Mehitable Smead

Notes:

Mehitable Smead was born in Northampton, Hampshire, Massachusetts on January 2, 1667 to William Smead and Elizabeth Laurence. The family moved to Pocumtuck, now known as Deerfield, Massachusetts. It was a dangerous place to live, being situated on the frontier of New England.

In 1675, King Philip's war began. On one side were the English colonists and thier Native American allies, while on the other were the Wampanoag, Anawon, Tuspaquin, Nipmuc, and Pocumtuc tribes, joined together under the leadership of Metacom, chief of the Wampanoags. (The war was named after Metacom, who was given the nickname "King Philip" by the English, who found his mannerisms haughty.)

On September 18, 1675, the natives attacked Pocumtuck, destroying homes and forcing many of the inhabitants to flee. Captain Thomas Lathrop was ordered to take his troops to Deerfield, and there, with the remaining townsmen, to retrieve any salvageable grain and bring it to the garrisons at Hadley, Northampton and Hatfield. Among the 80 - 100 men bringing back the grain was Mehitable's older brother, William Smead. He was driving one of the wagons.

Captain Mosely and his Pocumtuck garrison sent out scouts ahead of Lathrop, but Captain Lathrop did not send out any vanguard or flankers, even though the trail led through some dense forest, thinking it unlikely that such a large group of English would be attacked. About 5 miles outside of Deerfield, the convoy emerged from the forest into a narrow, swampy thicket. There they slowed down in preparation to cross Muddy Brook. The convoy ended up bunched all together before the brook. It was a particularly hot day. Realizing that it would take time to get everyone across, the soldiers tossed their rifles on top of the wheat and began to relax. Some soldiers began to gather the wild grapes that grew alongside the brook.

700 Native Americans lay in ambush. Metacom was there, leading the Wapanoags and the Nipmuck bands were there under Sagamore Same, Mantaup, One-eyed John, Matoonas, and Panquahow. At a given signal, the warriors sprang their trap. Chaos followed, as bullets and arrows flew at the bewildered English from every direction. Captain Lathrop fell immediately. Within minutes, over 70 of the English were killed, and the scalping began. The sluggish little brook ran red with blood, earning it the name 'Bloody Brook.' Among the dead was 15 year old William Smead. Period writer William Hubbard called it "the saddest day that ever befell New England."

Even though much of Pocumtuck was destroyed, the stubborn English settlers built a new town on the site. Shunning the old Native American name, they called it Deerfield. Mehitable remained there, and married another Deerfield resident, Jeremiah Hull, the son of Jeremiah Hull and Hannah Baldwin. They had two children together, Elizabeth and Jeremiah. Her husband died on December 11, 1691.

On June 27, 1692, Mehitable married a cordwainer named Godfrey Nims, the widower of Mary Margaret (Miller) Williams. Godfrey had several children from his first marriage, Rebecca, John, Henry, Thankful and Ebenezer Nims as well as two step-children, Mary and Zebediah Williams. The family lived in Deerfield, Massachusetts, where Godfrey bought the lot on which the second church, the town house and the Memorial Hall now stand, and they built a house.

On the night of January 4, 1693, tragedy struck. Godfrey's son Henry went upstairs into the bedroom where Mehitable's son Jeremiah and another child were sleeping. He brought a light with him, and accidentally set some flax or tow on fire. The flames quickly spread. Henry carried one of the sleeping children downstairs to safety, but when he came back up for little Jeremiah, it was too late to save him. The entire home burned to the ground that night.

Godfrey and Mehitable then purchased the adjoining lot to their old place, and built a new home. They had 5 children together: Thomas, Mehitable, the twins - Mercy and Mary, and Abigail. Sadly, Thomas died on November 6, 1693 at 3 years of age.

On September 16, 1696, a small party of Native Americans surprised Mehitable's brother John Smead, and John Gillet, on Green River. They captured Gillet, and pushed on to Deerfield, where most of the inhabitants were collected in the fort attending a lecture. Daniel Belding and his family were late and headed for the lecture when the Native Americans attacked them. Mrs. Belding and three of the children were killed, two others were wounded, while the remaining two children and Daniel Belding were taken captive. The Deerfield residents discovered what was happening and went to their aid. They managed to wound one of the attackers, but they could not rescue the Beldings. Mehitable's step-son Zebediah Williams was wounded in the fighting.

