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HISTORY OF THE SOGKONATE GARDEN CLUB
Named in tribute to the Little Compton’s first Indians and their location, the Sogkonate Garden Club was founded in 1975 when it became evident that Little Compton was large enough to support a second garden club. The founding members’ vision was to establish the following goals: the study of gardening techniques; the protection and preservation of natural resources and bird wildlife; and the encouragement of public planting of flowers, shrubs and trees for the town beautification. Their vision is still with us.
THE SOGKONATE GARDEN CLUB MEDAL
Prior to Little Compton’s incorporation, the early settlement was known by the Indian name “Sogkonate” or “place of the black goose.” Benjamin Church was the first white man to settle in Sogkonate. Despite his reputation as an Indian fighter, he developed strong bonds of trust and understanding with the Indians of the area. So strong indeed were the bonds that he was able to arrange a treaty with the Sogkonate Sachem, Awashonks, preventing her tribes from entering the King Philip’s War. In doing so, he spared both settlers and Indians from becoming victims of the greatest blood bath of the era. Below is the a drawing of the medal in the shape of a colonial coin which depicts this treaty. Here, Church is drinking to Queen Awashonks from a calabash or shell containing rum. Assured that there is no poison, she also drinks from the calabash. Thus, the treaty was negotiated exactly three centuries before the founding of the Sogkonate Garden Club.
Founding Members 1975-1976 Helene Brousseau Charlene Brown Rose Burns Eva Graves Janice Harvey Betty Hathaway Barbara Madden Carolyn Montgomery Mary Jane Peckham Martha Thornton Patricia Tracey Charter Members 1976 (including the names above) Jane Benson Muriel Bodington Lynne Borges Jean Brady Cooney Rena Rockwell Miriam Burchard Joan Burchard M. Betty Chace Margaret Chisholm Matilda Crandon Sheila Danneman Catherine Francis Anne Frechette Margery Harrigan Carolyn Halleck Ruth Knutsen Linda LaFlamme Eunice Levene Patricia McCarthy Alison Reid Clare Renasco Joanne Ryan Frieda Schaubhut Ruth Strawbridge Barbara Passmore Hope Taylor Nellie Watson Virginia Withington Caroline Wordell
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