John Nims, of Deerfield

John Nims

• Birth: 14 AUG 1679 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts 1 (twin to Rebecca)
• Death: 29 DEC 1762 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts 2 3
• Burial: Old Burying Ground, Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
• Father: Godfrey Nims b: 1657 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
• Mother: Mary Miller

Brief Biography

On October 8,1703 John and his half brother Zebediah were captured and taken by indians to Canada.Zeb died April 12,1706.John had escaped in 1705 along with 3 others. Meanwhile the Deerfield massacre occured and many in Johns family were killed. As head of the family John went back to Canada in 1712 to try and get his young brother Ebenezer and his sister Abigail back. He got him released in 1714 but Abigail decided to stay in Canada. He worked at the mill on Saw Mill Creek in 1714.In 1718,he had rights to the Deerfield Commons.In 1729 he served as selectman.From his father and father in law,Jeremiah Hull,he inherited a large tract of land in Deerfield and Greenfield

Family

Marriage

1. Elizabeth Hull b: 23 DEC 1688 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts Married: 19 DEC 1707 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts. She was his step sister & fellow captive in Canada.

Children

1. John Nims b: 26 NOV 1707 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts
2. Mehitable Nims b: 9 MAR 1709 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts
3. Elizabeth Nims b: 1 MAR 1712 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts
4. Mehitable Nims b: 13 MAR 1713 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
5. John Nims b: 19 DEC 1715 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts
6. Thomas Nims b: 8 APR 1718 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts
7. Jeremiah Nims b: 26 JUN 1721 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
8. Son Nims b: 16 DEC 1722 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts
9. Mary Nims b: 20 JUL 1724 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts
10. Rebecca Nims b: 26 JAN 1726 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
11. Mary Nims b: 15 MAR 1728/29 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts
12. Daniel Nims b: 15 JAN 1731 in Deerfield, Hampshire, Massachusetts

Notes

A Typical Puritan Town - By Robert P. Clapp, Published by The New Clairvaux Press, Montague, Mass. 1910, p.197

John was taken captive by the Indians in 1703.

History of Deerfield, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 251.

Captured 1703; he lived on the old homestead.

Note:

Epitaphs in the Old Burying-Ground at Deerfield, Mass. Copied by C. Alice Baker and Emma L. Coleman, published by The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, Massachusets, 1924. p. 31.

Nims, 1762

In Memory of

Mr. John Nims

Who Died Dec.

29th A.D. 1762

in the 83th Year

of his Age.

4

Note:

History of Deerfield, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 251.

Married by Rev. John Williams. A daughter of his step-mother and a fellow captive in Canada.

3 5

Sources:

Abbrev: History of Deerfield, Massachusetts

Title: History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896.all & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896.all & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896.

Page: p. 250 - Date & location

Abbrev: LDS - Ancestral File

Title: LDS Ancestral File

Page: Date & location

Abbrev: History of Deerfield, Massachusetts

Title: History of Deerfield, Volume II, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896.all & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896.all & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896.

Page: p. 251 - Date & location

Abbrev: Epitaphs in the Old Burying-Ground at Deerfield

Title: Epitaphs in the Old Burying-Ground at Deerfield, Mass. Copied by C. Alice Baker and Emma L. Coleman, published by The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, Massachusetts, 1924.ce Baker and Emma L. Coleman, published by The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, Massachusetts, 1924.ce Baker and Emma L. Coleman, published by The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, Massachusetts, 1924.

Page: p. 31 - Location

Abbrev: Vital Records of Deerfield, Mass.

Title: Vital Records of Deerfield, Mass. to the Year 1850, Compiled by Thomas W. Baldwin, Published by The New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1926.. Baldwin, Published by The New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1926.. Baldwin, Published by The New England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston, Mass., 1926.

Page: p. 201 - Date & location

John, his brother Zebedee, and others were captured on October 8,1703 while tending cows in the meadow at Deerfield, MA, and were taken to Canada. John remained in captivity there until 1705 when he and three others escaped. He arrived back at Deerfield nearly starved from the journey. Thus missing the Deerfield Raid/Massacre of 1704 that killed so many of his family members. His sister Abigail was taken hostage in 1704

Married Elizabeth Hull December 19,1707 in Deerfield,MA.

Children: John Nims, Mehitable Nims, Elizabeth Nims Hawks, Mehitable Nims Smead, John Nims Jr, Thomas Nims (husband of Esther Martindale Nims), Jeremiah Nims, an infant son, Mary Nims, Rebecca Nims Allen (first wife of Amos Allen), Mary Nims Taylor, and Daniel Nims.