By 1703 were still no English settlements west of Deerfield for fifty miles, until the Hudson River and New York. Nor were there English towns north of Deerfield at all. To the east was forty miles of wilderness. It was a time of great anxiety, similar to the time of King Phillip's War. Queen Anne's War had begun, and the New York Govenernor Lord Cornbury had sent word in May that the French soldiers and their Native American allies were heading down from Canada towards Deerfield and the Connecticut Valley. In October, a small Native American force struck, capturing Mehitable's step-sons Zebediah Williams and John Nims. She never saw them again.

Deerfield strengthened its fortifications, and the Massachusetts General Court sent soldiers from Boston to help protect the town. All was quiet as winter descended, and Mehitable and her family must have felt some relief, as wars are not usually fought in the cold and snow of a New England winter. However, as a precaution, everyone, including the 20 Massachusetts soldiers, slept in the dozen houses that inside the pallisades of Deerfield, where the Nims home was located, leaving the other thirty or so houses empty. A watchman patrolled the town every night.

Two hours before dawn, on the leap-year morning of February 29, 1704, as Deerfield's residents slept, joint French and Native American forces under the command of Jean-Baptiste Hertel de Rouville gathered two miles north of town, just across the Deerfield River. De Rouville's forces consisted of 47 French and French-Canadian soldiers, including regular army men and coureur de bois, and 200 Native Americans, mostley Abenaki, Kanienkehaka and Wyandot, as well as a few Pocumtuck. They had made their way south on snoeshoes, walking atop the frozen waterways - up the Sorel River to Lake Champlain, up the Winooski River, and onto the upper Connectiut River. They had left a few of their party, plus the sleds and provisions, some twenty-five miles above Deerfield.

Silently, De Rouville's forces they crossed the river and made their way towards Deerfield. They were able to move quietly in the snow that dampens all sound. Heavy snowddrifts piled against the walls surrounding Deerfield - they were so high that the attackers easily scaled the ten to twelve-foot high walls.


When they were discovered by the watchman (who has been accused of being unfaithful in his duties that night) he discharged his musket and cried, "Arm! arm!" This was the signal for the assault. Doors and windows were broken down; men, women, and children dragged from their beds, murdered in cold blood, or bound as captives. De Rouville's forces had the advantage, despite the townspeoples efforts to fight back. The main body of the French stood to their arms, firing upon the houses and killing all who resisted, shooting the cattle and sheep, while detached parties were securing "provisions, drink, and cloathing," which were packed up and carried to their rendezvous, others collecting and guarding the prisoners and leading them to the same place. The Native forces attacked the Nims house, where they met with resistance. Godfrey and his family (like the Mattoon, Catlin and Frary families) had had the time to rouse and defend themselves, but not enough time to flee. Compared to theresidents of other homes that were attacked, the members of these four families suffered more members killed outright rather than taken captive, probably due to their resistance. The Natives set the Nims house on fire. Godfrey escaped on foot with Deacon Sheldon and a soldier and made it to Wells's Fort, the picketed house of Capt. Wells, who lived on the Fogg lot. De Rouville's forces soon turned their attention to Wells's Fort, which was fiercely assaulted, but successfully defended.

Just after 8:00 a.m., English reinforcementscharged up from Hadley and Hatfield. The French and Natives were driven from the fort. The siege being raised, the brave garrison, with men from Captain Wells, joined their rescuers. There were 57 men in all, and they pursued the retreating enemy across the meadows. De Rouville, noticing their small numbers, halted his front and formed an ambuscade. Into this the English, let on by Sergeant Wait, fell, in spite of a command to retreat by the cautious Captain Wells. Nine men were killed in this trap and the ensuing retreat. De Rouville's forces chased the English back into the stockades, then withdrew to Petty's Plain. Deerfield was destroyed. At the battles end, 22 men, 9 women and 25 children were dead, another 109 had been taken captive, and almost half of the houses were burned down.

