USA > Massachusetts > Essex County > Haverhill > The history of Haverhill, Massachusetts, from its first settlement, in 1640, to the year 1860 > Part 24
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One of the parties set fire to the back side of the meeting-house, a new and, for that period, an elegant building. These transactions were all per- formed about the same time; but they were not permitted to continue their work of murder and conflagration long, before they became panie- struck. Mr. Davis, an intrepid man, went behind Mr. Rolfe's barn, which stood near the house, struck it violently with a large club, called on men by name, gave the word of command, as though he were ordering an at- tack, and shouted with a loud voice, " Come on ! come on! we will have them !" The party in Mr. Rolfe's house, supposing that a large body of
" The account of this deed is received wholly from tradition. We heard it related by an aged and venerable gentleman, Captain Nehemiah Emerson, who has often heard it told by his grand-father, who then lived in the garrison of his father, Jonathan Emerson .- Mirick
The honse of Nathan Simons was also attacked, and he was wounded in the arm, by a ball. Simons shot two Indians, when the others withdrew. From Sibley's History of Union, Me., we learn that there is a tradition in the Sibley family, that Samnel Sibley, from whom the settlers in Union are desceuded, was killed in this town at this time, while throwing water upon the meeting-house after it had been set on fire by the Indians. He belonged in Salem, and was probably one of the men under Major Turner at this time .- G. W. C.
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the English had come upon them, began the cry of " The English are come!"" and after attempting to fire the house, precipitately left it. About this time, Major Turner arrived with a company of soldiers, and the whole body of the enemy then commenced a rapid retreat, taking with them a number of prisoners. The retreat commeneed about the ris- ing of the sun. Meantime, Mr. Davis ran to the meeting-house, and with the aid of a few others, succeeded in extinguishing the devour- ing element; but it was mostly owing to his exertions, that the house was saved.
The town by this time was generally alarmed. Joseph Bradley collec- ted a small party, in the northerly part of it, and secured the medicine- box and paeks of the enemy, which they had left about three miles from the village .¡ Capt. Samuel Ayer, a fearless man, and of great strength, collected a body of about twenty men, and pursued the retreating foe. He came up with them just as they were entering the woods, when they faced about, and though they numbered thirteen or more to one, still Capt. Ayer did not hesitate to give them battle. These gallant men were soon rein- forced by another party, under the command of his sont; and after a severe skirmish, which lasted about an hour, they retook some of the pris- oners, and the enemy precipitately retreated, leaving nine of their number dead.§
The French and Indians continued their retreat, and so great were their sufferings, arising from the loss of their packs, and their consequent ex-
· Sketch of Haverhill .- Saltonstall.
+ A short distance north of the house of Deacon Carleton, in the West Parish, and about half a mile north of the place where the subsequent skirmish took place .- G. W. C.
# The whole number is supposed to have been sixty or seventy .- G. W. C.
§ The spot where this skirmish took place, was the rise of land nearly west of the house of S. Eaton Esq., about half way between the Derry Road and the Parsonage Road, and south-east of Long Hill, in the West Parish. Among the enemy who fell at this place, were Hertel of Chambly, and Vercheres, both officers of experience. In this bloody affair, the renowned chief Assacambuit, or, as the French called him, Nescambiouit, fought side by side with the French Commander-in-Chief, and is said to have per- formed prodigies of valor with the sword presented to him by Louis XIV, of France, in 1706. The enemy had eighteen wounded; and three Indians, and five Frenchmen killed. Assacambuit was himself wounded in the foot by a shot.
Smith, in his History of Canada, (Quebec, 1815, Vol. 1, p. 165,) gives the following account of this memorable attack on the town :- " The French army pushed on to the attack of a village, called Haverhill, in which was posted fifty soldiers, sent by the Governor of New England, in consequence of the information of the approach of a French force. The Village was attacked at day break, on the 29th day of Angust. was well defended by a small party of troops and by the inhabitants ; at length overpowered by numbers, the French took possession of it, having killed not less than one hundred men, and carried several into captivity. The French, on their return were pursued, and overtaken just as they were entering the woods, an action ensued which lasted about an hour, when the English were defeated and several were killed, The French loss, amounted only to eight men killed and eighteen wounded ; among the slain, were two officers, Hertel de Chambly, Rouville's brother, and Vercheres."-G. W. C.
