Candlemas Massacre (Jan 24, 1692)
The Raid on York, more commonly known as the Candlemas Massacre, was a significant and tragic event during King William's War, occurring on January 24-25, 1692, in York, Maine, then part of the Province of Massachusetts Bay. The raid was carried out by approximately 200-300 Abenaki Indigenous people, allied with New France, as part of the wider conflicts between English and French settlers in North America.
The Abenaki, motivated by grievances against English territorial expansion and influenced by the French, launched a pre-dawn attack on the unsuspecting town. York, with limited defenses, was ill-prepared for such an assault. The raiders quickly overwhelmed the settlement, setting fire to buildings and causing widespread destruction.
The massacre led to the deaths of about 50 settlers, including men, women, and children. Additionally, the Abenaki captured around 100 inhabitants. These captives were forced to endure a grueling march to Canada, where they were used as leverage in the ongoing conflict. Some captives were eventually ransomed and returned to New England, while others assimilated into Abenaki communities or remained in Canada.
The impact of the raid on York was profound, exacerbating hostilities in the region and influencing colonial attitudes and policies towards Native Americans.
While no comprehensive list of York residents who were killed or captured in the raid is known to exist, we do know some of the names, a number of our ancestors among them.
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| 1 |  | Living At least one living or private individual is linked to this item - Details withheld. | |
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| 3 |  | York Maine Historical Map |