This blog is dedicated to the memory of those who fell at Bloody Brook and Wickaboog Pond in King Phillip's War in 1675.... notably Shadrach Hapgood, son of Thomas and _________ (Noyes) Hapgood. Shadrach was just 33 years old then, having come to America on the "Speedwell" in 1656, at age 14, from Andover, Hampshire.

He left a widow, Elizabeth (Treadway) Hapgood, age 29, and five children ranging in age from my ancestor Nathaniel, who would turn ten on 21 Oct 1675, Mary (8 on Nov 2), Thomas (who had turned 5 the previous February 1), Sarah (approx. age 3), to Elizabeth (about one year old).

Shadrach and Elizabeth were married at Sudbury, Mass. on 21 Oct 1664. This was the 14th marriage in the town. Shadrach is buried at West Brookfield, not far from where he died.

Elizabeth married (2) 23 Mar 1677 Joseph Hayward. All five of her children by Shadrach Hapgood lived to adulthood and married.

Nathaniel married, in 1695, Elizabeth Ward (21 Mar 1672 - 5 Nov 1748), the daughter of Samuel and Sarah (Howe) Ward of Sudbury and Marlborough. Nathaniel and Elizabeth had six children, all of whom lived to adulthood. They named their second son Shadrach, born 6 Nov 1704 at Stow, Mass., after his father. This younger Shadrach grew up and married Elizabeth Wetherbee about 1731. He died 8 Oct 1782, in the waning days of the War of Independence.

Shadrach and Elizabeth (Wetherbee) Hapgood had eleven children, all born at Harvard, Mass. Unfortunately, three of them (Asa, Israel and Oliver) died in childhood. We are descended from the middle daughter, Sarah, born 15 June 1744, who married 17 Jan 1765 John Darby (=Dalby, Daby or Derby).

Their daughter Sarah, born 7 Feb 1772 at Harvard, married Josiah Stone 13 Sept 1797 there. Sarah Stone, the only daughter of this couple of whom we have any knowledge, was born on April 21 in either 1805 or 1806 in Londonderry, Rockingham County, New Hampshire.