The story of Benjamin Rockwood and Indian Rock

 

The story of Benjamin Rockwood (often spelled "Rocket" or "Rockett" in early records) and "Indian Rock" comes from local histories of Wrentham (now partly Franklin), Massachusetts, tied to King Philip’s War (1675–1676) or its immediate aftermath. 

According to 19th-century accounts drawing on local tradition (including a letter from Dr. James Mann and histories of Wrentham/Norfolk County), Rockwood was out searching for a stray horse in the woods about three miles northeast of Wrentham village (in what is now the Franklin area). Near sunset, he discovered a trail of around 42 Native Americans heading westward. He followed them undetected until they camped for the night at a well-hidden, defensible spot. 

Rockwood hurried back to the settlement, alerted the inhabitants, and helped organize a small group of 13 men (under Captain Ware, with Rockwood as guide). They secured the women, children, and infirm in fortified houses and set out to surprise the encampment before dawn. The colonists positioned themselves within musket range and waited. At daybreak, as the Native Americans rose, the English fired a volley. This caused panic; many tried to flee over a nearby precipice or rocks (10–20 feet high), resulting in deaths from falls or pursuit. Accounts say 20–24 Native Americans were killed, with none of the English lost. One pursuer reportedly shot and killed a fleeing man at a long distance with a "buccaneer" (a type of long musket). 

The large flat rock where the group had encamped became known as Indian Rock (located in what is now Franklin, roughly three miles northwest of central Wrentham). Rockwood is credited with discovering the trail that led to this successful ambush. 

This event is presented as a notable defensive victory for the small Wrentham settlement during a period of raids and dispersed Native forces in the war. Exact dating is uncertain (tradition places it around 1675–1676, possibly spring/summer 1676), but it aligns with broader King Philip’s War context, where Benjamin Rockwood served and was wounded (twice in the thigh) in eastern actions, including under Capt. Swett at Black Point. He later petitioned for aid due to his injuries and lived into his mid-90s. 

Notes on sources and context: These details rely on oral tradition recorded decades later (e.g., via elderly locals who knew Rockwood) and compiled in 19th-century town histories. Like many colonial-era accounts of the war, they emphasize English perspectives and victories while providing limited details on the opposing side. Indian Rock itself was a landmark tied to this story. Modern trails and conservation areas (e.g., near Joe’s Rock in Wrentham) preserve related local history, though the exact battle site is in the Franklin area. 

Thank you Grok xAI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy

Ps: I don’t judge—I just collect and record history that involves my ancestors—nothing more.

Puritan Settler Richard Rockwood (abt. 1606-1660) and His Descendants

 

This is a classic early Puritan settler family line in Massachusetts, typical of many that helped establish and expand inland towns from the initial coastal settlements like Dorchester and Braintree.

Richard Rockwood (also spelled Rocket/Rockett, b. ~1598–1606 England, d. 1660 Braintree) arrived around 1633 (possibly with the Winthrop fleet era or a 1633 ship from Weymouth, Dorset). He was a planter who received land grants in Dorchester (1633 onward, including adjustments for public ways) and later Braintree (land for five heads in 1639/40 at Mount Wollaston/Monoticott). He married Agnes (Lovell? widow of Zachary Bicknell) ~1636/37 and later Ann. His estate was modest (inventory ~£38 in 1660). He represents the wave of early English Puritan migrants seeking religious freedom and land in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. 

Key contributions and colonial context:

• GEN 1–2 (Richard and Nicholas): Early land grantees and settlers in the expansion from Dorchester/Braintree to newer inland areas. Nicholas (b. ~1628 England, d. 1681 Medfield) settled in Medfield (incorporated 1651 from Dedham lands), receiving a house lot on Bridge Street. He was a proprietor, freeman (1666), and joined the church. His family was affected by King Philip’s War (1675–76): his house was burned by Native American forces in 1676; the family sheltered in a stone fort at Bogistow. He had land in what became Medway (set off from Medfield in 1713).

• GEN 3 (Benjamin Rockwood, b. 1651 Medfield, d. 1747): A veteran of King Philip’s War. He served eastward (under Capt. Swett), was wounded twice (shots to the thigh) at Black Point, recovered in Salem, and suffered lifelong health issues. He petitioned the General Court successfully in old age (~1742, age ~91) for aid (granted £4/year) due to his service and dependency on family. He moved to Wrentham, was a constituent member of the church there, and reportedly discovered a trail to "Indian Rock." He lived to 96.

