Lancaster was first settled as "Nashaway" in 1643. It was officially incorporated as "Lancaster on the Nashua" in 1653. It originally included many current towns in central Massachusetts. It was the home of Mary Rowlandson. During King Philip's War the town suffered several massacres. It was abandoned in 1680 and resettled several years later.
Joseph Waters was born on April 29, 1647 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. His birth was the earliest recorded in Lancaster. His parents were Lawrence Waters and Ann Linton.
He returned to Lancaster in 1679 in the resettlement and occupied part of his father's and grandfather's lands.
He married Elizabeth and their children included:
Elizabeth Waters (1679),
Joseph Waters (1681), and
Martha Waters (1683).
In 1704 he was assigned to the military post at Stillwater Farm in the west part of Harvard. The residents of the area were afraid of attacks by Native Americans.
He later sold his Harvard lands to Isaac Hunt and moved to Groton where he died in 1720.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts was settled and incorporated in 1655. During King Philip's War, indigenous warriors burned all but four of Groton's garrisons. Survivors fled, but returned two years later to rebuild the town. Groton was again threatened during Queen Anne's War.
European and indiginous American fought fierce battles, sometimes called the Indian Wars, as the Europeans expanded their territory.
Early European settlers in the American colonies were mostly farmers and craftsmen. They had to work hard to provide daily neccesities for themselves.
