Simon Stone In NEGHS Register, an article on Simon Stone, the 'hero' at Exeter, using many of the original references of Cotton Mather, (in his 'History of Those Times...' pages 525 and 526, discusses his military 'career' and mentions the strugges Simon went through in his young, thanks to the demise of his parents. It goes on to say that his grandmother, Ann, wife of Andrew Foster, Sr., was accused of witchcraft and escaped execution by death in jail.
It goes on to say... In 1690, he was a soldier in the company commanded by Lt. Bancroft which was engaged with the Indians at Exeter. In 1716, he married at Andover, his cousin Esther Foster, born at Andover 14-Jan-1680, daughter of Andrew, Rr. and Mary (Russ) Foster. Their five children, all born at Andover:
Daniel 14-Feb-1717/18
Abiel 28-Jun-1719
Sarah 16-Mar-1720/21
John (bap) 05-May-1723
Unnamed Son
The family removed to Shrewsbury in 1730, SMACK on the border with Lancaster, so often records may indicate one town or the other.
The 'story' of his service in the Indian Wars indicate that on 05-Jul-1690 or so, during an Indian attack, Simon was 'wounded with shot in nine places, lay for dead, AMONG the dead. The Indians coming to strip him, attempted with two blows of a hatchet at his neck to cut off his head, after failing to do so, but leaving even more gaping wounds on Simon, Lt. Bancroft charged the Indians. When it was time to gather the dead, there was, amongst the English, an Irishman who heard Simon gasp, so advised that one more blow of the hatchet might put him out of his misery. The English, detesting such 'barbarious' advice, gave Simon a small taste of water, from which he coughed. They poured more water into his mouth, at which time he opened his eyes. Legend states, he was thoroughly cured of these wounds, and that since he had two thumbs and this sort of 'luck' surviving the attack, he must have one thumb for each heart.
Simon died in 1747. During the probate of his will, and with town lines constantly in question, the parcel of land his widow, Esther ended up with was bounded by Leominster, Princeton, Westminster, and Fitchburg, and 'distinguished', as 'Notown'. He was born on 8 October 1671 at
Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA. He was the son of
Hugh Stone , Sr. and
Hannah Foster. Simon Stone married
Esther Foster, daughter of
Andrew Foster and
Mary Russ, in 1716 at
Andover, Essex County, Massachusetts, USA. Simon Stone died in 1747.