study of Indian place- 

 names found in this neighborhood. A few years ago I asked 

 Mr. Kinnicutt to give me the benefit of his philological learn- 

 ing, and tell me the meaning of certain Indian words, which 

 he has now done. By his compliance with my request he 

 has placed me under great personal obligations. 



Worcester, September 22, 191 3. 

 My dear Doctor Green : — 



When you asked me three or four years ago about the meaning of 

 the Indian place names in Groton, I promised you that some time I 

 would try to translate them and you have reminded me once or twice 

 of that promise. 



This summer I was obliged to study the Indian names in the 

 vicinity of Pemaquid, Monhegan, and York, Maine, and at the same 

 time I remembered my promise and examined the Indian names 

 mentioned in " Groton during the Indian Wars." 



When the American Antiquarian Society wrote to Dr. J. Hammond 

 Trumbull in regard to the meaning of the word " Massachusetts" he 

 replied, " I very willingly give you as much as I know and add what I 

 guess." Please read Dr. Trumbull's answer again and emphasize 

 every word of it before reading my ideas in regard to the Groton 

 names. 



I believe, in attempting to give a meaning to an Indian place name, 

 one should know and see, if possible, the locality and then try to look 

 at it from the Indian point of view for one must bear in mind that 

 these names were almost always very descriptive. They served as 

 geographical guides to the Indians and each area within a twenty or 

 thirty mile radius had its descriptive distinguishing place name. It is 

 very interesting to find that sometimes Indian names translated seem 

 to give additional proof or disproof of some local tradition, of some 

 accepted statement and sometimes of some historical incident. 



