Rev. John Williams was the renowned "Redeemed Captive" of history.
His wife, Eunice, was killed and he and their children taken into captivity at the massacre of Deerfield, Mass., Feb. 29, 1704. Father and surviving children were eventually redeemed with the exception of Eunice, a child of eight years.

The town of Deerfield, Ma gained immediate notoriety throughout New England after the events of both 1675 and 1704. That fame grew after 1707 when Deerfield's minister, the Reverend John Williams, published his view of the events of 1704 in The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion. One part jeremiad and one part gripping captivity narrative, the book proved to be an eighteenth century "best-seller," going through six editions before 1800. The story of 1704 received still wider attention late in the nineteenth century when Francis Parkman made "The Sack of Deerfield" a chapter in his volume Half Century of Conflict.

Rev. John Williams, a Harvard graduate, was installed as minister in Deerfield in 1686. A year later he married Eunice Mather, a member of the widespread Puritan ecclesiastical family. He was a special target for captivity as the Boston authorities held Jean-Baptiste Guyon whom the Canadians wanted returned. His memoir of the events is the famed The Redeemed Captive Returning to Zion, first printed in 1707 and reprinted continually thereafter.

Their two little children and a negro woman were killed in the assault. He, his wife, five children, and a negro man were taken. The eldest child alone was spared -- he was away at school. His wife, having had the baby but a few weeks before, was very weak. On the second day of the journey north they said their farewells, and were separated. She fell down while wading a small river and "was plunged over head and ears in the water; after which she travelled not far, for the cruel and bloodthirsty savage slew her with his hatchet." But what else could be done on a forced march through the winter snows?

His party took seven weeks to reach Fort Chambly. During his captivity he was constantly pressured to convert to catholicism, but ignored all blandishments. He encouraged his fellow captives as much as possible. He was redeemed, along with about 60 other captives, and arrived in Boston on 21 November 1706 with great joy.

Four of their children were redeemed and returned to New England, one continuing in the ministry. The one that remained was the subject of endless communications between New England, Albany, and Montreal. She was Eunice Williams, who lived in Caughnawaga. She received the Mohawk name A'ongote, which means "She (was) taken and placed (as a member of their tribe)." In early 1713 she married an Indian named Arosen. They had at least three children, two daughters and a son. Both daughters married Indian men, one of whom became the grand chief of the village, the other also a prominent figure. The fact that the daughters married so well indicates that Eunice was held in high esteem in her adoptive tribe.

A study of the known facts about Eunice has recently been published under the apposite title The Unredeemed Captive.

1. 2. Eunice WILLIAMS   b. 16 Sep 1696, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
2. 3. Stephen WILLIAMS   b. 14 May 1693, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
3. 4. Eleazer WILLIAMS   b. 1 Jul 1688, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
4. 5. Samuel WILLIAMS   b. 4 Jan 1690, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts; d. 1713.
5. 6. Esther WILLIAMS   b. 10 Apr 1691, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
6. 7. Warham WILLIAMS   b. 7 Sep 1699, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts; c. 16 Sep 1699, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
7. 8. Eliakim WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1702, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts; d. 29 Feb 1704, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.

1. 9. Abigail WILLIAMS   b. 1708, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
2. 10. John WILLIAMS   b. 23 Nov 1709, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
3. 11. Eliakim WILLIAMS   b. 6 Feb 1711, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.
4. 12. Elijah WILLIAMS   b. 13 Nov 1712, Deerfield, Franklin, Massachusetts.
5. 13. Sarah WILLIAMS   b. Sep 1716, Deerfield (Franklin) Massachusetts.

1. 14. Sybil WILLIAMS   b. 1737; d. 15 Apr 1750.
2. 15. Sarah WILLIAMS   b. 1738.
3. 16. Lydia WILLIAMS   b. 23 Mar 1740.
4. 17. Abigail WILLIAMS   b. 1740.
5. 18. Eunice WILLIAMS   b. 17 Dec 1741.
6. 19. Sarah WILLIAMS   b. 11 Jun 1743.

1. 20. Elijah WILLIAMS   b. 1745; d. 1793.
2. 21. John WILLIAMS   b. 6 Jan 1750; d. Aug 1816.

1. 22. Ebenezer WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1756.
2. 23. Thomas WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1758.
3. 24. Eleazer WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1760.
4. 25. Elijah WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1762.
5. 26. Dwight WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1764.
6. 27. Sarah WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1766.
7. 28. Lydia WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1768.
8. 29. Abigail WILLIAMS   b. Abt 1770.

1. 30. Margaret BLISS