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Johnson Harmon

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Col Johnson Harmon Sword he received from Col. Thomas Westbrook (1724) for leading the Raid on Norridgewock[1]
Col Johnson Harmon, signature

Colonel Johnson Harmon (or Harman; c. 1675 – 1751) was an army officer in colonial America. He led the expedition during Father Rale's War that killed Father Sébastien Rale in the Battle of Norridgewock. Harmon was heralded as a hero upon his return to Boston. New England Officer and historian Samuel Penahallow proclaimed the attack was "the greatest victory we have obtained in the three or four last wars."[2]

Career

Harmon was from York and was a teenager during the Raid on York (1692) during King Williams War.[3] During Queen Anne's War, in 1707 he was present, with his younger brother John, at Winter Harbour (Biddeford, Maine) he helped repulse the attack of natives in 50 canoes.[4][3] In this battle Benjamin Donnell was killed by Indians.[5] On 10 October 1710 Bomazeen with 60–70 Indians attacked the village of Winter Harbour, killing 3-4 and taking many more prisoner, including Harmon.[6] (Harmon was part of the expedition that killed Bomazeen, upon their return from the Battle of Norridgewock.[4]) He was released from captivity at Chambly, Quebec on 22 May 1711 in exchange for Beauvenire de Vercheres who was taken in the Raid on Haverhill (1708).[7][8][9]

In 1716, Harmon was considered for the position of messenger for the Indians.[9]

A year prior to the Battle of Norridgewolk, the Abenaki Indians made a failed attempt to assassinate Harmon.[10]

Harmon was the brother-in-law of the second-in-command of the expedition to Norridgewock, Col. Jeremiah Moulton. He was the father-in-law of the soldier that killed Rale, Richard Jacques.

Harmon was representative to the Massachusetts General Court (1727).[4][11]

At age 70, Harmon applied to fight in the Siege of Louisbourg (1745). While Harmon did not fight in the Siege, Moulton and Jacques did.

References

  1. ^ Desmarais, Barbara (September 7, 2017). "Winners and Losers: Part 2-The Rest of the Story".
  2. ^ French & Indian Wars in Maine By Michael Dekker, p. 70
  3. ^ a b "Background on Historical Snowshoe Companies | Harmon's Snowshoemen". www.snowshoemen.com.
  4. ^ a b c Coleman, Emma Lewis (January 29, 2008). "New England Captives Carried to Canada Between 1677 and 1760 During the French and Indian Wars: Volume 1 ONLY". Heritage Books – via Google Books.
  5. ^ "Henry DONNELL of York, Maine". freepages.rootsweb.com.
  6. ^ Hutchinson, Thomas (January 29, 1828). "The history of the province of Massachusets-Bay". Boston ; New-England : Printed by Thomas & John Fleet at the Heart and crown in Cornhill – via Internet Archive.
  7. ^ Baker, C. Alice (Charlotte Alice) (January 29, 1897). "True stories of New England captives carried to Canada during the old French and Indian wars [microform]". Cambridge [Mass. : s.n.] – via Internet Archive.
  8. ^ Coleman, Emma Lewis (January 29, 2008). "New England Captives Carried to Canada Between 1677 and 1760 During the French and Indian Wars: Volume 1 ONLY". Heritage Books – via Google Books.
  9. ^ a b "Acts and resolves passed by the General Court". Boston : Secretary of the Commonwealth. January 29, 1663 – via Internet Archive.
  10. ^ Sketches of the Ecclesiastical History of the State of Maine: From the ..., p. 79
  11. ^ Harmon Gaenology, p. 140
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