*
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posure to famine, that many of the Frenchmen returned and surrendered themselves prisoners of war; and some of the captives were dismissed, with a message that, if they were pursued, the others should be put to death. Perhaps, if they had been pursued, nearly the whole of their force might have been conquered ; for the Governor, in his address to the As- sembly, says, " we might have done more against them if we had followed their tracks." As it was, they left thirty of their number dead, in both engagements, and many were wounded, whom they carried with them. The French, when they returned, reported very differently from this; they said that they " faced about, and that our people, being astonished, were all killed or taken, except ten or twelve, who escaped."
The inhabitants were now left to perform the sorrowful office of bury- ing their dead -and it was a sorrowful one indeed. The day was somewhat advanced when the battle was over, and it being extremely warm the interment was necessarily hurried. Coffins could not be made for all, and a large pit was dug in the burying ground, in which several of them were laid. Some of those who fell in the last engagement, it is presumed, were buried on the spot.
The following is a list of the slain who belonged to this town ; perhaps it is not full, though we have taken great pains to make it so: - Rev. Benjamin Rolfe, his wife and one child ; Mrs. Smith, Thomas Hartshorne and three sons ; Lieut. John Johnson and his wife, Catharine ; Capt. Simon Wainwright; Capt. Samuel Ayer; John Dalton ; Ruth Ayer, wife of Thomas Ayer, and one daughter; and Ruth Johnson, wife of Thomas Johnson. The whole number is sixteen. We have not been able to collect the names of those who were taken prisoners, or the exact number. Mr. Pike, in his Journal, says that the enemy ' killed and carried away 33 persons, and burnt several houses.' Mr. Hutchinson says ' about forty ' were killed and taken prisoners; perhaps the truth would fall between. A daughter of Capt. Simon Wainwright, who was not so fortunate as to escape with her mother, when she fled with the rest of her children, was made prisoner ; and in 1710, her mother, Mary, petitioned the General Court to redeem her. The following is her petition : -
" Haverhill, 20th April, 1710.
To his Excellency, Joseph Dudley, Captain-General and Governor in chief, &c., &c., to the Honorable council and General Assembly now mett ; the petition of Mary Wainwright sheweth that, whereas my daughter hath been for a long time in captivity with the French of Canada, and I have late reason to fear that her soul is in great danger if not already capti- vated and she brought to their way; therefore I humbly intreate your 29
·
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Excellency, that some care may be taken for her redemption before Canada be so endeared to her that I shall never have my daughter more. Some are ready to say that there are so few captives in Canada that it is not worthe while to put the country to the charges for them ; but I hope your Excellency, nor any other good, judicious man, will think so; for St. James has instructed us, as you may see, chapter 5, v 20-Let him know that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins. This is all I can do at present, but I desire humbly to begg of God that he would direct the hearts of our rulers to do that which may be most for his glory and for the good of his poor distressed creatures, and so I take leave to subscribe myself your most humble petitioner, Widow Mary Wainwright.
In the house of Representatives read and recommended 12th June."
One of the soldiers, Joseph Bartlett, stationed at Capt. Wainwright's house, was also taken prisoner; " he was a native of Newbury, was born 18th November, 1686, taken prisoner 29th August, 1708, returned 8th November, 1712, and died 1754, aged 68. After his return, he published a narrative ; of his captivity, and perhaps the History of Haverhill will not be deemed an improper place to give a short account of him.
' In the year 1707 -says the narrative - in November 1, Joseph Bartlett was pressed and sent to Haverhill. My quarters were in the house of Capt. Waindret, [wright.] August 29, 1708, there came about 100 French and 30 Indians į and beset the town of Haverhill - set fire to several houses; among which was that of Capt. W.' After the enemy entered the house, they took him and another soldier, named Newmarsh, and the daughter of Mrs. Wainwright, prisoners. Soon after the different parties commenced their retreat, they knocked one of their prisoners in head, named Lindall, a soldier belonging to Salem. He then says: ' They then marched on together, when Capt. Eaires (Ayer,) with a small company waylaid and shot upon them, which put them to flight, so that they did not get together again until three days after.' Bartlett said that he was first taken by the French, but after the battle they gave him to the Indians. The three first days they travelled hard.
He was compelled to carry a heavy pack, and travel with his hands tied behind him. A part of the time he was led by an Indian, who carried a hatchet in his hand and a pistol in his girdle, with a cord tied about his
@ John Gyles, of Lynn, one of Major Turner's soldiers was wounded in the attack.
t We have never scen but one copy of this narrative, and that was obtained for us by John Farmer, Esq., of Coneord.
