Mary "Polly" Bedel

Mary Captive Johnson aka Polly

I am told that their is much information at the Fort # 4 in Charlestown NH Col. Timothy Bedel's second wife was the daughter of Capt. James and Susanna Johnson. She was a sister of Elizabeth Captive Johnson, who was born while her mother was an Indian prisoner in the forest of the present town of Cavendish, Vt. The Indians decended upon the Johnson home, (August 29th, 1754) taking as captives James & Susanna Johnson, who was 9 months pregnant and ready to deliver. They also took the three Johnson children, the Johnson's neighbor Peter Labarree and their hired man Ebeneqer Farnsworth, and Mrs. Johnson's sister, Miriam Willard. The day after their capture, Mrs. Johnson delivered Elizabeth. the first white child born in Vermont, she lived to womanhood and married Col. George Kimball.

Mrs. Johnson describes in detail her struggles to recover from childbirth, her walk to St. Francis (the Indian's home) the sale of all the captives to the French, the dispersal of her family and her eventual return to Charlestown.

I was just comparing the above story with our Dominicus Jordan family story, where the family was taken to the same St. Francis area, but that raid was 50 years earlier in Aug. 10, 1703 That was part of the King Philips War

I have now read, Susanna's story, A Narrative of the Captive of Mrs. Johnson, I will leave the above as is, but add that in her 2nd marriage Mrs. Johnson, Hastings, 2nd marriage had 7 children, l daughter and four sons died in infancy. Theodosia was married to Mr. Stephen Hasham, Randilla died at the age of 22, she lived from her infancy with Mr. Samuel Taylor of Rockingham. Susanna lived, till within the last few years of her live on the same spot where the Indians took us from in 1754, but the face of nature had so changed that old savage fears are all banished. Susanna shared her stories of perlls and adventures with many a grandchild or niece & nephew.

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ID: I57281 Name: Mary Johnson Given Name: Mary Surname: Johnson Sex: F Birth: 8 Nov 1752 Death: Note: Y Note: Source:

WILLARD GENEALOGY, SEQUEL TO WILLARD MEMORIAL MATERIALS GATHERED CHIEFLY BY JOSEPH WILLARD AND CHARLES WILKES WALKER

EDITED AND COMPLETED BY CHARLES HENRY POPE

PRINTED FOR THE WILLARD FAMILY ASSOCIATION, BOSTON, MASS., 1915*

Digital Edition © 2001 by Richard Bingham Oceanport, New Jersey ISBN 1-930968-20-5

Copyright, 1915 By THE WILLARD FAMILY ASSOCIATION

Murray and Emery Company Kendall Square Cambridge

Father: James Johnson b: Abt 1725 Mother: Susanna Willard b: 20 Feb 1730

Marriage 1 Timothy Bedell b: Abt 1750 Married: