Molly Ockett (also "Mollyockett", "Mollocket" and "Molly Occut") (born circa 1725–1744, Saco, Maine, died August 2, 1816, Andover, Maine), was a Native American woman of the

Abenaki The Abenaki (Abenaki: ''Wαpánahki'') are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands of Canada and the United States. They are an Algonquian-speaking people and part of the Wabanaki Confederacy. The Eastern Abenaki language was predom ...

nation who lived in the regions of northern

New Hampshire New Hampshire is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Gulf of Maine to the east, and the Canadian province of Quebec t ...

and

Maine Maine () is a state in the New England and Northeastern regions of the United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick and Quebec to the northeast and north ...

during colonial times. She was baptized and given the name Mary Agatha. This became "Mali Agat" when spoken by the Abenaki, which sounded like "Molly Ockett" to English-speaking listeners.

Biography

She was born sometime between 1725 and 1744 and was said to be a daughter of the chief of the Pequaket tribe. Molly was reputed to be a skilled healer and wise woman with a singular sense of humor. She is reputed to have saved the life of future Vice President of the United States

Hannibal Hamlin Hannibal Hamlin (August 27, 1809 – July 4, 1891) was an American attorney and politician who served as the 15th vice president of the United States from 1861 to 1865, during President Abraham Lincoln's first term. He was the first Republican ...

when he was an infant. She was well known by European settlers in the area and her name is still attached to numerous locales in the

Androscoggin River The Androscoggin River ( Abenaki: ''Aləssíkαntekʷ'') is a river in the U.S. states of Maine and New Hampshire, in northern New England. It is U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map, ...

valley and surrounding territory. Molly Ockett was skilled in traditional Abenaki crafts Her date of death is given as August 2, 1816. She is buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in

Andover, Maine Andover is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 752 at the 2020 census. Set among mountains and crossed by the Appalachian Trail, Andover is home to the Lovejoy Covered Bridge and was the site of the Andover Earth ...

. She was reputed to be the last living member of the Pequaket tribe.

Legacy

*Molly Ockett Middle School in

Fryeburg, Maine Fryeburg is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,369 at the 2020 census. Fryeburg is home to Fryeburg Academy, a semi-private preparatory school, and the International Musical Arts Institute. The town is also s ...

, is named after her. *

Bethel, Maine Bethel is a town in Oxford County, Maine, United States. The population was 2,504 at the 2020 census. It includes the villages of Bethel and West Bethel. The town is home to Gould Academy, a private preparatory school, and is near the Sun ...

, once held an annual summer festival titled 'Molly Ockett Day'. *Molly Ockett Chapter of the

Daughters of the American Revolution The Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) is a lineage-based membership service organization for women who are directly descended from a person involved in the United States' efforts towards independence. A non-profit group, they promote ...

(DAR) in Bridgton, Maine is named in her honor.

References

External links

A biography of Molly Ockett
1816 deaths Year of birth unknown Abenaki people Cunning folk Year of birth uncertain Native American people from Maine People from Saco, Maine 18th-century Native American women 19th-century Native American women {{NorthAm-native-bio-stub