USA > New Hampshire > The history of New-Hampshire. Comprehending the events of one complete century and seventy-five years from the discovery of the River Pascataqua to the year one thousand seven hundred and ninety, Vol 2 > Part 3
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1722.
May IO.
1721.
April 2E.
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HISTORY OF
1722.
Affembly Records.
1723.
June 1.
for, yet they made him a grant twice in the year, generally amounting to a hundred pounds, and paid it out of the excife which was voted from year to year. This was more in proportion, than he received from his oth- er government. On his departure for Eng- land, which was very fudden and unexpect- ed, Lieutenant Governor Wentworth, took the chief command, in a time of diftrefs and perplexity ; the country being then involved in another war with the natives.
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NEW-HAMPSHIRE.
CHAP. XIV.
The fourth Indian War, commonly called the three years war, or LOVEWELL'S war.
TO account for the frequent wars with the eaftern Indians, ufually called by the French, the Abenaquis, and their unftead- inefs both in war and peace ; we muft ob- ferve, that they were fituated between the Colonies of two European nations, who were often at war with each other, and who pur- fued very different meafures with regard to them.
As the lands, on which they lived, were comprehended in the patents granted by the crown of England, the natives were confider- ed by the Englifh, as fubjects of that crown. In the treaties and conferences held with them, they were ftyled the King's fubjects ; when war was declared againft them, they were called rebels ; and when they were compel- led to make peace, they fubfcribed an ac- knowledgement of their perfidy, and a dec- laration of their fubmiffion to the government, without any juft ideas of the meaning of thofe terms ; and it is a difficult point, to deter- mine what kind of fubjects they were.
Befide the patents, derived from the Crown, the Englifh in general were fond of obtaining from the Indians, deeds of fale for thofe lands, on which they were difpofed to make fettle- ments. Some of thefe deeds were executed with legal formality, and a valuable confider -. ation was paid to the natives for the purchafe ;
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HISTORY OF
others were of obfcure and uncertain origi- nal ; but the memory of fuch tranfactions was foon loft, among a people who had no written records. Lands had been purchafed of the Indian chiefs, on the Rivers Kenne- beck and St. George, at an early period ; but the fucceeding Indians either had no knowl- edge of the fales made by their anceftors, or had an idea that fuch bargains were not bind- ing on pofterity ; who had as much need of the lands, and could ufe them to the fame purpofe as their fathers. At firft, the Indians did not know that the European manner of cultivating lands, and erecting mills and dams, would drive away the game and fifh, and thereby deprive them of the means of fubfiftence ; afterward, finding by experience that this was the confequence of admitting foreigners to fettle among them, they repent- ed of their hofpitality, and were inclined to difpoffefs their new neighbours, as the only way of reftoring the country to its priftine ftate, and of recovering their ufual mode of fubfiftence.
They were extremely offended by the fet- tlements, which the Englifh, after the peace of Utretcht, made on the lands at the eaft- ward, and by their building forts, block hou- fes and mills ; whereby their ufual mode of paffing the rivers and carrying-places was interrupted ; and they could not believe, though they were told with great folemnity, that thefe fortifications were erected for their defence againft invafion. When conferences were held with them on this fubject, they ci- ther denied that the lands had been fold, or pretended that the Sachems had exceeded
Gym-rnor conference ¥717.
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their power in making the bargains ; or had Waldo's conveyed lands beyond the limits of their Loveret's defence of tribe ; or that the Englifh had taken advan- title.
tage of their drunkennefs to make them fign the deeds ; or that no valuable confideration had been given for the purchafe. No argu- ments or evidence which could be adduced would fatisfy them, unlefs the lands were paid for again ; and had this been done once, their pofterity after a few years would have renewed the demand.
On the other hand, the French did not in Abbe a formal manner declare them fubjects of the Raynas crown of France ; but every tribe, however fmall, was allowed to preferve its indepen- dence. Thofe who were fituated in the heart of Canada kept their lands to themfelves, which were never folicited from them ; thofe who dwelt on the rivers and fhores of the Atlantic, though diftant from the French Colonies, received annual prefents from the King of France ; and folitary traders refided with, or occafionally vifited them ; but no attempt was made by any company to fettle on their lands.
It was in the power of the Englifh to fup- ply them with provifions, arms, ammunition, blankets and other articles which they want- ed, cheaper than they could purchafe them of the French. Governor Shute had promif- ed that trading houfes fhould be eftablifhed among them*, and that a fmith fhould be pro- vided to keep their arms and other inftru- ments in repair ; but the unhappy conten-
* The reader is defired to correct a miltake in the firft volume, in flead of ' truck houfes established,' read ' it was in contemplation to cf. tablifh truck houfes,!
