ISTORICAL

 

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'J45i%@mtms:iaI aim @mt2emia*1,
Dflzirfizegp A 2‘ G13 orazxc j1{ASSACH[U.SET_’/S;
]ULY 4,% 1876.

"BY 

SAIWEL   cREEN,%   MD.

 

HISTORICAL ADDRESS.

GROTON BURNED 1«}YV’.[‘.I~.I.E INDIANS, I676.

DECLARA'1‘IC)N OF INDEPENDENCE, 1776.

AN

HISTORICAL ADDRESS,
ifiizflentmnial mm fixmtxmnial,

D11:I..'IvERE13 JULY 4, 1,876, AT G-R0’1‘C)N, MASSACI-IUSETTS,

BI’ ]€.Zi'QUZi'ST OF Tfffi C.fI/"'fZI*.‘1V.S'.

BY

SAMUEL ABBOTT GREEN,

A NATIVE OF TIME TOWN.

GROTON:
1876.

Cm)z5rz'a_’ge .'
Press 0}’ 70%;: Ff/'2'/302.2 (mcf S072.

T/ze .92-/1zf>c:*rz'c7r flgzzzw SLYZ z‘2fcm='rz’ z‘/zmugfi 2‘/ze A/Zziress my’a'7~* Eta
2‘/Aw Aj5pe’72a’zIx.

TO

THE INHABITANTS or‘ C-'R.OTC)N,
AND TO
TI'Ifl’L NATIVIES OF Tl-IE TOWN LIVING EIJSIFIWI-I.E1{I£,
E3111’.-3 Gflnnrnss,

A VVILLING 'l‘ASI§., II\<II’IERI“I*3C'l)‘LY DONE, IS RESI7’ECCi‘I+‘T.TI;I..Y

INSCRIBED BY

'l‘l‘~I I13 W RITER.

HISTORICAL ADDRESS.

T1-In first century of our national existence is completed
this day, and we meet to commemorate the event. A
hundred years have passed away since the Declaration of
Independence was adopted and a nation was born, that is
destined to flourish as long as piety, religion, and morality
shall prevail in the land, and no longer. Modern times
have been full of great deeds; but none of them is greater
than that which declared the American colonies to be free,
and put them in the rank of independent nations. The
rapid development of the United States during this hundred
years has been vvatched by thoughtful men throughout the
world, -———-by some with jealousy, by others with sympathy;
and their success has made them an example for other coun-
tries to follow. They have stood the test of a century; and
to-«day, throughout the land, the great birthday of the nation
is commemorating with joy and exultation never before
equafled.

The question may occur, Wliy is this notice taken of a
century? Wliy is a celebration more fitting now than next
year or last year? It is because there is a tendency in the
human mind to divide time into round periods. At the end
of a century comes a stopping-place, from which to look
back upon any event that marked its beginning. In our
decimal notation, the number 2537-2 plays an important part,
and is a kind of unit. Originally connected in meaning

8

with the fingers of the hand, a hundred, in its primitive sig~
nification as well as numerically ten tens, is a large unit, —-
a natural division of duration. If man had been endowed
by Nature with six fingers on each hand, we should now
have a duodecimal system ofnumbers instead of a decimal
system; and it would seem just as easy and natural. This
tendency in the human mind is strikingly illustrated by the
last census returns of the city of Boston. The number of
its inhabitants who gave their ages as just forty-fiveis more
than twice as large as the number of those who were just
forty-four or just forty--six. The number of those who were
just fifty is more than three times as great as the number of
those who were just forty-nine, and about five times as many
as the number of those who were just fifty—one. According
to these returns, there are nearly twice as many persons
who are f1fty—five as either fifty—four or fifty-six; and there
are four times as many who are sixty as either fifty--nine
or sixty-one. The tens have a stronger attraction than the
fives, and these, in their turn, than the other numbers.
This example, besides showing the untrustworthy character,
in‘ some respects, of the census returns, —— a point not now
to my purpose, -——-- shows how widely pervading is the feeling
about round periods; and in this t1niversal_ feeling is found
the answer to the question, why we have the celebration at
this time.

The present year has also a bi-centennial anniversary that
brings us together. It was in the year I676 that this town
was destroyed by the Indians, and the inhabitants, with all
their available effects, were forced to leave it. A contempo-
raneous account of the removal says that there were sixty
carts required for the work, and that they extended along
the road for more than two miles. It was a sorry sight to
see this little community leaving their homes, which they
had first established twenty-one years before. Wliat bitter
pangs they must have felt, and how dark their future must
have seemed, aslthey turned to look for the last time at fa1nil—
iar places,——their rude but comfortable homes, their humble
meeting—house, and the graves of their kindred whom they

9

had tenderly laid in God’s acre, yonder burying-placel As
they madetheir way along the rough and muddy roads, the
hearts of all were heavy with grief; and the mothers’ eyes
were dimmed with tears, as the thoughts of their blighted
prospects filled their min<:ls., for no one could see the end of
their misfortunes. Their bitter experiences, however, af-

. fected more than one generation. Fortitude is the logical
result of hardships: brave parents will breed brave chil-.

dren. Our fathers little thought that these trials were mak-
ing them the ancestryof a strong people, who themselves,
a century later, were to contend successfully with the strong-
est power in the world. At this late day we cannot lmow
all their stitferings, but we do know that they were a God»-
fearing community; and on this occasion it is fittiiig that we
should commemorate their virtues. They were plain folk,
with homely traits; and their best memorial is the simple
story of their lives. For this reason, I purpose to give a
plain, unadorned narration of some of the more important
events with which they were connected from the very begin-
nitig of the town, with a brietfiaccotuit of some of the actors;
l)1"i11gi11g the narration down through the last Century, and
touching liglitly upon the present one.

In the spring of the year I655, the township of Groton
was granted by the General Court to a number of petition-
ers. It was situated on the frontiers, fourteen miles from
the nearest settlement; and at that time there were but eight
other. towns in Middlesex County. VVhat inducements were
held out to gain settlers for the new town, it is impossible
now. to ascertain. Probably, however, the country in this
neigliborhood had been reconnoitrecl by adventurous men
from other settlements; and it is likely that such persons
had followed the Indian footpaths, and penetrated to what
then seemed a great distance into the country. These per-
sons knew the rivers and the hills, and the lay of the land
generally; and, after coming home, they talked about the
good farming country. It would take but a few years thus
to establish traditions that might draw a few families to desir—-

2

IO

able places. It happened then, as it sometimes happens now,
that large fires had run through the woods in dry weather,
and had burned until they were put out by some rain-storm ;
leaving a track of black desolation that would last for many
a year. And, moreover, there were small patches that had
been planted by the Indians with corn, beans, and squashes,
and therefore ready for cultivation by whosoever should take
possession of them. In this way, a few places had been
more or less cleared; and the wild grasses had caught—in
sufliciently to furnish fodder to the cattle. This last con-
sideration was a matter of considerable importance to the
settlers. In planting towns, it undoubtedly weighed with
them in selecting the sites. In fact, it is recorded that,
in some of those early years, feed was so scarce thatthe
cattle had to be slaughtered to save them from death by
hunger. It should be borne in mind that grass was not then
cultivated as it is now; nor was it for more than a century
after this period. In the winter, cattle had to be kept on
corn--stall<:s, and the native wild grasses which the settlers
had gathered wherever they could; and it required rigid
economy, even on these, to keep them till spring.

It was amid such and other difliculties that our fathers
founded their settlements. Prompted by interest or enter-
prise, families would plant themselves in the wilderness and
rnake new homes away from neighbors and far from friends.
As these settlements increased in numbers, they were consti-
tuted towns without much formality. The only Act of Incor-
poration of Boston, Dorchester, and Watertown, was an
order of the General Court " that Trimountain shall be called
Boston; Mattapan, Dorchester; and the town on Charles
River, Wate1'town.” ' I

Towns thus informally established have grown up with
certain rights and privileges, as well as duties and obliga-
tions, and have developed into fixed municipal corporations,
as we find them to—day. They did not spring into existence
full grown and clothed, like Minerva from the head of Jupi-
ter, but they have been creatures of slow growth. They
should be compared rather to the old homestead that has

II

been 1*ecei.Vi11g ztdditions zmcl ir:1pmvemem;s during‘ S€‘Vff.‘1‘Ei1
ge11e1*atio11S, in 01'dc21' 1:0 21CC()11“1m()di1’C€ 12116 itlcmzj-Lsing zmcl
Crmstzmtly clxaxzgitlg '1"m1“1i1_y, Lmtil Iiimally the lmmblez lmuse
has expanclczcl into the 1‘0omy .sst1*L1ctu1'e.

The pm1ni11entide:1 in the mincls 01" the fo11m;1<s:1*s :31" New
Englzimcl E-1pp(-;‘E-I.’l"S 1:0 hzwc: bc::e11 thc: support of the gospel
mi11ist1‘y. ‘ After this; c::1111<: the: m2m:1ge1m;=:11t of t:1u::i1* p01it§.<:.a1
afI’ai1's and the S"t.1p]_‘)01‘t of free .<s.ci%10c};}s. Captzxin Edwmd
_]01'111s011, in 115.3 qmtilixt and i11Stz*L1c:'ti‘ve 1:3c:u::>1<:, “ Wc)';1(1e1*~Wc>1"I{~
:i11g P1'0Vi€1E:11C€i: Qf $ici>11’s S:;wi0ur,.ir1 New E11g1:1t1c1,” szmyre;
tlmt it was “ as u:mmtum1 fm: 21 1'i_gl‘1t N. E. mm. to live ‘w:it11-
Gut em. Rbliif Miz3.i$tc:1'y, aw; fcn: 21 S1‘1'.}it1'}. ti) vmr1s;:. lfis irm with»
out :1 fire; tl"u-‘:1‘<;:f'<:>%1'(—:: this pcaczmph: tlmt wem; :1.b(i)ut p1£1Ci1;'1g
clcawn. :1 Tc>w11, begzjaxz 1.1m 1"<"m,11<;1zzti<i:m-a;t<)11e, with e:em1c::s:;t
seelcing of the Lc)1'd%~; a.s;si:;tz'1z1cc:_, lay 111.1.12*11)1i.ng mf t1iu.2ir scmls
beafom him in clzzitzs <;>'f p1*aycs:::.” T'11e-,2 C¢)1l%::g;‘t;2, ’w1T1i<:h \&V£1S

’estab1is17u-zcl so c:z11'Iyi11§ this: }f1ist01'y of i;h.<3 c01c;J11y, was crlecli-

catecl “to Clmist :.:u'1<:1 the C11u1*c11"’; 2111c} to £15.19 Wesxmt time:
this motto is kept an tlm C()%1l<;:gcmse:.1fl.

Mr. ]?.ut1e1*, in his “ l}I.i.s:to1‘y,” sszxyss th:L11: "the: oxrigimtl pt:ti-
titan 'f'<3r thtit p12:mmtic311 or t0w11 ctzf G-1*<';)t0I1 is 1.101.‘ folmcl, or zmy
1‘t:‘CO1“d of it” (pzmge II). Sitlce tllis stzLtc:m¢::ut was llléldii‘,
lmwtavcar, one: of the pc:ti.‘t'icnf1:2?.-«~‘f<:31* it 45061115-; t1’1<::1'<:: VV“(;‘;‘.1“(3 two
W-1135 been fc:)L1nd :11*11r)11g' 1:116 _p;1p<;2::rs of t11c‘: 1:.1tL*:: C.<1pt3.i11
Szumzel Sl"1ip1}::y, by Mr. Cl'1£}.1‘1£i'fj-3 'W<;>c>11aéy, f<‘mm:1*1y 01:‘ this
tc:>w11,, but now of ’Wz:11t11z1m. A (:(§)py of it was: printed in
"" T116 New Ezaglzxnd Illistorical zmd Ge-z1c:z1}.ogica1 Register,”
f0rJz;111L1a1*y, I860 (xiv. 4.8). It is as fo1IoW:3:-----

“ To the Im1:1<:>2.’ed G<~2nem11 Czmrte stssem1:>1ed at 13m-stcm the hum-—
blé peticm of V3 Whosr: 1121111923 :11? ];m1*::: u11dc1* w1'itt:r:m lmmbly shoetll

ThEltW“11£31‘C3 as yorm: 1i)0ti0I1C}1‘S by :1 proui<:1enc:c.- of God Imus
beams: b1'011gl.1t ouer in {'0 this W§c1er:1es ;mc:.l Iitzecl lengre 11e1'eti11:
.-zmd bei11g sumthing st:-:'z'1ightx1cd for t112:.tvv11c:1‘e by subsistaI1ce in
an 01*dina1‘ie waie of Gods p1'0uicle11<:c: is to be had and Considerixag
t11<-.2 2:. lowance tlmt Gad gizaes to the sones sf men for sur::11 an emle :
yomse petioners reqmzst t11e1'efore is tlmt you would be plcmsecl to
grant vs :1 place for a plant:.1ti<:)n vpou the Ri1:1e1' tlmt runes from
Naslmway in to Incariznalce at 2:. place <32‘ 2: boute 21 1312136 Caled

I2

petaupauket and Wabansconcott and‘ youre petioners shall pray for
youre happy proseedings

WILLTM MARTIN
RICI~IARD BLOOD
JOHN WITT

VVILIIIM L_a1<_1N
RICHARD I-IAUEN
TIMOTHY COOPER
JOHN LAKIN

JOHN BLOOD

M.-u;*1«1U FARRINGTON.
ROBERT BLOOD ”

On the third page of the document, the decision of the
General Court is given, which runs thus : ~--——

‘‘ In Ans’ to both theise peticons The Court Judgeth it n1eete to
grannt the peticon"s eight miles square in the place desired to
make a Comfortable plantacon Wch l1enceforth shall be Called
Groaten formerly knowne by the name of Petapawage: that
M"Da11to1‘tl1 of Cambridge Wt“ such as he shall associate to him
shall and hereby is desired to. lay it out with all convenient speede
that so no Inconragement may be Wanting to the Peticone"s for a
speedy procuring of a godly minister £t11101’1gSlZ them Provided that

‘none shall enjoy any part Or porcon of that land by guift from the

selectmen of that place but such who shall build howses on theire
Lotts so given them once Wtllill eighteene months from the time of
the said Tonnes laying out or Tonnes graunt to such persons: and
for the p"sent M” Deane VVinthrop l\«I" J11” Tinl~:.e1' M” Tho:
Hinckly Dolor Davis W“‘ l\lartin Matliew Fa1'1*ington John Witt
and Timothy Couper are Appointed the selectmen for the said
Towne of Groaten for one two yeares from the time it is lay’d out,
to lay out and dispose of particular lotts not exzceeding twenty

acres to each howse-lott. And to order the prudentiall alfaires of"

the place at the end of Which time other selectmen shall be chosen
and appointed in theire roomes, the selectmen of Groaten giving
M‘ Danforth such sattisfaction for his service & paines as they 85
he shall agree;

The magists hane past this with ‘reference to the Consent of

theire bretheren the deputs hereto
EDWARD RAWSON Secrety

25 May I655
The Deputies Consent hereto WILLIAM. TORREY Cleric”

I3

. ~ A religious temper pervades the whole petition, which in
its language has the flavor of the Old Testament. It speaks
of their having been brought over "by a providence of God,”
and of their living long in the Wilderness. In answer to it,
the Court grants a tract of land to make “as cornfbrtable
plantation,” and provides for its survey and prompt location;
naming as the chief end the " speedy procuring of a godly
minister attioiigst thern,” and foresltztclowiiig in its action
some of the "features of the modern Homestead Acts of Con—-
gress. From these ezscpressions we may learn the gttidiiig
thoughts of the first settlers of the town; and it is a pious
duty we owe them to cornmemorate their virtues and their
deeds. They were men and Women in every way worthy of
all the respect and honor we can pay them; and I co11g1't1tLt~
late those oat‘ my anclience who trace back their family line
to that stocl«:.. The names of 'Parl<er, Prescott, and Blood,
of Whom there are so many descendants still among us;
of Farnsworth, Lawrence, and Shattnck, names not to be
omitted in any historical recorcl of the town; of Gilson,
Nntting, and Sawtell, worthy forefathers of worthy progeny;
of Stone, lV.[oors, and Tarbell, -—-——-—-all these are 'l'a1niliar to you
as the names of citizens descended from the founders of the
town 3 and there are others equally worthy to be mentioned,
that will readily sttggest thetnselves.

Mr. Deane W'inthrop, who stands at the l1eaclof the list
of selectznen appointed by the Court, Wasa son of Governor
_]ohn ‘Winthrop, and it is to him that we are indebted for the
name of the town. A native of Groton in Old England, it
was natural for him to wish to keep the name fresh and fra-
grant on this side of the Atlantic. Groton, in Connecticut ----
younger by half a century, and famous as the scene of the
heroic Ledyard’s death ———- owes its name to the same family.
Groton, in New York, vvas settled, in part, by families from
this town. New I-Iampsliire and Vermont both have towns
named Groton, though they are comparatively of recent
origin. Why they were so called I have been unable to
find out, unless it was that the fair fame and reputation of
the one in Massachusetts had made the name auspicious.

14

There was a place in Roxbnry, a hundred and thirty years
ago, that was sornetitnes called Groton.**“ It was a corrup-
tion of Greaton, the natneof the man who kept the “ G1*ey-
Hound ” tavern in the neighborhood.

The word Groton, the same as the Grotena of Domesday
Book, probablymeans Grit—-town, or Sand-town, -——- from the
Anglo—Saxon, greoi, grit, sand, dust; and imz, village or
town. The locality of the English Grotoo is in fact a sandy
one. A proper pride of birth would suggest that the name
was doubtless also appropriate by reason of the GRIT or
pluck, new as Well as then, characteristic of the people of
any town so named. a .

Groton, in Suffolk, England, is an ancient place, --—— there
being a record in Domesday Book of its population and
Wealth, in some detail, at the time of VVilliam the Conqueror,
and also before him, under the Anglo-Saxon King, Edward
the Confessor. A literal translation of this census-1:*etu1'n of
seven lmndred and ninety years ago is as follows ; —-———-

A“ In the time of King Edwardt saint Edmund held Groton for
a manor} one oarooate 5; and a half of land. Always [there were]
8 villeins and 5' boordarii [a rather higher sort of serfs; cotters].
Always [there Was] I plough in dernesne. Always 2 plonghs of
homagers” [tenants] “and I acre of meadow. - A mill, for Winter.

Always I work-horse and 7 cattle and I6 swine and 30 sheep and 2'

free men of half a carneete of land. and they could give and sell their‘
land. Seven bo1'datii. Always I plough 82: I acre of meadow 3’
[belonging to these 7 bo1'darii.] “ Then ” [i.e., under King Edward]
“ it was worth go shillings, and now Are. It has in length 7 forlongs
and 4 in breadth. In the same, to free men and they have I earn»-
cate and it is Worth 20 slfillings. All these could give and sell
their land in. the time of King Edward. Saint Edmond has the

* New England Historical and Genealogical Register, XXIV. 56 aozfe, 6o.

1‘ Some idea of the condensed character of the entries in Domesday
Book may be gathered from the following transcript of the Latin beginning
of the account of Groton, in which the matter within the brackets is what
the Norman smrivener omitted : “ Grotenafmj t[empore] r[egis] E[dwardi]
ten[uit} S[anctus] e[dnnmdus] p[ro} man[erio],” etc. '

~ it The carnoate was a “ plough land,” and is variously set at from twelve .

to one hundred acres.

IS I
soc, protection and sertritude” [i.e., the lord’s legal rights]. “7
pence of gelt” [i.e., Dane-geld], “ bnt others hold there.”

Such were the census returns, made nearly eight httnclred
years ago, of the place from which our good old name is
taken, and which on that account will alwaye be of interest
to us.

It is curious to note the diflierentiways which our fathers‘
had of spelling the name; and the same persons took little
or no Care to ‘smite it uniformly. In those days, they paid
scarcely any attention to What is now regarclecl as an impor-
tant branch of education. Among the documents and papers
that I have had occasion to consult and use in the preparation
of this address, I find the word spelled in fourteen c1itl’er--
ent ways; viz., Groton, Grotton, Groten, Grotten, Groaton,
Groatton, Groaten, Grooton, Granton, Grawten, Grawton,
Growton, Gronghton, and Croaton.

Dictionaries of our language were hardly known at that
time and there Was no standard for spelling; and it seems as
if every one spelled according to his feelings at the moment.
In many cases the odder the form, the better. As an in-
stance of orthographic license then prevalent, it may be
mentioned that there are sixty-five clifierent modes in
xgvhich the name of Shakespeare was written. A

Yonder river, familiar to us as the Nashua, is spoken of,

_ in a record by Thomas Noyes, in 1:659, as the Groaten

River, and is so called in more than one place. Wliile this
would have ‘gratified our local pride, I am not sorry that the
name Nashua was finally kept. It is to be regretted that so
few of the Indian Words have been retained by 133 to desig-
nate the rivers and the hills and other localities," However
rntich such words may have been twisted and distorted by
Englisli pronunciation and misappiication, they furnish us
now with tone of the few links that Connect 123 with pre-
l'iiSi'.0.'t"iC times in America, The word _7Vczs/Ezm:,"*“ in its fol»-
ness and before it was clipped, meant zfifae Zrmd écrweewz, and
referred to the tract on which Lancaster was settled, because
it was éeizveetz the branches of the river ;. the name, l10‘W{'lVt31',;

* Collections of the Connecticut Historical Society, II. 33.

16

Was afterward ttahsferred from the territory to the river

itself.

Among the earliest papers at the State House, relating to
the town, is a request for a brandmark. Joseph Parker
represents to the Governor and magistrates, in a writing

dated May 31, 1666, that he has been chosen constable. and

asks that the letters GR. —--- or monogram, as We should call
it---- be recorded as the brandmarle; of the town. This was
wanted probably for marking cattle. ‘~‘ In answer to this 1110:-
tion the Deputies approve of ye letter GR. to be ye brand
marke of groaten.” 1

Very soon after the settlement of the town, there was a
complaint of imp1*ope1*_Inanagement on the part of the pro-
prietors, and the General Court appointed a committee to look
into the subject. This Committee Visited the place, and re-
ported on “ the entanglements that have obstructecl the plant-
ing thereof,” giving at the same time their opinion that there
was land enough here to fumish subsistence‘ by husbandry to
sixty families. When we consider that this opinion was the
:resttltofclelibe1*ate calculation, on the part of clisinterestecl men,
before the town was shore of its original dimensions, it shows
the vanity of human prophecy, and should serve as a warning
to us all to abstain from prediction in regard to a century
hence. There are now nearly ten thousamzl persons in the
territory of the original Groton Plantation, livittg mainly
by the products of the ‘land. ' t t ‘ ‘ '

For some years before the destruction of the town, the
Indians began to threaten the inhabitants. They were
troublesome neighbors at the best", and their movements
required careful watching. Some of them were friendly,
but others were hostile and treacherous. They had already
acquired the taste for strong drink, and, on more than one
occasion, drunken brawls and fights,which ended in murder,
had taken place between them and the settlers. In May*,
I668, Captain Richard ‘Waldron built a truckinlg or trading
house at Pennicook, now Cotocord, New Hampshire, where

a few Weeks afterwards Thomas Dickinson was murdered?’

by an Indian; and "1-t1n:1 did it.” The affair created great

I7

ezszcitement, and it has been supposed that it prevented a
settlement of the place at that time; at any rate, none was
made until 1726. A warrant was issued to the constable of
Groton to summon john Page, Thomas Tarbell, Jr., Joseph
Blood, and Robert Parish, all of this town, to appear before
the General Court at Boston to give their testimony, which
they did under oath. It appeared in the evidence that there
had been a drunken row, and that Tohawnto, the Chief, de-
sired them, if they had l31*ou.gli1t any liquor, to pour it on the
ground; for, said he, it will make the Indians “ all one
Divill.” From this it would seem that rum in those days
was about the same as it is now, -——-—no better and no Worse,
---— for it still n1al<:es people all one devil.’i

Many of the Indians had now been supplied with fire-
arms, which made them bold and insolent, and it is not

strange that the natural tendency of events should have been i

toward open hostilities. W'e can readily understand how

the fears of the colonists were excited when they thought of T

their own helpless families and their exposed situation. It
betolezened no cowardice to entertain this feeling, and it was
the part of wisdom to prepare for the yvorst. At an early
day there was a military organization in the town, and
we find the following order in the I\/Iassaclmisetts Records,
passed Oct. I5, 1673, in relation to it:»---~

“The millita1'y cornpany of Groaten beiiig distitnt of military
of:Tice1*s, the Court jutlgetli it meet to choose & appoint James
Parl<.e1' to be theire captaine, VVW Lalcin to beleifte11nant,& Na-
thaniel Lawrence to be their ensigne.”

