THE TARBELL FAMILY AND THE INDIAN WARS PT4

Samuel Abbott Green devoted quite a bit of research for his book to the Tarbell incident. He dicussed the various versions of what happened. He also found documents detailing the efforts made by Thomas Tarbell IV to find his siblings and bring them home. Green even made a trip to Montreal where he discovered what became of Sarah Tarbell :

During my visit to Montreal in the summer of 1877 I saw, at the Congregation of Notre Dame, the French record, of which the following is a translation: —
On Monday, July 23, 1708, the ceremony of baptism was performed on Sarah Tarbell, who was born at Groton in New England, October 9, 1693. Her parents were Thomas Tarbell and Elizabeth Wood, both Protestants, and she was baptized by the minister shortly after her birth. Having been taken by the savages on Monday, June 20, 1707, she was brought to Canada; she has since been sold, and has lived with the Sisters of the Congregation of Notre Dame, established at Lachine, where she abjured her religion on May 1. Her godfather was M. Jacques Urbain Robert de Lamorandiere, Secretary of M. l'lntendant; and her godmother was Madame Marguerite Bonat, wife of M. Etienne Pascaud, the deputy treasurer of the King in this country.
Her name Sarah has been changed to Marguerite.
[Signed] Mgte Bonat,
Pascaud,
Lamorandiere,
Meriel, Pretre.
 
The boys remained for many years with their captors at Caughnawaga, an Indian village on the right bank of the St. Lawrence River, directly opposite to Lachine.

 p110
  Groton During the Indian Wars  : J. Wilson and Sons, Cambridge , Ma. 1883

When John and Zachariah Tarbell finally returned to Groton, it was as grown men and strangers to their family:

 We find no further trace of these boys, now grown up to manhood, during the twenty-five years following this attempt to release the New England prisoners. In the winter of 1739 John and Zechariah Tarbell came back to Groton in order to visit their kinsfolk and see their native town. They were so young when carried away that their recollections of the place were of course very indistinct. It is not known now under what circumstances or influences they returned. An itemized bill of the expense incurred in bringing them back from Canada was made out against their brothers, Thomas and Samuel, and perhaps paid by them. Shortly afterward Thomas Tarbell petitioned the General Court for means to enable him to meet the necessary charges of the journey, besides the expenses of an interpreter; and a conditional loan was granted. The record does not say whether it was ever paid back by him.  ibid,p111

The Tarbell brothers were now more Native American than English, and returned to the families they had made for themselves in upstate New York,  Green traces the Indian side of the family right down to the time of the publication  of his book in 1877 .

It's quite possible I may have Tarbell cousins living there today,

THE TARBELL FAMILY AND THE INDIAN WARS PT3

The story of the capture of the Tarbell children and their susequent fate was written about in books and magazine articles right up into the early 20th century.  Samuel Abbott Green wrote quite a bit about them in his book Groton in the Indian Wars, starting with this:

In a list of prisoners held by the French and Indians in Canada, March 5, 1710-11, are the names of "Zech: Tarbal, John Tarbal, Sarah Tarbal, Matt. Farnsworth [and] Lydia Longley" (Archives, LXXI. 765), all of Groton, though no date of capture is given. Lydia Longley was taken by the Indians on July 27, 1694, and the particulars of her case have already been told. The Tarbell children were carried off on June 20, 1707; but it is unknown when Matthias Farnsworth was captured, and this entry appears to be the only record of the fact. Sarah, John, and Zechariah were children of Thomas and Elizabeth (Wood) Tarbell, who, with a large family, lived on Farmers' Row, near where James Lawrence's house now stands. Sarah was a girl nearly fourteen years of age, John a lad of twelve years, and Zechariah only seven, at the time when they were taken. They were near kindred of the Longley family, who had been massacred thirteen years before. The father was unquestionably the Corporal Tarbell who commanded, in the autumn of 1711, one of the eighteen garrisons in the town.

The story of their capture and captivity is a singular one, and sounds like a romance. They were picking cherries early one evening, — so tradition relates, — and were taken before they had time to get down from the tree. It should be borne in mind that the date of capture, according to the new style of reckoning, was July I, when cherries would be ripe enough to tempt the appetite of climbing youngsters. These children were carried to Canada, where, it would seem, they were treated kindly, as no inducement afterward was strong enough to make them return permanently to their old home. The girl, Sarah, was sold to the French, and placed in a convent at Lachine, near Montreal; but what became of her subsequently I am unable to say.

