Virginia Indians

Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe

 

Chief Ken Adams

 

The Upper Mattaponi Tribe resides close to the upper reaches of the Mattaponi River near Aylett in present day King William County, Virginia. Archeological evidence provides extensive information about Indian Culture in this region for thousands of years, and in 1608 Captain John Smith identified the village of Passahunhack at the location of the present day Upper Mattaponi Tribe.

In 1673 the August Hermann Map shows several Indian Houses along the Upper Mattaponi River directly at the present day location of the Upper Mattaponi Tribe and also identifies that region as Indian Land. From 1702 to 1727, a short distance from this area, lived James Adams, an official interpreter of the Indians to the British, and an 1863 Civil War map also identifies the present day Upper Mattaponi area as Indian Land. During that era the local Indians were known as the Adamstown band, because so many of them had the last name Adams. In 1921 they officially became the Upper Mattaponi Tribe.

In the late 1800s the Upper Mattaponi Tribe had a school, which existed for several years, and in 1919 a one-room structure known as Sharon Indian School was built. That school building served the Upper Mattaponi until 1952 when a modern brick structure was built. The Upper Mattaponi children attended this school until 1965 and the school stands today as the only public Indian School building in the state of Virginia. In 2003 Sharon Indian School was officially recognized for its historical significance and today it serves as the Upper Mattaponi Tribal Center. Next door to the school is the Indian View Baptist Church, which was built in 1942, and still serves as the home Church for many of the Upper Mattaponi people.

Today the Upper Mattaponi people also own 32 acres of land and have been working diligently towards federal acknowledgement. They are a proud humble people with strong character and values and have optimism and hope for the future.

Contact the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe at:

PO Box 184
King William, VA 23086
804-769-2408