USA > Massachusetts > Middlesex County > Groton > Three historical addresses at Groton, Massachusetts > Part 3
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After Philip's War the Colonists were at peace with the Indians, but it was a suspicious kind of peace. It re- quired watching and a show of strength to keep it: there was no good-will between the native race and the white intruders.
Captain Francis Nicholson, writing from Boston to Lon- don, under date of August 31, 1688, speaks of the feeling here at that time. The letter is printed in "Documents relating to the Colonial History of the State of New York " (iii. 551) ; and the writer says : -
Att night [August 19] I came to Dunstable (about 30 miles from hence) from thence I sent two English men and an In- dian to Penecooke about sixty miles up the river Merymeck ; the men told me they should be 3 dayes in doeing of it; soe next day I went through Groton and Lancaster, where the people were very much afraid (being out towns) butt I told them as I did other places, that they should nott be soe much cast down, for that they had the happinesse of being subjects of a victorious King, who could protect them from all their enemies.
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The military company of the town was still kept up, and known as the Foot Company; and, during a part of the year 1689, was supported by some cavalry, under the com- mand of Captain Jacob Moore. James Parker, Sen., was appointed the Captain of it; Jonas Prescott, the Lieutenant ; and John Lakin, the Ensign: and these appointments were all confirmed by the Governor and Council, at a convention held in Boston, July 17, 1689. A month later (August 10), Captain Parker was ordered to supply Hezekiah Usher's garrison at Nonacoicus with "three men of the men sent up thither or of the Town's people, for ye defence of yt Garrison being of publique concernmt." Groton was one of the four towns that were designated, August 29, as the headquarters of the forces detached for the public service against the common enemy; Casco, Newichewanick ( Ber- wick), and Haverhill being the others. And we find, soon after, an order to send " to the head Quarter 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 fflints, Six quire of Paper." Eleven troopers were sent hither, September 17, under Cornet John Chubbuck, to relieve Corporal White, who was succeeded by John Pratt. The commissary of the 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. (Archives, lxxxi. 24, 40, 60, 67, 71, 73, 74, 81, 138.)
In the year 1690 "Jnº Paige of Groten " went in the expe- dition against Canada, under Major Wade; was wounded in the left arm, and did not recover entirely for two years. His surgeon's bill, amounting to four pounds, was paid out of the public treasury. (Archives, xxxvii. 62.)
These facts show that the early settlers at this time were not leading an easy life. The orders and counter-orders to even the small garrison show too well that danger was threatening. The inhabitants had already experienced the
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cruelty of savage warfare, and knew it to their horror. For some years they had been on the constant alert, and held their lives in their hands. King William's War 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 contem- porary writers. Sometimes there are variations in such ac- counts, but, as a whole, they constitute the best authority.
Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, thus refers to it: -
Nor did the Storm go over so: Some Drops of it fell upon the Town of Groton, a Town that lay, one would think, far enough off the Place where was the last Scene of the Tragedy. On July 27. [1694] about break of Day Groton felt some sur- prizing Blows from the Indian Hatchets. They began their Attacks at the House of one Lieutenant Lakin, in the Out-skirts of the Town; but met with a Repulse there, and lost one of their Crew. Nevertheless, in other Parts of that Plantation, (when the good People had been so tired out as to lay down their Military Watch ) there were more than Twenty Persons killed, and more than a Dozen carried away. Mr. Gershom Hobart, the Minister of the Place, with part of his Family, was Remarkably preserved from falling into their Hands, when they made themselves the Masters 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.)
Charlevoix, a French missionary in Canada, gives from his own standpoint another version, as follows: -
The Abénaqui chief was Taxous, already celebrated for many exploits, and commendable attachment 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 foot of a fort [at Groton] near Boston, and attacked it in broad day. The English made a better defence than they did at Pescadoué [ Piscataqua]. 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. (History of New France, iv. 257, Shea's edition.)
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The loss of life from this attack was considerably greater than when the town was destroyed and deserted in the year 1676. There were twenty-two persons killed and thirteen captured. The settlement was now more scattered than it was then, and its defence more difficult. 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 William Longley, his wife, and five of their children; his eldest child, Lydia, a daughter of twenty, a son named John, and Betty, a little girl who died soon after her capture, were taken prisoners. These three 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. Within a few years past, a Genealogical Dictionary of Canadian families has been published, from which additional facts are gathered con- cerning her. This work (" Dictionnaire Généalogique des Familles Canadiennes," par l'Abbé Cyprien Tanguay, i. 9) gives her name as Lydia Madeleine Longley, and says that she was the daughter of William and Deliverance (Crisp) Longley, of Groton, where she was born, on April 12, 1674. In another place (p. 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 Catholic church, on April 24, 1696, and lived at the Congregation of Notre Dame, in Montreal. She was buried on July 20, 1758.
