Biography - Metallic

The Last of the Androscoggins Metallic The Lone Indian of the Magalloway August 1997

Research by Nancy Lecompte - "Canyon Wolf"

Metallic died a pauper in Stewartstown, NH in 1847 at the reputed age of 120 years. Metallic was the last visible Abenaki to live in the Androscoggin Watershed. He was known as "The Lone Indian of the Magalloway". He survived as his ancestors did, by hunting, fishing, trapping, and trading. He was a peaceful man who lived in the land of his ancestors. He was a friend to any settler who would accept his friendship and he provided assistance to these settlers whenever called upon.

If he was 120 years old, he was born around 1727. But, old Indians often overstate their age. I have not found any legends that would help to establish his age, but the settlers always seem to have known him as old. No matter what his true age, there can be no question that he survived war, migration, famine, and disease.

According to Day, in Western Abenaki his name would be "madahlakw" which means 'bad metal, cast iron'. We have no details of him until White settlers came to this region. A great many legends are attached to his name but very little is actually known about the man.

Metallic guarded the settlement of Andover from attack in 1781 when Tom Hegan was on the prowl. There is reason to believe he helped the settlers smuggle their goods to Canadian markets either during the Revolution or the War of 1812. He was very close friends with Moses Merrill of Andover. Roger Merrill hunted with Metallic in 1788. He saved the life of Jonathan Leavitt during a severe snow storm. Metallic is always mentioned as hunting and traveling with a dog. Legend tells us he had a deep hatred of wolves (some legends say it was mountain lions) stemming from the loss of his first child. In 1800, he wintered with Louis Wawanolette at Salem, VT (Gordon Day believed this was actually his son Antoine). He (Ma-da-lhokw) was a Captain in the US Army during the War of 1812, probably serving as a scout. Two of his sons served with the English during this same war. He often acted as a guide and helped the Grand Truck Railroad survey a route to Canada. He drew a map of his territory on birch bark which still exists. He was often visited at his hunting camp by sporting men like Gov. Lincoln and Moses Mason.

Metallic lost one eye by accident at an unknown time. In the winter of 1835/6 while hauling wood with a trump line, the line broke, he fell and a branch struck him in his good eye. Metallic was now totally blind. He was found by Jonathan Leavitt and taken to Mr. Lombard's house to recover. His daughter, Parmachenee took him to Canada to care for, but Metallic preferred to be with his friends. He hired a guide to take him to Mose Merrill. The guide took his money and abandoned him in the wilderness around Stewardtown, NH. Local settlers found him and he became a ward of the town. His care was bid on by the townspeople each year until his death in 1847.

What Abenaki band was he from? Take your pick! He roamed throughout the headwaters of the St. Francis, Connecticut, and Androscoggin Rivers and claimed this to be the land of his ancestors. He could have descended from any one (or several) of the Abenaki bands that passed through this area during the migrations to and from Odanak in Quebec. Legend says he was a chief or son of a chief. He may have been the son of a Cowas chief know as Philip. The Cowas were probably the original inhabitants of this region. A Pigwacket ancestor is also possible. Molly Ocutt was Metallic's friend and she claimed to be Pigwacket. Of course, Androscoggin descent is also quite likely. Metallic spent much of his later life in the Rangeley Lakes region which is clearly Androscoggin homeland. Another clue to possible Androscoggin descent is the likeness of the name Worumbo (an Androscoggin chief in 1690) and Olumbo, a name Metallic's son was known by. This is pure speculation as the spelling of the names may not be accurate.

Does Metallic have any descendants that are living today? Probably! He was first married to a woman named Keoka (Marie Eunice), who may not have been Abenaki. Their first child was killed as an infant by a wolf. They had two sons, Parmagummet (called Olumbo) and Antoine (called Wilumpi) and a daughter named Parmachenee. Some sources say that he had many children. A woman known as Mary Mattelock, born about 1793, may be a daughter. After Keoka's death (sometime before 1800), the children were sent to Canada to be raised (by relatives?).

Parmachenee married Eli Moulton and had a son, George. She lived near Lennoxville. Many believe they may be descended from Metallic through a woman named Sara Moulton.

Antoine Metallac is said to have had a son, Basile, who was baptized at Drummondville in 1831.

Parmagummet appears as a family name at Odanak from 1829 until 1852. It is spelled many different ways; Pamaguimet, Pamaguiment, Pamaguimite, Pamguimite, Pamguimit, and Pimoguimit. In 1852 Joseph Pamaguimet and his wife left Odanak possibly to live with a son. Gordon Day believed the Abenaki form of the name was probably pemágwamít and translated it as "the one who sticks to something, as, for example, to a tree being climbed with spurs".

Metallic's second wife was Molly Oozalluc. There are no children known from Metallic's second marriage. Oozalluc died about 1806. Oozalluc may have been a shaman for we are told that Metallic waited several days before taking care of her body, in case she was only in a deep trace. I believe she could be the woman "Mooseleck" who signed Philip's Deed in 1796. Molly loved molasses and settlers knew her as Molly Molasses, not be confused with the Penobscot (Marie Pelagie Nicola) also known as Molly Molasses.

Was Metallic Catholic? Maybe? Legend says Metallic would not hunt nor allow his dogs to hunt on Sunday and we are told he traveled to Odanak at least once a year. Some speculate this trip was to seek absolution from the priest. His children were supposedly raised at Odanak but he did not live with them. He has no known Christian name. He asked to be buried facing East. He buried Oozalluc with items she would need for her trip. He killed 9 of his dogs and buried them with Oozallac "as his fathers had done". By the late 1700's most all Abenaki had been exposed to the Catholic religion. However, the Cowas region often harbored Abenaki people who were not sympathetic to the priests and did not care for life in a mission village. I believe Metallic was one of those people.

One legend which deserves some discussion is the idea that Metallic kept moose and trained them to ride like horses. Anyone who knows about moose would find this a very tall tale. However, there are some items I have found that could help explain how such a fantastic legend might be born. First, we have information that there was a young moose in a pen at Metallic's camp at the time he was blinded in his second eye. A possible explanation for this is that the moose was orphaned or injured and Metallic took it upon himself to raise it until it could fend for itself. This would not be uncommon. Oral tradition tells us that if a hunter took the life of a female with young, it was the hunter's responsibility to raise the young. Or perhaps in his old age, moose hunting was becoming to difficult, so he raised it for food. The second bit of information I have is actually a story passed down through the family of a early Andover doctor. It seems Metallic showed up at the doctor's covered with bruises and scraps from head to toe and some cracked ribs. When the doctor inquired what had happened, Metallic related his story of the moose ride. Metallic had come across a moose in the woods, but for some reason was not able to shoot it (perhaps he was out of power or his gun needed repairs). He decided to climb a tree and drop down on the moose' back to kill it with his knife. The first stab with his knife only made the moose angry and it took off full speed through the woods with Metallic clinging to it's back. Eventually the moose died, but not before it had taken Metallic on the ride of his life. So, you can see how such a legend could get started, based on real events. Metallic did keep at least one moose at his camp and he did ride a moose through the woods, but I suspect that moose ride was enough to last a lifetime.

His life was full of tragedy. He died as he chose to live, in the land of his ancestors. It is a sorry story to tell of a man who only wanted to be ABENAKI !.

- NL