Cocheco Massacre
The Cocheco Massacre, also known as the Raid on Dover, was a tragic event that took place in Dover, New Hampshire, on June 27, 1689, during King William's War. This raid was orchestrated by Chief Kancamagus of the Pennacook tribe as an act of retribution against Major Richard Waldron. Dover, established in 1623, had witnessed over fifty years of peaceful coexistence between English settlers and the local Penacook tribe. However, this harmony deteriorated due to perceived betrayals and encroachments on tribal lands by the settlers. On the fateful day of the massacre, Indian women discreetly unlocked the gates, allowing several hundred Pennacooks to infiltrate the area in the early morning hours. They stormed Major Waldron's garrison, overpowering and mortally wounding him with a slash across his chest. The attack resulted in the death of 23 people and the capture of 29, accounting for approximately a quarter of Dover's population at the time. Notably, some of our ancestors were among those affected by this tragic event. The Cocheco Massacre signified a major escalation in the conflict between the settlers and the Pennacook tribe, leading to additional clashes that persisted for the next six decades.Matches 1 to 1 of 1 » See Gallery
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| 1 | | Cocheco Massacre Night Attack Night Attack of Indians on Major Waldron's House, Dover, N. H. This depicts an event in the Cochecho Massacre, the attack of June 28, 1689 on Dover, New Hampshire. Major Richard Waldron (1615-1689) was slain with his own sword. |
| Linked to | CORSON, Abigail Louise, HAM, John Lt., HEARD, Mary, HORNE, William, HULL, Elizabeth, WENTWORTH, Elder William |