1717.
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HISTORY OF
1717. tions between the Governor and Affembly of Maffachufetts prevented a compliance with this engagement. The Indians were there- fore obliged to fubmit to the impofitions of private traders, or to feek fupplies from the French ; who failed not to join with them in reproaching the Englifh for this breach of promife, and for their avidity in getting away the land.
The inhabitants of the caftern parts of New-England were not of the beft character for religion, and were ill adapted to engage the affections of the Indians by their exam- ple. The frequent hoftilities on this quarter, not only kept alive a fpirit of jealoufy and revenge in individuals, but prevented any endeavors to propagate religious knowledge among the Indians by the government ; though it was one of the conditions of their charter ; and though many good men wifhed it might be attempted. At length Governor Shute, in his conference with their Sachems at Arrowfic, introduced this important bufi- nefs by offering them in a formal manner, an Indian bible, and a proteftant miffionary ; but they rejected both, faying 'God hath ' given us teaching already, and if we fhould ' go from it we should difpleafe him.' He would have done much better fervice, and perhaps prevented a war, if he had complied with their earneft defire to fix a boundary, beyond which the Englith fhould not extend
Judge Sew.
al's memo-
rial - their fettlements.
Penhal- A gentleman, in converfation with one of low's MSS. their Sachems, afked him why they were fo ftrongly attached to the French, from whom they could not expect to receive fo much ben-
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efit as from the Englifh ; the Sachem grave- 1717. ly anfwered, ' Becaufe the French have taught 'us to pray to God, which the Englifh never ' did.'
It has been obferved in the former part of Vol. I. this work, that the Jefuits had planted them- Page 258. felves among thefe tribes. They had one Church at Penobfcot, and another at Norridg- wog, where Sebaftian Ralle, a French Jefuit, refided. He was a man of good fenfe, learn- ing and addrefs, and by a compliance with their mode of life, and a gentle, condefcend- ing deportment, had gained their affections fo as to manage them at his pleafure. Know- ing the power of fuperftition over the favage mind, he took advantage of this, and of their prejudice againft the Englifh, to promote the caufe, and ftrengthen the intereft of the French among them. He even made the of- fices of devotion ferve as incentives to their ferocity, and kept a flag, in which was de- picted a crofs, furrounded by bows and ar- rows, which he ufed to hoift on a pole, at the door of his church, when he gave them ab- New-Eng- folution, previoufly to their engaging in any land Cou- rant, No. 160. warlike enterprife.
With this Jefuit, the Governor of Canada held a clofe correfpondence ; and by him was informed of every thing tranfacted a- mong the Indians. By this means, their dif- content with the Englifh, on account of the fettlements made at the eaftward, was height- ened and inflamed ; and they received every encouragement, to affert their title to the lands in queftion, and moleft the fettlers, by killing their cattle, burning their ftacks of hay, robbing and infulting them. Thefe in-
F
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HISTORY OF
1720. folencies difcouraged the people, and caufed many of them to remove. The garrifons were then reinforced ; and fcouting parties were ordered into the eaftern quarter, under the command of Col. Shadrach Walton. By this appearance of force, the Indians, who dreaded the power of the Englifh, were re- ftrained from open hoftilities. They had frequent parleys with the commanders of forts, and with commiffioners who vifited ; them occafionally ; and though at firft they feemed to be refolute in demanding the re- moval of the Englith, declaring that ' they ' had fought for the land three times, and ' would fight for it again ;' yet when they were told that there was no alternative but perfect peace or open war, and that if they chofe peacc they muft forbear every kind of infult, they feemed to prefer peace ; and ei- ther pretended ignorance of what had been done, or promifed to make inquiry into it ; and as an evidence of their good intentions, offered a tribute of fkins, and delivered up four of their young men as hoftages.
Captain Penhal- low's MS3.
This proceeding was highly difrelifhed by the Governor of Canada ; who renewed his efforts to keep up the quarrel, and fecretly promifed to fupply the Indians with arms and ammunition ; though as it was a time of peace between the two crowns, he could not openly affift them.
Hutchinfon 11. 263.
The New-England Governments, though highly incenfed, were not eafily perfuaded to confent to a war. The difpute was between the Indians and the proprietors of the eaftern lands, in which the public were not directly interefted. No blood had as yet been fhed.
可目
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Canfeau had been furprifed and plundered, 1720. and fome people killed there ; but that was in . the government of Nova-Scotia. Ralle was regarded as the principal inftigator of the Indians ; and it was thought, that if he could be taken off they would be quiet. It was once propofed to fend the Sheriff of York County with a poffe of one hundred and fifty men, to feize and bring him to Bofton ; but 1721. this was not agreed to. The next fummer, Ralle in company with Caftine from Penob- fcot, and Croifil from Canada, appeared a- mong the Indians, at a conference held on Ar- July. rowfic Ifland, with Capt. Penhallow, the com- mander of the garrifon, and brought a letter, written in the name of the feveral tribes of Indians, directed to Governor Shute; in which it was declared, 'that if the Englifh ' did not remove in three weeks, they would ' kill them and their cattle, and burn their ' houfes.' An additional guard was fent down ; but the government, loth to come to a rupture, and defirous if poffible to treat with the Indians feparately from the French emif- faries, invited them to another conference, which invitation they treated with neglect.
In the fucceeding winter, a party under Col. Thomas Weftbrooke was ordered to Nor- idgwog to feize Ralle. They arrived at the village undifcovered, but before they could furround his houfe, he efcaped into the woods, leaving his papers in his ftrong box, which they brought off without doing any other damage. Among thefe papers were his let- ters of correfpondence with the Governor of Canada, by which it clearly appeared, that he was deeply engaged in exciting the In-
-
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HISTORY OF
1722. dians to a rupture, and had promifed to affift them.
June 13. Pernhal- low's Indi- an wars, p. 85.
This attempt to feize their fpiritual father, could not long be unrevenged. The next fummer they took nine families from Merry- meeting bay, and after difmiffing fome of the prifoners, retained enough to fecure the re- demption of their hoftages and fent them to Canada. About the fame time they made an attempt on the fort at St. George's ; but were repulfed with confiderable lofs. They alfo furprifed fome fifhing veffels in the eaftern harbours ; and at length made a furious at- tack on the town of Brunfwick, which they deftroyed. This action determined the gov- ernment to iffue a declaration of war againft them, which was published in form at Bofton and Portfmouth.
July 25.
New-Hampfhire being feated in the bofom of Maffachufetts, had the fame intereft to ferve, and bore a proportionable fhare of all thefe tranfactions and the expenfes attending them. Walton, who firft commanded the forces fent into the eaftern parts, and Weft- brooke, who fucceeded him, as well as Pen- hallow, the commander of the fort at Arrow- fic, were New-Hampfhire men ; the two for- mer were of the Council. A declaration of war being made, the enemy were expected on every part of the frontiers ; and the Affem- bly were obliged to concert meafures for their fecurity, after an interval of peace for about ten years.
The ufual route of the Indians, in their marches to the frontiers of New-Hampfhire, was by the way of Winipifeogee lake. The diftance from Cochecho falls in the town of
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Dover, to the foutheaft bay of that lake, is 1722. about thirty miles. It was thought that if a road could be opened to that place, and a fort built there, the enemy would be prevented from coming that way. Orders were accor- dingly iffued, and a party of two hundred and fifty men were employed in cutting down the woods for a road ; but the expenfe fo far exceeded the benefit which could be expected from a fort at fuch a diftance, in the wildernefs, to be fupplied with provifions and ammunition by land carriage, which might eafily be interrupted by the enemy, Affembly Records. that the defign was laid afide, and the old method of defence by fcouts and garrifons was adopted. Lieutenant Governor Went- worth, being Commander in Chief in Shute's abfence, was particularly careful to fupply the garrifons with ftores, and vifit them in perfon, to fec that the duty was regularly per- formed ; for which, and other prudent and faithful fervices, he frequently received the acknowledgments of the Affembly and grants of money, generally amounting to one hun- dred pounds at every feffion, and fometimes more. They alfo took care to inlift men for two years, and to eftablith the wages of offi- cers and foldiers at the following rates ; a Captain, at feven pounds per month ; a Lieu- tenant, four pounds ; a Sergeant, fifty-eight fhillings ; a Corporal, forty-five fhillings, and a private, forty fhillings. A bounty of one hundred pounds was offered for every Indian fcalp. The difference between the currency and fterling, was two and an half for one.
The firft appearance of the enemy in New- Hampfhire, was at Dover ; where they fur-
1723.
vib bo Janit
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HISTORY OF
1723.
prifed and killed Jofeph Ham, and took three of his children ; the reft of the family efca-
Penhallow
·
page 96. ped to the garrifon. Soon after they waylaid the road, and killed Triftram Heard. Their next onfet was at Lamprey River, where they Augu& 29. killed Aaron Rawlins and one of his children, taking his wife and three children captive .*
1724. , The next fpring they killed James Nock,
May I. MS of Rev. one of the elders of the church at Oyfter Riv- Hugh Ad- er, as he was returning on horfeback from ams. * ' This Aaron Rawlins (whofe wife was a daughter of Reward Tay- ' lor, who was killed by the ludians 1704) lived upon the plantation left ' by Taylor, about half a mile weft from Lamprey River landing. at the . lower falls on Pifcafick River. The people there at that time, common- ' ly retired, at night, to the garri oned houfes, and returned home in the " day time ; but that night they neglected to retire as ufual. His brother ' Samuel alfo lived about half a mile diftant on the fame river. It feears ", the Indian fcout coufilled of eighteen, who probably had been reconnoit- ' ering fome time, and intended to have deftroyed both the families, and ' for that purpofe divided, and rine went to each houfc ; but the party that ' went to Samuel Rawlins's, beating in the window, and finding the fami- 'ly gone, immediately joined their companions, who were engaged at 'Aaron's. His wife went out at the door, perhaps fooner than they would ' otherwife have affaulted the houfe, and was immediately feized, and one ' or two of her children who followed her. Her hufbind being alarmed, " fecured the door before they could enter, and with his eldeft daughter. ' about twelve years old, flood upon his defence, repeatedly firing wherev- 'er they attempted to enter, and at the fatne time calling earneftly to his ' neighbors for help ; but the people in the feveral garrifoned houfes near, " apprehending from the noife and inceffant firing, the number of the ene- ' my to be greater than they were and expecting every moment to be at- ' tacked themfelves, did not venture to come to his affiftance. Having for " fome time bravely withftood fuch unequal force, he was at laft killed by ' their random ihots through the houfe, which they then broke open. and · killed his daughter. They icalped him, and cut off his daughter's head, ' either through hafte, or probably being enraged againft her, on account of ' the affittance the bad afforded her father in th. ir defence, which evident- " ly appeared by her hands being foiled with powder. His wife and two ' children, a fon and a daughter, they carried to Canada : The woman " was redeemied in a few years The fon was adopted by the Indians, and "lived with them all his days ; he came into Pennycook with the Indians " after the peace, and expreffed to fome people with whom he converfed, ' much refeutment egainft his uncle Samuel Rawlins, on fuppofing he had * derained from his mother fome property left by his father, but manififte 1 ' no defire of returning to Newmarket again. The daughter married with ' a Frenchman, and when the was near fixty years old, returned with her ' hufband to her native place, in expectation of recovering the patrimony " the conceived was left at the death of her father : But the eftatc having ' been fold by her grandfather Taylor's administrator, they were difap- 'pointed, and after a year or two went back to Canada.'
This account was collected from fome of the furviving fufferers, and other aged perfons who were wiencffes of the feene, by Wentworth Chef- well, Efg. of Newmarket.
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fetting his beaver traps in the woods. Soon 1724. after they appeared at Kingfton, where they took Peter Colcord and Ephraim Stevens, and MS of Rev. May 16. two children of Ebenezer Stevens. They Clark. Ward were purfued by fcouts from Kingfton and Londonderry, but in vain. Colcord made his efcape in about fix months, and received a gratuity of ten pounds from the Affembly, for his ' courage and ingenuity, and for the
Affemby 'account he gave of the proceedings of the Records. ' enemy.'
On a fabbath day they ambufhed the road May 24. at Oyfter River, and killed George Chefley, Peoballow and mortally wounded Elizabeth Burnham, Adams. & Hugh as they were returning together from public worfhip. In a few days more, five Indians June 2. took Thomas Smith and John Carr at Chef- ter ; and after carrying them about thirty rant. miles, bound them and lay down to fleep ; the captives efcaped, and in three days arriv- ed fafe at a garrifon in Londonderry.
The fettlements at Oyfter River being very much expofed ; a company of volunteers under the command of Abraham Benwick, who went out on the encouragement offered by the government for fcalps, were about marching to make difcoveries. It happened that Mofes Davis, and his fon of the fame June rel . name, being at work in their corn field, went to a brook to drink, where they difcovered three Indian packs. They immediately gave notice of this difcovery to the volunteer com- pany, and went before to guide them to the fpot. The Indians had placed themfelves in ambufh ; and the unhappy father and fon were both killed. The company then fired, Penhallow, killed one and wounded two others, who P. Io1.