Her middle name, Madeleine, was given to her doubtless 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 cap- tured. He was carried away, and remained with the In- dians for more than four years, - a part of the time being
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spent in Canada, and the remainder in Maine. At length he was ransomed, but he had become so accustomed to savage life that he left it with great reluctance; and those who brought him away were obliged to use force to ac- complish their purpose. He was afterward a useful in- habitant of the town, holding many offices of trust and responsibility.
It is recorded also that two children of Alexander Rouse, a near neighbor of Willliam Longley, were killed in this assault of 1694.
Among the English captives at Quebec, redeemed by Mathew Cary, in October, 1695, was Thomas Drew, of Groton, and he probably was taken at this same assault. (Archives, xxxviii. A 2.) There was one " Tamasin Rouce of Grotten " received, January 17, 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 half, - the same length of time as John Longley's captivity. There are many in- stances 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 would be, if that curly-headed boy or smiling girl was snatched from your sight at a moment's notice, and carried off by the wild men of the woods for an uncertain fate. The kidnapping 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 atro- cious deed, and to throb in sympathy with the bereaved parents.
In the year 1694 an Act was passed by the General Court, which prohibited the desertion of frontier towns by
* This allusion to little Charley Ross prompted his father, Christian K. Ross, of Philadelphia, a few months later to write me a note, under date of December 5, 1876, in which he says : - "While my family and self are kept in terrible suspense with regard to the fate of our dear child it is pleasant to know that so many persons truly sympathize with us in this great affliction."
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the inhabitants, 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 preju- diced, and encouragement given to the enemy, if any of these posts were deserted, or were exposed by lessening their strength. Many 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 movement among the inhabitants in other places, to do the same. This fact, undoubtedly, caused the enact- ment of the law.
Anything relating to the brave men who suffered in the Indian wars is now of interest to us, and I offer no apology for giving incidents that to some persons may seem trivial.
Cotton Mather, in his Magnalia, mentions some instances of "mortal wounds upon the English not proving mortal," and gives the case of an inhabitant of this town, who was in a garrison at Exeter, New Hampshire, when that place was assaulted, July 4, 1690. He says that -
it is true, that one Simon Stone being here Wounded with Shot in Nine several places, lay for Dead, (as it was time!) among the Dead. The Indians coming to Strip him, attempted with Two several Blows of an Hatchet at his Neck to cut off his Head, which Blows added, you may be sure, more Enor- mous Wounds unto those Port-holes of Death, at which the Life of the Poor Man was already running out as fast as it could. Being charged hard by Lieutenant Bancroft, they left the Man without Scalping him; and the English now coming to Bury the Dead, one of the Soldiers perceived this poor Man to fetch a Gasp; whereupon an Irish Fellow then present, ad- vised 'em to give him another Dab with an Hatchet, and so Bury him with the rest. The English detesting this Barbarous Advice, lifted up the Wounded Man, and poured a little Fair Water into his Mouth at which he Coughed ; then they poured a little Strong Water after it, at which he opened his Eyes.
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The Irish Fellow was ordered now to hale a Canoo ashore to carry the Wounded Men up the River unto a Chirurgeon; and as Teague was foolishly pulling the Canoo ashore with the Cock of his Gun, while he held the Muzzle in his Hand, his Gun went off and broke his Arm, whereof he remains a Cripple to this Day: But Simon Stone was thoroughly Cured, and is at this Day a very Lusty Man; and as he was Born with Two Thumbs on one Hand, his Neighbours have thought him to have at least as many Hearts as Thumbs! (Book vii. page 74.)
Many families trace back their line of descent to this same Simon Stone, who was so hard to kill, and to whom, for- tunately, the finishing "Dab with an Hatchet " was not given.
Josiah Parker, of Cambridge, petitions the Governor and General Court, May 31, 1699, setting forth the fact that his brother, James Parker, Jr., and wife were both killed, and several of their children taken prisoners by the Indians, in the assault on Groton, in 1694. One of these children, Phinehas by name, was redeemed 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 be 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 savages, and the petition relates that he was lame in one of his legs, as a result of the cruelty by his captors. (Archives, 1xx. 401.)
It was probably during the attack of 1694 that Enosh Lawrence was wounded. He represented, in a petition to the Governor and Council, that he was a very poor man by reason of wounds in his hands received during a fight with the Indians in the former war, which almost wholly disabled him from earning a livelihood for himself and family. In consequence of these representations the House of Representatives allowed him, October 17, 1702, exemp- tion from taxes, and an annual pension of three pounds during life. (Archives, lxx. 583.)