# Most of the accounts agree in stating that there was about two hundred and fifty of the enemy.
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neck. On arriving at Lake Winnipiseoge, the French and Indians parted. The latter crossed the Lake; but before they reached the opposite shore, they killed a bear which was swimming in the water, towed it to the shore and cooked it. They then fared sumptuously, and remained in that place about a day and a half, when they proceeded on their journey, and travelled five days, with scarcely any other sustenance than pounded corn. Having arrived at a river, the Indians made some canoes in a day and a half, when they sailed down the stream three days, eating nothing for four, but a few sour grapes and thorn plums. They then killed a hawk and divided it among fifteen-the head fell to the share of Mr. Bartlett, which, he says, " was the largest meal I had these four days." From thence they proceeded to Chamble, and on their passage they met with some Indians who gave them a little corn and a few pumpkins. He there saw an Englishman, named Littlefield, taken from Wells. The Indians shaved the hair from one side of his head, greased the other, and painted his face. They then started for Montreal, and when they arrived, he was examined by the Governor, and from thence went to the house of a Roman Catholic Priest, where he lodged over night. The next morning they started for an Indian fort, nine miles distant. When about half way, they came to a fire, surrounded by ' fifteen men and thirty boys,' where they held a consulta- tion about burning him ; but before it was closed, the Indians, who owned him, and the boys, marched away. Soon as they arrived at the fort, they began to abuse their prisoner- a squaw cut off his little finger, and another beat him with a pole. The Indians danced and sung all night, and invited him to join them, but he refused ; they pulled him into the ring, however, and he went once round it. An Indian then came to him, and, after making a long speech, gave him to an old squaw, who took him to her wigwam. In February next, he went to live with a French- man, named Delude, and remained with him until Sunday, October 5, 1712, when he started to return to his friends in Newbury, and arrived on the 8th of November, after a captivity of four years, two months, and nine days.
After his return, the General Court ordered that ' the sum of £20. 15s. be allowed and paid to Joseph Bartlett in full of his petition of charges and expenses to obtain his liberty from the Indians, being taken prisoner by the Indians at Haverhill when in her Majesties service in the year 1708, and for his support during four years captivity and for the loss of his arms.'
Mr. Pike, in his Journal, says that ' many soldiers belonging to Salem, were here slain.' Among them was William Coffin, who distinguished
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himself for his bravery ; and soon after, his widow petitioned the General Court for relief, when it passed the following resolve : -
. Nov. 3, 1708. - Resolved that the sum of £o be allowed and paid out of the publick Treasury to the Petitioner, Mrs. Sarah Coffin, on account of the remarkable forwardness and courage which her husband, William Coffin of Salem, distinguished himself by, in the action at Haverhill where he was slain.'
Mr. Rolfe, his wife and child, were buried in one grave, near the south end of the burial-ground. A single monument was erected to their mem- ory, on which was chiselled an inscription for each ; but the hand of time has been rough with them - they are overgrown with moss, and the epi- taphs are now almost illegible."
The following is the epitaph of Mr. Rolfe: -
' Clauditur hoc tumulo corpus Reverendi pii doctique viri, D. Benjamin Rolfe, ecclesia Christi que est in haverhill pastoris fidelissimi; qui domi suæ ad hostibus burbare trucidatus. A laboribus suis requieuit mane diei sacræ quietis, Aug. XXIX anno domini, MDCCVIII. Etatis sua XLVI.'t
This worthy man was born at Newbury, 1662. and graduated at Cam- bridge, 1684. He seems to have been a pious and upright man, ardently devoting his time and talents to forward the cause of his Saviour. He was respected and beloved by his people, and we cannot learn that any difficulty arose between them, after his settlement.
The grave-stones of Capt. Ayer, Capt. Wainwright, and Lieut. Johnson, are nigh to Mr. Rolfe's but are considerably damaged, and their inscrip- tions have become nearly illegible.