Mehitable arguably suffered one of the greatest losses that morning. Her 7 year old daughter Mehitable and her five year old twin daughters Mercy and Mary had been hiding in the cellar of the family home when it was set on fire, and they smothered to death as the house burned above them. A similar tragedy unfolded In the home of her brother, Samuel Smead, were Mehitable's mother Elizabeth, Samuel's wife and his two young children hid in the cellar while he went to get help. Their house was also set on fire, and they all perished. Mehitable's her younger sister Thankful (Smead) Hawks, her brother-in-law John Hawks, her two little nieces Martha and Thankful Hawks, her nephew John Hawks, her step-son Henry, her step-daughter Rebecca (Nims) Mattoon, Rebecca's husband Phillip Mattoon and Rebecca Mattoon's newborn baby were all slain in the attack. Her brother John Smead was shot in the thigh, but survived. Mehitable herself, along with her 3 year old daughter Abigail, her daughter Elizabeth Hull, her step-son Ebenezer, her pregnant step-daughter Mary (Williams) Brooks, Mary's husband Nathaniel Brooks, her step-grand-children Mary and William Brooks, her pregnant sister Waitstill (Smead) Warner and her young nieces Sarah and Waitstill Warner were among the 109 captives.

They began a forced 300 mile march to Quebec. The winter conditions made the march extremely difficult, and as the captors feared pursuit, the pace was gruelling. As captive Stephen Williams later remembered it "they traveled (we thought) as if they Designed to kill us all." Those who were sick or injured and slowing the group down were sometimes slain by their captors. These tended to be adult women and children under 2 years old (who were vulnerable to the harsh weather and diet.) Older children were valued for adoption into the tribe, and were even carried or drawn on sleds by their captors. On the fourth day of the journey, Mehitable's sister Waitstill was killed. On the fifth day, four women were killed: Hepzibah Belding, Mary Frary, Hannah Carter, and Mehitable.

Godfrey, who was not captured in the massacre, died a few months later.

Despite a life marked by tragedy and loss, two of Mehitable's children survived. Through little Abigail Nims, a Deerfield captive who lived out her life in Quebec, Mehitable is the ancestor of many French Canadians, including Seguins, Sabourins, Castonguays and Cheniers, and through her daughter Elizabeth Hull, (redeemed from captivity in 1707) who married Mehitable's step-son John Nims after his escape from captivity, she is the ancestor of many Americans, including actresses Lillian and Dorothy Gish.



Died:
Died as a captive on march to Canada

Mehitable married Jeremiah Hull in 1688 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. Jeremiah (son of Jeremiah Hull and Hannah Baldwin) was born on 2 Jun 1663 in New Haven, New Haven, Connecticut, USA; died on 11 Dec 1691 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Elizabeth Hull was born on 23 Dec 1688 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 21 Sep 1754 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA.
2. Jeremiah Hull was born on 15 Jan 1690 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 4 Jan 1694 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA.

Mehitable married Godfrey Nims on 27 Jun 1692 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. Godfrey was born in 1650 in , , , England; died on 14 Mar 1704 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

1. Thomas Nims was born on 8 Nov 1693 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 10 Sep 1697 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA.
2. Mehitable Nims was born on 16 May 1696 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 29 Feb 1704 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA.
3. Mary Nims was born on 28 Feb 1698 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 29 Feb 1704 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA.
4. Mercy Nims was born on 28 Feb 1699 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 29 Feb 1704 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA.
5. Abigail Nims was born on 27 May 1700 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; died on 19 Feb 1748 in Oka, Lac des Deux Montagnes, Québec, Canada.

Other Events and Attributes:

• Arrival: 1630, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, USA
• Baptism: 13 Nov 1635, Rye, Sussex, England
• Residence: 1680, , , Massachusetts, USA

Notes:

He served in King Philip's War and participated in the Falls Fight under Capt.Turner. His son William was killed at Bloody Brook with Capt.Lothrop.

William Smead was the son of William Smead (d.c1634) and Judith (Stoughton) Denman Smead (1599-1639). Judith was the widow of John Denman, with whom she had two children. William was only three or so when his father died. Judith sailed from Gravesend with her three children on September 3,1635 on the ship “Dorset”. They stopped in the Barbadoes, then continued to New England. She settled with her children in Dorchester. She signed the Dorchester Church covenant in 1636 and was granted 20 acres of land there in 1638.

