Early European settlers in the American colonies were mostly farmers and craftsmen. They had to work hard to provide daily neccesities for themselves.
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.
Samuel Waters was born on November 14, 1651 in Lancaster, Worcester County, Massachusetts. His parents were Lawrence Waters and Ann Linton.
He married Mary Hudson on January 21, 1682 in Lancaster. Mary was the daughter of Daniel and Joanna Hudson. She was born on September 7, 1653.
When they married, Samuel was a carpenter in Lancaster. During King Phillip's War the family went to his brother, Stephen's, home in Charlestown. They moved to Woburn after the war. On July 12, 1682, he traded three tracts of land in Lancaster with James Snow for Snow's house and two acres in Woburn.
Samuel and Mary lived in Charlestown. Their children included:
Mary Waters (October 19, 1675),
Sarah Waters (January 15, 1678),
Daniel Waters (November 30, 1679),
Samuel Waters (November 4, 1681),
Abigail Waters Cleveland (November 27, 1683),
John Waters (September 23, 1685),
Ephriam Waters (October 12, 1687),
John Waters (December 11, 1689),
Nathaniel Waters (October 10, 1691),
Daniel Waters (October 10, 1691),
Josiah Waters (September 19, 1694), and
Joanna Waters (November 28, 1696).
Mary's parents, two of her sisters, and two children of her brother, Nathaniel, were killed by indigenous warriors in 1697.
Samuel died on March 2, 1728 in Woburn, Middlesex County, Massachusetts.
Mary was buried at First Burial Ground in Woburn. The inscription on her tombstone reads:
Here lyes ye Body of Mary Waters,
wife of Samuel Waters,
deceased December 10th 1721,
in ye 68th year of her age.
Mary White Rowlandson,Talcot
was captured by Native Americans
during King Philip's War
(1675-1676).
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.
King Philip’s War was a bloody and costly series of raids and skirmishes in 1675 and 1676 between the Native American people and the colonials. King Philip was the Native American leader Metacom.
The town common (commons) was a small, open field at the center of the town which was jointly owned. It was used as a marketplace, a place for the militia to drill, or for grazing livestock.