The thunder of the distant storm now began to be heard,
and the colonists were asking for protection. They little
thought that the liglitiling was to strilte -so soon and with
such fatal violence; but in the providence of God it was

« thus ordained.

Captain. Parker writes to Governor Leverett, under date
of Aug. 25, I675, that the inhabitants " are in a very great
strait,” and " are Very much discouraged in their spirits”;
that they want ammunition and twenty good muskets for

3

I8

their picked men. The letter*‘''‘ itself, with the quaint expres-
sions of two centuries ago, will give you a better idea of
their narrow circumstances than any extracts from it; sol
read it entire :----—-

“To the honourd ‘John Leneret Esquir Gouernour of the Massechusets
collony

“ Honoured Sir with the rest of your counsell I have made bold
to enforin your vvorships how the case stand with us that the
Indians are ap1'oachf='-. near to us our scouts have discouerd sev-
erall tracks very near the habitable parts of the town and one
Indian they discouerd but escapt frorn them by Skullcing amongst
the bushes and som of the Inhabitants of our town have heard them
in the night singing and halloeing. which doe deternnin to us their
great height of Insolency: We are in a very great strait our In-
habitants are Very much disconragecl in their spirits and theirby
dissuaded from their callings I have received so men from the
worshipfall Major Willa1°d and Captain Mosselly men to help secnr
our town, but notwithstanding we are in a very vveak capacity to
defend ourselves against the Insolency and potency of the enemy
if they shold apear in number and with that violenc that they did
apear at quahog [Brookfield] the which the good lord forbid if it
be his good pleasur, much honoured and respected the good lord
be with you In your consultations that you may understand what
to doe for your new england Israel at such a tim as this and in par-
ticular ourselves and for our dear neighbours at Lancaster upon
whom the enemy have made an Inraid 6 persons are already found
and buryed the 72 which they doe expect is kild is not as yet found
you may be pleased to tal; notice that we shall want ammunition
speclily by reason that we have parted with som to Capt Mosselly
men and som we spent in the fight at quabog as also I have sup-
lyed the sonldiers with aiiinnition that were sent to me that was
Imployed in the service they having spent their ammunition If
you could help us with zoigood musltets for our pik men and I
will return them again or else give a valluable price for them in
such pay as we can produce among ourselves not else at present
but leave you to the guidance of the God of heaven who is the only
wise counsellor and remains

“ Your servant to coi’”n:;n1d in any service to my power
“JAMES PARKER Capt

“ from Groten
August 25 75”

*5‘ Massachusetts Archives, ZLXVII. 244.

I9

A few clays before the date of this letter, Captain Samuel
Moseley writes"‘*“‘ from "Naslmway Allies Lzml<:aste1*: 16?‘
Angst? I675,” tlmt, in accorclemze with instructions from
Majoz*~Geneml Dennison, he lmd sent “ :2 men to Groztt--
ton.”

In these days, there was 310 phyeicizm in team: te efl’er his
prefessional skill to the govemment in their time of need;
and it was heeeesmy to impress into the public: service at
suggeotu, as well as 21 horse zmcl :;1<:c0utreme11ts,_ as We fled
from the f011owi11g <:>1'cle1*'“"‘ aclclressed t

“ To 'I.‘I~IlZt. C0Ns*:m.t3r.11: 01? BOS'1‘ON.

“ These Require you in his 1\’Iz“1j‘3’-”" name f<:>rthWitl1 to Impresse
M1‘ VVW I~Ia1,1l~:in:'.~'. Cl1.i1*11rg;'e0:'1: I111c:cli;'1tely to p1‘ep;u'e l:1imsell:' will
1m1te1‘i::1l.<s as Cl1i1'L11'geo|'1 & to clispntelt to Mzlrlbom. to Capt l.\/Ioeely

& zttteml his motion 8;: souldiers at (L3v1°oz1ten. or eleewhere: for

weh Eml you :;u*ez1l.s:e t0I1'npre.£;Se zm able horse 3: ftm‘1itm‘e for
him be Gee: xv“! the jl?<:>:e:t
“Dated at Boston :7 Augt.:e*~‘~ 3:675 m:tl«;ing Iiettmx hereef te
the Seeyet?‘
By ye Couraeil
“ Ezow. RAWSON Secret)’ ”

_ And the constelale I'1’1£:“‘t(l{E the §htlo2'semeht en the o:::clet*
that Dr. Ha.wl<:.ins was duly wzmaed.

At this time, King Phi1ip’s Witt‘ had laegtm, zmcl open
hcastilities hacl al:«,u*mecl the inl121bitants of this place. The
Council passecl am o1*cle1*,‘**’* Sept. 8, I675, that Comet
Thomas Brattle :~111d Lieutenant ’l‘l1omas I'~Ie11c:l1mzu'1 should
take fifty men, of which thirty were t0 come ftom Norfolk:
and twenty from Midcllesex, and place them in the garrisons
of Dunstable, Groton, and Lancaster, in suel1 proportions as
they should deem expedient. They were-to place them
"under the cohiztnd of the ehiefe militarytofl’1cers of each
towne: giveing those Gfficers ttlirection: to joyne 3: lyst
ether meet perscms of their ovvne companyes with them, 85

’t‘ Massactmsetts Archives, LXVII. 23g, 241, 259..

20

order them ever r day to st11'1°ound the tewnes yty are to se-
cure ; :3: if they Cam to Ce.1*1'y cloggs with ym to St;’E11'Cl1 for &
diseever titty“ ettimy that ntey £tp1‘O=Ci1 here such tovme & at
t1i§,_;;l1t to repaire tmto sttch. Corps (in geurtl, as are appeittted
to them for the security of the S“ plec:e.” J

Abeut this time, the question ef witltdmwing 21 considerat-
ble force from the g:;n:1*iso11s seems to have been considerecl;
but :-:1 protest against such action was clmwtt up zmcl signecl
by Simcm \Villet°d anti three ethers, who were pmbably the
ofiicers in CG1‘I“tm3.I'}.Ci.. Fmm the 1'ep3*ese.ntetiot1 they mztde,
it is not likely that any troops were tstkett away-'.3

In the atttutmt (October 2'7) 05 this yeatfi. the teem was
assessecl £11 105.33 her mte to catty on the war; and,
‘Wl1(:Et'1 _p2ticl in money, cme-qu2t1'tet* to be £tl)£.1tE‘Ci.

The COi11'it1g winter xmttzst i1€;1‘”v‘€ been .21 hztrd one for the
colenists, not (rely here but tl3:'0ttgl2et1t New Entglaztcl. The
Ittclitms ltztcl bttmecl some towns and tltreatened others, €1'I'1Cl
it was a. season of clistmst and Clt3Sp:’:‘ti1". The time was 1'21}-
iclly appmaelting. far this town te sufi"'et', anti soon the stmke
Came. They wottld have been more tltzttt hummt if they
ltatl net felt despenclent at the lmrc*l fete that lmcl new be-
fzftlleze them. They him seen their houses anal bems bttmecl,
zmcl all the results of their l£ti)C}1" and ll‘11‘lfl' destmyed in a.
day. The little 111eeti11g«l10t1se,. rudely C0r1st1't1<::ted- but no
less dew: to them, xezts 11.0w :1 heap of ashes. To~clay
its very site is m1l<:novm. Some wercls ef censolation, zmcl
e:«:l1ot'tation to trust in the pmviclentze of God, fell from
the lips of their good pastor, Mr. Willaz*d, as they looked
tea1'fttl.ly0t1tl1eir mtinecl lmmes. He hacl been their gtticle

and tE32tCi1€;1‘ cltirititg thirteext yeztrs; zmtzl much that is 3iI1tt2t‘---

estitig is lmowtt CC}I1C€1‘{1i{1g him.

Samuel VVill:;trcl was born. jam. 33:, I639--«40, at Concord,
l\IEISSt?tCl1’t7tS€ttS. He was the son of Major Simon Wi1la1'cl,
at one time an inltabitant of this town, and gmduated at
Harvard Cellege in the year 1659; being the enly member
at the Cti::‘1$S who tool: his sieczcmcl degree. He came here to
succeedeMr. john Miller, the first minister of the town, who
died, jtme :2, x663. Mr. ‘Willard began ta preach probably

‘it

late in the year 1662, or early in 1663. In the latter year,
on the twenty-first of some montli, --wconjecturecl to be June,
the words of the recorcls being so worn as to be illegilvle, «-
it was "voted that Nlr. Wi1la11'cl, if he will accept, shall be
their minister as long as he lives.” Against this action
there were five clissentient votes, which m1mbe1' constituted
probably one-quarter of all the voters; and they certainly
were 1-m‘1o11_g__j the principal and most inlluential inliabitants of
the town. Mr. WlllifL1‘(l must have been at man of a goocl
deal of C‘.l1£11‘£.-LCl‘(;‘1‘ to liave been settled in spite of this opposi-
tion, aucl he seems to have lived it clown Very successfully.
His relatiorls with the ]”)E3())]_)lU,‘ were always l1E'l1‘II1C)l1lOut§~.1; amtl
his salary was g1’{1('lL”l1.'tllylIlC1'(.2El&:lt3({l 1mtil— it was cilouble the
original amount. The first year of his rninistry, it was lixecl
at forty p0'l.1I]Cl:5; the sectmcl year, at :l‘il'ty pomuls: the third
a1'1c:l several. successive years, at sixty pomiclsg ar1(:'l l‘l1i1ally at
c&igl1t_y', part of it l_)(;:i1ig in cou'1f1t1‘ypz1y. Tlflis was the old
e:\fpressio11 for payiixig in proclu<:e. And when the salary
was ‘voted, Oct. I4, 16 12, it was 1‘ec:l~:o11ecl at live sl*iilli11gs a
l)usl'1el t'o1“ Wlmat; tour sl‘1ill.i1'1gs For rye, laarley, a1'1cl peas;
with po1*l«:. and laeef at tl‘11'ee pence a poimcl ;i"a11cl all such as
cannot pay his third part of his pay in E11glirsl'1 corn and
provisioiis, they shall pay in lfncliaxi corn at two sliilliiigs
per bushel ; and the 1‘er1“1z:1i11cle1* of his pay in Iaclian com at

three sllillitigs a l;)usl1el : his :[i.1'eWoocl also al)ove his eiglity 7

pouricls. And ‘l'artl1e1' these persons here set clown [S(;‘1'-
g_,;'ez11'1t I’arl~:er and eleven otliersj do promise and engage to
get M1*.'Will:’11‘cl’s hay, mowing and 1na'l«:ing and fetching
home for eight sliillings per load, at a seasonable time, viz.,
in the mictlclle ot'_]L1ly.” I

M1‘. \/Villarcl was a scholar and writer of corisiclerable note
in his clay, and even now would be considerecl such. Bttt
little is lmown of his early history; and no clmrcll--1'eco1°cl
during his ministry in Groton is extant. Coming here in
the vigor of young manhood, at the age of twenty—-three, ---——
if we may juclge him from the liigli position he afterwarcl
attair1ed,—--—it is fair to assume that he exertecl a strong influ-

ence in this aeighborhoocl. It is probable that his early

22

experiences here fitted him for the places of honor and dig-
nity that he was subsequently called upon to fill. A few
Weeks after his settlernent, he married Abiigail Sherman, a
g1‘&11"1Cl"ClE1L1gl'1lti‘1‘ of Thomas Darcy, Earl of Rivers; and,
after her death, he rnarried, as his second wife, Eunice,
daughter of Edward Tyng. He had a large family of chil-
dren, of whom five were born in this town. One of his
g:*eat-ggrandsons, Robert Treat Pa,ine,’was a signer of the
Declrsretion of Independence.

In the year 1673, Mr. VVillard published a Volume of ser-
mons entitled, " Useful Instructions for a professing People in
Times of great Security and Degeneracy: delivered in sev-
eral Sermons on Solemn Occasions.”

It consists of three sermons, of which one was preached
on the occasion of 9. case of \2vitchcrs.ft that I shall mention
shortly. It is evident, from a reference in the sermon, that
the fame or notoriety of the case had spreacl far from this
town. Mr. Wlll&t‘d says: “There is a voice in it to the
whole Land, but in a more especial manner to poor G'r0z‘o::a,'
it is not a judgement" afar otl’, but it is near us, yea among
us.” i

The book is inscribed, “ To his Beloved Friends the Inhab-
itants of Groton._.” Like all the publications of that time, it
is purely theological, ancl contains nothing now of particular
interest. If he had given us even a few lines of town his-
tor r, it would be almost invaluable. We look in vain t111'oL1gl1
its pages for any thing that throws light on the manners and
customs of the early settlers. We do find, however, the
modes and habits of thought that were prevalent in those
days; and with these we must be content, for the sermons
furnish nothing more. i ‘

In the year 1671:, there occurred here acase of so»-called
Witchcraft, and to this Mr. Willard gave much time and at-
tention. He wrote a Very long letter?‘ to Cotton Mather,
giving the minutest details in regard to it, and Dr. Mather

it Mr. \Vills.rd’s letter is printed in full in the “Collections of the Messa-
chusetts Historical Society,” volume vt3;I., fourth series, page 555.

23

refers to the case in his "Magnalia Christi Americana”
(Book vi., chapter 7, page 67). The victim of the witch»
craft was one Elizabeth Knap, who had the long train of
symptoms which then were usually ascribed to the personal
influence of the Evil One, but which nowadays would con-

stitute a well—-marked case of hysteria. From an expression in

lVIi°. Willai*d’s letter, we learn that the girl went to school in
his house, from which fact we inlet“ that the minister of the
town was also the teacher of the Cl1llCll"'E1'1. At one time his
1‘€SiCl€i’I‘lCt3WElS used as a meeting-house, and now as a school-«
house. Its exact locality is not known to us, tl'1ougl1 it was
in. the present Main Street. From anothet‘ expression in the
letter, we learn there was “ a great meadow neere the house,”
which could be seen from one of the windows in a lower
room. 7

The assault by the Indians on the town was followed by
the breaking up of the place and the scatte1'izig of the inhabi-~
tants. Mr. Willa1'cl never ieturned to his pastorate. Soon
aftervvard he was installed over the Old South Church in
Boston, as the colleague of the Reverend Thomas Thacher.
la the year 1701, he was chosen Vice--president of I-larvard
College, which otlice he filled till his death, at the same
time performing the duties of minister of the Old South.
His connection with the College was really that of President,
although he was called the Vice-president. The distinction
was nominal rather than real. The President was obligecl
by the Constitution to live at Cambridge, and this he was
unwilling to do; so he acted as such without the title.

As minister of the Old South, Mr. Willai*d baptized Ben-~
jamin Franklin. The youhgpphilosopl1er was born in Milk
Street, directly opposite the church, whither he was taken.
to receive the sacrament of baptism while yet his earthly
pilgrimage was limited to a few hours of time.

M1‘. Wiillard’s health began to fail, as he approached his
three score years and ten, the period of life allotted by the
Psalmist, and he presided for the last time at the College
Commet1cerneht,in July, 1797.. In“ August, the Govemor
and Council were notified that he was not capable of doing

24

the vvo-rk at Cambridge for another year. He died, Septem-
ber 12, 170-7.

Dr. Pemberton, in his funeral sermon, says of him that,
“ His Master committed to his Pastoral Care a Flock in a
more obscure part of this VVilderness. But so great a Light
was soon observed thro’ the whole Land. And his Lord did
not design to bury him in obscurity, but to place him in
a more eminent station which he Was qualified for.”

Several printed accounts of King Philip’s W211‘ appeared
very soonafter it was ended; and these furnish nearly all
that is known in regard to it. In those days, there was no
special correspondent on the ,spot to get the news; and, as
the facilities for intercommunication vve1'e limited, these ac-
counts differ somewhat in the details, but, taken as a whole,
they are sufliciently accurate.

The loss of life or limb sustained by the English at this
attack on Groton, fortunately, was not great. So far as is
now known, only one person was killed and two Wounded.
It is recorded, however, that John l\/Iorse was carried ofl‘;
but he did not remain a prisoner for a long time. VVithin a
few months of his capture, he was ransomed by Mr. John
Hubbard, of Boston, who paid about five pounds for his
release. This sum was soon af'terwa1'd reimbursed to
l\‘Ir. Hubbard by a vote of the Council}

These contemporaneous accounts of the assault5 on the
town are all short, with the exception of Hubbard’s; and I
purpose to give them, in the words of the writers, for what
they are vvorth. The first is from “A Brief History of the
\Varr with the Indians in Nevve--England,” by Increase
l\-lather, published in the year 1676. This account —---prob-
ably the earliest in prin.t--—- is as follows : —- i

“ l\ilarel1 rot/2. Mischief was done, and several lives cut oPfby the
]}2c2i'z'¢z7zs this day, at Groin?-z and at Szaciciawy. -An humbling Provi-
dence, inasmuch as many Churches were this day Fasting and
Praying.” (Page 23.)

“- .l-lfizrcrfz 13. The Indians assaulted Grotorvz, and left but few
houses standing. So that this c.la_v also another Cancllesticlt was
removed out of its place. One of the first houses that the Enemy

25

destmyed in this place was the I-farzasa qf Gad, /7242. which was
huilt, zmd Si-3t£1pzE11't for tha celehmtion of the pub1icl«:\«V€>1'ship of
God. -

“Wh11e11 they had dmm that, they scofihd and bl£1S]_Z)hGl'r1tE3C], 2-md
C21 me to M1‘. WTZZ:1'.-rcL7 (the Worthy l’:1st01' of H19, Chu1'c:h thererz) his.
IIOEISB (Which h:e§1":§3;' Fortifieezi, they attempted not to dc—:stmy it) mid
tzluntizxgly, $2-aicl, I/V/2:232? rzarafi yarn {Z0 _f::u-' at 1.202-age 250 gfircags 5'22 220:5: we
Zeczva Km;-7-at _3»'02w* flfcc2fz';z¢rf«£2c92-a.s‘c?’ Thus hath the Ema-":1_n_y done
wickedly in the S.:111c:tL1:11'_y, thcry hIm.ve'I:m1°1_'1t up the Sy11;15;'ogucs of
God in the Lzmd ; they have cast fire i1'1tr:) the S::1nctum'y; they lmve
cast dowrz the ::Ivs.*cl2in;;§ ph-the of his mime is the G1*:3und. 0 Gem’,
£192.32 Zcryzg‘ sfzrzlz.’ 2.‘/2.5: .;’~"1:2??,.»a:2-*.¢zz2-Hy ;w:_gi>mc.zc£e? .s‘,Zm:ZZ Mr: ].".?}Z£"/‘$23!’ _Zi~’!::x.s‘-—
_;h’>/zcazizc 2.‘/z._y 1Vc;um:z w_;‘E22' m.Is;:r*.? "av/zy 74eJ.r'z.‘/z.c'zC.’rc2<*"zUc.'.s‘z.‘ if/mu I.‘.7z..e';-2:3 /mcmi,
cf-3ZJ(3.7'Z 2.‘/fry 2*z"._:3'/.45‘ /itczxzczf .5’ I-z‘2Z*2,:',:::& £2‘ oz-at ay” My éo.<:mvz.«2._” (‘E’;1ge :34.)

SElVE.‘1'£.11 accolmts of the W111‘ zlppezm-3d i11‘Lcmdm1 in 1676,
only a few mo11tl1s after the clestmcztion of this town. ‘Tlxczay
wens: written in New II;?1’1gI;:111cI, zmd sent to Old E11g1:;11‘1c1,
Whe1*¢:~: thcay W(~'31*e at 01106: pL1h1isi'1c:d in thin pmnphlets. The
2-,mth<:a2*:e: hf thaczm 211%: new m1}~:tmw1'1; but they midouhtedly
fg;:Lth£:1‘<;3c1 thz.-ah‘ rh3.t<2:"ials fi‘C}i11 l1c:ar$:‘:y.. At tlmt firm}, Ihdizm
a{Tai:':3 in N ew E::sg1.:1nc1 ztttmctecl 21 goortl <ih32;11 of attexztion in
the m0tl1er coumry. One of tlmscr pamplzlhets is entitlecl, ” A
T‘\l.'L1("3 Accoutttt of thaa: 1m.:>:st C0115-iclemlhnle Occ111'1'e11cr::s;tl1z1t hzwe:
11Elp11€;‘.C1iI"l the: Wah1*1'c2 hctwem1 H16 English and the Indizms

fiirx New I§11.glzh111c ,” “as it I12-1th l3c::(~211 COlI1111L11'.1_‘iC£1t(3C1 by Let-»
tcsrs to 2,1 Fritmcl in ]:.;c)1'1d:':>t1.” ' ‘

‘This; account says ‘[11:11’, -~-~~--—

“ On the Igth of 1"l:fczrcfi, hefom om‘ Fcrrces ccmhl return towmcls
um‘ ,P».-:2:rz‘:;, the ]2z{z?z'cz?zs ésent :1 Strong pzxrty, zmd ass:1LIltr:d the TOWI1
of C}‘m'z::;z‘.:2s>;a,, ahcmt “f"c>rty miles N£‘)1‘£I‘t-\?V£§$t fmm ]3a.s*z‘mrz, and bL1l’l‘},i.1
all the c,1ese1*tec1-I*IoL:£w.-:3; the G:;m‘ise:m’d I*Io1..1ses, which Wtzrre :.113<;"mt
ten, 1111 escapcacl but one, which they cz11'1'ye<:1, but» not the Z.7¢-2g[z'3/:2
in it; for there‘: was but one s1:.:,i11 zmd two WoL1r1cled.” (Page 2.)

