52 Ancestors #33 - Capt. Anthony Brackett

Capt. Anthony Brackett lived at Falmouth (now Portland), Maine. 

History of Hampton, New Hampshire, Joseph Dow
"On the 9th of August, 1676, some Indians killed one of his cows, and he complained to a chief, named Symon, who promised to bring the culprits to him. Two days later Symon appeared, early in the morning at the head of a party, and said: 'These are the Indians that killed the cow.' Then they entered the house, seized the guns, and asked Capt. Brackett whether he would go into captivity, or be killed. He preferring captivity, the Indians bound him, his wife, and a negro, and carried them and five children away as prisoners. In November following, Captain and Mrs. Brackett, one child and the negro made their escape in a leaky canoe. The wife, Ann, died soon after, and the remainder of Capt. Brackett's life is identified with Hampton."

"When Col. Church had the memorable fight with the Indians at Casco, Sept. 21, 1689, Capt. Brackett was killed. After this, his wife and children went to her father's at Hampton, but finally returned to their possessions." 

Children with Ann Mitton:
Anthony, Seth, Zachariah, Mary, Eleanor, Keziah, and Jane

Children with Susannah Drake:
James, Zipporah, Zachariah, Anne, Sarah, and Susannah

9th GG
Capt. Anthony & Susannah (Drake) Brackett
Zachariah Brackett
Sarah Brackett
Thomas Sawyer
Hannah Sawyer
Catherine Hilton
Loann Churchill
Anna J. Rowe
Eva D. Hayes
Linona A. Yates - my grandmother

9th GG
Capt. Anthony & Susannah (Drake) Brackett
Zachariah Brackett
Sarah Brackett
Amy Sawyer - sister of Thomas
Samuel Hilton
Catherine Hilton - see above

9th GG
Capt. Anthony & Susannah (Drake) Brackett
Sarah Brackett
Samuel Proctor
Humility Proctor
Hezekiah Moody
Dolly Estes Moody
Charles G. Blake
Harriet May Blake
Clayton L. Blake - my grandfather

Society Saturday - Piscataqua Pioneers

While attending NERGC, I stopped by a table showcasing the Piscataqua Pioneers Historical and Genealogical Society. I knew I had a fairly large number of ancestors from this region so the name caught my eye. They were offering a discount on their book: Piscataqua Pioneers: Selected Biographies of Early Settlers in Northern New England. It is regularly $40 and I got it for $30 - either way it is a bargain! It includes a cd of  the entire book in a searchable pdf! The maps and history of the area are very interesting and then the book goes on to provide short biographies of the early families. I've been neglecting my blog because I'm spending every minute I can with the book. I've found some great stories for future blog posts. I am in LOVE! 

As with any of the early colonial settlements, the families intermarried frequently making an complex web of relationships. I have ancestors on all four of my grandparents' lines in the book and I've been adding large amounts of information to my tree! I think I will be applying for membership in the society this year. The big question is which of the many families will I use for the basis of my membership...

Here are just the A and B surnames in the book that are direct ancestors. 

Dad's Side: 
John Alcock
William Berry
Nathaniel Boulter

Mom's Side:
Walter Abbott 
John Bean - Scottish prisoner - I wondered if I had one of these in my tree! 
Ralph Blaisdell
Anthony Brackett

Both: 
Rev. Stephen Bachiler/Batchelder
Jasper Blake


The web site: http://www.piscataquapioneers.org/index.html
To purchase the book: http://www.piscataquapioneers.org/bookPP.html

Surname Saturday - Rand

I am going to make an attempt to post about one surname each Saturday as part of the geneabloggers.com prompt series. I've been having trouble finding/making time to work on and write about my genealogy and maybe having a goal will help.

Francis Rand came to New Hampshire with Capt. John Mason, who had been given a land grant by King James I of England. This would be the King James who commissioned the popular King James Bible. Captain Mason sent several shiploads of settlers and supplies but never came to New Hampshire himself. 

Today's story comes in part from the Hampton Memorial Library page and involves the Brackett's Lane Massacre that occurred on the 29th of September 1691. An estimated 20-40 Indians landed at Sandy Beach and attacked some families who were not protected by the garrison. Some of the men were out cutting hay. After an alarm was sounded and word sent to the nearest militia, a group of men was dispatched the next day. By then, the attack was over. Overall, about twenty people were lost including two old men and some women and children. Ten bodies were found and three were found burned in their houses. Seven were missing and presumed carried into captivity. Children who were too young to be taken to Canada were "dashed against a large rock that stood on what is now Wallis Road, near Brackett Road." The account on the library page says this rock was removed to make way for a new road. One of my favorite genealogy bloggers, Heather Wilkinson Rojo, also wrote an account of this event and has pictures of the memorial markers that commemorate this event.

Francis Rand's wife, Christina/Christian, was also killed by Indians prior to this event. She was old and nearly bind and one day she had a premonition. She begged her husband not to go to the mill because she sensed Indians around and was scared to be alone. He didn't take her seriously because he didn't believe there were any Indians in the area. He took his corn to the mill and upon returning, he found his wife had been killed and scalped. The death of Francis wasn't the end of the family members being killed by Indians.  The History of Durham states that their son, John Rand and his wife, Rembrance Ault, were probably killed by Indians in 1694.

The other family that lost their patriarch that September day was Anthony Brackett and the attack is called the Brackett's Lane massacre because it was concentrated near his house. He is my 9th great-grandfather on my mother's side. Brackett's Lane is now known as Brackett's Road. But I'll save the Bracketts for another day.

Picture from ancestry.com submitted by arch0945

Francis Rand & Christina/Christian

John Rand & Remembrance Ault

Nathaniel Rand & Elizabeth Marden

Joshua Rand & Ruth Philbrick

Philemon Rand & Sarah Rand - Yes, they are first cousins according to my research but I'm still checking sources to verify it.

Lazarus Rand & Elizabeth "Betsey" Clark

Eunice Rand & Timothy Cox

Christiana Cox & John H. Cotton

Francis Llewellyn Cotton & Nina K. Ellingwood

Ray Everett Cotton & Annie Florilla Gibbs

Fern Lyndell Cotton - my grandmother


Sources:
http://www.hampton.lib.nh.us/hampton/history/military/brackettslanemassacre.htm
http://archive.org/details/historyoftownofd02stac