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.
Sarah Waters Skeath was born on December 7, 1636 in Watertown, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Her parents were Lawrence Waters and Ann Linton.
She married John Skeath (Skait, Scate, Scale, Sheafe, Sheath). John was born in 1639 in Boston.
John and Sarah both died in the massacre of September 11, 1697 in Lancaster. Their son was captured by indigenous warriors.
Upon ye 11th instant a party of Indians to ye number of about Forty as was judged, about twelve o clock the same day, Surprized and kild about 26 persons at Lancaster, of which the minister of the Town was one, burnt two Garrison houses and two Barnes, the Garrisons being left open and ye Inhabitants surprized in their Fields: there is a party of men out in pursuit of ye Enemy.
A List Of Casualties September n, 1697. Killed. [included]
John Scale, Skait or Skeath.
Mrs. Scale, wife of John (from The Early Records of Lancaster, Massachusetts. 1643-1725
by Henry Stedman Nourse, 1844.
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.
The use of the term ye to mean the derives from Early Modern English, in which the was written "þe," employing the Old English letter thorn: "þ."
Ye is also the plural of thou.
A blockhouse or garrison house is a small, isolated fort. The typical blockhouse was two stories with the second story overhanging the first. It had small openings to allow residents to shoot attackers without being exposed.
