Page 162 - Maryland Historical Trust - Archaeology Colonial MD

figure 21
European ceramics from Choptico.
August of that year, Lord Baltimore met with the Choptico king and one of his great men, Wingatt, to discuss the rumor that the Piscat- away were seeking allies to wage war against the English. A Mattawoman Indian had previously reported that the Piscataway sent the gift of an axe and six belts of shell beads to various groups on the Eastern Shore, Delaware, and New York as a token of a desired arrangement. The Matta- woman informant had told Baltimore that some Choptico were living at Zekiah Fort around the time this was taking place. The Choptico king quickly sought to distance himself and his group from the Piscataway by replying that the Pisca- taway “never make them acquainted with their Designes,” which is contradicted by the accounts of the Mattawoman king at the time.51
Formal complaints of English encroach- ment on Choptico land or asking for additional rent are recorded in 1688, 1692, and 1697.52 In-
figure 20
Quartz Potomac-type points from Choptico.
deed, the Choptico filed a number of complaints against their English neighbors throughout the second half of the 17th century and into the early 18th century. In 1688, Tom Calvert, the King of the Choptico, presented the Maryland government with eleven dressed deerskins and then proceeded to complain that the English often violated contracts, allowed their cattle to destroy Native bean crops, and brought in rum. Among other complaints, Tom Calvert also relayed that his uncle, the former Choptico king, had been murdered. The Maryland Council de- clined to get involved, considering it an internal dispute.53 In 1697, the Choptico again com- plained that the English were encroaching on their land and stealing from them.54 Perhaps the most egregious offense took place in 1707, when the tomb of the Queen of Choptico’s daughter was robbed by an Englishman.55
In 1697 the Piscataway, Mattawoman, and Pomunkey left Maryland for Virginia. The Maryland government, then out of control of the Calvert family, entreated them to return but they cited English encroachment and false accusations as being a driving factor for them leaving the col- ony. The Mattawoman king told the Maryland English that if they were to return, they would consider “Joyn[ing] with the Choptico Indians,” which suggests that they had not accompa- nied them. It was reported that at the time, the Choptico settlement was beginning to dwindle with only a handful of cabins being occupied and that they had been suspiciously constructing more canoes than usual, suggesting people were beginning to abandon the site.56 After this time, the Choptico appear in the documentary records less frequently. In 1699 the son of the Piscataway emperor was reported to be at the Choptico set- tlement. He was wanted for questioning for the murder of Thomas Thickpenny and his wife in Prince George’s County. The last record of the
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