| Sources |
- [S235] Passenger and Immigration Lists Index, 1500s-1900s, Place: Springfield, Massachusetts; Year: 1644; Page Number: 166.
- [S478] John Keep of Longmeadow, Massachusetts 1660-1676 and his Descendants, pp. 12-13.
- [S478] John Keep of Longmeadow, Massachusetts 1660-1676 and his Descendants, pp. 10-11.
The following account of the circumstances attending the death of
John Keep is taken from the History of Hadley, by that eminent anti-
quarian, Sylvester Judd.
"On Sunday, the 26th. of March, some of the people of Long-
meadow, men and women, with children, ventured to ride to Springfield
to attend public worship, in company with several Colony troopers.
There were 16 or 18 men in all, but some had women behind them, and
some had children in their arms, and when they were near Pecowsic
Brook, 7 or 8 Indians in the bushes fired upon the hindmost and killed
a man and a maid, wounded others, and took two women with their
babes, and retired into a swamp*. Those forward rode some distance
towards Springfield set down the women and maids, and then returned,
but could not find the two women and children.
A letter from Major
Savage [to the Governor's Council], dated at Hadley, March 28, 1676,
gives the following account of this affair: — 'On the 26th. inst., w e had
advice from Springfield that 8 Indians assaulted 16 or 18 men besides
women and children as they were going to meeting from a place they
call Longmeadow, and killed a man and a maid, wounded 2 men, and
carried away captive 2 women and 2 children. In the night I sent
out 16 horse in pursuit of them, who met with some that were sent from
Springfield, and overtook the Indians with the captives, who as soon a s
they saw the English, killed the 2 children and sorely wounded the
women in the heads with their hatchets, and so ran away into a swamp
where they could not follow them. The scouts brought back both the
women and the children. One of the women remains still senseless by
reason of her wounds and the other is very sensible and rational."
This disaster was a severe reproach to the guard who in a popular
rhyme of the day are described thus:
Seven Indians and one without a gun,
Caused Captain Nixon and forty men to run.
Rev. John Keep Nutting, now of Sioux Rapids, Iowa, (son of Lu-
cinda Keep, 133) claims that the pillion upon which John and Sarah
Keep rode that day was preserved till 1846 or 1847 when it was destroy ed
by the burning of the Nutting homestead at Groton, Massachusetts.
John Keep, his wife Sarah and the son Jabez were buried in the
old cemetery at Springfield.
* Six are said to have been slain or mortally wounded. John Keep, hi s wife
Sarah, and his infant son J abez are three of them. The names of the o thers are not
in the Springfield records.
- [S258] U.S., New England Marriages Prior to 1700.
- [S470] Hale, House, and related families, mainly of the Connecticut River Valley, pp. 651-652.
John Keep, born in England, killed by the Indians, 20 Mar. 1676;
married at Springfield, Mass., 31 Dec. 1663, Sarah2 Leonard [Leonard
Family, No. 1, iv], born at Springfield, 13 Dec. 1645, killed 20 Mar . 1676,
daughter of John1 and Sarah (Heald) Leonard.
On 18 Feb. 1660/1, "John Keepe desiringe entertaynm' in this Towne as
an Inhabitant his desires were granted by the Select men." He was gran ted
five acres of meadow, 13 March following, and additional land, 6 Jan.
1662/3, 6 Feb. 1664/5, and finally in January 1672/3. He was one of th e
fence viewers in 1664 and 1667, a hayward 1666, 1668, 1670, and 1672 , Sur-
veyor, 1669, and served the town as Selectman in 1674 and 1676. His de ath
came while occupying that office, and it was voted, 8 June 1676: "go d in his
providence having taken away John Keep by death Anthony Dorchester
was Chosen by a Cleare vote of the plantation a Select man to supply t hat
want for the yeere ensuing.""
John Keepe of Springfield took the Freeman's Oath, 20 Sept. 1669. At a
Court 29 March 1676: "John Keepe of Springfield and his wife Both bein g
slaine by ye Indians & three small children left behinde them Thi s Court
Orders Joseph Leonard and Samuel Bliss to take care of the sayd childr en &
of ye estate granting powere of administration upon ye estate to the s ayd
Joseph Leonard & Samuel Bliss Uncles to ye aforesaid children." Th e in-
ventory was presented 6 Sept. 1676. In the settlement, "the houseing a nd
lands of John Keepe to be to the son Samuel, he paying to his sister s Sarah
and Hannah the sum of thirty three pounds when he arrives at the age o f
twenty one years. If either of the children dye before they come to b e of
age, the survivors to enjoy the deceased child's part." The two admini stra-
tors were discharged 22 March 1700 after submitting final accounts, wh ich
include an item to "Mother Leonard for bringing up the children."
- [S470] Hale, House, and related families, mainly of the Connecticut River Valley, pp. 651-652.
At a
Court 29 March 1676: "John Keepe of Springfield and his wife Both bein g
slaine by ye Indians & three small children left behinde them Thi s Court
Orders Joseph Leonard and Samuel Bliss to take care of the sayd childr en &
of ye estate granting powere of administration upon ye estate to the s ayd
Joseph Leonard & Samuel Bliss Uncles to ye aforesaid children." Th e in-
ventory was presented 6 Sept. 1676. In the settlement, "the houseing a nd
lands of John Keepe to be to the son Samuel, he paying to his sister s Sarah
and Hannah the sum of thirty three pounds when he arrives at the age o f
twenty one years. If either of the children dye before they come to b e of
age, the survivors to enjoy the deceased child's part." The two admini stra-
tors were discharged 22 March 1700 after submitting final accounts, wh ich
include an item to "Mother Leonard for bringing up the children."
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Abt 1640 - 1676 (36 years)
Children
