Joseph Orono
Encyclopedia
Joseph Orono was a Penobscot Indian chief or sachem
who lived on the Penobscot River
in present-day Maine
. The town of Orono, Maine
, which contains the University of Maine
, is named for him.
By the time Orono was born, the Penobscot people had been in close contact with French Catholic missionaries and traders for over a generation, and Orono was himself of mixed ancestry, probably the grandson of Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
, The 3rd Baron Castin, who had settled at the mouth of the Penobscot River
(the site of the present town of Castine, Maine
) in the 1660s. Saint-Castin had married the daughter of Penobscot sachem Madockawando
, and their son, Bernard-Anselme de Saint-Castin became the last leader of the tribe during its French alliance. His son Joseph Orono, who had to deal with the English, and then Americans, had light skin, blue eyes, and was a "zealous Catholic" according to contemporary accounts.
In the 1750s the English from nearby Massachusetts
defeated the French in Acadia
, which included the ancestral lands of the Penobscot. English settlers began to populate the Penobscot River
valley from the 1770s, putting pressure on the tribe. Orono chose to accommodate the more numerous and better-armed white settlers as, in the course of his life-time, they gained virtually full control of Penobscot lands, restricting the tribe to its largest island-village (which they called "Indian Old Town" because it was assumed to be of ancient origin).
When the Revolutionary War
broke out the Penobscots received a letter from the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts
urging them to join with the "New English" against the "Old English". Orono agreed, urging his tribesmen to side with the Americans and offering to supply them braves, even making a trip to Boston
and Newport, Rhode Island
in 1780. The Americans did not take up the offer, however, likely fearing that it would empower the Penobscot.
In 1774 the English had founded a village called Stillwater
, just below "Indian Old Town" at the site of a falls. Relations between the settlers and Indians had been sufficiently peaceful that, when Stillwater incorporated as a town in 1806, it named itself Orono, Maine
after the recently-deceased Penobscot sachem, who had lived to the age of 113.
Sachem
A sachem[p] or sagamore is a paramount chief among the Algonquians or other northeast American tribes. The two words are anglicizations of cognate terms from different Eastern Algonquian languages...
who lived on the Penobscot River
Penobscot River
The Penobscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to , making it the second longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. Its drainage basin contains .It arises from four branches...
in present-day Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
. The town of Orono, Maine
Orono, Maine
Orono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
, which contains the University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
, is named for him.
By the time Orono was born, the Penobscot people had been in close contact with French Catholic missionaries and traders for over a generation, and Orono was himself of mixed ancestry, probably the grandson of Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin
Jean-Vincent d'Abbadie de Saint-Castin was a French military officer serving in Acadia and an Abenaki chief. He is the father of two prominent sons who were also military leaders in Acadia, Bernard-Anselme and Joseph...
, The 3rd Baron Castin, who had settled at the mouth of the Penobscot River
Penobscot River
The Penobscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to , making it the second longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. Its drainage basin contains .It arises from four branches...
(the site of the present town of Castine, Maine
Castine, Maine
Castine is a town in Hancock County, Maine, United States and was once the capital of Acadia . The population was 1,343 at the 2000 census. Castine is the home of Maine Maritime Academy, a four-year institution that graduates officers and engineers for the United States Merchant Marine and marine...
) in the 1660s. Saint-Castin had married the daughter of Penobscot sachem Madockawando
Madockawando
Madockawando was a sachem of the Penobscot Indians, an adopted son of Assaminasqua whom he succeeded. The Penobscot lands, lying east of Penobscot River, were a part of Acadia, which was given back to France in 1667 by the Treaty of Breda, though the English claimed that the country between the...
, and their son, Bernard-Anselme de Saint-Castin became the last leader of the tribe during its French alliance. His son Joseph Orono, who had to deal with the English, and then Americans, had light skin, blue eyes, and was a "zealous Catholic" according to contemporary accounts.
In the 1750s the English from nearby Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
defeated the French in Acadia
Acadia
Acadia was the name given to lands in a portion of the French colonial empire of New France, in northeastern North America that included parts of eastern Quebec, the Maritime provinces, and modern-day Maine. At the end of the 16th century, France claimed territory stretching as far south as...
, which included the ancestral lands of the Penobscot. English settlers began to populate the Penobscot River
Penobscot River
The Penobscot River is a river in the U.S. state of Maine. Including the river's West Branch and South Branch increases the Penobscot's length to , making it the second longest river system in Maine and the longest entirely in the state. Its drainage basin contains .It arises from four branches...
valley from the 1770s, putting pressure on the tribe. Orono chose to accommodate the more numerous and better-armed white settlers as, in the course of his life-time, they gained virtually full control of Penobscot lands, restricting the tribe to its largest island-village (which they called "Indian Old Town" because it was assumed to be of ancient origin).
When the Revolutionary War
American Revolutionary War
The American Revolutionary War , the American War of Independence, or simply the Revolutionary War, began as a war between the Kingdom of Great Britain and thirteen British colonies in North America, and ended in a global war between several European great powers.The war was the result of the...
broke out the Penobscots received a letter from the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
urging them to join with the "New English" against the "Old English". Orono agreed, urging his tribesmen to side with the Americans and offering to supply them braves, even making a trip to Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
and Newport, Rhode Island
Newport, Rhode Island
Newport is a city on Aquidneck Island in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States, about south of Providence. Known as a New England summer resort and for the famous Newport Mansions, it is the home of Salve Regina University and Naval Station Newport which houses the United States Naval War...
in 1780. The Americans did not take up the offer, however, likely fearing that it would empower the Penobscot.
In 1774 the English had founded a village called Stillwater
Stillwater
-Places:Canada*Stillwater, Nova Scotia New Zealand*Stillwater, Auckland*Stillwater, West CoastUnited States*Stillwater, Minnesota*Stillwater, Nevada*Stillwater, New Jersey*Stillwater , New York*Stillwater , New York...
, just below "Indian Old Town" at the site of a falls. Relations between the settlers and Indians had been sufficiently peaceful that, when Stillwater incorporated as a town in 1806, it named itself Orono, Maine
Orono, Maine
Orono is a town in Penobscot County, Maine, United States. It was first settled in 1774 and named in honor of Chief Joseph Orono of the Penobscot Nation. It is home to The University of Maine. The population was 10,362 at the 2010 census.- Geography :...
after the recently-deceased Penobscot sachem, who had lived to the age of 113.