Longley John b. 1683 Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA d. 25 MAY 1750 Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

1683 - 1750

Home Search Search Print Print Login - User: anonymous Login Add Bookmark

Personal Information | Notes | Sources | All | PDF

Birth 1683 Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA [1, 2]

Gender Male

_UPD 19 JUL 2009 01:41:12 GMT-5

Died 25 May 1750 Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA [1, 3]

Person ID I1708 Alan Donald Vibber

Last Modified 08 Dec 2009

Father Longley William, b. Abt 1640, Lynn, Essex, Massachusetts, USA , d. 27 Jul 1694

Mother Pease Deliverance

Married 15 May 1672

Family ID F774 Group Sheet

Family 1 Prescott Sarah, b. 03 May 1686, Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA , d. 08 Mar 1718, Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

Married 1705 [3, 4]

Children

1. Longley William, b. 13 Feb 1707, Groton, Middlesex, Massachusetts, USA

, d. 15 May 1788, Shirley, Worcester, Massachusetts

Family ID F773 Group Sheet

Family 2 Wilder Deborah, b. Abt 1691, d. 07 Nov 1763

Married 30 Nov 1720 Lancaster [3, 5]

Family ID F775 Group Sheet

Notes	(IV) John Longley, son of William Longley, Jr., (3), was born in 1683, at Groton, Massachusetts. He was captured by the Indians, July 27, 1694, and lived with them until ransomed in 1699. After he was brought back by force and educated, he became a leading citizen. He was town clerk six years, deacon of the church from 1722 to the time of his death, 1750; town treasurer and parish treasurer and deputy to the general court, for three terms. He was called a good man and an exemplary Christian. He died May 25, 1750, aged sixty-seven years. He married (first) Sarah Prescott, of Groton, who died March 8, 1718. He married (second) about 1720, Deborah Houghton, who died November 7, 1763. His first wife was a sister of Hon. Benjamin Prescott, father of Colonel William Prescott, of Bunker Hill fame, of Colonel James and of Dr. Oliver Prescott, of Groton. The children of John and Sarah were: Sarah, born March 28, 1706; William, February 13, 1708; John, January 6, 1710; Jonas, January 22, 1712; Lydia, June 26, 1716, married Amos Farnsworth. Among the children of John and Deborah Longley were : Zachary, born August 30, 1721 ; Joseph, September 12, 1724, died of wounds in the revolutionary army at Greenbush, New York, 1758; Jonathan, November 18, 1726; Zachariah, June 7, 1729; Nathaniel, September 6. 1731; Robert, March 11, 1733-4. John, who was about twelve years old when he was captured, told the Indians that his father's sheep were shut up in a barn and would starve unless they would permit him to go back and let them out. He promised to return if they would let him go back; they consented and he kept his word and apparently won their admiration and confidence at the same time. He made the best of his predicament and often said in after years that he liked the wild life he led among them and hoped he should never have to return to civilization. And when the government finally ransomed him after five years, he had to be taken with force. But soon after his return to Groton he entered upon his duties as a citizen with interest and zeal. He was well educated and a man of uncommon ability. John Longley. 1683-1750. "The Captive." Son of William. Born at Groton in 1683. Taken captive by Indians July 27, 1694, when the massacre of his family took place. He remained with the Indians over four years and was known among them as John Augary. He narrowly escaped death from starvation. He took kindly to life among the Indians, notwithstanding hardships, and, had it not been for determined efforts on the part of his relatives and the Massachusetts government, he would probably have become an Indian chief. He was ransomed by the government and, with great difficulty, induced to return to civilization. He became, instead of a great Indian Sachem, a respectable deacon of the church and leading citizen of Groton, Mass. Among papers in possession of the New-England Historic Genealogical Society, Boston (Knox manuscripts), is a deposition made by John Longley, giving a brief statement concerning his captivity among the Indians. John Longley married (1) in 1705 Sarah, daughter of Jonas Prescott, by whom he had five children. He married (2) at Lancaster Nov. 30, 1720, Deborah, daughter of John Wilder and widow of Robert Houghton, junior, by whom he had seven children. He had nine sons. Like his father and grandfather before him, he was clerk of the town of Groton. He filled that office from 1723 to 1726 and again in 1728 and 1729. He was town treasurer for some twelve years and had three elections as Representative to the General Court. He was deacon of the church 28 years. He died at Groton May 25, 1750. His widow, Deborah, died Nov. 7, 1763, in her 72d year.

Sources

[S59] Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of, Ellery Bicknell Crane, (Name: 1907;), 536 (Reliability: 3).
[S253] Who Begot Thee? Some Genealogical and Historical Notes Made in an Effort to Trace the American Progenitors of One Individual Living in America in 1903, Gilbert Oliver Bent, Gilbert Oscar Bent, (Name: Printed for private distribution, 1903;), 33 (Reliability: 3).
[S253] Who Begot Thee? Some Genealogical and Historical Notes Made in an Effort to Trace the American Progenitors of One Individual Living in America in 1903, Gilbert Oliver Bent, Gilbert Oscar Bent, (Name: Printed for private distribution, 1903;), 34 (Reliability: 3).
[S253] Who Begot Thee? Some Genealogical and Historical Notes Made in an Effort to Trace the American Progenitors of One Individual Living in America in 1903, Gilbert Oliver Bent, Gilbert Oscar Bent, (Name: Printed for private distribution, 1903;), 37 (Reliability: 3).
[S59] Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Personal Memoirs of, Ellery Bicknell Crane, (Name: 1907;), 537 (Reliability: 3).