Thomas Tarbell, the father of these children, made his will September 26, 1715, which was admitted to probate six weeks later, and is now on file at the Middlesex Probate Office in East Cambridge. After making certain bequests to different members of his family, he says: —

all the rest & residue of my Reall Estate I give to be Equally divided between my three children, John, Zachary, & Sarah Tarbell, upon their return from Captivity, or In Proportion unto any of them that shall return, & the rest, or the parts belonging to them that do not return, shall be Equally divided among the rest of my children.

pp109-110

 Groton During the Indian Wars  : J. Wilson and Sons, Cambridge , Ma. 1883

Even after eleven years since their capture, my 8x great grandfather held out hope for their eventual return


His sons would come back to Groton after his death, but not as he had hoped they would.


To be continued.

THE TARBELL FAMILY AND THE INDIAN WARS PT2: "A TERRIBLE FATALITY"

I've mentioned before how the Indian wars in colonial Massachusetts had an effec on my family history. I recently found this in Samuel Abbott Green's book Groton During the Indian Wars. I've added how I am related to the people mentioned in it. Keep in mind this all happened in slightly over thirty years.:

A remarkable fatality seems to have followed Mrs. Shattuck's kindred. Her husband and eldest son were killed by the Indians, as has just been mentioned. Her father, James Blood, was likewise killed, September 13, 1692. So also were her uncle, William Longley, his wife and five children, July 27, 1694; and three others of their children were carried away into captivity at the same time. A relative, James Parker, Jr., and his wife were killed in this assault, and their children taken prisoners. Her step-father, Enoch Lawrence, received a wound in an engagement with the Indians, probably in the same attack of July 27, 1694, which almost wholly prevented him from earning a livelihood for himself and family. The three Tarbell children, who were carried off to Canada by the Indians, June 20, 1707, were cousins of Mrs. Shattuck. John Ames, who was shot by the savages at the gate of his own garrison, July 9, 1724, was the father of Jacob, who married her niece, Ruth Shattuck. And lastly, her son-in-law, Isaac Lakin, the husband of her daughter Elizabeth, was wounded in Lovewell's Fight at Pequawket, May 8, 1725. These calamities covered a period of only one generation, extending from the year 1692 to 1725.-p107


 Groton During the Indian Wars  : J. Wilson and Sons, Cambridge , Ma. 1883


Elizabeth (Blood)Shattuck is a distant cousin.
Her uncle William Longley, is my 9x great granduncle.
James Parker Jr is my 8x great granduncle.
John Ames is my 8x great grandfather
Issac Lakin is another of my distant cousins.

And the three Tarbell children were my 7x great grandaunt and two 7x great granduncles.

THE TARBELL FAMILY AND THE INDIAN WARS PT1

I was researching the tragedy of Thomas Tarbell  III's family when I came across this account of an incident that took place before King Philip's War. It involves the murder of a colonist by an Indian and includes testimony from Thomas Tarbell Jr. as to what he heard about it.

It's from Samuel Abbott Green's book Groton During the Indian Wars. He starts with a brief summary of the events:

The earliest documents at the State House, relating to Groton and the savages, give an account of a drunken brawl which ended in murder. The affair took place in the Merrimack Valley, and several men of this town were summoned to appear as witnesses at the investigation before the General Court in Boston. In the spring of 1668 Captain Richard Waldron built a trucking or trading house at Penacook, now Concord, New Hampshire, where a few weeks later one Thomas Dickinson was murdered by an Indian while under the influence of liquor. The homicide created great excitement, and it has been supposed to have delayed the permanent settlement of the place for many years. A warrant was issued directing the constable of Groton to summon John Page, Thomas Tarbell, Jr., Joseph Blood, and Robert Parish, all of this town, before the General Court in order to give their testimony, which they did under oath. It appeared by the evidence that there had been a drunken row, and that Dickinson was killed by an Indian, who acknowledged the crime and expressed great sorrow for it, but pleaded drunkenness in extenuation of the deed. The culprit was tried at once by a council of the Indians, who sentenced him to be shot, which was done the next day. It is interesting now to note the high temperance stand taken, more than two hundred years ago, by the Chief Tohaunto, which places him abreast of the most earnest opposers of the rum traffic at the present time. p-9

Groton During the Indian Wars  : J. Wilson and Sons, Cambridge , Ma. 1883

A few pages later he quotes the testimony of three men, including my ancestor Thomas Tarbell, Jr., who were given two different versions of the death, one from a colonist and the other from the Indians.

