This is a cenotaph. John Kettell (also known as John Kettle), one of the earliest settlers of Stow, Massachusetts, is not buried here. He was alleged to have been killed in 1676 by native people during King Philip's War. A monument was placed near the spot where he was alleged to have been killed. His death during this war, however, has been disputed. Regardless, this monument serves as a cenotaph, or memorial, to John Kettell, irrespective of his exact date of death. The date of death, as shown in the corresponding field for this memorial, is given as it is inscribed on the monument, with the acknowledgement it is disputed.
Primary sources show that James Printer, a scribe of the Nipmuc tribe, wrote to Kettell negotiating for the release of Kettell's family, taken captive during the war, so John Kettell was very likely alive for some time after the Lancaster raid. He may have lived as late as 1690.∼JOHN, 2nd known child of Richard & Esther (Ward) Kettle, was born at Charlestown 6 December 1639; baptized Charlestown 8 December 1639. He married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow (see below).
In all secondary accounts John Kettle, son of the immigrant, is given two wives: Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund; and Elizabeth Ward, daughter of Samuel. These same sources also claim that it was this John Kettle whose family was captured by Indians at Lancaster during King Philip's War.
An entertaining controversy regarding John Kettle, son of Richard Kettle, and the matter of Indian captivity was carried on over a period of two years by Rev. George F. Clark and Abraham G.R. Hale [ NEHGR 50:483-85, 51:294-97, 52:37-38]. Aside from their intrinsic importance to the Kettle family, these three articles are very significant in the development of genealogical methodology, showing a clear triumph of an approach based on close analysis of original documents (represented here by Clark) over a mode of argumentation founded on credulous acceptance of later tradition (as seen in the article by Hale).
John Kettle, son of Richard, married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund of Sudbury. They had daughter Sarah born in Sudbury on 8 March 1662[/3], but apparently also had son John born about 1661, who died at Charlestown 17 March 1690/1, aged about thirty, and son Joseph, and these latter two were remembered in the will of Edmund Goodenow.
By 1665 John Kettle, son of Richard, had moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for on 8 March 1665/6 he made a contribution to the minister's maintenance, and he is seen regularly in Portsmouth from that date until 1680. On 6 July 1680 "John Kettell of Portsmouth ... New Hampshire ... cooper" sold to Thomas Boylston of Muddy River and John Chinery of Watertown "all that my house plot ... in Charlestown abovesaid which I formerly purchased of Daniel Shepardson of Malden." Wyman tells us that he "[m]ade deed with wife Sarah, 1671 (per Exeter records)."
A John Kettle with wife Elizabeth had children born in Gloucester from 1654 to 1665; he also appeared in Essex court records, always associated with Gloucester men, from 1655 to 1664. No record of this John Kettle appears in Essex court again until 1679, and he died at Salem on 12 October 1685.
Source: Anderson's Great Migration.
Primary sources show that James Printer, a scribe of the Nipmuc tribe, wrote to Kettell negotiating for the release of Kettell's family, taken captive during the war, so John Kettell was very likely alive for some time after the Lancaster raid. He may have lived as late as 1690.∼JOHN, 2nd known child of Richard & Esther (Ward) Kettle, was born at Charlestown 6 December 1639; baptized Charlestown 8 December 1639. He married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow (see below).
In all secondary accounts John Kettle, son of the immigrant, is given two wives: Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund; and Elizabeth Ward, daughter of Samuel. These same sources also claim that it was this John Kettle whose family was captured by Indians at Lancaster during King Philip's War.
An entertaining controversy regarding John Kettle, son of Richard Kettle, and the matter of Indian captivity was carried on over a period of two years by Rev. George F. Clark and Abraham G.R. Hale [ NEHGR 50:483-85, 51:294-97, 52:37-38]. Aside from their intrinsic importance to the Kettle family, these three articles are very significant in the development of genealogical methodology, showing a clear triumph of an approach based on close analysis of original documents (represented here by Clark) over a mode of argumentation founded on credulous acceptance of later tradition (as seen in the article by Hale).
John Kettle, son of Richard, married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund of Sudbury. They had daughter Sarah born in Sudbury on 8 March 1662[/3], but apparently also had son John born about 1661, who died at Charlestown 17 March 1690/1, aged about thirty, and son Joseph, and these latter two were remembered in the will of Edmund Goodenow.
By 1665 John Kettle, son of Richard, had moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for on 8 March 1665/6 he made a contribution to the minister's maintenance, and he is seen regularly in Portsmouth from that date until 1680. On 6 July 1680 "John Kettell of Portsmouth ... New Hampshire ... cooper" sold to Thomas Boylston of Muddy River and John Chinery of Watertown "all that my house plot ... in Charlestown abovesaid which I formerly purchased of Daniel Shepardson of Malden." Wyman tells us that he "[m]ade deed with wife Sarah, 1671 (per Exeter records)."
A John Kettle with wife Elizabeth had children born in Gloucester from 1654 to 1665; he also appeared in Essex court records, always associated with Gloucester men, from 1655 to 1664. No record of this John Kettle appears in Essex court again until 1679, and he died at Salem on 12 October 1685.
Source: Anderson's Great Migration.
This is a cenotaph. John Kettell (also known as John Kettle), one of the earliest settlers of Stow, Massachusetts, is not buried here. He was alleged to have been killed in 1676 by native people during King Philip's War. A monument was placed near the spot where he was alleged to have been killed. His death during this war, however, has been disputed. Regardless, this monument serves as a cenotaph, or memorial, to John Kettell, irrespective of his exact date of death. The date of death, as shown in the corresponding field for this memorial, is given as it is inscribed on the monument, with the acknowledgement it is disputed.
Primary sources show that James Printer, a scribe of the Nipmuc tribe, wrote to Kettell negotiating for the release of Kettell's family, taken captive during the war, so John Kettell was very likely alive for some time after the Lancaster raid. He may have lived as late as 1690.∼JOHN, 2nd known child of Richard & Esther (Ward) Kettle, was born at Charlestown 6 December 1639; baptized Charlestown 8 December 1639. He married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow (see below).
In all secondary accounts John Kettle, son of the immigrant, is given two wives: Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund; and Elizabeth Ward, daughter of Samuel. These same sources also claim that it was this John Kettle whose family was captured by Indians at Lancaster during King Philip's War.
An entertaining controversy regarding John Kettle, son of Richard Kettle, and the matter of Indian captivity was carried on over a period of two years by Rev. George F. Clark and Abraham G.R. Hale [ NEHGR 50:483-85, 51:294-97, 52:37-38]. Aside from their intrinsic importance to the Kettle family, these three articles are very significant in the development of genealogical methodology, showing a clear triumph of an approach based on close analysis of original documents (represented here by Clark) over a mode of argumentation founded on credulous acceptance of later tradition (as seen in the article by Hale).
John Kettle, son of Richard, married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund of Sudbury. They had daughter Sarah born in Sudbury on 8 March 1662[/3], but apparently also had son John born about 1661, who died at Charlestown 17 March 1690/1, aged about thirty, and son Joseph, and these latter two were remembered in the will of Edmund Goodenow.
By 1665 John Kettle, son of Richard, had moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for on 8 March 1665/6 he made a contribution to the minister's maintenance, and he is seen regularly in Portsmouth from that date until 1680. On 6 July 1680 "John Kettell of Portsmouth ... New Hampshire ... cooper" sold to Thomas Boylston of Muddy River and John Chinery of Watertown "all that my house plot ... in Charlestown abovesaid which I formerly purchased of Daniel Shepardson of Malden." Wyman tells us that he "[m]ade deed with wife Sarah, 1671 (per Exeter records)."
A John Kettle with wife Elizabeth had children born in Gloucester from 1654 to 1665; he also appeared in Essex court records, always associated with Gloucester men, from 1655 to 1664. No record of this John Kettle appears in Essex court again until 1679, and he died at Salem on 12 October 1685.
Source: Anderson's Great Migration.
Primary sources show that James Printer, a scribe of the Nipmuc tribe, wrote to Kettell negotiating for the release of Kettell's family, taken captive during the war, so John Kettell was very likely alive for some time after the Lancaster raid. He may have lived as late as 1690.∼JOHN, 2nd known child of Richard & Esther (Ward) Kettle, was born at Charlestown 6 December 1639; baptized Charlestown 8 December 1639. He married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow (see below).
In all secondary accounts John Kettle, son of the immigrant, is given two wives: Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund; and Elizabeth Ward, daughter of Samuel. These same sources also claim that it was this John Kettle whose family was captured by Indians at Lancaster during King Philip's War.
An entertaining controversy regarding John Kettle, son of Richard Kettle, and the matter of Indian captivity was carried on over a period of two years by Rev. George F. Clark and Abraham G.R. Hale [ NEHGR 50:483-85, 51:294-97, 52:37-38]. Aside from their intrinsic importance to the Kettle family, these three articles are very significant in the development of genealogical methodology, showing a clear triumph of an approach based on close analysis of original documents (represented here by Clark) over a mode of argumentation founded on credulous acceptance of later tradition (as seen in the article by Hale).
John Kettle, son of Richard, married by about 1661 Sarah Goodenow, daughter of Edmund of Sudbury. They had daughter Sarah born in Sudbury on 8 March 1662[/3], but apparently also had son John born about 1661, who died at Charlestown 17 March 1690/1, aged about thirty, and son Joseph, and these latter two were remembered in the will of Edmund Goodenow.
By 1665 John Kettle, son of Richard, had moved to Portsmouth, New Hampshire, for on 8 March 1665/6 he made a contribution to the minister's maintenance, and he is seen regularly in Portsmouth from that date until 1680. On 6 July 1680 "John Kettell of Portsmouth ... New Hampshire ... cooper" sold to Thomas Boylston of Muddy River and John Chinery of Watertown "all that my house plot ... in Charlestown abovesaid which I formerly purchased of Daniel Shepardson of Malden." Wyman tells us that he "[m]ade deed with wife Sarah, 1671 (per Exeter records)."
A John Kettle with wife Elizabeth had children born in Gloucester from 1654 to 1665; he also appeared in Essex court records, always associated with Gloucester men, from 1655 to 1664. No record of this John Kettle appears in Essex court again until 1679, and he died at Salem on 12 October 1685.
Source: Anderson's Great Migration.
Inscription
JOHN KETTELL
ONE OF THE FIRST TWO
SETTLERS IN
STOW
LIVED HERE
WAS KILLED BY THE INDIANS
1676
[On the back side of the monument it states:]
ERECTED
MAY 16, 1883
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