GEDCOM Note

"Sealing approved"

"Sealing approved"

GEDCOM Note

John Nims Find a Grave Birth: Aug. 14, 1679 Northampton Hampshire County Massachusetts, USA Death: Dec. 29, 1762 Deerfield Franklin County Massachusetts, USA

He was captured Oct 8, 1703 while tending cows in the meadow at

GEDCOM Note

John Nims October 8th, 1703, according

John Nims October 8th, 1703, according to the written account by the ReverendStephen Williams, " Zebediah Williams & John Nims went into ye meadow in ye evening tolook after the creatures wer ambushed by indians in ye ditch beyondFrary's bridge, who fird at ym, but missed ym, and took W.quick, and Nran to ye pond, then returned to ym (fearing to be shot,) ye Indianswound cattle and went off. Ye men were carried to Canada, where W.dyd, N ran away in ye year 1705, with Joseph Petty, Thos Baker andMartin Kellogue. My father escaped narrowly ye nt before at Broughtonshill." By reason of this event John was not at Deerfield in 1704,when so many of the family were slain. October 22nd, 1703, ReverendSolomon Stoddard, writing from Nothampton to Governor Dudley, addsthis postscript concerning Godfrey Nims: - " Since I wrote: the fatherof the two Captives belonging to Deerfield, has importunately desiredme to write to yr Ex'cy that you wd endeaver the Redemption of hischildren - I request that if you have any opportunity, you would notbe backward to such a work of mercy." Mr. Sheldon says: - " There is a tradition in the Nims family, thatwhen De Rouville's expedition was being planned some of the leadersmade John Nims the offer to save harmless all of his friends, if hewould act as their guide. The proposition was joyfully accepted byNims, with the expectation of being able to escape and give reasonablewarning. But when the matter came to the ears of the Governor, heforthwith put a stop to the project, as a dangerous experiment. Soonafter John Sheldon left Canada for home in 1705, four young men,disappointed at not being allowed to return with him, made theirescape and reached home about June 8th. * * * * They had no arms, butprobably a small stock of provisions, and reached our frontier, moredead than alive from hunger and fatigue." Joseph Petty's own accountof this escape, addressed to Rev. Mr. Williams and preserved inMemorial Hall, details the incidents and suff erings of their journeyfrom Montreal to our frontier in May and June, 1705. John Nims was married in 1707 by Rev. John Williams to Elizabeth Hull,and they lived on the old homestead. Miss Baker says: - " In thesummer of 1712, the Canadian Governor proposed that the Englishcaptives in Canada should be 'brought into or near Deerfield, and thatthe French prisoners should be sent home from thence.' Gov. Dudleyordered Col. Partridge to collect the French captives here. When itwas known in Deerfield that an escort was to be sent with tem , therewas no lack of volunteers. 'We pitcht upon Lt. Williams' saysPartridge, 'with the consent of his father, who hath the Frenchtongue, Jonath Wells, Jon Nims, an absolute pilot, Eliezer Warner * ** and Thos. Frentch, who also hath the French tongue, but think of theformer (Nims) most apt for the design.'The party under command ofSamuel Williams, a youth of twenty-three, started on the 10th of July,returning in September with nine English captives. Godfrey Nims haddied some years before. Ebenezer was still in captivity, and JohnNims evidently went as the head of the family, hoping to effect therelease of his brother and sister. I judge that in urging Abigail'sreturn, John made the most out of the provision for her in her latefather's will, as the story goes in Canada that the relatives of theyoung Elizabeth, who were Protestants, and were amply provided withthis worlds goods, knowing that she had been carried to the Sault auRecollet, went there and offered a considerable sum for her ransom,and the savages would willingly have given her up if she herself hadshown any desire to go with her relatives. To her brother'sentreaties that she would rather be a poor captive among Catholicsthan to become the rich heiress of a Protestant family, and John cameback without his sister and brother." John Nims, and his wife, Elizabeth, were blessed with a dozen childrenand more than five dozen grandchildren. She died September 21st,1754, aged 6 6 years; and he died December 29th, 1762, aged 83; andtheir son John died October 6th, 1769, aged 54; as we may read on themossy stones down in the old graveyard. Of their other sons, Thomas settled in Greenfield, as beforementioned; Jeremiah lived in his father's house and was followed byhis son Seth, deacon and revolutionary soldier, who kept the postoffice here from 1820 to 1831 in the old house, and was in turnfollowed by his son Edwin town clerk from 1832 to 1834 and the fatherof Mrs. Eunice Kimberly Nims Brown. She sold the place in 1894 (afterit had been in the family for more than two centuries) to Mrs.Silvanus Miller, whose daughters are now its hospitable owners. Mrs.Brown's maternal grandparents were also descended respectively fromJohn Nims, through John junior, and the fourth brother Daniel whoremoved to Shelbourne.

