Quinnatisset (also spelled Quantisset, Quinnetusset, Quanatusset, Quantiske, Quantisset, Quatiske, or Quattissick) was a Nipmuc village in Connecticut which became a

praying town Praying towns were a settlements established by British colonization of the Americas, English colonial governments in New England from 1646 to 1675 in an effort to convert local Native Americans in the United States, Native Americans to Christiani ...

through the influence of John Eliot and Daniel Gookin. The town was located near what is now

Thompson, Connecticut Thompson is a town in Windham County, Connecticut, United States. The town was named after Sir Robert Thompson, an English landholder. The population was 9,189 at the 2020 census. Thompson is located in the northeastern corner of the state and i ...

or Pomfret, Connecticut possibly near

Thompson Hill Historic District The Thompson Hill Historic District encompasses the historic village center of Thompson, Connecticut. The district covers , whose central focus is the Thompson Center Green, laid out when the town was established in 1735. Thompson Hill was the ...

. The name "Quantisset" means "little long river." Quinnatisset was located six miles south of

Maanexit Maanexit (also spelled Manexit or Mayanexit) was a Nipmuc village on the Quinebaug River ( Maanexit River) and Old Connecticut Path in Connecticut. The town was located near what is now Fabyan in Thompson, Connecticut and Woodstock, Connecticut. T ...

, another praying town. By 1667 John Eliot was involved with the village and attempted to mediate a misunderstanding regarding a tribute between the Quantisset Nipmucs and the Narragansett saunkskwa

Quaiapin Quaiapen (born July 2, 1676, and also known as Magnus, Matantuck, Old Queen, or Watowswokotaus) was a Narragansett people, Narragansett-Niantic people, Niantic female sachem (saunkskwa) who was the last sachem captured or killed during King Phili ...

. Prior to King Philip's War Rev.

Daniel Takawambait Daniel Takawambait (c. 1652-1716) (also spelled Takawombait or Tokonwonpat or Takawambpas or Tookumwombait or Tokkohwompait or Takawombpait and sometimes Daniel of Natick) was likely the first ordained Native American Christian pastor in North Am ...

, possibly first ordained Native American in North America, served as a minister in the town. In 1674 Daniel Gookin wrote that " r uantissetwe appointed a sober and pious young man of Natick, called Daniel, to be minister, whom they accepted in the Lord." After King Philip's War

Black James Black James (before 1640-circa 1686) (also known as Wullumahchein) was a Nipmuc constable and spiritual leader of the Chaubunagungamaug Nipmuck at the Chaubunagungamaug Reservation in colonial Massachusetts and Connecticut. Daniel Gookin appointed ...

sold several thousand acres of land in Quinnatisset to settlers. As late as 1730 there was still a large wigwam visible on the hill. There was a Nipmuc fort in Quinnatisset which "was assaulted and demolished, but the aboriginal cellar on Fort hill" is still visible.

References

{{reflist History of New England Native American history Christianization Aboriginal title in the United States Native American history of Connecticut King Philip's War Assimilation of indigenous peoples of North America Native American Christianity