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On January 21, 1695, Governor William Stoughton issued a proclamation, in which he refers to the " tragical outrages and barbarous murders " at Oyster River (now Durham, New Hampshire) and Groton. He says that several of the prisoners taken at these places "are now detained by the said Indians at Amarascoggin [Androscoggin] and other adjoining places." (Documents relating to the Colo- nial History of New York, ix. 613, 614.)
Cotton Mather says that one man was killed here in 1697, and that another, with two children, was carried into captiv- ity. The prisoner was Stephen Holden, who was captured, with his two eldest boys, 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; for, in the following June, the House of Representatives voted three pounds and twelve shillings for the expenses incurred in bringing them back. (Archives, 1xx. 393-400.)
After these attacks there was a short respite of hostili- ties, which continued till 1704, when the frontier towns were again exposed to savage warfare; and this town suf- fered with the others.
Samuel Penhallow, in " The History of the Wars of New-England," published in 1726, thus refers to the attack on this place, in August, 1704: -
[The Indians] afterwards fell on Lancaster, and Groaton, 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 Groaton, and Nasha- way [Lancaster ], where they kill'd Lieut. Wyler [Wilder], and several more (pp. 24, 25).
A party of Indians, about thirty in number, made their appearance in town, and killed a man on the night of Oc- tober 25, 1704. Pursuit was at once made for them, but it was unsuccessful.
" The Boston News-Letter," No. 28, October 30, 1704, gives the following account of the affair: -
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On Wednesday night an English man was kill'd in the Woods at Groton by the Indians which were afterwards descryed in the night by the Light of their Fires, by a Person Travailing from Groton to Lancaster, and judged they might be about Thirty in number; pursuit was made after them, but none could be found.
It is known that the man killed was John Davis, and that he lived where W. Dickson's house stood when the map in Mr. Butler's History was made; and Davis's Ford- way in the river near by, named after him, is still remem- bered by a few elderly people of that neighborhood.
It is not surprising that the inhabitants, upon the re- newal of hostilities, were obliged to ask for help from the General Court. They had already suffered much in loss of life and property, and were little able to bear new bur- . dens. They represented to the Governor that they had been greatly impoverished by the destruction of their cattle, and of corn and hay, and that they were scarcely able to hold out much longer; but the crowning calamity of all was the illness of the minister, Mr. Hobart, which prevented him from preaching. Their means were so limited that they could not support him and supply his place besides. They were obliged to earn their living at the peril of their lives; and some were thinking of leaving the town. They spent so much time in watching and guarding, that they seemed to be soldiers rather than farmers. Under these discouraging circumstances they asked for help, and were allowed out of the public treasury twenty pounds, to assist them in procuring another minister, besides ten pounds to be divided among those who were the greatest sufferers in the late attack upon them. (Archives, cxiii. 391, and lxxi. 107, 108.)
Two years later, another assault was made on the town, though with but little damage. I again quote from Penhallow : -
[July 21, 1706.] Several Strokes were afterwards made on Chelmsford, Sudbury and Groton, where three Soldiers as
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they were going to publick Worship, were way-laid by a small Party, who kill'd two, and made the other a Prisoner (p. 36).
A few additional particulars of these "strokes " are found in the Reverend John Pike's Journal, as printed in the Proceedings of the Massachusetts Historical Society, for September, 1875, page 143, under this entry : -
July 21, 1706. Sab: 2 souldiers slain, & one carried away by the enemy at Groton. They were all new-Cambridge [ New- ton ] men, & were returned to their Post from one Bloods house, who had invited ym to Dinner.
The Reverend Jonathan Homer, in his History of New- ton, as published in the Massachusetts Historical Collections (v. 273), gives the names of these men as John Myrick, Nathaniel Healy, and Ebenezer Seger, and says they were all three killed by the Indians. This statement, however, is inaccurate, as John Myrick was not one of the three soldiers, and furthermore he was alive after this date. From contemporary petitions on file among the State Ar- chives (lxxi. 345, 419), it is clear that two of these men were brothers by the name of Seager, and the third man was Nathaniel Healy. It was Ebenezer Seager, who was killed, and Henry, Jr., taken prisoner.
