Eunice MATHER

1664 - 1704  (39 years)

• Name	Eunice MATHER  [2, 3, 4, 5]
  	In the attack on Deerfield by the French and Indians in 1704, she, with all her family except her eldest son, Eleazer, who was absent, were taken prisoners; two of her youngest children were killed, and the rest of the family was carried captive by the Indians into Canada. Her strength failing on the rout, she bade good buy to her husband and quietly submitted to her fate. Her body was found not long after and buried. Mr. Williams was well treated by the French, and after two years of captivity was ransomed and returned to Massachusetts. Hence his being so often spoken of as the "Redeemed Captive". His daughter, Eunice, never returned, but married an Indian and by him had a son, Eleazer Williams, who was ordained as a deacon, and was for many years a missionary to the Indians in the northern part of New York and in Canada, and subsequently at Green Bay. [1] Eunice Mather, the wife of Rev. John Williams, was taken captive by the Indians with her husband and others in Feb. 29, 1703/4, at Deerfield, Mass. Their house was broken into and two young children and a domestic were inhumanly murdered. Mrs. Williams, who had just recovered from a bed of confinement, and five children were taken prisoners. Mr. Williams and the rest of the prisoners were made to wade over a small river in which the water was over knee deep, and very swift. After that he had to travel up a small mountain, and his strength was nearly exhausted before he came to the top of it. He was permitted to sit down, and to have his pack taken from his back. While he sat there pitying those who were behind, he entreated his master to let him go and help his wife. He inhumanly refused him, and would not let him move foot from him. He inquired of the prisoners, as they passed, concerning her, and they informed him that in passing the river she was overpowered by the stream and plunged headlong into the water. She was not able to travel far after this. At the foot of the mountain which Mr. Williams had just ascended, the inhuman and bloodthirsty Indian, who had the care of her, slew her with his tomahawk at a blow. this was truly heartrending to him, and yet the savages reproached him for a want of manhood in shedding tears on account of her cruel murder. Her body was found by men from Deerfield, and taken for burial. On her tombstone is the following inscription: "Here lyeth the body of Mrs. Eunice Williams the virtuous and desirable consort of the Rev. John Williams, and daughter of Rev. Eleazar and Mrs Ether Mather of Northampton. She was born Aug. 2, 1664, and fell by the rage of the barbarous enemy, March 1, 1703/4. Her children rise up and call her Blessed." [2]
  Birth	02 Aug 1664	Northampton, Massachusetts   [2, 3, 5]
  Gender	Female
  Fact	Was captured by the Indians   [5]
  Death	1 Mar 1703/4	Deerfield, Massachusetts   [2]
  Person ID	I38138	Main Tree
  Last Modified	13 Jan 2021

  
  

  Father	Rev. Eleazer MATHER,   b. 16 May 1637, Dorchester, Massachusetts d. 24 Jul 1669, Northampton, Hampshire Co., Massachusetts (Age 32 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Mother	Esther WARHAM,   b. 1644   d. 10 Feb 1736 (Age 92 years)
  Relationship	Birth
  Marriage	29 Sep 1659  [2, 3, 6]
  Family ID	F19255	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Rev. John WILLIAMS,   b. 10 Dec 1664   d. 12 Jun 1729 (Age 64 years)
  Marriage	21 Jul 1687  [2, 4]
  Children	1. Rev. Warham WILLIAMS,   b. 7 Sep 1699, Deerfield, Massachusetts d. 22 Jun 1751, Waltham, Massachusetts (Age 51 years)  [Birth]
  Family ID	F36812	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	13 Jan 2021

  
  

• Event Map

  Fact - - Was captured by the Indians Death - 1 Mar 1703/4 - Deerfield, Massachusetts  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Sources

  [S12076] Charles S. Hall, HALL Ancestry A Series of Sketches of the Lineal Ancestors of the children of Samuel Holden Parsons Hall and his wife Emeline Bulkeley. [S12200] Horace E. Mather, Lineage of Rev. Richard Mather. [S02352] James Savage, Genealogical Dictionary of The First Settlers of New England, (Name: Name: Genealogical Publishing Co., Inc;;). [S9214] Richard Anson Wheeler, History of the Town of Stonington, County of New London, Connecticut. [S9777] Nathaniel Goodwin, Genealogical Notes or Contributions to the Family History of Some of the First Settlers of Connecticut and Massachusetts, (New England Historic Genealogical Society). [S3597] Ernest Flagg, "Genealogical Notes on the Founding of New England" My Ancestors Part in that Undertaking.