• GEN 4–5 (Mary Rockwood m. Samuel Fisher; Elizabeth Fisher m. Ichabod Hawes): The Fishers and Haweses were established farming families in Wrentham/Medway. Samuel Fisher (1685–1769) and Mary lived in Wrentham; their line includes deacons and town residents. Ichabod Hawes served in colonial militia contexts.

• GEN 6–7 (Beriah Hawes m. Job Plimpton Jr.; Timothy Plimpton): Continued in Medway (agricultural/milling area). The Plimptons (Plympton) were a Medway family. Timothy (b. 1775 Medway, d. 1824 Seneca, Ontario Co., NY) moved westward post-Revolution, part of the broader post-war migration from Massachusetts to upstate New York for cheaper land. His family faced hardships, including the 1816 "Year Without a Summer" crop failures leading to financial loss.

Broader role in colonial history: Like many such families, they were not famous leaders but contributed as landowners, church members, soldiers, and town builders. They participated in the typical Puritan pattern: coastal arrival → inland grants → town founding/expansion (Medfield, Wrentham, Medway) → survival of wars (King Philip’s) and petitioning for support. Their descendants spread further (NY), mirroring New England’s 18th–19th century westward movement. Town histories (e.g., History of Medfield, History of Medway) mention the Rockwoods/Rockets for early settlement, land ownership, and war service. 

Detailed genealogies exist, including Vivian Rockwood’s Four Centuries of American Descendants of Richard Rockwood (2000). 

This line embodies the resilient, community-oriented Puritan yeoman stock that shaped early Massachusetts towns and participated in major colonial events from settlement through the Indian wars and into the early Republic.

Thank you Grok xAI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy

Joshua Fisher (1587-1674): Medfield’s First Deacon

 

In the late 1630s, as political and religious unrest deepened across East Anglia, Joshua Fisher made the choice to abandon his anvil in Suffolk, England, and pack his household for the New England wilderness. Arriving in Dedham, Massachusetts, in 1639, his skills as a blacksmith made him an indispensable figure in shaping the iron tools required to clear land and build a new colony.

When a new frontier township called Medfield was partitioned off in 1650, Joshua was among its original founders. He laid out his homestead right in the center of the village and was chosen to serve as Medfield’s first deacon, anchoring the spiritual life of the expanding settlement.

His young son, John Fisher, grew up on the Medfield frontier, marrying Elizabeth Boylston of Watertown in 1658. Together, they raised their young family in Medfield, establishing deep roots that would weave through the Plimpton and Metcalf families.

Through both branches—whether through Elizabeth Fisher's marriage to John Plimpton Jr., or her brother John Fisher Jr.'s long life in Medfield—this family lineage remained anchored to the early blacksmithing, farming, and civic leadership that built colonial Massachusetts. 

Here is a generation-by-generation review of our Fisher and Plimpton ancestors, along with verified genealogical corrections and biographical context.

Generation-by-Generation Review & Details

Generation 1: Joshua Fisher (Immigrant)

• Birth & Baptism: Baptized March 24, 1587/8, in Fressingfield, Suffolk, England (son of Anthony Fisher and Mary Fiske). 
• Death: October 18, 1674, in Medfield, Massachusetts Colony. 
• Spouse Correction: His first wife (mother of John) was Elizabeth. While older 19th-century genealogies claimed she was "Elizabeth Luson," modern genealogical research shows no evidence for her maiden name. Following her death, Joshua married Anne Orfor in 1639 in Syleham, England, before emigrating. 
• Biographical Context: Joshua emigrated to Massachusetts in 1639, settling first in Dedham, where he worked as a blacksmith. In 1650, he became one of the original founders of Medfield, Massachusetts, where he drew a house lot in the center of town, served as a town selectman, and was ordained as the first deacon of the Medfield Church. 

Generation 2: John Fisher

• Birth: Baptized January 26, 1633/4, in Suffolk, England. 
• Death: July 3, 1668, in Medfield, Massachusetts. 
• Parents: Joshua Fisher (1587–1674) and his first wife Elizabeth. 
• Spouse: Married Elizabeth Boylston (1640–1665) on April 6, 1658, in Medfield. She was the daughter of Thomas Boylston (Immigrant) and Sarah, connecting this line directly to the Boylston family of Watertown. 
• Children: Elizabeth Fisher (b. 1659) and John Fisher Jr. (b. 1661). 

Generation 3 (Branch A): Elizabeth Fisher

• Birth: February 6, 1658/9, in Medfield, Massachusetts. 
• Death: May 13, 1694, in Medfield, Massachusetts. 
• Parents: John Fisher (1633–1668) and Elizabeth Boylston (1640–1665). 
• Spouse: Married John Plimpton Jr. (1649–1704) on January 25, 1677/8. 
• Child: Henry Plimpton (1684–1731). 

