In the Classroom > Unit Overview > Lesson 7
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Lesson 7 - Readings for the Williams Family Stephen Williams From The History of Deerfield, Vol. II, George Sheldon, 1895, pgs. 379 & 380 Stephen, s. [son] of John, b. [born] 1693; cap. [captured] 1704;...minister at Longmeadow, Oct. 17, 1716...he d. [died] June 10, 1782. He m. [married] Abigail, dau. [daughter] of Rev. [reverend-minister] John Davenport...she d. [died] Aug. 26, 1766 (2) [married his second wife on] Sept. 17, 1767, Sarah, wid. [widow] of Nath'l [Nathaniel] Burt...she d. [died] Nov. 18, 1790, a. [age] 84. Ch.: John, [born] Mar. 8, 1720 From New England Captives Carried to Canada, Vol. II, Emma L. Coleman, 1925, pgs. 52 & 53 "Stephen, b. [born] May, 1693. When the Indians searched their prisoners they took from little Stephen the silver buttons and buckles which were on his shirt. At White River he was separated from all the rest. He, his master and an Indian lad were alone and very hungry. "I travailed about 50 miles yt [that] day and night; for my supper I had one spoonful of indian corn; in ye [the] morning 5 or 6 cornels, but must travail.' His master once threatened to kill him because when lost in the woods, he 'Hellowed,' and 'yr [their] manner is to make a noise like wolves or any other wild creatures, when they would call to one another.' After meeting and again parting from other groups, and tarrying [staying] for hunting near Cowass, they 'set away for Canada', carrying so much 'lumber' that they had to carry a pack a mile or two, then go back to fetch another. In August he reached Chambly where the French dressed [put medicine on] his wounded feet, gave him bread and let him lie upon 'a couach'. But the savages, fearing that he might be taken from them, did not allow much intercourse [conversation] with the kindly French people. From Sorel he was taken to St. Francis and there given to a kinsman [relative] of his master... Stephen says that 'one Mr. Shamble' (Hertel de Chambly, brother of Hertel de Rouville) 'agreed to buy him, but Sachamore George refused.' In 1705, when Livingston and Sheldon came to seek and ransom [rescue] prisoners, Stephen's mistress 'removed up in ye [the] woods about half a mile from ye [the] river, yt [that] if they came, they might not find me,' he says. Once, having disobeyed her- not getting wood on 'a tempestuous [stormy] day,' when he considered the supply adequate [enough]- she told 'ye jesuit [the priest]' to punish him, which was done, but when he spoiled a whole barrel of sap by failing to stir it at the moment 'when it comes almost to sugar,' he was only deprived of [kept from having] 'vituals' [food], In the spring he was taken to his 'master's island' at St. Francis, but before they planted the corn the governor came a bought him for forty crowns. Taken to Sorel he saw Captain Livingstone and several captives, but the governor said he was not to go home with them. With the lord intendant [superintendent] he went down to Quebec where he saw several English prisoners. 'One Mrs. Hill took care of me, cut my hair for me (now my hair was like an Indian one side long and the other short). She got me a shirt & a pair of breeches & a jacket & stockings &c. for me." From The History of Deerfield, Vol. I, George Sheldon, 1895, pg. 356 "Stephen Williams, then ten years old, was taken by an 'Eastern Indian', named Wattanamon, who, after two or three weeks, gave the boy to his brother, who took him the next summer to the fort at St. Francis, an Abenaki settlement...leaving the captive with his kinsman [relative], Sagamore George, a Pennicook chief, who had settled at St. Francis. The latter [Sagamore George] was a faithless, avaricious [greedy] fellow, who, while Stephen was yet in the hands of his second master, had taken money of Mr. Williams for his redemption [rescue] and appropriated [put] it to his own use. He now set a price of forty crowns upon the boy, which, after a long parley [discussion], was paid by Vaudreuil [governor of Canada]. |