The Ransom of Mercy Carter:
Separating the Fact from Fiction
Cheryl Metz, NBCT
Teaching American History Grant 2010
Click to see results of raid
Link to interactive map photos
Mercy Carter was born on Dec. 17, 1693, to Samuel and
Mercy Brooks Carter. She was taken captive during the 1704
attack on Deerfield and adopted into a family in the
Kanienkehaka village of Kahnawake. Eventually she married
someone from that village. There is a story that two of her
sons were sent to Deerfield to see where their mother was
born.
When Mercy's father died in 1728, he promised her 100
pounds if she and her family would live in Norwalk,
Connecticut, for ten years. This is where he had settled in
1706. She chose not to do this; however, the two sons who
were sent to Deerfield, also visited Mercy's brother Ebenezer,
in Connecticut, in 1751.
The Bearers hereof, two of the Sons of Mercy Carter an
English Woman taken Captive at Deerfield Anno 1703
and Since Married to a Caguanaga Indian, being
desirous to Travel to Norwalk in the Colony of
Connecticut to visit the Relations of their Mother there.
This is to desire Such persons in Said Colony as may
see them of their way thither to direct them in roads and
afford them necessary and proper Support,
and if any Expect to be paid therefor to
bring in their accounts to us the Subscribers
Albany; July the 5th 1751
Wm Pitkin
John Chester
Transcript of travel passport given to two of Mercy’s sons
Mary Brooks (Jr.)
Mary was the oldest child of Nathaniel and Mary
Williams Brooks. She was born on Aug. 16, 1696.
During the 1704 attack, the Brooks home was
burned and the entire family was taken captive. Her
mother was slain on the ninth day of the march.
Mary stayed with Monsieur de Fleury in Canada.
She was baptized into the Catholic faith on July 19,
1705, and her name was changed to Marie Claire.
In 1710, she was granted Canadian citizenship and
she spent the rest of her life in Canada.
Ruth Catlin
Ruth was born around 1684 to John and Mary Baldwin
Catlin. She was captured, and along the journey to
Canada it is said that she showed great courage by
throwing off a heavy pack that she had been forced to
carry. Her captors were impressed by this behavior
and did not kill her. She was redeemed in 1707.
Sarah Hoyt
Sarah Hoyt was born to David and Sarah Wilson Hoyt on
May 6, 1686. She was captured during the 1704 attack
and taken to Lorette in Canada, where she was being
pressured to marry a Frenchman. She refused, but offered
to marry any other fellow captive. Ebenezer Nims became
her husband. By the time they were redeemed in 1714,
Sarah and Ebenezer had a son. Leaving was made difficult
because the priests and Native people who had adopted
Ebenezer wished to keep them, or at least their child. The
family did return to Deerfield and had four more children.
Sarah died on Jan. 11, 1761.
Joseph Kellogg
Joseph was born in Deerfield November 5, 1691, to Martin
and Sarah Dickinson Kellogg. He was taken captive along
with one brother and two sisters. Another brother was killed
in the attack. Joseph remained in New France for 10 years,
traveling amongst the French and Indians as a warrior and
fur trader. It is likely that he was the first Anglo-American to
see the Mississippi River. In 1714, his brother Martin
convinced him to return home with the promise of lucrative
government work. That year he married Rachel Devotion,
of Suffield, MA. They had five children. Joseph was named
a Captain in 1723. He continued to serve as a soldier,
diplomat, interpreter, and magistrate until his death in 1756.
Eunice Williams
Eunice was born in Deerfield on September 17, 1696 to the
Reverend John Williams and Eunice Mather Williams. She
was taken captive with her parents and four siblings. Two
younger siblings were killed in the attack. Her mother was
slain two days into the march north. Eunice was adopted into
a Mohawk family at Kahnawake. Many attempts were made
to redeem her, but she refused to return home. She stopped
speaking English, was given the Indian name
Kanenstenhawi, and married Arosen, a Mohawk Indian, in
1713. They had three children. In her adult life, she made
several visits to family members in New England, only once
returning to Deerfield. Eunice lived to be 95. She died
November 26, 1785.