" In 1847-8, a neat and substantial granite monument was erected over the grave of Mr. Rolfe, by the Ladies, who were then making much needed improvements in the " Old Burying Gronnd." The monu- ment stands about six and one-half feet high, is of Concord, N. H., granite, and was finished at the establishment of Mr. F. A. Brown, in this town. It bears the following inscription :-
" Enclosed in this tomb, is the body of a man, pious, learned and reverend, BENJAMIN ROLFE, a most faithful Pastor of the Church of Christ in Haverhill; who was barbarously slain by the Indians at his own house. IIe rested from his labors on the morning of the Sabbath, the 29th of Ang in the year of our Lord 1708, and of his age the 46th. (On the second side) Mrs Mehitable Rolfe, aged 44 yrs. Mehitable Rolfe, aged 2 yrs. Were slain Ang 29, 1708. (On the third side) Capt Samuel Ayer, Capt Simon Wainwright, Lient John Johnson, were slain, with thirteen others, Aug. 29, 1708. (On the fourth side) Clauditur hoc tumulo corpus reverendi, pii, viri, Benjamin Rolfe, ecclesia Christi que est in Haverhill, pastoris fidelissimi ; qui domi suaæ ab hostibus barbare trucidatus.
E laboribus suis requievit mane diei sacred quietis Ang XXIX Anno Domini MDCCVIII Ætatis snæ XLVI."
Rev. Benjamin Rolfe, married Mehitabel Atwater, March 12, 1693-4. ( hildren,-Mary, March 9, 1695; Benjamin, September 2, 1696: John, July 2, 1698, died August 3, 1698; John and Elizabeth, twins, September 1, 1699, (John died September 18, 1699) ; Francis, January 16, 1702 .- G. W. C.
+ " Inclosed in this tomb is the body of the reverend, pious, & learned Benjamin Rolfe, the faithful pastor of the Church of Christ in Haverhill; who was barbarously slain in his own house by the enemy. Ile rested from his labors early on the day of sacred rest, Aug 29, 1708, in the 46th year of his age."
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Capt. Ayer was slain in the last engagement, before the reinforcement arrived. He was shot in the groin, and being a large, robust man, bled profusely. When his son arrived, he was told that his father was killed, and the informant pointed him out. He looked at the corpse a while, as it lay on the grass, all covered with blood, and told his informant that that person could not be his father, for he (meaning the person slain,) had on a pair of red breeches. Capt. Ayer was one of the Selectmen, a Dea- con of the church, and one of the most worthy, active and intelligent citizens of the town. He lived near the house of Capt. John Ayer, 2d Lieut. Johnson was also a Deacon of the church, and was an active and useful citizen. He is supposed to be descended from Capt. Edward John- son, the author of the ' Wonder Working Providence of Zion's Saviour' in New England, and who, in company with Jonathan Ince, of Cambridge, and Sergeant John Sherman, of Watertown, surveyed the northern bounds of the Patent of Massachusetts, in 1652.
Captain Wainwright came from Ipswich ; he had two brothers, John and Francis. His father, whose name was Francis, came from Chelmsford, in England, when a boy, and died about 1690. He is particularly noticed in the Pequot war, where he was simultaneously attacked by two Indians, and while defending himself broke the stock of his gun; he then used the barrel, and finally killed them both.
Captain Wainwright was a high-minded and influential citizen. He was supposed to be very rich, and there is a tradition which states that he had a large chest filled with dollars-and that he offered a man the whole if he would extract one of them with his fingers. The man "pulled and tugged," as our informant said, with all his strength, but alas ! the thing was impossible, and he was obliged to leave it, and be satisfied with only looking at the precious stuff. It was also said that he buried much of his money, and a part of the field south of Captain Nehemiah Emerson's house, has been dug over, for the purpose of finding it. The large oak-tree, near Little River, has been twice dug around for the same object, within the remembrance of many of our citizens; but the tantalizing dreams of the " money-diggers," it is believed, were never realized."}
The 29th day of August, 1708, will ever be remembered by the inhabi- tants of Haverhill, as that of the last, and the most formidable attack
Near the west end of Plug Pond.
t The field here alluded to is now almost completely covered with dwelling houses, it being that part of the village bounded by Little River on the south and west, Winter Street on the north, and the easterly line of the lots on the easterly side of Emerson Street on the east. The old oak tree is yet standing, near the south west corner of Emerson Street .- G. W. C.
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made upon the town during the long years of troubles with the Indians and their allies.
There was an alarm in the town on the night of the 25th of the following month, but, fortunately, no attack was made. Colonel Saltonstall, in a letter to the Governor and Council, under date of the 27th, informs them " that a party of the enemy, to the number of about thirty, were discovered in the town on Saturday night, but that he soon gave the alarm, drew a number of soldiers together, and had repelled and driven them back without suffering any loss."
The Boston News Letter, of October 4, (1708,) thus alludes to the affair :- " In our last we mentioned a second attempt upon Haverhill; it issues thus; that some few sculking Indians were discovered in the Town in the night, and the alarm being made, they were soon frighted, and drew off without doing any mischief.">
. The distressed condition of the town after this terrible visitation, induced them to petition the General Court, for an abatement of their taxes,- which was granted. The following was their petition :-
" The Petition of Ye Subscribers humbly showeth.
That whereas ye Righteous and Holy God hath been pleased in ye dis- pensation of his Providence to suffer ye Enemy to break in upon us, & by their violent Assaults & Depredations to make desolate several of ye best of our habitations in Haverhill, Damnifying us to ye value of about 1000: Ib beside (which is more) loss of lives, thereby reducing us to great extremity and distraction, discouraging of hearts of many amongst us who are upon designs & endeavors to remove, whereby our condition is rendered in some measure comparable to yt of David's & ye men with him when Ziklag was Spoiled. Considering also in conjunction therewith ye extreem charges we must be exposed unto (if our town stands) in building strong Garrisons. Now settling a Mimister. The great obstructions against carrying on our dayly occasions, with other difficult circumstances attend- ing us too tedious here to enumerate. We makbold to spread our case before Yor Honrs supplicating your Heedful & compasionate Regards thereto, so far to Alleviate us, as to grant unto us a Release from yt part of ye Tax to her Majesty wh is set upon us this year. And hoping yt of yr wonted Clemency & Candor you will not pass by our Sufferings & Sorrows as those yt are unconcerned. We beg yr favor & pardon, & Leave
* The only other losses by the Indians this season, were the following :- May 8th, four captured at Exeter, and one killed at Oyster River; July 22d, three killed and two captured at the latter place, four childreu captured at Exeter, and two killed and the same number captured at Kingston.
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to say, yt your Gratification of our request will strengthen those bonds of obligation to Duty & Service which are already upon us who freely sub- scribe ourselves
Yor Humble Servts & petitionrs.
Haverhill
Selectmen Jonathan Emerson
Dated Octobr 18 1708.
of Haverhill Jonathan Eatton William Johnson."
The Court ordered the sum of thirty pounds to be abated from their tax.
September 15th, (1708) a meeting was called to see about a new minis- ter, and a committee was chosen to supply the pulpit, " for the present, & for the coming winter." The committee engaged a Mr. Nicholas Seaver, who preached regularly until the next February, (7th) when a meeting was called " about a minister, as Mr Sever's time was near out that he promised to stay." The town formally thanked Mr. Seaver for his pains and labor in the work among them ; desired his continuance and settlement; and chose a committee to confer with him about the matter. March 1st, another meeting was called, at which it was voted to pay Mr. Seaver annually twenty pounds in money, and forty pounds in corn, as money, if he would settle in the town.
Two weeks afterward, they voted to add one hundred pounds in money to their former offer, "to be improved by him in settling himself with a house," and allow him the use of all the parsonage land. This was indeed a very liberal offer, and the fact that but four persons dissented from it, shows that Mr. Seaver was highly esteemed by the people of the town.
June 14th, another meeting was held to see about settling Mr. Seaver, at which the town voted to give him four contributions annually, and twenty cords of wood, in addition to what they had previously offered him. They then adjourned to the 21st, when Mr. Seaver's proposals were received, read, and declined. The records do not inform us what his pro- posals were.
Mr. Seaver did not continue to preach in town after his proposals were declined. He was succeeded by Rev. Mr. Brown, who gave such complete satisfaction to the church and the people, that " At a church meeting in Haverhill, Voted that the thanks of this church be returned to the Rev. Mr. Richard Brown for his labors with us in the work of the ministry hitherto, and that they desire his continuance with us still in that work in order to a settlement. And by a unanimous vote, not one person then present dissenting the Rev. Mr. Richard Brown was made choice of to be their minister and Pastor if he may be obtained."
This is the earliest record now preserved of a church meeting in the town.
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The same day, a town meeting was held, at which it was unanimously voted to " concur with the church" in its selection of Mr. Brown for a minister, and a committee was chosen to treat with him, and also to treat with the administrator for the purchase of the late Mr. Rolfe's house.º
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