My Genealogy Home Page:Information about Christine Otis
Christine Otis (b. 16 Mar 1689, d. 23 Feb 1773)
Notes for Christine Otis:
5th great grandmother
Christine was born Margaret Otis. On the night of the June 27th 1689, during the time of the French & Indian Wars, Indians attacked the small settlement at Dover, NH, killing 22 and carrying 29 captives to French Canada, leaving the town of Dover burned to the ground.Christine's father, half-brother and 2 year old sister, Hannah, were violently killed in their home, but the Indians took her mother and Christine, then just 3 months old, with them where they were sold to the French.Catholic priests took Christine, rebaptizing her as a Catholic with the new name Christine, which she used the rest of her life.She was placed in a nunnery, but when the time came, she declined to "take the veil"( a good thing for future Bakers and many others).At 16 she was married to a Frenchman named Le Beau and became mother of 3 children. Le Beau died in about 1713. It was the following year that the young widow Christine met Captain Thomas Baker who was on a mission there to gain release of prisoners."He became deeply interested in Madame Le Beau", and overcoming a strong opposition on the part of her mother, the priests and others,Baker gained her release that she might come back with him to New England. Unfortunately, Christine was not allowed to take her children and despite attempts to recover them later on, was never able to bring them out of Canada.She returned to Massachusetts with Colonel Stoddard and his party, including Capt. Baker.She renounced her Roman Catholic faith, joined the Congregational Church under Rev. Stoddard in Deerfield,as was required then, and married Thomas Baker there.On December 14, 1714, the townspeople had granted her a plot of land in Deerfield (in praise of her noble qualities) provided she marry Capt. Baker. The couple lived there for about two years ; it was where their first child, Christine, was born. In 1717 the couple relocatedin Brookfield, also near Northampton, farming and raising their family there until 1731, when misfortune again struck. With her husband's health and strength failing rapidly after the rigors of war, they sold their farm to a man who failed make payment for it, apparently after the deed transfer had occurred,leaving the Bakers, now with 7 dependent children, bankrupt and without means of livelihood.Thomas apparently moved around some then;Mendon in 1732, Newport RI in 1733 and, finally, Dover NH, Christine's birthplace, in 1735.There Christine petitioned the General Assembly for permission to keep a"public house, on the county road from Dover Meeting house to Cocheco Boome,"She explained her family's current and past plights, "that her losses are trebled on her; first the loss of her house, well fitted and furnished and the lands belonging to it; second , the loss of New England substance in her last journey to Canada; and thirdly, the loss of her children in Canada, and now finally having a large family to support, and by the changes and chances of fortune here reduced to very low circumstances; with a husband past his labour...."Her petition was granted and she opened her "House of Entertainment" (in the Puritan sense} and kept it many years. She brought up and educated her children and "fitted them for useful and honorable lives"She died at "the good old age of 84."
From the NH Gazette Obituary:
DIED in Dover, N. H., Feb. 23, 1773, Mrs. Christina Baker, born in Dover in March, 1688-9. With her mother she was taken captive by Indians in June 1689, and carried to Canada, where she married and had several children. Her husband died, and in 1714 she was exchanged, afterwards marrying Capt. Thomas Baker of North Hampton, N. H. (should MA); in Hingham, Mass." (this is error, should be Deerfield, MA,In the town records for Dover, NH she is recorded as Christiana Baker
Christine and Thomas Baker were great great grandparents of Mayor of Chicago, and Congressman John Wentworth (1815-1888) and Massachusetts Congressman, Osmyn Baker
About Strafford County
Strafford County, named in honor of Thomas Wentworth, Earl of Strafford, was organized in 1773 as one of the five original counties. River and ocean access made the county's industries of shipbuilding and sawmills strong in the 1600s. Following the close of the Indian Wars, shipbuilding was one of the major businesses in Dover. After 1820 sawmills and gristmills gave way to cotton mills and the Cocheco Print Works. Shoe manufacturing was introduced in Dover in 1847. The Boston and Maine railroad came to Dover in 1841 and for a period in the mid-1800's ocean going schooners moved cargo between Dover and ports abroad. In the 1800's woolen mills, cotton mills, brickmaking and shoemaking became prominent industries in Strafford County.
Strafford County is comprised of three cities - Dover, Rochester and Somersworth; and 10 towns - Barrington, Durham, Farmington, Lee, Madbury, Middleton, Milton, New Durham, Rollinsford, and Strafford and includes the village of Gonic. It is the smallest county in New Hampshire with a total land area of 370 square miles. It is bordered by Maine to the east, separated by the Salmon Falls and the Piscataqua Rivers. The two largest cities are Rochester and Dover. The county's approx. population is 106,000.
