p.244 Appendix of Epitaphs of the Old Burying Ground, Groton, MA Surname: LONGLEY William Longley was among the earliest settlers of Groton, MA and was the own- er of a thirty acre right. He was the son of Richard Longley of Lynn, MA where in town records the name is sometimes spelled Langley. He had been one of the selectmen of Lynn and was clerk of the writs in the year 1655. He removed about the year 1660 to Groton, where he was one of the selectmen in the year 1665 and town clerk in 1666. He d. Nov. 29, 1680 leaving a will dated six days before his death. His widow Joanna (Goffe) Longley afterward married Benjamin Crispe whom she survived; she died at Charlestown MA in the year l698. The following is a list of his children, thought probably not in the order of their birth: John Longley b. abt l640 m. Hannah_____ and had several children Elizabeth Longley married Sept. 7, l669 James Blood She d. abt l677 leaving two daughters Mary Blood and Elizabeth Blood who married brothers named Shattuck. Anna Longley (or Hannah) who m. June 30,l666 Thomas Tarball, Jr. and had sever- al children. Mary Longley who married Samuel Leaman prob. of Charlestown, MA. Sarah Longley b. Oct l5, l660 m. June l7, l679 Thomas Rand of Concord, MA. Lydia Longley who married James Nutting and had six children. William Longley who married May l5, l672 Lydia____ He was town clerk in the year l687 and from l692 til his death in l694. William Longley lived on the east side of the Hollis road abt a mile from the village of Groton. A melancholy interest is connected with the site, as it was here that he and his wife with five children were massacred by the Indians in their assault on the town, July 27, l694. Three more of their children: Lydia, John and Betty were carried off by the savages and taken to Canada. Lydia was sold to the French and placed in the Congregation of Notre Dame, a convent in Montreal, where she embraced the Catholic faith and d. July 20, l758 at age 84 yrs. Betty died soon after her capture from hunger and exposure and John, the 3d child, remained with the savages for more than four years when he was ransomed and brought away. He was known by his captors as John Angary. Their grandmother the widow of Benjamin Crispe in April l3, l698 made her will which was admitted to probate on the 28th of the following December and remembered the three children. John Longley returned to Groton abt the time his grandmother died. Dr. Samuel A. Green Transcribed by Janice Farnsworth The full book, Epitaphs from The Old Burying Ground, Groton - is online at my webpages and freely downloadable. God Bless America History and Genealogy Freely Shared Janice Farnsworth http://tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/janice.htm Toni Feeney http://www.tfeeney.esmartbiz.com/page7.htm