USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Concord > The history of Concord, Massachusetts > Part 35
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35 | Part 36 | Part 37 | Part 38 | Part 39
THE SECOND REMOVE.
" But now, the next morning, I must turn my back upon the Town, and travel with them into the vast and desolate Wilderness, I knew not whither.' It is not my tongue, or pen can express the sorrows of my heart, and bitterness of my spirit, that I had at this departure : but God was with me, in a wonderfull manner, carrying me along, and bear- ing up my spirit, that it did not quite fail. One of the indians carried my poor wounded Babe upon a horse, it went moaning all along I shall dy, I shall dy. I went on fast after it, with sorrow that cannot be expresst. At length I took it off the horse, and carried it in my arms till my
446
Colonial
strength failed, and I fell down with it; then they set me upon a horse with my wounded Child in my lap, and there being no furniture upon the horse back; as we were going down a steep hill, we both fell over the horses head, at which they like inhumane creatures laught, and rejoyced to see it, though I thought we should have ended our days, so overcome with so many difficulties. But the Lord renewed my strength still, and carried me along, that I might see more of his Power; yea, so much that I could never have thought of, had I not experienced it.
"After this it quickly began to snow, and when night came on they stopt ; and now down I must sit in the snow, by a little fire, and a few boughs behind me, and my sick Child in my lap ; and calling much for water being now (through the wound) fallen into a violent Fever. My own wound also growing so stiff that I could scarce sit down or rise up; yet so it must be that I must sit all this cold winter night upon the cold snowy ground, with my sick Child in my arms, looking that every hour would be the last of my life; and having no Christian friend near me either to help or to comfort me. Oh, I may see the won- derfull power of God, that my spirit did not utterly sink under my affliction : still the Lord upheld me with his gracious and mercifull Spirit, and we were both alive to see the light of the next morning.
TWENTIETH REMOVE.
"On a Sabbath day, the sun being about an hour high in the afternoon ; came Mr. John Hoar (the Council permit- ting him and his own foreward spirit inclining him) together with the two forementioned Indians, Tom and Peter with their third Letter from the Council. When they came near I was abroad : though I saw them not, they presently called me in, and bade me sit down and not stir. Then they catched up their Guns, and away they ran, as if an Enemy had been at hand ; and the Guns went off apace. I manifested some great trouble, and they asked me what
447
Concord
was the matter ? I told them, I thought they had killed the Englishman (for they had in the meantime informed me that an English-man was come) they said, No; They shot over his Horse and under, and before his Horse; and they pushed him this way, and that way, at their pleasure : showing what they could do: Then they let them come to their Wigwams I begged them to let me see the English- man, but they would not. But there was I fain to sit their pleasure. When they had talked their fill with him they suffered me to go to him. We asked each other of our wel- fare, and how my Husband did, and all my friends? He told me they were all well, and would be glad to see me. I now asked them whether I should go home with Mr. Hoar? They answered, No, one and another of them ; and it being night, we lay down with that answer; in the morning, Mr. Hoar invited the Saggamores to Dinner ; but when we went to get it ready, we found that they had stolen the greatest part of the Provision Mr. Hoar had brought, out of his Bags, in the night. And we may see the wonderful power of God, in that one passage, in that when there was such a great number of the Indians together and so greedy of a little good food : and no English there but Mr. Hoar and myself: that there they did not Knock us in the head, and take what we had : there being not only some provision, but also a Trading-cloth, a part of the twenty pounds agreed upon. But instead of doing us any mischief, they seemed to be ashamed of the fact, and said, it was some 'Matchit Indian that did it.' Oh, that we could believe that there is no thing too hard for God ! God shewed his Power over the Heathen in this, as he did over the hungry Lyons when Daniel was cast into the den. Mr. Hoar called them betime to Dinner, but they ate very little, they being so busie in dressing themselves and get- ting ready for their Dance. On Tuesday morning they called their General Court (as they called it) to consult and determine whether I should go home or no; and they all as one man did seemingly consent to it,
448
Colonial
that I should go home, except Philip, who would not come among them. * * *
" But to return again to my going home, where we may see a remarkable change of Providence. At first they were all against it, except my Husband would come for me; but afterwards they assented to it, and seemed much to rejoice in it; some asked me to send them some Bread, others some Tobacco; others shaking me by the hand, offering me a Hood and Scarf to ride in ; not one moving hand or tongue against it. Thus hath the Lord answered my poor desire, and the many earnest requests of others put up unto God for me. In my travels an Indian came to me, and told me, if I were willing, he and his squaw would run away, and go home along with me : I told him No : I was not willing to run away, but desired to wait God's time, that I might go home quietly, and without fear. And now God hath granted me my desire. O the wonderfull power of God that I have seen, and the experi- ence that I have had : I have been in the midst of those roaring Lyons and Savage Bears, that