GenMassachusetts-L Archives

From:
Subject: Jos. Willard, Indian Captive, was a great grandson of Major Simon Willard -
Date: Fri, 21 Oct 2005 23:36:22 EDT

Subject: WILLARD, JOSEPH CAPTIVITY (descended from Major Simon Willard)
Subject: The Captivity of Joseph Willard and his family, by Indians June 7,
1760
Source: History of Charlestown, NH - Fort No. 4 by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson
(Joseph Willard was the son of Samuel2 the son of Josiah1, the son of Major
Simon1 Willard)
p.88
June 1760
Colonel Goffe had his headquarters at Charlestown, NH. His regiment was
employed in clearing the road between Charlestown and the mountains. The
trails of the Indians were occasionally seen in the adjacent woods but they
were too
few to make, under the circumstances, any general attack. Before this
regiment had
reached Charlestown they (Indians) had made an incursion and carried off Mr.
Joseph Willard, his wife and five children. They were taken at their
homestead on the edge of the Great meadow, a short distance from the the
later residence of Peter A. Evans. It was June 7, 1760. Considering that
Samuel Willard, the youngest, who was an infant, somewhat burdensome to them,

the Indians tookhim aside, the next day (June 8) and beat out his brains
against a tree.

The family were taken to Canada, their journey through the wilderness
occupying fourteen days.They remained in captivity till the surrender of
Montreal, into which city they had been taken a few days previous to its
capitulation, when, with other prisoners,they were released. This was the last
incursion of the Indians on the frontiers of New England and the bloody scene
which had so long been opened, now closed.

The eastern Indians soon agreed on articles of peace and acknowledged
themselves subjects of the crown of England. Notwithstanding, the war still
continued in Europe, and a few provincial troops were raised in 1761-62.
New England was still exempted from further hostilities - and, on the tenth
of
February 1763, a general peace was signed at Paris, and soon after ratified
by
the belligerent powers of Europe by which Canada and all the other northern
French settlements passed quietly under the jurisdiction of the British
Crown.

p.627
Joseph Willard was the son of Rev. Joseph Willard and his wife, Susanna
(Lynde) Willard. He was born 3 mos posthumously after the Indians killed his
father
in 1723 at Rutland at which time Joseph Stevens two sons, Phineas and Isaac
Stevens were taken prisoners and two sons killed. This on August 14, 1723.
Rev. Willard returned the fire and wounded one of the Indians, mortally it is

said.

Another Indian closed in with Mr. Willard who would have been more than a
match for him, had not the other three (Indians) come to his assistance and
it was some time before they killed him. His scalp was carried to Quebec. The

widow of Rev. Joseph Willard married sometime after the death of her husband,
to Rev. Andrew Gardner into whose family her children William Willard and
Joseph
Willard were received and brought up.

Joseph Willard b. 1623 m. Huldah Willard dau of Lieut Moses Willard and his
wife Susanna (Hastings) Willard and settled at Charlestown (Fort 4).

Their children were:
1. Francis Willoughby Willard b. July 14, 1751 m. Deborah Blood in 1772.
2. Susanna Willard b. Feb 5, 1753 died the 16th of the same month.
3. William Willard b. Mar 13, 1754 d. Apr 1, 1825 aged 71; m. Elizabeth
Shepley of Groton, MA b. June 5, 1759. d. Sept. 25, 1851.
4. Susanna Willard b. Apr 15, 1756
5. James Willard b. Mar 8, 1758 d. Sept. 29, 1760
6 Samuel Willard b. Apr 16, 1760 killed by Indians June 8, 1760 (see p. 88)
7. Joseph Willard b. Nov 22, 1763 m. the widow, Mrs. Pierce and had 6
children and lived and died in Langdon.
8. Samuel Willard b. Nov. 28 1763 (says town records) was prob. twin to
Joseph, an error made in recording dates.
He m. Abigail ___ who had two children and died. 1. Samuel Willard, Jr.
b. Jan 15, 1784 and 2. Jotham Willard b. 1785
Samuel m. (2) Joanna Putnam b. 1763

Joseph Willard the progenitor of the above families with his wife and
children were taken by the Indians June 7, 1760 and carried to Canada (see p.
88) The place is still shown on the hill to the east of where his cottage
stood,where the
party who took them prisoners halted, while a portion of them returned to the
house for provisions to sustain them on their way. They were conducted by the
old route
up Black River to the Green Mountains and thence to Otter Creek and Lake
Champlain. They returned to Charlestown after the surrender of Montreal. Mr.
Willard died in Charlestown after a brief illness in 1799 and was buried on
the 12th of September of that year. Joseph Willard was under Colonel Josiah
Willard
at Fort Dummer from Feb. 12 to July 1st 1748. He was also a member of Capt.
Phineas Steven's Company in No. 4 in 1750

Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth

Major Simon Willard's descendants in CT & Rutland, MA
by Frank Vanderbilt (url below)

Joseph3 WILLARD REV (Samuel2, Josiah1, Simon1) was born in Saybrook,
Middlesex, CT 23 Jul 1696. Joseph died 14 Aug 1723 in Rutland, Worcester, MA,

at age 27. His body was interred August 1723.

He married Susanna LYNDE August 1718. Susanna was born 11 Apr 1700 in
Saybrook, Middlesex, CT. Susanna was the daughter of Nathaniel LYNDE and
Susanna WILLOUGHBY. Susanna died 1748 in Winchester, Cheshire, NH, at age 48.

Her body was interred 1748.

Joseph WILLARD Rev and Susanna LYNDE had the following family:

+ 23 i. William4 WILLARD ESQ was born January 1720/1721.

+ 24 ii. Joseph WILLARD was born November 1723.

Send email to preparer:

This thread:

• Jos. Willard, Indian Captive, was a great grandson of Major Simon Willard - by