Middlesex County, Massachusetts was created on May 10, 1643. The county originally included Charlestown, Cambridge, Watertown, Sudbury, Concord, Woburn, Medford, Wayland, and Reading.
In 1721, Boston had a terrible smallpox epidemic. Citizens fled the city and spread the disease to the other colonies. Inoculation was introduced during this epidemic by Zabdiel Boylston and Cotton Mather.
Sarah Davis Cady was born on August 12, 1667 in Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts. Her parents were Samuel Davis, Sr. and Mary Waters.
was noted for his giant frame and physical prowess, and gained great influence over the Indians.
Joseph was captain of the colonial troops, under Nicholson and Vetch, that took Port Royal (now Annapolis) in 1710.
Sarah and Joseph's children included:
Joseph Cady, Jr. (1690, married Elizabeth Hosmer),
William Cady (1692),
James Cady (1694),
Isaac Cady (1696/97),
Abigail Cady (1698/99),
Stephen Cady (1701, married Abigail Lee), Captain David Cady (1703, married Hannah Whitmore),
Jonathan Cady (1705, great grandfather of Dr. Stephen Cady), and
Benjamin Cady (1707, married Elizabeth Church).
In 1699/1701 he was given permission to open an inn. They sold their land in Groton on February 22, 1702/03 and bought 150 acres in Killingly. The farm was located north of the old Providence road. Joseph built “a pretentious house" in 1714. The house was two stories with the conventional stone chimney. It had a huge oven and fireplace in the kitchen and fireplaces for the reception and family rooms. There were six rooms on each floor.
Joseph died on December 29, 1742.
As Joseph Cady was one day cutting brush alone, an Indian approached him from the neighboring forest and expressed a strong desire to try the skill of a white man in wrestling. Cady thought to himself that if he could throw the fellow it might operate to deter the Indians from hostilities against the settlements, and accepted the challenge. Both men struggled long and desperately, but Cady at last prevailed and the Indian was prostrated. Unfortunately he fell among the brush, which his antagonist had been cutting, and one of the sharp stumps perforating his skull, he died on the spot.
Old Style Calendar
Before 1752 the year began on Lady Day, March 25th,. Dates between January 1st and March 24th were at the end of the year. Old Style (O.S.) and New Style (N.S.) are used to indicate whether the year has been adjusted. Often both dates are used.
Queen Ann’s War was between 1702 and 1713. It was part of the War of Spanish Succession. England, Austria, the Netherlands, and Portugal joined forces to prevent France from becoming too powerful. The war waged on the New England frontier was called Queen Ann’s War.
Groton, Middlesex County, Massachusetts was settled and incorporated in 1655. During King Philip's War, indigenous warriors burned all but four of Groton's garrisons. Survivors fled, but returned two years later to rebuild the town. Groton was again threated during Queen Anne's War.
The indigenous population in the United States before the arrival of Europeans included many distinct tribes and languages
An early American tavern (or ordinary) was an important meeting place and they were strictly supervised. Innkeepers were respectable members of the community. Taverns offered food and drink. An inn also offered accommodation.
Elizabeth Fones (1610) was a Puritan woman in New England. She married her cousin, Henry Winthrop, son of John Winthrop. After he died, she married Robert Feake and lived in Watertown and Greenwich, Massachusetts. Robert apparently suffered from mental illness and abandoned his family. She then lived with William Hallett in Long Island.
A Trainband (or training band) was the basic tactical unit of the colonial militia. Men were required to join the local trainband. In wartime, military units were formed by selecting men from the trainband.
A constable was an elected official who was responsible for keeping the peace. His duties were more limited than the sheriff's. He apprehended and punished offenders, helped settle estates, and collected taxes.
from New England Families, Genealogical and Memorial by William Richard Cutter
Captain Joseph Cady, son of Nicholas Cady, was born at Watertown, Massachusetts, May 28, 1666, died at Killingly, Connecticut, December 29, 1742. He went to Groton with the family when a child and served in the garrison defence of the town in 1691-92. In 1695 he was constable of Groton, and in 1699-1701 was granted permission to keep an inn by the general court.
He sold his holdings at Groton, February 22, 1702-03, and bought one hundred and fifty acres of land of John Chandler, of Woodstock, later Killingly, now Putnam, Connecticut, whither he went with his family, and there he spent the remainder of his life.
His farm was located north of the old Providence road, about one mile east of the village of Putnam. The site of the first log house can still be identified. He built a frame house in 1714, and at last accounts that was still standing, though not occupied. A short time before his death, Joseph Cady Jr. sold this homestead to Darius Session, deputy governor of Rhode Island.
In 1708 Captain Cady was chosen lieutenant of the train-band of Aspinock; in 1721 he was commissioned captain and he was engaged in Father Rasle's war. He was noted for his giant frame and physical prowess, and gained great influence over the Indians. This story is told of him:
As Joseph Cady was one day cutting brush alone, an Indian approached him from the neighboring forest and expressed a strong desire to try the skill of a white man in wrestling. Cady thought to himself that if he could throw the fellow it might operate to deter the Indians from hostilities against the settlements, and accepted the challenge. Both men struggled long and desperately, but Cady at last prevailed and the Indian was prostrated. Unfortunately he fell among the brush, which his antagonist had been cutting, and one of the sharp stumps perforating his skull, he died on the spot.
Captain Cady had charge of the public lands of Killingly for many years and was useful in public affairs. He was townsman in 1728 and deputy to the general court in 1731-34.
He married Sarah Davis, born August 12, 1667, daughter of Samuel and Mary (Waters) Davis, of Groton.
Children, the six eldest born in Groton, others in Killingly:
Joseph, October 3, 1690;
William, about 1692;
James, November 22, 1694;
Isaac, January 17, 1696-97;
Abigail, January 22, 1699:
Stephen, June 16, 1701;
David, September 17, 1703;
Jonathan
Benjamin, baptized April 4, 1714.
Father Rasle’s War was between 1721 and 1725. It was also known as Dummer’s War, Grey Lock's War, and Lovewell’s War. Father Sebastian Rasle was a Jesuit missionary in New England and lived among the Abneki people. In 1705, during Queen Anne’s War, tensions escalated between the settlers and Father Rasle and the Abneki. The settlers attacked the mission at Norridgewock and burned the church. Hostilities continued after the end of Queen Anne’s War and in August, 1724 Father Rasle was attacked by the settlers, scalped and killed
Connecticut's first European settlers were Dutch.
History Charter and By-Laws of the Society of Colonial Wars in the State of Illinois
Captain David Cady (1703) of Killingly, Conn Oct 1747 was commissioned captain of the 1st Company or Train Band of Killingly.
