Comments on: The Great Swamp Fight – 332 years ago today

By: Churbuck.com » A Tour of the Land of the O’Neill, the Pequot, Mohegans and Nuclear Submarines

Tue, 10 Jan 2012 17:34:18 +0000

[...] hundreds of Narragansett Indians in their hidden swamp redoubt one cold December evening. My post on that visit is one of the most visited and commented on this [...]

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:06:02 +0000

One more thing to add: if anyone has come across this story in their own historical/genealogical research, please let me know (mock5turtle@hotmail.com). Thanks very much!

By: Shannon

Shannon — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 02:03:56 +0000

Thanks for the article; I was interested also to read the comments in response. I am descended from a brother of Joshua Tefft (also recorded as Tift or Tifft), a first-generation American born in Rhode Island to British immigrant parents. He was tried and convicted as a traitor in 1676 by colonial authorities for his part in the Great Swamp Fight. Several soldiers testified that they saw him shoot other colonial soldiers; this testimony along with other factors (including the fact that he hadn’t attended church in years) led to his conviction and execution. The story is a strange one, as some accounts paint him as a clear traitor to his own people, while in other accounts he seems more like a captive victim. It’s interesting to speculate.

By: charlie

charlie — Mon, 12 Sep 2011 14:11:24 +0000

I recently visited the Great Swamp Fight monument. Its a great historical landmark.

It is falling into dis-repair. Is any thing being done to preserve this site? What can be done to repair the markers?

By: Anonymous

Anonymous — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 22:14:24 +0000

U SHOULD REALLY PUT WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INDIANS AFTER THE FIGHT

By: Thomas Bowen

Thomas Bowen — Tue, 08 Mar 2011 00:40:14 +0000

Re: Tonya Harmon

Lt. Henry Bowen’s brother William Bowen b. C1632 was a mariner and was recorded as died “A Christian Captive to the Turks” about 1686. His church at Roxbury had actually taken up a collection to free him but were too late. The family genealogist records an “only son” William who was a taylor and sold his inheritence his share of the family farm at Muddy Brook for L80 on May 10th 1716. It is further recorded that “With Willliam that branch probably became extinct”.

Henry’s son John b. July 7, 1662 married Hannah Brewer in Roxbury, Mass in 1695, daughter of Daniel Brewer. There were five children, Hannah b. 1696, Elizabeth b. 1698, Abigail, b. 1700, Sarahb. 1705 and John b. 1706. John the only son of John and Hannah married Mehetable May on June 6, 1734 and had three children Hehetable 1735, John 1737 and Penuel 1739.

I looked for a Ann Doyle or Cornelius Bowen in that era but could find none. It is possible that he could be a descendent of Henry’s brother William as the research was done in the 1880s and 1890s and Daniel Bowen the author of “The family of Griffith Bowen Welsh Puritan Immigrant” could have lost track of William the brother of Henry. His comment that this branch of the family is “probably extinct” could mean that he just could not find any descendent.

You can actually buy this book on line. It is 272 pages of wonderfully researched family history with many anecdotes.

By: stephan

stephan — Sat, 26 Feb 2011 18:35:11 +0000

Great conversation. I’m slowly working on a photographic project that includes the Great Swamp Massacre. On one visit to the area in early 2010, I spoke with Christine Dudley (Supervising Biologist-Freshwater Studies) who works out on the Management land about the history and site of the GSM. She was very helpful. When I asked her if she knew the site of the former Narragansett fort, she was unaware of its location, but did explain that a team of students and archeologists from Brown University had come down to the area and located the site – uncovering remnants of palisades, and other items. She did not recall any names, but was certain they found something. I’ve been meaning to poke around at Brown: so much to do, so little time. Though I understand and respect of some to have it remain “unknown” if anyone knows for certain where it is, I’d (my leaky waders and 40 year old knees) would be much indebted.

By: Mark Phelps

Mark Phelps — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 07:13:59 +0000

I am a descendant of Captain Isaac Johnson through his son Nathaniel Johnson. I have driven past the site of the memorial on my way to Newport, RI. It is a tranquil farming area, and I am glad it is still fairly rural. It is a nice contrast to I-95 in nearby northeastern CT. I agree that we should not view this battle through a P.C. 21st century lens, but realize our colonial forefathers had to fight to earn dominon over the territory. If they had been pacifists, there would be no U.S. today. We wouldn’t even be here to debate the morals of what took place.

By: Tonya Harmon

Tonya Harmon — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 16:44:29 +0000

Thomas Bowen, I am a descendant of Griffith Bowen, and am trying to figure out whether it was through Lt Henry Bowen and his son John, or through Henry’s brother William and his son John.

Since you have documentation of Henry’s children and their marriages, I am hoping you can help me. My family records show John Bowen marrying Ann Doyle. They had a son, Cornelius Bowen, b. 1719, who married Marijte Mary Putman.

I don’t have a date of birth or death for John, just family history documented decades ago stating they were originally from Wales through Griffith.

My Bowen descendants fought as Loyalists in Butler’s Rangers in NY.

By: J.S.

J.S. — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 19:03:34 +0000

A forgotten and unrecognised aspect of this campaign and war is the essential part the Natives played aiding the English to bring the conflict to a successful conclusion. There were companies of “friendly” Indians, either Mohegans/Pequots/ Niantics who were for the most part not Christian converts and the Praying Indians, members of the Massachusetts and Nipmuc tribes, whose expertise accelerated the war’s end. It was a disgruntled Narragansett, an”Indian Peter” who guided Winslow’s army through the snowy wilderness directly to the swamp fort.