feared neither God, nor Man, nor the Devil, by night and day, alone and in com- pany : sleeping all sorts together, and yet not one of them ever offered me the least abuse of unchastity to me, in word or action. Though some are ready to say, I speak it for my own credit : But I speak it in the presence of God, and to his Glory. Gods Power is as great now, and as sufficient to save as when he preserved Daniel in the Lions Den ; or the three Children in the firey Furnace. I may well say as his Psal. 107, 12 'O give thanks unto the Lord for he is good, his mercy endureth forever. Let the Redeemed of the Lord say so whom he hath redeemed from the hand of the Enemy,' especialy that I should come away in the midst of so many hundreds of Enemies, quietly and peaca- bly, and not a dog moving his tongue. So I took my leave of them, and in coming along my heart melted into tears, more than all the while I was with them, and I was almost swallowed up with the thoughts that ever I should go home
449
Concord
again. About the Sun going down, Mr. Hoar and, myself and the two Indians came to Lancaster and a solemn sight it was to me. There I had lived many comfortable years amongst my Relations and Neighbors, and now not one Christian to be seen, nor one house left standing. We went on to a Farm house that was yet standing, where we lay all night; and a comfortable lodging we had though nothing but straw to ly on. The Lord preserved us in safety that night, raised us up again in the morning, and carried us along, that before noon we came to Concord. Now was I full of joy, and yet not without sorrow : joy to see such a lovely sight, so many Christians together, and some of them my Neighbors. There I met with my Brother, and my Brother in Law, who asked me if I knew where his Wife was? Poor heart! he had helped to bury her and knew it not; she being shot down by the house was partly burnt : so that those who were at Boston at the desolation of the town, and came back afterward, and buried the dead, did not know her. Yet I was not without Sorrow, to think how many were looking and longing, and my own Children amongst the rest, to enjoy that deliverance that I had now received and I did not know whether ever I should see them again. Being recruited with food and raiment we went to Boston that day, where I met with my dear Husband but the thoughts of our dear Children, one Being dead, and the other we could not tell where, abated our comfort each to the other. I was not before so much hem'd in with the merciless and cruel Heathen, but now as much with pit- iful, tender-hearted, and compassionate Christians. In that poor, and distressed, and beggarly condition I was received in, I was kindly entertained in severall Houses ; so much I received from several, (some of whom I knew, and others I knew not) that I am not capable to declare it. But the Lord knows them all by name: The Lord reward them sevenfold into their bosoms of his spirituals, for their tem- porals. The twenty pounds the price of my redemption was raised by some Boston Gentlemen and Mr. Usher
450
Colonial
whose bounty and religious charity, I would not forget to make mention of. Then Thomas Shepard of Charlestown received us into his House, where we continued eleven weeks ; and a Father and Mother they were to us. And many more tender hearted friends we met with in that place. We were now in the midst of love, yet not without much and frequent heaviness of heart for our poor Children, and other relations, who were still in affliction. The week following, after my coming in, the Governor and Council sent forth to the Indians again ; and that not without success, for they brought in my Sister, and Goodwife Kristle; Their not knowing where our Children were, was a sore tryal to us still, and yet we were not without secret hopes that we should see them again. That which was dead lay heavier upon my spirit, than those which were alive and amongst the Heathen ; thinking how it suffered from its wounds, and I was in no way able to relieve it; and how it was buried by the Heathen in the Wilderness from among all Christians. We were hurried up and down in our thoughts, sometimes we should hear a report that they were gone this way, and sometimes that ; and that they were come in, in this place or that : We kept inquiring and listening to hear con- cerning them but no certain news as yet. About this time the Council had ordered a day of public Thanks-giving : though I thought I had still cause of mourning, and being unsettled in our minds, we thought we would ride toward the Eastward to see if we could hear anything concerning our Children. And as we were riding along [God is the wise disposer of all things] between Ipswich and Rowly we met Mr. William Hubbard, who told us that our Son Joseph was come in to Major Waldrens, and another with him, which was my Sisters Son. I asked him how he knew it? He said, the Major himself told him so. So along we went till we came to Newbury ; and their Minister being absent, they desired my Husband to Preach the Thanks giving for them ; but he was not willing to stay there that night, but would go over to Salisbury, to hear further, and
451
Concord
come again in the morning; which he did, and Preached there that day. At night when he had done, one came and told him that his Daughter was come in at Providence ; Here was mercy on both hands: Now hath God fulfiled that precious Scripture, which was such a comfort to me in my distressed condition. When my heart was ready to sink into the Earth [my Children being gone I could not tell whither] and my knees trembled under me, And I was walking through the valley of the Shadow of Death : Then the Lord brought, and has now fulfiled that reviving word unto me: Thus saith the Lord, Refrain thy voice, from weeping, and thine eyes from tears for thy work shall be rewarded saith the Lord, and they shall come again from the Land of the enemy."
