This is a collection of lists of early settlers (before 1700) in the Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations. Most of the lists are of the earliest inhabitants of a particular town or area. Indian tribes and leaders The following people lived in Rhode Island prior to Colonial settlement: Wampanoag people lived throughout Plymouth Colony and around Mount Hope Bay in Bristol, Rhode Island Massasoit, tribal leader, met the Pilgrims at Plymouth Wamsutta, son of Massasoit, became tribal leader upon father's death but died shortly after Metacomet, son of Massasoit, succeeded his brother as tribal leader; colonists gave him the name of Philip, at his request; instigated King Philip's War Narragansett people lived throughout the Rhode Island colony Canonicus, chief sachem, deeded the land to Roger Williams on which he established Providence Plantations Miantonomo, nephew of Canonicus, sold Samuel Gorton and others the land to establish Warwick, Rhode Island Canonchet, son of Miantonomo, led Narragansets during the Great Swamp Fight and accepted his own death at the end of King Philip's War Pumham, lesser sachem of Kent County, Rhode Island Soconoco, lesser sachem of the same area as Pumham Niantic people lived around the Pawcatuck River in the southwestern corner of Rhode Island Ninigret, kept the Niantics neutral during King Philip's War Harman Garrett, Indian governor, and nephew of Ninigret Nipmuc people wandered within Rhode Island Colony, mostly from the north First European settler William Blackstone, settled along the Blackstone River in Cumberland, Rhode Island (1634–35), part of the Plymouth Colony at the time First settlers of Providence Roger Williams was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony in October 1635 but was allowed to remain at his home in Salem, Massachusetts until the end of winter, provided that he did not preach. However, his followers visited him at his home in sizable numbers, and the authorities deemed this to be preaching. They planned to apprehend him by force and put him on a ship for England in January 1636, but magistrate John Winthrop warned him privately, and he slipped away from Salem in the dead of winter to find shelter with the Wampanoags. He bought a parcel of land in Seekonk from Wampanoag sachem Massasoit which was at the western edge of the Plymouth Colony (now Rehoboth, Massachusetts). In a 1677 statement, Williams mentioned the four who were with him at Seekonk. The five members of the group were: