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Subject: [GM-L] Worcester - Digory Serjent killed by Indians - dau marries Daniel Shattuck
Date: Thu, 10 Jan 2002 18:33:22 EST

Will of Digory Serjent, killed by the Indians

>From "History of Worcester" by Lincoln & Hersey (p.38)


March, the 17th day, 1696. The last Will and Testament of Digory Serjent.

I Digory Serjent, being in my health and strength, and in perfect memory,
blessed be the Lord for it; these few lines may satisfy whom it may concern,
that I, Digory Serjent, do freely give unto my Daughter Martha Serjent, my
house and land with all its rights and privileges thereunto belonging: this
house and four score acre lot of land lieth within the township of Worcester:
I likewise do give unto her all my goods; one flock bed and boulster, with
one rugg, and two blankets and two coverlets; six froes; one broad ax and one
falling ax and one handsaw; one frying pan; one shave; one drawing knife; one
trunk and a sermon book that is at Mrs. Mary Mason's, widow, at Boston; with
one pewter pint pot; one washing tub; one cow and calf; one mare; three iron
wedges; two beetle rings: And if in case the Lord should see good to take
away the said Digory Serjent by death, then I, the said Digory Serjent, do
leave these things above written unto George Parmenter of Sudbury, to be
disposed of as he shall see good, to bring up the said Digory Serjent's
child; and if in case that this child should die likewise, then I do freely
give my house and land with all the goods above mentioned unto George
Parmenter forever, and to his heirs, to look after these things and to
dispose of them as he shall see cause. In witness whereof I have hereunto set
my hand and seal, the day and year above named. There is one gun too.

Digory Serjent.

Witnessed by John Keyes, John Wetherby.

http://www.geocities.com/Heartland/Park/9423/dserjent.html


Although the second attempt to colonize what was to be Worcester was a
failure, the organization that fostered this attempt seems to have been
continued even after all possibility of success had vanished. We do not know
exactly when the settlers left, but we do know that one brave, although
reckless, settler, who had improved a farm on Sagatabscot, now Union Hill,
refused to leave in spite of increasing menace from the Indians. This was
Digory Serjent. Queen Anne's War was now raging, and the outlying settlements
were a constant prey to the wandering savages. Serjent had built his house
and farm buildings, had improved a fair piece of land in the wilderness, and
refused to leave. He was repeatedly warned, and finally, in the early winter
of 1702-3, a file of soldiers under Captain Howe, was sent from Marlborough,
to remove him and his family by force if necessary. Pitching their camp a few
miles from Serjent's habitation, the following morning they reached the farm
and found the door of the house broken down and Serjent dead on the floor, in
his own blood. Wife and children and disappeared.

Months later the story of the attack and murder was revealed by one
of the party of marauding Indians. It seems that this group of marauders had
made the attack a few hours before the arrival of the soldiers. Serjent had
bravely defended himself but had had no chance against the assailants, and
fell at once. Wife and children had been carried off to Canada. On the way,
passing over the Tatnuck hills, the wife, not in good health, was unable to
keep up with the others. A savage stepping up behind her, cleft her skull
with his tomahawk, and the body of the poor woman was left lying there. The
children went to Canada with their captors. Two of these children became
enamored with this wild life and remained in Canada. The others returned to
Massachusetts, one daughter marrying a man named Daniel Shattuck, and, with
her husband, occupying the farm developed by her father.

<A
HREF="http://www.google.com/search?q=cache:Niit5fqcsvwC:www.ci.worcester.ma.us

/clerk/worc%2520history/worcworcom.rtf+Capt.+Thomas+Cromwell,+Boston+Mariner&h

l=en">Worcester and Worcester Common</A>

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