Another aczcount, entitled, “ A New and Fu1‘th<-31' Nz11*1*z1tion
of thehState of New England, being a c.o1:1tir1ued account of
the Bloudy Ir1dizm-Wm,” gives the following version : -~~-—-—

‘‘ The 1.:}.th of 11;’./Ezra/73 tlhme savzxge Enemy set upon 21 Co11sicIe1‘z1Jl">1e
Town called G7*0z4zg'/u‘02z,z=111d burnt l\/I£1jO1"Wjh1b€‘1’(lS House first

' 4

26

(Who vvithhis family removed to C/my-Z3 Town) and afterwards
destroyed sixty Five dwelling-houses more there, leaving but six
houses standing in the Whole Town, which they likewise furiously
attempted to set on fire; But being fortified with Arms and Men
as Garrisons, they with their shot, killed several of the enemy, and
prevented so much of their designe; Nor do we hear that any per-
son on our side was here either slain or taken captive.” (Page 4.)

A few pages further on, it says that "G")"6Z72L'f2(£7-7-Z and [V225/’2—
away all ruined but one house or two.” (Page 14.) Few
persons would recognize this town under the disguise of

Gray-2 Z/zcmz . .

Another one of these London pamphlets, bearing the title
of “ News from New England,” says, -—-—-

' “ The 7th of rlifczrc/z following these blood Indians march’t to a
considerable Town called C7-‘carom, where first they set Fire to
l\i[ajor I/Vz'ZZcz7i'a..”s House, and afterwa1'ds burnt 65 xnore, there being
Seaventy two Houses at first, so that there was left standing but
six Houses of the Whole Townfi (Page 4.) T

After these attacks, the town was deserted, and the inhab-
itants scattered in different directions among their friends and

kindred. The war was soon ended; though it was nearly .

three years before the early pioneers ventured back to their old
homes, around which still clustered many tender associations
as Well as sadrecollections. It is recorded that other families
cameback with them. They returned, however, to Ineefi
hardships that would have overcome ordinary men. Several
town-meetings were held to consider their present needs;
and it was voted at one of them to petition the General Court
that they be relieved temporarily from country charges.5 The
petition sets forth that, under Divine Providence, they had

been great sufiferers in the late War with the heathenish

enemy; that they had been subjected to grievous losses and
privations; but, at the same time, they expressed gratitude to
their Heavenly Father that they had the liberty and oppor--
tunity to return. iThey saw with the eye of faith the hand
of God in all their trials. ‘ This consolation alone supported
them, for they knew that with Him on their side their troub-
les would disappear, and all would yet be well. In their
letters and petitions, their humble faith in the providence of

27

God is conspicuous. It furnishes the key--note to many of
their actionsthat would Otl1eI‘WlS”€ seem unaccountable. In
juclging them. we should take the stand_ard of their times
and not that of our day. The scales should be carefully ad-
justed to the habits of that period when there were no public
amusements, inoipopular reacl.ing in the shape of books and
newspapers, and but little 1'elaxatio_11 from toil.

In those early days, there was no variety store, or trader’s

shop, as now, where people could collect to while away long i

evenings, and to inte1‘cl'1z11ige opinions. The roads were so
rough as to be passable only with rude carts, and Carriages
were a l'L1X"L11'y Ltnlmown. The men rode to church on
horseback, with their wives seated behind them on pillious.
The woman made sure of her position by lriolcling on to the
man with l1.e1'1'iglit arm. Tliis mode out‘ travel is supposed
not to have been unpopular with the young folks.

At a Very early period, the road to the Bay, as it was
called, ——-that is, to l3ostou,-»-~'-was by the circuitous route
tl11*ot.1gl1 Chelmsforcl and Billerica, where there was a lwiclge,
built by several towns, --—- of which Grotou was one, —-- and

supported jointly by them for many years. In the year.

I699, the towns of Groton, Cl‘1t3lt‘1]Sll)l'Cl, and Billerica were
engagtacl in a cont1"ove1‘sy“"‘ aboul.‘ the proportion of €Xpt‘.'1’1.‘3!3
which each one should hear in builcliugithe l)1'.l(lgE. ' The
General Court settled the clisputeby <;:u'c;le1*i.1‘1_.g__;* this town to
pay twenty-—four 'pOl.II.1ClS and ten sliillings has her share in
full, with no future liabilities.

The lives of our forefathers were one ceaseless struggle
for existertce; and there was no time or opportunity to culti-
vate those graces which we now consider so essential. If
they were stern and austere, at the same time they were

‘virtuous and conscientious. Religion with them was a liv-

iug, ever-present power; and in that channel went out all
those energies which with us tincl outlet in many (lll:l'i€1'E311'Ei
directions. These considerations should moclify the opin-
ions commonly held in regarcl to the Puritan fathers. The
women then were content with domestic duties, and did not
seek to take part in public affairs. It is wonderful that no

‘tn Massaelmsetts Archives, CXXI. 99.

12:8

murmur 1135 Come down to .~ us expressive of the tyranny of
men in withholding from them the rights wlzicli are new
loudly claimed.

After King I3hilip’s I/Var, the Coloniets were at peace with
the Indians, but it was a suspicious kind of peac*e.'? It re»
quired Watelting and 21 Show of st1*engtl1 to keep it: there
wass no good—will between the native 1'ac:e and the white
it1trude1"s.

Captain Francis Nicholson, ‘W1‘itl1”1g from Boston to Lon-
don, Aug. 3:, 1:688, speaks of the feeling here at that
time. He st1ys:**“----

“Attr1ight[AL1gL1st 19] I came to Dunsstable (about: 30 miles
from hence) from thence I sent two Englissll men anal an Indizm
te .l_:’El1€{L‘€}Gl{€3 about sixty miles up the rivet‘ Me1°ymeel<:; the men
told me they should be 3 cl-ayes in doeing of it; see next day I
Went ijI1I‘Di1g‘l‘3 Gmton and L:».mc.ester, where the people were very

much afiziicl (being out towns) butt I tflltl them as I did other

plztces, that they Sl1OL.1ld nott be see much eztst down, for that they
had the lmppihesse of being sulzsjects of e victorious Iiitig, who
could protect them from all their enemies.”

The military company of the town was still kept up, and
I{I1OWI1 as the Foot Compzmy; end, clu:*i11g a pzwt of the
year 1689, was supported by some czwalry, under the com-
mand of Captain Jacob Itloore. James P2t1‘l{t31*, See, was
appointed the Czztptaioof it; Jonas Pregscott, the Lieutemmt;
and john Lfliilll, the Ezisign: and these appointments were
all Confirmed by the Govemor 2«1nd Cotmeil, at a Convention
held in Boston, July 13, I689.’{ A month later (August to),

'CE1pt21iI‘1 Parker was ordered to supply Hezekiah Usher’s

igenisozt at Nononiciacus with “three men of the men sent
up thither or of the Town’e people, for ye defence of y“ G211‘-—
rison being of publique concernmeiitf’ Groton was one of
the four towns tlmt were designated, August :39; as the
l1ee.dquarte1*s of the forces detached for the public service
against the common enemy; Casco, Newichevvanick (Bev-
wiok), and Haverhill being the others. And we find, soot:

* Docmnents rel:tting° to the Colonial History of the State of New York,
II. 551. .
1 Massachusetts Arz.:l1ives, LXXXI. 24.

.29

after, an order to send " to the head Q¢1arter at Groton for
supply of the Garrison there one Thousand weight of Bread,
one barrell of Salt, one’ barrell of powder three hundred
weight of Shott, and three hundred filints, Sixiquire of

Pa er.” Eleven troo ers were sent hither, Se tember I ,_
P P P

under Cornet john Chubbuck, to relieve Corporal Wliite,
who was succeeded by John Pratt. The corn missary of tlie
post at this time was Jonathan Remington, who seems to
have had but little duty to perform. Shortly afterward, the
order came from the Governor and Council to discharge
him, as well as Captain Moore and his company ‘of cavalry,"‘*
from the public service.8 m

"J11" Paige of Groten” 1' went in the expedition to Canada,
in the year 1690, under’ Major Wilde; was wounded in the
left arm, and did not entirely recover for two years. His
surgeon’s bill, amounting to four pounds, was paid out of
the public treasury.

These facts show that the ea1'ly settlers were not leading a
life of peace at this time. The orders and counter-—orders to
even the small garrison tell too well that danger was threat-
ening. The inhabitants had already experienced the cruelty
of savage warfare, an_d knew it to their horror. For some

years they had been on the constant alert, and held their

lives in their hands. King Willia1n’s W211‘ was now begun.
The second attack on the town came in the summer of 1694,
and the accounts of it I prefer to give in the words of con-
temporaneous writers. Sometimes there are discrepancies
in such accounts; but, as a whole, they constitute the best
auth0rity.9

Cotton Mather, in his "'Magnalia,” thus refers to it : ——

"" Nor did the Storm go over so: Some Drops of it fell upon the
Town o'F,G;roz‘0¢z, a Town that lay, one would think, far enough
oil" the Place where was the last Scene of the Yicatgeczfy.

“ On _‘7z—¢Z_y :37. [1694] about break of Day Groz.‘cm felt some sur-
prising Blows from the I2z.ciz'c.m Hizfckets. They began their
Attacks at the House of one Lieutenant Lczéi-22, in the Out-slcirts
of the To-rmz; but met with a Repulse there, and lost one of their

* Massachusetts Archives, LXXXI. 4o, 60, 67, 71, 73, 74, 81, I38.
1' Massachusetts Archives, xxxvu. 62._ a

30

Crew. Nevertheless, in other Parts of that Plantation, (where the.

good People had been so tired out as to lay down their Jlfz'Zz'z‘c2/.7-3)!
IrVE:zz‘c:/a)_ there were more than Twenty Persons killed, and more
than a Dozen carried away. Mir. Gem"/720772 H05a2‘Z, the Mi11iste1'
of the Place, with part of his Family, was Remarl«:ably preserved
from falling into their Hands, when they made themselves the
l\-{tasters of his House; though they Took Two of his Children,
whereof the one was Killed, and the other some time after happily
Rescued out of his Captivity.” (Book vii. page 86.)

Charlevoizsr, a French missionary in Canada, gives from
his own standpoint another version,*** as follows : -—

“ The Ahénaqui chiefwas Taxous, already celebrated for many

exploits, and corrnnendable attaclmaent to our interests. This
brave man, not satisfied with what he had just so valiantly achieved,
chose forty of his most active men, and, after three days’ march, by
making a long circuit, arrived at the footof a fort [at Groton] near
Boston, and attacked it in broad day., The English made a better
defence than they did at Pescadoue [Piscat-aqua]. Taxous had
two of his nephews killed by his side, and himself received more
than a dozen musket-balls in his clothes; but he at last carried the
place, and then continued his ravages to the very doors of the
capital.”.

The loss of life from this attack was considerably greater
than when the town was destroyed and deserted in the year
1676. There were tvventyétvvo persons killecl and thirteen
captured. The settlement was now more scattered than it
was then, and its defence more diflicult. For this reason
more persons were killed and taken prisoners than when the
place was assaulted eighteen years previously. It is said
that the scalps of the unfortunate victims were given to Count
de Frontenac, Governor of Canada. Among those killed
were VVilliam Longley, his wife, and four or five of their
children; his eldest one, Lydia, a daughter of twenty, and
a son named John, were taken prisoners. These two of his
family escaped the fury of the savages and were spared.
Lydia’s name is found in a list of prisoners who were held
in Canada, March 5, 1710-II. Witliin a few years past, a
Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian families has been pub-
lished, from which additional facts are gathered concerning

* History of New France, IV. 257, Shea"s edition.

3I

Sher. This book (page 9) gives her name as Lydia Made- ‘

leine Longley, and says that she was the daughter of Williain
and Deliverance [Crisp] Longley, of Groton, where she
was born, April I2, I674. In another place (page 396), she
is spoken of as Sister St. Madeleine. She was captured by
the Abénaquis, a tribe of Indians who inhabited the territory
now included in the State of Maine. She was baptized into
the Roman C_atholic Church, April 24, 1696, and lived at the
Congregation of Notre Dame, in Montreal. Shewas buried,
July 20, I758. A g

Her middle name, Madeleine, was doubtless given her
when she joined the Roman Church. It is possible that she
may have lived for a time among the Indians, as many of
the prisoners taken at the same assault were held by them.

john Longley was twelve years old when he was captured.
He was carried away, and remained with the Indians for
more than four years,~—-—-—'a part of the time being spent in
Canada, and the remainder in l\/Iaine. Atglength he was
ransomed, but he had become so accustomed to savaged life
that he left it with great reluctance; and those who brought
him away were obliged to use force to accomplish their
purpose. He was afterward a useful inhabitant of the town,
holding many oflices of trust and responsibtilityfifl

It is recorded that two children of Alexander Rouse, a
near neighbor of Williatn Longley, were also killed in the
assault of I694.

Among the English captives redeemed by Mathew Cary,
from Q\uebec, October, 1695, was Thomas Drew, of Groton,

and he probably was taken at this same assault.'*‘ There A

was one "Tamasin Rouce of Grotten” received, Jan. I7,
1698-9, on board the "Province Gally” at Casco Bay; and she
probably was one of Alexander Rouse’s family. She had,
doubtless, been a prisoner for four years and a lialf,----tlie
same length of time as John Longley’s captivity. There are

imany instances of children who were kept for a long time by

their captors. We can now hardly realize the bitter anguish
felt by the parents over the loss of their little darlings. Bring
the case home, and think for a moment, what your feelings

* Massachusetts Archives, XXXVIII. A 2.

32

would be, if that curly-headed boy or stniling girl was
snatched from your sight at a moments notice, and carried
ofl‘ by tl1e wild men ofthe woods for an uncertain fate. The
l{lClI12-lpplllg of one little boy in a distant city in our times
has caused the hearts of all the mothers in the land to thrill
with horror as they heard of the atrocious deed, and to throb
in sympathy with tl1e bereaved parents. , -
In the year 1694, an Act was passed by the General Court,
which prohibited the desert-ion of frontier towns by the in»-
habitants, unless permission was first granted by the Governor
and Council. There were eleven such towns, and Groton
was one of them. The law required the inhabitants of these
out—towns, who owned land or houses, to take out a special
license, on pain of forfeiting their property, before they could
quit their homes and live elsewhere. It was thought that
the interests of the Crown would be prejudiced, and encour-
agement given to the enemy, if any of these posts were
deserted, or were exposed by lessening their strengtli.
l\’Iai1y towns were threatened by the Indians about this time,
and a few were attacked. It is recorded that some of the

settlers here left the town, and there was probably a rnovea

ment among the inhabitants in other places, to do the same.
This fact, undoubtedly, occasioned the enactment.

Any thing relating to the brave men who sutlerecl in the
Indian wars is now of interest to us, and SI oflier no apology
for giving incidents that may to some persons seem trivial.

Cotton Mather mentions, in his “ Magnalia,” some in-
stances of "rnortal wounds upon the English not proving
mortal,” and gives the case of an inhabitant of this town,

_who was in the garrison at Exeter, New Hampshire, when

that place was assaulted,july 4, 1690. He says that, ---~

“It is true, that one .5'z'7.rzo7z Same being here VVOLIl1CleClVVitl1
Shot in [W726 several places lay for Dead (as it was time 1) among
the Deczzcvf. The ]mZz'cz7~z3 coming to Strip him, attempted with
Two several Blows of an Hatchet at his [Vac/2 to cut otliffeaci,
which Blows added you may be sure, more Enormous \Vo_unds
unto those J.D0?’If-/30366.5‘ of Deczzffla, at which the Life of the Poor

33

Man was already running out as fast as it could. Being cliarged
hard by Lieutenant Bczazcmgfl they left the Matt Without Scafgfizirrg
him ; and tl1e,.Z??"Zg'Z£'.S‘/Z now coming to Bury the Deczczl’, one of the
Soldiers perceived this poor M1111 to fetch a Grasp; whereupon an
]i"z's/2 Fellow then present, advised ’em to give him another Dab
With. an Hatchet, and so Buryhirn with ‘the rest. The Eazg°Zz'.s'/2
cletesting this Barbarous Advice, lifted up the l/Vounded Man, and
poured a little ]?‘czz'r I/l"'?Z1.‘er‘ into his Month at which he Couglied ;
then they poured a little .S'1.’rc_272g' W/’rzz.‘c;'r after it, at which he opened
his Eyes. The ]rz'5Zz Fellow was ordered now to hale a Canon
ashore to carry the W(')Ll'I1(l@(l l\/lien up the Rivet‘ unto a Clti1‘urgeon ;
and as Teague was foolishly pulling the Canoo ashore with the
Cock of his G2-m, while he held the lV.luzzle in his i’:Z'cmn..7, his Gun
went oil‘ and brolce his _.-flrm, whereof he remains a Cripple to
z‘/2.219‘ Daryl.‘ But S257;-2.072 Szfcmci: was tl1o1*ot1gly Cured, and is at 2‘/His
Day a very Lusty Man ; and as he was Born with T1:-or) I/Vzmrzés
on one Hand, his N'eigl'1ho:11's have thought him to have at least as
many ffetzrts as 7225772/).a'.l ” (Book vii. page 7.4..)

Many families trace baclr: their line of descent to this same
Simon Stone, who was so hard to kill, and to whom, fortu-—
nately, the finishing " Dab with an I:~Iatcl1et” was not given.

Josiah Parl«:.er, of Caxnlnriclge, petitions the Governor and
General Court, May 31:, I699, setting; forth the fact that his
brother, James Ptt1'lC@1',_I1‘., and his wife were both killed,
and several of their children taken prisoners by the Indians,
in their assault on the town, in 1694,. One of these chilclren,
Phinehas by name, was redeernecl after four years of cap-—
tivity at the eastward, by the master of a vessel, who paid
six pounds for him. The uncle of the boy represents in the
petition that he himself had reimbursed the master, and now
wished that this sum he allowed him from the public treasury,
which request was duly granted. This poor little orphan
boy was only seven years old when carried off" by the sav-
ages, and the petition relates that he was lame in one of his
legs, brouglit on by the cruelty of his captors.“

It was probably cluring the attack of 1694, that Enoch
Lawrence was wounded. He represented in a petition to the
Governor and Council, that he was a ver r poor man by reason

* Massachusetts Areliives, LXX. 583. V
' 5

34

of wounds in his hands received during a fight with the Indi-
ans in the former war, which. almost wholly disabled him
from earning a livelihood for himself and family. In conse-
quence of these representations, the House of Representatives
allowed him, October 17, I702, exemption from taxes, and
an annual pension of three pounds during life.

Governor William Stoughton issued a proclamation,"** Jan-
uary :21, 1695, and refers to the “ tragical outrages and bar-
berous murders ” at Oyster River (now Durham,‘N. H.) and
Groton. He says that several of the prisoners taken at these
places ‘.‘ are now detained by the said Indians at Ainaras-
coggin and other adjoining places.”

Cotton Mather says that one man was killed here in 1697,
and another, with two children, carried into captivity. The
prisoner was Stephen Holden, who was captured, with his
two oldest sons, John, and Stephen, Jr. john was released
in January, 1699, at which time the father and the other boy
were yet remaining in the hands of the savages. It was not
long, however, before they too were freed 3 for, in the follow-
ing june, the House of Representatives voted three pounds
and twelve shillings for the expenses that had been incurred
in bringing them back.” _

After these attacks, there was a short respite, which con-
tinued till I704, when the frontier towns were again exposed
to savage warfare ; and this town suffered with the others.

Samuel Penhallow, in “A History of the Wat's of New
England,” published in 1726, thus refers to the attack on
this place, in August, I704. :—

The Indians “afterwards fell on f_.zmccz.s‘fer', and Gmtorz, where
they did some Spoil, but not what they expected, for that these
Towns were seasonably strengthened. . . .

“ And yet a little while after they fell on Ge-oatavz, and Na:/Eon
way [Lancaster], where they kil1’d Lieut. T/I/jxier [Wi1de1'] and sev-
eral more.” (Page 24.)

A party of Indians, about thirty in number, made their
appearance in town, and killed a man on the night of Octo-

*‘Documents relating to the Colonial History of New York, IX. 613, 614.

35

ber 25, I704. Pursuit was at once made for them, but it
was uz:1su<:cessful.13

It is not mrprising that the inliahitants, upon the renewal
of hostilities, were obliged to ask for help from the General
Court, They had alreacly st1fFe1*etl meal: in life and property,
and were little able to bear new burdens. They represented
to the Governor that they had been gi'eatly impoverished by
their losses of horses and cattle, of corn arid hay, and that
they were scarcely able to hold out much lo23gex*; hot the
C1'owning calamity of all was the illness of the minister, Mr.
Hobart, wliioh prevented liim from preaching‘. Their means

were so limited, that they could not eupport him and supply =

his place besides. They were obliged to earn their living at

the peril of their lives; zmcl some were tl,1lI1l{l1'lg‘ of leaving

the town. They spent so much. time in wateliing and g'uercl-
i1“1g',tl1at they seemed to be solcliera 1‘Ell'.l1(:‘1‘ than fa1*1ne1*e.
Under these discouraging <:iroorr1st2‘mees,they 3.Sls’L€{l for help,
and were allowed out of the public treasmy twenty pounds,
to assiet them in procuring another m_irzister, hesitles ten
pounds to be divided among those who were the greatest
sttflierers in the late attack upon ‘t”l1€,‘l'11.M

Two years later, another assault was made on the town,

lZl10t.1gl‘.t with little clamage, I again quote from Penhallow :

‘‘[july 2:, 1706.] Several Strokes were afterwartls made on
C‘./2ez.’m.<§/iorri, Szadézmjx and Gr-otorz, where three Solcliere as they
were going to pul:iliel«: \/Vorehip, were w'ay—laitl by :3: Small Party,
who ls:ill’(;l two, and lTl£lt“.l€ the other a P1'isone1‘.” (Page 36.)

A few additional particulars of these “strolms ” are found
inthe ReVe1‘encl]ol111 Pike’s "]ourfia.1,” under this entry : 

“July 2t, I706. Sal): 2 sonldiers slain & one Carried away by
the enemy at Groton. They were all new—Camb1'itlge [Newton]
men, & were 1‘ett11'ne(l to their Post from one Bloods house, who heal
invitetl ym to Dinner.”

The Reverend‘ Mr. Homer, in his " I-listory of Newton,”
gives the names of these men as Jolie Myrielc, Nathaniel
Healy, and Ebenezer Seger, and says they were all three

* Proeeeéings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1873-76, page I43.

36

killed by the Indians. This statement is not quite accurate,
as john Myricl: was alive after this date. Only two were
killed.

Penhallow gives several instances of extreme cruelty to the
prisoners on the part of the savages, and mentions the follow-
ing case of a man who was captured in this town : —~~--

“ A third was of S0mzz.«:eZ Bzrfferffield, who being sent to Gzrotorz
as a Soldier, was with others attackt, as they were gathering in the
-Harvest; his bravery was such, that he l<ill’d one and Wounded an-
other, but being overpoWer’d by strength, was forc’d to submit;
and it hapned that the slain Imiicm was a Sagacmoz-e, and of great
dexterity in V/Var, which caused matter of Lamentation, and enrag’d
them to such degree that they vow’d the utmost revenge; Some
were for whipping him to Death; others for burning him alive;
but difiering in their Sentiments, they submitted the Issue to the
Sgzmxw W}.'dm:v, concluding she would determine something very
dreadful, but when the matter was opened, and the Fact consid-
ered, her Spirits were so moderate as to make no ‘other reply, than,
“}7mjz‘zme L’g‘zaare. Upon which some were uneasy; to whom
she answered, ff 5}! ;%z'ZZ-Mg‘ 12.2};-2, you can drzfizg 77-2_y Hzzséarzd to
Zzffe agaz'7z, I éegyau to stzzdy w/mz‘ Deal‘/z you please ; dart  7202'
Z925 /2.2322 56 my Servcm:t,' which he accordingly Was, during his
Captivity, and had favour shewn him.” (Pages 38, 39.)

