I've written before about my ancestor Ralph Ellingwood Jr. He and his brother John served
in the Massachusetts militia during the Indian wars, during which time John was injured
badly enough to later apply for some sort of compensation:
"Provincc of ye Massachusetts Bay in New England
To The Rt Honble ye Lt Governour & Councill & Representatives
in Generall Court assembled at Boston Febru. 1700/701
The humble Peteion of John Ellenwood of Beverly in ye Countey of Essex
in sd Province humbly Sheweth
“That whereas your poor distrest petitioner was in ye latter End of ye first
Indian Warr viz about ye yeare of Our Lord God 1676 Imprest & Sent to ye
Eastward as a Souldier in ye Countrey Service against ye Indian Enemy &
in ye Towne of Wells being then under ye Comaud of Capt Frost & Leiut
Sweat your petitioner was sorely wounded in my right hand my fore finger
being shott away & ye rest of my band So greivously Shattered & Torn &
bones broakeu yt it hath been thereby rendred almost altogether vseless Euer
Since Whereby it is very difficult for me to provide for my wife & family
having 6 Children which otherwise were my hand well with ye blessing of
God I could Comfortably doe. Wherefore your Supliant prays that this Honble
Court would Consider off & Compassionate my Sorrowfull Condition & Either
allow me some small yearly Stipend or Some Certaine Summe towards my
Releife as in yor wisdom you may think best.
Yor petitioner doth Gratefully acknowledge that some Small Matter hath been
done for me formerly which hopes May not hinder Something further being
done & yor petitionr as in Duty Bound shall allwaes pray &c,
Marke of
John A Ellenwood”
John also provided some witnesses to help verify his story:
"Wee ye Subscribers being Souldiers at ye Same time with John Ellenwood doe
Certify yt to our Certaine knowledge he was wounded as above sd as witness
our hands this Feb— 1700/1701
His Marke
Thomas T Parlor
Samll Collins
Henry Herrick Constable 1680 "
"In the year 1680
I heard Hennery Constable of Beverly say that he payed forty shillins out of
A countery Rate to this petitioner John Elenwoord.
By me
Roger hascoll"
Luckily for John, it seems the colonial officials felt he did indeed deserve some
recompense for his wound:
"In answer to ye Petition within written. It is the opinion of the Comitte that
there be paid to ye Petitionr out of ye Province Treasury five pounds
Towards his present releife, and for the future Three Pounds g ann during
his life
SamllPhipps
In the House of Representatives"
"March 8th 1700 the abovewritten Report Read and voted That it be Accepted
Sent up for Concurrence.
John Leverett Speaker"
In Council March11th 1700/1.
Read and past a Concurrance "
-Maine Historical Society Documentary history of the state of Maine
(pp 522-523)
I'd read about John Ellingwood's injury before but hadn't seen the actual text of the
petition. Now, thanks to Google books, I have!
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