We will be highlighting the Mattaponi people in this portion of our American Indian web guide.
The Mattaponi are one of only two Virginia Indian tribes in Virginia that own reservation land, which it has held since Colonial times.
The English explorers John Smith and William Strachey identified the Mattaponi by name in 1607. Smith noted that they were living along the Mattaponi River, while Strachey estimated that the Mattaponi had a hundred and forty warriors, which suggests that the tribe numbered between four hundred and five hundred.
The Mattaponi left their land by the river and hid in the hills along Piscataway Creek during the Anglo-Powhatan War of 1644-1646. They came back when the war ended and made peace with the English. They agreed to pay tribute to the Virginia governor every year, and they still do.
The Mattaponi made treaties with the Rappahannock County Court in 1656 and 1657. They asked for equal treatment and rights as Englishmen in court and society. They got a reservation on the west side of the Mattaponi River in 1658, which they still occupy.
The Mattaponi were one of several innocent tribes attacked by a colonial militia directed by Nathanial Bacon in what became known as Bacon's Rebellion of 1676. There were several causes of the rebellion, but one of them was Bacon's opposition to the colonial government's policies toward the Indian tribes. The Mattaponi fled to the Dragon Swamp, returning to their reservation later.
A large group of Iroquoian-speaking Indians raided the Mattaponi in 1683. The survivors fled, with some of them joining the Pamunkey and Chickahominy tribes.
The Mattaponi continued to occupy their reservation throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, although white colonists frequently encroached on tribal lands during this period.
The Mattaponi were part of the Powhatan Confederacy in the early 17th century, but they continuously maintained their own tribal government separate from the Powhatan leadership, and their tribal leadership was paramount.
The Mattaponi fought to keep their tribe and land in the 19th century. They had to deal with local officials and people who wanted to take their property or deny them tribal status, but these fights took place within the legislatures and court systems.
The U.S. federal government has classified the Mattaponi as a branch of the Pamunkey, and the Commonwealth of Virginia treated the two tribes as a single entity until 1894. However, while the Mattaponi and Pamunky have been neighbors and allies, with similar cultural traditions, the Mattaponi have always had their own tribal leadership.
Their struggle to preserve their identity and culture continued into the 20th century. In 1924, the Mattaponi were classified as "colored" by the Racial Integrity Act of 1924, which banned interracial marriage and denied their Indian ancestry.
In 1921, a group of Mattaponi people living outside of the reservation at Adamstown since the 1700s organized as the Upper Mattaponi Tribe and were recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia in 1983 and by the federal government in 2018.
In 1919, the Upper Mattaponi built a school that became known as Sharon Indian School, although it was at one time known as Indian View. The school was replaced with an eight-room structure in 1952, but it was closed during the 1960s due to integration. The state returned the school to the tribe's jurisdiction and use in 1987. It is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
In 1942, the Upper Mattaponi built the Indian View Baptist Church next to the Sharon Indian School, in the heart of their community. The church continues in operation.
Currently, the Upper Mattaponi Tribe is recognized by the federal government and the Commonwealth of Virginia, while the Mattaponi Tribe is recognized only by the Commonwealth of Virginia.
Additionally, a disputed election in 2023 appears to have led to two separate groups claiming to represent the Mattaponi Tribe, each with its own website. The one with the .gov web address first appeared in the Wayback Machine on January 1, 2024, while the other, with a .org address, appeared on February 28, 2022. We won't get in the middle of this one.
Recommended Resources
Featured on TribalPages, a platform that allows users to build their own family history websites, share their stories, and connect with other relatives. This sub-site contains information about the ancestors and descendants of the Custalow family, who are strongly connected to the Mattaponi American Indian people. The site contains photographs, stories, and charts provided and related to family members. The site is private, in that only invited family members can view or update the tree.
https://custalow.tribalpages.com/
Built by the Upper Mattaponi Indian Tribe, the church began as a Sunday School in 1920, originally held in the Sharon Indian School building. In 1941, tribal members began work on a dedicated church building next to the school, which was completed in 1942. Affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, Sunday School and Worship services are held each week, along with mid-week Bible studies. Its leadership, ministries, schedules, a calendar of events, a photo gallery, and contacts are posted.
https://indianviewbaptist.org/
Mattaponi Indian Tribe & Reservation
Headquartered in West Point, Virginia, the tribe claims about 450 enrolled descendants of the Mattaponi people who have resided in Virginia for thousands of years. Its history, the Mattaponi land in King William County, culture, and an introduction to the tribal council are highlighted on the website, which outlines the process of obtaining tribal citizenship and the necessary documents (enrollment application, ancestry table, individual history form). Tribal news and contacts are included.
https://mattaponi.gov/
Claiming to represent the Mattaponi Tribe, recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia, the Mattaponi Tribe is headquartered in King William, Virginia. Its history, constitution, membership resources (membership form, ancestral table, individual history chart), and an introduction to the tribal government are set forth. Also included is election information, including notices alleging an improper and illegitimate election, press releases, and a photo gallery.
https://www.mattaponitribe.org/
Headquartered in King William, Virginia, the Upper Mattaponi Tribe is federally recognized and recognized by the Commonwealth of Virginia. With strong ties to Christianity, the community is centered around the Indian View Baptist Church, built by the tribe in 1942 and still in operation, and the Sharon School, which now serves as a community center. Its tribal government's executive, legislative, and judicial branches are introduced, and its programs and services are included.
https://umitribe.org/
