Mary (Baldwin) Catlin (1644 - 1704)

Born 23 Jun 1644 in Milford, New Haven, Connecticut Colony

Ancestors

Wife of John Catlin — married 23 Sep 1662 in Wethersfield, Connecticut

Descendants

Died 9 Apr 1704 at age 59 in Deerfield, Hampshire (now Franklin), Massachusetts

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Biography

Mary was in the Deerfield Massacre - her husband and a son were killed, and she and others were taken captive.

From A History of Deerfield, Massachusetts (by George Sheldon, 1895), page 311: The captives were taken to a house, (1 do not know what house) and a Frenchman* was brought in and laid on the floor; he was in great distress, and called for water; Mrs. Catlin fed him with water. Some one said to her, "How can you do that for your enemy?" She replied, "If thine enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him water to drink." The Frenchman was taken and carried away, and the captives marched off. Mrs. Catlin was left. After they were all gone, a little boy came that was hid in the house. Mrs. Catlin said to the boy, "go run and hide." The boy said, "Mrs. Catlin, why don't you go and hide?" She said, "I am a captive; it is not my duty to hide, but you have not been taken, and it is your duty to hide." Who this boy was I do not know. Some thought the kindness shown to the Frenchman was the reason of Mrs. Catlin's being left.

Mary died a few days later, it is said of a broken heart.

Wife of John Catlin — married September 23, 1662 in Wethersfield, Hartford, Connecticut

Sources

• Wethersfield Vital Records, In Land Records, Vol. 2, The American Genealogist (1933) Vol. 10, Page 105. Marriage record.
• Sheldon, George. A History of Deerfield, Massachusetts (Greenfield, Mass., E.A. Hall & co., 1895) Page 311.