Butterfield remained a captive for more than a year. It is
not known how he obtained his release. We find his peti-
tion,**‘* dated April 10, I706, to the General Court, which sets
forth the fact that he was an inhabitant of Chelmsford, and
was sent by Captain Jerathmel Bowers to Groton, to help
Colonel Taylor, in August, 1704, when the enemy came
upon the place. He was ordered, with some others, to guard
a man at work in the field, when the Indians attacked‘ them,
killed one, and captured another besides himself. Butterfield
represents, in the petition, that he " made all the resistance"
possible,kil1ed one, and knockt downitwo more after they
had seized him, for which yon Petitioner was cruelly used
by them afterwards & threatened to be burnt, several times.”

* Massachusetts Archives, LXXI. I95.

37

He says thatihe “ was very well accoutred in all respects
when he was taken, and then was stript of all and was be-
tween fourteen and fifteen months a Captive eXpos’d to great
hardships, and has sustained great Loss and damage.” [In
consideration of his loss and service, he was allowed the sum
of ten pounds out of the public treasury.

A man was killed here, June I2, I707. His name was
Brown, and he is spoken of in Pil<e’s “_lournal” as M1‘.
Bradstreetfs man. I

In a list of prisoners in the hands of the French and In-
dians at Canada,*“ l\/Iarch 5, I7Io—II, we find the names of
“Zech: Tarbal, John Tarbal, Sarah Tarbal, Matt. Farms-
worth [and] Lydia Longley,” though there is nothing in the
record to show when they were captured. ‘With the excep-
tion of Lydia Longley, they were probably taken between
1704 and I708. It is known that the two Tarbell boys re-
mained with the India_ns and became naturalized, if I may
use the expression. They were afterward made chiefs’ at
Caughnawaga and St. Regis, villages in Canada. Nearly
forty years after their capture, lGovernor Hutchinson met
them in New York State, and refers to them thus : —+—

“ I saw at Albany two or three men, in the year 1744., who came
in with the Indians to trade, and who had been taken at Groton in
this, that is called Clueen Ann’s war. One of them Tarbell,
was said to be one of the wealthiest of the Cagnawaga tribe. He
made a Visit in his Indian dress and with his Indian cornplexion
(for by means of g1'ease and paints but little clilTe1'e11ce could be
discerned) to his relations at Groton, but had no inclination to
remain there.”--—I*Iutchinson’s “I~Iistory' of Massachusetts,” 11.
139. '

This is another account :-———-

 

“It is related that, about a century and a half ago, While a
couple of boys and a girl were playing in a barn at Groton, Mas-
sachusetts, some Indians suddenly appeared, seized the boys and
fled, ca1‘rying them to the village of Caughnawaga, nine miles
above Montreal. They grew up with Indian ‘habits, ma.nners, and
language, being finally adopted as members of the tribe; and
married Indian brides selected from the daughters of the principal
chiefs.”-—— “The Galaxy,” for January, 1870, page 124..

’*‘ Massachusetts Archives, Lxxx. 765.

38

The people must have lived in constant dread of the
Indians during most of Ogeen Anne’s war. Sometimes an
outlying farmhouse was attacked and burned, some of the
inmates killed and others carried away in captivity; some-
times the farmer was shot down while at labor in the field,
or while going or coming. This wasthe fate of john Shat-
tuck and his son, John, a young man about twenty years of
age, who were killed May 8, I709. '

At another time, the date of which is not recorded, the
house of John Shepley was burned, and himself and all his
family were massacred, except his young son, John.
There may have been some special spite against him,
because some years before he had killed an Indian; for
which act he received from the General Court a bounty of
four p0unds.15 This boy, John, the savages carried away
with them and held as captive during several years. But
as is often said, where there is great loss, there is some little
gain. The knowledge which he obtained of their language
and customs while a prisoner was of much use to him in
dealing with them in after-life. Tradition relates that, when
buying furs and skins of the Indians, he used to put his foot:
in one scale of the balance instead of a pound weight. He
is the direct ancestor of the Honorable Ether Shepley, for-
merly Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the State of
Maine, and of General George F. Shepley, now a Justice of
the Circuit Court of the First Circuit of the United States.

Near the end of Q\L_‘£E3EiI'l Anne’s War, we find a list of
eighteen garrisons in this town containing, in all, fifty-—eight
families, or three hundred and seventy-eight souls. Of
these, seventeen were soldiers in the public service.“

The military company at this post,,in the summer of 1724,
was made up of soldiers from different towns in this part of
the State, and was commanded by Lieutenant Jabez Fair-—
banks. Some of them were detailed as guards to protect
the more exposed garrisons, and others were scouting in the
neighborhood. They were so scattered that the command-
ing oflicer found it difiicult to drill them as a company.

Fortunately, however, they were not engaged in much fight-

39

ing, thottgh the enemy had been lurking in the neigluborw
- hood, and threatening the town. Penhallow, in speaking of
the Indians at this time, says that, -—-- L

“ The next d_:.mmge they did, was at Geoiarz, but were so
elesely pursued, tlmt they left several ef their Peeks behind.”
(Page 102.)

Thitteezt ef Lieutenant Fairb2mks’s company heletzged
here, and represented some Oft11€‘113DSti}1flt1£i}.1ti£l1 families
in the place.“

Governor Seltotistall, of Connecticut, W1-ites"* fmtn New
London, under date of July 23, I724, that the friendl_y'
Indians of that 1'1eig111)01*l100C1 seem inclined to hunt for
scalps about Mtmadnoek and the f'art1”1er side 0f Dunstable
::mdG1*etm1. This was ewing to an offer made about this
time by the gevterxzmextts ef Mztssttehusetts and New I*:Iemp—~
shire, of 21 betmty -at" 21 hundred pounds thy eVe1'yIt‘zdi£m’s
scalp tlmtt, sltmticl be tflktfitl tsmd shown to the proper‘ .:mth0ri-
ties. This expedient Sti111L11E§1tt3CI v01untee1's to scour the
wilderness for the purpose of ]'1'l.1I"lti1'ltg__T Incliarls, £11161 Captain
John Lovewell, 0t'tDunst21b1e, o1'gat1izecl at cornpany, which
seem became fiftmous.

The StO1‘_§£' ef Lovewe1l’s fight was for at long time told in
every ltettseheld in this neigh1':>erhe0d, and there is scarcely
21 person who 1121.-S not lneercl from early it1fm2cytl‘ze pattit:;u,-
lets of tlmt eventful conflict. It tves in the spring of the
year 1725, that CE.1pti‘tiI1 Lovewell, with thirty—fou1* men,
f0L1.g11t a fa.m01_1s Indian chief, named Pzttlgtls, at the head of
about eighty savages, near the shores of £1 pond in Pequaw-
ket. Of this little Spartan biitlld, seven belcmged in this
town; and one of them, john Chal1’1bE1‘}?tiI‘i by name, distin-
gttished himself by killing the Indian leaclez‘. It is fit that

$22. reference to this fight slmuld be made, an this eccesion,
t11toug11 time does not allow me to dwell uptm it.

The town, nowtno 10ng'e1* on the frontiers, was again
t111'eate1ied with danger near the end of King Ge0rge’s war.
A company of t11irty-tvv0 men, under the command of Cap»-

"‘ Massachusetts Archives, 1.1!. 23.

40

tain Thomas Tarbell, scouted in this vicinity for six days in
July, 1748, but they do not appear to have discovered the

"enemy. Afew days afterward, another company of thirty——

six men was sent on a similar expedition, but with no better
success.” In the rolls of these two companies we find many
names that have been prominent in the annals of the town
from its very beginning. Among them are the Prescotts,
the Ameses, the Bancrofts, the Shepleys, the Parkers, a son
of Parson Bradstreet, and a grandson of Parson Hobart.

The military service of G1-oton men was-not confined to
this neighborhood. Daniel Farmer, a Groton soldier, was
taken prisoner, July 14, I748, in a skirrnish with t-he Indians,
near Fort Durnn1er."“* He was carried to Canada and kept
till the followiiig October, when he was allowed to return
home.

Fort Dutnmer was situated on the West bank of the Con-
necticut River, in the present town of Brattleborough, Vt.
Two of its early commanders had been connected with
Groton by the ties of kindred. Colonel Josiah Willa1*d, in
cornmand of the fort for many years, was a grandson of
Parson ‘Willard; and he was succeeded in command by
Lieutenant Dudley Bradstreet, a son of Parson Bradstreet,
and a native of this place.

Ebenezer Farnsworth, born in Groton, was captured Aug.
30, 1754, by the St. Francis Indians, at Charlestown, N.H.1'
He was taken to Nlontreal and held a prisoner during three
years. His ransom was paid in the summer of 1755, but
he was not then set at liberty. l\Irs. Johnson and her sister,
l\liriam VV'illard, were captured at the same time. They
were both daughters of Moses W'illard, who had formerly
lived in the south part of this. town.

During the French and Indian W31‘, the territory of Aca-
dia, or Nova Scotia, fell under British authority; and the
conquest was followed by a terrible act of cruelty and Vio-
lence. The simple Acadians, unsuspicious of the designs
of the English leaders, were assembled in their churches, in

*4‘ Ha1l’s History of Eastern Vermont, page 50.
1' A. Narrative of the Captivity of Mrs. Johnson, pp. 81:, 96.

4.1:

obedience to military proclamation, and thence, without being
allowed to return to their homes, were driven at the point
of the bayonet on board ships, to be scattered over all the
English colonies in America. This was done with so little
regard to humanity that, in many instances, wives were sep-
arated from husbands, and children from parents, never to
see one another again. Manyy an Evangeline waited in Vain
expectation of being re-united to her Gabriel, thus torn away
from her. Two of these French families, ten persons in all,
were sent to Groton, where one of the mothers died, not
many months after her arrival, perhaps, from the rude trans-
planting. A few years later, a French family—--~perl1aps
one of these two——-is mentioned as living here; but the
household had become divided, some of the little children
being sent to the neighboring towns. Our pity for these
unfortunate people will be stronger when we reflect that they
were miserably poor, among a race who spoke a strange
language, followed other customs, and abominated their
religion. Under these circumstances, their l‘1011]ESlCl<I‘1€3SS
must indeed have been bitter; but We have reason to believe
that they were treated with tender care by the people here.
We are glad to learn from the records that they were fur»

nished with medical attendance, and articles necessary for .

their bodily comfort. _
It was during this war that Jacob Ames was shot by an

Indian, on the west side of the Nashua River, below the site

of the paper-mill lately burned. He was the last man killed
by an Indian Within the township. The Indian himself was
imrnediately afterward shot by one of Ames’s sons.

Another struggle was now impending, severer than any
the Colonists had been engaged in. Almost immediately
after the French and Indian Wat“, the odious Stamp Act was
passed, which did much to hasten public opinion toward the
Revolution.

I hold in my hand a stamp issued under the authority of
this Act. On a public occasion, many years ago, Mr. Ev-
erett said, in speaking of a similar one, that “this bit of
dingy blue paper, stamped with the two-and-sixpence ster-

6

4.2

ling, created the United States of America, and cost Great
Britain the brightest jewel in her crown.”

The Stamp Act was followed by the Boston Massacre,
the Boston Tea Party, and the Boston. Port Bill, ———-- all too
familiar to be particularized. These acts excited tl:1rough-
out the land a deep feeling for the capital of New England.
The eyes of all the colonies were now turned toward Boston,
and she received the hearty sympatliy of the whole country.
The sentiments of the people of this town are shown in the
following letter "* from th_e Town Clerk : -——-

"‘ Gnororu, June 38th, 1774..

“ GEN'rLEMEN,——The inhabitants of the Town of Gretna, in
general, are deeply atlecteci with a sense of our public calamities,
and more especially the distresses of our brethren in the Capital
of the Province, as we esteem the act of 1J1c>clti.1ig up the ha-trbor
of Boston repletewith injustice and cruelty, and evidently clesigiiecl
to compel the inhabitants thereof to submission of taxes imposed
upon them without their consent, and threatens the total destruc-
tion of the liberties of all British America. VVC: ardcntly desire a
happy union with Great Britain and the Colonies, and shall glzltlly
adopt every measure consistent with the dignity and safety of
British subjects for that purpose.

“ In full confidence that the inhabitants of the Town of 13oston
Will, in general, exhibit examples of patience, fortitude and per-
severance, while they are called to endure this oppression for the
preservation of thejliberties of their country, and in token of our
willizigness to afFo1‘d all suitable relief to them in our power, a
number of the inhabitants of this Town have subscribed, and this
day sent forty bushels of grain, part rye and part Indian corn, to

be delivered to the Overseers of the Poor of said Town of Boston,

not doubting but the same will be suitably applied for that pur—-
pose ; and we earnestly desire you will use your utmost endeavor to
prevent and avoid all mobs, riots, and tumults, and the insulting of
private persons and property. And while the farmers are cheer-~
fully resigning part of theirsubstance for your relief, we trust the
merchants will not oppress them by raising upon the goocls which
they have now on hand and heretofore purchased. And may God
prosper every uncle1*tal<ing which tends to the salvation of the
people. i

* Massachusetts Historical Collections, Fourth Series, 1v. 7, 8.

43

“ We are. gentlemen, your friends and fellow-countrymen. In
the name and by order of the Committee of Correspondence for

the Town of Groton.
“OLIVER PRESCOTT, CZe:r/a.

“To THE: Ovensenas 033‘ THE Town or Bos'roN.”

The reply  was as follows : --

“ BosToN, July 5th, 1774.

“ SIR, ———Your obliging letter directed to the Overseers of the
Poor of this Town, together with a generous present from a num--
ber of the inhabitants of the Town of Groton, for the relief of such
inhabitants of this Town as may he sL1tTe1'er's by the Port Bill, is
come to hand. In behalf of the Committee of this ToWn,_ap-
pointed for the reception of such kind donations, I am. now to
return to you and the rest of our benefactors the mostsincere
thanks. The gentlemen may be assured their donations will he
applied to the purpose they intend. ‘V(*3.E11'e much obliged to you
for the wise cautions given in your letter; and we shall use our
best endeavors that the inhabitants of this Town may endure their
suflerings with dignity, that the glorious cause for which they sat?-
fer may not be reproached. VVe trust that the non—consumption
agreement, which we hear is making progress in the country, will
put it out of the power of any of the merchants to take unreason-
able advantage of raising the pricesof their goods. You will,
however, remember that many heavy articles, such as nails, &c.,
will be attended with considerable charge in transporting them
from Salem. As the bearer is in haste, I imist conclude, with
great regard for your Committee of Correspoitdence and the in-
habitants of the Town of Groton.

“ Sir, your friend and fellow-countryman,

“ Signed by order of the Overseers of the Poor,

“ SAM. PARTRIDGE.
“ To THE COMMITTEE on THE ToWN or GROTOI-T,
IN l\L\.ss.n.cHUssTTs.”

The times that tried men’s souls were now rapidly approach-
ing; and the rights of the Colonies were the uppermost sub-
ject in ‘ the minds of most people. Groton sympathized
warmly with this feeling, and prepared to do her part in the
struggle. A considerable number of her inhabitants had

* Massachusetts Historical Collections, Fourth Series, Iv. 9, I0.

44

receivecl their military schooling in the F1*e1'1ch VVELI‘, as their
fathers before them had received theirs in the Indian war.
Such persons did not now enter upon camp life as inexperi-—
emted or undisciplined soldiers. The town had men williiig
to serve and able to cormnaod. Witltizz a quarter of a mile
of this ‘very spot the man was born, who Cormhaiidecl the
American forces on Bunker Hill; and, as long as the story
of that battle is told, the name of Prescott will be tan"1ilia1~.**“

Before the beginning of actual hostilities, two companies

of I°I’}iI}t}l1t‘.-II}£i.‘£"1 had been zorgaoizecl in this place; aocl, at the

desire of the otlieers, the Revereiicl St11‘£)¥3€3lVVL‘l)StfEi‘2‘, of Tem-
ple, N. EL, preached a. sermon, February 2:, 1775, ltiefore
them, which was flft€1‘\Vt’11‘Cl priotecl. It is there stated that a
large majority of the town had e1'1gafg;ecl to hold themselves,
agreeably” to the plan of the Proxrinczial Cotmttil, in prompt
::‘ea.::liness to act in the service of their ooimtry. The sermon
is singiilarly £11t33.g‘1“{?. in particulars Whieh would interest as
at this time, and is made up largely of theologiczal opinion,
perhaps as valuable now as then, tliotiglt not so highly
prized. . -
The Reverend Samuel Dana was the minister of the town
at this periocl, aasl, t1ot"o1'tLmately for him, he was too much
in sympathy with the Crown in the g1*eat sti*i2gg‘le now going
on for human 1'igl1ts. Mr. Dana may not have been a Tory;
but he did not espptxse the cause ofthe Revolution. Tlie state
ofptihlic feeling was such that everyhocly" was clisttustecl who
was not on the side of political liberty. The people said,
" He Wlio is not for us is zigainst us; ” and the coaficlence of
his flock was C£)I1Vf::l'l§EiCl into clistmst. It was easy to see that
his irifltiehce was gone; and almost evei‘ymioiste1*in New
England who held similar opinions shared the same fate.
It was important that the public teacher and p1‘(i‘flCl‘1€1‘ should

be in sympathy with the popular mind on the prominent politi-
seal questions. This was 21 period of great events; and no

man could stand against their crushing force. It was evident

* (Do the night of May 21, £775, the counte1~si§;;n at the camp in Cambridge
was “ Pepperell,” and the parole, "" Groton.” This was undoubtedly in com»
pliment to Colonel Prescott.

45

that his usefulness was ended; and the relations between

him and his p::"11“:lSl"1 were se.ve1*ed without the intervention of

3. 1'egt1la1* ecclesiastical council.

Mr. Dena was at ccmscientious mate; and it was his misw
fortune rather than his fhult, that he was not more lmppily
simated in 1*ega1'<:l te his people. -It is but justice to his
niemory to say tlmt, after Bu1'g0yne’s sL1rrencle1', in the year‘
1777, Mr‘. Dame felt tliztt the celenial cause was the Winhhtfjg;
one; while before this event he 'El“1OLlgl']l.‘ thztt the Wzzmt of suc—
cess on the part of the Celenists would result in their _gt'eete1'
misery. He then became szttisfiecl that the power of the
cotmtry was suflicientto sustain the Deal:-tmtieit of Indepen-
dense; and he was ever after the tmiferrtt sttpp03'ter of all
nneasmes looltitng to its ztelcnowleclgntuetlt by the enemy. It
is 3. little 1'em2t1'l‘;:1l3le' that Mr. Dittlél, who lied such a. Tctry
bias that he was 0l)ligec'l to leave the ministry in G"1'OlZOI1,
should hztve been a c;:zmdid:tte in I782 for the cenventitm to
form Et CO1‘}.‘:3"CllTL1l;}i{L}I} 1231' New l.“.I£tt1“1pSi1l.I'€, " as a sovereign zmcl
independent‘ body pc;>litiC.” T

After his clismissel frem the pztrislt, he eflieietecl clttring
perhaps 3 yeah‘ zmd :1 ltalf, in I780 and 1781:, as the minister
of 21. Pr<::sl::yte1'i2t11 seciety, '\7-Vl‘.>.lCl’} lttecl at short existence in thie
tewh. This was eyeing; chielly" to some of his eld p.:u'ishi0ne1*s,
who were dissatisfiecil with Dr. Cltttplin, his s1;1cc:ess()r. Wliile
living herea Mr. Dame Wes a_1t3p<::>i1*xte.cl e::;eet1tm* ef the will of
jolm Bttlkley, Esq., an attorney-at-l21W in this town. This
position bl‘ett1gl1t him in C€)t”1t£tCt with a library, which he used

in studying law, thouglt, at this time, with no pinfessioimli

eye to business. In the yezu: I779, Thorhe.s Coleman, who
sttcceeded Mr. Bttlkley as a lawyer, had his residence and
Ofiice in Mr. D2ma’s house; anal this ci1'Ct1111ste11ce helped
liitm in gaining his new pmfessiott. He was admitted to the
l){:1’1‘ in 11:78:, and laegan pretctice at Amltersh N. H. He
soon ettainecl high ramk in his new calling, and received
many f1‘}£tt”l-{S of kindness and Ce11fidem:e from his neighbors
and fellow-czitizcens. He was ofl’ered the appeintment to 21
judgeship of the Inferior Court of Commen Pleas ; but he de-
clined it. He afteiward accepted the oflice of Judge of Pro-

4'6

bate, which he kept only for a short time. His success as

an advocate before a jury was markecl; and this was due in
part to his fluency of speecl1 and clearness of expression,
resulting from his pulpit experience.

He died, April 2, I798, at Amherst, and was buried with
masonic honors, when the Honorable Timothy Bigelow, of
Groton, delivered a funeral eulogy, which is in print. His
name is perpetuated in this town by the Dana School.

During several days before the Battle ofLexi11gto11, a hos»
tile incursion by the English soldiers stationed in Bostonwas
expected by the patriots. Its aim was the destruction of
stores collected for the use of the piovincial cause; and, on
this account, every movement ofthe British troops was closely
Watched. At this time, the Committees of Safety and of
Supplies voted that some of the stores should be kept at Gro-—
ton ; and, if their plan had been fully carried out, it is a1'no11g
the possibilities of the war that another battle might have been
fought in Middlesex county, and Groton have been the scene
of the action. But open hostilities ljegati so soon afterward,
that no time was given to make the removal of the stores.
It was ordered by these committees, April 17, that the four
six-pounders be transported from Concord to Groton, and
put under the care of Colonel Prescott. On the next day, it
was voted that all the ammunition should be deposited in
nine different towns of the province, of which Groton was
one, and that one--half of the musket cartriclges be removed
from Stow to Groton. It was also voted that two rneclicinal
chests should be kept at cli1’t'erent places in the town, and
that eleven hundred tents be deposited in equal quantities in
Groton and six other towns.‘’'‘"

In the summer of 1777, the Council of the State recom-
mended to the Board of War‘ that the magazine '|' in this town
should be enlarged sufficiently to hold five hundred barrels of
powder. This recommendation was carried out within a
few days; and a corporal and four privates were detailed to

* journals of the Coinrnittee of Safety and of the Committee of Supplies
of the Provincial Congress of Massachusetts, 1774-1775, pages 516~518.
1' Massachusetts Archives, CLXXIII. 274, ago, 549.

47

guard it. A caution was given “ that no person be inlisted
into said Guard that is not known to be t1tta.cl'1edt0 thetAmeri-—
can Cause.” I,,ate1* in the autumn, the detail was increased
to a. sergeant E‘t’11d*I1ln€ privates. ,

Two years afterward, some glass was Wmatecl for this very
building, and for the school»-house, as the windows were
much broken. The selectmen of the town. CC)L1lCl obtztin
the glass only througlt the Bti)t1I'Cl of W211‘; and to this
end they petitioned the Bemcl for leave to they it.’°*"‘ The re——~
quest was clttly g1'£t11tt‘3d; amtl I mention this trivial fact to
show one of the little p1*iva1t.ions common in those days.

It is said in the note—book. of the Reverend Dr‘. Jeremy Bel~—-
lcnsp, of Boston, that 3 1".1€gI"{) belonging to this town shot
M2tjo1* Pitceitn through the lteetl, while he was rallying the
dispersed British troops, at the Battle of Bunker Hill.’[ It is
1<:now1:1 that Piteairtt was killed by it negro, but this is, per»
haps, the first time that he has ever been cotmected on good
etttlterity with Groton.

The record of this town €ltE1‘i1'1g‘ the Revolution was a.
highly ltouorsble one. I‘-Ier: soldiers achieved clistjngzztion, in
the field, zmcl many of them in zztfter life filled positions of
trust atnd responsibility. I

In the year 1776, an Act was pessecl removing the Novem---
her term of the Court of General Sessions of the Peace and
Court of Common Pleas, from Charlestowrt to Groton. It
may he conjectured that the elnzmge was owing to the dis-
ttt1*b.:,m<:es of the Wat‘. Two years later, by another Act,
this November term was tmesferred to Cetmbriclge, to take
the place of the May term, which in turn. was bmt;1g'ht to
Groton, where it 1'ema.irted till 1787. It is very likely that
the sessiotts of the Court were held in this very buildincr.
The Court was sitting in this town during the famous dark
day of May, 1780,

Joseph Dermie, the poet, was 1'ustice.ted from college in his
senior yestf, and placed Lmcler the czare of Dr. Clmplin, the
minister of this town. Dennis used to say that he was sent

"‘ Massaelmsetts Archives, CLXXV. 647.
1' Proceedings of the Masssclmsetts Elistericet Sseiety, 1873»-76, page 93.

48

away from Cambridge to let his class catch up with him in

their studies. After he had been here a short time, he writes‘

to a classmate, under ‘date of Feb. 24, I790; giving his irn..
pressions of the place. He says: “A better, more royal,
social club of Lads cannot be. found in America, college
excepted, than at Groton.”

During a part of the first half of the present century,
G-roton had one characteristic feature that it no longer pos-
sesses. It was a radiating centre for different lines of stage-
coaches, until this mode of travel was superseded by the
swifter one of the railway. A whole generation has passed
away since the old coaches were wont to be seen in these
streets. They were drawn usually by four horses, and in
bad going by six. Here a change of coaches, horses, and
drivers was made.

The stage-driver of former times belonged to a class of
men that have entirely disappeared from this community.
His position was one of considerable responsibility. This
important personage was well known along his route, and
his opinions were always quoted with respect. I can easily
recall, as many of you can, the familiar face of Mr. Corey,
who drove the accommodation stage to Boston for so many
years. He was a" careful and_ skilful driver, and a man of
most obliging disposition. He would go out of his way to
bear a message or leave a newspaper; but his specialty was
to look after women and children committed to his charge.
I recall, too, with pleasure, Horace George, another driver,
popular with all the boys, because in sleighing-time he would
let us ride on the rack behind, and would even slacken the
speed of his horses so as to allow us to catch hold of the
straps. _

In the year I-802, it is advertised that the Groton stage
would set ofi’ from I. &' S. VVheelock’s, No". 37 Marlboro’
(now a part of Wetsliington) Street, Boston, every Wed11es—
day at 4 o’clocl<: in the morning, and arrive at Groton at 3
o’clocL: in the afternoon; and that it would leave’ Groton
every Monday at 4. o’clocl< in the rnorning, and arrive in
Boston at 6 o’clock in the afternoon. It seems from this that

4-9

it took three hours longer to make tl1ei1‘ip down to Boston

“thanlup to Groton. In the succeec1i11g year, a semi-—weel«:ly

line is» mentioned, and Dearborn Emerson was the driver.
About this time he opened the tavern} at the corner of Main
and Pleasant Streets, long since given up as an inn, and sub-

‘ sequently burned. There were then two other taverns in the

place, ---~— the one kept by lV.lfr. Hall, and coothmecl as a tavern
till this time; the other kept by jephthah Richardson, on
the present site of the Baptist clm1*ch. About the year
I807, there was a tri-weekly line of stages to Boston, and
as early as 18:20 a daily line, which com1ectedwith ot11e1's
extending into New l~"la1npsl1i1*e and Vermont. Soon after
this there were at times twjo lines to Boston, mnniog‘ in
opposition to each otl'1e1',—--—-ooe lmovm as the Union and
Accommodation Line, and the otl1er as the Teleglfaplt aucl
Despatoh. Besides these, there was the acconmzodation
stage-coach that went three times a week, and took passen-
gers at a clollar each.

In the year 1830, George Flint had a line to Naslma, and
John Holt had one to Fiteltburg. They aclvertise " that no
pains shall be spa1‘ec'l to accommoclate those who shall favor
them with their custom, aocl all lmsiness intrusted to their
care will be l’::1itl1l‘L1lly stteocled to.”

There was also at this time a coach 1*L111ni11g to Lowell,
and another to "Worcester.

Some of you will remember the scenes oflife sod activity
that were to be witnessed in the village on the arrival and

L clepartu1*e of the stages. Some of you will 1‘emember.,too,

the loud snap of the Wlllp which gave increased speed to the
horses, as they clashed up in approved style to the stopping-
place, Where the loungers were collected to see the travellers
and listen to the gossip which fell from their lips. There
were no telegraphs then, and but few 1'ail1'oads in the country.
The papers did not gather the news so eagerly nor spread it
abroad so promptly as they do now, and items of intelligence
were carriecl laxjgely by word of mootl . But those days
have long since passed. There are persons in this audience
that have reached years of maturity, who have no recollectiozo
7

50

of them; but such is the rapid fligl'1iZ of time that, to some of
us, they seem very near.

Grotoa was sitoatecl on one of the main tl3o:'oogl1fa2“es
leaclling from Boston. to the northern <;:otmtry,, cozrzpmising an
important part of New Hampshire and Vermont, and €1‘§'Ct:‘I1Cl-—
ing into Canada. It was traversed by a great number of
wagoiis, drawn by four or six horses, carrying to the city
the various products of the country, such as gr:-.1i11, pork,
butter, cheese, eggs, Venison, hides; and 1'ett11'oi13g witll
goods foancl in the city, such as molasses, sugar, New-Eng-
land rum, oofi"ee, tea, nails, iron, cloths, anti the irmumerable
articles founcl in the country stores, to be clistributed artiong
the towns above here. In some, seasons, it was no uiicorruriort
sight to see in one day thirty stteli wagons.

VVe are now in our history 13ttssi:3g l;l1l‘Dt1§_"_fl1 a_period of
centennial €LI1I1lVE1‘S€1I"i€S, and we shall do well to study care»
fully their lesson. They are appea1'i11git111to us at clifl’e1*ent
times and in dil‘l’erent places. Their proper obsewance will
kindle anew the patriotic fires of the Revolution. and bring
out all over the land a commoti devotion to the Republic.

Time rolls on rapidly, ancl a cerzturry is soon completed.
There are many in this attdieitece who will see those that will
be living a hundred years hence. To look: ahead, a century
appears to be a long periocl; but, to look -back: to the extent
of ,orle’s memory, it seems a short one. The years fly on
wiizgs, and cliange is a law of Nature. I can recall how but
two families in the Village, that are living; in the same houses
which they occupied in my boyhood; and those two are Mr.
Dixfs and Mr. Blanchardfs. A familiar siglit at that time was
the venerable form of Mr. B:.1t1er, whose character was Well
shown in his benignant face. His accurate " History” will be
an abicling monument to his memory, and his name will be
cherished as long as the town has a political existence. At
that time the Common was the playgrottticl of the boys, —--- it
had not then been fenced in, and there was but a single row
of elms along the main street. Of the boys that played
there, many are dead, others have left the town, and only a
few remain. And the same can be said of the scl1ool—girls.

SI

The lines are fallen unto us in pleasant places, and We all
have much to be thankful for. Wliat a contrast between our
lot and that of our fathers I They had to struggle with many
hardships. Their life was one of stern, unremitting ‘EON:
surrounded by cares and anxieties. They had to subdue the
wilderness, while exposed to the assaults of a lurking savage
foe. We, on the other hand, now enjoy much of the material
results of their labor. We have but to cast our eyes about
us, and see the comfortable homes and fertile fields. T'hey
left ‘us the means of 1'eligioL1s instruction, at system of public
schools, and an attachment for the government which they
labored so hard in founding. All these they placed in our
keeping, and it rests with us to preserve them intact for the
generations to come. The duty with us now is to see that
the Republic shall receive no harm; to see that no moral
decay—--«the sure precursor of physical decay-— shall sap
the structure which they reared. Our aim should be to
leave to our children an example as noble as the one that
was left to us.

APPENDIX.

I. -——PAGE 1:6.

The I-Iumble Request of Joseph P:1r1~:e1' to the Honoured Gov-
erno‘-" the Honourcl I”11£lg‘iSi."1'£1tCS & cleputyes, Humhly Requests in
belmlfe of the towne of Grawton that the letter GR may bee Re-
corcled as the brand m:n‘l<. luelotigitlg to the towne I being chosen
Counstihle this year make boltle to present this, to the Irlonourecl
Court it being but my duty, in the townes behztlfe thus Hopeitig
the I"Ionored Court will grant my request I rest yor I-Iurnble ser-—
Vent

Josnmx PARICER
BOSTON: 31“) may: 1666

In answer to this motion the Deputies approve of y“ letter GR
to be y“ brand 1Tlfl1'l{C of grozrten
"WILLIAM TORR.EY' Cleric
Ye I~Iono“”“ inagists consentiu§_3; hereto
Consented by the magists EDW: RAWSON Secret”

[Massaclmsetts Archives, I. 23;]
_——_¢—.....——

2. --—-PAGE 3:7.
T 0 27:6 Covzsiczéle qf Groaieez

These. Require yo“ in his Maj“"*‘ name. to surnone 8: require
John Page 8: such othe" of y“ tonne y“ went up to Inquire for y°ir
catle. at Pemicook presently on the death of the Englishmen mur-
thured by y” Indians there lately in El. d1'unl~:en fitt. as is seyd 81:
others y‘ yo“ know to m::rl{e their Appearances before the Generall
[Court] now sitting in Boston on 27”‘ Insten“. at eight of y“ clocke
in the morning to give in their evidences in 37“ Case relating to y"
sd rnurthe” & y° occasion thereof by selling strong liquor” & by

54

Whom as they knew or have heard making yo" ‘£‘E§tt‘t1‘I1 of this War-
mnt to the Semetez-y at 01* before y‘ time hereof yo“ are not to
fztile dated in Boston the 15*" of October 1668.

C Emv RAWSON Score“
By the ou1"‘

[Endorsed]
These three men nemly John Page Thomas an Robard
Tarbell Joni" & Joseph Blood are Summencetl Pzt1“isl1

to apear“ at the Ge11e:ra1l Court eccorclin’g to the premises:
by mee
- 1\IA'I".r1--Ims FARNSWORTI-:
Constable of G‘mwto11.
To the Constable Gmwten

[Massachusetts A.rchi'ves, XXX. 155.].

The Words “ an Robard Parisla. ” appear in the o1*igir13.l as
given above. They were evidently put in after the clean-
ment was Written.

The Deposition of Danll VVah:lron being; called to Speak: What I
know about the Death of Thomas Dll{lSOl1 who was killed by an
Indian as they say : my selfe with many others was sent up by my
fatlner to see the corps and enquire‘ into his death when We came
there We fotmcl the man deacl and an Incliatl lying deed by him
and examining‘ the Imcliane how he came by his death they said the
Indian that lay dead by 11irr1 ltillecl him with lnis. knife: and et1.q:..1i1'—-
ing fu1‘ther Why he killed him the Inclizms told us they £1Sl{€Cl him
and he gauze them 11:) asznswer but bid them shoott him: anal fm‘tl':e1*
enquiring‘ wlzether the Indian were Dmnl: they ::.u1swe1'ed that he

was not Drunk: and after this We saw him buried presently and We _

returned home the next‘Dey _
This wast::Lke11 upon oath: this :a0:{of y": S ;} mo 1668 before
us
SIMGN VVILLAR13

W“‘ HATI—IoRNE
[lvlaseachtzsetts A1-chives, XXX. 1:57.] l

Vfee whose names are hereunto subscribed Doe testifye that in
or aboute ye hlouth of June last past goeing to PenI1ycool;:e to en--
quire after Cattle yt were lost, ricleing to ya fi"<:u*t at the seyd P£im1i-—
Cooke, meeting‘ w“’ some of the Indians belonging thereto told us,
yt an Englisltman was Killed by an Inclian, and that all our Eng-T

55

Iis111n2u‘1S Laws they had Killed the‘ I1'1di£11"1, Wee fz11‘tl1er enquireing
of them how and Whether the Iudizms were drtmke when the Eng‘-

-lishmsm. was Killeal and tl'1c:y ;1ns\»v<:e1'e<'1 2111 Imliuus we-=.1‘<3 thézu.

d}'¥.1§1l{ or else they haul nova Kild i[£ng;1isi1:13:1:1; And 'f7;11°t}1e17x»v€:e
Evide-.nc:e '.[‘{>l1z=:,uut<:) 21 S2‘1g21:13c31‘¢ being .1“L{1‘;-l_}=’t'.,1 th:1tw<3€: lmd 1):'{>t:g11t
L_;qm¢,1-3 to Sen C-193;;-ed Us if xamr; haul zmy, that wc.-“:9: woum powew it
on the gmuml fm: it w<>u1d ma‘z.1«;::: y“ I“ndi;'ms5 311 one Divil.1,Am:1
f:=:rthe1* wee ;12eeti:1g xv“ Th::>m:*xs 13’::tym:., wlm tald 11:3 he Wzxs Cup‘
VVa1<;¥e1.‘u’s SiE1‘¥’t, asL:in§~; him w}'n;2t:h<=:.1‘ the }I_m'l¥;ms were clnnul-tes: Vvhc3:n
the En§g;]is11m:m was .'Kili:;::._}, am} '12:: z‘t:1mxve1'c:<l not dmnk, mid :1f"tc~":;z'
farther disc:om's"’ ‘Mb 3;“ 3*‘ l3’:.2yr1‘-‘* he szlyd. that": y“ p1's<tm‘th:1tW:;u~f.Killed
was Peter C<:>fi’ms mam mu} i’zt1'thc:;1' s;1y«:.I Th;-11: if 1211:: Iiillingr of the
1\i[:m die} not p1*c:vent it his that satyd I5’::_yn“‘s Mzlstczi‘ C‘.:1p"' VVz11dt-3111"
Elfld Pc:t(;:r Caffina did inttsnd to sum! C:'u‘pt:ntc:rs to igmild t.1‘:c31*“"z'111cTl
also to h::1ve ;3;1'0und hroz'1lq.<3 um”) to be: ir1"11_m:)ved, :md wee fu.1*t11<::1'
aflirnne that wee ssnw :1, Ru1'1(fI](;~tt W1'1ic.:h Vvc.:)uI(.] hold :11: least six
Gzitllous in the ‘T1.'u(:lci11_g' I"iI(";)‘L.lSE} m:~.:u' the .=’s:1y<f.1 flb1‘l:; :1["tL-21' W011 Wm.
1neetei11f;' W11 the Indiztlls tI1en_ tl'mr” :mr_1 ta-‘:I1i11_;{ them y“ ’.[‘I“1<.:):11z1s
Payn‘-’ told us that they were mat <'11'unI<_ Whtjfl '.I‘l'1e: Eng'!isl11n:111 vvnfs
Killed the Inclirsms tlmon Silyd y" ]Z7’:1y11" muath L.yccI,fb1' were 11:-Id
I)ive1's %_ 11:.u‘ts'. of Liqur_)r.<..-; tha: .9;z'1n‘1r;~: clay that the saaxycl IE1'1g1isl1111z111
'Wz'l.‘§; Killed upcm 21nd 0110 of tlgm In<Ii;m:3 Cc::iT'i.;1LmLIccl llitfi SC[l1£1§{1} to
Wash 21 BI:1c1dc=:1*, wl1e1'<3i1'1 tlw Im'lizu'1 s:1y<;1‘tl"1c:m W’:-18 :1 W u;u't of
LiC1U(T)1'S zmd wee doe :;u;1iL1clgc it t<;> he as rnucla; or tesixzg wands to
the szxrne eflbct .
_T<:mN PAGE

0613013” 97”; 1553 :§.e.:s;::‘: PAfmz_Is
’l‘.1:m1s;ms 'I‘A;m3ALL
Swome in C{:>m't, :37, 0ct<t>he“ 1668: ]£>s.m‘~*1-X BLQUD

Eraw : Eimvsscm Se'E§'1*ct1"'
[Massaclmsetts Archives, xxx. IGL]

 I
3,—---PAGE 20. i
ffmzw-‘:2? Gcaztlczzzzcm Maze TGo2:wr ¢E* Camzcall

This aftemoozx, We haul :z:c01*ding€3 to yr:m1' m.'de1'., disemwse with
Capt IEIim1{srr1:'m, in 1'c:fcz‘ence to M3 actirzggs in his wz1y{-3 as to the
mmisions he read from you, he is to take: 80 men f1‘0i'I'i8 C)L1I'E3
Gzzrisons, that is all We hzme or mm‘, & We: stzmd in need of more
but We dmse not be 80 hold, our com<:~‘:, that littill We h:-.1116, istime
it Weare g:a.t1"1e1'£2d,bui: if our scouts be tal<e11 off‘ heer is Iittill be

56

gathered, 82: many will be hardly kept with vs, but will rune awaye
frome all our townes, you hapily may thinke We are afrayd, we
will not host therabout, but We dare saye, our lines are not clear
unto vs, in any Way that God shall call vs to, our thoughts are that
it is not advisable to march vp to penicoolte, wher ther are many
Indians at the prsent, yet many abroad about all our towns as
apears dayly, but our prsent thoughts are, that it might be for
p“sent saftie for the country, that a Garison Wear settled ouer Mer-
rimake Riuer about donstable, that ther maye be enttercorse be-
tweene our towns 82: that Garison, we haue apoyntted Capt Pakr
& left Hinckesrnen who will relatte things to giue you real] light,
much further then is meet now to do or then time will pmitt, we
are not williuge to truble you any further, but rest your humble
servants '
Gaoaxrou this 25“; 7 : 75.
SIMON VVILLARD,
L SALoi-ii ADAMES
JAMES PARKER:

JAMES KIDDER
[Massachusetts Archives, LXVII. 265.]

___.§_...._
4. -—---PAGE 24.
To the I-Ionot“ Council convened at Boston Aug‘? 17*.“ I676.
The humble Petition of john l\«Iorse

Sheweth. That yo? petition?‘ being an Inhabitant of Groton ; hath
together (with many others) been deprived of his Estate by the
calamity of the warr; and himselfe carried away captive by the
Enemy; and about five pounds in mony laide down by M}'Jol111
Hubbard of Boston for his ransome; and understanding that there
hath been some Stock raised by a contribution towards the ransom-
ing of the captives. Yo? petition? doth humbly pray that hee may
bee considered in the distribution of the sfi Stock, and that Mi
Hubbard may be reimbursed thereout; hee having not of his own
wherewith to pay him. and yo? petitionrj” shall for ever thankfully
acltnowleclge yo? Homo‘? Pfavof therein and for ever prayer.

This petition is Granted 17 August 1676 :
per Consilifi E R S.

[Massachusetts Archives, LXIX. 48.]

57

t 5. —---PAGE 24.

The following account of the burning of the town is by
the R-eve1*e11clWi11ie1n Httbbatcl, and is founcl in his “ Na1*:r3.~
tive,” printed in 1677. It is the fullest conten'1por::1neous

” account printecl.

.al:[.’z2‘c/2. 2. They assaulted G7’0Z'm‘z .* the next day over niglnt
Mejo1‘t I/Wliczrci with seventy I—Io1‘seAcamo into the Town; forty
Foot also come up to their relief from l’l??2’.Z,‘c-??"Z‘cJ'ZE)?z!, but the Iocliens
were all fled, lizlvlllg fitst l3t‘i1‘E"1t2‘{l all the Hotlzses in. the Town, stave
four tlmt were Gorisonetl, the Meetiog;~l1oL.:se being the second
house they firecl, Soon. z1fte1‘ Capt. SJZZ was sent with 21. small
Party ofD1‘z1goo1'1s of 8 Files to fetch oil’ the II11'ml':)itz111t:s'of Gmzwz,
and What was left f'ron"1 the spoyle of the enemy, lmvittg um;le1° his
eomlnet about sizity Carts, l:3eiog in tlepth f1*<;>m t'1*oo.t to feet above
two mile: "when 2:2. party of Illtllttlls lying in o,mlmsh._, at :1 place of
emir1e11'te(lv;111tz1g;e3 fired upon. the front :1n(:l mortztlly ‘W'O‘|.1'I1(l(3(Ll two
of the vzumt C:;l1‘1‘lE31'S,V‘Vl1O dyed both the 11e:\:t 11igl1t,:111cl lmaigltt
(heal God permitted) lfuwe clone eminent élztxnazqge to the Whole
Body, it being it full .l1€3t”t1' before the Whole l3o<;ly eoultl be tlmwoe
up, which was done with core zmtl Cou1'ag'e: but the Imgliztos after
3. few more shot nozule. without c1oi11g 1m.1'm, re-ti1'ecl, and l'1;11'1ClC no
further z'tsszm1t upon them, being the s:;m'1e Pz'11'ty of ]$rm,7.c'c.2:2z.s‘ which
the {lily before hacl l)1;11'l1£3{l some pztrt of C/’zc3:ez.§fIr27‘(Z. Soon after
this Village was (.l{i2S{~31‘tE2{l anal clesttoyetl lay the enemy: yet was it
at special provitleneeg that ‘l;l10t‘1§;‘l'} the Carts were §gx.1;11‘tletl With so
slender e Convoy, yet there was not any conside1':;11)1e loss sue»-
tzlined.

The S111"p1‘izsll of G2-*o2:‘o::~2 was after this mt-moor.

On 23f::r*c:/3, 2. The Imzlians came in the might zmtl }.‘l'l‘l£:‘3{l eight or
nine houses and mrriecl away some cattle, anal alarmed the Town.

On 1111-(Z7"¢fZ]2., 9. About ten in the n:1o1'ni1:1g £1 parcel of f23da'a:e5
(having two cleyes Iurlazed in the town, anal talcen possession of
three out-houses aocl feztstecl themselves with eo1'o,divets swine
and pG{Till1i‘y“Wl.1lCl} they there seized) laid an ambush for two Certs,
which Went from their garisoo to fetch in some hay, ettemled with
four me11,tWo of which espying the enemy, made it clifhoult escape,
the other two were set upon, and one of them slain, stript nalcecl,
his body omnglecl, and cl1'agged into the high-Way, tmtl laid on his
heels: in 21 most slmroefull 1'm1tme1': the otl1e1'tttl~:e13 Captive; and
after sentenced to death, but the enemy not ooneuriog in the 1112111-

8

58

net of it, execution was deferred, and he by the providence of God
escaped by a bold attempt the night before he was desigiied to
slaughter, and fled to the Garison at Lcmcrczster, the cattle in both
towns wounded, and five of them slain outright.

