My Family Tree

Baptised in London, September 16, 1627. Killed by Indians 8/26/1696. According to Locke, p. 1, John is very likely Thomas Locke's son based on information in the London White Chapel Register. Thomas had two sons, John and Nathaniel, who were baptized in London and it is very likely that they are the two Lockes of Portsmouth, New Hampshire. There is no record of the arrival of John and Nathaniel. Elizabeth and John lived for a time in Portsmouth, though he probably settled on this land in 1666 without permission of the town. Later, they settled on Jocelyn's (Locke's) Neck in what is now Rye.

From Locke, p. 6,7: "He was noted for the daring and success with which he fought the Indians, foiling their many attempts to destroy the settlers, hence was correspondingly hated by them. On one of their raids from the east, landing on the coast near Locke's Neck, they concealed their canoes in the bushes and went inland to surprise their intended victims. Locke discovered the canoes and cut generous slashes in them where the cuts were not seen at first glance. The Indians returning from their murderous expedition, pushed off only to find themselves sinking, thereby losing nearly all their plunder, stones, and arms and making it necessary for them to escape overland, suffering many hardships and losing some of their band. Later, a party of eight came from the eastward with the express purpose of killing Locke and, surprising him as he was reaping grain in his field, mortally wounded him with his own gun, which he had left against a rock at some distance away. They then returned without doing further damage. One account says that when the Indians ran up to scalp Locke, the latter had strength enough left to cut off the nose of one with the sickle he had been using; which act was seen by one of his sons who had secreted himself in the grain."

In reference to the killing of John Locke, Roy, p. 5, says: "Years afterwards, his son met a noseless Indian in Portsmouth. While they both recognized each other, we know not what ensued."