Rev. Andrew Gardner

From: Farns10th@aol.com

Subject: [VTGEN] Joseph Willard & Susanna (Lynde) Willard

Date: Sat, 2 Dec 2000 23:17:47 EST

Subject: Joseph Willard & Susanna (Lynde) Willard, Rutland, MA & NH

Source: History of Charlestown, NH by Rev. Henry H. Saunderson 1876

p.627

Joseph Willard was the son of Rev. Joseph Willard and his wife, Susanna

(Lynde) Willard and was a posthumous child and not born till about

three month after the tragic death of his father, which occurred in

Rutland, Massachusetts, at the time that Phineas Stevens, then a youth

of sixteen with his younger brothers, were taken prisoner by the

Indians and carried to Canada.

Reverend Mr. Willard was born at Saybrook, CT and graduated at Yale

College then located at Saybrook in 1714 and received the degree of

M.A., then the highest given at Harvard College in 1723. He was first

settled in Sunderland, whence he removed to Rutland where he was soon

to be installed, when his death from the manner in which it occurred

sent a thrill of horror through New England.

The following account is from Whiting's History of Worcester County.

"As Deacon Joseph Stephens and four of his sons were making hay on

the meadows at Rutland, on the 14th of August 1723, they were surprized

by five Indians. The father escaped in the bushes. Two of the sons

were slain and two, Phineas and Isaac Stevens were made prisoners.

Two of the five Indians waylaid a Mr. Davis and son, who that afternoon

were making hay in the meadow, not far off; but weary of waiting, they

were returning to the others and met Mr. Willard on their way, who was

armed, he having been on a hunting excursion. One of the Indians guns

missed fire, the others did no execution. Mr. Willard returned the fire and

wounded one of them, it is said mortally. The other closed in

with Mr. Willard who would have been more than a match for him, had

not the other three come to his assistance, and it was some considerable time

before they killed him.

On the death of this excellent man, Lieut. Governor Dummer in a becoming

spirit wrote to the Governor of Canada as follows: "I have a

right to complain that Mr. Willard, who had never been quilty of the

facts charged upon Mr. Ralle, who applied himself solely to the preach-

ing of the gospel, was by the Indians you sent to attack Rutland,

assaulted, slain and scalped and his scalp carried in triumph to Quebec".

"It was not the Indians, however" adds the historian, "that were chiefly to

blame in this matter, but the rulers of the French Nation

who invited the savage by a premium offered for every trophy of vict-

ory."

The widow of Rev. Joseph Willard, Susanna (Lynde) Willard, married sometime

after the death of her husband, to Rev. Andrew Gardner, into

whose family her children, William and Joseph Willard were received and

in connection with whom they were brought up.