.zlfc:r:7'c?z, I3. VVas the day when the enemy came in a full body,
by there own account 400. and thought by the Inhabitants to be
not many fewer. The town was at this time (havmg been put
into a fright by the sad Catastrophe of I,mzccz.s‘fe7-' the next bo'rder-
ing town) gathered into five Garisons, four of which were so near
together, as to be able to command from one to the other, between
which were the cattle belonging to those Families driven into pas-
tures, which afterward proved their preservation; the othervvas

‘near a mile distant from the rest.

This morning the Iizdz'cziz.s (having in the night placed them»-
selves in several parts of the town) made their Onset; which
began near the four Garisons; for a body of them having placed
themselves in Arnbuscado, behind a hill, near one of the Garisons,
two of them made discovery of themselves, as if they had stood
upon discovery. At this time divers of the people, riotliiiig; sus-

pecting any such matter, (for the day before, many had been upon r

discovery many miles, and found no signs of an Enemy being so
near) were attending their occasions, some foddering their cattle,
some mill-zing their Cows, of whom the Enemy might easily have
made a seizure, but God prevented; they having another design

i in hand, as soon after appeared: These two Indians were at length

espyed, and the Alarm given ; whereupon the most of the men in
the next Garison, and some also of the second (Which was about
eight or nine pole distant) drew out and Went to surprise these two
I-72o?z'a'.7~z3, Who kept their station till our men reached the brow of
the hill, then arose the ambush and discharged a volley upon them,
which caused a disorderly retreat, or rather a rout, in which one
was slain, and three others wounded: mean while another ambush
had risen, and come upon the back side of the Garison so deserted
of men, and pulled down the Palizadoes: The Souldiery in this
rout, retreated not to their own, but passed by to the next Garison,
the women and children mean while exposed to hazard, but by the
goodness of God made a safe escape to the other fortified house
without any harm, leaving their substance to the enemy, who made
a prey of it, and spent the residue of the day in removing the corn
and ihoushold-stnfl‘ (in which loss five Familyes were impover-
ished) and firing upon the other Garison: here also they took some
Cattle. No sooner was the signal given by the first volley of shot,

59

but immediately in several parts of the town at cmee, did the

smeahes emise, they firing‘ the houses.

In the afternoon they used 2: st1‘21tegez11 not unlike the other,, to»
lmve surprised the single Garison, hut God preveutecl. An old
I}-zci'z'm-z if an Irzcizhszz passed ale]-.1g_3; the street with :3. black sheep on
his beelt,witl1 21 slow pztce, as one decrepit: They tmtcle several
shot et'l1im., but missed him, at which several issued out to lmve
taken him alive, but the VVetehman seesem1l:>ly espyihg an emhusla
behind the house, gave the sigmll, whereby they were p1*eVentetl.l

The night fellowitug the enemy lotlgetl in the town, some ‘of
them in the Gm'is0I1 they had sm*p1'izecl, but the I3ot‘ly of them in
anecljecexlt Valley, Where they mzizcle themselves me1*1'y ztffzet their
satvazge memtet. The next morning they gave twe 01* three Vel-—
leyes at C.g1pt. Pczsyvéev-*.s' G-arisen, 82: so m:.'-welaecl Qlll‘, ffl£t1“ii}g' as was
tI1eL1gl1t that supply might be l”1lgl,1 at 11:-mtl. This ztsstmlt of theirs
Was 1-”1:1a11z1gec',l with their wanted etllntlety, z1I'1c.l l)£11‘l)E31"()t1S ctuelty:
for they stript the body of him Whom they h::1d slain in the ‘first
ehset, aml then etzttizzg etl’ his head, fixed it ripen. 21 pele lflfilfiltig
tewertls his ewe land. The cempse of the mam slam the Week:
before, they dug up out of his g1'e1Ve, they cut elf his head entl one
leg, z'111cl set them upon poles, and stript ell‘ his wimling sheet. A
I11f‘e11t Which they fountl (lead in the house first surprisetl, they cut
in pieces, which afterward they cast to the swine. There were
aheut fatty’ tlwelling‘ heeses l)¥..I1’i1lZ at that time, besides etlter ht1ilr;1—«
ings. This tle.seleticm was fOlllOWG(lWltl1 the breel-ting up ef the
town, aml se:?1tte1‘i11g ef the I11l°1:.1bitents, anti 1‘et1'1OV£!.l ef the Ce.z1-—
dlestick, after it lmcl been there seetecl ttbeut twelve yems.

Cer1ee1*11ing the su1fp1'izi11g“o‘f Grc2z‘o¢;a,1l;ZEz;r—*c:/z 13.: There was
not any thing zmieh more material, then What is slready ‘merr-
tieeed, save only the inseleney of Yeiwz Jlflhyeeee or see eyed fit};/322,
the chief Capt:-tin of the Inclizms in that design: who llzwing by :51.
suddetl sL11‘p1*izz1l early in the morning seized upon it Gariscm house
in one end of the Town, croutinuecl in it, plur1cle1"ing what was there
ready at hzmd, ell tlmt clay; ancl at nigI1t clitlvety fm11ilia1'ly in
appearance, call out to Capt. Perveez’ that was leclgetl in atmtlzet
Geriscm he:_1se., anal entertained at great deal ef Diseeurse with him,
wl1om he called his old [VEe2{g*/25ozM*.' dilating upon the cause of the
Wa1', and pL1ttinge11 end to it by :31 friendly peace: yet oft mitting
bitter Sercasrnes, with several blasphemous seoflis and taunts at
tl1ei1*131‘eyi13g and We2*sl1i1:2pi11g' God in the meeting‘ house, Wl"1iel1
he tlerédingly said he had l3m.'I’}e{l. Among ether tlmags which he
boastihgly utte1'etlthetnig'l1t: he said he humt zlfecgffleld (tlzetxglz
it be not known Whither he was there pemermlly present or no)

60

Lmzccz5z'cr, andnthat now he would burn that Town of Graz‘mz,
and the next time he would burn C/eel?)-25 oirci, Corzcorci, l/Vczz‘e:r-
Zoitmz, Carizéyicige, C/zczi‘/5301072, ]i’o.:r5zzxry, Bostorz, adding at last
in their Dialect, W7m:z‘ .611;-‘:;w.r.'ZZ, fife c2?0.° not mucli unlike the
proud Assyrirm (if his power had been equal to his pride) some-
time threatned against _7e2*2.a.s‘czZem, but was by the remzirkable
providence of God, so connfounded within a few months after, that
he was bereft of his four hundred and fourscore (of which he now
boasted) and only with a few more Bragadozids like himself,
S.:2rgcm20re:;= Sam, (Ma? §t'e2.‘/giro, and the Sagczrzzor-‘e of Qzzoéaog were
taken by the English, and was seen (not long before the writing
of this) marching towards the Gallows (through Boater; Streets,
which he threatened to burn at his pleasure) with an Halter about
his neck, with which he was hanged at the Towns end, .S"e}5zfw;z-
[re-2' :56. in this present year 1676. 50 Z05 2.‘/3:132:23 E7-2c2m'z'c3 }5c77'.s‘fl
O Lord, and such contempt be poured on all them that open their
mouthes to blaspheme thy holy Name.

Things looked with a pritty sad face about those parts at this
time; yet z‘/zozzgfz z‘/2:3 ]?z;r;‘/zz‘c202r3 _fc2:ZZ scraeiz zfz'7;2c:5, Zez‘ 720$ 2,‘/'}.a.a'r
_Ea2cmz'e3 re:j¢:7_ycc, for‘ Me ]1?z:g'/zz‘c?02a3 Mic:/L7 wfsc? czg>‘az'7z, 625;‘ 2‘/aezfr
'zw'c.{’ed _Eyzema'es 5/mt/7! fall z'72z‘0 mz'3c/.az'e_.'f, (zen? rake 720 7J20?’6. It
was ebbing water with New-E:x,g‘Za7-zd at this time, and a while
after; but God shall turn the stream before it be long, and bring
down their Enemies to lick the dust before thern.

After this A35;-2'2 17. Captain S271, being appointed to keep Gari-
son at Gmtoar, some Indians coming to hunt for Swine, three
Indians drew near the Garison house, supposing it to have been
deserted, were two of them slain by one single shot made by the
Captains own hands, and the third by another shot made from the
Garison. [Pages 72-—76.]

:..¢...........

6. ---—-PAGE 26.

The humble petition and request of the greatest nurnber of ‘the
former inhabitants of y“ Towne of Groton

Humbly sheweth to the I-Ionored Generall Court setting in Bos-
ton: as followeth viz: .

We who have been great Sufi'erers, by y“ hand of God, in the
late wars by our heathenish enernyes, as is well knowne to all: &c
by which We have bin enforced, to fiye before enimyes; to our
great 8: greivous losse, & trouble. By y° good hand of God to us,
have had so much repreave, & respitt, as we have many of us, had

y° liberty & oppertunity, to returne_ to the places, though not y“-

61

ltumees of our former abode. And now being under 8: exercised
with many and great (.liHic:u1tyes; Appreliencliiig it our duty, to
adclresse ourselves; not enely to our laezwenly father; but eartlily
fatl1e1*s also, in this time of need: dc: humbly begg our case may
be seriously consiclered, 82 weiglled, & that some direction, .1-mcl
releife may be zzflbmzled unto us. ’

Some of us y“ I11l}&l”)3:t£111i‘.S have Ventmetlz em: lives some While
since to 1*etu1'ne Elgfllllfi, .:111cl ma-my others have followed us, wlmse
Welcome comptmy is rejeyeing unto us. Yett our poverty, 85 the
Iioznesidenee of others, <lotl1 oeeetien US greet & em-woizleble
trouble. VVG lmve (tb1'm.1gl1 Gods gc)O(;l1'1(3SS€, 8: blessixug our eu-
de21vou1's, 8:: attempts) p1'0cu1*e<.l 8: obteinecl the l‘11i2'}lSU‘y of y“
V-V01‘{l zunemzg us ; 8:‘ have him at some cousiclereljle climge eheut it.
And are willing (if God please) to keep, 8: m::1intai11e, it aniuoiigst
us. Butt there is some <:liec0Lx1"agex11e11ts, upon smidrey eeeo1:mts~:..
"\/Ve lmve lmd sevemll tewne meetings to consult: the geocl, & wel-
fme of the towne 8: place 8: ll1owtl1i11gs umy be CI':11”l{3L"l cm, as to
czlefieing publiq clmrges, And it ha‘-1tl1 bin, Voatecl in our meetings
(cmrvisible estate being small) to lay it on y“ l:mcls., y‘ Se an equal-
ity in some respect might be 1‘ez1cl1ecl unto. This is by y“ most
judged to be the present best yea y" cmely present possible Way fax:
us to preeeecl in. which we desire yam‘ l"1enem‘ec.l selves to putt y“
C:C)l1I1l;€ILEl11Ce of authority upon. As also That our lflttii cl1‘eclfl1ll
sufl‘eringy mines, and impeverishments may by your lioxwurenl
selves be 80 fare mintlecl Si consicderecl, that We may fer the present
(till we :1. little TGECOVGI‘ OL11‘St3lV(’3S) be releisecl from C0L1r1t1‘ey
czlmrges. We would be rightly Lmcle1'stO0cl, as to: <:mr'first1'equest
That the way by lends accemecletiens fer the levying tevme charges
l'1'1£1y be stated butt for y“ presem‘: few yezws, till God by his provi-
clelice may alter our capacity 8: cenclition: Thus C1’£.1Vi1]g pdone for
this our beldnesse That suceesse &' :3. blessing may Atteml yet: in
all your z1fli1i1'es ; That God will accomplisli his promises & built
y“ wast places, sett up his house & orclinances whence they have
been removed delight to build, 82: plant es againe & not te pull us
clowne 8: pluck us up Tlmt we xrmy yeti: see This our_]e1'usz11em £1
quiett hztbitatien Thus prayeth your humble 8: unwo1‘tl1ypetition-
ers: . ' .

Att A towne meeting at Groton JAMES PAm~::Im
May 20‘? I679 The}: red & veated Select max}
by the inhabitants: And zzlzxrke in y“

» name of y“ rest.
[Massachusetts Archives, LXIX. 224.]

62

In ansvv” to this Pet? It is. ordered by this Court y‘ for 3 : yeares
next comeing in all levyes made for y“ benefit of y” s"‘ place & y”
inaintenance of Gods ordinances there, those yt have lands there &
are not ressid‘ upon y” place shall pay rates for y" Lands ther as
-those do y’‘ are ressid“ and y“ the Inhabitants there ressid“ be abated
one single rate p" arm. to y" country for ye like times The mag-
is“ have past this their brethren the depntyes hereto consenting

EDW” Rm-vsoN Secret
29"“ May 1679.

The deputs Consent hereto provided that the cattle upon the
place he lyable to pay rates also w”‘ 1‘etTe1"'e11ce to the consent of
of I*Ion"‘j“ magistrs hereto

VVILI_.1A1\r[ TO“'1"{RI+3Y' Cleric.
30*“ May 1679 Consented to by the 1nag_>;is‘;"‘
Eiuw“ Itmvson Secret.

[Massaclmsetts Archives, LXIX‘. 229.]

u:-——+-—---v-

7. ———PAGE 28.

Josiah Parker of Groton testifyes that he is Very well acquainted
w”‘ y‘-“ Indian now in prison named Jacob Nonantinooah 52: that he
Can say of his certain knowledge y‘ he hath seen him every month
since y“ last Indian warr began, except it was when he y“ said
Jacob was in y" Countrey service under y“ Coilii.a.ml of Capt‘: Noah
Wiswall in y“ years Eighty nine & Ninety: allso if he be required
he Can produce severall y‘ Can testify y” same Hee further saith
that as far as it is possible to know an Indian he is a friend to the
English 8: hath manifested the same both in Word an Action 8‘:
whereas severall of y“ Inhabitants of Groton have been out in y“
woods on hunting they have taken this said Jacob W"? them who in
y“ night hath showne his Care more than any of them in his watch-
fullness; expressing himselfe to them that it did Concerne him so
to do, for if they were Surprised by y" enemy Indians he sho‘nld'be
Worse dealt W‘? then the English ; also many other Instances might

be mention ed.
Josran PARICER

GROTON Decmbr. 8”‘. i691
The -testimoneys of Josiah Parker aged. 36: years: and of

Joseph Parker aged 40 years: Thomas Tarball ‘aged. 25 : years or
thereabouts; testify concarning Jacob Indein now in prison; that

63

the two Winters last past y” s“_]:*1c0b has bin gi11e1'a]y in our towne
with his famely Except when he was out :1 htmting and than the
Sd _]'oseph Parkexr or s"‘ Ta1'ba11we1*e outwith him or som other
Ing1c~:s11 men who have geeven sd Jacob 11 gcaocl comcnt as to his
care and Wachfuhzes as to y‘3 enemy b0::tth by xniglit and day and
by the best inquiery tlmt we can make s‘*_]:;1eob has never bin am: a
l1Lmting above cause without som E1.1f;’1iSl1 Compzmey with him 8:
then he Was not gorz ztlimve 21 fo1'tr1ight and that was abottt two
years sauce; the which if czzletl too am mdy tat: teatify upon tmth
pr 1m:

josxmx PAm~;ER

GR.c)'roN Dr:c1111)r. 8”‘. :69:

Cor1c::11'i1ing the mam that has :1cc:usr:zd the Indeins in [)1‘iSC)1‘1 he is
a ITH“-11‘i1.it{311t’{) be c::ed=r:~:ted for 011 the: 3*? <:]:;zy' of this Instant at
Evezxing: Lef‘ I:‘>m3\;*e1'es zmd: I, at l\!It. Sume?ts’is at ::11::u‘1t:stm=vne
clisc01‘si11g11it11 mu1".11y Ab1':1hz11"1f1 Miller about 32" s“ Inclrxuls: :md,
te1_i11§;* him that he was 1"nis5tz-1l«;<::11 F01‘ tlms I‘m:Ic2z111s3 W:‘l.1‘(3 not at -C’m1—
edy at that time whim he cl.1:t:'ge{I theta ; 3"‘ M'iHt:r sci Zotmdes that
if" ever he saw tlzem I11dc3n.~3 :.1g;=1i11 out ot'p1'iso2'1 1:19: would kill them :
zmcl being‘ .21 litell czultiotled to be sobz;':1* 11t:1i1‘1dc~3(.1 he b1'o1<.c- out with
em. cath th:-1t if he Ware but out ofye c0uz1t1'rz2y 1]i1ITiS€3lfi§3 ; he wished
the Im;1e:.ms would kz1o=(2k. out 31" b1‘::,in<-2s.~: of <~:Vz:z1'y pz;>1*sm1 in Newe
E1t1gl;mc1. This was spook bc::F01'e M1‘. SLIl"l]G1"S & his Wife z11"u:1‘=sc2v-
e1':1110uthe1's; y" S“ p01*s011 being nslcecl whether 11!: Was‘ not in a
passim: some time after he Replyed no he ware of y‘* szmm mind
still that if he was out of y" cotlaltmy he did not *;;1.2‘c-:3 if all the Rest
Ware lmoc]~:ed tlmi1' b1'ai1“1es out-—— to which if calczd to 3111 redy too
testify upon oath. Pr me ’
. jcssmxr l’m::1{1t1::
[Ma.ss:1cI1usc::tt.s Archivczs, XXX. 3:33.]

n 

8. ---—— PAGE 29,‘

]e1*. Sweyne Writes frmn “ Be1'w§{:1~':. zxtt 8:.-“{hI}O1} Falls O:::tob“ 3:5.
89 13

that “ it is supposed y“ small party of Indians may be in y“ alma-
nut ctmtry beycmd Gi'GfltO1}.” -

WUpon infottmation there is but little wo_1'k. for a‘CoiT.i.iss:11'y at
Gmtcm. the Representatives do agree 8: order that the: Caiifiissary
t11c~21'e.; be C1iSC1‘1£11“g'€3d from. said Imploym“:

64

Orclered by the Rep1*esentatives That Capt“ jaccob Moore wit‘
his Company at Groton be forth Wtl’ clrewne oft‘ and <;lisehe1‘g"et:l cle-
sireiog the Hoot" the Gov’ & Cotmeill Conseot

Novemb“ ; 6: 1:689: Eeemezes. PKGUT Clerk
Consent“: to by the Gov‘_' "
& Council!

Is’; ADDINGTON See?’
'[Mess:u:husetts Archives, XXXV. 56, 71:, 73.]

Six soldiers were posted in this town, under Thomas I-Iiochtnan,
Nov. 17, 1692. Two aclditiorml men were allowed, August, x695,
when there were ten soldiers in town, zmr:l four troopers to scout.
There were eight men posted here for “y" Defieoce of ye Fron-
tie1's,”jm1e Io, 1698.

[Mess:tc:Imsetts A2-chives, ‘LXX. 184., 26:, 38:3.)

............¢....,....

9. -— PAGE 29.

The following 1'efe1'enC.e to the assault on the town in I694.
is found in the report, made October 26, by M. Champigny
to the Ministe1' Por1tcha1*t1'ain. The original clocurnent is in
the ..Archives of the Marine ancl Colonies at Paris ; and I
am indebted to Mr. Francis Partl~:nmn, the distinguished his-
torian, for the copy of it.

These I11Cll£11’1S did not stop there; four parties of them have
since been detached, who have been Within half a dey’s joomey of
Boston [$3.5 at Groton], where they have killecl or captured more
than sixty pe1‘so11s,2“evag'ecl and pillagecl every thing tlley fo1.111cl,
which has thrown all the people into such consternation that they
are leaving the open crolmtry to seek refuge in the towns.

V A “Relation” of an ezszpedition by Villieu also mentions
the assault. A copy of the paper is found in the State Ar-
chives, in the Volume ‘marked, “ Documents collected in
France,” xv. 251. The writer gives the date of the attack
as July 30, which is three clays later than is usually assigoecl.
He says :_

Oe the 30, the Inclizms of the Penobseot, not lzaviztg telzen as
many prisoners and as much booty as those of the Kennebee,
because they had not found e1:1oL1gl1 to employ themselves; at the

65

solicitation QfV:i1HE’:I.1 and T£1XOL1S,t11€i1‘ chief, same fifty of them
detached themselves to follow this last pemon, who was piqued at
the little tlmt had been done. They were joined by some of the
bmvest War1*i01's of the Iienmabec, to go on :1 war party abave
Baston to bmaic heads by surprise (c:z2'5*Sz2?* des $5353.? (25 Zn: Sz¢:r'fi?*2'sc-3),
after dividing themselves into sevemi squads of four or five ea<:11,
Wlaich cazmot fail of pmducing a~goo<:1 e:fi"eei:'.

Iizzving c1'r:)ssed lVIe1‘1*inmck, on the 27th (Sf July [I694] they fell
upon G1‘Ot01), about 40 milc~*:$ from Bostcm, They were 1‘€;3}I)L11E‘3€d at
L:iI<i11’.s gawisarz himse, but fell upon ather imuses, Where the p€:.‘f3-
plea were oi’f1:hei1‘ gL1.::—11‘c1,, zmcl killecl anal c:::m'iC<;I away from the
vicinity about fcarty pemmns. To:~:us’s two m-rplmws were killeacl by
his side, and be 113:! :1 <.I<:>:2;£:n bullets; th1‘m:f__g;h his b!;.mk:=~:t, ;:"tc:c<:3‘z‘di:3g'
to Ch£?{°i'1(3V{.}iX, who adds, that he Q:11*ried ‘L119 fort or gzm'isr:m 2111i}.
then vvent to 1m1l<e spoil at the gates of Boston; in bat}-1 which
facts the French £1CC€)LI1’1t is e1’::t:n‘1e0us.

[I~-J[utchin:3on’s “ I~~Iistor_y* of’ 1\*I:1ss:1cimsetts,” II. 83.]

-------é-'-~“
Io.-WPAGE 31:.
The DEPOSITION of J0:-IN LQNGLEY, Yemmm.
[No 4] % .

John Langley, of Grotczm, qf a:5o2..¢2f _/zfflfyflzaa-‘ 2”E.n.<2ms* :3)’ Age,
tesfgyfes zzizzf .s*czz'z‘/z, 1'"/mix‘ Zeta '2:m.$ ta/56?: C'crp;‘z'%zna* éy My fizc‘z?a?:zs+23 at
Groton, 3}; July I694, cz?1'£ci' Zizrccz? 2}; Cczg§2fz'w'iy ‘:£2z'zf/2 a‘/M222 ;?2z9;r*e
2.‘zZaz;:?zfc:?2¢:ar-* 2’§:*cz;?'.9_.,‘ ex?-zzz’ Z2526 zfwa Zazst few:-'5‘ cmczf ma Zzzzlf at Penobu
Scott, as »5‘e::2*7m:2zzf fa M:-1d0I<awa11do cgf .s‘:2z‘a,7 Penobscott; cmczf flag
was czlways zzccomztecf cm C/§2'ry‘,, 0.-2* size: 9]’ M5: «:1/'32z'agf Sczcflzevizs 0?‘
C'a;5iczi22s czmmzg Ma Irzaflczzvufrs z‘Z2.c=.'we : Ami I/ac2:::.re zgj’f.r.m see?-2: 2‘/25:
fi2:a7z'.:'.=::»*z3 .s‘iz‘z‘z':rzg‘ 2'72 Cazca2z:z'Z, “if?/7J¢‘37’:‘3 fee always sczzf as C/ézly‘; czzzczf
022:5 3'22 ;§.r.;z:vta‘cz¢Zcz:r I aésgmeci c2: .P2w35e22z‘ was fizzzzig /'Iez’:rrz 53;’ 2:; 5922-
.§z':z’¢e*r¢zc’2Ze ZVm;*25e?* cgf S}’rz'2:zs qf c¢972sz'dem:3éZe V:zZm~3, as are Ac»
Zz7z0wZeczfg‘ii2a¢zt of 3:55 .S‘2a.g'z5c¢4'z'o2'z'z‘_}/.