Poem contained in Williams’ book,
pp. 71-72
Statistics
The following is a rough tally of those who experienced the 1704 massacre and the
march to Canada.
Starting population
283
Killed on 29 February 1704
In town
39
meadow fight
2 (+7 more but not from Deerfield) –
41
Survived attack
242
Left at home
130
Taken on march
112 (+10 garrison soldiers)
Died along way
21
Arrived in Canada
91
Mortality on the way
Infants < 2
Children 3 to 12
Teenagers 13 to 19
Adult women
Adult men
Started
4
35
21
26
26
112
Died
3
4
21
10
4
21
Survived
1
31
16
22
91
“On the 22d of last month our village was visited by two or three families of
Indians, amounting in all to twenty three of various ages, calling themselves by
the name of Williams on the ground of being descendants of Eunice.
If these persons truly inherit the name of Williams according to their statement,
their kindred in Deerfield must be numerous, and it is but just to say, that those
of the name were not slow to admit their claim, but uniformly called them "our
cousins." During their short stay, a little more than a week, they encamped in the
vicinity of the village,--employed their time not otherwise occupied, in making
baskets,-visited the graves of their ancestors, the Rev. Mr. Williams and Wife,
and attended divine service on Sunday in an orderly and reverent manner. They
refused to receive company on the Sabbath, and at all times, and in all respects,
seemed disposed to conduct themselves decently and inoffensively. During their
sojourn with us, partly perhaps on account of the unusual nature and
circumstances of the visit, and partly no doubt on account of the rarity of any of
the descendants of this race of people in our vicinity at the present day, their
encampment was frequented by great numbers of persons, almost denying
them time to take their ordinary meals, but affording them, as if to make amends
for such inconvenience and privation, a ready sale for their fabrics. On the 1st of
September, they decamped and commenced their homeward progress towards
Canada. “
From sermon preached to 1st Congregational Society in Deerfield, Mass. 1837
In your group, discuss and identify whether
evidence in the novel demonstrated each
theory.
Canada was a French government undertaking. Inherent
in all such is the need for progress reports, "body
counts," and such documentation establishing the
benefits to the government for its financial support.
The New Englanders had been pressing on the Abenakis
of Maine. They demanded the French show their sincerity
by an attack on the English.
The English, in Boston, held Jean-Baptiste Guyon, whom they
termed a pirate. The French considered him a naval officer
and needed a hostage of standing for exchange. So they
specifically targetted Rev. John Williams for this purpose.
1)What qualities did Mercy possess that led the
Indians to call her “their hope for the future?”
2)Mercy ultimately decides to remain with the
Indians, as did Eunice Williams. Using evidence
from the story and your own ideas, tell why you
agree or disagree with their decision.
3)Ruth often refers to the Indians as “savages.” Do
you believe they were savage? Support your
answer with evidence from the story and your own
ideas.
Resources
The Redeemed Captive Reverend John Williams. HR Huntting, Co. 6th ed. 1906
http://www.archive.org/stream/redeemedcaptive00willrich/redeemedcaptive00will
rich_djvu.txt
“Sermon Preached to 1st Congregational Society in Deerfield, Mass” Reverend
John Fessenden Aug. 27, 1837
http://www.americancenturies.mass.edu/collection/itempage.jsp?itemid=5731
The French and Indian raid on Deerfield Massachusetts, 1704
http://www.crossmyt.com/hc/gen/deerfild.html#n7
Raid on Deerfield: The Many Stories of 1704
http://1704.deerfield.history.museum/home.do
Pocumtuck Valley Memorial Association
Mohawk Chiefs (title slide)
http://ftp.rootsweb.ancestry.com/pub/review/2009/0513.html#Darkroom
Source info: My 3rd great grandfather, Chief Joseph Delisle, is pictured with five
other Mohawk chiefs of the Kahnawake’s Council of Chiefs: 1840-1889. I’ve had
this photo for a long time and only recently located information on the
Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) historical website telling me about him.
Joyce Newell Sundheim