About the time his mother died, William was apprenticed at age seven or so, to John Pope of Dorchester. Pope died in 1646 and made provision in his will for William, calling him “my Littell boy.” He left to William his looms and tacking if William was willing to live with Pope’s widow, learn the trade, and become a weaver.

He married Elizabeth Lawrence at Dorchester,MA on Dec 31,1658.

Children: William Smead III, Elizabeth Smead Janes, Judith Smead Hawks, Mehitable Hull Smead Nims, Samuel Smead, John Smead, John Smead, Ebenezer Smead, Thankful Smead Hawks, and Waitstill Smead Warner.

It has been suggested that he must be buried at Old Deerfield Cemetery since that was the only cemetery at the time. However, that is not always the case as many ancestors were buried on their homesteads at the time.


https://www.wikitree.com/wiki/Smead-2

William married Elizabeth Lawrence on 31 Dec 1658 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA. Elizabeth (daughter of Thomas Lawrence and Elizabeth Bates) was born on 15 Sep 1635 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA; was christened on 6 Mar 1642; died in 29 Feb 1704 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

William married Judith Stoughton in 1623 in , , , England. Judith (daughter of Thomas Stoughton, Reverend and Katherine Evelyn Montpesson) was born on 3 Jul 1599 in Coggeshall, Essex, England; died on 18 Mar 1639 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA; was buried in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Arrival: 1630, Salem, Essex, Massachusetts, USA

Notes:

Judith’s first husband John Denman was born in 1591 in Retford, Nottinghamshire, England. His parents were Nicholas Denman and Lady Anne Hercy. John died 1624 in Retford, Surrey, England.

Judith’s second husband William Smead was born 1601 in England. William died 1636 in Essex, England.

Judith was one of the signers of the Dorchester Church Covenant in 1636, and at the time of her death in 1639 was a widow. The General Court confirmed Israel Stoughton as executor of the will of his sister, Judith Smead, and the disposal of her effects is on record, though no copy of her will has been preserved. Though not proved, it is possible that Judith was a widow before leaving England and that she journeyed to America in 1633 with Israel Stoughton and his wife, Elizabeth.

Judith’s young son was apprenticed rather than taken into the home of his Uncle Israel.

Judith Smead signed the covenant in 1636 with the church at Dorchester, Massachusetts, and in 1638 had a grant of twenty acres there just below the First Burying Ground. An inventory of her estate after her decease was taken on May 18, 1639. She was the mother of John Denman, Mary Denman (wife of Clement Maxfield), and William Smead.

Step-mother of Humphrey Denman, an Elder of the English Reformed Church at Amsterdam, North Holland.

William Smead was the son of William Smead (d.c1634) and Judith (Stoughton) Denman Smead (1599-1639). Judith was the widow of John Denman, with whom she had two children. William was only three or so when his father died. Judith sailed from Gravesend with her three children on September 3,1635 on the ship “Dorset”. They stopped in the Barbadoes, then continued to New England. She settled with her children in Dorchester. She signed the Dorchester Church covenant in 1636 and was granted 20 acres of land there in 1638.

About the time his mother died, William was apprenticed at age seven or so, to John Pope of Dorchester. Pope died in 1646 and made provision in his will for William, calling him “my Littell boy.” He left to William his looms and tacking if William was willing to live with Pope’s widow, learn the trade, and become a weaver.

He married Elizabeth Lawrence at Dorchester,MA on Dec 31,1658.

Children: William Smead III, Elizabeth Smead Janes, Judith Smead Hawks, Mehitable Hull Smead Nims, Samuel Smead, John Smead, John Smead, Ebenezer Smead, Thankful Smead Hawks, and Waitstill Smead Warner.

It has been suggested that he must be buried at Old Deerfield Cemetery since that was the only cemetery at the time. However, that is not always the case as many ancestors were buried on their homesteads at the time.

