Connecticut western news., 1882-04-05
SIMMONS AND HIS SONS.


 ing and fearful peril to which thousands of lives are exposed; history only treats of great events in which the prominent actors of the time are engaged, while the fireside and domestic tragedies, which were far more deeply and in- tensely dramatic are left unrecorded and only live as traditions in the minds of few descendants of the performers.
 Among the various spots abounding with stories of terrible interest none have witnessed scenes more frightful than the valley of the Mohawk during the Revolutionary war and it is one of the most extraordinary and exciting of these incidents that we propose to re- late.
 It was in the year 178O, that an old farmer named Sammons lived in the neighborhood of the village of Johns town, and near the Johnson estate. which had been sequestered in conse- quenee of the former owner, Sir John Johnson, becoming commander in the British forces. MT. Summons was of German extraction, whence he had immi- grated to his present abode. His family consisted of three sons and one daugh- ter, all handsome, sturdy, fearless, in- dependent and staunch whigs, like their father, who was member of the Con- mittee of Safety, and held lieutenant's commission in the American army. The whole family were we'll known to Sir John, who had several times experienced protection from them in times of immi, nent danger; but this did not prevent 8 most dastardly and fendish attack upon their home during one of his maraud- ing excursions to the vicinity of his for mer residence. He was always accom- panied by band of Indians, who, like a pack of wild beasts, sprang upon and tore to pieces whatever he marked as his prey. On this occasion, however, with remnant of humanity, he de- tached them in various directions, and proceeded stealthily to surround the house with his own immediate troops, desiring to capture the family alive and carry them of as prisoners.
 It was very early Tn the morning, and the first gray dawn had hardly began tc streak the horizon, when the farmers youngest son, Thomas, about nineteen, opened the back door of the farm house and commenced taking an observation
 He was only partially dressed, and was
 ruminating on the chances of safety 1T
 ventur1ng out before daylight as he de
 sired, on urgent business /; for in thos.
 times stray Indians were always prowl
 ing about, and wife and family coult
 never count on the safe return of tn, beloved ones, even though they wen
 abroad only for short distance and il
 broad daylight. Concluding it woul, be safer to wait until the sun rose, h : was about retreating, when a hand wa placed on his shoulder, and the word "I arrest you in the king's name," in formed him that he was 8 prisoner
 The whole family were asleep up-stairs
 or in the act of rising, and the old ma and his two elder sons were soon st cured; the females, consisting of tn wife of the eldest son, Jacob, and young girl, the only daughter of the ol } man, were left unmolested by the orde of Sir John.
 Thomas begged for an opportunity 7 getting his clothes, or at least his shoe 3 and stockings. which was brutally r, 3 fused him accompanied by thrust of = bayonet, which would have killed hi ? had not his fair young sister throw herself between and warded off tt t blow. Her complaint brought repr : mand to the soldier, and permission
 finish dressing, while the fierce trool !. ransacked and plundered the house a1 d out-buildings of everything they col e tained which could be carried wit o them, including seven horses belong1r |. to Mir. Summons. The whole part d was then marched off, the father ar
 sons closely pinioned and placed b
 tween files of soldiers, their cour } being directed toward the river. He > they were joined by the Indians, ar :; traversed several miles of the Mohav Ii Valley, suffering the keenest tortu
 from the sight of the desolation al
 misery around them. Wherever the H was building, it was burnt and sacke 5 sheep and cattle were killed, horses a c. propriated, homes laid bare, husban tA and fathers slaughtered, wives al
 daughters shamefnlly abused. and tn,