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Subject: [GM-L] Rev. Andrew Gardner of Lancaster Killed Accidently by Samuel Prescott
Date: Fri, 9 Jun 2000 11:41:15 EDT

Subject: Death of Rev. Mr. Andrew Gardner, Minister of Lancaster, shot
accidently by Samuel Prescott, Sentinel
Source: Source: Source: The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts 1643
- 1725 - Edited by Henry S. Nourse, A.M. Lancaster, 1884

p.148-150

Oct 25, 1704.
Mr. Andrew Gardner minister of Lancaster, coming down from ye watchbox
in ye night with a darkish coloured gown was mistaken for an Indian &
solemnly slain by a sorry souldier belonging to ye Garrison nomine
Presket (Prescott). [Journal of Rev. John Pike]

I [Samuel Penhallow] now return to the westward, where, on the 25th
of October the enemy did some mischief. Lancaster was alarmed, and the
alarm was the means of the untimely death of the Rev. Mr. Gardner their
worthy pastor.
Several of the inhabitants who belonged to the garrison, were wearied by hard
travelling the day before, in pursuit of the enemy. This caus-
ed this good man out of pity and compassion to watch that night him-
self; staid till late in the night; but being cold (as was supposed)
he was coming down to warm himself, when one between sleeping and waking, or
surprised through excess of fear upon him as he was coming
out of the watch house where no man could rationally expect the coming
of an enemy. Mr. Gardner, although he was shot through the back came
to the door and bid them open it for he was wounded. No sooner did he
enter, but he fainted away: As he came to himself, he asked who it was
that shot him and when they told him, he prayed God to forgive him, and
forgave him himself, believing that he did it not on purpose; and with
a composed frame of spirit, desired them that bewailed not to weep; but
pray for him and his flock. He comforted his sorrowful spouse and ex-
pired within an hour. [Samuel Penhallow's History of the Indian Wars]

"On Thursday night the Reverend Mr. Gardner Minister of Lancaster was
unfortunately shot by the Sentinel on the Watch, supposing him to be an
Indian climbing over the Walls of the Fortification: of which wound he
died in an hours space or little more."
Boston News Letter, October 30, 1704"

p.150 The Sentinel who killed Rev. Gardner was Samuel Prescott

The coroner's inquest entirely exonerated Samuel Prescott. The verdict
of the jury is probably somewhere extant, but has escaped search.
Joseph Willard, Esq., basing his statements upon that document, tells
us that Samuel Prescott was the Sentinel on duty, pacing his beat on the
parade, when dimly seeing a supposed enemy coming out of the upper
flanker, he challenged him twice. No response was being given, his sus-
picions were confirmed and he fired. His neighbors declared him guilt-
less even of careless haste; but they could not lift from his life the
self-imposed burden of bitter regret. His home was but a few rods
away and he could not step from his door or look out from his windows
but his eyes encountered the scene of that pitiful tragedy. He soon
removed to Concord, selling his pleasant home to Rev. John Prentice.
Rev. Mr. Gardner was the son of Capt Andrew Gardner and Sarah (Mason)
Gardner of Brookline, and a graduate of Harvard College in 1696. He
was in his thirtieth year when his promising life was cut short.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Another Death Reported:
p.149
>From the Diary of John Marshall of Braintree, in the library of the
Massachusetts Historical Society, we learn further that the man "killed
and scalped by the Indians belonged to the town of Groton, his name was
Davis: a very useful man and much Lamented." This was probably Samuel
Davis who married Mary Waters in Lancaster, A.D. 1656 and lived there
for a time. (date of death not given)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

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