Thomas married Elizabeth Bates in 1638 in Hingham, Plymouth, Massachusetts, USA. Elizabeth was born on 10 Mar 1609 in Limpsfield, Surrey, England; died on 18 Feb 1679 in Dorchester, Suffolk, Massachusetts, USA. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Arrival: 1628, Weymouth, Norfolk, Massachusetts, USA

Woodhull married Mary Boyle. Mary was born in 1572 in Canterbury, Kent, England; died in 1635 in Youghal, Cork, Ireland. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Notes:

Dissident Preacher and Writer. Fellow of Queens College, Cambridge.

Stoughton matriculated pensioner from Trinity College, Cambridge in 1573, received his B.A. from Queens College 1577, his M.A. 1580. He was ordained deacon and priest at Lincoln Cathedral on Feb. 13, 1582, and was brought to the attention of Robert, 3rd Lord Rich by John Butler of Thoby Priory, Essex, and continued to benefit from Rich's patronage for many years. He was rector of Naughton from 1586 until 1594, at which time he was made curate of Great Burstead, Essex. He published A general treatise against poperie, and in defence of the religion by publike avthoritie professed in England and other churches reformed (Cambridge, 1598), which was dedicated to Lord Rich. In 1600 he was instituted vicar at Coggeshall at Lord Rich's presentation, but due to his nonconformity he was admonished by Bishop Richard Vaughan and deprived of Coggeshall by the High Commission in 1606. Despite being removed from his living it was reported in 1606 that he 'doeth often expound the Word in his deske'. In 1610 at Great Totham, Essex, he signed the dedicatory epistle to his work The dignitie of Gods children. By 1616 he had returned to his native Sandwich, where he remained living in poverty until his death. He continued to expound on his beliefs, publishing Two Profitable Treatises in 1616, followed up in 1622 with The Christians Sacrifice, a text of some 251 pages, which was dedicated to his patron, who had since purchased the title Earl of Warwick. He signed the dedicatory epistle to this on 20 Aug. 1622 from 'my poore lodging in the poor Hospitall called S. Bartholomewes by Sandwich in Kent', and further stated he was now 'ready to be dissolved, and to laye down my earthly Tabernacle...the time of my departing being at hand...' Two days later he appended the work with The Authors postscript to his Children as it were his Last Will and Testament unto them.

At the end of his life he recalled being present at Hampton Court 43 years earlier, where he heard ministers preaching before Queen Elizabeth.

In 1606 Stoughton was a legatee, along with others, in the will of Timothy Saint Nicholas, who 'moste humblie thanckinge them for their faithefull endeavor and for their earnest labour and paines for the instruction of my conscience and the consciences of many men in the knowledge of Gods truthe and relligion'. Described as 'a silenced preacher', he received a bequest in the 1610 will of Alice Wade of Bildeston, Suffolk, and in 1612 was mentioned in the will of his first cousin Thomas Stoughton of St Paul's Parish, Canterbury. In the 1619 will of Charles Eure, esquire, fourth son of William, 2nd Lord Eure, Stoughton being described as of St Bartholomews in Sandwich, Kent, received the generous bequest of £10.

Thomas married Katherine Evelyn Montpesson in 1585 in Naughton, Suffolk, England. Katherine was born in 1564 in Naughton, Suffolk, England; died on 18 Apr 1603 in Naughton, Suffolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

John married Elizabeth Bull. Elizabeth was born on 4 Aug 1563 in Saint Andrews, Hertfordshire, England; died on 25 Aug 1609 in Saint Albans, Hertfordshire, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Other Events and Attributes:

• Residence: , , , USA

Notes:

Francis left a will on 28 July 1551 at Sandwich, Kent, England. He provided for his wife, his only son, Thomas and his sister Alice. He bequeathed to his son, Thomas, more than 3 pounds yearly to keep him in school. He left is brother, Thomas Stoughton of St Martin's Canterbury, his lands, tenements, etc. until his son reached 21. He asked to be buried in the chancel of St John's in the Church of St Peter, Sandwich. He died between 28 July 1551 and 30 Sep 1557 when his estate was probated at Sandwich.

Francis married Agnes Tringall. Agnes was born in 1535 in Naughton, Suffolk, England; died in 1557 in Naughton, Suffolk, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]

Edward married Mary Exhurst. Mary was born in 1505 in Ash, Kent, England; died in 1550 in Ash, Kent, England. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]