Mary Rowlandson's Journey With The Indians

Mary Rowlandson was born in Somersetshire England in 1637 but was later brought to the United States of America by her father, John White. He was a wealthy landholder in the Massachusetts Bay Colony. They settled in Lancaster where Mary met and married her husband Joseph Rowlandson. She served as a minister’s wife and mother of three children for approximately twenty years in the town. Her perfect life was soon taken from her by an attack on the town of Lancaster. The American Indians attacked the colonial settlements in order to get back their lands. This time period was known as the King Phillip’s War. Mary Rowlandson experienced eleven weeks of death in life. In her narrative, she used God as a means of hope and guidance. Life is uncertain and at any point it can be taken. Therefore,
She was physically alive but mentally and emotionally dead. Mary got separated from two of her children and was left with the youngest who was wounded and died shortly there after in Mary’s hand due to lack of medical attention. Mary learned that her elder daughter was held in the town that she was but never saw her. She continued with the Indians on their journey through the wilderness, barely surviving what is now her life. The Indians had stopped at many towns that they conquered, selling the settlers from Lancaster to different sannups and squaws (husband and wife respectively). This was exhausting for Mary as she had to be moving often with different masters each time. She finally saw her son as he was held captive at a settlement that was close by and again was separated shortly thereafter from him. She felt as if the journey was never ending and life was no longer important to her; “When I was returned, I found myself as unsatisfied as I was before […] my sprit was ready to sink with the thoughts of my poor children.”