New. Eng- land Cou-
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HISTORY OF
1724. made their efcape, though they were purfued and tracked by their blood to a confiderable diftance. The flain Indian was a perfon of diftinction, and wore a kind of coronet of fcarlet dyed fur, with an appendage of four fmall bells, by the found of which the others might follow him through the thickets. His hair was remarkably foft and fine ; and he had about him a devotional book and a muf- ter-roll of one hundred and eighty Indians ; from which circumftances it was fuppofed that he was a natural fon of the Jefuit Ralle, Hugh Ad- ams's MS. by an Indian woman who had ferved him as a laundrefs. His fcalp was prefented to the Affembly Records June 12. Lieutenant Governor in Council, by Robert Burnham, and the promifed bounty was paid to Capt. Francis Matthews, in truft for the company.
Within the town of Dover were many families of Quakers ; who, fcrupling the law- fulnefs of war, could not be perfuaded to ufe any means for their defence ; though equal- ly expofed with their neighbours to an ene- my who made no diftinction between them. One of thefe people, Ebenezer Downs, was taken by the Indians, and was grofsly infult- ed and abufed by them, becaufe he refufed to dance as the other prifoners did, for the diverfion of their favage captors. Another of them, John Hanfon, who lived on the out- fide of the town, in a remote fituation, could not be perfuaded to remove to a garrifon, though he had a large family of children. A party of thirteen Indians, called French Mo- hawks, had marked his houfe for their prey ; and lay feveral days in ambufh, waiting for an opportunity to affault it. While Hanfon
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with his eldeft daughter were gone to attend 1724. the weekly meeting of friends, and his two June 27. eldeft fons were at work in a meadow at fome diftance ; the Indians entered the houfe, kil- led and fcalped two fmall children, and took his wife, with her infant of fourteen days old, her nurfe, two daughters and a fon, and after riffing the houfe carried them off. This was done fo fuddenly and fecretly, that the firft perfon who difcovered it was the eldeft daugh- ter at her return from the meeting before her father. Seeing the two children dead at the door, fhe gave a fhriek of diftrefs, which was diftinctly heard by her mother, then in the hands of the enemy among the bufhes, and by her brothers in the meadow. The people being alarmed, went in purfuit ; but the In- dians cautioufly avoiding all paths, went off with their captives undifcovered. After this difafter had befallen his family, Hanfon re- moved the remainder of them to the houfe of his brother ; who, though of the fame relig- ious perfuafion ; yet had a number of lufty fons, and always kept his fire-arms in good order, for the purpofe of fhooting game .*
Thefe and other infolencies of the enemy being daily perpetrated on the frontiers, cau- - fed the governments to refolve on an expe-
* This account is given as collected from the information of the family. A narrative of their diftreffes is in print. The woman, though of a ten- der conftitution, had a firm and vigorous mind, and paffell through the various hardfhips of an Indian captivity, with much refolution and patience. When her milk failed, the Supported her infant with water, which the warmed in her mouth, and dropped on her breaft, till the fquaws taught her to beat the kernel of walnuts and boil it with bruifel corn, which proved a nourifhing food for her babe. They were all ford to the French in Canada. Hanfon went the next fpring and redeemed his wife, the three younger children and the nurfe but he could not obtain the elder daughter of feventeen years old, though he faw and converfed with her. He alfo redeemed Ebenezer Downs. He made a fecond attempt in 1727, but died at Crown poin., on his way to Canada, The girl was married to a Frenchman, and never returned.
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HISTORY OF
1724. dition to Norridgwog. 'The Captains Moul- ton and Harman, both of York, each at the head of a company of one hundred men, ex-
Auguft 12. ecuted their orders with great addrefs. They completely invefted and furprifed that vil-
Hutchinfon lage ; killed the obnoxious Jefuit with about II. 309. eighty of his Indians ; recovered three cap- tives ; deftroyed the chapel, and brought away the plate and furniture of the altar, and the devotional flag, as trophies of their victo-
New . Eng- land Cou -
rant.
ry. Ralle was then in the fixty-eighth year of his age, and had refided in his miffion at Norridgwog twenty-fix years ; having before fpent fix years in travelling among the Indi- an nations, in the interior parts of America.
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