The Dogues (also known as the Doeg) were settled at the mouth of Occoquan River when John Smith sailed up the Potomac in 1608. According to Smith, there were 40 men, and the town was named Tauxenent.
The Dogues were the scapegoat during Bacon’s Rebellion, which was caused by many different issues and led to dissent in the Virginia colony. Historians often see this as the first inclinations of what would become the American Revolution.
In July 1675, the Dogues raided the plantation of Thomas Mathews, which was located near the Potomac River. Several were killed during the raid. The colonists in retaliation attacked the wrong Native Americans, the Susquehanaugs, which resulted in large-scale Native raids.
After this time period, “Indian Land” was controlled by the Piscataway, who were located in Maryland. By 1666, this tribe was greatly weekend due to raids by the Iroquois. For protection, the Piscataway signed the Articles of Peace and Amity. with 11 other tribes. One of the tribes was the Dogues.
This marker commemorates the tribe that lived in the area.
Historical Marker Inscription
The Dogues, an Algonquian tribe, occupied the Occoquan River Watershed in the early 1600s. In their dialect, Occoquan means “at the end of the water.” They lived in villages, hunted and fished, and raised corn, beans, squash, and tobacco. They departed as the English settled the area in the 1650s. Occoquan’s Town Seal commemorates the Dogues.
Location
Mill Street in Occoquan, VA, United States
38° 41.14′ N, 77° 15.751′ W
Historical Markers of the World 