198 



PAMUNKEY 



[b. a. : 



country is called Painaunke" (Smith). — 

 Gerard ) . The leading tribe of the Powha- 



KEIZIAH DENNIS-PAMUNKEY. 



tan confederacy (q.v. ) of Virginia, and still 

 keepinguparecognizedtribalorganization. 



rs., in King William co., being estimated 

 by Smith in 1608 to number nearly 300 

 warriors, or perhaps a total of 1,000 souls. 

 Their principal town, destroyed by the 

 English in 1625, was probably not far 

 from the present West Point. They took 

 a leading part in the early wars with the 

 English up to the death of Opechanca- 

 nough (q. v.), and in consequence were 

 among the greatest' sufferers. In 1654 

 they suffered another heavy loss in the 

 death of their chief Totopotomoi (q.v.), 

 with nearly 100 of his warriors, who had 

 marched to the assistance of the English 

 in repelling an invasion of the mountain 

 tribes. In 1675 their "queen," known 

 as Queen Anne (q.v.), widow of Totopo- 

 tomoi, again furnished help against the 

 frontier raiders in Bacon's rebellion. For 



At the time of the first settlement of Vir- 

 ginia they occupied the territory about the 

 junction of the Pamunkey and Mattapony 



TERRILL BRADBY IN DANCE COSTUME— PAMUNKE 



her services on this occasion she received 

 special recognition from the English gov- 

 ernment. In 1722, when the Pamunkey 

 last appear in a public treaty, they were 

 said to number only about 200. In 1781 

 Jefferson reported them to number only 

 about 60, of tolerably pure blood, but this 

 estimate is probably" too low. They were 

 then occupying a state reservation of 

 about 300 acres in a bend of Pamunkey 

 r., in King William co., opposite \Vhite 

 House. Quite a number at that time re- 

 tained their language. They still occupy 

 the same reservation and keep up their 

 tribal organization under state super- 

 vision, with a mixed-blood population of 

 about 140. They live chiefly by fishing, 

 with some small farming, and have 

 entirely lost their language and original 

 characteristics. (j. M. ) 