GEDCOM Note

John NIMS was captured by Indians, escap

John NIMS was captured by Indians, escaped 1705.

A Typical Puritan Town - By Robert P. Clapp, Published by The New Clairvaux Press, Montague, Mass. 1910, p.197 John was taken captive by the Indians in 1703.

History of Deerfield, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 251. Captured 1703; he lived on the old homestead.

John Nims October 8th, 1703, according to the written account by the ReverendStephen Williams, " Zebediah Williams & John Nims went into ye meadow in ye evening tolook after the creatures wer ambushed by indians in ye ditch beyondFrary's bridge, who fird at ym, but missed ym, and took W.quick, and Nran to ye pond, then returned to ym (fearing to be shot,) ye Indianswound cattle and went off. Ye men were carried to Canada, where W.dyd, N ran away in ye year 1705, with Joseph Petty, Thos Baker andMartin Kellogue. My father escaped narrowly ye nt before at Broughtonshill." By reason of this event John was not at Deerfield in 1704,when so many of the family were slain. October 22nd, 1703, ReverendSolomon Stoddard, writing from Nothampton to Governor Dudley, addsthis postscript concerning Godfrey Nims: - " Since I wrote: the fatherof the two Captives belonging to Deerfield, has importunately desiredme to write to yr Ex'cy that you wd endeaver the Redemption of hischildren - I request that if you have any opportunity, you would notbe backward to such a work of mercy." Mr. Sheldon says: - " There is a tradition in the Nims family, thatwhen De Rouville's expedition was being planned some of the leadersmade John Nims the offer to save harmless all of his friends, if hewould act as their guide. The proposition was joyfully accepted byNims, with the expectation of being able to escape and give reasonablewarning. But when the matter came to the ears of the Governor, heforthwith put a stop to the project, as a dangerous experiment. Soonafter John Sheldon left Canada for home in 1705, four young men,disappointed at not being allowed to return with him, made theirescape and reached home about June 8th. * * * * They had no arms, butprobably a small stock of provisions, and reached our frontier, moredead than alive from hunger and fatigue." Joseph Petty's own accountof this escape, addressed to Rev. Mr. Williams and preserved inMemorial Hall, details the incidents and suff erings of their journeyfrom Montreal to our frontier in May and June, 1705. John Nims was married in 1707 by Rev. John Williams to Elizabeth Hull,and they lived on the old homestead. Miss Baker says: - " In thesummer of 1712, the Canadian Governor proposed that the Englishcaptives in Canada should be 'brought into or near Deerfield, and thatthe French prisoners should be sent home from thence.' Gov. Dudleyordered Col. Partridge to collect the French captives here. When itwas known in Deerfield that an escort was to be sent with tem , therewas no lack of volunteers. 'We pitcht upon Lt. Williams' saysPartridge, 'with the consent of his father, who hath the Frenchtongue, Jonath Wells, Jon Nims, an absolute pilot, Eliezer Warner * ** and Thos. Frentch, who also hath the French tongue, but think of theformer (Nims) most apt for the design.'The party under command ofSamuel Williams, a youth of twenty-three, started on the 10th of July,returning in September with nine English captives. Godfrey Nims haddied some years before. Ebenezer was still in captivity, and JohnNims evidently went as the head of the family, hoping to effect therelease of his brother and sister. I judge that in urging Abigail'sreturn, John made the most out of the provision for her in her latefather's will, as the story goes in Canada that the relatives of theyoung Elizabeth, who were Protestants, and were amply provided withthis worlds goods, knowing that she had been carried to the Sault auRecollet, went there and offered a considerable sum for her ransom,and the savages would willingly have given her up if she herself hadshown any desire to go with her relatives. To her brother'sentreaties that she would rather be a poor captive among Catholicsthan to become the rich heiress of a Protestant family, and John cameback without his sister and brother." John Nims, and his wife, Elizabeth, were blessed with a dozen childrenand more than five dozen grandchildren. She died September 21st,1754, aged 6 6 years; and he died December 29th, 1762, aged 83; andtheir son John died October 6th, 1769, aged 54; as we may read on themossy stones down in the old graveyard. Of their other sons, Thomas settled in Greenfield, as beforementioned; Jeremiah lived in his father's house and was followed byhis son Seth, deacon and revolutionary soldier, who kept the postoffice here from 1820 to 1831 in the old house, and was in turnfollowed by his son Edwin town clerk from 1832 to 1834 and the fatherof Mrs. Eunice Kimberly Nims Brown. She sold the place in 1894 (afterit had been in the family for more than two centuries) to Mrs.Silvanus Miller, whose daughters are now its hospitable owners. Mrs.Brown's maternal grandparents were also descended respectively fromJohn Nims, through John junior, and the fourth brother Daniel