CHAPTER XLIII
List of Names of Concord Soldiers in King Philip's War - Miscellaneous Services of the Town - Incidental Hardships - The Loss of Men - Bio- graphical Sketches of the Killed and Wounded.
T HE following are lists containing the names of some of the soldiers who served in King Philip's War. A list of the names of soldiers accred- ited for services performed under Capt. Joseph Sill in 1675-76 : William Barrett Lt.
John Melvin
4 James Wheeler Thomas Adams
Richard Taylor Joseph Bateman
Moses Wheate Hopewell Davis
5.1. Richard Woods John Bateman
William Ball
, In 1675 Capt. Sill was engaged in service from Sudbury westward toward Wachusett Hill; and subsequently by order of Major Simon Willard he was employed in guard- ing supplies and in guard duty about the various garrison houses.
Among the names of persons who served as soldiers in defense of the garrisons are the following Concord names : Feb. 29. 1675-6.
"Under Capt. Wheeler at Groton garrison" :
Samuel Fletcher Senr. Samuel Fletcher Junr.
Eleazer Brown
Stephen Gobble
Moses Wheate
Richard Pasmore
(perhaps Hosmer)
Nov. 9, - 1675.
John Wood Josiah Wheeler
Hugh Taylor
452
CONCORD HIGH SCHOOL, 1865.
THE OLD NORTH PRIMARY SCHOOL-HOUSE.
453
Concord
Another list under Capt. Wheeler at Groton in garrison service :
Samuel Fletcher Jr.
Stephen Gobble
Eleazer Ball
Daniel Adams
Moses Wheate
Richard Pasmore
John Potter
Simon Willard
Benjamin Graves
The following are "later credits for Military Service" of Concord men from the Ledger of John Hull : Nov. 24, 1676
William Jones Jan. 24, 1676
Humphrey Barrett William Hartwell.
The following names are of men accredited as being under Major Simon Willard from Aug. 7th to Jan. 25, 1675, whose sur-names were familiar in Concord :
Paul Fletcher, John Barrett, John Heale, James Smedly, Josiah Wheeler, Daniel Adams, John Bateman.
In the list from which these are taken is the name of Simon Willard, a son of Major Simon Willard, and Philip Read "Doctor," Dr. Philip Read, we conclude, is the same person who styled himself "Physition" and who having married a daughter of Richard Rice made a home in Con- cord and practised medicine there and also in Sudbury, Watertown and Cambridge. We have no means of know- ing whether he went to the war acting in any other cap- acity than as a private soldier although he is designated "Doctor." Neither do we assert that Dr. Read went to the war from Concord, since about the year 1670 he was com- plained of for making a comparison of Rev. Edward Bul- keley as a preacher with Parson Estabrook saying, that the former was not worthy to carry the latter's books after him. Dr. Read paid {20 for the offense and for a time left the town
ASSIGNMENT OF WAGES.
Concord - Town Cr. By Sundry accts :
John Wheeler, Joseph Wheeler, Abraham Temple ,
454
Colonial
Thomas Wheeler, Junr., David Gobely, Benjamin Graves, James Sawyer, Nathaniel Billings, William Kean, John Haslock, Joseph Chamberlain, Stephen Gobble, Benjamin Chamberlain, John Lakin, Richard Blood.
We do not claim that in every instance in the following lists where a name has been a familiar one in Concord that therefore the person having it is to be accredited as a sol- dier serving from that town. But we claim that more or less of them belonged to Concord citizens and that in some of the lists nearly all if not everyone did so.