% % JOE-IN LONGIJEY.
.3};/(}'a;7ca3'Ze.9ex 55'. G?"0Z't3?Z,  24th, $736. .

DRAGON 70%;; fiovzgiey above named personally :1ppe£~11‘ing;

made, Oath to the Truth 0f the abeve written Testimcmy.
i5’».3fo:r'e2 me ]3I£N]AMIN PRESCOT, j‘azstz'ce zy‘ Pezxw.

[.95.-Defence of the Title of the latejolmn Levereizt, Esq., &c., by Smmzel

‘Waldo, of Boston, 1736, page 27.] ’
9

66

II. —-—-PAGE 33.

The Petition of Josiah Pm°ke1* of Cambriwclge humbly sheweth

Th.-st Whereas in the yem‘ 1693 [1694 ?] the Inclizm enemy metle
an esseult upon the Town 0:fG1*eton in which among c:the1*s_]::1mes
Parker jun" Brother ts yo’ humble Pet‘? was killed with his \/Vite,
several 0f his Children else were then cerryecl away Captive, one
of which named I3’hinehas Pa1'l~:e1‘ so1netl1i11gg; less then :3. year ago
was (by elxitester cf :2. Vessell belonging to Ipswich) redeemed
from the Indians at y“ Eastward ; which ssicl 1VI::1ste1* has been 1'6»-
imhursecl by yet Pet‘? Wt“ is to the Value of sheet six pounds in
Maxiey. _ _ A

The earnest request of ye? humble Pet'“f' to yeff Excellency 8: ts
this I‘Ien"§" Court is that yet: Weuld please to consider him 8: that
:-EtllO\~‘\7€111C€3: may be 1'n:u:.1e him out of the publick. 'I‘1'easu1'y for what
he has ciisbmst. Alse he desires humbly that you would please
som'etl'1ing to COI1Si{.l€!1“ the said 'Phine1‘1:.-“ts who is a poor Orpharl
now about twelve years old and is likewise lame of one et' his
Leggs etc:-rtsieeed by y“ cruelty of y“ Selveges anal it is very ques-
tio11z1b1e whether ever he will be cured, 8: l"l1.'1S little or ‘1’10tl‘1iI1g left
him of his Fathers estate for his support If the1'et'm'e ‘whet has
here been suggestecl by yo" humble Pet‘? mzly be aceonlingly eon-
siderecl & grentecl, it will greatly eblige him, as in duty Bound,
Ever to Pray &c
i jesmt-1 PARKER
[Massachusetts Archives, Lxzsz. 401.]

In answer to this petition, dated May 31:, 1699, it was
voted, three days afterward, that six pounds of money be
allowed (mt ef the public treasury.

W"W""—“-#0-I-11

I2. -----PAGE 34.

To The I-Icmored 8: ggreat Assembly new setting in Boston The
humble petition and Request of Stephen Helden of Gmten l
. HO1101‘€d S“ It lmvieg pleased the Almighty God to orcler it that
myselfe 8:: my two biggest sons thc’3 smell were taken captives by
the Indian enemyes from our tewne of Greton and being with the
Esterne enemy 8: my 2 some about one year & ten moneth when
thé it was my portion to escape with my life thte Gods mercy be-
yeund what I did expect or look for 8: I think fared better than
some other English yett great hardship and cli:£‘fic:L11tyes I under-

67
Went. bug: being; very desirous with one of my sons that was there
to gitt home If it might be fore the Englisli vessells came I was
necessitated togive my promise to my Imlizm Pile-H283 whom I sat-
'isf'_ved att Richm-ans Island by English that I borrowed of there

-thre pound & twelve shillings If I might have y“ boldnesse I

would humbly crave That It might be payd out of Publiq stock
I should take it tlmnkt'ully ntt your hzmds Thus with my th:ml<-
fullnesse to God that both myselfe 8: both my children he lmth.
graciously returned to our home zigoine comrnencl your honours
and concerments into y“ hzmds &- wisl'ii11g y" Presence & benidic-
tion of y“ soveraine God I take Leave &_sL1bscribe rnyselfe your

humble servant 8: supplizmt
S'I.‘EPI-IEN I-IOLDEN

GROTON May 27*“ 1699

It was voted, June 6, 1699, by the General Court, tllat the
petitioner be allowed the sum he asked "for.

Among the names of the captives received on board the
"Province, Gally,” Jeri. I7, 1698-9, at Casco Bay, were
"John I-Ioulding of Grotten ” and “Tz;Lrm1si11 Rouce of G1'ot--
ten.” It is recorded, a week later, that "Steven H"oulding
of Grotten ” and “Steven Hotilcling _Iu11r of ditto” are “yet
in the Indian hands.”

. [l\'I:1ss:-1cl1usetts Archives, LXX. 398, 399, 400.]
-—-*0-"°-*-'

I3.—-—PAGE 35.

On I/VecZ2ze.rcZa_ynsigl1_t [October :55] an English man was l«;i1l’d
in the VVoods at G:r'oz‘o:r-2 by the Indi:;-ins which were afterwarcls
descryed in the night by the Light (fit their Fires, by a Person
'I‘1'z1veiling from Grazfmz to La:¢zc:czsz‘er, and judged they might be
about Thirty in number; pursuit was imide after them, but none
could be found.

[“ The Boston News-Letter," October 30, 1704., No. 28.]

...._.......¢__.._....

_ I4. “‘—1)AGE 35.

To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq Capt General and GoVern""
in Cheif in and over her Majestyes Province of the Massacliusetts
Bay «See. and to the Hob” the Council and Iitepresentzitives of s“
Province. I

68

Wee the inhabitants of the Towns of Groton cannot but with all
thanlezfnlness acl{now'1etlg'e the great Care that his Exlcy and Gov-
ernm? hath taken for our .Preservation and defense in these times
of danger. Notwithstanding all Which, Wee have bin by our
Enemy extreamly impoverislied not being capable of making those
improvements which are necessary for our subsistance, but our
Outlancls upon which Wee have a Consicierable dependance lye
neglected ; and many of us are reduced to the Last necessity; Our
Stocks are like to SL1l"Te1* much in the Wi11te1'; and are in great
fears that wee have mett W"? Considerable losses in them already
from the Enemy and Wee are now at Extrearn Charge in the Set-

tling of our Minister; So that Wee are ggreatly reclucecl and impov-«

erishetl;

V/Vee would therefore humbly intreat that our LflI1g'L1lSl1l11g Cir-
cumstances may be taken into your Consideration; and that our
proportion of the Publiqne tax may this year be rernittecl to us;

and wee hope that not only our present alllictecl State but our

future clntyfull deportment will be Such as may testilie for us, and
afi'b1'tl yo‘E'l1o11‘"F' Satisfaction in so notable an instance of Charity,
and Compassion t
Jonas PRESCOTT
JONATI-IAN LAVVRENCE
JN? FARNESVVORT1-I
SAM?‘ PAn.K_:I£n
'NA'1‘I-I. V'VooDs
Roms. ROBBINS

In behalf of the Towne of Groton;

Select
men

[Massachusetts Archives, CXIII. 391.]

To his exalancy Joseph Dntly esqnir captain genarall -comancler
in in and ouer lmr nnaiesties prouines of the masiacheusits bay in
new Inglancl and to the honorable counsil and raprasantitifes in
genarall court asamblecl at boston this Instant Desember I704. _

The humble patition of the Inhabitants of the town of groton in
the county of midlsax in the prouians aforesd hnnnbley sheweth

I That Wharasby the all desposing hand of God who orclers all
things in infinit wisdom it is our portion to line In such a part of
the land which by reson of the enemy Is becom nary clangras as
by Wofull exsperiants We have falt both formarly and of late to our
grat clamidg & discoriclgmant and spashaly this last yere haning
lost so many parsons som killed som captinated and som ramoued

69

and allso nine-h corn & cattell and horses 8: hay Wharby Wee ar
gratly Impouerrished and brought uary low 8: in a nary pore ca—-
pasity to subsist any longer As the barers herof can ir1fo1*n1 your
honors

2 And more then all this our paster rm‘ hobard is & hath been
for aboue a yere uncapable of desspansing the ordinances of God
amongst VS 8: We hane aduised with the Raurant Elders of our
naybotring churches and thay adnise to hyare another minister and
to saport mr hobard and to make our adras to your honours we
haue but litel laft to pay our dens with being so pore and few In
numbr athar to town or cuntrey 8: we being a frantere town 8:
lyable to danger there being no safty in going out nor coming in
but for a loiig time We haue got our brad with the parel of our
lines & allso broght uery low by so grat a charg of bilding gar»-
isons 8: fortefycations by ordur of athorety 8: thar is saural of our
Inhabitants ramoued out of town & others ar prouiding to remoue.

i_ axeapt somthing be don for our Incoridgrnent for we are so few

& so por that We canot pay two ministers nathar ar we wiling to
line Without any we spand so much time in \vr1clii11ga11<:l warc.l-
ing that we can doe but litel els & truly We haue lined allmost 2.
yers more like soulders then other wise & accapt yours honars can
find out som bater way for our salty and support; we cannot uphold
as a town ather by remitting‘ our tax or tow alow pay for building
the sauarall forts alowed and ordred by athority or alls to alow the
one half of our own Inhabitants to be under pay or to _s_;*1'z-111t lib-
erty for our remufe Into our naiburing towns to talc cor for oursalfs
all which if your honors shall so meet to grant you will hereby
gratly incoridg your humble pateceners to conflect with the many
trnbles We at‘ ensadent unto
wharfore your humble pationars humbly prays your axcalaney
& this honared court to talc this mater into your seares consedra-
tion and grant releef acordingly and your pationars shall as in duty
bound foreur pray
by order of the town of groton
JONAS PRESCOTT
JANLES NUTTING
JOSEPH LAKEN
SAMUEL PARKER
Jan‘? 2;‘ I704. Read.
In the House of Representatives.
_]'an"f' 3: I704.
In Answer to the Petition on the other side

70

Resolved That there be allowed, and Paid out of the publiek
T1'easL11'y, the sum of Twenty Poimds, to the Town of Grotton to
Encourage 8: Assist them in P1*ocu1*ing' ismother l\/Iinister, to help
"them under the present Disability of their Pasteur l\/I”. Hubbard,
8: Tee Pounds more be allowed 8: Paid out of the publiclt Trees-
‘L-1-/).‘}7} to _Io11e.t11a11 Tyng Esq. & Mt Nathan‘, Hill, to be by them pro-
po1'tio1mb1y distributed to such of the 5“. Town, as in the judgment
have been greatest sufierers, in the late oL:t1'eg'es made upon them
by the Enemy Sent up for COt"iCt11‘}‘t3{}C.e.

JAM? CONVERSE Spea.1«:er
In Council.
‘Reed and eonez.::1'r’d.
Is‘: A3oo1No=3:*oN Secry
4”.‘ January. 1704. .
[Meseeclitlsetts .A1“CI1iV€°.‘S, LXXI. I07, 108.]

......__.¢...........

15. -—-PAGE 38.

To his Excellency Joseph Dudley Esq? Cap? General and Gov-
erno‘; in Chief in & over her Mz1j“f"* Provinces of the lVIz1ssz1cImsetts-
Bay 82"“ in New England To the I-Ion?“ her M2ij*§f‘S Council in st
Province and To the Ho:1"3“ the House of Rep2'eeeotetiv_es new eon-_
veoed in Geiierai Assembly within & for said Province

Octobf 25‘? I704.

The Humble Petition of John Shepley of Grotoh Sheweth

That when Ntejoi‘ Taylor was at Groton, having ch‘;-two off most
of his men from the place and mmched to Col. Tyngs yo: Peti-
tioner and Thirteeri men more being some reaping and yf’ rest
VVarding in a fiield at Groton aforesf‘ the Inciizins to the number of

about twenty came upon them when yo? Petitioner and the rest.

betoek themselves to their Arms} and three others being along
with yet‘ Petitioner, the Inciiim ran round the flield & met them 8:
the SS‘ Indians made several shott at the Englisli, but amongst the
rest one lusty stout Ifldiiill with 21 hoiland shirt on mt: about 8 or
:0 Rodd side by side with yet‘ Petitioner 8: the other 3 men in
his Company; about 310 Rodd to the right hand of them when he
fired upon us, and as soon as he had fired yo‘: Petitioner fired being
loaded with a siugg 8: another of the Company at the some time
fired 3 Bullet at him whereupon the s“ Indian fell down and ctyd
out; These how 3 of ooi‘ fi1‘St Company 1«:i11’d or ozm'yed away:
Afte1*wa1'ds ye s"‘ Indian W218 found dead 8: a slugg 8: Bullet in his
Body his Scalp being sent up to his Excellency by M21jo1* Tagrlor.

71

Yo‘? Petitiener therefo2*e humbly preys ye‘: Excellency & Plan”? to
take the premises into yo? Considemtioris and he may be al-
lowed such Eraceuregemf for his s_ervice therein as the Law
allows or as to yo‘: Excellency 82; Plano?‘ in yo‘: WiS(iG111S shall
seem meet.

and ye‘: Petitioner shall pray 81".“

" i _]'oI~IN S1-IEPLEY.

Oetebi‘ 26”} 1794,.

In Council,

Read ‘anti sent ciewn.

On the back of the petition isewritten :--—--

In the Heuee of Remesentatives
Octof 27 : I704. Read rmcl
17{esoIved That the sum of four Pounds be allowed and _P:*Lid out
ef the publish. Tree.su1'y to the Petitienf‘ ftfiii the like Sum of fem:
Poumhs to Samuel 13utte1'fie]d, who this; I-Iouse is Il1i.()I'111i1 did

assist in the ltilling of the Indian mentioned in the Petition, ::md_

that no othe1'o1' fL1rthe1* sum be allowecl for the killing of the SE‘
Indian
jixzxif‘ Coiwense Speei{e1'
Sent up far Concu1‘1'euce
in Council.
Die pclict.
Read and Ccmcm‘1*’<.1
Is? .AZC>DINGTON Seciiy.
[Endorsed] John Shepley’s Petition Octof‘ £704.
[Massachusetts Attchives, XXX. 496, 497.]

.-—._¢......_._—

516. —~e--— PAGE 38.

"In a List of F1*on_tie:r Garrisons Reviewed by Order of
His Excellency the Governom', In Novemb" 1713:,” the fol-
lowing statistics are given of Groton :—--- i

No Garisons Familys Inhabitfi Souldiers Souls
Sezjf Gilison 3 6 I 25
Deacon Wliittizey 4 8 -----~ 33
Lieu‘ Lawn-111ce I I -------~ :2
Cap“ Prescett 4. 8 1: 4:
Samuel Parlcer 3 8 0 2:7

U1-Fab») tor-«1

10
II
12
I3
14
I5
16

17'
I8

Garisons
M? Bradstreet
M? Hubbards
NF Lakins
E1159 Shipple
M” Sbaddock
Corp” Tarbell 4
M’ Holdings
Ens? F£11‘1"1SW'O1‘th
IV1’ Filbrick
NI? Stones
Chamberlain
ye Cap‘ Iflill
Mi F a1'nswo1'th

72

Familys Inhabit” Souldiers Souls

‘E1-,l NI-4 4-4 to-10: r-e-L>~t.no\~:roo+.+

[Massachusetts Archives, LXXI. 874.]

17. -W-PAGE 39.

&lt~>r-<|c.»>c>o—r-~oao~.o\-no'{3...«

-S-'4""*‘*|OO*-+t~IL\)I;ot»3'v-I003

IO
32
30
30
26
33
12

I8
40

12'

4
6

S

II:--—---n

378

The following‘ Groton men are borne on the rolls of Lieutenant
I*‘ai1‘ba1'11~:s’s company,]u11e 18., I724.:——

Phinias Parker, Serjf
Jon?‘ Shipley, Sent‘_‘
Jo? Blood

Jai‘? Shaduc1~.:
Samuel Screpter
VV"‘ Lawrance
Josiah Bauden
Jacob Amos

Isaac VVoods
Jason ‘Williams
Nath‘ Lawrance
jo:1“' Shepley, Se-rjf
T1105 Chamberlin
1\=Iich‘ Gillson

[Massachusetts Archives, 3101.

Nov.

33 '33
Jan. I3
Nov. 29

"April 28

x24.]

254 to Jan.

jabs

I2

'39
I3

‘)5

33

4
4
I5
  I5
15
I5
10
I4
14
I4
I4
14
I4
3

13
II
IO

IO
IO

IO"

18
b8
8
8
8

737

18. --——~ PAGE 40.

A List of the Names of the men that Sccmtecl In the woods In
July last tmder the Cofiizmcl cf Cap? ':V[‘h0i-‘ T:3.1'E3eI1 of Groton 8.:
the N umber of Days the W;-we In s“ Se1‘vice _

\/Ve Set out y? 7 Day 82: : Rammed y‘? 13*‘? Ezccept Jacob .A1m~3s

who was Taken sick 8: Retmmztd bacli y? 23} Day

Gmton. Oct? 212*‘ 1374.8

attest TI-IO‘? LA.WmaNc1s.: Char.

Liu Eleazm Green. Isaac Hc>1den
Ensighn Stephrm Holdml Pilott Jc—:1':=t11';* POW!-"31‘S
S-a1*ga“J01m P;-zge John Simttucli

Setrg Simcm Pearce B40868 W0O€1-S
Samuel Slmttuck Jun!‘ Th0’;’ Lakin

Jmnes Simttuclc J<:')h1J1 I.~7£ec:1*np
E19:-2261‘ 'l",211f1.>e211 J€ma‘.‘ $311911
Jflllflthétil Holclexi Mases Blood

Elias Elleztt ' Herrmay F:.‘tI'VV{Z§U.
Same? Iiemp Jim’? I N z1th’.’ S11'1ith

Jona‘._i Sl1z1ttuc1~: Jun‘: Jon:-1: I,.»awre:,1c<3
John Gilscm JLmf' Hen1'y Jefts

Joseph P;-“ztt€1‘SO:1 Aaron Waacls
Timothy Miams J:-Lcab Ames
Ne11§"JeWett E1eztze1' Gree11 Jmfi -
Eclm‘} Ba-111c:rof't John P:.=u'1<c::1' Jun‘;

also by the 'authc>r'ity it fomzi on the 28 of July I I‘I’1.‘».’t1’Ché3(L1 in to The
Wildcmaess in quest of the Enemy vsfith The men whose Nzzmes
are hem: after w1*it:ten anti Returned thé. 29 Day: and We found
our Selves both previsioll and amanision both Times.

Jehn Bulkely Jonas Parker
James Presczztt Ruben Woads
Jolm Gilscm J.o:13,t1‘12111 LaW1‘€tflC€‘
Dudley Bradstreet Je1‘e1ni:-111 Hob.a1‘t
Je1'émia}1 Shattuek: Isaac Laliixx Jun”
Williain Nutting Joseph Bémlett
T1105‘ Lawrance Joseph Chancller
Isaac Green ' Isaac Patclu. Jun"
J03. Sh€:€pl£3. ~ . Jolm Nutting Jim"
T1103 Woods J Jonatlmn Present

IO

74

Joseph Parlzer Daniel Pollard
Nathaniel Parl~:e1* Ebenezer Lakin

WE Bennett Peter Parlcer
Nathaniel Shattuek Sam” Bowers
Ezekiel Nutting Tho“ Chamberlin
Joseph Gilson Ebenezer Blood
Isaac Gilson Nathaniel Davis Jun“
James Fisk Josiah Sartell clerk

Tho Tarbell Cap‘

[Masmcliusetts Archives, XCII. 156.]

75

MISCELLANEOUS.

To z‘/ze Rage! ffoazorczéle Z‘/ze Gorfr. cmd Cozmcil .9z'L';‘z'¢zg
2'72 Bosfoaz.

The Petition of Daniell Addams, Humbly sheweth, that your
Petitioner’s Went out as a Volunteer, upon the Scout, from Concord
in company with some of Concord and some of Lancaster: and
they Corning to Grauton your petitioners there killed an Indian, and
hath received no wages from the Country for any service that he
hath done: notwithstanding he hath been out upon the same acc’t
severall times both the Last sumer and the Last winter, and is now
going out againe under the Command of Leift. Curtis.

Your Petitioner therefore humbly requests the favor of your
Honors to consider the premises and to grant him an order to the
Treasurer for his satisfaction according as the Law allows in that
case —- so shall he be ever engaged to pray, &c.

DANIELL ADDAMS.

The above petition is marked on the back "21 April,
1676.” ~ i

Alse Woocls agecl forty years testifieth and saith that at Grooton
upon. the day that the most of the town was burnt by Indians: she
heard severall say, that Daniell Adams had killed an Indian: and
she Went presently into Mr. Willa1‘ds Garrit and saw two Indians
stand over a dead Indian, about halfe an hour, and then they car-
ried him away, and further saith not.

The mark O of ALSE WOODS.

Att Groton the 14th of march 1676.
There was Daniell Adams, Whoe was vary helpefull to the towns
of Groton with som others Lanlcstar and the said Daniell adams

did kill one Indan att Mr. Wi11_a1'ds garason.
VVitness JOHN CADYE and

SAMUEL ‘Nooos.

We whoe see him fall to the ground and not rise againe.
As witness N1c~1~:coLAss CADYE.

76

Sarnuell Woodes of Grotten aged about forty years of age witnis
that he saw tooe indens standing upon Captine parl-:er’s iland at
g1'otte11 and danill adams shot at tham, and one of them falle doune
and the other ran away.

17 day of 2, month 1676, the mark F of SAMUEL Woonns.

[“ Groton Herald,” April 24, 1830.]

..__.g..........

