I keep hearing folks claim to be descended from the Pegan Band of Nipmuc Indians, the forebears of the current Chaubunagungamaug Band. Many that claim that ancestry are simply not Pegan and I admit to being confused at the sudden popularity of my ancestors. Here is a brief rundown on what currently existing Nipmuc families descend from the ancestral Pegans.

To begin, Pegan was what the community called itself. It was not one family group. Once christianity set in, there were multiple Samuels, Josephs, and Thomas’ – plus a multitude of Marys, Sarahs, and Marthas – all bearing the last name Pegan. Current Nipmuc families descend from – at least two Samuel Pegans, Thomas Pegan, and Joseph Pegan and Mary, Polly, Molly, and Patience.

Samuel Pegan/Patience Pegan

Samuel and his daughter Patience are some of my Pegan ancestors. What we currently call the Sprague lines (Sprague/Henries and Sprague/Nichols) descend from these Pegan ancestors. There is more than one Samuel Pegan within our histories. This particular Samuel married Patience David from Hassanamisco in 1756. Patience David was the daughter of Patience Abraham and the granddaughter of David Munnalaw. One of Samuel and Patience’s grandchildren, Betsy Caesar, married Henry White. My 4th great-grandmother, Angenette Briggs is Betsy’s daughter.

The above is one of my lineages from Samuel. At least three of Betsy Dorus’ children married persons from other Pegan lines including the descendants of Granny Sprague.

Molly Pegan/Thomas Pegan

Many of us descend from Mary Curliss Vickers, the granddaughter of Molly Pegan and great-granddaughter of one of the Thomas Pegans. So much controversy is constantly directed towards this family by other Pegan lines. It is the largest of all the current Nipmuc families. We call this line Curliss/Vickers.

Multiple children and grandchildren of Mary Curliss Vickers married persons from other Pegan and Hassanamisco lines, and Nipmucs from Wabaquasset and the Mendon/Natick area.

Joseph Pegan/Edward Pegan

There are a couple of Joseph Pegans too. One was a Revolutionary War veteran but he did not seem to have any living children when he died (see this post). Another Joseph Pegan was the father of Edward Pegan (c.1793-1868). Edward’s grandson, George Munroe, changed his last name to Wilson as an adult living in Worcester, MA. The Wilson family is still part of the Nipmuc tribe.

Mary Pegan

There are, of course, multiple Mary Pegans but this Mary was married to Pequot John Nedson. Their daughter, Polly (really another Mary), married a Joseph Dorus and their son Esbon Dorus married Angenette Briggs from the Samuel Pegan line above. So all of those Sprague/Henries and Sprague/Nichols descendants are also descended from this Mary Pegan.

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Looking back through all my work over the years, I see so much written about my Hassanamisco side and not nearly enough about my Pegan side. I will have to change that after my next retirement.

Aquene, Cher