We have no means of knowing whether the names of all the soldiers of Concord who served in King Philip's war were placed on record, neither may we know how many were impressed and how many were volunteers. Further- more, we may not know how many served as substitutes for soldiers in other towns ; nor how many men in other places may have been accredited to Concord.
The method of obtaining a "quota" of troops was for the Colonial Council or commanding officer in charge to issue a warrant directed to a constable, or a committee of militia in each municipality which was returnable to the said Council or General officer.
Besides the service performed in response to calls of the colony to aid other towns and engage in expeditions, much militia work was done at home. The town was near the danger line and repeatedly threatened with invasion, and it was essential to be at all times prepared for an attack.
There were also in the town at various times refugees from other places whose persons and property called for pro- tection. Sometimes carts were required with armed convoys to carry people and their belongings to a place of safety. To fill all these requisitions and at the same time man their garrison houses and keep up such patroling of the township as would prevent surprises was an arduous task. To accom- plish this not only took every able bodied soldier but even the youth were sometimes summoned into the service, as
455
Concord
is shown by the following paper, Mass. Archives, Vol. 69, page 134:
" To the Hono :ble Gov' : and Councell now sitting in Bos- ton June 28 : 1677
The Request of the Millitia of the towne of Concord
"Humbly sheweth that the millitia of the said towne receiveing a warrant from the worp" Maj' Gookin to im- press foure men for the service of the Country : and being informed that those that were to be prest were in- tended onely to scout about Chelmsford ; and the said Militia not being able to obtaine those persons that were intended and desired they sent foure youths promiseing to releive them within one week after they went but as soone as they came to Chelmsford they were conducted to black point where they now remaine.
"Our humble request to yo' Hon's therefore is : that you will please to consider how unfitt these youths are for the Countryes service : namely Samuell Stratton, John Wheat, John Ball : Thomas Wolley : : and that they may be dis- missed from the said service : and be returned home with the first that doe returne, so shall we ever pray for y" Hon's &c.
TIMOTHY WHEELER Capt in the name of ye Millitia."
As a result of the necessity of their keeping sol- diers at home excuses were made, as shown by the postscript to the report of the Committee of Militia concerning the men called from Concord to the Narragan- sett expedition ; the request being that some already in ser- vice be released.
But the military service was not the only strain upon the community. The soldiers were to be furnished with food and clothing. Their stock of ammunition was to be kept up, and such other commodities as were convenient for car- rying on war were to be contributed as occasion called for.
For months the town of Concord was a general military head-quarters, having a gunsmith, and a magazine.
456
Colonial
A no small element of hardship to the town of Con- cord during Philip's war was its liability to a sudden attack of the Indians. The place would naturally be a coveted one, for the reason that it had a magazine, and a gunsmith and was a resort of war refugees and was a rendezvous for troops from abroad. As indicating the general solicitude is the following copy of a record relating to the escape of several squaws who were under guard.
"Concord this 13th : June 1676.
Honord Gouerno' Leuert.
"Inasmuch as heare has been a sad accident befallen us through the ocation of nedglegent persons; which had trust Imposed to them : to keep sentery over three old squas & one papoose, these watchmen fell all asleep, and in the meanetime ye squas made theire escape ; from them ; which may produce a great deale of damage to us y' are resident in Concord; because we are affraid they are acquainted with ye Condition of o' towne, & what quan- tyty of men we have gon out; & which way they are gone ; which may prove very obstructive to o' army in their design ;. we had a Capt; appoynted over the magaseine ; which I thought to be suffitient to give a Charge to 12 men ; to keep senternalls over three old squas ; I hope yo' honor will be pleased to take it into Consideration & send us some more strength to suport us from o' enemies ; for we are in dayly fear; y' they will make an asault on o" towne; So hopeing yo' hono' cannot Impute any Blame to him ; who wish to yo' honor ye best y' may be; by yor honors most Humble Servant
John Haywood ; Consta !!. "
Mass. Archives, v. 133, p. 193.
By this report we infer that the condition of affairs was so precarious that it was considered essential to place a strong guard over a few Indian women lest escaping they report the weak condition of the town s defences. When it was reported to the Council that the squaws had made their
457
Concord
escape the situation was considered sufficiently serious to warrant the Council in forwarding immediately a re-enforce- ment of twenty men.