Gaoron Octobl‘ 15”‘ 1694
To the Honored Generall Court:

The humble petition and earnest request of the Inhabitants of
Groton humbly sheweth ; That whereas We the present survivers
of this Towne do understand that ourselves either without invoice,
or according to some former or according to your honours pleas-
ures are willed 8.: domed for a rate or Levy, a considerable some
of moneys amounting to 50"“; we therefore being feelingly appre-
hensive of our utter incapacity, in present circumstances without
apparent wrong to us ; to pay said sum humbly make bold under
God to addresse this honored great generall Court. with both our
humble petition and a discovery of our condition: our petion is
that we may If it be your honourable pleasure to remitt us our as-
sessment and notputt us upii further inevitable streights & Nliseryes,
This we humbly petion, and that We may not be thought unjustly
to withdraw ye shoulder from puting our strength 8: help to Sup-
port and cary on the government of theirs our Majestyes, in this
part of their dominion, and be unwilling to hear our part with the
rest of their Nlajestyes Subjects on this New England shoar as we
have constantly & proportionably heitherto done and as arguments
and Reason to prevail in this case. we make hold to spread our
conditie before your honored selves : not to run back very farr

I It pleased God the disposer of all men & humane atlairs to
place us upon ye outward borders of ye inhabited land on this side
ye country. which by some is alledged as an argument against us,
yett lett Reason butt speak & the union and communion not onely
of naturall, but Christian Societyes have its argument and it will
tell us of bearing one another’s burdens, and of that Smpathetick.
property that is a naturall body & rationally ought to be both in
cyvill 82: politick also: and therefore whatever our alledged privi-
ledges are, or have bin, we ought not to be Grudged them, for
indeed our out edge 85 Distant Living hath bin in these times of
late awfull dealing our hurt 8: damage both as to psons 8: estates

‘77

T beyotmd pa1"1‘e1eI1 with n11yinwa1*d’Tow11es, as plains & undeniable:

Reason & srgtzmezzt is ready to be given. '

2 The p1‘ovide11ce of y‘*" Wise G021, did order it That ve1*y g1'iev—-
ous tmublesome and rnnrtall siclmesse, was a1no11ngt us the last
year by W11 we were not 011:-Sly 1eas011ed cansiderobly in 0111* 1mm—»
bets, but deminished in out estates It being so genemll Th:.1,tor1e:
could not help ye other by W"h great czhztrge of Doctrs canne upfi
us, 10533 of y“ Seasonsble Labour nf our inhabitants, to the ind2111‘1—~
agi11g‘ the estates of ye most, 1.m1‘s<::ove1'ed by many to this day.

3, we might add our ccmstant (in thess late times) standing*11pon
our guztrcl, and cottsiclemble c11a1‘ge, of building & 1*epai1‘ing forts,
for 0111* nwne snd the cntmtryes ssfty, 8: sc—3~:‘:111'ing' ths.i1' n1sjestye:s
subjects, both here, and in the izznmst places.

4 This yests soar and awfull tmubles by y“ late den.tl1s captivi-
tyes and ccmsequent 1nese1'yes, whereby we lost severnll able vz11u--
lbs psczxns, Whose estates are either, much lesssxmd, or 1‘err11:>v::::;.1
by otl1c~21's, out our reach : beside by inevitable 10336: of c01*11e, It is
jtxtlgect by 111;.-my of am‘ Towzze that 21 third part at lest of our
Indian come, is Wlmly last; and new GE Eats psnns hz-We bin he1":.-
d1'ed 11mch in their come, & hay harvest, beside the hn11d of Gad
upon 0111' husbz:-mdry, as to 1'y:’-.2 much blasted, not halfe :1 115111111
crop 11r1d by emly ft-Gstg 111di:'n1 come nmczh butt, 5’: <i21n*111§t'yed,t11:1t
sevemll f21rr1i1yes will bs at it 10388 for c:0rne, nqt hz-wing for izztlfls
y” year th1'o1.1g11: Thus Leavi11g 13111" patient 8.: trondititzsn to yo111*
110nen§'s seriotts CO11SidsE:!‘iit§{}I1 lzcaping yczn may see, reason to in-—
clulge us in that matter prztying to God who setts a111oL111g ye god
to di1‘€:3(:t, 8: pmside, and blesse, your psons 8: cc:1nsu1tatio11s to con.-—
clnde &_ determine What 1:m'.1y be far ye present 8: fut111*e 1-seal 1-S}:
pmspe1'ity, of these p}s1'1tat1icm, W1: rest 81‘. 1‘e1m1i11e y<m1*s in all duty
3: sewics. . '

js.1mr,-s Path:-ex’ Sen‘: Willia1t1 Ls-11<:en Sen". Select 11183-—:in-the
nanisof y“ Select men by y“ vent of ye Towns cf Groton.

I [Massnchttsetts A1*chive:s, CXIIL 89.] 1

Upnn resditzg this Petition sf the I11hsbits.nts of G-roton Sittirzg
forth t11e::i1' great distress and in:1poveris11111‘° by 1“e11so11 of the descnn
lzttinns made upon them by the Enemy P1'nying to be Essed zmd
abated at’ their p1‘<3pO1“tion to the Inst publish: Tax at Asssssmf
amounting to the sum of Fifty pounds.

Voted, .

That the said T015311 be nbntecl csne halfe of the :;1.tb1'es‘3 Sum of
Fifty pmmds, and that M? Tret-1sn1'e1' D0. Suspend the calling f'1;::1:

78

the other lmlfe until the Fifteetith day of December next. The
Assessofi forthwith to proportion the same upon their Inhabitants
and tr.) commit the List thereof unto their Constables, that so they
may be collecting. _
Octob' 23‘! 1694,: Past in the atfitwnéttive by the house of P.epre-
sentatives zmd sent up to his Eire? and Council for Consent
NEH1eM:mI—I Jlswzeir: Spefftkel‘
Vet‘? a concurrence in Council‘, die pdict.
Is? Am:21:NGToN Secifiy.
[Eradersed]
Vote for abatement to Grotorz. Oct? 1694..

[massaclmsetts Archives, CXIII. 97.]

._.._..¢._.....

Govemor William Stouglztoti writes from Boston, Septem»
her 5, I695, to Captain James Converse, that

“ I erder That at your next passing ever 1\/Ierrimitek. with your
Comptuly towzurds Dutnstable Sac TI1z'1ty0L1 advise With IVIz1j‘i Hench-.
men and 1\rI‘.‘ Joni‘ Tiiig cericemiiig the pasting yo" men iii the sev-—
eral Frontiers of Dunsteble, Bilrica Chelmsford Groton, Lancastel‘
mic} Marlboro for the better iriforeemi of the Gerrisons there &
maintaining 21 good brisk Scout fan‘ the discovery of the Enemy to

prevent their armoying of those Towns during the I-Iarvest Sea»-A

$011.”

In accordance with this order, eight men were posted at
Groten. Soon afterward, nine were posted here, of which
seven were inhabitants of the town.

u:—-«‘#.--:-

Catitain James Cenverse writes from
“ WOOBOURNE (71? y? 7*." I696)
“ Ivitey it pie:-is your Hen‘?

i “The subscriber 1‘eeeiving a letter frem your Honf‘ of y‘? first
Cez.i1'::mt,s.nc} therein, :5-1 Cement! to Wait upon your I:t<:m‘.' y‘? next
day in 0rd? to receive some further Instructions, referring to a
_]'eurney_te Greziten, to speak; withseme Vohmteers &c: I was also
ordered to talte -Cap’? Bewers 8: L"? Crosby with me to Greater}, but
I hearing their scents had discovered SL¥i'1d1‘y tracks of the Enemy,
I suposed those men rniglut be in yf’ Woocis with their scouts, and
se it proved, for this 1‘€i‘SOI1 I teak with me Cap?’ The? Bzmereft of

79

Bedding, and only one soldier with vs, We came to Groaton on
f2'yde.yn3o1'oiog (the time 32‘? I was ordered to be there) Wl}{~.‘.I‘{-1* I
mett with 1341*: Daniel Fitch & his second and ye rest of their Vol-—
unteers all but two or 3 Indians, y“ left: them (by force) in y“ rno1'n~
iog, pretending to retume hom.” . . . ..

[Mnsseclmsetts Archives} LI. 44, 68.]
um-—-Q----—

To the Honored Lutennj‘ Govern" the I-Ionored Couneill and Re-
presentitives In the Court Assembled : The humble petition of the
towoe of Grotoo by oz':.:le1*ly vv':n*ning mett upoo oetob” the 4"‘ 1697
then vonting (e.fte1' Serious discourse upon the present times &
awfull Ci1'C1.Tll1L"1Stfl11C6S of them and our ptioular irn1”ne1‘g'enc:ys) our
dislike of the present help gz's11ted to us es We are grieved stt ye
managetnent 8: oversight of it: & voating that capt‘“‘]an1es Pe.1'ke1'
and Ensignejohn I*‘:11‘nswo1'tl1 should be our Agents to present and
promote this petition of ours by such discourse as might he need-
full in our behnlfe att the Court. I~Ionored Sire: \/Ve being in
some rneasure necessitated (by the oonstemoy and Long continustnce
of the righteous hand of Almighty God upon us) to know more
experirnente.lly the troubles concomitant and consequent of bloody
& cruell wen‘, Then by Sympathy it can be possibly knowne by
others ; And that by Reason our stages 8.: dwellings lxnppene to be
upon y“ very dint, brinolz 82': in y“ mouth of more unavoidable cli'H"i-
cultyes, fears clangers 8: death. by the cruell sword of the WlldE:1‘-
nesse, then many others ere or can be, Tlfierefore as we apprehend
the case to stand with us, being climinished in our nLu'nbe1:s._. and
greatly impoverished in our outwards, desirous as we hope in meas--«
ure We have done to be constantly putting up our petitions to the Lord
of ‘hosts and God of srrnyes to afford us conduct 8:: Assistance every
Way so we would not Wanting to cry to S: humbly call upon our
Moses & Aaron to give us advise & to extend their helping hand
who if any ere, we are in the wildernesse where y” is Scorpions and
subtle Finny Serpents mo1'i:ally wounding and killing of us as your
Honor‘: Selves hear by Rumour upon Rumoui“, but We not onely
l1ea1* butt feel see 8: woefully experience the szxrrze. Honored Si}‘S
We desire with all gratitude zmcl thanlcfullnesse to acltnowleclge your
fatherly care of us hitherto, Butt yett we for our parts If still We must
abide in the Front. We beg If it may seem good in your eyes that
We may be Released from countrey charges to his Majesty or in
plaine Words oountrey Rates & that We may be pleesured with
some suteble proportion of sooldiers not of ionrselves whieh if we

80

may be Wo1'tl'1y once more to obtains: we have agreed not to sell them
away for man. of ourselves as we Wiokcszlly did. The Way of a
cl1.a11gable scout we thought xnight do us a l{iI‘1(l1‘i€SS€‘, which if it
had bin with good inspection 8: management attemtlecl It might
have done It hath appeared to as more wayas than one that gifting
ye Money hath bin more aimed at tho carefull ordering, or doing
the W01‘l{€ to earn it hath him; we beg that If for this Autumnal-&:
Winter season you may soa meet to order y“ ohargable scoot that it
may be no lasso tlnffi 12 :' & that it it may be putt into a ca1'cf'ulle1* 8:
hoooster hand then it hath bio. both for the place 8: beoifit of this
poor Towne. We are able if called thereto to Allodgc strtficieot
Argz.121:“‘tl1atif we have the same or other souldicrs It is a thing
requisilte that some other @3011 might Inspect them
Thus craving pdone for our bolclnesse wislmug ye Lord to be your
president in all poblike matters that may be before you We lmmbly
subscribe our selves yours in all obedience & loyalty
SIMON Swoaa
'TI—Io"Mas TARBELI.
SAMUEL PARKER
. Emaaaa Paaazaa
Oct”; :1: 5*?‘ 1697. Read Constable of-'Groto11

[Endorseclj Oct. 97

2 Select

§ men

Voted In y“ house of Representatives
In aasWe1' to sd petition. That they are Eased in this Last tax as
they desired A: & as to ye Scoot y‘ they judg it Ifleeclfull 32*‘ Six of
their owns Souldiers be Imployecl (layly : 85 y‘ y“ comancl” in clmif
pm: in a sutable psort to Inspect ye same
Sent up for Concurrahce

2 PENN TCPWNSEND Speaker
[Massachuset‘ts Archives, Lfax. 360, 36L].

 &

For an account of a Court Martial, held at Grotoo, Feb-»
ruary I6, 1706--7, see “The New England Historical and
Genealogical Register,” X. 9.43--5. The original is in the
Massachusetts Archives, LI. I53, I 54. *

........¢..........

% on a letter day. Groton July. 9.. I707
May it plesa your Excelcocy I have Read your Excoloooyes
order to y“ Inhabitants and the law against deserting the frontiers,
I could do it no sooner for several of the iol1abitants ‘W£i1"€ got: to

SI

plainfield and Returned yesterday, only two steyd behind; S” one
of those that designe to Remove is the B:a.1'e1* & a Selectman and
lives on the outsid the Towne. I thought good to send him, who
can aquaint your Extceieneey who is Removed 8: who are medi»
tetiog the same. .

Cap‘ Belkely 8: 5- his men are goo to Lextoester god the other
halfe here, and do Expect a Relece they being men. of comzith-able
husb:1nd1'ey; y“ most of them. all ye people that will worke in Com-

paneys hzwe gards to Cover them to their Content, if your Excel-‘

encey Plese I should very glad of :1 Relieg I are your
Exeelencee most Humble

Servant JOSIAH Pgmnztm
To His

Exzcelencey The
Gouvoner att
*Ro:~:but‘y

On Her Maj” Service

[Massaclmsette Archives, cxrxx. 4:84

GROTON ]'uIy 9. I707.
May it please yo’ Exey.

Aeeordio.g to yo’ Exeyes Coifietzds Wee have sent an account of
those th:.1te1‘e either e.ctue11y1*emov’d, or meditating of it. Our Peo-‘
ple are 1'educ’d to t11etdeg1'ee that they find themselves unable to
subsist truly long‘: \/Vould prayyour Exfiy either to gmnt Liberty for
their Remove or that they rttay be reduo’c1 here intirely to .21 Gz11'1*i-
sort (of the Towne miiitia) for the pr“ serving the frontiers; Wee
thzmkfully aclmowledge your Exeyes great Care of us hitherto, and
would pray the Co11tim1:.*mee of yom: Regztrcils, without which Wee
are on undon people VVee take leaveto subscribe

(nney it please yo‘ Exfiy)
Your Exfiys most obedt Serv‘?
jos3:.1=1~I LAKIN

jotmr FA1tNsWoR'rH: S 61 E at Toéssm claret:
JONATHAN BomoN

13383
josemt LAKIN

[Massachusetts Archives, c;s.’:IIx. 419.]

‘ GROT0N_Tu1}! ye 9 day :70
john Ston Joseph P211'ElhE1111

jo11atha11 Peg L Szuntxill Davis
Nathzmill VVoods Danill Cadein‘
Danill 1aw1*e.11c john Cadein

II

John Shattuck John hoare
Nathanill Parker Sannuill Farnsworth
Benitnin Lal{ll1 Joseph B0ida011
Jonathan boidon Josiah V\/hetney
John huchin A Corenallus VVhitney
Zachariah Lavvranc Joseph lawikganc
Edman C11~an1berlin Ebenezer Nutting
John Hall of persons gon

Samuell Shattucl:
Z'e1*rubbubl Karnp
Zachariah Sartwall
John Gilson
Abraham lakin
Josiah lakin
‘Joseph Lakin
‘William Lakin
VVilliam Shattucl:
John Farnsworth
of the persons that are a consedring of going

_]os:EPH LAKIN S JOSEPH LAKIN

, elect
JOHN FARNWORTH men Town clarck
_]oI§IaTHsN BOIDON for Groton

[Massachusetts Archives, cxux. 420.]
......_.¢,.........

. LANCASTER, July 19? 1724.
Lilay it please your Honour,

I recieved your Letter the Last night in the evening, and not
before tho’ I suppose I might have had it sooner had the bearer
pleased, Your Honour is pleased in your Letter to give me my
choice ofA Lieutenants Post in Groton or Turkey Hills or A Ser-
jeants at Lancaster. I am sensible that Serjeants Pay in Town
would be as Profitable as to keep constantly abroad, but yet upon
Some Considerations I choose to Abide in the Post I am, and to
go to Groton. I return my thanks to your Honour for the choice
you have given me. I would Inform your Honour that on M011-
day Last I sent A Scout to RL1t1and who Returned yesterday and
gave me an Account that In the Way they discovered the tracks of
four or five Indians bearing towards Woclloosett Who they judged
had been gone 2. or 3 days. Yesterday Part of Groton men & Part
of this Town wentout for the week to range above the Towns to

83

see what Discovery they could make, and I am my self this Day
going out with Wlmt men I can Raise to see wlmt I can discover.
I desire the favour of your I—Ionour, That the soulcliers now" under
my Coomiarncl in Lancaster and Grotoo mi§_;ht have the Liberty of
abiding with me or of being Dismist. If it be your Honours
Pleasure to let Edward Itlertwell wlao l}£1lZl1 been 21 Serjeent under
me Abide still in that Post in this Town I should take it as 21 fr -
vour. I st:-1nd ready to attend your Ho11oL11"s Orders & Corn1n:e111ds
and am St‘ I
Your Humble Sexwutt

_‘La.13r;z FAIRBA'NI~’.ZS.

Grtotrom, July 20*‘-‘.' 3724..
May it pleaee your Horzour
I I lmve etteratled your orders in posting the men at the Towns of
Groton Lzmezzster &: "I‘url<.ey hill ----precisely except at Trarlqey
Hill there is but eleven men Capt Stevens halving not as yet sent”
so many as orcleretl 82; I ltawe Talker; my post. at Groton where I
improve the Soulcliers in the best m:;m11er I cam :;1gree:1l)le to your
orclers, & have ordered them to Loclge in some of 3''“ most Exposed
Gerrisons as often as may be, lililt I find it i_mposs’ible to Improve
Se Small 3. number of men So as to answer yf‘ Necessities of the
people here whose oi1‘cumst;mces are So xrerry Diffietzlt 8.: Distress-
ing ’Cl‘1£tt I err: not able fully to Represe_nt to your Elonour.
the poor people are rmtny of them obligecl to keep their own.
G:.1rrisor:s rmd part of them Imployecl as Guarcls while others; are
at their Labour whose whole Time would be full Little Clloltgll to
be expermlecl in getting‘ bread for thelr firtmilies. My own Garriseri
at Lancaster is very nmeh exposed 83; witll Humble Submission I
tltinlt Requires Protection. as. much as any in that Town. there-
fore I Humbly pray your Honour would be plezrsecl to give me
Leave to post 21 Soulclier there Dureiug my absence in the service
of the province I beg your I-Ionours Parclon for glVl1‘1g you this
Trouble ; and as Leave to Subscribe my Selfe
Your most Obedient I-*Iumb1e Servf‘

_ I JABEZ FAIRBANKS
[Massaehasetts Archives, LII. 9, 18.] T

For some brief “]oL11‘nz1l;~:,” kept in this 11eighl)orh_oocl by Lieu-
tenant Fei1'bai1ks, during the years 1723 and 172.4, eee Masseol1u~
setts Archives, xxxviii. ‘A 49—-54.

84

Colonel Tyng Writes, July 23, 1724., from Dunstable, to Lieu-
tenant-.g'overnor \Villian1 Dummer, that he has sent ten men of
his company to Groton, agreeably to orders.

He goes himself “ to dispose the 10 men there.”

[Massachusetts Archives, LII. 22.]

S”, The Enemy being drawn oil‘ 82: the Season of Danger pretty
Well over, You*must forthwith see that the Soldiers in the Frontiers
be reduced to the following Numbers; Viz, Twenty_fiVe 1\/Ien at
Dunstable 3: Dracut, Ten at Turkey Hills, Fourteen at Groton,
Fourteen at Lancaster, Twenty "live at Rutland & ten at 13rool<field,
8: That all the Rest of the Soldiers in the Counties of l\.-’Iiddlesex 8:
Essex Including Ll‘ Brentnals Scouts be forthwith disbanded : And

fithe several ofiicers are required to put these Orders in Execution
accorcli11gly.
[To] COLL. TYNG.

Oct. 20, 17:25.

[Massachusetts Archives, LXXII. 263.]

..._....+........

I\-‘I213’ it Please your Honour

I had Desired Lieu‘? Lawrence to order :1‘ Scout to Pequage be--

fore I Rec,“ your I"-Ionours Letter which he had Done & from
thence to Northfield tho none was Placed at Pequage but in as
much as Pequage Does not appear more Eaposed to the Enemy if
so much as several other Places between y‘? rivers merirnaclc and
Connetticut that are within this Province and I apprehending your
honour might not be so well acquainted with the curcomstances of
these Frontiers I Did not order y‘? Lieu? to Place but ten men at
P-equage for if fifteen had been sent there other places must
have been left so nailted that no Scouting Could have been Done

which I am sencable was 3"? Courts Disigne but, if what I have

ordered Should not be agreeable I should be Glad to know your
Honours mind. I find it is Difficult to satisfie the People with so
few men in so long a Frontier but shall take y? best Care I can so
far as I am concern‘? to give orders for Everything to be Done that
your Honour Shall think best but if Possible I think best to keep
out all y‘? new Plantations in this Province but I am afraid that

85

thirty men is not sufficient. So with Great Regard, I remaill 370111‘

. Honours most Bumble and obedient Sewant to Commzmd.

WILLIAM Liuvxmmce
To y‘? H0113.“ Spencer Phips Esq’?

Geoceox joly 3"} 29 : 1755

[Massachusetts Archives, LIV. 521.]
u-—---Q-—¢

Represeezfoisees ~53 25/is Gefzemrl C'¢m?'z‘.

The following names are not found, according to Biitlefis

H " History,” in ihe town records, and the authority for the

names is given. witlz. each oI‘1e:—---

1683. Captain James Parl;:er, “ Massaclmsetts Records,” V. 421:.

1708. *5‘ Mr. John F111‘l'lS\?VO1‘lIh, “ Weelcly NeWs-Letter,” May 32.,

1714. M1'.jol'1n Fz11'nswo1'tl"1, ,, ,,

'33
1313. ‘ii Mr. Thomas Tarbell, ,, ,, May 30.
1717. M1“. _]ol111 Shepley, ,, , ,_., Jilne 3..
1718. Captain jolm Sliipley, ,, ,, jtme 3.

I719. C1-”1ptE1il‘l john Shipley, Neal’s “ Hist. of N. E.,” II. 377.
1732. T Nathziniel Sarfel, Esq., “ Wreelqly Rehearsal,” June 12.
1740. 1" M1‘. Jolm Longley, “ VVeel<ly ‘News—Lette1*,”]'u1ie 5.

174.3. ‘William Lawrence, Esq., ,, ,, May 30.
1750. (g52*o5e2é{;x $292‘ ?*ep2*ese?zz‘ed), ,, , jmie 4.
......_.¢.........

There are several tunes--—-:.~3.t least five—----called G'7*oz'o¢z,
to be found in* some of the old singing-books. They difi"e1'
in music and in words, and are generally of difl'ere1'1t znetres,
The earliest that I have been able to find is one, in common
metre, in Jacob Kimb21ll’s “ Rural Harmony,” published in
1793, at Boston. In Laws’s ‘* Harmonic: Companion”
(Pliiladelpliia, copyrighted I807) is 3. iong--metre tune of

,this name. In “The Choir” (Boston, I833), by Lowell

Mason, another one, in particular metre, is given; and in
the “ Massaolmsette Collection of Psalmody ” (Boston, 1840),

* “Those that have this mark 0*‘) are new ones."
‘r Not members during the preceding year.

86

by George Webb, is still another, in long metre. A sing-
ing-book, entitled “ Indian Melodies,” was published in New

York, in I845, which contains a tune called G?‘0Z0?z. The I

Compiler of the work was Thomas Commuck, an Indian,
and he claims that all the tunes in it, as well as the names,
are Indian. This is a mistake, certainly so far as it relates
to this name, —— unless, perchance, it may have been adopted
from the English.