Eunice MATHER

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Was captured by the Indians

Notes:

Name:
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.

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."

Eunice married Rev. John WILLIAMS on 21 Jul 1687. John (son of Deacon Samuel WILLIAMS and Theoda PARKE) was born on 10 Dec 1664; died on 12 Jun 1729. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Rev. Warham WILLIAMS was born on 7 Sep 1699 in Deerfield, Massachusetts; died on 22 Jun 1751 in Waltham, Massachusetts.

Notes:

Name:
Rev. Eleazer Mather, the fifth son of Rev. Richard Mather, was born in Dorchester, Mass., may 13, 1637. He graduated at Harvard in 1656 and was minister at Northampton where he died, July 4, 1669, at the age of thirty-nine years. He was a man of talents and exalted piety and a zealous and eminently useful preacher. His father died the same year. His daughter, Eunice, married rev. John Williams, and was a victim of the Deerfield massacre. Her daughter was carried off into Canada with other prisoners, and subsequently married an Indian and was the ancestress of Rev. John Williams, a missionary in the Northwest, who was supposed by many to be the lost Dauphin, sons of Louis XVI, of France.

Eleazer married Esther WARHAM on 29 Sep 1659. Esther (daughter of Rev John WARHAM and Jane DABINOTT) was born in 1644; was christened on 8 Dec 1644; died on 10 Feb 1736. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Fact: Daughter of Rev. John Warham of Windsor, Ct.