Soldiers in King Philip's war. Containing lists of the soldiers of ...

No. VII.
CAPT. RICHARD BEERS AND HIS MEN.
OME light may be thrown upon the history of Capt. Beers by
s the following petition in Mass. Archives, vol. 67, page 163 :
" To the Governour," &c &c. " Humble Petition of Rich d Beeres of
Watertown "
"Whereas your petitioner hath bin an Inhabitant of this jurisdiction
ever since the first beginning thereof & according to his weake abillities
served the same not only in times of peace But allsoe w th his person in pequod
warr in two severall designes when the Lord delivered them into our
hands as allsoe uppon his returne such a weaknesse fell uppon his boddy that
for Eaight years Space he was disinabled to labor for his ffamyly Spending
a (grat) ? part of that little bee had uppon Phesitions & having hitherto
had not any land of the Country & of the Towne but one Acre and a halfe
besides that he hath purchased, Humbly desires this Honoured Court to
Grant him Such a parcell of land (where he can find it in this wilderness)
as shall seem meet to this Honoured Courte, and the rather Seing he hath
many children to share in the Same which shall further ingage him for the
future As in duty bee is bound to Serve & Honour Y r
in the Lord."
"October 24, 1665."
The deputies in answer voted him five hundred acres, but the
magistrates cut it down to three hundred.
The first expedition from Massachusetts against the Pequods was
in the latter part of the summer of 1636, a force of eighty men
under Capt. Endicot of Salem ; and the second was made in conjunction
with the forces of Connecticut and Plymouth, and Massa-
chusetts sent one hundred and sixty men under Capts. Patrick of
Watertown and Trask of Salem, with Capt. Israel Stoughton of
Dorchester as commander in chief. Richard Beers was admitted
freeman at Watertown, March 9, 1637, was granted a license to
"keep an ordinary" in Watertown in 1654, and continued that
business during his life. He was representative to the General Court
thirteen years, and selectman of Watertown thirty-one years, holding
both offices at the time of his marching to Brookfield, August
6th, 1675. Before leaving home on that day he made a nuncupatory
will, proved Oct. 5, 1675. He left a widow Elizabeth and
eight children, as follows (abbreviated from " Bond's Watertown ") :
Sarah, died before Oct. 10, 1639 ; Sarah, 2d (born probably about
1641) ; Mary, born March 10, 1643; Eliezur, administered jointly
with Capt. Richard's widow Elizabeth upon his estate in 1682, mar-
ried April 21, 1690, widow Susanna (Harrington) Cutting, and died
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