1705 Letter to John Sheldon
This scrap of paper was sent to Deerfield, Massachusetts's resident John Sheldon at Quebec City, Canada. In March 1705 he had made a long journey in the dead of winter in an effort to redeem, or return, the members of his family who had been taken captive by Indians during the Deerfield Raid of 1704. They were his daughter-in-law Hannah Chapin Sheldon (23 years old when captured), his daughter Mary (16), and his sons Ebenezer (12) and Rememberance (11). Sheldon's youngest child, Mercy, was killed in the raid, as was his wife. The survivors were taken to Canada, and during Sheldon's mission they all were living in Indian villages near Montreal. The letter may have been written by James Adams, a Welles, Maine, resident who had been captured during a raid on that town in 1703. The letter itself offers good news: it was the first direct news Sheldon had heard that his children had survived. Sheldon, who was seeking a general exchange of prisoners from the raid, was partially successful. During this visit Sheldon was able to purchase the freedom of Hannah and another captive, Esther Williams, the daughter of Reverend John Williams. Sheldon tirelessly sought the return of all the captives and traveled several more times to Canada.
Date: circa 1705
Topic: Historic
Materials: Paper, ink
Dimensions: H: 3 in. (7.6 cm.) , W: 5 in. (12.7 cm.)
Accession #: L01.112