Lorenzo Jeffers, descendant of Mittark, the last Island Indian chief, was duly elected chief of his tribe at a meeting held at Gay Head last week. The occasion of this election of a chief was the organizing of the tribe in order to gain representation in the Wampanoag Council, in which all the southern New England tribes with their branches were represented at a kindling of the council brand at Mashpee a couple of weeks ago, the first time that the Wampanoags have assembled in tribal council for 200 years. Although there were Gay Head people present, the town was not officially represented, hence the election of a chief, in accordance with the rules of the council.

 

Chief Jeffers plans big things for the next year and has already made tentative arrangements for the tribal gathering to be held at Gay Head when the time comes. It is confidently prophesied that next year’s gathering will be far greater than the one this year, and hundreds, possibly thousands of the descendants of King Phillip’s warriors will gather at Gay Head for the three days feasting and long talks, perhaps on the very spot where King Phillip himself ordered the last Indian execution, many years before his death.