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- John figures in the history of the Indian wars; but every account published of him is not correct. The most reliable one seems to have been derived from his son Tristram, who used often to relate it in the hearing of his grandson, Samuel Richards, Jr. of S. Paris, Me., who has obligingly forwarded the following sketch, adding that the same, in substance, has been handed down among other descendants of this ancestor. "As he, and some of his neighbors, were at work in a field, at Rochester, N.H., they were suddenly surprised by a party of Indians, who ran towards them with terrific yells and whoops.
Richards and his neighbors ran for his house, which was near by. Richards, however, concluded, as he neared the house, not to go in; and as his wife was at a garrison, at some distance, he directed his flight for her, but was soon brought down by a bullet. An Indian soon stood over him, with upraised tomahawk, and would soon have killed him, had he not called for quarter. The Indian, finding that he was not dangerously wounded, and that he could travel, spared his life, and took him, with another young man, as a prisoner to Canada.
The men who ran inot Richards' house were all killed; their bodies being found by some of their friends soon after; and a web, which Mrs. Richards left in the loom unfinished, was found stained with the blood of her neighbors. Richards, and the other young man, having arrived in Canada, and appearing to be contented, were permitted to go out hunting with the Indians; and as they did not try to escape, were after about a year, allowed to go out alone. They then planned a way to escape. They found a large hollow log in the forest, and prepared it to hide in. as they passed that way they stowed a part of their provision there, and one evening crawled inot the log out of sight.
The Indians, finding that Richards and his mate did not come home at dark, as usual, were soon searching for them, making the woods ring with their calls and answers, and many times passed over the log. after 24 hours search the Indians gave them up, and retired to their wigwams. Richards and his mate, hearing no more of the Indians, then crpet from their hiding and started for Rochester. Their scanty allowance was soon gone, and they began to suffer from hunger and fatigue. Richards' mate now gave himself up to die, as he could go no farther. Richards, being loth to leave him, carried him some distance, but finding his own strength failing also, and the young man begging Richards no to die with him, but to save his own life if possible, he reluctantly consented to do so. They found here the entrails fo a deer, which some hunter had left, and striking a fire, broiled it on the coals. This, said Richards, was the sweetest meat that I ever ate. He now left his companion, but had proceeded but a little way when he heard dogs barking behind him, and returnin, discovered that some hunters had found his friend. They were from Rochester, and carried Richards and his friend home." Of his sufferings and emotions in this events, fancy can paint but an imperfect sketch. Previous to his captivity, he m. at R., Abigail "Myers" or "Miles;" built his house by a living spring on the bank of the river, at Norway Plains in R., where he lived the rest of his days.
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Abt 1710 - 1792 (82 years)
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