!ENCL. #317: Pages from Family Genealogies, Deerfield, Mass.

GEDCOM Note

John Nims Find a Grave Birth: Aug. 14, 1679 Northampton Hampshire County Massachusetts, USA Death: Dec. 29, 1762 Deerfield Franklin County Massachusetts, USA

He was captured Oct 8, 1703 while tending cows in the meadow at

GEDCOM Note

!ENCL. #317: Pages from Family Genealogi

!ENCL. #317: Pages from Family Genealogies, Deerfield, Mass.

GEDCOM Note

a twin

a twin

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!BIRTH-DEATH-BAPTISM-ENDOWMENT-SEALING_P

!BIRTH-DEATH-BAPTISM-ENDOWMENT-SEALING_PARENTS: Archive record information source: 974.4 41/D 1H25 p. 194-5 !NOTE: Sealed to mother's first husband, Zebediah Williams on 3 Apr 1967 SLAKE Temple

GEDCOM Note

Descendants of Godfrey Nims 3 John NIMS1–2 (Godfrey-1) was born on 14 Aug 1679 in Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts. He died on 29 Dec 1762 at the age of 83. !Md 19 Dec 1707, HULL, Elizabeth Archives Record John NIMS and Eliz

GEDCOM Note

Life Sketch

He was captured Oct 8, 1703 while tending cows in the meadow at Deerfield, and, along with his brother Zebedee, was taken to Canada. He remained there until 1705 when he and three others made their escape. He arrived back at Deerfield nearly starved from the journey. He had been fortuitously absent at the time of the massacre.

Husband of Elizabeth Hull Nims, married Dec 19,1707 in Deerfield,MA.

Children: John Nims, Mehitable Nims, Elizabeth Nims Hawks, Mehitable Nims Smead, John Nims Jr, Thomas Nims (husband of Esther Martindale Nims), Jeremiah Nims, an infant son, Mary Nims, Rebecca Nims Allen(first wife of Amos Allen), Mary Nims Taylor, and Daniel Nims.

GEDCOM Note

John's escape from Canada in a letter to the Reverend Mr. Stephen Williams. The story of John's escape from Canada is contained in a letter to the Reverend Mr. Stephen Williams. The original letter is on display in Memorial Hall, Deerfield. It read.:

Reverend Sir, Upon

GEDCOM Note

John NIMS was captured by Indians, escap

John NIMS was captured by Indians, escaped 1705.

GEDCOM Note

Captured by Indians at Deerfield, Mass.

Captured by Indians at Deerfield, Mass. on 8 Oct 1703. He escapted from captivity June 1704 and married to stepsister Elizabeth Hull in Deerfield, Mass on 19 Dec 1706.

GEDCOM Note

A Typical Puritan Town - By Robert P. Cl

A Typical Puritan Town - By Robert P. Clapp, Published by The New Clairvaux Press, Montague, Mass. 1910, p.197 John was taken captive by the Indians in 1703.

History of Deerfield, by George Sheldon, Published by E. A. Hall & Co., Greenfield, MA, 1896. p. 251. Captured 1703; he lived on the old homestead.

Epitaphs in the Old Burying-Ground at Deerfield, Mass. Copied by C. Alice Baker and Emma L. Coleman, published by The Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association, Deerfield, Massachusets, 1924. p. 31. Nims, 1762 In Memory of Mr. John Nims Who Died Dec. 29th A.D. 1762 in the 83th Year of his Age.

GEDCOM Note

!Hist. of Deerfield: Sheldon, vol 12 pg2

!Hist. of Deerfield: Sheldon, vol 12 pg251 & 303. File cabinet, top drawer, sec S.

GEDCOM Note

!Sources:

FGA - FHL Taylor Record Deerfi ===
!Sources: FGA - FHL Taylor Record Deerfield Vital Records History - Deerfield John Nims captured by Indians about 1704. Elizabeth Hull died at age 66; she was dau. of John Nims Stepmother