Stephen Greenleaf, died 1743, Newbury, Massachusetts - Tombstone Tuesday

 This tombstone was photographed at the First Parish Burial Ground in Newbury, Massachusetts

HERE LYES

YE BODY OF

CAPt. STEPHEN GREENLEAF

DIED SEPt. YE 13TH

1743 IN YE 92 YEAR OF HIS AGE

This is the tombstone of Stephen Greenleaf, my 9th great grandfather.  He was known as Captain for his service in the local militia, and for his fame serving in the Indian wars of the time.  In 1689 he was "appointed agent of the state to treat with the Indians at Penacook".  He was wounded in 1694 and petitioned for relief by presenting the bill for Dr. Humphrey Bradstreet on 18 May 1695.  His petition to the General Court "The petition of Capt. Greenleaf, of Newbury, Humbly Showeth: That upon the Seventh of October last, about three o'clock in afternoon, a party of Indians surprised a family at Turkey Hill in said town, captured nine persons, women and children, rifled the house, carrying away bedding and dry goods. Only one person escaped, and gave notice to the next family, and they the town; upon the alarm your petitioner with a party of men pursued after the enemy, endeavoring to line the river Merrimac to prevent their passage, by which means the captives were recovered and brought back. The enemy lay in a gully hard by the roadway, and about nine at night made a shot at your petitioner, and shot him through the wrist, between the bones, and also made a large wound in his side, which would have been very painful and costly to your petitioner in the cure of them, and have in a great measure utterly taken away the use of his left hand, and wholly taken off from his employment this winter. Your petitioner therefore honorably prays this honorable court that they would make him such compensation as shall seem fit; which he shall thankfully acknowledge, and doubts not but will be an encouragement to others, and possibly to relieve their neighbors when assaulted by so barbarous an enemy. And your petitioner shall ever pray. (signed) Stephen Greenleaf" 

Apparently he lived a long time after being wounded, for he lived to be 92 years old and had twelve children! 

 For the truly curious:

Capt. Stephen Greenleaf- Wikipedia:  https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Greenleaf  

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To cite/link to this blog post: Heather Wilkinson Rojo, "Stephen Greenleaf, died 1743, Newbury, Massachusetts - Tombstone Tuesday", Nutfield Genealogy, posted November 22, 2022, ( https://nutfieldgenealogy.blogspot.com/2022/11/stephen-greenleaf-died-1743-newbury.html: accessed [access date]).