Samuel Merrill, 1928, reprint 1983

Newbury in the Seventeenth Century - Chapter VI, pp55-65

The Indian Peril

   Some of the hazards incident to life in those days are suggested by the fact that, in 1635, the circulation of brass farthings was forbidden by the General Court, and musket balls were to be used as currency instead. It was not stated who were to be the ultimate recipients of these leaden farthings. They might be needed for defence against the wolves which prowled in the woods; and it was always possible that the Indians would become a source of trouble, in which case a little small change of the sort approved by the General Court might be the price of peace. It is significant that the estates of the Merrills in the early generations, as inventoried, always show the possession of muskets, and generally of swords.

   It has been estimated that at no time after the English settled in Newbury was the number of Indians living in the town more than a dozen. A small number lived at the Falls of the Quascacunquen, depending chiefly on fish caught there for subsistence, and in Summer a larger number came down from the North to fish and hunt at the mouth of the Merrimack. These Indians were generally tractable and friendly.

   Before the first generation of settlers had passed from the scene, however, the colonists became engaged in wars with the Indians. While Newbury was forced to contribute men to aid in the defence of the Colony in these conflicts, the town itself was not the scene of serious fighting.

   Apprehension of Indian raids led the town in 1690 to cause the house of Abraham² Merrill to be fortified for use as a garrison house, to which, in the event of alarm, the inhabitants in the western part of the town, near the Merrimack, might flee for safety. No attack by the Redskins was experienced in Newbury, however, until 7 Oct. 1695, when five Indians plundered the house of John Brown, two miles south of Abraham Merrill's garrison house, in the absence of most of the men, and captured nine persons. In consequence of this raid the following order was issued 14 Oct. 1695:

   "To Abraham Merrill of Newbury. (*)
   "These Are In his Majesty's name to will and Requier you to take the Cear to seat the watch of five men A night Bogining att Samuel Poores and Job Pilsburyes and all Sayer's Lean [lane] to Edward Poores and soe Runing by ye Roed to Hartichoak river and soe Notherly Except the Boundars. You Are Likewise Required to Ordar two of said watchmen upon Dewty to walke Dowen to Daniel Merrill's and two more to John Ordways att thaier returen Always keeping out a Sentinell upon dewty. You are also to Make return of all defacts unto the Capten to whom they belong forthwith. It is also desiered that you demand and require ye fien for each man's defeact and upon their refusall to make return as aforesaid."

   Nearly all of the captured settlers were retaken, and thereafter Newbury was spared the bloody raids from which other towns, farther north and west, occasionally suffered.

(*) See Coffin's History of Newbury, pages 161-163.

NEXT

   If you have further information on Newbury and would like to share it with others, please contact me.