Beschreibung:

DEERFIELD MASSACRE, WILLIAMS FAMILY]. An extensive collection of letters of various members of this family, who played a central role in the Deerfield Massacre, 1704. Together 32 items. THE WILLIAMS FAMILY OF DEERFIELD: "SEVERAL ENGLISH CAPTIVES AT CANADA THINK THE WAR VERY LONG" Contents : WILLIAMS, John (1664-1729), Minister at Deerfield, Mass. Nine autograph letters signed (most "John Williams") all to his son, Stephen Williams, all Deerfield, 23 January 1709/10 to 26 February 1724. Together 9 pages, small 4to and 8vo, closely written in Williams' miniscule hand, most with integral address leaf and in fine condition . A fine series of letters to his son, eldest of the five children of the Williams family who were carried into captivity, on a variety of topics: Stephen's education, religious matters, crops, illness, Indian depredations, and other news. A sampling: 23 January 1709/10, to Stephen, "student at Cambr[idge] Coll[ege]": "...learning should be your highest ambition. Endeavour that none may reach you in chara[cter]. Look well to your company...Always attend your exercises. ...Ensign Tracy of Hatf[ield] is dead..." 4 August 1712: Full of news of Indian raids: "...On Tuesday the enemy took a young man captive in skirmish...& as I returned at night a post from Deerf[ield] advised that...the enemy fired upon our Scout...& that two had escaped...We sent out 24 men to the west to get before the enemy & ambush them but without success...Capt, Wright & James Coss were out ahunting...& came accidentally upon a force of Indians & fired each of them at them, think they killed one and wounded another..." 23 November 1713 from Albany (bound to Canada to ransom his daughter, Eunice): "The week before we came thither a trading cannoe of Canada Indians went from Albany....No news here only that several english captives at Canada think the War very long & wonder that no one has arrived (to ransom them) would gladly have come away with Col. Sc[h]uyler..." 3 March 1718/19: Mentioning his daughter, Eunice, still among the Canadian Iroquois tribes: "The Governor says...if the General Assembly meet he will endeavour to obtain some Publick encouragement [for the release of captives in Canada]...Grave fears of war to the eastward, the Indians are very insolent & threatening...last night one of our Macquas [Mohawks] was at my house, says he saw Eunice well not long since." 5 August 1722: "Bernard is Captain of the soldiers...I am full of fears what the commencing a war will be accompanied with..." -- WILLIAMS, Eleazar (a captive, son of John Williams . Two Autograph letters signed to his brother (and fellow captive) Stephen Williams, Mansfield, 16 November 1726 and 17 February 1738. Together two pages, 4to . The illness of a child, recent deaths. -- WILLIAMS, Stephen (a captive, eldest son of John Williams . Autograph letter signed to Revd. Joseph Noyes, Longmeadow, 8 February 1748/49. 1 page, 4to . Possibly a draft, mainly on business. -- WILLIAMS, Warham (a captive, son of John Williams a captive). Two autograph letters signed to his brother Stephen Williams, 16 April 173-, 4 September 1738. Together 2 pages, 4to. Lamenting the "hooting howling, agonizing" of a religious revival, the other describing the commencement at Yale. -- WILLIAMS, William (1731-1811), Signer (Connecticut) . Three items: autograph letter signed, autograph document signed and autograph endorsement signed, 1780-1781. Together 5 pages, folio and oblong 4to. A long letter to "Polly," a document relating to enlistment bounties in the Revolutionary War and a note regarding an estate. --- And 13 additional letters and documents written or signed by Williams family members including: William Williams (2, 1771 and 1772); Eleazar Williams ("The Dauphin"); William Williams of Weston (3 autograph letters signed, 1714, 1725, 1755); William Williams (autograph document signed, 1763, 1772); Stephen West Williams; Otho H. Williams (1749-1794, autograph letter signed, 1801); E