Discovery of remains leads to speculation about Squanto's burial

Thursday, March 10, 2011  

The Massachusetts Historical Commission is investigating the discovery of an unmarked grave, leading some to speculate that the remains may be those of Squanto, the Patuxet man who helped the Pilgrims survive the New England winter.

Squanto died in Chatham, Massachusetts, in November 1622. He requested a Christian burial, rather than an Indian one, and the remains that were found last month indicate a Christian burial.

"I think a lot of people immediately thought (of Squanto) because it's the only name we have, and he requested a Christian burial," Ann Westgate, who is working on a trail of tribal sites for the town of Chatham, told The Cape Cod Times.

Historians disagree on the location of Squanto's grave. There are at least three different places where they say he might have been buried.

Get the Story:
Has Squanto been found in Chatham? (The Cape Cod Times 3/10)