Wee whose names are herevnto subscribed doe testifye that in or aboute y* Month of June last past goeing to Pennycooke to enquire after Cattle yt were lost, rideing to ye ffort at the sayd Pennicooke, 'meeteing wth some of the Indians belonging thereto told us, yt an Englishman was Killed by an Indian, and that all our Englishman; Laws they had Killed the Indian, wee farther enquireing of them how and whether the Indians were drunck when the Englishman was Killed, and they answered all Indians were then drunck or else they had noe Kild Englishman; And farther wee Evidence Tohaunto a Sagamore being afrayd that wee had brought Liquors to sell desired us if wee had any, that wee would power it vppon the ground for it would make ye Indians all one Divill, And farther wee meeteing wth Thomas Payne, who told us he was Capt. Waldern's servt, asking him whether the Indians were druncke when the Englishman was Killed, and he answered not drunck; and after farther discourse wth ye sd Payne he sayd that ye pson that was Killed was Peter Coffins man and farther sayd that if the Killing of the Man did not prevent it his the sayd Paynes Master Capt Walderne and Peter Coffin did intend to send Carpenters to build there and also to have ground broake vpp to be improved, and wee farther affirme that wee saw a Rundlett which would hold at least six Gallons in the Trucking House near the sayd ffort; after wch wee meeteing wth the Indians then there, and telling them yt Thomas Payne told us that they were not drunck when The Englishman was Killed the Indians then sayd yt Payne much Lyed, for wee had Divers Quarts of Liquors the same day that the sayd Englishman was Killed upon and one of the Indians Comaunded his Squagh to wash a Bladder, wherein the Indian sayd there was a Quart of Liquors and wee doe adiudge it to be as much; or using words to the same effect
October 27th 1668  
John Page
Robb Parris
Thomas Tarball
Joseph Bloud
Sworne in Court, 27, October 1668
Edw: Rawson Secrety
[Massachusetts Archives, XXX. 161.]
-p11

And there were darker days ahead for the settlers along the Massachusetts frontier.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 51:THOMAS TARBELL 3RD. OF GROTON, MA.

My 8x great grandfather Thomas Tarbell III's  family was deeply effected by the Indian raids on Groton during the period known as King William's War. I will discuss those events in subsequent posts but first the basic background on Thomas and his family.

Once more, rom the article in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, "Thomas Tarbell And Some Of His Descendants" by Charles Henry Wight:

4. Thomas' Tarbell (Thomas? Thomas1) married at Grotou, Dec. 1,1686, Elizabeth, daughter of Samuel and Alice (Rushton) Woods, who was born Sept. 17, 1665. They lived at Groton, where he was town clerk, 1704-1705. Thomas was chosen Deacon of the church at Groton, Apr. 22, 1715, and died at Lexington, where his sister Anna was living, Oct. 8 of the same year, being buried in that town. His will, dated Sept. 26 before his death, names his wife and all of his children, provision being made for his three children, John, Zachary and Sarah, in the event of their return from captivity. Elizabeth, his widow, died before Mar. 11, 1717— 18, as shown by papers relating to the estate.
Children, born at Groton:
7. i. Thomas,4 b. Sept. 15, 1687.
8. il. William, b. June 10, 1689.
ill. Elizabeth, b. Aug. 19, 1691; d. Dec. 23, 1763; m. Joseph Willard of Lancaster,
lv. Sarah, b. Sept. 29,1693; taken captive by the Indians, June 20,1707; d. unmarried in Canada.*
v. John, b. July 6, 1695; taken captive by the Indians, June 20, 1707; m. in Canada and had Indian descendants.*
9. vi. Samukl, b. Oct. 14, 1697.
vil. Zachahiah, b. Jan. 25, 1699-1700; taken captive by the Indians, June 20, 1707; m. in Canada and had Indian descendants. *
viii. Anna, b. May 28, 1702; d. Nov. 27,1753; m. Mar. 8, 1721-2, Eleazer Green, Jr.
Ix. James, b. Feb. 13, 1704-5; was alive at his father's decease, but had d. prior to May 16, 1729, when his brother, Eleazer Tarbell, sold with other property his interest in James's estate.
10. x. Eleazer, b. Apr. 28, 1707.

pp-71-72


 The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vols. 37-52 (1883-98) Published by the Society Boston, Ma. 1909


I am descended from Elizabeth Tarbell who married Joseph Willard.

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 50:THOMAS TARBELL JR. OF GROTON, MA.