The actual loss of inhabitants to Concord by the war may never be known. It is considered certain that sixteen were slain outright, but as in all wars more or less deaths were doubtless occasioned indirectly by exposure, sickness and wounds. Neither may it ever be ascertained what were the names of all the slain or where all of them lived.
The following are brief biographical data relating to per- sons from Concord who were killed or suffered from wounds while engaged in Philip's war.
Samuel Smedley who was slain while with Capt. Wheeler at Brookfield was a son of Baptist Smedley and a brother of Mary whose husband Isaac Shepard was killed at Con- cord village. He was one of the eight who fell at the first firing in the ambuscade at the swamp. Doubtless his body was buried with his comrades in an obscure grave.
Of the Concord Smedleys or Smeadleys, John and Bap- tist or Baptiste came to the town prior to 1636. They were of Huguenot descent, and it has been suggested may have come from Matlock, in Derbyshire, England where some of the Smedleys have since lived. Baptiste had his houselot, according to Walcott, near Franklin Dakin's. John lived at or near the present residence of Hon. John S. Keyes in the vicinity of the Battle Ground. Baptiste Smedley died Aug. 16, 1675. John died the same year.
Samuel Smedley son of Baptiste married Hannah Wheeler in 1667 ; Hannah a daughter was born July 28 1669; Mary was born 1671; and Samuel Feb. 28, 1673. The following is the record of his birth. "Samuell Sonne of Babtist and Kathrine Smedley, the 7, 4 mo, 1648." The inventory is on file at the Probate Records by the admin- istrator of Samuel Smedley ; and one of the articles speci- fied is the following - "2 horses lost in the"Country's'sar- vice. 06,0,0"
"2 horses was kild with him at the ffight at quapoge."
458
Colonial
As to Henry Young who was shot at the Brookfield gar- rison house while looking from the window, we have found nothing but what Capt. Wheeler says of him in his narra- tive. That he was a brave man is evident from the fact that he was selected to be a companion to Ephraim Curtis in his attempt to elude the viligant savages and bear beyond their lines a summons for relief. The whereabouts of his grave is doubtless as unknown as that of Smedley. The old burying ground at Brookfield may have received his remains but of the earliest burial place of that town its historians have given but little definite information.
Isaac and Jacob Shepard who were slain at Quagana hill in Concord village were the third and sixth sons of Ralph and Thanklord Shepard. Isaac was born June 20th 1639, and Jacob was born June 1657. The oldest son of the family of Ralph and Thanklord was Abraham who married Jan. 2d 1673; and a younger son was perhaps Daniel; Mary who was made captive was the youngest child and was born about 1660-1662.
Isaac Shepard married Mary Smedly a daughter of Bap- tiste Smedly of Concord. A Probate Record informs us that "adminstration on the estate of Isaac Shepard late of Concord" was allowed to Mary Shepard his "relict widow" jointly with Abram Shepard her brother. The inventory of the estate sets forth the following property "A farme at Nashobe, one house one barn 12 ac of broken up land 10 of meadow witn the rest of the ffarme." The entire estate was valued at {250. From this farm at Nashoba through a long wilderness path Isaac went to visit Mary Smedley the maiden of Huguenot ancestry and thither he took her to dwell among his own kindred.
We know of no record relating to Jacob Shepard except of his birth. Both Isaac and Jacob it is supposed lived on a portion of land formerly owned by Lieut. Joseph Wheeler. Their father Ralph came to America in the ship Abigail from Stepney Parish London in 1635. After residing in several towns he went to Malden where he became deacon.
459
Concord
From Malden he made his way through the woods to the territory near Nashoba called Concord village.
The barn in which the men were threshing was situated it is believed on the south side of a lane to what is now or was lately the Cyrus Pickard place near the road. Mary the sister was on the hill near by, and tradition has pointed out the exact spot, a boulder on the south side of the hill near the top. In the Concord Records is this entry "Thomas Streight and Mary Shepard married by Justice Peter Bulkeley May 28, 1683."
In the case of the Concord soldiers killed at Sudbury there is a great discrepancy between the date of their deaths on the town records and elsewhere.
The record there made is that James Hosmer, Samuel Potter, David Comy and John Barnes died on March 31, 1676. The error is thought to have been occasioned by some imperfect entry or transcription. The following are brief biographical sketches of five of the seven whose iden- tity and connection with the fight at Sudbury has been established as matter of record :
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.