Penhallow gives several instances of extreme cruelty to the prisoners on the part of the savages, and mentions the following case of a man who was captured in this town : -
A third was of Samuel Butterfield, who being sent to Groton as a Soldier, was with others attackt, as they were gathering in the Harvest; his bravery was such, that he kill'd one and wounded another, but being overpower'd by strength, was forc'd to submit; and it hapned that the slain Indian was a Sagamore, and of great dexterity in War, 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 differing in their Sentiments, they submitted the Issue to the Square Widoze, concluding she would determine something very dreadful, but
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when the matter was opened, and the Fact considered, her Spirits were so moderate as to make no other reply, than, For- tune L'guare. Upon which some were uneasy; to whom she answered, If by kiling him, you can bring my Husband to life again, I beg you to study what Death you please; but if not let him be my Servant; which he accordingly was, during his Captivity, and had favour shewn him (pp. 38, 39).
Butterfield remained a captive for more than a year. It is not known how he obtained his release. We find his petition to the General Court, dated April 10, 1706, 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 at- tacked them, killed one, and captured another besides him- self. Butterfield represents, in the petition, that he " made all the resistance possible, killed one, and knockt down two more after they had seized him, for which yo" Petitioner was cruelly used by them afterwards & threatened to be burnt, several times." He says that he "was very well accoutred in all respects when he was taken, and then was stript of all and was between 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. (Archives, 1xxi. 195.)
A man was killed here, June II, 1707. His name was Brown, and he is spoken of in Pike's Journal as Mr. Brad- street's man. At this time the Reverend Dudley Bradstreet was the minister of the town.
In a list of prisoners in the hands of the French and In- dians at Canada, March 5, 1710-II, we find the names of " Zecha Tarbal John Tarbal Sarah Tarbal Matt. Farnworth [and] Lydia Longley," all of Groton, though there is noth- ing in the record to show when they were captured. (Ar- chives, lxxi. 765.) In the spring of 1739, the capture of the Tarbell boys is spoken of as occurring "above thirty
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Years ago," and it is said that Zechariah was so young at the time that he lost his native language. The town records show that he was born January 25, 1700, and John, July 6, 1695. Sarah Tarbell was a sister of the boys, and was taken at the same time with them. I have been unable to find out what became of her, as all tradition on this point is lost. The history of the two brothers is a very singular one, and sounds more like fiction than truth. They were sons of Thomas Tarbell, who had a large family of children and lived on what is now known as Farmers' Row, a short distance south of the Lawrence farm. He was probably the " Corp" Tarboll," who commanded, in the autumn of 17II, one of the eighteen garrisons in the town. The two boys were picking cherries early one evening, - so tradition relates, - and were taken by the Indians on June 20, 1707, before they had time to get down from the tree. It should be borne in mind that the date of capture, according to the new style of reckoning, was July 1, when cherries would be ripe enough to tempt the appetite of climbing youngsters. They were carried to Canada, where, it would seem, they were treated kindly. Matthias Farnsworth was taken in August, 1704, and Lydia Longley, in July, 1694; and dur- ing their captivity they both joined the Roman Catholic church and never returned to their native land.
In the year 1713 John Stoddard and John Williams were appointed by Governor Joseph Dudley, to go to Quebec and treat with the Governor-General of Canada for the release of the New England prisoners. They were accompanied by Thomas Tarbell, - an elder brother of the boys, - as we find his petition presented to the House of Representatives, June 1, 1715, "praying consideration and allowance for his Time and Expences in going to Canada, with Major Stoddard & Mr. Williams, Anno 1713. to recover the Captives."
The petition was referred, and, on the next day, -
Capt. Noyes from the Committee for Petitions, made Re- port on the Petition of Thomas Tarboll, vis. That they are of Opinion that nothing is due from the Province to the said Tar-
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boll, since he proceeded as a Volunteer in that Service to Can- ada, & not imployed by the Government, but recommended him to the favour of the House.
The report was accepted, and, in consideration of Tar- bell's services, he was allowed ten pounds out of the public treasury. Captain Stoddard's " Journal " of the negotia- tions is printed in "The New England Historical and Genealogical Register," for January, 1851 (v. 26), and Tarbell's name is mentioned in it.
We find no further trace of these boys, now grown up to manhood, for nearly twenty-five years, when Governor Belcher brought their case, April 20, 1739, before the Coun- cil and the House of Representatives. He then made a speech in which he said that -
There are lately come from Canada some Persons that were taken by the Indians from Groton above thirty Years ago, who (its believed) may be induced to return into this Province, on your giving them some proper Encouragement: If this Matter might be effected, I should think it would be not only an Act of Compassion in order to reclaim them from their Savage Life, and to recover them from the Errors and Delusions of the Rom- ish Faith; but their living among us might, in Time to come, be of great Advantage to the Province.
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