My ancestors who settled Groton, Ma. didn't have an easy time of it. They were right on the edge of colonial civilization in Massachusetts and the early history of the town is one of violence because of the Indian wars that raged about it. The Tarbell family was among those who suffered losses from the wars, starting with Thomas Tarbell Jr. who was forced to evacuate when the original settlemnt was destroyed,

Again,  from the article in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, "Thomas Tarbell And Some Of His Descendants" by Charles Henry Wight:

2. Thomas2 Tarbell (Thomas1) was, with his father, an original proprietor of Groton. He married there, June 30, 1666, Hannah or Anna, daughter of William and Joanna Longley of Groton. After the destruction of that town during King Philip's war, he and his family removed to Charlestown, where they lived in the family of Samuel Leman, whose wife was a sister of Hannah. Oct. 28, 1677, Anna, wife of Thomas Tarbell, Jr., was admitted to the church in Charlestown. Thomas died there of the small pox, Apr. 27, 1678, and administration upon his estate was granted to his widow, Dec. 18, 1678. She did not long survive him, but died at Groton, Dec. 29, 1680, a month after the death of her father, William Longley. Her mother, Joanna Longley, and brother, William Longley, were appointed administrators of her estate, Apr. 5, 1681, but no settlement of either estate has been found. Children, recorded at Groton: 

4. i. Thomas3,  b. July 6, 1667.

ii. Anna, b. June 10, 1670; d. Dec. 19, 1732; m. Nov. 9, 1687, John Lawrence of Lexington. She is named in the will of. her grandmother, Joanna Crisp formerly Longley, who d. 1698.

ill. William, b. Oct. 1, 1672; d. June, 1693, a "soldier at the Eastward" (Danvers Church records).

iv. Mary, b. Apr. 2, 1675. Perhaps the Mary Tarbell who m. in Salem, Dec. 7, 1705, James Smith, and who is mentioned in the will of John* Tarbell, but no relationship is expressed.
pp70-71



The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vols. 37-52 (1883-98) Published by the Society Boston, Ma. 1909

I am descended from the eldest son, Thomas Tarbell III

52 ANCESTORS IN 52 WEEKS 2019 WEEK 49: THOMAS TARBELL SR. OF GROTON, MA.

My 7x great grandfather Joseph Willard's wife was Elizabeth Tarbell whose  ancestor Thomas Tarbell Se. was another of the first settlers of Groton, Ma. I found this article in The New England Historical and Genealogical Register, "Thomas Tarbell And Some Of His Descendants" by Charles Henry Wioht:

1. Thomas1 Tarbell, the ancestor of all the early Tarbell families of New England, settled in Watertown as early as 1647, at which time he is mentioned on the town records as owning land. Mar. 30, 1663, he and wife, Mary, sold his house and land there, and removed to Groton, where she died Apr. 29, 1674, aged 54 years. The family retired from Groton to Charlestown at the destruction of the former town during King Philip's war, and there he married second, Aug. 15, 1676, Susanna, widow of John Lawrence, and died of the small pox, June 11, 1678. Administration upon his estate was granted to his son, John, Aug. 17. 1678. The settlement of his estate, as contained in two papers in the Middlesex Co. Court Files, bearing dates of May 31, 1680, and Mar. 18, 1680-1, shows the following
Children:
 2. i. Thomas.' 

ii. Mary, d. Apr. 26, 1676; m. July 3, 1665, Jonathan Sawtell of  Groton. 

iii. Sarah, aged 33 in Oct., 1681; m. before May 31, 1680, Cornelius Church of Groton and Charlestown. The Groton records state that he m. June 4, 1670, Mary , which may be an error for Sarah. She d. a widow, at Salem, 1715. In her will, dated July 1, 1698, proved July 18, 1715, she bequeathed two-thirds of her lands at Groton to James Bennett, "my sisters Son", and the other one-third to Samuel Cutler, Jr., of Salem, "who married my Sisters daughter ". The latter was Sarah Sawtell.

iv. Abigail, was living 1719; m. in Watertown, "left of September", 1672, Joshua Whitney of Watertown and Groton.

3 v. John.

vi. Elizabeth, b. Jan. 5, 1656-7; d. July 25, 1684; m. Feb. 4, 1680-1, James Bennett of Charlestown.

vii. William, b. Feb. 26, 1658-9; was living Apr. 5, 1681, but probably d. soon after, as no further trace of him has been found.

viii. Martha, was unmarried Mar. 2, 1682-3, when she disposed of a part of her share in her father's estate. She was undoubtedly the Martha Tarbell who m. in Salem, May 18, 1685, Thomas Mitchell.
p-70

 The New England Historical and Genealogical Register Vols. 37-52 (1883-98) Published by the Society Boston, Ma. 1909