Eth/125

Journal Entry of a Subordinate Group Member
ETH/125 Micah Holland
Annette Phillips
September 12, 2010

Hello, my name is Lily wolflove Tayac.   I am a descendant of Chief Turkey Tayac of the Piscataway tribe.   Our “traditional homelands” are on “the western shore of Maryland’s Chesapeake Bay in Charles County, Prince George’s County, and St. Mary’s County”.   My ancestors originated in the Potomac River region.   There is debate as to when the Piscataway Indians actually came to the United States.   I currently live in Prince George’s County.   We do not have any reservations here, nor are we recognized as an American Indian tribe as of July 25, 2010 in the state of Maryland.
I have been researching my family history and I would like to share with you what I have learned from a journal kept from my great-great-grandmother.   Unfortunately, there are missing dates that I have not confirmed yet.

From the journal of Rose Tayac

1608     My people have settled near a place called Piscataway Creek.   We did not get to stay   there for long for we were moved to the North and our people are now known as “Conoy”.   This is different than our Iriquois name.
We are currently a nation of 2500 souls living in 30 other settlements.   “Yaocomoco, Potopaco (Port Tobacco), Patuxent, Maltapanient, Mattawoman, and Nacochtank” are names of those settlements that we hear of.
The town of Nacochtank was visited by a white man by the name of Captain John Smith from Virginia.
1622     “The town of Nacochtank was destroyed by plunderers from Virginia”. We do not know what that means for us.
1634     A group called the “Catholic English Colony of Lord Baltimore, Jesuit fathers Andrew White and John Altham landed on St. Clement’s island” and made friends with the people of Yaocomoco and our great chief.     “Something called an “altar” was set up in an Indian wigwam”.
The Jesuits wanted to teach us about a custom called “Christianity”
They are learning our customs and language and... [continues]

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