Stories
A law on Massachusetts, stated that Persons whose estates did not exceed 200 lbs. and those dependent upon them, should not wear gold and silver, or lace above 2 shillings per yard or silk hoods or scarves. The penalty was was 10 shillings. In 1673, 25 wives and 5 maids were fined. Sarah Strong (age 19) of Hadley, was among them. She was fined 10 shillings and costs, 2 shillings & 6 pence. After she married Joseph Barnard, they moved to Deerfield, where he was a tailor, farmer and one of the leading citizens, and in 1690, the first Town Clerk.
On Aug. 21, 1695, five men. including Joseph Barnard, set out from Deerfield for the mill, three miles away, each with his gun across his saddle. Capt. Wells, the commander of the town. having been warned the night before of impending danger, rode up and stopped them. But when he saw Joseph Barnard in the party, knowing him to be a prudent man, he let them go. Before they reached the mill, the horses began to snort and became frightened. Suddenly, one of the men cried out, "Indians, Indians" and they all turned to head back toward town. The Indians fired and hit Joseph in the left arm, shattering his wrist. They shot him once more and also shot his horse. Godfrey Nims put him on his horse and then Nimi's horse was shot. Then Philip Matton mounted Joseph on his horse and they rode back to town. Joseph lingered until Sept. 6, and then died.
Col. John Pynchon description of the event :
"On 21 Aug. 1695, eight Indians at Deerfield, laid in wait, near the road, one mile from the garrison. Five men, headed for the mill, when they had 7 or 8 guns fired at them, unexpectedly Joseph Barnard was shot off his horse and seriously wounded but surprizingly no one else was hurt. As the others helped Barnard to remount, the Indians could have rushed forward, but they did not, possibly because one of the men kept calling as if there were others approaching. Then the horse was shot out from under Barnard again, and he mounted for the third time, another horse. They fired again, and again hit him. Immediately, 30 or 40 men set out in pursuit of the Indians, but could not find them".
Three years later, she married Capt. Jonathan Wells, in 1698. At the time she had a 12-year old daughter, Rebecca Barnard and Jonathan had a 15 year old son, Jonathan Jr. Nineteen years later these two were married.
At age, 16, Jonathan Became known as the "Boy Hero" of the Fight at Turner's falls, on 19 May 1676. After the massacre of a group of Indians at Turner's falls, the militia was attacked by hundreds of Indians, who rushed in at the news of the fight. Jonathan was in the rear guard, with 20 men covering Capt. William Turner's retreat. He wrote about his experiences after the battle.
As the rear guard protected Turner's forcesr, three Indians shot at Jonathan at close range. One bullet brushed his hair, one hit his horse and another struck him in the thigh. In danger of falling off his horse, the grabbed the horse's mane and recovered himself. Believing him to be badly wounded, some of the Indians charged him, but he kept them back with a couple of shots. He picked up Stephen Belding, a 16 year old companion, and they escaped on Jonathan's horse. When he reached Capt. Turner, he urged the commander to either turn back or at least wait until the rear guard caught up. But Capt. Turner replied, "Better to save some, than to lose all", at which time the main force broke up and went different directions.
Jonathan fell back to the rear again with some men. They ran into some Indians and most of the men with him were killed. The remaining force split again. Ten men stayed with Jonathan, but as his horse began struggling with his wound, and with Jonathan weak from the loss of blood, he was left behind, with another wounded man, John Jones. Jonathan had a gun and Jones had a sword. Neither knew the woods, nor could they find a trail. They decided to split up to find a trail, and since Jones' wound appeared to be fatal, Jonathan was glad to leave him, so he would not be slowed down. At one point, with Indians on his trail, he nearly fainted, but he ate a nutmeg his grandmother had given him, and he revived. He reached Green River and started up a mountain, but he fainted and fell off his horse. When he came to, he found the bridle reins in his hands and his horse standing beside him. He tied his horse and laid down again. After a while he grew so weak he could not get back on his horse. He thought he was going to die there, so, pitying his horse he released him, never thinking about keeping some provisions in the saddle bags. At noon he was bothered by flies, so using his flintlock he started a fire and set the woods on fire. The fire soon spread so fast his hands and hair were burned. Then, realizing the fire would attract the Indians, he resigned himself to the fact they would find him and he would be killed. He flung his powder horn in one direction and his bullet pouch in another so they would not find them. He kept a little powder so he might have one shot before he was killed. He stopped the bleeding of his wound, crawled to a different spot to rest, away from the fire and fell asleep. When he awoke, he found he had new strength, and he could walk using his gun as a staff. After a few miles, he reached a river. He laid down and fell asleep again. When he awoke he saw an Indian approaching him in a canoe. He was greatly frightened because his gun was full of sand and he was in no condition to fight. But he aimed his gun at the Indian and the frightened foe jumped out of his canoe and fled. The Indian, upon reaching his people told them the English army was coming because he had seen one of their scouts.
Jonathan, expecting the Indians to return, hid among some fallen trees in a swamp. Finally, he reached Hatfield, and safety. It took him four years for his wounds to heal, one and one half years he laid in one spot on a bed, without being turned once and the skin came off his back from laying in one position.
Jonathan Wells was the military commander of Deerfield, when it was attacked in 1704 and he survived because his house was fortified and not attacked. The next day he led a force that drove the French & Indians out of town, but he did not order a pursuit, in the three foot snows, possibly remembering his experience at Turner's Falls and not wanting to be drawn into an ambush. ( Volume 8 Mary and John Clearinghouse.)