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Subject: [GENMASSACHUSETTS] Massachusetts men - Indian Captives (from mytranscription in 1998)
Date: Wed, 2 Jan 2008 15:25:18 EST

Farnsworth email Jan 27, l998
The lst settlement of Charlestown, NH - then known as No. 4, was made in the
year l740 by three brothers; Samuel, David and Stephen Farnsworth natives of
Groton, MA; and they were soon followed by Isaac Parker and his sons, and
Obadiah Sawtell, also of Groton. The Farns- worths were leading men at
Charlestown and they dist- inguished themselves on several occasions in fights with
the Indians. Samuel Farnsworth, the eldest broth- er, was killed in a skirmish
on May 2, l746. David was taken prisoner by a party of French and Indians on
April 20, l757 and carried to Canada. He managed to escape and reached home
not a long time probably after his capture. Stephen, the youngest brother,
had also his bitter experience with the enemy. He was captured April l9, l746
and taken to Montreal, where he re- mained seventeen long months before he was
exchanged. His health was so broken down by the hardships of his captivity
that he never fully regained it. He died Sep. 6, l77l leaving behind the
reputation of a brave man and a good citizen.
EBENEZER FARNSWORTH, a native of Groton and a kinsman of the three brothers
just mentioned was captured on Aug. 30, l754 by the St. Francis Indians, at
Charles- town. He was carried to Montreal and held a prisoner for three years.
His ransom was paid in the summer of l755 but he was not then set at liberty.
Mrs. Susanna Johnson and her sister, Miriam Willard were taken prisoner at
the same time. They were both daughters of Moses Willard who had formerly
lived in Groton. A full account of the affair is given in "A Narrative of the
Captivity of Mrs. Johnson", published at Walpole, New Hampshire in l796. Two
years later, on June l8, l756 Moses Willard the father, was killed by the
Indians at Charlestown; and in the same attack, his son, Moses Jr. had a narrow
escape from death by the hands of the savages, being severely wounded at the
time.
LIEUT. ISAAC PARKER was taken by the Indians at the same time with Stephen
Farnsworth, and Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth email Jan
27, l998




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