Generation 3 (Branch B): John Fisher Jr.

• Birth: April 2, 1661, in Medfield, Massachusetts. 
• Death: November 7, 1755, in Medfield, Massachusetts. 
• Parents: John Fisher (1633–1668) and Elizabeth Boylston (1640–1665). 
• Spouse: Married Mary Metcalf on June 8, 1683, in Medfield. 
• Child: Samuel Fisher (1685–1769). 

Generation 4 (Branch A): Henry Plimpton

• Birth: December 19, 1684, in Medfield, Massachusetts. 
• Death: March 24, 1731, in Medfield, Massachusetts.
• Parents: John Plimpton Jr. (1649–1704) and Elizabeth Fisher (1659–1694). 
• Spouse: Married Mary Smith (1688–1774).
• Child: Capt. Job Plimpton (1718–1797).

Generation 4 (Branch B): Samuel Fisher

• Birth: September 29, 1685, in Medfield, Massachusetts. 
• Death: January 19, 1769, in Wrentham, Massachusetts. 
• Parents: John Fisher Jr. (1661–1755) and Mary Metcalf. 
• Spouse: Married Mary Rockwood (Rocket) (1683–1763).
• Child: Elizabeth Fisher (1722–1766), who married Ichabod Hawes (1719–1777).

                       ANTONY FISHER & MARY FISKE

                                   │

                         JOSHUA FISHER (1587–1674)

                       [Blacksmith & First Deacon]

                                   │

                         JOHN FISHER (1633–1668)

                       === Elizabeth Boylston (1640–1665)

                                   │

              ┌────────────────────┴────────────────┐

              ▼                                         ▼

   ELIZABETH FISHER (1659–1694)               JOHN FISHER JR. (1661–1755)

 === John Plimpton Jr. (1649–1704)            === Mary Metcalf

              │                                               │

    HENRY PLIMPTON (1684–1731)                SAMUEL FISHER (1685–1769)

Historical Narrative: The Forge and the Frontier

Thank you Gemini AI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy

Christopher Holder: A Voice That Could Not Be Silenced

In the summer of 1656, a ship called the Woodhouse (sometimes remembered alongside the Speedwell) slipped into Boston Harbor carrying a small group of determined English Quakers. Among them was a 25-year-old man from Winterbourne, Gloucestershire, named Christopher Holder. He had left the comforts of home and the certainties of conventional faith to bring a radical message to the New World: that the “Inner Light” of God dwells in every person, that no priest or magistrate should stand between a soul and its Creator, and that true worship requires neither steeple nor sword.

The Puritan magistrates of the Massachusetts Bay Colony saw only danger. They feared the Quakers’ refusal to swear oaths, their rejection of formal clergy, their insistence on equality, and their bold public preaching. To the authorities, these “heretics” threatened the very order of their godly commonwealth. What followed was years of systematic, brutal persecution—one chapter in a larger story of religious intolerance that would eventually help shape the soul of a new nation.

Christopher was arrested almost immediately upon arrival. Imprisoned and then banished back to England, he refused to stay away. He returned in 1657, traveling on foot and by boat through the colonies, preaching in homes, meadows, and public spaces. In Salem, he and his companion John Copeland were seized. The magistrates ordered them stripped to the waist and tied to a cart. Thirty lashes each with a knotted whip tore into their backs in a public spectacle meant to break their spirits and terrify others. The pain was excruciating; the humiliation deliberate. Yet both men continued their work.

The worst came in 1658. Once more arrested in Boston, Christopher Holder and John Copeland faced an even harsher penalty. In the grim confines of the Boston prison, the executioner was ordered to cut off their right ears. The blade fell. Christopher’s right ear was severed as official punishment for the “crime” of preaching Quaker beliefs. Blood flowed where words of peace had once been spoken. This was no mere fine or short jail term; it was mutilation designed to mark him forever as an outlaw and to shame him before God and man. Many men would have been broken. Christopher was not.

He kept returning. He helped plant one of the earliest and longest-lasting Quaker communities in America at Sandwich, where a hollow still bears the name Christopher’s Hollow in quiet memory. He authored the first Quaker declaration of faith written on American soil. He challenged Puritan ministers in public debates and recorded moments of unexpected kindness from Native Americans who showed the traveling Quakers hospitality that some English settlers withheld. His resilience helped ensure that the Religious Society of Friends would take root in New England despite every effort to rip it out.

