French, Samuel

Queen Anne's War

In 1703 war was renewed between France and England. It lasted until 1713, and was called "Queen Anne's War." The Indians, as usual, took part with the French, and in August 1703 a general attack was made upon all the frontier settlements. Terror and devastation reigned every where. Within a few weeks more than two hundred whites were either killed or captured. The General Assembly being sensibly affected by these massacres, offered a bounty of £40 for every Indian scalp.

[CJF, p. 76]

Gravestones in Dunstable

The following inscriptions on the head-stones in the old burial-place on Meeting-House Hill were copied by Mr. Dexter Butterfield : —

Here lies the Body of Mrs. Sarah French, wife of Mr. Ebenezer French, who departed this Life, May 22d, 1767, in the 27th year of her age. [This must be Sarah (PROCTOR) FRENCH. If so, she died 16 days after giving birth to her only child, Sarah.]

In Memory of Mrs. Elizabeth Cumings, wife of Capt. John Cumings, who died July 2d, 1793, Aged 78. [Elizabeth (FRENCH) CUMMINGS, daughter of Joseph and Elizabeth.]

In memory of Mr. Ebenezer French, who died April 14, 1808, In his 77th year. [This is the husband of Sarah PROCTOR and Susannah HAMBLET.]

Susanna, wife of Ebenezer French, d. Dec. 27, 1808, aged 73 years. [I think this is Susannah HAMBLET, second wife of Ebenezer.]

Mary D., dau. of John French. d. Feb. 14, 1817, aged 4 years. [Probably daughter of John who was son of Ebenezer.]

[NL, pp. 228-30]

French Brothers at the Battle of Bunker Hill

This was the time that tried men's souls. Five days afterwards the Dunstable company, composed of fifty men, forming a part of the Massachusetts regiment, under the command of Col. Ebenezer Bridge, commissioned at Billerica, May 27, was present, and participated in the memorable action of Bunker Hill. Ebenezer Bancroft was captain, Nathaniel Holden, lieutenant, and Samuel Brown, ensign. Col. Bridge was sent forward on the evening of the 16th of June with a part of his regiment, embracing Capt. Bancroft's company, to throw up the entrenchment on the hill, and after toiling through the night upon the redoubt, awaited for the advance of the British squadrons. During the sanguinary contest that ensued, the company from Dunstable evinced all the valor of veteran soldiers, as many of them indeed were, and it was only after their ammunition was exhausted that they left the field. Capt. Bancroft was severely wounded. Eleazer French had an arm shot off during the action, and picking it up, bore it as a trophy from the bloody field. His brother, Samuel French, had a ball shot through his right ear. Jonathan French, another brother, was in the battle. William French and Jonas French, two brothers of another family, did good service on that eventful day. The former discharged his gun with deliberate aim, as at a pigeon, sixteen times. He was a shoemaker by trade, served through the war, and died in Dunstable at an advanced age. From his sobriety and uprightness he was called "Deacon William."

At the close of the battle these two brothers left the hill together, and on crossing "the Neck" under the fire of the "Glasgow" man-of-war, they discovered an officer very severely wounded, and tendered him assistance. "I cannot live," he said. "Take care of yourselves." They, however, raised him to their shoulders and bore him through the havoc to a place of safety. It proved to be Capt. Henry Farwell, of Groton.

Mr. Ebenezer French was also at the battle of Bunker Hill. He was the grandfather of Benjamin French, Esq., who has now in his possession the bullet-moulds (which are of brass and will form twenty-four bullets of different sizes at one casting), the camp-kettle, and musket of this brave soldier. He died April 14, 1808, in the seventy-seventh year of his age.

[NL, pp. 113-5]

Ebenezer FRENCH killed by Indians

In August, 1724, the English sent a body of troops to attack the Indian town at Norridgewock, Me. The town was surprised, and a large number of Indians slain, together with Father Rasle, the Jesuit, their priest, who was considered by the English as the instigator of all these outrages. By this attack the Eastern Indians were much alarmed and weakened. But about this time a party of French Mohawks, to the number of 70, made an incursion into this neighborhood. Sept. 4th they fell on Dunstable, and took two in the evening. Next morning Lt. French with Fourteen men went in pursuit of them, but being way-laid, both he and one half of his men were destroyed. After this as many more of a fresh company engaged them, but the enemy being much superior in number, overpowered them, with the loss of one man killed and four wounded. A more particular account of this mournful event has been preserved and collected from various sources with much care and labor. It must prove interesting, at least to the descendants of the actors in these scenes, many of whom still reside among us, and may serve to make us all realize more fully the nature, extent, and worth of the sufferings of those into whose labors we have entered.

The two captives mentioned above were Nathan Cross and Thos. Blanchard. They had been engaged in the manufacture of turpentine on the north side of the Nashua, in Nashville, near the spot where the upper part of the village now stands, and were seized while at work and carried off by the Indians. As there were at that time no houses or settlements on that side of Nashua River at that place, these men had been in habit of returning every night to lodge in a saw mill on the south side of the river.—This mill was probably John Lovewell's, which stood on Salmon Brook at the bridge, by the house of Miss Allds, the mud sills of which are now visible. The night following their capture they came not as usual and an alarm was given, as it was feared they had fallen into the hands of the Indians.

A party consisting of ten of the principal inhabitants of the place, beside their leader, started in pursuit of them, under the direction of Lieut. Ebenezer French. In this company was Josiah Farwell, who was next year Lieutenant at Pequawkett under Lovewell. When this party arrived at the spot where these men had been laboring, they found the hoops of the barrels cut and the turpentine spread upon the ground.— From certain marks made upon the trees with wax mixed with grease, they understood that the men were taken and carried off alive.

In the course of the examination, Farwell perceived that the turpentine had not ceased spreading, and called the attention of his comrades to this circumstance. They concluded that the Indians had been gone but a short time, and must be near, and decided on instant pursuit.—Farweli advised them to take a circuitous route to avoid an ambush ; but unfortunately he and French a short time before had a misunderstanding, and were then at variance. French imputed this advice to cowardice, and cried out, "I am going to take the direct path : if any of you are not afraid let him follow me." French led the way and the whole of the party followed, Farwell following in the rear.

Their route was up the Merrimac, towards which they bent their course to look for their horses upon the intervals. At the brook near Satwych's [now Thornton's] Ferry they were way-laid. The Indians fired upon them and killed the larger part instantly. A few fled, but were overtaken and destroyed. French was killed about a mile from the place of action under an oak tree lately standing in a field belonging to Mr. John Lund, of Merrimac. Farwell in the rear, seeing those before him fall, sprung behind a tree, discharged his piece, and ran. Two Indians pursued him. The chase was vigorously maintained for some time, without either gaining much advantage, till Farwell passing through a thicket, the Indians lost sight of him, and probably fearing he might have loaded again, they deserted from farther pursuit. He was the only one of the company that escaped.

A company from the neighborhood immediately mustered, and proceeded to the fatal spot to find the bodies of their friends and townsmen. Eight of them were found and conveyed to the burying place. 'Coffins were prepared for them, and they were decently interred in one capacious grave.' The names of these persons given in the Boston News Letter, were Lt. Ebenezer French, Thomas Lund, Oliver Farwell and Ebenezer Cummings, who belonged to Dunstable, and all of whom, excepting the last, left widows and children, Daniel Baldwin and John Burbank, of Woburn, and Mr. Johnson, of Plainfield.

Cross and Blanchard, the first named, were carried to Canada ; after remaining there some time they succeeded, by their own exertions, in effecting their redemption, and returned home.

[CJF, pp. 106-8]