Washington County Obituaries

Last Narragansett Chief

Gideon AMMONS, a Famous South County Character Dead.

County Character, Dead.
Providence, Dec. 4--Gideon Ammons is dead. He was the last survivor of the chiefs, or president of the council of the once powerful tribe of Narragansett Indians. On Sunday, Nov. 5. he was missed from his home in Charlestown. A futile search was made at that time. Yesterday the body was found in the woods by hunters.

In his day Ammons was a famous character. During the long period when the state was bickering with the Indians for the reservation in the south county and in many of the attempts since that time to obtain what he considered the rights of the tribe in the "shore claim" he has been prominent.

Feb. 23, 1811, is said to have been the date of his birth, for he was in his 89th year. He was as near a full-blooded Narragansett Indian as there was, although even in his case there was a considerable mixture. In 1847 he was elected a member of the council for the tribe, and was continuously in that office until 1873. He was many times president of the council, or the first member chosen.

Source: Pawtucket Times, December 4, 1899, Transcribed by C. Anthony