Digory Sargent

 

Welcome to the Digory Sargent website. Following is a brief account of Digory Sargent and his family.  There is of course much more detail that can be added to this story, but it is intended to just to introduce you to the man and his family. The account of Digory and the Indian raid may be found in many Massachusetts source books.  We can also send you a list of some of these books if you desire to read the accounts for yourself.   If you have any specific questions, we would be very happy to answer them for you.

 

Digory Sargent

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Digory Sargent

Digory SARGENT was christened 22 Jun 1651 at Saint Germans, Co. Cornwall, England. He was the son of John SARGENT and Martha AXFORD.   Digory died in the winter of 1703/1704 in Worcester MA.  He was scalped and killed by the Indians and buried somewhere on his land at the foot of an oak tree by his belated rescuers.

He married (1) Constance JAMES 13 Oct 1693 in Boston MA. They were married by the famous Rev. Cotton Mather; he of Worcester, she of Boston. Constance was born about 1673.  She was not mentioned in her husband's will of 17 Mar 1696, so it is believed that she had died before that date, probably in  Worcester, Worcester, MA

Digory married (2) Mary ___________ about 1696.  Her surname is unknown.  She has traditionally been called Mary PARMENTER.  However, we can find nothing to substantiate this claim. Her son Daniel, at his baptism in 1707, called her Mary or Marie OBEN; there is even less evidence to substantiate this.   Mary died in the winter of 1703/1704 near Worcester MA.

Note that some researchers have erroneously given Digory a third wife during this time period. We do not agree; contact us for further information if desired.

 

Mural of the Indian attack on the Digory Sargent Family in Worcester.

This mural was painted by artist Will S. Taylor in the main entry of Vernon Hill School in Worcester Mass.

The school is said to stand on the land once owned by Digory Sargent.  Map

 

Digory came from England to Boston and was a carpenter there.  He was a soldier in King Philip's War and then settled in Worcester MA.  The settlers there were warned of Indian attacks and were encouraged to leave their homes.  Digory, who had lived there for a ten years, flatly refused.  They were fine for a time, but the day came in the winter of 1703/04 when the Indians attacked.  During the attack, Digory was killed and his wife and children were "carried" off by the Indians to Canada.  Not too far away from their home, the Indians killed Digory's wife who was weak and probably unable to continue for the long journey.  It was reported that a baby was killed too.

The children were taken to Canada and held there.   Martha, John, and Thomas were eventually ransomed from the Indians and were returned to Massachusetts.  Martha married and had a family that lived in southern Vermont and New Hampshire.  John married and lived in southern Vermont and it is through him that most of the "Sargent's" of today are descended. There is no record of a marriage or children for Thomas.  Daniel and Mary stayed in Canada with the Indians and the French.  No one has known what happened to Mary, although she is recorded as being with the Indians. Recently we have found some evidence indicating who she may have been; this is currently being investigated.  The story of Daniel has for a long time been a silent one as well.  In recent years, however, it has been discovered that he was the man known as Louis-Philippe Serien dit Langlais of Riviere Ouelle, Kamouraska Co., PQ and his "Langlais" descendants in number probably far surpass that of his brother, John.

 

Children of Digory and Constance (James) Sargent:

  1. Martha SARGENT,  was born about 1694 in Worcester MA. She died 1722 in Worcester, MA.  She married Capt. Daniel SHATTUCK on 6 Apr 1719 in Westborough, Middlesex, MA (VR).

Children of Digory and Mary (---) Sargent:

  1. Lt. John SARGENT, was born 1696/1697 in Worcester MA. He died 29 Mar 1748, about age 54 years, at Fort Dummer, Windham Co., VT.  He married Abigail JONES on 4 Jul 1727 in Springfield, Hampden Co., MA.
  2. Daniel SARGENT, born Aug 1699, and died before 3 Aug 1728.  As stated, Daniel was carried away by the Indians and was probably about 4 years old at the time.  He lived for a while with the Abenaki [Abenaquis] Indians. It is said that they  "gave" him to the governor, Philippe de RIGAULT VAUDREUIL (or was perhaps "redeemed" by the him).  Daniel  was baptized on 6 Nov 1707, at the age of 8 and given the name Louis-Philippe Sargeant.  This became corrupted to Serien, which is how it would have been pronounced.   He had been given by this time, by the governor, to Robert POITIER to raise and he grew up in Poitier's household. 

Daniel married Marguerite DeLAVOYE on 22 Jan 1718 in Riviere Ouelle, PQ, as Louis-Philippe Serien, Anglais de nation; marriage contract registered by JANNEAU on 14 Jun 1718, as Louis-Philippe Langlais, natif des cautes de Boston.  Marguerite was the daughter of Jean DeLAVOYE and Madeleine BOUCHER.  She died 4 Feb 1773 and was buried the next day, as "the Serien widow."

  1. Mary SARGENT {24}, born 1700 in  Worcester MA, died after 3 Aug 1728.
  2. Thomas SARGENT {23}, born 1701/1702 Worcester MA, died after 3 Aug 1728; no record of him after that date.
  3. _____ SARGENT {25}, born 1703/1704 Worcester MA, died in infancy 1703/1704 in Worcester MA. Taken captive by Indians 1704 and killed by them.

Descendancy Chart of John Sargent of Cornwall, England

 

Where to find information on Digory Sargent

Some Sargent References

Colonial Settlers of Worcester Massachusetts

Worcester History Page

Sargent Family Genealogy Forum

 

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Marjorie Valliere Howe

Digory Sargent by Marjorie V. Howe, © Copyright 1999, All Rights Reserved

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Page last updated May 8, 2003