A LIST OF CANADA PRISONERS
Furnished by Frederic Kidder
[Note.--The original spelling of the names is retained.]
Names of English Captives Ransomed from Quebeck by Matthew Cary,
in October, 1695.
Capt Jos. Hammond, of Piscadawa
John Key, senr. ofdo.
Jno Key, Jr. ofdo.[Jonothan Key, Jr.]
James RoseofCascow
Edwd Jones, ofNorth West[Edward Jones]
Heny Simpson ofYork[Henry Simpson]
Jno Road, ofSaman fals[Jonothan Road of Salmon Falls]
Jams Alexandr ofCascow[James Alexander]
Thos DrewGroton [Thomas Drew]
Josh Swarton, boyCascow
Mrs. Mart Stilson,Pemaquid[Margret Stilson]
Mrs Mary Plasted,York[Mary Plaisted]
Hitobt GoodwinKittery
Elizh Tozerdo.[Elizabeth Tozier]
Sarah ffurgusendo.[Sarah Ferguson]
Abigl ffurgusendo.[Abigail Ferguson]
MaryTibsYork[Mary Tibbs, Tibbets?]
Johana Swartondo.
Elizabth SmartOyster River[Elizabeth Smart]
Cisia Braket,do.[Cecia Brackett]
Magt AdamsYork[Margret Adams]
Mary Cooperdo.
Names of those remaining still in hands of the french at Canada
Saml York ofCascow[Samuel York]
Saml Souter ofdo.[Samuel Souter]
Abigal Willey, ofOyster River[Abigail Willey]
Judy Willey, ofdo.[Judy Willey]
Elizabeth Willey, ofdo.
Grizoll OTTIS,Cochieca[Grizelle Otis]
Christon OTTIS,do.[Christine Otis]
Abigal Koy,Kittery[Abigal Coy]
Mercy Adamsdo.
Jos Perkins, boy,Dover
Abigal Curlindo.[Abigail Carlin]
Stephn OTISdo.[Stephen Otis]
Liddy Langly, girldo.[Lydia Langley]
Mary Swartendo.
James Stilton, boy,Pemaquid
Jno OTTIS, boyDover[Jonathan Otis]
Abigal BracketDover[Abigail Brackett]
John Stephins, boyPemaquid[John Stephens]
Rose OTTIS [girl]Cochica[Rose Otis]
Jno Antony, boy,do.[Jonathan Anthony]
Obada Prible, do.do.
Elizabh Squir,Dover[Elizabeth Squire]
Mary Stilson, girl,Pemqd.
Kattn Stephens, do.do.[Katherine Stephens]
John Persons, boy,Dover
Sarah Davis, girl,Cascow
Roland Young, boy,Dover
Robt Clark,do. York[Robert Clark]
Ruth PersonsDover
Mary Sayarddo.[Mary Sayward]
Esther Saywarddo.
H. Hort, boy,do.
Chas Trafton,boyYork
John Skyly, boy,Oys. River
Sarah Whitt, girl,do.
Saml Rand, boy,do.[Samuel Rand]
Hannah Dongan[none][Hannah Donigan]
Mary Aslin, [girl]York
Thos. Baker, boyCascow[Thomas Baker]
Geo. Graydo.do.[George Gray]
Richd Nason,do.[Richard Nason]
Jos Michott[none][Jos Michaud]
More About Christine Otis:
Burial: Unknown, Pine Hill Cemetery, Dover, NH.
More About Christine Otis and Thomas Baker:
Marriage: 1715, Deerfield, Hampshire Co., MA.
Children of Christine Otis and Thomas Baker are:
- +Christine Baker, b. 05 Jun 1716, Deerfield, MA, d. 18 Mar 1776, Dover, NH.
- +Eunice Baker, b. Abt. 1717, Deerfield or Brookfield, Hampshire Co., MA, d. date unknown.
- +Lucy Baker, b. Abt. 1719, Brookfield, MA, d. date unknown.
- +Charles Baker, b. 1721, Brookfield. Hampshire Co., MA, d. 26 Sep 1784, Somersworth, Strafford Co., NH.
- +Mary Baker, b. 16 Feb 1725, Brookfield, Hampshire Co., MA, d. 06 Feb 1826, N. Conway, Carroll Co., NH.
- +Otis Archelaus Sharrington Baker, b. 1727, Brookfield, MA, d. 27 Oct 1801, Dover, Strafford Co., NH (bilious fever).
- Alexander Douglass Baker, b. 1729, Brookfield, MA, d. 28 Dec 1756, Dover, NH.