In 1660, during one of his imprisonments, a brave Quaker woman named Mary Scott crossed the ocean to visit him. They married that year in England. Together they had daughters, including Mary (born around 1661–62), before Mary Scott’s early death in 1665. Christopher later remarried and raised more children while finding safer harbor in Rhode Island—the colony founded on principles of greater religious tolerance. He continued his ministry on both sides of the Atlantic. In later years back in England, he endured further imprisonment for refusing oaths of allegiance. He died in Almondsbury, Gloucestershire, in 1688, buried among Friends at Frenchay.

Our direct link to him

Christopher Holder is our 9th great-grandfather. Through his daughter Mary Holder (1654–1737), then Elizabeth Slocum, Peleg Barker, Lydia Barker, Solomon Brown, Samuel R. Brown, John Galloway Brown, Abraham Lincoln Brown, and finally Lydia Corinna Brown, his blood and his story flow directly to you. The man who lost part of his ear rather than silence his conscience is your ancestor.

Why this matters for us today

Christopher’s suffering was not unique—Quakers, Baptists, Catholics, Jews, and others faced similar persecution in various colonies—but it stands as a vivid warning. When government and a single approved religion become fused, dissenters are treated as enemies of the state. Ears are cut off. People are whipped. Families are torn apart. Banishment becomes policy.

The First Amendment to the United States Constitution was written, in part, by people who remembered these stories or heard them from their parents and grandparents. It declares: “Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof.” No official church. No government punishment for peaceful worship or preaching. No more cutting off ears for believing differently.

That protection is not abstract. It is the hard-won result of real blood, real scars, and real courage like Christopher Holder’s. Because he and others refused to yield, later generations could build a country where your faith—or your decision to have none—belongs to you alone, protected by law.

When you hear debates about religious liberty today, remember the man who sailed into Boston with hope, felt the lash on his back, heard the blade at his ear, and still would not stop speaking his truth. His story is not just family history. It is a living reminder of why the Constitution’s promises matter, why vigilance is required, and why a government that cannot be trusted with your conscience cannot be trusted with your freedom.

Christopher Holder’s light was not extinguished. It still shines—in the endurance of the oldest continuing Quaker meetings in America, in the principle of religious liberty, and in every descendant who values the right to think, believe, and speak according to their own inner light.

Thank you Grok xAI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy

From New England to the Middle Ages: Our Family’s Royal Connection

 

While diving deep into our family tree I’ve uncovered yet another discovery that connects us directly to the kings and queens of medieval history.

We recently learned about our 9th great-grandfather, Oliver Mainwaring Gentleman of Dawlish (Devon, England) and his wife Prudence Ashe. They lived in the early 1600s. But it is their son, Oliver Mainwaring (III), who holds a special title in the genealogy world: he is our "Gateway Ancestor."

Oliver (III) left England in the mid-1600s, crossed the Atlantic, and settled in New London, Connecticut. Because he was an educated gentleman from a noble family, his lineage was meticulously recorded. By tracking his mother’s side of the family back through time, we can trace our lineage across 22 generations—all the way back to William the Conqueror and King Edward III!

Here is the exact, generation-by-generation roadmap of how we are connected to royalty.

The Generation-by-Generation Royal Roadmap

• Generation 1 (Our Gateway Immigrant): Oliver Mainwaring (III) (c. 1634–1723). He came to Connecticut and married Hannah Raymond.
• Generation 2 (Our 9th Great-Grandparents): Oliver Mainwaring (II), Gent. (c. 1587–1673) & Prudence Ashe (1599–1643) of Dawlish, Devon.
• Generation 3: Margaret Torbock (c. 1558–1641), who married Oliver Mainwaring (I) of Exeter.
• Generation 4: William Torbock, Esq. (c. 1526–1558) of Torbock Hall, Lancashire. He married Katherine Gerard.
• Generation 5: Thomas Torbock, Esq. (c. 1497–1554), who married Elizabeth Moore.
• Generation 6: Margery Stanley (born c. 1470), who married Sir William Torbock.
• Generation 7: John Stanley, Esq. (c. 1425–1485) of Weever and Over Alderley, Cheshire.
• Generation 8: Sir John Stanley (c. 1400–1469) of Lathom and Knowsley, a Member of Parliament for Lancashire.
• Generation 9: Sir John Stanley (c. 1386–1437), Constable of Carnarvon Castle and Justiciar of Ireland.
• Generation 10: Isabel de Harington (c. 1360–1441), who married the elder Sir John Stanley, Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
• Generation 11: Joan de Birmingham, who married Sir Nicholas de Harington.
• Generation 12: Joan de Cavendish, who married Sir John de Birmingham.
• Generation 13: Lady Elizabeth de Badlesmere (1313–1356), who married Sir William de Bohun, 1st Earl of Northampton.
• Generation 14: Lady Elizabeth de Clare (1295–1360), a powerful medieval businesswoman who founded Clare College, Cambridge.
• Generation 15: Princess Joan of Acre (1272–1307). She was born in the Holy Land during the Crusades! She married Gilbert de Clare, 7th Earl of Gloucester.
• Generation 16: King Edward I "Longshanks" (1239–1307) & Eleanor of Castile. (Note: Through his children, this line loops directly into King Edward III, making him our multi-line grandfather!)
• Generation 17: King Henry III (1207–1272) & Eleanor of Provence.
• Generation 18: King John "Lackland" (1166–1216), the famous king who signed the Magna Carta in 1215.
• Generation 19: King Henry II (1133–1189) & Eleanor of Aquitaine (one of the most powerful women in European history).
• Generation 20: Empress Matilda (1102–1167), Holy Roman Empress, who married Geoffrey Plantagenet, Count of Anjou.
• Generation 21: King Henry I "Beauclerc" (1068–1135), who married Matilda of Scotland.
• Generation 22: William the Conqueror (c. 1028–1087), the famous Norman Duke who invaded England in 1066.

