William SALISBURY
Biography

William was living in Dorchester, Suffolk Co. MA in 1648 and for a time was herdsman of the town cattle. On 18 May 1664, he moved to Milton, Norfolk County, MA and then moved to Swansea, Bristol County, MA as early as 1671. Widow Salisbury was admitted to Dorchester Church 7 May 1677 and all her 8 children were baptized there on 1 July 1677. 18 September 1681 she was dismissed to join the newly formed church at Milton, MA.

[Note: This tale has not been proven but has been widely told] On Sunday, 20 June 1675, while the Swansea settlers were at church, some Indians shot some of their cattle. The frightened people moved to the garrison house. On the 23rd of June, William and his son, John left the garrison house to try to salvage some of their geese. They found the geese dead and also found some Indians ransacking their home. William ordered his son, John, to shoot and one of the Indians was wounded, possibly killed. The next day, June 24th, the Indians went to Swansea and found William and his son, John, and killed them both and cut off their heads. It is said that King Philip's War was started by young John Salisbury. William was buried on 24 June 1675 at Milton, MA.

William's wife, Susannah was left with seven children from ages fifteen to one month. She returned to Dorchester which became Milton, because of the war and was admitted to the Dorchester Church on 7 May 1677. All of the children were baptised in Dorchester at that time. Susannah died about 11 November 1684 and her eldest son, William of Swansea was named administrator of her estate and that of his father which had previously been under the widow's administration.

Source homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/
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