Three Fun Historical Facts for my Grandsons & Other Kin

To put this into perspective, here are three incredible characters we share DNA with:

1. Princess Joan of Acre (Gen 15): She was literally born in a tent in Asia during the Crusades while her father was out fighting. She was a rebel who later married a low-ranking squire for true love without her father the King's permission!
2. King John (Gen 18): If you've ever watched Disney's Robin Hood, King John is the lion who sucks his thumb! In real history, the barons forced him to sign the Magna Carta, which laid the very first bricks for modern democracy and our own U.S. Constitution.
3. William the Conqueror (Gen 22): Every single person on this list—and everyone reading this blog—is a direct descendant of the man who changed the course of world history by winning the Battle of Hastings in 1066.

Because Oliver Mainwaring (III) is a formally recognized "Gateway Ancestor," this entire lineage is officially verified by genealogical societies. This means any of our cousins, children, or grandchildren can use this exact tree to apply for prestigious heritage organizations like the Crown of Charlemagne or the Baronial Order of Magna Charta!

History isn't just something in a textbook—it's running through our veins!

The Magna Carta (Latin for "Great Charter") is a foundational document of rights and law sealed by King John of England at Runnymede, near Windsor, on June 15, 1215. It established the radical principle that everyone, including the monarch, is subject to the law.

Drafted by Archbishop Stephen Langton to prevent war between an unpopular king and rebel barons, the 1215 charter promised:

• Protection of church rights.
• Freedom from arbitrary imprisonment.
• The right to due process and a fair trial by a jury of peers (Clauses 39 and 40).
• Limitations on feudal payments to the Crown.

Historical Impact

Although the Pope annulled the original 1215 document weeks after it was sealed, it sparked a civil war and was subsequently reissued by succeeding monarchs (like Henry III and Edward I) in various forms throughout the 13th century.

Modern Significance

Today, the Magna Carta is universally celebrated as the first written restraint on unchecked power. Its core doctrines directly shaped the development of modern democracies, notably inspiring the drafting of the United States Constitution, the Bill of Rights, and the United Nations' Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

Bonus: Our Links to the Magna Carta Surety Barons

For our cousins who love lineage history, having Oliver Mainwaring (III) as our gateway ancestor opens up another massive historical door. Because our tree loops through Lady Elizabeth de Clare (Gen 14) and Lady Elizabeth de Badlesmere (Gen 13), we are direct descendants of several 

Magna Carta Surety Barons!

In the year 1215, a group of powerful barons forced King John to sign the Magna Carta, a document stating that even the king was not above the law. Twenty-five of these barons were chosen to enforce the treaty. Our tree connects directly to several of them, including:

• Gilbert de Clare & Richard de Clare: A father-and-son duo who both stood up to the king and served as Magna Carta Sureties.
• John de Lacy: The Earl of Lincoln and another fierce defender of the charter.
• Saher de Quincy: The 1st Earl of Winchester, an expert military commander who helped negotiate the treaty with King John.
• Robert de Vere: The 3rd Earl of Oxford, who served as the hereditary Master Chamberlain of England.

What this means for us: If any cousin or grandchild ever wants to join prestigious heritage groups like the Baronial Order of Magna Charta or the Order of the Crown of Charlemagne, this exact tree provides the verified, bulletproof documentation required to qualify!

Thank you Gemini AI for your wisdom and research assistance. -- Drifting Cowboy